Plan your next racecation at the beach and join us for the annual Myrtle Beach Marathon this March! Enjoy a weekend full of events including: a beachfront Health and Wellness Expo, full marathon, half marathon, 5K, family fun run, and two post-race celebrations! Course Whether you’re looking to qualify for …
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Plan your next racecation at the beach and join us for the annual Myrtle Beach Marathon this March! Enjoy a weekend full of events including: a beachfront Health and Wellness Expo, full marathon, half marathon, 5K, family fun run, and two post-race celebrations!
Course
Whether you’re looking to qualify for the Boston Marathon or you’re planning a fun running weekend getaway with the family, the Myrtle Beach Marathon course is the perfect place to start! With only 25 feet of elevation gain, you’ll tour one of the East Coast’s top vacation towns while earning your PR. Start near Broadway at the Beach, race along Ocean Blvd, and finish at Pelicans Ballpark for a post-race extravaganza!
Post-Race Party
Cross the finish line and celebrate your accomplishment at the Pelicans Ballpark post-race party! Recover with a team of massage therapists, say cheers with free beer, and enjoy live music from a Carolina favorite, Liquid Pleasure! Runners and spectators alike are encouraged to cheer on fellow racers at this family-friendly event that lasts all day long!
Evening Celebrations
Here at the Myrtle Beach Marathon, we believe in not one, but two post-race parties! Continue your race celebration at the Post-Race Power Hour, located in the heart of Broadway at the Beach. All runners and volunteers can enjoy complimentary beer and music at this Power Hour event from 5:30pm-6:30pm.
Explore Myrtle Beach
While in Myrtle Beach, enjoy more than 60 miles of beautiful coastline and thousands of fun activities and attractions. Catch a ride on the iconic SkyWheel, stroll down the oceanfront boardwalks, or explore, shop, and dine at Broadway at the Beach, all while experiencing true Southern hospitality.
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Nice Course in Pretty Oceanfront Town
No Expo, Decent Long Sleeve Shirt and Nice Finish Medal. Mostly Flat Course with long stretch on main city street. Liked running along boardwalk, unfortunately fog blocked the view. Move … MORE
No Expo, Decent Long Sleeve Shirt and Nice Finish Medal. Mostly Flat Course with long stretch on main city street. Liked running along boardwalk, unfortunately fog blocked the view. Move the security check point so runners don’t walk in mud and standing water before the race. Did not like running next to busy road for several miles with only cones separating us.
Slight course change for 2024
As I have reviewed this race before, I'll just add a couple of comments. The course was changed very slightly this year to include a short section on the "boardwalk", … MORE
As I have reviewed this race before, I’ll just add a couple of comments.
The course was changed very slightly this year to include a short section on the “boardwalk”, which was really just a concrete path. The course exited before what I would consider an actual boardwalk.
This year was very overcast and foggy, so the ocean views weren’t as great as they could be.
I will run this again.
First full marathon
My first full marathon. Giant finisher medal lol. The participant shirt looks amazing but is not quite true to size. The scenery would be great if it was not foggy. … MORE
My first full marathon. Giant finisher medal lol. The participant shirt looks amazing but is not quite true to size. The scenery would be great if it was not foggy. I ran too fast at first half and hit the wall at last ~10k. Will return stronger and better prepared next time!
Good race overall...nice city host
The course is not really flat. It has a good combination of small rolling hills that balanced very well. They don't have an Expo, but the location has the potential … MORE
The course is not really flat. It has a good combination of small rolling hills that balanced very well. They don’t have an Expo, but the location has the potential to produce one in the future. I enjoyed the food in Myrtle Beach, but I was surprised the food after the finished line was not a local representation.
Great marathon for first timers!
If you are looking for a marathon to run for the first time this is a great one to sign up for. The course is mostly flat with plenty of … MORE
If you are looking for a marathon to run for the first time this is a great one to sign up for. The course is mostly flat with plenty of hydration stations. It was a good experience.
Nice flat course. Well organized
This was a well-run event. They kept it simple but it was well supported and had all that one would ask in any larger event. I loved running through the … MORE
This was a well-run event. They kept it simple but it was well supported and had all that one would ask in any larger event. I loved running through the beach-front roads and the boardwalk it expected to see more ocean views.
Smooth sailing
Ran this half several years ago and the full this time. Great race communication, staging, support on course (could maybe use a little more medical). Nice after party, great medal, … MORE
Ran this half several years ago and the full this time. Great race communication, staging, support on course (could maybe use a little more medical). Nice after party, great medal, and two shirts! You get to run through a good deal of the MB strip and ocean views. This race can be hot, cold, windy, rainy, so watch the weather!
Nice pressure cooker lol
Flights, race registration, and even hotels are super cheap in Myrtle Beach, making this a very budget-friendly 50 state options. Charleston and Columbia surprisingly don't have a race anymore, so … MORE
Flights, race registration, and even hotels are super cheap in Myrtle Beach, making this a very budget-friendly 50 state options. Charleston and Columbia surprisingly don’t have a race anymore, so this is really your only big city bet in SC (I’m not counting the island marathons near Charleston).
Packet pickup is at Broadway at the Beach, a group of eclectic tourist shops and restaurants around a manmade lake. You get a shirt and a bib, and that’s all. It’s in a fun multilevel sports bar called the Hangout.
My hostel was near the airport, almost 4 miles from the start line. It stormed the night before and rained intermittently the morning of. I lucked out and got a ride with a nice couple from Fayetteville. Had I left my hostel 15 seconds earlier or later, I would have had to walk the 4 miles to the line, and potentially been late because I forgot that the race started at 6:35, not 7am. People park at Broadway at the Beach, and it’s a 15 minute trudge to the start line, including a stretch through mud. Nice predawn wakeup call at 6am. Note that there is no bag check at this race!
This is the simplest marathon course I have ever run. You start and finish near 10th Avenue North, and essentially run one giant rectangle. There are very few turns here, including 8 straight miles northeast on Ocean Blvd (the main street in Myrtle Beach). It’s super flat, but today it was about 60 degrees and >95% humidity, which meant incredible fog levels hid the horizon on Ocean Blvd. Aside from miles 8-16 on Ocean Blvd (mostly running past motels, T-shirt shops, and touristy restaurants), we run into two neighborhoods from miles 5-7 and 18-19. Most of the course is on two-lane roads, but the toughest stretch is miles 22-25, where we run on a path next to Grissom Parkway, a bustling boulevard with tons of traffic that stresses an average runner out.
We finish next to the Pelicans minor league baseball stadium, and you can sit in the stands after grabbing a beer and slice of pizza if you like.
Please either Uber places or rent a car. Don’t make my mistake and walk everywhere. The buses come once an hour here, but they ain’t running on Saturday morning, so I had to walk 4 miles back to my hostel after finishing my marathon. I couldn’t even Uber because they don’t have a bag check here, so I left my backpack at my hostel. Who needs to stretch when you have another hour 20 minute walk after you finish? *_* FML
Nice Beach Marathon
Bib pickup is via schedule, you have to choose a slot ahead of time, so make sure you check your emails. The expo was small. The race is a loop, … MORE
Bib pickup is via schedule, you have to choose a slot ahead of time, so make sure you check your emails. The expo was small. The race is a loop, and finishes at the Pelicans baseball stadium, where there is a good party, and leg compression units (first time I’ve used them). This could be a relatively easy race, but having trained in cold weather, I was not able to deal with the temperatures in the 70s and I bonked around mile 19, even after choosing to go at a slower pace at the start. This was my worst marathon by time, but overall I enjoyed the experience. The 4:15 pacers were quite nice, and I am now connected to them in Strava. Even they had trouble keeping up the pace, and the 4:30 pacer never passed my in spite of me finishing in 4:32 and change. Tough day overall.
Well organized race
Everything was well run during this race. There were plenty of water stations and volunteers. The course was OK. It wasn't as scenic as I had hoped it would be, … MORE
Everything was well run during this race. There were plenty of water stations and volunteers. The course was OK. It wasn’t as scenic as I had hoped it would be, considering that it was on the coast. There wasn’t many views of the ocean, but it was mostly flat and fast. Swag consisted of a standard race shirt and a finisher tank top. Nothing really stood out as exceptional, but it was a really solid race.
Fun
Fun race. Well organized. Great scenery with a fairly flat course. Repeat runner look forward to running it every year. Great weather last 2 years! MORE
Fun race. Well organized. Great scenery with a fairly flat course. Repeat runner look forward to running it every year. Great weather last 2 years!
Beautiful Weather & Course
Great race. Organized professionally. Had perfect weather and course was great, as you saw a lot of the city of Myrtle Beach. Highly recommend. MORE
Great race. Organized professionally. Had perfect weather and course was great, as you saw a lot of the city of Myrtle Beach. Highly recommend.
COASTAL RACE
First time to South Carolina! Enjoyed the race through the main streets of Myrtle Beach with part of it along the coast itself. Not a lot of crowd support, some … MORE
First time to South Carolina! Enjoyed the race through the main streets of Myrtle Beach with part of it along the coast itself. Not a lot of crowd support, some near the hotels/condos along the beach but the course was flat and fast. Great after race and swag. Will be doing this one again.
Good not great
The course is easy, and flat. The start line is about a quater mile away from the staging area where all the porta johns are. Plenty of water stops and … MORE
The course is easy, and flat. The start line is about a quater mile away from the staging area where all the porta johns are. Plenty of water stops and friendly volunteers.
Ocean breezes on a flat course
It was interesting returning to Myrtle Beach after being there 15 years ago. It's a very popular vacation destination. The good news is that it was before all the spring … MORE
It was interesting returning to Myrtle Beach after being there 15 years ago. It’s a very popular vacation destination. The good news is that it was before all the spring breakers ascended upon the beach. Luckily, it is also early enough in the year that it was not too hot yet.
I didn’t arrive in Myrtle Beach until late the night before the race. They had the option to have the bib mailed so I didn’t have to worry about making it to the expo. I was able to pickup my shirt after the race. Expos can be fun, but they can also be another point of stress when coming in from out of town, so this was a nice option.
There was plenty of parking at the start at Broadway on the Beach. It was a fairly short jog from there to the start line. There were no corrals, so you could line up close to one of the pacers to get an idea of a good place to start. I felt like the runners in the front of the start did well at lining up in the proper spots because I didn’t have to dodge anyone at the start.
The course was flat and a good opportunity for a PR, although I missed one by just over 40 seconds. I enjoyed most of the route which ran by a lot of the area restaurants and attractions. I carry my own water, but there seemed to be adequate water stops along the half route. There were lots of port-a-johns at the start, but I didn’t really pay too much attention to any along the route. Something that is mostly noticed if one is needed.
It wasn’t a very breezy day overall, but once I hit mile 9, there was a bit of a wind tunnel. There were views of the ocean during this stretch between the mega hotels, but it was still appreciated. Temperature was in the mid 50s with humidity over 90%. It started out cloudy, but the sun was in full force by the end of the run.
The only complaint I had was near the end with about 1.5 miles left to go, the half marathoners meet up with the back end of the 5K. It was very congested and I had to run around them which used up excess energy and slowed me down a touch.
The medal was a nice commemorative 25th anniversary themed. The shirt was long-sleeved for men anyway and had a nice design and seems to be a good quality. The end had just a few snacks and water, nothing outstanding. The shirt pickup was in the minor league baseball stadium and was quick and easy.
I was supposed to run the Charleston half in January, but it was canceled. They are put on by the same company, so I rolled my registration over to this race. Overall, I enjoyed the race.
Fast & Flat
This was my first ever marathon, so I wasn't sure what to expect going in. When deciding which race to run I landed on Myrtle Beach because the course was … MORE
This was my first ever marathon, so I wasn’t sure what to expect going in. When deciding which race to run I landed on Myrtle Beach because the course was flat, and the prior years temps seemed to be perfect.
Production: Leading up to the race the communications from race production were great! Even for a first timer everything was clearly stated and made sense to me. It was also nice that I had the option to have my race bib mailed directly to me, so I didn’t have to stress about driving down the night before to pick it up. I was a bit worried about not having corrals at the start line, but thankfully was able to find my pacer without much issue at all. During the race, aid stations & Porta potties were found around every 2 miles, and I never ran into any issues. Someone had a cup of water or gatorade ready for me every time I arrived. The finish was open and funneled runners a few hundred feet into the Pelicans stadium which kept things from getting too crowded. Time mats were spaced at 10K, Half, & 18.3. One small complaint is that it would have been nice to have a few more time mats. Also, there was no race tracker for friends and family to watch your progress through the course, which I have seen at other races.
Course Difficulty: The course was incredibly flat! Given ideal weather it is very possible to put up a fast time.
Course Scenery: Even though I have been to Myrtle Beach in the past and am familiar with the area, I was a bit let down by the scenery. Miles 1-6 were mostly down a large Hwy without much to offer in terms of views. 6-16 was a long stretch down the oceanfront strip, but you only really saw the ocean a handful of times and most of the businesses & buildings weren’t the greatest thing to look at. Then you wrapped it all up with another 10 miles of mostly highways and large residential roads.
Race Swag: We received a long sleeve tech shirt, a finishers tank top, & a pretty nice medal. I’ll probably never wear the shirt or the tank because i’m particular about my clothes and how they fit/feel. At the finish runners also received pizza & one free beer.
Overall: Overall, I think this is a perfect race for a runner who is looking to set a Personal Best. But if you are looking for an experience, I would likely point you in a different direction.
Lots of sunshine
With this being my second time running the Myrtle Beach Marathon and last year being postponed to May, I was hoping the earlier start in March would be cooler. It … MORE
With this being my second time running the Myrtle Beach Marathon and last year being postponed to May, I was hoping the earlier start in March would be cooler. It was not! The temperature still got to the upper 60’s by the end of the race and I got sunburned. The course was quite flat and a great part of it was along Ocean Boulevard, which allowed for views of the ocean and a great breeze.
The communications leading up to the race were great. There was tons of parking close to the race start/finish line. I would recommend getting there early, as the lines for the port-a-potties were quite long.
The finisher’s medal was a good size and very heavy. The race length determined the size of the medal, with the marathon having the largest. Every finisher also got a long-sleeved tech shirt and a tank top.
At the finish of the race, runners got to enjoy pizza, one free beer (with the option to purchase more), and a live band in the Pelican’s baseball stadium.
Good race for a PB
Very flat and a fast course. Great organization and the weather was near perfect. The last five miles can be tough due to the slow rise in temps but nevertheless … MORE
Very flat and a fast course. Great organization and the weather was near perfect. The last five miles can be tough due to the slow rise in temps but nevertheless for the trained mind this is a fantastic race for a PB
That's a nope.
For such a pricey race, the production was very poor. Very few volunteers bunched together at the aid stations made it impossible to get hydration which was very much needed … MORE
For such a pricey race, the production was very poor. Very few volunteers bunched together at the aid stations made it impossible to get hydration which was very much needed in the 90% humidity and heat. Some mile markers were missing. Pedestrians cut me off. The last mile and a half of the half marathon combined with walkers from the 5K so you spent the end dodging people. There was only one split timer at the 10K mark. No corrals at the start, just clusters. Very boring course that just went out and back down some roads that had a considerable amount of camber to them. The camber was pretty significant in some portions of the race to where you had to jump to the other side of the road or you were running sideways. The “expo” was just a tent outside of Fleet Feet. Medal was a nice size. Overall, I’m really disappointed in the execution of this race for the cost of it. I did PR but missed my goal by quite a bit due to the heat and humidity. Will not be returning to this race.
EDIT: I’m still having issues with my left leg and alignment after running on the slanted road for this course. I would have DNF’ed if I knew it would irritate my body this long! NOT a fan of this course.
Big race-efficient race
This is a flat, less scenic race. A few miles along the coastline helped make the middle of the race beautiful. This year there was no expo, due to the … MORE
This is a flat, less scenic race. A few miles along the coastline helped make the middle of the race beautiful. This year there was no expo, due to the pandemic, I assume. Shirts and medals were good.