RunAPalooza! Asbury Park, NJ
Seaside Heights, NJ
- Marathon, Marathon Relay, Half Marathon, 5K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
The Jersey Shore Relay is comprised of teams of 1 to 5 members running from Seaside Heights to Asbury Park, NJ on an awesome 26 mile ocean front course along many boardwalks and past scenic venues. The Asbury Park Half Marathon starts and finishes in Asbury Park and runs through … MORE
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Fast and smoothly run race
I really enjoyed this race. Signage every few miles, certain parts were very scenic, started on time, not too many participants (under 2500 finishers). Medal doesn’t say date or distance, … MORE
I really enjoyed this race. Signage every few miles, certain parts were very scenic, started on time, not too many participants (under 2500 finishers). Medal doesn’t say date or distance, if you’re into that. Long sleeve technical shirts are given. The only two cons were some parts of the race were narrow walkways that were shared with runners going the opposite way, and the tent to get your shirts, water and bananas was a bit far from the finish line.
Some good, some not as good
First, I want to say that this race had to be suspended for two years due to Covid. The medals say 2020 on them. A few people were upset about … MORE
First, I want to say that this race had to be suspended for two years due to Covid. The medals say 2020 on them. A few people were upset about this, but I have no problem since I am sure the medals were ordered well before they were forced to cancel the race.
The two things I was not thrilled about for the race was running on the boardwalk and the finish line, postrace amenities.
I know running on the boardwalk is part of the identity of the race, but the boardwalk is not closed to other traffic and there were places where I had to run around groups of people blocking sections of the boardwalk. In addition, when you cross the finish line all you received were cups of water. You had to walk to the Berkeley Hotel to get your shirt, medal, and postrace food. The hotel is only about .25 mile away so that wasn’t a big deal. However, the room where you received your swag and food was kind of small for this. There was not much of a postrace spread. Bananas, oranges, some small snacks, and water. No gatorade, chocolate milk, beer ;-(. I am going to write this off as a cost saving measure due to being canceled for two years? Also, I know the organizers were still asking for volunteers almost to race day. So that might have also been part of the issue. I like to get together with other runners after the race and this did not provide much of an opportunity to do so.
The scenery was ok. Mostly neighborhoods for the first 8 miles until you reach the boardwalk. The last 5 miles are along the beach. Of course, being near the beach it was very windy.
I liked the shirt (nice having a shirt that fits and you can wear) and the medal was fine. The communication from the organizers was excellent. Constantly sent updates and information. I imagine this race was probably better pre-covid and will return to its previous reputation in the near future.
For out of towners, staying at the Berkeley was convenient. You can walk right out of the hotel to the starting line. You have to pay for parking everywhere in
Asbury Park but it was cheaper to pay for parking on the street than for parking at the hotel.
Flat course by the ocean
A really great half marathon race. The course starts by the convention hall in Asbury Park. It’s a super flat course on roads and finishes the last 5-6 miles on … MORE
A really great half marathon race. The course starts by the convention hall in Asbury Park. It’s a super flat course on roads and finishes the last 5-6 miles on the boardwalk. You can see the ocean a lot of the race so a very pretty view but it does have the out/back course which can be boring to some people. Spectators were scattered along the course but very prevalent at miles 0,2,8,13. Lots of energy. Well managed race with lots of porta potties and regular bathrooms near the start. Swag was a nice dry fit long sleeve shirt and also nice quality towel for top 3 M/F in your age group. I thought this was a very fun and well organized race with opportunities for great PRs.
Comic Sans font on race shirts lol
Pros: -Extremely flat. Very easy PR course. The only challenge is the monotony - you do a few out and back loops, so it seems like you see the same … MORE
Pros:
-Extremely flat. Very easy PR course. The only challenge is the monotony – you do a few out and back loops, so it seems like you see the same thing the entire time, aside from a couple of random neighborhoods.
-Pace groups, even though it’s a small race
-Ability to sit/chill inside of the nearby hall before the race
-Plenty of porta potties with short lines before the race
Cons:
-Water is on one side of the course, which makes for a lot of clusters of people during the out and back portions, since there were runners going both ways
-Boring course until the boardwalk portion, but even that gets dull because of the out and backs
-Post race party wasn’t great. Finisher shirts were very Microsoft Paint looking, and there wasn’t any food. It also smelled terrible with all of the finishers in a crowded hall picking up shirts.
-Parking was dicey. I was fine because I got there early, but there are only a couple of nearby lots. Most options are street parking in the neighborhoods near the start line.
Don't count NJ out!
Unfortunately for the state of New Jersey, it has a reputation nationally, and it's not a good one. You don't hear of anyone going on a dream vacation to the … MORE
Unfortunately for the state of New Jersey, it has a reputation nationally, and it’s not a good one. You don’t hear of anyone going on a dream vacation to the Garden State. Sadly, many will never know the delightful pockets of interest in the state, Asbury Park being one of them. Runapalooza, an event that hosts a marathon, half marathon, and relay, showcases one of the most magnificent destinations in the area. Runners get a 13.1 (or longer) tour of the decaying glory and current revitalization of Asbury Park, the crown jewel of the Jersey Shore in the early 1900’s. Devastated by Hurricane Sandy and years of neglect, this scrappy beach town is fighting it’s way back, and runners get a chance to witness it’s progress on foot. This race will likely look very different in 10 years, and the race will without a doubt continue for many years thanks to the event’s magnificent scenery, stellar organization, and easy course. For more information about race swag, finisher medals, post-race party, accommodations, places to eat, and photos of it all, visit https://www.serialrunner.com/half-marathon-race-recaps/asbury-park-half-marathon.