Greenbrier Half Marathon, 10K and 5K
White Sulphur Springs, WV
- Half Marathon, 10K, 5K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
The Greenbrier Half Marathon is a luxury destination race like no other. Participants will run exclusively on the 11,000-acre grounds of the world-class Greenbrier Resort that has played host to 26 of our country’s 46 presidents and has long been a favorite destination of royalty, celebrities and business leaders. The … MORE
Local Historical Weather (May 09):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°F) | 67 | 71 | 79 | 80 | 71 |
| L (°F) | 39 | 47 | 57 | 54 | 37 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Great Choice for a WV Half Marathon!
Transportation: White Sulfur Springs is about 4 hours and 45 minutes from our house in North Carolina, so I drove up for the night. Hotel/lodging: Hampton Inn in Lewisburg, WV, … MORE
Transportation: White Sulfur Springs is about 4 hours and 45 minutes from our house in North Carolina, so I drove up for the night.
Hotel/lodging: Hampton Inn in Lewisburg, WV, about 15 minutes from the race site. The Greenbrier is pricey, and although I’m sure staying there is all part of the experience, it wasn’t in our budget, especially with the high race entry fee. Despite being in the midst of renovations, the hotel was fine and clean. Check-out was at 11 a.m. Unfortunately, I was tired and didn’t explore Lewisburg, so I don’t have much to say about the area.
Pre-Race Expo/Packet Pick-Up: Packet pick-up was held the day before from 2-7 p.m. in the Upper Lobby of the Greenbrier. Runners staying off-site parked in the train parking lot across the street from the resort and were shuttled in. There was no expo. They also did NOT offer packet pickup on race day morning, so this may be something to consider.
RACE: Why did I choose this race? The logistics worked better than any other WV race, and it was the closest one to our house. I was skeptical because it was expensive, but reviews said it was a beautiful area/course, and those were spot on! Good scenery is high on my race priorities 🙂 And some of the other scenic races in WV were trail races, which I’ll do, but I prefer road races, so this was a good fit.
Difficulty: Mediocre. There were hills, but they weren’t bad. Lots of zigzags and turns though! Surprisingly, I PR’d on this course, lol.
Scenery: A meticulous golf course and gorgeous houses with a beautiful mountainous backdrop- the perfect West Virginia race!
Production: There were 187 runners in the half-marathon. The start time was at 6:45 a.m. at The Greenbrier. I parked in the train lot at 6:10 a.m. and arrived at the race site by shuttle within 10 minutes. It was so nice being able to use real bathrooms right before the race!
The original total was $159, but I signed up two days before the race, so I paid full price.
My breakdown: $152.65 after a 10% military discount + a $9.55 handling fee
Communication was good, but again, I signed up at the last minute. I received two emails with details about race day logistics/timeline, packet pick-up, FAQs, and important deadlines. One also included the 2026 Athlete Guide with the same info and more.
There was a post-race brunch included in the race entry fee, but as mentioned above, it’d be nice if this were an add-on option. I wasn’t able to stay and was also traveling solo, so a sit-down meal after the race wasn’t super enticing to me. The spread looked good, though, and I appreciated the grab-n-go options, such as granola bars, yogurt, bananas, and coffee!
There were water stations and bathrooms every couple of miles and bathrooms. Not many volunteers or spectators, so keep that in mind if you like a lot of people cheering you on along the way.
Swag: Included a moisture-wicking, gender specific shirt (I actually liked it) and a stemless wine. Not a fan of races giving out wine glasses for finishing gifts. I feel like these are generic items, and the last thing people need are more glasses/cups (my husband gets so many of these darn things being in the military). For the price of this race, the swag was weak. However, the price included the brunch as mentioned above…but I think this should be an optional add-on. A nice sweatshirt, a shoe travel bag, running hats, and socks (feetures) are some suggestions for alternative gifts. Also, I was so surprised that photos weren’t included in the cost. I probably sound so cheap, haha, but come on now!
Sightseeing/Extras: The drive was nearly five hours, and I didn’t get there until dinnertime, so I went to packet pick-up, then went back to my hotel to relax. No sightseeing outside of checking out the Greenbrier on this trip!
Nice West Virginia race
I drove in for this race, which was a pretty smooth drive. I stayed at the Greenbrier for convenience and the room was great.Packet pick up was in the lobby … MORE
I drove in for this race, which was a pretty smooth drive. I stayed at the Greenbrier for convenience and the room was great.Packet pick up was in the lobby of the Greenbrier and though a little congested, was very smooth. Swag was a nice T-shirt and a glass. Found dinner the night before in town as I figured restaurants in the resort would be pretty crowded and I wanted something more chill. Race day was colder than anticipated, but nice and sunny. there were no corrals, but the course was not overly crowded. The course was mostly through the golf course, which was actually nice though many zigzags and turns. Scenery was gorgeous on an early Saturday morning in the mountains. There was some crowd support from staff, though limited since it was on the golf course. I don’t think this took away from the experience. Plenty of water stops. Many more hills than I would’ve anticipated, but probably should’ve guessed. The metal was cute. The post run brunch which I’ve previously seen have mixed reviews was actually a nice spread and filling. Overall, I would recommend this run
Nice way to see West Virginia
This race course is pretty well designed. Stays on Greenbrier property all the way (mostly on golf courses), so no traffic concerns, and as flat as WV can be...which isn't … MORE
This race course is pretty well designed. Stays on Greenbrier property all the way (mostly on golf courses), so no traffic concerns, and as flat as WV can be…which isn’t very. Nice scenery in almost all the course, doesn’t materially conflict with the 10 and 5k. Post race brunch and band were quite nice. Rocks glass was nice enough, shirt ok. No expo, but worth the price.
50 states WV Racecation Notes
I had chosen this race for 2022 to check WV off my 50 states list as if never been to the Greenbrier, thought it would be a cool Mothers Day … MORE
I had chosen this race for 2022 to check WV off my 50 states list as if never been to the Greenbrier, thought it would be a cool Mothers Day race-cation, and the swag/post race brunch looked awesome but had to defer to 2023. The 5k/10k/half swag was the exact same – shirt/medal design and size/glassware. Not like your usual race where the higher the distance the better the swag so you could pay a lot less for the 5k and get all the same swag/lodging & activity discounts. No incentive to run the longer distance by offering better or different swag as seen from in other races (I’ve run over 80). The shirt & medal literally featured a picture of the hotel lobby not the exterior of the historic hotel/golf courses/mountain views/bridges that you actually ran by/through. Had me wondering if any actual runners were on that design committee as what runner wants a hotel lobby on their medal? Especially when it’s a 50 states medal collection. The $59 brunch (+fees) was falsely advertised as featuring gourmet options, but there was no meat option, no hot tea, and half the food options were gone and not replenished for Half finishers. 5k and 10k runners got better food and what they got was not gourmet by any means. I’ve been to way cheaper hotels that include continental breakfast with lodging and the Marriott for example was waaaaay better than this “incredible Champagne Brunch on Mothers Day.” They did have unlimited mimosas and beer and take away boxes so you could load up more food to take with you but for $59 (x4 since I had my family there) I’d expect at least some bacon or bagel options, but really should have gotten a carving station with multiple meat options, omelette station, and dessert station after I’ve spent $240 on brunch and ran 13+ miles. Also my gps/Apple Watch and several other runners also noted we ran over at every mile – mine totaling 13.27 miles The only reason I would run any of the Greenbrier races again would be for the lodging/activity discounts so that my husband could enjoy playing the 3 golf courses which were the best feature of the course – running on the cart path with the views of the mountains and beautiful homes on the course. The first 10 miles were great with lots of water/Gatorade stations (no fuel options though) but the last 3 miles were torturous hills winding through the neighborhoods of the property. I attached pics of the 2022 vs 2023 medals and the falsely advertised brunch options at $59/person + fees. The brunch is included in your registration but if you’re traveling with your family/non runners I say drink your alcohol while you stretch after running, fill up to go boxes with the yogurts/kind bars/muffins etc and bring to your room to keep for the drive home then meet your people at another restaurant so that everyone eating can feel they didn’t get robbed of a gourmet brunch – Drapers probably being the cheapest option on property that’s open for lunch but theres also the secretly lower priced main lobby bar menu with plenty of seating no reservations required. For dinner the Forum is your cheapest option there because everything is already at a ridiculously inflated price there to help preserve the historic property that is outdated and not worth the full price. There is a shuttle option to stay off property but I do recommend staying on property at the runners discount and taking advantage of all the other discounts they have race weekend, including the bunker tour and horseback riding. This race was also my absolute worst time for halfs (I’ve run 14 I think? ) due to the humidity 60 degree start 74 degree finish and 600 foot elevation gain those last 3 miles but I wasn’t running for a PR just trying to check WV off my 50 states and hadn’t been able to fully train due to injury one month before. It happened to be overcast with threat of rain so it would have been even more brutal had the sun been out on the course the whole time.
Great post race food? No!
This was my 38th half marathon and I had high expectations going to this race. It's at the Greenbrier, which I'd never been to but had wanted to visit for … MORE
This was my 38th half marathon and I had high expectations going to this race. It’s at the Greenbrier, which I’d never been to but had wanted to visit for years. I wanted to like it, and I expected to like it. But unless you have that same childhood dream and a lot of money to burn, don’t stay at the Greenbrier Hotel. This is a 5-star resort with a 3-star hotel sitting on the resort grounds. I won’t detail all of that, except to suggest you save your money and stay somewhere else. Maybe in Lewisburg, 10 minutes down the road. Although I will admit that the convenience of walking from my room to the start line was nice. That comment is not a reflection on the race at all. Just a suggestion to save your money if you do the race.
The race was all along the Greenbrier golf courses and on a few roads behind houses that faced the golf courses. It was a really pretty run. Because it was on the golf course there were bathrooms at some of the holes, either at the tee-off or at the greens. This was a nice feature; most races I’ve done don’t have bathrooms along the course. And there were plenty of aid stations, stocked with water and sports drink. I don’t recall seeing any energy gel or other snacks. That’s not a complaint, but it is becoming less common these days to see aid stations without some sort of gel. I had my own and that’s not a complaint, but you should bring your own if you need it.
This race was not super crowded – 222 runners according to results page – but the paved path we were on was only wide enough for a golf cart, so maybe four to five feet wide? Not really wide enough for a few hundred runners to get off on a running start and not be running in the grass trying to pass other runners. I would *highly* recommend starting this race in waves set a minute apart, or even 30 seconds. I actually got to the start line about three minutes late and caught up with the tail end of the pack within about half a mile and had to run in the grass to get by some of them. I wasn’t running to win (I finished in 2:05.12, or 63rd out of 222, for context), but I also like to get my pace set early in the race and keep it, when possible. This wasn’t possible with this course, both because of the narrow course and because of the hills. And, if you are looking for a PR course, this isn’t going to be it; there are a lot of switchbacks, sharp turns, u-turns, etc., that prevent you from really knocking out these miles in record times. Most people are doing this race for fun though and I don’t think I saw any elite level runners.
The course was hilly although not excessively so. Most miles had a couple of hills, and this was especially true in the second half of the course. The last mile was mostly uphill until maybe .25 of a mile to the finish line, at which point if was either flat or downhill. And it was a downhill finish which was nice.
Now to the post-race party. Sigh… a great disappointment. I kept hearing about the post-race party and food. I read reviews that said it was the best food they’d eaten, it was epic, etc. It might have been in prior years but in 2022 it was NOT. Each runner has a post-race party ticket automatically, but if you want to bring a spouse or SO, the cost is sixty bucks a ticket, or $64.95 after online processing fees, taxes, or whatever. For that cost I was expecting a darn good brunch. I did question the champagne and beer part of it though. First, I don’t know (or see) too many (any?) runners who are ready to pound down pint after pint of beer (or glass after glass of champagne) after running 13 miles. Second, who wants to drink a bunch of alcohol at 8:45 or 9:00 in the morning?!
The food itself? The food, quite honestly, was horrible. I bought my wife a brunch ticket for the brunch based partially on the description on the race website of what would be on the menu, and partially based on my own expectations of what a hotel like the Greenbrier should offer. What I got was a fruit platter, mediocre bread pudding, watery scrambled eggs, store-bought croissants and cinnamon rolls (that were honestly not worth a second bite), orange juice out of a jug from the store down the road. They also had Oikos Greek yogurt, which was fine. But for $65 bucks I’d like to have that yogurt hand churned on site! They did have coffee and alcohol, neither of which I had so I cannot comment on either. This was not a brunch I would have paid $10 for if I’d known what it was before I bought it. Honestly, I do not understand how the Greenbrier can serve – with a straight face when they take your 65 bucks – a brunch that is not even on par with what I’d get from a school cafeteria or a sack lunch for a school trip.
With that said, if I’d not bought my wife the $65 brunch ticket I would have felt like it was an okay (but not great) post-race meal. It was low in quality, but high in quantity. The variety of food was only so-so. I think they had only two hot foods, plus the fruit, plus the croissants and cinnamon rolls. There was no meat or protein – other than the yogurt, and there was nothing for vegans. So basically, you’d be happy with this if you are vegetarian, but not vegan. I am vegetarian, so I’ve no complaints about the no-meat selection, but for $60 at least have some veggie meats, have some hash browns, some grits, have some actual food. So unless you have money to burn, don’t buy an extra ticket. Oh, and they had self-serve take-away containers, so I could have taken my wife a full breakfast buffet for free, and we could have eaten together poolside, just a few steps from where the food was served, and where she didn’t need a ticket.
I really only dwell on this brunch so much because there is SO much in the reviews about how great it is, and because the race website really pushes it. It’s not worth it. Period. Maybe in years before 2022, but not in 2022. Perhaps they’ll make improvements next year.
I drove six hours to get to this race and the drive up from Chattanooga was so pretty. If you explore the area there are a few local breweries, places that make local maple syrup and hard cider, and some great local diners. Absolutely worth some exploring if you have time. And the Greenbrier grounds are stunning, actually. Worth walking around here for a few hours as well. Before we arrived at Greenbrier we were thinking that this could be an annual race. It still could be, but if it was we would A) not stay at the Greenbrier, B) not get the extra brunch ticket, and C) would want to start at the very front of the race pack, or (as I did this time) a few minutes after everyone else has started.
So beautiful but hilly!
- Race swag was cool - nice medal, shirt, and greenbrier wine glass - Very nice after party with great food, champagne and a band - The course was pretty … MORE
– Race swag was cool – nice medal, shirt, and greenbrier wine glass
– Very nice after party with great food, champagne and a band
– The course was pretty repetitive just winding around the golf course so it was very beautiful but I would’ve liked to switch it up
– Very hilly (about 600 ft elevation gain)
Great race . Great swag
Course is fairly difficult . Fair amount of incline . Well organized race . Amazing post race champagne brunch. Race swag some of the best I have seen . MORE
Course is fairly difficult . Fair amount of incline . Well organized race . Amazing post race champagne brunch. Race swag some of the best I have seen .
Non Trail Half in WV
Course on paved golf paths, road, some dirt/gravel and grass. Not a fast course due to the many twists and turns and weird little hills here and there. My garmin … MORE
Course on paved golf paths, road, some dirt/gravel and grass. Not a fast course due to the many twists and turns and weird little hills here and there. My garmin showed 13.27, so no, I didn’t run the tangents on this one! Pandemic era race was run following safety guidelines. I did not attend post race function indoors because though vaccinated, at 63, I am still being careful. Swag and age group medal were nice. Stayed at the Hampton Inn because the Greenbrier is ridiculously priced.
best post race party!
Great view, food, and entertainment ! Great course! Love the start of the race at the pool, and ending with drinks and brunch! The DJ was awesome! Best post race … MORE
Great view, food, and entertainment ! Great course!
Love the start of the race at the pool, and ending with drinks and brunch! The DJ was awesome! Best post race by far!
Loved this course and race!
This was the first time I had run the Greenbrier 5K, but I will definitely return! The course was easy rolling hills with beautiful views. The resort itself is a … MORE
This was the first time I had run the Greenbrier 5K, but I will definitely return! The course was easy rolling hills with beautiful views. The resort itself is a sight to behold, and the course takes you right in front of the resort. After race party and brunch was wonderful! Great medal, shirt and wine glass! LOVED EVERY MINUTE!
Beautiful Course
I would definitely run this race again! The scenery was amazing and the after party brunch was phenomenal. Loved the mimosas and spectacular DJ. Don't kid yourself when it comes … MORE
I would definitely run this race again! The scenery was amazing and the after party brunch was phenomenal. Loved the mimosas and spectacular DJ. Don’t kid yourself when it comes to training for this one. Its a challenging course, lots of rolling hills, so be ready unlike I was. Even the 5k looked hard!
Beautiful and historic and fun!
Stay at the Greenbrier is a must. Even for one night. The place is amazing and has so many things to do, see, eat, drink.. The race starts about a … MORE
Stay at the Greenbrier is a must. Even for one night. The place is amazing and has so many things to do, see, eat, drink..
The race starts about a quarter mile from the hotel. There are real bathroom by the start. The people that work here are so nice and accommodating. You run through the golf course mainly and it’s a splendid view the entire time with perfect temps. A few ups and downs but no real hills.
Shirt, metal, glass are all nice. But the after party was the best I have been too. Mimosas. And wonderful brunch served inside at tables (or you can sit out too).
My only complaint was that I never got any emails from the organizers with updates…, but the website was very detailed and had everything.
Golf course loops, limited hills
I'm running all 50 and chose this one for WV because I had heard that Harper's Ferry is brutally hard and humid, Hatfield and McCoy is hilly and hard and … MORE
I’m running all 50 and chose this one for WV because I had heard that Harper’s Ferry is brutally hard and humid, Hatfield and McCoy is hilly and hard and I wasn’t looking for a crazy hard one. Top it off with the fact I was coming off of an injury that had hobbled me badly enough I couldn’t run at all for the 4 weeks leading up to this. That explains my time but the good news is, I finished.
First off, the Greenbrier is an interesting resort–very old and sprawling. It is also expensive so helpful money saving hint is stay in one of the nearby towns at a vacation rental. We had a wonderful VRBO in Lewiston, a 20-ish minute drive to the start but totally worth it. Packet pick-up was easy and not terribly crowded. The shirt was a nice quality shirt (I wouldn’t run in it because there is a large screen printing on the back that would make it horribly non-breathable). I paid for an extra breakfast buffet for my husband ($55), don’t forget to get the bracelet at packet pick up. There is a night before dinner you can buy and a morning of breakfast, we didn’t do either.
You park at the train depot and there is a frequent shuttle to the start. You can walk easily if you want for a warm up if you aren’t running late. It was a humid, overcast day. The start was supposed to be a self regulating seeding. People are very bad at this. This is a course that is super convoluted through a golf course and there is a 10K and a 5K that is also running on the course at the same time (staggered start). You will need to pay attention to signs and course marshals to know when you turn. You will see people all over and it’s hard to tell who is in front and who is behind. There as some wicked hills but they are short. The last few miles of the course are on the other side of the road, you go under the street by tunnel and then have to keep running on the course on the other side before crossing back. There is a hill up to the finish.
After the race, you can use the pool (OMG this was a bonus, being able to soak your feet felt so good). You get a champagne flute and then the brunch. I will tell you if you are paying for an extra, you will be disappointed. It is a nicer spread than a regular race but it is not worth $55. You can eat outside or inside. The medal is nice and is the same image as the back of the shirt.
Very hilly but beautiful
If you stay at the resort they charge all kinds of extra fees, at least take advantage of what the resort offers. The swag was very nice, very thick vineyard … MORE
If you stay at the resort they charge all kinds of extra fees, at least take advantage of what the resort offers. The swag was very nice, very thick vineyard vines bag, champagne flute and nice looking shirt.
Unique and enjoyable
Race is on the grounds of the Greenbrier Resort which is an upscale, unique location in WV and part of Resort Races. Limited to 1000 participants total for 5K, 10K, … MORE
Race is on the grounds of the Greenbrier Resort which is an upscale, unique location in WV and part of Resort Races. Limited to 1000 participants total for 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon. Races overlap at the start with 5-10 minutes between groups. Course is completely on property with nice scenery this time of year. Much is run on golf cart paths, but was well marked and had volunteers directing runners. Drink stops were adequate, but nothing special. Mile 8-9 of the Half loops past the main entrance of the iconic building. 2 tougher hills at miles 9 and 10, but lots of even ground overall. Champagne brunch (part continental, part hot food) served at the pool afterward and included with all registrations. The resort rooms can be pricey, but there was a substantial discount to runners. Highly recommend staying here for a splurge, but be aware that dining is on the expensive side. Overall, very glad to have done the race and things went very smoothly.
Best event ever hands down!
Great event with amazing post race party with great food and live band! Do yourself a favor and do this race next year! Definitely the best running event I've ever … MORE
Great event with amazing post race party with great food and live band! Do yourself a favor and do this race next year! Definitely the best running event I’ve ever done! Oh and great race swag!! Medal is gorgeous and two shirts!! Class act event!!!
Scenic Historic Course
Finally a Nice Half/5K/10K within an hour of our house. (40 minutes)...... My Wife and I both ran the Half. Unfortunately the Golf course paths were NOT totally repaired yet, … MORE
Finally a Nice Half/5K/10K within an hour of our house. (40 minutes)…… My Wife and I both ran the Half. Unfortunately the Golf course paths were NOT totally repaired yet, leaving many areas with broken pavement, dirt and Mud, due to the terrible floods last year. Probably 3-4 miles of the course was a trail Run. This led to numerous re-routings over grassy areas of the Golf Course and around the construction. The cones were a bit confusing, and in fact my wife was directed to go the wrong way by one of the Volunteers. Luckily, another one quickly told her the right way. She only lost about 10 seconds of time…… That being said… I am sure next year they will be repaired and the Kinks worked out. This was an Inaugural Race here. The course was a mix of the Greenbrier roads past Luxurious homes, the Greenbrier Resort Hotel itself and the grounds. Beautiful Howard’s Creek (a Native Trout Stream) flowed through the grounds which the course ran along or passed over numerous times. The Surrounding scenery of the Mountains was beautiful as well. And the After-Race Party and Food was the BEST EVER! Top Notch Music and Food. A Champagne Brunch. You will never find a better after-race Party! Will we run it again next year,…Probably so.