Come Out Sunday to Cheer for Record Field of Half-Marathoners

In just its fourth year, the combined events of the OCNJ Half Marathon have grown from 197 to more then 1,000 runners.

This year's races go off on Sunday morning, and the courses showcase Ocean City's beaches, bridges, boardwalk and downtown. Its organizers take pride in making the race a community event.

The public is encouraged to come out and cheer for runners. Local “celebrities” — Shriver’s Mr. Taffy, Gillian’s Wonder Bear, Ocean City’s Martin Z. Mollusk, the Pirate and the OCHS Red Raider mascot — are on hand. Different bands dot the course. Volunteer groups at “peppy” water stations are judged for their themes.

The Half Marathon (13.1 miles) and a new non-competitve 10-mile walk start at 9 a.m. at Ninth Street and Boardwalk. A 5-kilometer run starts 15 minutes later.

The Half Marathon proceeds down Ninth Street and continues north through the downtown on Asbury Avenue. The course continues north to the Ocean City-Longport Bridge. After a turnaround, the course hugs the beach blocks and boardwalk on the way to 36th Street, then back to the Ocean City Music Pier. See PDF for detail.

The top finishers in the 2012 Half Marathon finished in about 80 minutes.

For more information on watching or participating in the races, visit the OCNJ Half Marathon and 5K page.