The countdown is on! It’s currently 17 days until the Myrtle Beach Marathon Weekend, February 11-14th. This year the marathon again falls around Valentine’s Day and Presidents Weekend. Marathon activities kick off 5pm on Thursday at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center for the Runners Expo, where all participants must go to receive their marathon package, including bid and timing chip. The Expo also runs all day Friday from 11am to 9pm and features event sponsors and vendors selling everything you need for a successful race. Friday is the first day of official marathon events with the 5k Run/Walk and the Family Fun Run. The Fun Run gets started at 5:30pm and the 5k at 7pm. Both of these events are held at Broadway at the Beach.
Saturday morning gets off to an early start with a 6:30 start time for the Full and Half Marathon. Both races start and finish around BB&T Field. The course for the races has change this year, as runners will take Grissom parkway to Mr. Joe White and head east to business 17 instead of west. The runners will take business 17 south to Farrow Parkway and run through The Market Common shopping and dining district for the first time. Runners will then head north on Ocean Blvd with half marathon runners taking Mr. Joe White back to BB&T Field and full marathoners continuing north on Ocean Blvd and the same course used in previous years. Sunday features the 14.2, 33.5, and 63 mile bike rides throughout the area. A full map and details for all events can be found online at the Official Marathon Site.
Myrtle Beach area hotels and restaurants will again be offering specials for both marathon runners and their families as well vacationers here to enjoy the long weekend. Many local restaurants will feature pre-race pasta dinners on Friday night and post race discounts Saturday afternoon and evening by showing the race bib. If you’re planning a romantic dinner for Valentine’s Day don’t forget to make your reservations ahead.
Once you’re here for the weekend don’t forget about the great shopping specials which can be found all over Myrtle Beach for the Presidents Day Weekend.
To plan your Myrtle Beach Vacation visit http://www.MyrtleBeachVIsitors.com.
