Seashore Marathon only two weeks away

A record number of participants from 48 states will toe the line for the seventh annual Rehoboth Seashore Marathon & Half-Marathon Saturday, Dec. 6. As of Nov. 20, the race closed at a record 2,600 participants, broken down as about 1,400 in the half marathon and 1,200 in the full marathon. Several local runners from Lewes and Rehoboth Beach are taking part in the event for their first time running the distance.

Numbers have increased following the Marine Corps and New York marathons, as runners either did not finish and are looking for another try or did not finish where they wanted and are looking to improve.

The new marathon course will include 10 volunteer groups doing 17 water stops handing out more than 40,000 cups of water and Gatorade. Groups that are confirmed as of this week are the following: Friends of Bethel UMC FUEL Youth Group; Friends of Cape Henlopen State Park; Beacon Middle School; Tri-Delaware; Cape Honor Society; Sussex Tech Cross Country; Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute; and Seashore Striders Cross Country.

Spectators and family members of the marathon runners are reminded to use Kings Highway and Cape Henlopen Drive to travel through Lewes and remain off Canal Corkran Road behind West Rehoboth. Personnel from the Department of Transportation, Delaware State Police, Rehoboth Police Department, Rehoboth Fire Police, Lewes Fire Police and Lewes Police Department have been hired by the event to patrol the course. There will be no parking in the Hawkseye Development for spectators viewing the race at the Lewes side of the Junction and Breakwater Trail. Race organizers recommend riding bikes over to view the race.

Seashore Marathon history

In 2008, we hosted the inaugural race in late November with a surprise turnout of 433 in the marathon, braving a cold morning with snow and ice falling overnight. In 2009, we attracted 511 to the event, which was again held in late November on a 50-degree cloudy day. In 2010, both organizers had a conflict with the date, so we decided to move it to early December, and it proved to be a great decision, as 959 finishers crossed the line. With the Rehoboth Marathon now basically being the last in the fall season, it gives those runners a chance to come back and redeem themselves from a race in the fall that did not go as well.

In 2011, we again set a record by having 1,304 cross the line on Rehoboth Avenue, and a new record was again set in 2012 as 1,685 participated in the event. The 2013 event also set a new record with 1,991 finishers crossing the line in beautiful racing weather. Moving the event to early December proved to be a good decision, and the weather becomes our only concern.

New course preview

Half-marathon runners will leave the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand at 7 a.m. and run five miles in Rehoboth, through North Shores and into a turnaround at Gordons Pond before making their way out of Rehoboth by way of Columbia Avenue, Grove Park and onto the Junction and Breakwater Trail. They will take the trail north to Lewes. Runners will turn around at the end of the trail after reaching the Hawkseye development and return the same way back to Rehoboth Beach. Once they hit Rehoboth Avenue, it is a straight quarter-mile to the circle, and at that point the runners will travel down Columbia Avenue to Sussex Street for the final quarter mile to the Fourth Street finish at the Rehoboth Beach Running Company and the Cultured Pearl.

For full marathon runners, the first three miles will be the same as the half marathon into Gordons Pond at Cape Henlopen State Park. At that point, the full race takes in one of the most scenic stretches of any marathon in the country - the new Gordons Pond Trail to Lewes. The runners will race through Herring Point to Fort Miles and remain on the trail looping the park to the front entrance. While inside the park, runners will pass two lookout towers, pass through Fort Miles and climb the great dune lookout before exiting and heading toward Lewes Beach. The route will loop Lewes Beach and head back to the park on the opposite side of Cape Henlopen Drive. Once back in the park, runners will head back to Herring Point, again on the new trail, and back to Gordons Pond. Once back in Rehoboth at the 16-mile mark of Gordons Pond, runners will follow the half-marathon course to the finish line.

Best viewing locations

1. The Gordons Pond parking lot, which is the three-mile mark for both events, the half turning around and the full continuing to Lewes. In order to view the runners at this location you have to drive there before the start of the race ahead of the runners. If you remain at Gordons Pond you can catch the full returning at the 16.5-mile mark to Rehoboth Beach.

2. Grove Park at the five-mile point of the half and 18.5-mile point of the full would be an excellent location to catch the early action in the race or the late action of the marathon. Plenty of parking on site.

3. Wolf Neck Road, better known as the Wawa road off Route 1 will be another prime location as the runners make their way through the Junction and Breakwater Trail, into Lewes and back at the eight-mile mark and the 23.1-mile mark of the marathon. Plenty of parking with a state park restroom on site.

4. Lewes Beach would be a great location and a definite need for runner encouragement as they pass the 10.2-mile mark at Cape Henlopen Drive heading from the park. Plenty of parking at Lewes Beach although the Dairy Queen is closed for the season.

5. Cape Henlopen State Park at Herring Point is as far south as you can go on the Lewes side of the park, and you can catch the full heading north coming off the trail at 5.7 miles and then again on the return at 13.9 miles. Plenty of parking and restrooms at Herring Point.

6. Cape Henlopen State Park at Fort Miles is the center of the state park at 6.9 miles and a bit of a hilly section where encouragement would be helpful. Park entrance fees are in effect and plenty of parking is available at Fort Miles or across the street at the tower.

Upcoming races

9:30 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 27, 1st Gabby Gobble 5k, Irish Eyes, Lewes.

9 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 29, 5th Huffin’ for Pumpkin Pie 5K, Grove Park, Rehoboth Beach.

9 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 30, 12th Sea Colony Turkey Trot 5K, Freeman Fitness Center, Bethany Beach.