Yuengling Shamrock Marathon
Virginia Beach, VA
- Marathon, Half Marathon, 8K, Kids Run
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
The annual running of the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon Weekend will take place in Virginia Beach, Virginia this March. This St. Paddy’s Day tradition has a race distance for every goal: Marathon, Half Marathon, 8K, and challenges. No matter the distance, you’ll experience the best of Coastal Virginia on our flat, … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Mar 20):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°F) | 68 | 76 | 71 | 46 | 73 |
| L (°F) | 35 | 48 | 44 | 32 | 57 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Great
I've run the 8K for three years. I decided to do something different this year. The course was great, even with the modifications. The crowd truly helped me to push … MORE
I’ve run the 8K for three years. I decided to do something different this year. The course was great, even with the modifications. The crowd truly helped me to push through. The post-party is always nice. I will definitely do this race again.
Shamrock
The course was nice running on the boardwalk, great swag at the end of the race. Amazing volunteers, crowd support, water stations, etc. I walked from my hotel so no … MORE
The course was nice running on the boardwalk, great swag at the end of the race. Amazing volunteers, crowd support, water stations, etc. I walked from my hotel so no insight about parking.
Warm Day at Shamrock ☘️
We decided to run Shamrock to celebrate my 40th birthday which was just a few days before. It was a great experience from start to finish and we're so glad … MORE
We decided to run Shamrock to celebrate my 40th birthday which was just a few days before. It was a great experience from start to finish and we’re so glad we decided to do it.
The expo was well organized and easy to navigate with lots of fun touches like photo ops.
The starting corrals seemed like more of suggestions since it was just sign holders and no actual corrals. The course changed this year due to not being able to run through military bases. It was a warm day with wind out of the south which made it challenging. Crowd support was great in the middle (where the half splits off) and the last few miles.
Shamrock had by far the best post race celebration I’ve experienced at a race. Lots of freebies when you finish (tote bag, towel, hat, snacks). It’s also hard to beat literally walking a few feet to the beach. From there it really was a party with live music, Yuengling, photo ops, and food.
A very large race, but well organized
Great job of managing the corals at start, plenty of aid stations, fans along entire course, beautiful course, great swag! A little over crowded at finish line with all the … MORE
Great job of managing the corals at start, plenty of aid stations, fans along entire course, beautiful course, great swag! A little over crowded at finish line with all the runners and locals going to the beach
Fun race; great support!
Just finished the half marathon this morning and while I struggled towards the end, I was still happy with my results. Great support throughout the race with plenty of water/Gatorade … MORE
Just finished the half marathon this morning and while I struggled towards the end, I was still happy with my results. Great support throughout the race with plenty of water/Gatorade stations that were well stocked. Tons of swag at the end – not only the medal, but all finishers got a nice running hat, a beach towel, and plenty of food. Would do this one again!
ShamWow
This race was mostly on the street, but the end was on the boardwalk. There were plenty of water stations every other mile. Most miles had markers, there were one … MORE
This race was mostly on the street, but the end was on the boardwalk. There were plenty of water stations every other mile. Most miles had markers, there were one or two that did not. They gave out a towel, a hat, a bag, and of course bananas, chocolate milk, pretzels, water, Gatorade, etc. The volunteers were exceptional and the crown support was insane. Make sure you wear your green and shamrocks.
Great race
This is a very large race with over 6k runners just in the half marathon. It is ran excellently and I have zero complaints. The course is completely flat and … MORE
This is a very large race with over 6k runners just in the half marathon. It is ran excellently and I have zero complaints.
The course is completely flat and is shaded for a large majority of it. The fan support is constant all 13 miles, and the aid stations are every mile or so.
The packet pickup and expo were awesome and ran smoothly. The swag is top notch and hard to beat. Long sleeve shirt, hat and towel.
My favorite repeat race
I love shamrock- I’ve run the half a handful of times and ran the full for the first time this year. The race is consistently well organized and well supported; … MORE
I love shamrock- I’ve run the half a handful of times and ran the full for the first time this year. The race is consistently well organized and well supported; J&A does an awesome job and there is crowd support the entire way (except when on the bases, and even then there’s a few people out). The course is very flat; I wouldn’t consider it super scenic but still interesting enough. The after party is a ton of fun, although it’s essentially a party the whole race. My favorite race to run every year!
First time race on the east coast!
Was invited by my sister to run this race, so said why not as I'd never run a half on the east coast. Production was great with lots of energy … MORE
Was invited by my sister to run this race, so said why not as I’d never run a half on the east coast. Production was great with lots of energy and music. Pacers on course with plenty of aid stations; also, lots of people cheering you and encouraging you all the way to the finish line with shouts and signs. Overall, it was a fun race as you finish the last stretch on the boardwalk as you head towards the finish line by the Neptune statue. Swag is great as you get a tee, medal, towel, cap and plenty of snacks and water. It was an amazing end to a fairly straightforward and flat course which winds around the peninsula and lighthouse.
What a party!
Fantastic race and would absolutely love to do again. Volunteers and aid stations were plentiful. Post race beer and snacks were great! I missed out on the stew though! One … MORE
Fantastic race and would absolutely love to do again. Volunteers and aid stations were plentiful. Post race beer and snacks were great! I missed out on the stew though! One of the reasons I looked forward to doing this race was the stew at the post-race party, but it definitely was not a game changer. It was a good time and loved the little photo ops that we had. Swag was great too! Weather was perfect with just enough wind in some spots to annoy you for a minute, but forecast turned out great for race day! I highly recommend this race!
Fun Race Flat Course
This was my first full marathon. I chose this race because of the flat course and reputation of being a fun event. The expo was nice with lots of vendors, … MORE
This was my first full marathon. I chose this race because of the flat course and reputation of being a fun event. The expo was nice with lots of vendors, however, they were all crammed into a small space and it felt overwhelming. There was lots of empty space near packet pick-up where maybe the vendors could have been spread out more and it would have made it easier to browse around.
The St. Patrick’s Day theme was a lot of fun and most runners participated in some capacity with outfits or accessories. There were many fun costumes on the course.
The support stations were amazing, I was toward the back of the pack and ALL stations were fully stocked when I went by. They are spaced out about every 1-2 miles so you are never thirsty in this race! Local groups and schools volunteer to run the stations and compete for a monetary prize. The winner is voted on by the runners after the race which I thought was a great idea. They all cheered as you went by, gave words of encouragement, high-fives, played music and other fun things to keep you going.
The course was VERY flat with the exception of a small bridge you pass over twice in the second half. I chose this race because of the flat course, but after doing all of my training in a very hilly area the continuous flat bothered my legs more than I expected. The first half of the course was great, lots of spectators, a nice wooded area and the active military base with light houses. The second half didn’t have much besides running along the shore for a couple of miles, it was a bit hard to stay motivated in the most difficult miles of the race with not much going on.
The swag was great, I love the shirt, towel and hat. I also thought the medal was very nice and cute touch making it a bottle opener. I’m not much of drinker so the after party didn’t appeal to me, but others seemed to enjoy it.
Lastly, the race photos were amazing! There were photographers all over the course and they got sooo many great photos. With it being my first marathon I purchased the photo package in advance and got all of my digital photos plus a cute little video of my race recap for $70 which I thought was a good price.
It was a great race, very well organized and I had an amazing time for my first full marathon!
nice finish on the beach
this was my 33rd marathon and 23rd state....I opted for the mail delivery for race packet so i didn't attend the expo. The race started and finished near the beach … MORE
this was my 33rd marathon and 23rd state….I opted for the mail delivery for race packet so i didn’t attend the expo. The race started and finished near the beach in Virginia Beach. I stayed walking distance away at a hotel so I didn’t notice any issues with parking. The course was nice, especially the 4 or so miles on the boardwalk on the beach. Crowd support was nice with plenty of official and unofficial aid stations…About 2000 finisher in the full marathon…the swag was nice including long sleeve shirt, bag, plus finisher towel and hat. the medal was okay…the finisher line festival was nice…plenty of beer and other drinks on the beach, music (nothing exciting for food)…plenty to do in downtown Virgina beach…The weather was very windy and a little warmer than desired, but it was a flat course…good race production and communication
Great destination race
I went as part of a group of 11 out of state runners. Some of us ran the Saturday 8K and others ran the Sunday half. The race is very … MORE
I went as part of a group of 11 out of state runners. Some of us ran the Saturday 8K and others ran the Sunday half. The race is very well organized. We rented an Airbnb near 22nd Street which was walking distance to the expo and a little over a mile walk to the half start line. The expo is in a large center with plenty of people for packet pickup. You can buy extra swag and other race essentials from various vendors if desired. In fact, Brooks was selling their brand new models of shoes for 15% off.
The half course was pretty flat. We left the boardwalk area and ran on a main road (which was closed to traffic) into a wooded area. We ultimately through a military base. While inside the base we got to see two lighthouses and a few other buildings. We also ran through an area where some military families live. There were military families cheering on the runners and offering some unofficial aid stations. The course looked to have plenty of aid stations and porta potties. Local families set up a few unofficial aid stations (aka beer stops) as well. Once you got closer to the finish, there were several local run club cheer stations and the last 1K along the boardwalk was pretty festive. The course didn’t have a lot of turns in it so you really couldn’t get lost.
After the finish line runners got a medal, runner hat, and nice beach towel along with a bottle of water, chips, etc. After the finish line you can walk a few steps down on the beach for a very large after party. The party is both inside and outside a tent. The tent has a lot of beer stations serving regular and light Yuengling beer. There was also a tent within the beer tent where runners could redeem their beer tickets for non-alcoholic cola, diet cola or water. There was also a tent with a bananas, clementines, Uncrustables, croissants and few other snack items.
In 2025 the weather was overcast and a little cold. Even so, it was nice for someone who doesn’t live near an ocean to get to watch the surf roll in after a race.
Lastly, after I showered and changed I walked back to the beach to get an ice cream. While there I watched an official cheer team / water stop cheer on the very last full marathon runner. The water stop was still fully stocked with both water and Nuun. The cheer station had about 20 volunteers at it who were very loud. I thought it was really nice that the course was truly fully open for the very last runner.
Flat, fast, and fun!
Great race for a PR and a good time! Very flat and scenic, with the exception of a few monotonous miles toward the end (a military base with no crowds). MORE
Great race for a PR and a good time! Very flat and scenic, with the exception of a few monotonous miles toward the end (a military base with no crowds).
Great course support, very windy!
The support along the course was great, so despite the fact that it was incredibly windy, I had a smile on my face for most of the race! The expo … MORE
The support along the course was great, so despite the fact that it was incredibly windy, I had a smile on my face for most of the race! The expo was easy, but I wasn’t super impressed with the vendors. And while I loved the towel and the medal at the end, I thought the food options were a little lacking. Overall, though, I would recommend it just for the atmosphere along the course!
Windy Race finishing on the Beach
This is a large race that attracts a lot of festive St. Paddy's Day enthusaists. The half marathon had 5707 finishers in 2025 (I was 973rd). It is a flat … MORE
This is a large race that attracts a lot of festive St. Paddy’s Day enthusaists. The half marathon had 5707 finishers in 2025 (I was 973rd). It is a flat course that starts on Atlantic Ave (at 40th St), runs north toward First Landing State Park (which is a great place to explore while visiting the area), then through Fort Story (active military base), allowing the runners to pass by both the old and new Cape Henry Lighthouses (at approximately the 8 mile mark). The course then heads back south toward the Virginia Beach boardwalk, with the finish line being just south of the Neptune Sculpture. The weather in Virginia Beach in March can be QUITE WINDY… depending on conditions, runners will most likely have to battle the wind for a portion of the course. The boardwalk portion of the course comes at the very end… the last half mile of the half marathon. The aid stations are well placed and well stocked (by both supplies and encouraging volunteers), and the atmosphere of the race is very uplifting. This is a fun race, but it is definitely geared more for those who enjoy a good party. There was lots of beer and a good band, but for those of us who don’t drink alcohol, they had only GENERIC sodas, and the “meal” was an uncrustable and a bag of potato chips.
The finisher medal was nice, and the beach towel and hat were a nice touch.
State #9
Really fun race. Saw beer and Jell-O shots given out on the course. Course never felt overcrowded. Mile markers at every mile was refreshing. Great swag given, t-shirt, hat AND … MORE
Really fun race. Saw beer and Jell-O shots given out on the course. Course never felt overcrowded. Mile markers at every mile was refreshing. Great swag given, t-shirt, hat AND towel. Nice touch by giving out see through bags at the end, to collect said swag. They also call your name out as you cross the finish line, I love when races do that!
Great Course and well put together
Love the clearly marked course. Great crowd. Post race snacks were good. Love the after party. Flat and fast course. Fastest marathon yet. Restrooms available on course. MORE
Love the clearly marked course. Great crowd. Post race snacks were good. Love the after party. Flat and fast course. Fastest marathon yet. Restrooms available on course.
Perfect First Marathon Course
Perfect course for my first marathon! I would definitely recommend this race anyone planning to do a marathon. The weather was chilly in the morning but sunny at the end, … MORE
Perfect course for my first marathon! I would definitely recommend this race anyone planning to do a marathon. The weather was chilly in the morning but sunny at the end, which was fine because there was a nice ocean breeze. There were many water/gel stations plus other tables. Great cheering sections throughout the course (even on the base with our great military men and women actually cheering us on). There is one tough hill towards the later half of the race, but the downhill helps you at the end of the race. Lastly, you get lots of photos and can buy a cool video, and the party on the beach afterwards is awesome with the live music, beer, and food! Would definitely do this race again!
would love to do it again
ran in 2024. this is a really well run and huge race. arrived somewhat early, and found reasonable street parking with about a 10 min walk. bathroom lines at the … MORE
ran in 2024. this is a really well run and huge race. arrived somewhat early, and found reasonable street parking with about a 10 min walk. bathroom lines at the start were a bit lengthy, but the lines moved. there weren’t many hills. the scenery was nice especially the end and finishing with an ocean view. there was a portion in the middle where you run for a few miles through a paved flat road with just trees on either side, but it was peaceful. i LOVED the shirt and we also got a hat. lots of snacks and drinks/beer afterward.