Overall Rating
Overall Rating (7 Reviews)
3.6
(7 Ratings)  (7 Reviews)
DIFFICULTY
2.1
SCENERY
3.1
PRODUCTION
3.9
SWAG
3.3
The Novant Health Wilmington NC Marathon brings you world class shopping, beautiful beaches, famous restaurants and a historic downtown waterfront. Runners will begin their journey from Wrightsville Beach and end in downtown Wilmington. Full MarathonThe Full Marathon is the perfect Boston Marathon qualifying event because it’s fast, flat, and notorious … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Feb 22):
  2024 2023 2022 2021 2020
 
H (°F)  63  82  73  63  54
L (°F)  33  54  58  37  24
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Recent reviews

    babssop REPEAT RUNNER '24

    It was well organized. You can tell they thought about every detail and produced by runners. The sunrise was beautiful at the beach and the course was mostly flat. The … MORE

    It was well organized. You can tell they thought about every detail and produced by runners. The sunrise was beautiful at the beach and the course was mostly flat. The finish line included beer, food and a band. Highly recommend this race if you are looking for a PR and Wilmington nc is a great destination and beach town

    DIFFICULTY
    5
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5
    My Media

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    tclifford626 RACE DIRECTOR '24

    The Wilmington Marathon started its journey in 2010. As the race director, I may be biased, but over the years, we've actively listened to athletes' feedback, continuously making adjustments based … MORE

    The Wilmington Marathon started its journey in 2010. As the race director, I may be biased, but over the years, we’ve actively listened to athletes’ feedback, continuously making adjustments based on their input. We’ve invested in enhancing the race experience by improving swag offerings and ramping up the excitement along the course. Our ultimate aim? To create an unforgettable experience for every runner.

    What sets our marathon apart is our unique point-to-point course, which begins at the ocean and culminates in downtown Wilmington. While there are stretches of the course that may seem plain or less scenic, I’ve personally participated in many marathons featuring monotonous segments. In Wilmington, however, the scenery changes frequently, keeping runners engaged and motivated.

    We start at the beach, traverse city streets, cover a stretch on the highway, delve into North Wilmington Downtown, follow a historic railroad line, pass through the heart of downtown, and wind around Greenfield Lake, where iconic southern moss trees line the greenway. All this before reaching the finish line at Riverfront Park on the Cape Fear River.

    Our entire staff and team are locals, deeply proud of both our race and our region. So, I urge you to give Wilmington a chance—you won’t be disappointed!

    DIFFICULTY
    1
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    3
    SWAG
    5
    My Media

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    scottclem FIRST-TIMER '24

    Logistics: Easy. The town is a few miles from the regional airport if you are flying in. There are a few hotels very close to the expo, shuttles and finish … MORE

    Logistics: Easy. The town is a few miles from the regional airport if you are flying in. There are a few hotels very close to the expo, shuttles and finish line.
    Production: Communication was top notch. The buses to the start area, # of porto-potties, aid stations, finish area were all fantastic. This year they started at 6:30am which I am fan of, and they really stressed that everyone should get to the buses and start area early. I was up at 2:30 and at the race start by 5am. So it was a early start and a bit of a wait.
    Expo & Swag: Expo was well organized simple, with standard booths. I like the cotton t-shirt blend for participation. ( edit: There is branded merch but I missed it! See link in the reply below)
    Course Difficulty: Mostly flat. You might notice an incline for mile 25 if you are trying for a time, but overall no major hills. Weather was perfect for running on this day.
    Course Scenery: It is was (surprisingly) not very scenic nor interesting. The start area of the race next to the beach was nice but it was too dark to appreciate.
    Post Race party was fun with food and music.

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    2
    SWAG
    3

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    tclifford626 Mar 01, 2024 at 12:32pm

    Hey Scott, thanks for your review. We had a bunch of branded merch for sale, sorry you missed it. https://runners-essentials.com/collections/run-wilmington is where you can find it online year round. The… MORE

    Hey Scott, thanks for your review. We had a bunch of branded merch for sale, sorry you missed it. https://runners-essentials.com/collections/run-wilmington is where you can find it online year round. The shirts we order are triblend which is a higher quality smooth buttery shirt. We don't do dryfit shirts only because they stink after a few wears. Hope to have you back! LESS

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    scottclem Mar 01, 2024 at 4:34pm

    Dang, sorry I missed it! Thanks for the link I will check it out!

    Dang, sorry I missed it! Thanks for the link I will check it out!

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    stacijwilliams FIRST-TIMER '24

    I selected this race for my 50 states half for NC. The expo was conveniently located downtown near hotels, finish line, and shuttle for those coming from out of town. … MORE

    I selected this race for my 50 states half for NC. The expo was conveniently located downtown near hotels, finish line, and shuttle for those coming from out of town. Small expo allowing for a quick bib pick up.

    Race day transportation from downtown to the beach was simple and easy. Caught a beautiful sunrise waiting for the race to start. Ample bathrooms (waited ~5 mins right before race start).

    Course was easy/flat and fun at the beginning and end, but a very boring stretch from ~6-11. Would have liked another aid station in the second half of the course.

    The medal had the state of NC in it, which is great for my 50 states collection. The shirt was a cotton blend, so will be thrown straight into the donate pile.

    The post race party had live music and decent food/beverage options. Was nice to cheer on the marathoners on the walk back to my hotel!

    DIFFICULTY
    1
    PRODUCTION
    3
    SCENERY
    3
    SWAG
    2
    My Media

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    polmstead1982 FIRST-TIMER '24

    This is an easy course, and the weather was great but what a bore of a race. You start off at the beach and thats the last you see it. … MORE

    This is an easy course, and the weather was great but what a bore of a race. You start off at the beach and thats the last you see it. The first 10 miles are on some highway 74. Then you run about 3-4 miles through downtown. This section is nice. Then out to a lake for about another 8 miles. Very boring, then back downtown.
    Not much for scenery, and very little crowd support.

    DIFFICULTY
    1
    PRODUCTION
    1
    SCENERY
    1
    SWAG
    1

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    polmstead1982 Mar 01, 2024 at 7:40pm

    Please also note, if you run this race and review it, the director of the race will email you three times and eventually tell you to consider getting involved in… MORE

    Please also note, if you run this race and review it, the director of the race will email you three times and eventually tell you to consider getting involved in planning a race…. :) LESS

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    tclifford626 Mar 01, 2024 at 7:38pm

    After communication with Patrick, we have asked him why he has rated us a 1 out of 5 on each area. As the race production, We feel his 1 is… MORE

    After communication with Patrick, we have asked him why he has rated us a 1 out of 5 on each area. As the race production, We feel his 1 is not accurate: Here are Patrick's responses: PATRICK ON OUR SWAG: While I acknowledge that a T-shirt can be of high quality, in my opinion, it's still just a T-shirt. You can find T-shirts at every 5K event nationwide. To receive a higher rating from me, the swag would have to be more distinctive, such as featuring long sleeves, a vest, a jacket, or something beyond the typical T-shirt." PATRICK ON OUR Scenery: The starting point at the beach was scenic, but it felt like a substantial portion of the route (around 8-10 miles) followed Highway 74, leading into downtown. The downtown section and the rail trail were enjoyable, yet I perceive them to be a relatively short 3-4 mile segment. The route then heads to Greenfield Lake, which, while pleasant, resembles many other lakes. This lakeside stretch consumes a significant portion of the overall distance, akin to the initial stretch on Highway 74. My review reflects my specific preferences and expectations regarding the route. With that in mind, it seemed to me that the race was divided into three distinct sections: Highway 74, the downtown area, and the lakeside route. Which left me wanting more, historic houses, buildings, etc. After hearing from Patrick directly, we feel his 1 out of 5 rating is inaccurate. We hope to see you at the Wilmington Marathon in future years! LESS

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    mflores711 FIRST-TIMER '22

    Generally a flat course with some scenery running near the water and cute neighborhoods, although areas near the end of the race were kinda bare. There was also a good … MORE

    Generally a flat course with some scenery running near the water and cute neighborhoods, although areas near the end of the race were kinda bare. There was also a good amount of support along the race and the finish area was well organized.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    3
    SCENERY
    3
    SWAG
    3

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    demman1024 FIRST-TIMER '22

    The scenery was beautiful from the beach to the lake and the historic houses in between. The volunteers were amazing! The course just had a few little hills but wasn't … MORE

    The scenery was beautiful from the beach to the lake and the historic houses in between. The volunteers were amazing! The course just had a few little hills but wasn’t anything too difficult. Finish line was good, especially the Nothing Bundt Cake samples!!! The t-shirt is nice but not the long sleeve tech shirt I was expecting.

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4

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