The location and organization of this race are great. Lots of information before the race, a good expo, plenty of hotels to stay in near the course. The course was … MORE
The location and organization of this race are great. Lots of information before the race, a good expo, plenty of hotels to stay in near the course.
The course was super flat and consisted of loop and an out-and-back. The only noticable hill was on the bridge going over Rudee Inlet and that was a short hill. I was told there was another hill early in the race, but I didn’t notice it. The course offers a lot of variety, including — residential areas full of spectators, a wooded road, a huge lighthouse, two military bases, and the “board walk” along the ocean.
The start was incredibly well organized. Corrals of 200-300 people starting every two minutes. There was plenty of room to run the whole race. Water stops (with porta potties) every 1.5 miles in the course. The dry bag drop off and pickup lines were short and moved quickly.
There was a good amount of food for the runners in the chute after the finish line. The after party was the best after party I have been to. A good cover band and each entry came with 4 beer tickets. I was told that you could buy more if you wanted, but I didn’t need any more.
I got a 2 minute 15 second PR, even with the wind, but I could have run a few minutes faster without the wind. Due to aging up this year, my time was 15+ minutes under my BQ time.
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Great race with great after party
The location and organization of this race are great. Lots of information before the race, a good expo, plenty of hotels to stay in near the course. The course was … MORE
The location and organization of this race are great. Lots of information before the race, a good expo, plenty of hotels to stay in near the course.
The course was super flat and consisted of loop and an out-and-back. The only noticable hill was on the bridge going over Rudee Inlet and that was a short hill. I was told there was another hill early in the race, but I didn’t notice it. The course offers a lot of variety, including — residential areas full of spectators, a wooded road, a huge lighthouse, two military bases, and the “board walk” along the ocean.
The start was incredibly well organized. Corrals of 200-300 people starting every two minutes. There was plenty of room to run the whole race. Water stops (with porta potties) every 1.5 miles in the course. The dry bag drop off and pickup lines were short and moved quickly.
There was a good amount of food for the runners in the chute after the finish line. The after party was the best after party I have been to. A good cover band and each entry came with 4 beer tickets. I was told that you could buy more if you wanted, but I didn’t need any more.
I got a 2 minute 15 second PR, even with the wind, but I could have run a few minutes faster without the wind. Due to aging up this year, my time was 15+ minutes under my BQ time.
Great production
Just a well run race. The whole town was getting ready for it. Loved the 8k distance. Easy packet pick up. Course was nice and flat. Weather great this time … MORE
Just a well run race. The whole town was getting ready for it.
Loved the 8k distance.
Easy packet pick up.
Course was nice and flat.
Weather great this time of year to run in but a little chilly for Spring Break😜
Great race along the VA coastline
From pre-race communication and packet pick up at the expo, to the starting line and post-race party, the Shamrock Marathon produces an amazing event! We received a race guide with … MORE
From pre-race communication and packet pick up at the expo, to the starting line and post-race party, the Shamrock Marathon produces an amazing event! We received a race guide with plenty of information a week before the race in an email. The packet pick up at the VA Beach Convention Center was fun and very well organized. Swag included a long sleeve technical shirt. Other Shamrock merchandise was available too, along with free samples of Yuengling beer. The race on Sunday combined both marathoners and half marathoners in 10 corrals. Each corral went off every 60-90 seconds. The course winds though a residential neighborhood and then First Landing state park to the lighthouse and then back to boardwalk, passing the Neptune statue. Water stops were plentiful that also included sports drinks and gel. The medals were really nice and post-race goodies at the finish line were plentiful, including snacks, water, hat, beach blanket, and a draw-string bag. But the post-race party was hands down the best! There are 4 drink tickets included with your bib and the party in the very large tent was super fun! Never had to wait in line for a beer and the band was incredible! Very thankful we were in a tent as it turned out to be a windy and chilly day in VA Beach (sunny though) so being “indoors” certainly helped. I would highly recommend this race to anyone. There is definitely a reason why this won the best half marathon in Virginia!
A flat fun Marathon
This is a relatively flat course with just a slight up hill during mile 16 and again at 23 when crossing an overpass. The toughest part of this course were … MORE
This is a relatively flat course with just a slight up hill during mile 16 and again at 23 when crossing an overpass. The toughest part of this course were the headwinds but that is to be expected for a marathon by the ocean.
The first half of the race is run with the half marathon group which is fine as it keeps the race lively. The second half thinned out but it wasn’t as bad as I expected.
There were plenty of aid stations with water and NUUN and beer stops during the first half.
For those who like their photos, there are plenty of photographers from start to finish. I had over 100 photos.
The after party is a fun time, live band that plays till the end. It’s nice to see an after party that caters to the marathoners and not just the half marathoners.
The expo was decent and there was plenty of swag including a finishers hat and towel/blanket.
A little surprised there were no heat blankets at the finish on a cooler windy day but the after party tent was pretty well heated I guess.
Overall, if you’re looking for a Virginia Marathon that is not the Marine Corps Marathon, this is the one.
Windy…but plenty of fun!
In no particular order… Pre-Race Commmunication — The event does a thorough job sharing tons of information in the weeks leading up to the run. Multiple emails, detailed website, active … MORE
In no particular order…
Pre-Race Commmunication — The event does a thorough job sharing tons of information in the weeks leading up to the run. Multiple emails, detailed website, active social media presence.
Expo – Actually one of the better expos I’ve been to lately. Apparel for sale was not too impressive (and 90% womens apparel), but that’s my only complaint. Chatted with several exhibitors and got some decent goodies…chocolate milk, smoothie samples, cake samples, beer samples, and some decent branding collateral from vendors I liked.
Race Day Traffic/Parking – This was probably the worst part of the event, but whatcha gonna do. Took us 30 minutes to drive less than two miles to the start area. Had to jump out of the car and leave the wife to find her own parking. Another half hour later and she still hadn’t made it to a parking spot. She missed the start of the race. Better traffic control by local law enforcement would have helped.
Porta Potties – Didn’t wait in line before the race, but there seemed to be plenty of them. There were several throughout the race, too. I got in and out in under 60 seconds right around mile 13.
Course – For a seaside town, it was…okay. Lots of straight line running…that’s good if you like a fast run. Don’t be fooled: You won’t have an ocean view for most of the race. Still, running on the military base, past the lighthouses, and a few miles beside the beach made for a pleasant run.
Crowd Support – 5 stars. Not the biggest crowd I’ve run seen, but it was up there. I really felt like the community came out to support runners. Lots of neighbors were handing out water, beer (yep, I partook), and other goodies. They had good energy, too.
Finish Line/Post-Race – One of the best post-race celebrations I’ve encountered. I like that it lived up to that ambitious claim. A steady stream of volunteers after the finish line handing you food, swag, medal, etc. Huge tent on the beach with a damn good band (and I don’t even like live bands that much). Four drink tickets for Yuengling. The Irish stew was a PERFECT post-race dish on a cold day (tasty, too!). Even the food vendors outside the tent on the beach were cool.
All told, this was a great event. If I had to run a Virginia marathon again, there are other parts of the state I’d rather explore and other races that get more love from fellow 50-staters, but that doesn’t take anything away from this event. The Shamrock Marathon was a fun time and 100% worth a trip to the beach on a cold, windy St. Patrick’s Day weekend.
Ocean view running
Really nice race. Expo was fun and well organized. Race production was good. Course was nice because we were able to run near the waves. Aid stations were fantastic and … MORE
Really nice race. Expo was fun and well organized. Race production was good. Course was nice because we were able to run near the waves. Aid stations were fantastic and plentiful, I enjoyed the cookies. As many beer stops as water stops. 🤣🤣🤣
Great Swag & Post-Race Party
I had done this race in 2021 but it was modified and an open course due to covid. I was impressed with what the race company J&A racing was able … MORE
I had done this race in 2021 but it was modified and an open course due to covid. I was impressed with what the race company J&A racing was able to do during covid so I wanted to come back during a normal year for the full experience. I drove down to Virginia Beach after RnR DC on Saturday. They do have the option to have your packet mailed early or race day packet pick-up but it is a hefty fee and I think was $40. I did opt to have my packet mailed as I wanted no stress getting to VB. Packet included bib and a nice long-sleeved, very green tech shirt. Packet pick-up goes until 5pm on Saturday. I arrived in VB right about 5pm but I stayed and enjoyed the after party in DC and stopped for gas and Dunkins on the drive down so you definitely could make it in time for packet pick-up if doing both if you are either a fast runner or leave right after you cross the finish line if you don’t want to pay to have bib mailed or picked up race day. I again stayed in the Ramada. It is right by the finish. One thing I did not account for is Atlantic Ave is closed until 3:30pm on race day so if you wanted to leave before 3:30pm you could not park in the Ramada’s parking structure. Luckily I found street parking 2 blocks away on Arctic Ave but if I were to do the race again and drive home right after I would stay at a hotel a few blocks inland not right at the beach as I’d prefer not to do street parking. If you are staying Sunday night or leaving after 3:30pm the Ramada is very convenient. The race starts about 3/4 mile from the finish. This race was basically the opposite of RnR DC in that everything at the start was super organized except there was not nearly enough porta potties. It was kind of a cold morning. Although there was a snow storm in Rochester last week so I thought the weather was pleasant but I didn’t want to hang at the start line too long so did not have time to wait in the porta potty lines. I was feeling pretty awful from being sick 1.5 weeks ago and my glutes were on fire from the DC race so I knew I wasn’t having a fast time and was not worried about losing a few minutes using the porta potty during the race. However the corral system was extremely organized, efficient and spaced everyone out perfectly. The race was also great. It is a party atmosphere type of race with a ton of participants and lots of slower runners as well. I was a little disappointed in course scenery as I was hoping for more beach scenes and I found the modified course from 2021 to be a bit more scenic with the boardwalk. However the course is very flat. The first part is a few miles through a nice neighborhood with a ton of spectators which is fun. The next few miles are probably the worst of the course. They are a very slight incline through some woods. Not many spectators and scenery a bit repetitive here. However it is the perfect place for an incline. After you have gotten into your groove but before you are too tired too notice and the second half is slightly downhill so it would be a fast course if you didn’t feel like crap. Around mile 6 you enter Fort Story a military base. This is pretty cool since normally it is off limit for the public but there are less spectators. The first part of this section is a bit boring but the second part has a cool lighthouse and some beach views. You then go back through the neighborhood and then turn onto the beach boardwalk for maybe half a mile and finish at the King Neptune statue. Course is well supported with plenty of aid stations. While there were lots of porta potties on the course the lines were very long since so many runners couldn’t go before the race. Otherwise production was pretty much perfect. At the finish line you get your medal which is nice and has a design of the King Neptune statue and then volunteers keep handing you stuff. It seemed like the swag and goodies never ended. You got a blanket, hat, water bottles, recovery drink, tons of snack items and luckily a drawstring bag. On the beach there is also a tent with a post race party with beef stew and beer or if you are meat and alcohol free like me veggie stew and pepsi. Overall this was a great race. I do wish the scenery was a little more beachy but it’s a flat course with great production and festive atmosphere. I enjoyed it so much I decide to sign up for another half with J&A racing this Fall. This is definitely a very good choice for Virginia and worked really well as a double with RnR DC.
The cream of the Crop for VA Beach
Its a J&A event so its going to be awesome. The Expo is Great, The SWAG is great, The after party is Great, This was an easy course nice and … MORE
Its a J&A event so its going to be awesome. The Expo is Great, The SWAG is great, The after party is Great, This was an easy course nice and flat so if you are looking for a PR this is a good race to participate in. It was a very windy on this day and you ran into the wind for the last portion of the Marathon. There are always lots of people to cheer you on and motivate you so it was a really fun day. This is at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront and finishes at the Neptune Statue so that’s always cool. You also get to run through 2 military bases so that is always a great experience for non-Military people. I was doing really well until about the 20.5mile mark and then I started to have leg problems but I was able to push it out and finish and still get a PR. I look forward to continued progression as hope to get Boston Qualified one day.
Fun race, beautiful course, great people
This is a fun race. The lighthouses and the first half are really very pretty and the terrain is flat. The second half of the course is not bad either. … MORE
This is a fun race. The lighthouses and the first half are really very pretty and the terrain is flat. The second half of the course is not bad either. The bridge is the one part that gets me every time but this year it was truly windy and cause me to slow down a bit. Fun race, great people I met on the course, and glad I did it!
Epic Race
Wow. This race was a lot of fun. I did the Dolphin challenge which included an 8K on Saturday and the 1/2 on Sunday and then you get an extra … MORE
Wow. This race was a lot of fun. I did the Dolphin challenge which included an 8K on Saturday and the 1/2 on Sunday and then you get an extra medal. The 8K was very congested the whole time because there were a lot of walkers. I found it very annoying to navigate around people the entire race. The 1/2 marathon was great. The race was exceptionally run by J&A and I had a blast. The course was interesting and there was plenty to look at the entire course, so you didn’t get bored. Bonus that it was nearly entirely flat. I hate hills. The swag at the end was the best I’ve ever received at a race by far. The medals were great also. I will say I absolutely hated the shirts but I have plenty of shirts, so I just bought one that I liked and called it good. The expo was nice size and there were plenty of vendors to purchase any last-minute things you may have forgotten. The post-race party was absolutely epic with live band, stew and plenty of beer. It was my favorite part for sure. The only thing I was really disappointed about was the crappy weather, but that is out of anyone’s control. Dress in layers!
Awesome Day for Racing
Its a J&A event so its going to be awesome. The Expo is Great, The SWAG is great, The after party is Great, This was an easy course nice and … MORE
Its a J&A event so its going to be awesome. The Expo is Great, The SWAG is great, The after party is Great, This was an easy course nice and flat so if you are looking for a 8K PR this is a good race to participate in. It was a little windy on this day so you got half and half with, the wind against you and with you. There are always lots of people to cheer you on and motivate you so it was a really fun day. This is at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront and finishes at the Neptune Statue so that’s always cool
Fun race - flat course - party
Spectators are awesome. The course is flat. The after party was a blast! The weather was cold & very windy, but I don’t think it typically that cold in March … MORE
Spectators are awesome. The course is flat. The after party was a blast!
The weather was cold & very windy, but I don’t think it typically that cold in March at Va Beach.
Great race!
Great organization and communication from the race ahead of time! Course was as flat as they advertise. Crowd support was good at the beginning and end and at the aide … MORE
Great organization and communication from the race ahead of time! Course was as flat as they advertise. Crowd support was good at the beginning and end and at the aide stations. Weather was cold for spectating but perfect for the race.
Cream Of The Crop VA Beach
This is the Cream of the Crop of all VA Beach race events. This was my first half marathon, and although I hit my goals, it was very tough for … MORE
This is the Cream of the Crop of all VA Beach race events. This was my first half marathon, and although I hit my goals, it was very tough for me as it was the longest distance I have ever raced. Everything about this race is awesome, from the SWAG, the production, the after party, everything is awesome a must do race for Virginia Beach!!!
Great race with a great party!
The finish is the best part of this out and back race. Nothing better than a beach front party after a race! You’ll enjoy glimpses of the beach and then … MORE
The finish is the best part of this out and back race. Nothing better than a beach front party after a race!
You’ll enjoy glimpses of the beach and then finish right in the boardwalk. The crowds are wonderful with lots of supporters.
The hardest part for me was between mile 3 and 5, you run along a highway that had a very slight slant to the right. You won’t notice it right away until your left glute turns into a fiery rock. So do your best to run along the right side shoulder of the road and you should be good!
Would definitely recommend!!
The Siren who Keeps Calling Me Back
I told myself last time "twice is enough" but the song of the siren that is the Shamrock Marathon beckoned me, once again, to the shores of Virginia Beach. I … MORE
I told myself last time “twice is enough” but the song of the siren that is the Shamrock Marathon beckoned me, once again, to the shores of Virginia Beach. I wasn’t sure how this one was going to be: Starting December 4, 2021, I attempted the Guinness World Record for the most consecutive days to run a marathon distance for a female and my leg gave out 14 miles into marathon #42. That took me out of running for several weeks. But I invited a friend from an online running group to join me at this event (he came from Baltimore) and we ran it together…for the most part. He told me to go get my sub-4 at mile 23 so I took off.
☘ It was the 50-year anniversary of this race and it did not disappoint. The course can be a little light on crowd support but there are pockets of people cheering along the way. Running with a friend this year: I barely noticed. This course is flat, flat, flat except for the bridge that marathoners cross twice at about mile 15 and (maybe) 23.5 (the way “out” is much worse than the way back.)
☘ this is the first time that I’ve done the race where they gave a unisex shirt so when I got my Medium, I was swimming in it but I don’t mind. I have plenty of shirts. As usual, we get a hat and blanket after we cross the finish line as well as the snacks and the cinch bag to carry it all in.
☘ I say “no more Shamrock Marathon” but I’m sure I’ll be back again. It’s such a good course and there are enough marathoners after the half-marathoners break away that you don’t feel lonely or as if you’re the only one out there… who am I kidding? I’ll be back. This is the first time I didn’t PR without trying but under the circumstances: I’m more than happy with my sub-4!
☘Do this race. Swag, scenery, and after party are worth it.
Sham-Rockin' Good Time!
I ran the full despite not having a good winter training season in our brutal midwest winter this year. I performed better than expected. I recommend this race for it's … MORE
I ran the full despite not having a good winter training season in our brutal midwest winter this year. I performed better than expected. I recommend this race for it’s mostly flat course, great race communication, great execution, and ample swag. Volunteers and crowd support were wonderful. There are ample water stops. And the after party on the beach was a delight for me who came from Minnesnowta to run this. There are two parts of the course without much support because they are military bases: Fort Story and Camp Pendleton. There was a gradual hill to run up near Fort Story (miles 3-6) but it’s in a lovely wooded area to distract you. Winds were from the west and north 10-15 mph, but they didn’t impact the first part of the race like I thought they would since we started off running north. Temps started mid 50s and ended mid 60s, which was comfortable. If you’re on the fence about running this, I advise you to do it!
An event for running friends
This is definitely a weekend geared toward runners who enjoy the social aspect of races - I did not take part in the post-race festivities so I can’t comment on … MORE
This is definitely a weekend geared toward runners who enjoy the social aspect of races – I did not take part in the post-race festivities so I can’t comment on the quality, but the event certainly caters to those who like to participate in races as couples or groups rather than individuals. I had a fine time on my own but the course and the atmosphere weren’t enough to draw me back another year.
One of the best
Packet pick up at the race expo was super easy. I was a little disappointed in the bibs this year, but due to COVID considerations, they were good for the … MORE
Packet pick up at the race expo was super easy. I was a little disappointed in the bibs this year, but due to COVID considerations, they were good for the situation if a little on the small side. I ran the Dolphin Challenge this year (the 8k on Sat and the 1/2 on Sun). Both races had tech shirts (short sleeve for the 8k, long sleeve for the 1/2). Aside from the race merch, the expo was a little underwhelming, but again…COVID.
I stayed at the Oceanfront Inn which was a perfectly suitable hotel for a race weekend. No frills, family owned, one of the host hotels so it was right at the finish (and start of the 8k).
The weather this year was perfect. The race course is incredibly flat. That being said there is a mile or so that is all an incline, though not a terribly noticeable one. The course is pretty scenic, said incline being tree lined, and Fort Story being pretty attractive itself, featuring a pair of lighthouses and service members who come out to make sure the course is secure as well as cheer on the runners. There are also water stops that pop up by people along the course featuring beer.
In addition to high quality medals, finishers of both the half and full marathons received a blanket with the 50th Shamrock logo, a hat also with the logo, and a drawstring backpack to put it all in so you can still hold your beer (of which you get 4 free with your race bib from Yuengling…options being their light beer or regular lager).
The post race experience is even more fun in a huge tent right on the beach which offers aforementioned Yuengling, live music, and Irish stew (both vegetarian and beef). Since my hotel overlooked the finish tent, I was able to have a couple beers, go to my room and shower, and come back for some more beers on the beach. I also got to put my feet in the ocean (which was a great ice bath).
I would call this one a must do. I traveled by myself this year and have honestly never had so much fun at a race.
Awesome destination run!
Great race past lighthouses, through nice neighborhoods with cheering and along the boardwalk at the end. Among the swag was a finishers hat and a blanket, which was great for … MORE
Great race past lighthouses, through nice neighborhoods with cheering and along the boardwalk at the end. Among the swag was a finishers hat and a blanket, which was great for the beach party at the end.