Carolina Beach Half Marathon & 5K
Carolina Beach, NC
DISCONTINUED
- Half Marathon, 5K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
The Carolina Beach Half Marathon & 5K begin next to Carolina Beach Lake Park and finish at the Lake. Course takes you through beautiful Carolina Beach, the Carolina Beach State Park and neighboring Kure Beach. This year we are back to doing a half marathon and 5K only, but plan … MORE
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Never again.
Instead of my usual format, I'm just going to tell the story... Drove in from running in Virginia the day before, missed packet pickup because of traffic, no problem, I'll … MORE
Instead of my usual format, I’m just going to tell the story…
Drove in from running in Virginia the day before, missed packet pickup because of traffic, no problem, I’ll just hit the race morning packet pickup. Went to campsite at the state park (which the race was running through) and was told that the gate would be locked until an hour after the race start, I’d have to “park outside the gate” a mile away. So, called the park ranger who gave me access to a side gate, and finally got settled in for the night.
Race morning I showed up a little earlier than they were ready, got my packet, and was asked if I could “stick around because there were some homeless guys trying to steal things”…I did, but I’m an old, tiny, 150 pounder, what the heck am I going to do…anyway-that was done.
Met the RD-nice enough guy-then the fun started. I don’t really study up before races, because the standard, even if low is usually ok for me, but I wasn’t really prepared for very few porta-jons, water only aid stations that weren’t always staffed, and a general feeling of you’re on your own…
I don’t want it to sound like I’m whining, I can run under those conditions, but even while on the course I kept hearing conversation about the weird cutoff times, the race being cancelled the night before-then back on-then off, then on…and then the one thing that sealed the deal…they closed the course early!!!
I had finished, but I had several friends-even Maniacs who have done several hundred races-who didn’t get to. We’re adults, we signed waivers, we know the risk…
I’m just sayin’, if you’re an RD, and I’ve paid you to run the course, and the course time limit isn’t up, and you try to pull me off the course; you are going to have a fight on your hands.
I’m getting upset just thinking about it…anyway, long story short…
If you’re looking for a race in NC, go somewhere else. My $.02