| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
| H (°F) | 61 | 67 | 74 | 72 | 67 |
| L (°F) | 48 | 48 | 59 | 55 | 44 |
Best course in Mississippi with the beautiful sunrises and watching the ocean waves while racing. The most beautiful scenery on the race course 😍 I can't wait til next year MORE
Best course in Mississippi with the beautiful sunrises and watching the ocean waves while racing. The most beautiful scenery on the race course 😍 I can’t wait til next year 🏃♀️🏃♀️🎅🎅👍
Please login to reply to this review.
Its flat. The overpass at mile 24 is a challenge. Good community involvement. The police make you feel safe. Slow or fast. Organization ofnthis event is great, communication is above … MORE
Its flat. The overpass at mile 24 is a challenge. Good community involvement. The police make you feel safe. Slow or fast. Organization ofnthis event is great, communication is above par. And the runners? Supportive!
Please login to reply to this review.
This was my first time visiting Mississippi and if you're looking for a run here, this race definitely gets my vote. It was very well organized, starting with packet pickup … MORE
This was my first time visiting Mississippi and if you’re looking for a run here, this race definitely gets my vote. It was very well organized, starting with packet pickup all the way to the finish line. The medals for both the 5k and half were nicely done, as well as the bonus medal for running two races. There were food/drink coupons at the bottom of our race bibs that could be exchanged for coca cola products or beer and food options that I tried, were the gumbo (LOVED IT) and pulled pork sandwiches (LOVED IT). The course for the half started in Gulfport, which we were shuttled to, and ran along the nice, flat beachfront, up until the last mile or so they put the nice freeway incline for the fun of it. Put this on your list for next year – it’ll be the 10 year anniversary!
Please login to reply to this review.
Well organized and flat except for a bit of a climb in the last mile. Plenty of peaceful ocean views, plus some uniquely carved trees and stately homes to see … MORE
Well organized and flat except for a bit of a climb in the last mile. Plenty of peaceful ocean views, plus some uniquely carved trees and stately homes to see along the course.
Lots of food and beverage options at the finish line party.
Please login to reply to this review.
The race was well organized, friendly staff, friendly volunteers! The course is about as flat as you can get until that mean hill at the end, but you are swiftly … MORE
The race was well organized, friendly staff, friendly volunteers! The course is about as flat as you can get until that mean hill at the end, but you are swiftly rewarded with a little downhill, and the finish line. There wasn’t a huge amount of crowd support, but I never tired of the ocean views! Awesome finisher party!
Only a couple of cons- you never know what the gulf will cook up for you in terms of weather. The headwind was unrelenting, and the temperature crept up to 70 by the end of my race. I think this cost me a PR, but who can say? NOT ENOUGH TOILETS AT THD START! And finally, I’m not a meat eater, it would have been awesome to have some veggie food at the finish line besides a banana, but that’s just me 🙂
Please login to reply to this review.
Stayed at the host hotel, Margaritaville, where the expo was held. Small expo, but great race merchandise. I much prefer a smaller expo than too many vendors. Easy and quick … MORE
Stayed at the host hotel, Margaritaville, where the expo was held. Small expo, but great race merchandise. I much prefer a smaller expo than too many vendors. Easy and quick packet pick-up. Margaritaville rooms were clean and comfortable with very reasonable pricing. The shuttle bus to the start picked us up at the hotel and was about a 20 minute ride- very convenient. The only issue is, there’s not a shuttle back from the finish. Although it’s about a 2 mile walk, not exactly ideal after a race or in the rain. Uber or taxi is available once they navigate through race traffic.
Overall, the course was great and scenic. A little windy and very rainy unexpectedly for a while and the last mile up a highway on ramp and back is a little frustrating since it’s so close to the end. However, the race swag is perfect – the medal is a great representation of the race and good quality, the tshirt is a regular shirt (I own plenty of race performance tshirts already) and the bag is one of the nicest race bags I’ve received. I definitely recommend this race!
My only recommendation would be to consider staying at Beau Rivage or Hard Rock because there’s a shuttle from Kessler Park (where you finish – across from both hotels) to the start so at the end, you’re already there. However, Margaritaville is fantastic and offers great steaks at Doe’s post race so the only logistic is getting back after you finish.
Please login to reply to this review.
Packet pickup / expo was extremely small. I chose the packet mailing option which turned out to just be your bib. You still had to go pick up your swag. … MORE
Packet pickup / expo was extremely small. I chose the packet mailing option which turned out to just be your bib. You still had to go pick up your swag. The expo only had race merch. No other items or vendors. Race shirt was nice.
No issues with race shuttles. That process went really well.
I felt like they could have had more toilets at the start because there were long lines.
Course is extremely flat with the gulf on your right side until mile 12 when you have to go up an overpass. That overpass feels a bit heavy on the legs at that point. Finish is in a minor league baseball stadium. Food is at the top of the stadium and you finish at the bottom. A bit rough on the legs.
All in all a good race that I would recommend for Mississippi.
Please login to reply to this review.
The finish line is literally right next to the DoubleTree and across from the Beau Rivage, plus this was where the shuttles picked us up as well making it very … MORE
The finish line is literally right next to the DoubleTree and across from the Beau Rivage, plus this was where the shuttles picked us up as well making it very easy to wake up and walk over. Coming back was a little more difficult, I couldn’t figure out how to get out other than climbing up stairs and then going down more to leave the stadium, which after running a race can be challenging.
The packet pick-up wasn’t what I expected. It was a cold and windy day. I was surprised to see that the tables were set up outside near the parking garage. I probably would have spent more time looking around, but it was just so cold. Oh and there was only one retail store, a spot to play cornhole, and a stand to take photos, but as I mentioned I was freezing! Swag was the shirt, an advert for the Beau Rivage, and the bag it came in.
The shuttle drop off point is where the port-o-potties were, then you had to walk a little to get to the starting point, not too far. Though the temp was in the 60s, the wind was cold so maybe wearing something warm and then turning it into gear check would work, gear check was also right next to the starting line. I just muscled through because I tend to get very warm when running.
Plenty of aid stations with water and powerade, one port-o-potty each. The scenery is beautiful, the sands are soft, the sunrise was amazing, and it was nice and peaceful. The worse part was the bridge, that though the incline wasn’t too wild, it was slanted?! That was the most challenging part, plus the medal parts were kinda slick.
Otherwise a very nice easy flat race with a momentary not fun incline. It was also fun running into the stadium with them calling out your name 🙂
Please login to reply to this review.
Fun coastal run all along the gulf coast. There weren’t many spectators throughout, however when there was they were cheerful and often dressed in Santa attire. The weather was ideal … MORE
Fun coastal run all along the gulf coast. There weren’t many spectators throughout, however when there was they were cheerful and often dressed in Santa attire.
The weather was ideal for this marathon, overcast at 60 degrees. The downside is the heavy wind gusts along the coast. This slowed my pace Down by 20 seconds per mile. There were periodic rains with a downpour for 2 minutes at mile 9. The wind got worse as the day progressed.
There is a ramp at mile 24 that curves around creating a slanted running surface for half a mile. Then you are on a freeway for one mile and one mile downhill to keesler stadium. You curve around and enter the stadium in left field and finish in right field where you hear your name over the intercom, and see yourself on the video board. You then get a nice medal with the marathon logo. Be sure to have your food tickets, as this is how you get your food. All food and beverage is located on the stadium concourse as well as the exit requiring you to go upstairs. Did not enjoy the post race food which was water, five different lagers, chocolate muscle milk, gumbo, and pulled pork sandwich. I recommend staying close to keesler stadium as you can sleep in and catch a bus to the start line. I wish I would have caught the last bus at 5:45am as they kick you off the bus at pass Christian. Overall, enjoyed the race and would recommend to anyone.
Please login to reply to this review.
The race itself was pretty easy other than the last mile. It was straight down the beach with plenty of water stops. The people were friendly and helpful. The last … MORE
The race itself was pretty easy other than the last mile. It was straight down the beach with plenty of water stops. The people were friendly and helpful. The last mile you run up a hwy ramp and then off to finish the last tenth in the stadium.
Please login to reply to this review.
Lots of water stations. Flat, shore-side course. Point-to-point. Super small expo. No swag other than shirt & bag. Cool finish in the baseball stadium. I was hurt and grumpy, but … MORE
Lots of water stations. Flat, shore-side course. Point-to-point. Super small expo. No swag other than shirt & bag. Cool finish in the baseball stadium. I was hurt and grumpy, but still thought it was a good race.
Please login to reply to this review.
I would recommend finding another race. - Paid extra to have bib mailed to me.. never got it. - gu was suppose to be provided at 18 and 22 miles... … MORE
I would recommend finding another race.
– Paid extra to have bib mailed to me.. never got it.
– gu was suppose to be provided at 18 and 22 miles… it was not.
– I started cramping up at 21 miles. Asked for mustard at the 22 mile aid station. No mustard or anything..
– looked for mustard at finish line. Nothing.
– shirt is not impressive..
– food choice is terrible compared to other races I’ve done.
– overall disappointing.
Please login to reply to this review.
What I like about this race is that they were very good about providing shuttle service since it was a point to point race, which I also liked. The course … MORE
What I like about this race is that they were very good about providing shuttle service since it was a point to point race, which I also liked.
The course itself is mostly flat until you hit an incline from about mile 11.5 to almost mile 13. You finish in Keesler Park, which gives you a stadium like finish, which is fun.
The main downside (aside from the incline at the end) is the weather. It was a warm 61 degrees when I started at 7am. It was also somewhat humid and a bit windy. If it was cooler, I think I may have had a chance at a PR.
Please login to reply to this review.
Packet pickup is at the Margaritaville parking garage. Very small and low key. They only had race merch for sale, but there was a decent selection. Included with your registration … MORE
Packet pickup is at the Margaritaville parking garage. Very small and low key. They only had race merch for sale, but there was a decent selection. Included with your registration is a T-shirt and a drawstring bag. The half ends at a local baseball stadium, which has plenty of hotels/ air bnb’s within walking distance. You can also catch the bus to the start lines here. The race starts at 7 am and buses ran from 5-6:10 am. I left around 5:30 and had plenty of time to warm up and use the facilities. The bus drops you off at the aquarium. There were several portapotties outside, but the transit center next to the aquarium was also open. There were indoor restrooms to use there and chairs to sit inside and wait. I’m not sure if this happens every year, so I wouldn’t count on this to always be open.
Temperatures were in the 50s with a high in the mid 60s. It was overcast which was nice. The wind didn’t really pick up until about mile 9, but I read enough reviews to know wind was basically guaranteed. You are right along the beach which is nice and a lot of the beach houses have holiday decorations up. The course was a straight shot on route 90 for about 11.5 miles, then the course went up a ramp to the expressway which was the only incline the whole race. The ramp was curved and the roadway was slanted for maybe half a mile. You run a short ways on the expressway before the half does a u-turn and you hit the downhill of the ramp. Make three left turns and you’re at the baseball stadium for a finish on the field.
Attached to your race bib are food/drink tickets. There are local beer options and some pretty interesting post race food options. I didn’t really picture gumbo as a good idea after running, but it was delicious. They also had the typical post race banana and pulled pork sandwiches. Race merch was available to purchase in the stadium.
Race organizers emailed a participant guide a week or two before race weekend. It had all the information you needed regarding packet pickup, start/finish areas, and shuttles. My one complaint is that it stated there was gear check, but the runner had to bring the bag and mark it with their number. Normally the race provides this, and since I am from out of state, I did not bring a bag for gear check. Since it wasn’t going to be cold, I managed to get away without needing gear check, however at the start line, I did see that they had bags to hand out and mark with your number. If I had known this, I probably would have brought some things with me to the start and utilized the bag check.
All in all, it was a good race experience. I don’t think I would run this again since I’m so far away, but it is a good race to check Mississippi off your list.
Please login to reply to this review.
-Don't rush to be on one of the first buses to the starting area. It was cold and windy. -No turns for pretty much entire race until last mile. -PR … MORE
-Don’t rush to be on one of the first buses to the starting area. It was cold and windy.
-No turns for pretty much entire race until last mile.
-PR course
-last mile was brutal with ramp and wind.
Please login to reply to this review.
Packet pick-up was very simple and easy. Small selection to shop from. VERY FLAT, turn off your brain course. Just run straight until Mile 12. Spectators mostly at the Start … MORE
Packet pick-up was very simple and easy. Small selection to shop from.
VERY FLAT, turn off your brain course. Just run straight until Mile 12. Spectators mostly at the Start & Finish line but can sometimes be found along the shoreline. I really enjoyed the positive and sometimes hilarious cheers from the water/electrolyte volunteers, they were great.
Post drinks from Fly Llama Brewing were great. Jambalaya from Uncle Larry’s was delicious.
Please login to reply to this review.
If you are looking for a flat December course with comfortable temps, this marathon is one to give serious thought to. The course runs in one lane of a road … MORE
If you are looking for a flat December course with comfortable temps, this marathon is one to give serious thought to. The course runs in one lane of a road along the sandy beaches – which are beautiful – for most of the way.
Here is my assessment:
Race communications … very good. You knew where to be, when, and what to expect.
Packet pickup – easy
Expo – small (3 maybe 4 booths mostly promoting other races). There was some race merch for sale.
Race Day:
– Weather was between 55-60, overcast, with a 17 mph swirling wind on our day. Wind wasn’t an issue until part of the last mile where I needed to put my head down to run into the wind once I got on top of the ramp.
– Rode the bus from the Margaritaville Resort, which is where I stayed, to the start. Can you ever have enough biffies at the start?
– Not a lot of spectators along the route, so hopefully you are self-motivated.
– Ample police presence keeping runners safe in the one lane of traffic set aside for us.
– Fluid stops and biffy every ~1.25 miles
– Missed gel stop at 8 but found the others at 12, 18, 22
– Flat course except at end. For me the issue with the ramp at the end is not its elevation, but its angle in the ascent. It’s maybe 0.25 mile in length and tilted, but not a reason to avoid this race. It’s peculiar why they didn’t start the race further down the road so we could avoid the ramp entirely.
– As mentioned, we ran in one lane of traffic Be mindful of that for your ankles because roads are sloped. Try to run on the flattest part you can find.
Post race:
– Nice finish area in a local baseball stadium.
– There was some food (soup, sandwich, chips?) and water/beer. I did not see the usual banana/bagel.
Recommendations:
** Add hand sanitizers to biffies or have them at water stops
** Since the water stops coincide with the biffy, provide the water stop staff with extra TP just in case it’s needed.
** After the race you needed to walk up stadium stairs to get to food/beverages on the upper level. Preference would be to have them on the same level as the finish line.
This was the flattest course I've run so far. It was completely flat until the hill at the end. It was a point to point course along the water, which … MORE
This was the flattest course I’ve run so far. It was completely flat until the hill at the end. It was a point to point course along the water, which was great. Not a lot of spectators, plenty of water stations, shuttles to the start line. I really liked this marathon.
Please login to reply to this review.
Course is essentially flat except for an onramp and offramp near the end, You can choose to either run on the roads, or like i did on the miles of … MORE
Course is essentially flat except for an onramp and offramp near the end, You can choose to either run on the roads, or like i did on the miles of sidewalk along the beach. Nice view of the Gulf of Mexico and beautiful house across from the beach. Very nice post race festivities, gumbo, beer, champagne, pulled pork, etc…
Please login to reply to this review.
Second, Time around doing a race with fresh junkies racing as I had competed in the Louisiana Marathon with them as well, and once again, I was completely blown away … MORE
Second, Time around doing a race with fresh junkies racing as I had competed in the Louisiana Marathon with them as well, and once again, I was completely blown away with their over the top production for such a small-ish mid-level race. These guys know what they’re doing. I wish they were in charge of some way bigger races that don’t operate even half as good.
Let’s start out with the small expo that they produce but it absolutely has everything you want need and desire, including race specific swag items that are 2nd to none.
Transportation to the start of this point-to-point race was flawless, and the buses just stay there in case of bad weather, as they have plenty of buses for a one-way trip for every race participant, and I absolutely blows my mind.
This race course is absolutely pancake flat minus mile 24 1/2 to 25 1/2 which is a bit of a challenge running up at Cloverleaf after zero elevation gain but as somebody from the Midwest it was not an issue except for the 20 mile an hour headwind, which they obviously can’t do anything about.
Finishing inside the baseball park stadium was a absolute thrill and being up on the Jumbotron coming across the finish line what is a very special touch. After race, food and drink was plentiful and varied, including all of the other southern favors that you would want to have both in the way of food and beverage from local breweries.
Race swag is everything you wanted to be with a nice comfy T-shirt and a beautiful metal which happened to be a really cool turtle for the marathon this year that I really enjoyed
Cannot recommend Mississippi gulf coast, marathon enough to friends and foe alike would be an absolute great first marathon or 50 state addition.
Please login to reply to this review.
FIRST RACE SINCE A PARTIAL KNEE REPLACEM
Best course in Mississippi with the beautiful sunrises and watching the ocean waves while racing. The most beautiful scenery on the race course 😍 I can't wait til next year MORE
Best course in Mississippi with the beautiful sunrises and watching the ocean waves while racing. The most beautiful scenery on the race course 😍 I can’t wait til next year 🏃♀️🏃♀️🎅🎅👍
Great course. Good volunteers.
Its flat. The overpass at mile 24 is a challenge. Good community involvement. The police make you feel safe. Slow or fast. Organization ofnthis event is great, communication is above … MORE
Its flat. The overpass at mile 24 is a challenge. Good community involvement. The police make you feel safe. Slow or fast. Organization ofnthis event is great, communication is above par. And the runners? Supportive!
Highly recommend
This was my first time visiting Mississippi and if you're looking for a run here, this race definitely gets my vote. It was very well organized, starting with packet pickup … MORE
This was my first time visiting Mississippi and if you’re looking for a run here, this race definitely gets my vote. It was very well organized, starting with packet pickup all the way to the finish line. The medals for both the 5k and half were nicely done, as well as the bonus medal for running two races. There were food/drink coupons at the bottom of our race bibs that could be exchanged for coca cola products or beer and food options that I tried, were the gumbo (LOVED IT) and pulled pork sandwiches (LOVED IT). The course for the half started in Gulfport, which we were shuttled to, and ran along the nice, flat beachfront, up until the last mile or so they put the nice freeway incline for the fun of it. Put this on your list for next year – it’ll be the 10 year anniversary!
Scenic and mostly flat
Well organized and flat except for a bit of a climb in the last mile. Plenty of peaceful ocean views, plus some uniquely carved trees and stately homes to see … MORE
Well organized and flat except for a bit of a climb in the last mile. Plenty of peaceful ocean views, plus some uniquely carved trees and stately homes to see along the course.
Lots of food and beverage options at the finish line party.
That headwind though…!
The race was well organized, friendly staff, friendly volunteers! The course is about as flat as you can get until that mean hill at the end, but you are swiftly … MORE
The race was well organized, friendly staff, friendly volunteers! The course is about as flat as you can get until that mean hill at the end, but you are swiftly rewarded with a little downhill, and the finish line. There wasn’t a huge amount of crowd support, but I never tired of the ocean views! Awesome finisher party!
Only a couple of cons- you never know what the gulf will cook up for you in terms of weather. The headwind was unrelenting, and the temperature crept up to 70 by the end of my race. I think this cost me a PR, but who can say? NOT ENOUGH TOILETS AT THD START! And finally, I’m not a meat eater, it would have been awesome to have some veggie food at the finish line besides a banana, but that’s just me 🙂
Southern Hospitality
Stayed at the host hotel, Margaritaville, where the expo was held. Small expo, but great race merchandise. I much prefer a smaller expo than too many vendors. Easy and quick … MORE
Stayed at the host hotel, Margaritaville, where the expo was held. Small expo, but great race merchandise. I much prefer a smaller expo than too many vendors. Easy and quick packet pick-up. Margaritaville rooms were clean and comfortable with very reasonable pricing. The shuttle bus to the start picked us up at the hotel and was about a 20 minute ride- very convenient. The only issue is, there’s not a shuttle back from the finish. Although it’s about a 2 mile walk, not exactly ideal after a race or in the rain. Uber or taxi is available once they navigate through race traffic.
Overall, the course was great and scenic. A little windy and very rainy unexpectedly for a while and the last mile up a highway on ramp and back is a little frustrating since it’s so close to the end. However, the race swag is perfect – the medal is a great representation of the race and good quality, the tshirt is a regular shirt (I own plenty of race performance tshirts already) and the bag is one of the nicest race bags I’ve received. I definitely recommend this race!
My only recommendation would be to consider staying at Beau Rivage or Hard Rock because there’s a shuttle from Kessler Park (where you finish – across from both hotels) to the start so at the end, you’re already there. However, Margaritaville is fantastic and offers great steaks at Doe’s post race so the only logistic is getting back after you finish.
Flat course with nice views
Packet pickup / expo was extremely small. I chose the packet mailing option which turned out to just be your bib. You still had to go pick up your swag. … MORE
Packet pickup / expo was extremely small. I chose the packet mailing option which turned out to just be your bib. You still had to go pick up your swag. The expo only had race merch. No other items or vendors. Race shirt was nice.
No issues with race shuttles. That process went really well.
I felt like they could have had more toilets at the start because there were long lines.
Course is extremely flat with the gulf on your right side until mile 12 when you have to go up an overpass. That overpass feels a bit heavy on the legs at that point. Finish is in a minor league baseball stadium. Food is at the top of the stadium and you finish at the bottom. A bit rough on the legs.
All in all a good race that I would recommend for Mississippi.
Crossing the Coast Line
The finish line is literally right next to the DoubleTree and across from the Beau Rivage, plus this was where the shuttles picked us up as well making it very … MORE
The finish line is literally right next to the DoubleTree and across from the Beau Rivage, plus this was where the shuttles picked us up as well making it very easy to wake up and walk over. Coming back was a little more difficult, I couldn’t figure out how to get out other than climbing up stairs and then going down more to leave the stadium, which after running a race can be challenging.
The packet pick-up wasn’t what I expected. It was a cold and windy day. I was surprised to see that the tables were set up outside near the parking garage. I probably would have spent more time looking around, but it was just so cold. Oh and there was only one retail store, a spot to play cornhole, and a stand to take photos, but as I mentioned I was freezing! Swag was the shirt, an advert for the Beau Rivage, and the bag it came in.
The shuttle drop off point is where the port-o-potties were, then you had to walk a little to get to the starting point, not too far. Though the temp was in the 60s, the wind was cold so maybe wearing something warm and then turning it into gear check would work, gear check was also right next to the starting line. I just muscled through because I tend to get very warm when running.
Plenty of aid stations with water and powerade, one port-o-potty each. The scenery is beautiful, the sands are soft, the sunrise was amazing, and it was nice and peaceful. The worse part was the bridge, that though the incline wasn’t too wild, it was slanted?! That was the most challenging part, plus the medal parts were kinda slick.
Otherwise a very nice easy flat race with a momentary not fun incline. It was also fun running into the stadium with them calling out your name 🙂
Beach views, wind, and holiday cheer
Fun coastal run all along the gulf coast. There weren’t many spectators throughout, however when there was they were cheerful and often dressed in Santa attire. The weather was ideal … MORE
Fun coastal run all along the gulf coast. There weren’t many spectators throughout, however when there was they were cheerful and often dressed in Santa attire.
The weather was ideal for this marathon, overcast at 60 degrees. The downside is the heavy wind gusts along the coast. This slowed my pace Down by 20 seconds per mile. There were periodic rains with a downpour for 2 minutes at mile 9. The wind got worse as the day progressed.
There is a ramp at mile 24 that curves around creating a slanted running surface for half a mile. Then you are on a freeway for one mile and one mile downhill to keesler stadium. You curve around and enter the stadium in left field and finish in right field where you hear your name over the intercom, and see yourself on the video board. You then get a nice medal with the marathon logo. Be sure to have your food tickets, as this is how you get your food. All food and beverage is located on the stadium concourse as well as the exit requiring you to go upstairs. Did not enjoy the post race food which was water, five different lagers, chocolate muscle milk, gumbo, and pulled pork sandwich. I recommend staying close to keesler stadium as you can sleep in and catch a bus to the start line. I wish I would have caught the last bus at 5:45am as they kick you off the bus at pass Christian. Overall, enjoyed the race and would recommend to anyone.
Fun race by the beach
The race itself was pretty easy other than the last mile. It was straight down the beach with plenty of water stops. The people were friendly and helpful. The last … MORE
The race itself was pretty easy other than the last mile. It was straight down the beach with plenty of water stops. The people were friendly and helpful. The last mile you run up a hwy ramp and then off to finish the last tenth in the stadium.
Nice race, minimal swag & expo
Lots of water stations. Flat, shore-side course. Point-to-point. Super small expo. No swag other than shirt & bag. Cool finish in the baseball stadium. I was hurt and grumpy, but … MORE
Lots of water stations. Flat, shore-side course. Point-to-point. Super small expo. No swag other than shirt & bag. Cool finish in the baseball stadium. I was hurt and grumpy, but still thought it was a good race.
Disappointing
I would recommend finding another race. - Paid extra to have bib mailed to me.. never got it. - gu was suppose to be provided at 18 and 22 miles... … MORE
I would recommend finding another race.
– Paid extra to have bib mailed to me.. never got it.
– gu was suppose to be provided at 18 and 22 miles… it was not.
– I started cramping up at 21 miles. Asked for mustard at the 22 mile aid station. No mustard or anything..
– looked for mustard at finish line. Nothing.
– shirt is not impressive..
– food choice is terrible compared to other races I’ve done.
– overall disappointing.
Mostly Flat and Well Organized
What I like about this race is that they were very good about providing shuttle service since it was a point to point race, which I also liked. The course … MORE
What I like about this race is that they were very good about providing shuttle service since it was a point to point race, which I also liked.
The course itself is mostly flat until you hit an incline from about mile 11.5 to almost mile 13. You finish in Keesler Park, which gives you a stadium like finish, which is fun.
The main downside (aside from the incline at the end) is the weather. It was a warm 61 degrees when I started at 7am. It was also somewhat humid and a bit windy. If it was cooler, I think I may have had a chance at a PR.
Good Mississippi Race
Packet pickup is at the Margaritaville parking garage. Very small and low key. They only had race merch for sale, but there was a decent selection. Included with your registration … MORE
Packet pickup is at the Margaritaville parking garage. Very small and low key. They only had race merch for sale, but there was a decent selection. Included with your registration is a T-shirt and a drawstring bag. The half ends at a local baseball stadium, which has plenty of hotels/ air bnb’s within walking distance. You can also catch the bus to the start lines here. The race starts at 7 am and buses ran from 5-6:10 am. I left around 5:30 and had plenty of time to warm up and use the facilities. The bus drops you off at the aquarium. There were several portapotties outside, but the transit center next to the aquarium was also open. There were indoor restrooms to use there and chairs to sit inside and wait. I’m not sure if this happens every year, so I wouldn’t count on this to always be open.
Temperatures were in the 50s with a high in the mid 60s. It was overcast which was nice. The wind didn’t really pick up until about mile 9, but I read enough reviews to know wind was basically guaranteed. You are right along the beach which is nice and a lot of the beach houses have holiday decorations up. The course was a straight shot on route 90 for about 11.5 miles, then the course went up a ramp to the expressway which was the only incline the whole race. The ramp was curved and the roadway was slanted for maybe half a mile. You run a short ways on the expressway before the half does a u-turn and you hit the downhill of the ramp. Make three left turns and you’re at the baseball stadium for a finish on the field.
Attached to your race bib are food/drink tickets. There are local beer options and some pretty interesting post race food options. I didn’t really picture gumbo as a good idea after running, but it was delicious. They also had the typical post race banana and pulled pork sandwiches. Race merch was available to purchase in the stadium.
Race organizers emailed a participant guide a week or two before race weekend. It had all the information you needed regarding packet pickup, start/finish areas, and shuttles. My one complaint is that it stated there was gear check, but the runner had to bring the bag and mark it with their number. Normally the race provides this, and since I am from out of state, I did not bring a bag for gear check. Since it wasn’t going to be cold, I managed to get away without needing gear check, however at the start line, I did see that they had bags to hand out and mark with your number. If I had known this, I probably would have brought some things with me to the start and utilized the bag check.
All in all, it was a good race experience. I don’t think I would run this again since I’m so far away, but it is a good race to check Mississippi off your list.
fast course
-Don't rush to be on one of the first buses to the starting area. It was cold and windy. -No turns for pretty much entire race until last mile. -PR … MORE
-Don’t rush to be on one of the first buses to the starting area. It was cold and windy.
-No turns for pretty much entire race until last mile.
-PR course
-last mile was brutal with ramp and wind.
Beach & Breeze
Packet pick-up was very simple and easy. Small selection to shop from. VERY FLAT, turn off your brain course. Just run straight until Mile 12. Spectators mostly at the Start … MORE
Packet pick-up was very simple and easy. Small selection to shop from.
VERY FLAT, turn off your brain course. Just run straight until Mile 12. Spectators mostly at the Start & Finish line but can sometimes be found along the shoreline. I really enjoyed the positive and sometimes hilarious cheers from the water/electrolyte volunteers, they were great.
Post drinks from Fly Llama Brewing were great. Jambalaya from Uncle Larry’s was delicious.
Flat course along the beach (mostly)
If you are looking for a flat December course with comfortable temps, this marathon is one to give serious thought to. The course runs in one lane of a road … MORE
If you are looking for a flat December course with comfortable temps, this marathon is one to give serious thought to. The course runs in one lane of a road along the sandy beaches – which are beautiful – for most of the way.
Here is my assessment:
Race communications … very good. You knew where to be, when, and what to expect.
Packet pickup – easy
Expo – small (3 maybe 4 booths mostly promoting other races). There was some race merch for sale.
Race Day:
– Weather was between 55-60, overcast, with a 17 mph swirling wind on our day. Wind wasn’t an issue until part of the last mile where I needed to put my head down to run into the wind once I got on top of the ramp.
– Rode the bus from the Margaritaville Resort, which is where I stayed, to the start. Can you ever have enough biffies at the start?
– Not a lot of spectators along the route, so hopefully you are self-motivated.
– Ample police presence keeping runners safe in the one lane of traffic set aside for us.
– Fluid stops and biffy every ~1.25 miles
– Missed gel stop at 8 but found the others at 12, 18, 22
– Flat course except at end. For me the issue with the ramp at the end is not its elevation, but its angle in the ascent. It’s maybe 0.25 mile in length and tilted, but not a reason to avoid this race. It’s peculiar why they didn’t start the race further down the road so we could avoid the ramp entirely.
– As mentioned, we ran in one lane of traffic Be mindful of that for your ankles because roads are sloped. Try to run on the flattest part you can find.
Post race:
– Nice finish area in a local baseball stadium.
– There was some food (soup, sandwich, chips?) and water/beer. I did not see the usual banana/bagel.
Recommendations:
** Add hand sanitizers to biffies or have them at water stops
** Since the water stops coincide with the biffy, provide the water stop staff with extra TP just in case it’s needed.
** After the race you needed to walk up stadium stairs to get to food/beverages on the upper level. Preference would be to have them on the same level as the finish line.
Great, flat course.
This was the flattest course I've run so far. It was completely flat until the hill at the end. It was a point to point course along the water, which … MORE
This was the flattest course I’ve run so far. It was completely flat until the hill at the end. It was a point to point course along the water, which was great. Not a lot of spectators, plenty of water stations, shuttles to the start line. I really liked this marathon.
Like Flat and Fast, run!
Course is essentially flat except for an onramp and offramp near the end, You can choose to either run on the roads, or like i did on the miles of … MORE
Course is essentially flat except for an onramp and offramp near the end, You can choose to either run on the roads, or like i did on the miles of sidewalk along the beach. Nice view of the Gulf of Mexico and beautiful house across from the beach. Very nice post race festivities, gumbo, beer, champagne, pulled pork, etc…
Southern hospitality with an ocean view
Second, Time around doing a race with fresh junkies racing as I had competed in the Louisiana Marathon with them as well, and once again, I was completely blown away … MORE
Second, Time around doing a race with fresh junkies racing as I had competed in the Louisiana Marathon with them as well, and once again, I was completely blown away with their over the top production for such a small-ish mid-level race. These guys know what they’re doing. I wish they were in charge of some way bigger races that don’t operate even half as good.
Let’s start out with the small expo that they produce but it absolutely has everything you want need and desire, including race specific swag items that are 2nd to none.
Transportation to the start of this point-to-point race was flawless, and the buses just stay there in case of bad weather, as they have plenty of buses for a one-way trip for every race participant, and I absolutely blows my mind.
This race course is absolutely pancake flat minus mile 24 1/2 to 25 1/2 which is a bit of a challenge running up at Cloverleaf after zero elevation gain but as somebody from the Midwest it was not an issue except for the 20 mile an hour headwind, which they obviously can’t do anything about.
Finishing inside the baseball park stadium was a absolute thrill and being up on the Jumbotron coming across the finish line what is a very special touch. After race, food and drink was plentiful and varied, including all of the other southern favors that you would want to have both in the way of food and beverage from local breweries.
Race swag is everything you wanted to be with a nice comfy T-shirt and a beautiful metal which happened to be a really cool turtle for the marathon this year that I really enjoyed
Cannot recommend Mississippi gulf coast, marathon enough to friends and foe alike would be an absolute great first marathon or 50 state addition.