Age Divisions

Half Marathon, Men & Women:
14-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80+

5K, Men & Women:
6-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-75, 75-79, 80+

Water Stations

Half Marathon: Water and Powerade will be available at seven places along the course, as well as at the finish line.

5K: Water and Powerade will be available at two places along the course, as well as at the finish line.

What to Bring on Race Morning

  • Yourself!
  • Your race bib
  • Chair or blanket for the After-Race Party and award ceremony (You can set your chair up in the amphitheater before the Race.)

2023 RACE WEEKEND PARKING

Public parking near Seaside is limited and we encourage those participating in Race Weekend events to purchase a VIP Parking Pass or take the shuttle (available Saturday & Sunday) from Emerald Coast Middle School. 

PARKING IN SEASIDE WILL BE AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY TO PASS HOLDERS. For Expo and Race Day, all Seaside entry points from 30A and 395 will be closed, and only those with a valid pass will be permitted to enter. Each intersection and point of entry will be manned and this policy will be strictly enforced. 

PLEASE NOTE THE ROAD CLOSURE AT 5:30AM ON RACE DAY, SUNDAY FEBRUARY 19TH. All Parking Pass holders will need to have entered Seaside prior to that time in order to access the VIP Parking Area. To ensure the safety of all runners and participants, cars will not be allowed to exit Seaside until the road is re-opened at 10:00am. 

VIP PARKING

Passes are available for $30 per day, and can be purchased for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. VIP Parking Pass Holders are guaranteed a parking spot in the town of Seaside for the day of purchase. Hours vary by the day, and specific details will be shared out to pass holders prior to race weekend.

Friday: Passes are valid from 5pm – 10pm
Saturday: Passes are valid from 12pm – 10pm
Sunday: Passes are valid from 5am – 10pm

SHUTTLE

Complimentary parking and shuttle service are available from Emerald Coast Middle School (ECMS) on Saturday, February 18th and Sunday, February 19th. Two shuttles will run on a continuous loop between ECMS and Quincy Circle in Seaside during the scheduled window for each day:

Saturday – Race Expo & Packet Pickup: 12:30pm – 8:30pm
Sunday – Half Marathon + 5K: 5:00am – 2:00pm

ROAD CLOSURE


On Race Day, Sunday, February 19th, 30A will be closed as of 5:30am. Please account for this closure, which is earlier than in year’s past, when making your Race Day plans.

Personal Belongings

Drop-off your non-valuable belongings at Bag Check. While you run, your belongings will be held at Bag Check and available for your collection until the close of the finish line on Race Day. Belongings not picked up by the close of the finish line will be held at the Seaside School for one week and then donated to a local charity. We highly encourage you not to check valuables, cash or jewelry. We can not be responsible for any lost items.

If you discard an article of clothing along the race course, we recommend you do so near a water station. We can not guarantee it will be retrieved, but our course crew will make every effort to pick up clothing as they close the course down. Retrieved articles will be in a bin near the stage after the race has been completed. We will also keep them at the school for a week after the race. Any item left after that point, will be donated to charity.

Course Hours

The Half Marathon will begin at 6:45 AM CST and the 5K Race at 7:05 AM.

The Half Marathon course will be re-opened to traffic at approximately 10:00 AM. In preparation for the road opening, all remaining runners will be moved to the off-road, paved path. Race timing will continue for all runners and walkers until 10:00 AM. There will not be any support for the runners or walkers along the race course after 10:00 AM.

Course Descriptions

Our courses are fast and mostly flat with amazing scenic views of the communities of South Walton. Volunteers and local police will monitor cross traffic at all intersections, and volunteers and community groups will line the race course to cheer you on and provide entertainment. Maps for each course are located below:

Medical Aid

Medical aid will be available along the race course route and near the finish line.

Chip Timing

Total Race Solutions (TRS) of Knoxville, Tennessee, will time the Seaside School Half Marathon and 5K races. They will be utilizing the ChronoTrack B-Tag chip system. The chip is on the standard size race bib and is very flexible. Age group placements and winners will be based on chip time.

Start & Finish Tips

Starting Line:

  1. Get to the race early! Plan on arriving at least an hour before your race starts; one hour is even better as traffic and parking could cause some delays.
  2. Dress warmly if it’s chilly, but don’t overdress. Dress in layers which you can peel off and either tie around your waist or leave at a water station. Old shirts or sweatshirts are good for starting the race in as they can be discarded early. Large trash bags with holes cut out for arms and your head also work well. Be sure not to discard an item in the middle of the road. Move to the side to discard your clothing, preferably near a water station. Discarded clothing will be collected by race volunteers and delivered to a designated area in Seaside… and if not picked up, donated to a local charity. We can not guarantee that all discarded clothing will be retrieved.
  3. Please practice common race courtesy. Line up in the appropriate corral, based on your expected finish time. In other words, if you know you are going to run a 2-hour half marathon, please line up in the nine minute coral. If you are running with a group, please do not run more than three abreast in the early stages of the race as, again, this makes it difficult for faster participants to pass.
  4. Please thank a volunteer anytime you see one before, during or after the race. This event would not be possible without them!

Finish Line:

  1. You’ve finished! Make sure to smile and raise those hands in celebration as you cross the finish line to ensure the best possible photo by the photographers.
  2. Keep moving as soon as you cross the finish line. Volunteers will be waiting to give you your hard-earned medal, water and provide you with whatever post-race assistance you need. Continuing to walk through the finish chute area not only prevents that area from getting backed up, but will aid in short term recovery. Continuing to move for 10 minutes or so after an endurance event will maintain your circulation, keeping the blood pumping through the muscles.
  3. Start sipping on fluids as soon as they are available, especially if you have been sweating profusely.
  4. Once you leave the finish area, meet family and friends and relax. Get off your feet as soon as you can, and if possible elevate your legs to aid in recovery. Keep sipping fluids.
  5. As soon as your appetite begins to return, start eating!
  6. Then start planning your trip to next year’s Seaside School Half Marathon and 5K.

Awards

Awards for both races will be given to the 1st place male and female in the Open, Masters and Grand Masters divisions, with special awards presented to the top male and female half marathon finishers.

Age group awards will be given for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place using 5-year age groups (in the 5K, additional age groups are 6-10, 11-12, 13-14). All Half Marathon finishers will receive a unique finisher’s medallion at the finish line.

Both races are walker-friendly, and walkers are welcome to participate; however, there are no separate awards for walkers.

Photos

Finish line photos will be provided, so don’t forget to smile for the camera! Relive past years by taking a look at finish line photos from past races: