FAQs

The U.S. Coast Guard manages the race with the support of the City of Elizabeth City, a Proudly Designated Coast Guard City, and 2024 Great American Defense Community Award Recipient.

Elizabeth City is home to U.S. Coast Guard Base Elizabeth City, an officially designated Coast Guard City, and 2024 Great American Defense Community Award Recipient.

Elizabeth City, NC is home to one of the largest USCG bases in the country, a designated Coast Guard City, and 2024 Great American Defense Community Award Recipient. Scenic Elizabeth City and the surrounding communities are proud supporters of the U.S. Coast Guard located in towns on the water with history around every corner. We encourage our runners to check out all that Northeast North Carolina has to offer:

Visit Elizabeth City
Visit Camden County
Visit Perquimans County
Visit Edenton
Visit Currituck
Visit OBX

We hope you’ll join us in celebrating in our Coast Guard town this spring. The race weekend kicks off with the Expo!

The Coast Guard Marathon offers 26.2, 13.1, 5K, and 1K Fun Run options so you can choose your challenge and run in support of the men and women who have been defending our coast since 1790.

Are you “Always Ready” for a challenge? Test your endurance and complete the Semper Paratus Challenge that is available at registration!

Do you love a good challenge? “Semper Paratus” means Always Ready and is the official motto of the United States Coast Guard. The Semper Paratus Challenge invites athletes to push themselves even harder by completing not one, but two of the Coast Guard Marathon races in one weekend! To complete the Challenge, you must register for the Challenge category (Semper Paratus) at the time of registration.  If you register for the 5K and the half marathon or the 5K and the marathon separately, you will NOT be included in the Challenge.  New for this year is the Junior Semper Paratus Challenge, in which runners 12 and younger can run the 5K and the 1K Fun Run.

Semper Paratus Challenge runners will receive a special coin for completing the challenge and, of course, bragging rights! Just complete registration for the Semper Paratus Challenge and you’ll automatically be entered into the challenge to earn your challenge coin plus finishers medal from both events!

Absolutely! You do not need to be a United States Coast Guard member or have any military affiliation to participate. 

We adhere to the standard running industry policy. All entry fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. This is noted on our registration application and when you register for our events you must agree to this policy. You may not give or sell your number to another individual – if you do, this will result in your disqualification as well as the runner who uses your race number. This policy stays in effect whether you are injured, have an unexpected business or family emergency, pregnancy, deployment, COVID, etc. There are no exceptions!

However, you may defer your registration from the 2025 Coast Guard Marathon, Half Marathon or 5K to the 2026 event. You may only defer to and from the same event: 2025 5K to 2026 5k, 2025 Half to 2026 Half or 2025 Full to 2026 Full. Deferred registrations may not be transferred to another person. The fee to defer a registration is $15. All deferrals must be done by January 31, 2025 and may be used only for the 2026 event. You may only defer an entry once (i.e., if you defer your 2025 entry to 2026, you will not be able to defer it again to 2027). 

TO BEGIN THE DEFERRAL PROCESS, CLICK HERE AND FOLLOW THE PROMPTS.

Still have questions? Please e-mail [email protected] .

Yes, runners are allowed to transfer between any race (either in-person or virtual). Transfers on or before January 31, 2024 will be charged a fee of $15 along with any applicable entry fee changes at the time of the switch. No refunds will be given if the pricing is different. Transfers after January 31 will be charged a fee of $20 along with any applicable entry fee changes at the time of the switch. No refunds will be given if the pricing is different.

In-person race registration closes on March 8, 2024. NO TRANSFERS TO IN-PERSON events are allowed after this deadline. Transfers to virtual events are allowed until March 3, 2024. (Note: Swag for all virtual registrations (transfer or regular) made after February 5, 2024 will ship by the end of March.)

Deployment: Refunds will be given to individuals who have deployment orders that will prevent them from participating in the Coast Guard Marathon. Refunds will NOT be given for TDY or PCS orders. The following are the requirements for a refund due to a deployment:

1. Copy of deployment orders (CED Orders)
2. Refund needs to be requested via email ([email protected]) before the end of February

Should the 2024 race be forced to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances, each runner will have the option of deferring fees paid to the next year’s race or applying the fees to enter into the Coast Guard Marathon, Half Marathon or 5K Virtual Run. If a runner chooses to defer, he or she will be guaranteed a first chance to register for the 2024 in-person event. If a runner chooses to switch to the virtual run, we will either issue a refund if the amount paid was more than the virtual event, or the runner will be invoiced for the balance due if the amount paid was less than the virtual event.

If a runner chooses the deferral route in this situation, the $15 deferral fee will be waived. Please note that you will not be automatically entered into the 2025 event, and you must register yourself with a promo code that will be provided in the coming months.

In no event will the processing fee or fees paid for merchandise orders be refunded due to the race cancellation. Merchandise orders paid for will be shipped to the address associated with the registrant’s race profile. In addition, we will not be responsible for any costs relating to changed or canceled travel plans or other related arrangements a registrant may incur due to any such cancellation. A date or venue change is not a cancellation.

February 20, 2025 – Last day to defer
February 20, 2025 – Last day for shirt size guarantee
February 20, 2025 – Last day to register for virtual and have swag in time for race day                                                                                                        February 7, 2025 – Last day for international runners to register for the half and full marathons
February 20, 2025 – Registration is C L O S E D for the full, half and Semper Paratus marathons

Yes, you may pick up a race packet for another pre-registered runner, provided you have a copy of their photo ID.

5K capacity – 1,500 runners

*Half-marathon capacity – 1,250 runners

*Full-marathon capacity – 1,250 runners

*There are a limited number of Semper Paratus Challenge openings within the capacity listed above.

Semper Paratus Challenge 26.2 – 300 runners

Semper Paratus Challenge 13.1 – 300 runners

Yes! We are sanctioned and certified for our 13.1 and 26.2 routes!

Yes! Our 26.2 course is a Boston Qualifying race!

Tips for Accurate Tracking:

• The chip is a strip of plastic on the back of the bib with a RFID tag. When you put on your race bib, make sure that you don’t assume the B-Tag is an unnecessary part of the bib and tear it off.

To ensure an accurate race time:

• Make sure your race bib is horizontal and clearly visible on the front of your torso.
• Make sure your bib isn’t folded or wrinkled.
• Keep your bib pinned in all four corners, so it lays flat.
• Do not cover your bib with clothing, runner belts, or water bottles.

We will be offering live results, check out the result link to see the results.  The results will be “unofficial” until everyone has completed the race.

We’ll post a link to the results as soon as it is available!

5K: Yes, there is a 1-hour time limit.

Half and Full Marathon: Yes, there will be a cut-off pace of 16 minutes/mile (3 ½ hours for the Half Marathon and 7 hours for the Full Marathon). We encourage seasoned and first-time marathoners alike to take part! However, for the safety of our participants, any runner who is unable to maintain that pace will be picked up and brought back to the start/finish area.

Course limits are set based on permits obtained by agreements with the City of Elizabeth City, Pasquotank County, Base Elizabeth City, and the Department of Transportation. Once the course limit expires, the roads that the race route follows are no longer closed to traffic and race services cannot be guaranteed.

*Please note that if you are unable to maintain a 16 minute per mile pace, you will have the option to ride our SAG vehicle to get you back on pace or take you directly back to the finish line. However, if you choose this SAG vehicle option, you race number will be recorded and you will be disqualified from earning any awards, but you will still earn your finishers’ medal.

5K: At least 6yrs and up can participate

Half Marathon: At least 12yrs and up (with parent’s permission, if under 18)

Full Marathon: At least 15yrs and up can participate (with parent’s permission, if under 18)

Award breakouts for each race are below:
– Top 3 Male/Female Overall Finishers
– Top 3 Male/Female Active Military Finishers
– Top 3 Male/Female Pushrim Wheelchair
– Top 3 Male/Female Handcrank

5K Age Group Division:
9 & Under
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-24
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
70-74
75+

Half Marathon Age Group Division:
14 & under
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75+

Full Marathon Age Group Division:
16-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75+

Please note:
That if you place in the Overall awards, you will not qualify for an age group award.
– All Overall award winners will be based on GUNTIME
– All age group award winners will be based on CHIPTIME (NET TIME)
There will be an awards ceremony following each event, so stick around and enjoy the post-race festival and the ceremony!

• Strollers ARE allowed in the 1k & 5K race
• Strollers are NOT allowed in the 13.1 or 26.2 races.
• Bicycles, rollerblades, scooters, and skateboards are NOT allowed in any races.

Pets are NOT allowed on the racecourse. If participants run with an animal, they will be DISQUALIFIED from our race.

However, service animals as recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are permitted on course. Should you decide to run the race with a service animal, please email your information to [email protected]. Runners with ADA service animals will be placed in the last corral behind individual runners for safety purposes.

Pets are not allowed to participate at the event unless they are service animals.

Rain or shine, all races will take place!

However, in the event of extreme weather, all routes may be altered. The only way that the race may be completely canceled is in the event of unavoidable danger to our race participants, volunteers, and event staff. In this situation, no refunds will be given, and each participant must accept any risk during registration. We encourage you to check our website and social media for the latest information on the races!

A map with specific locations will be posted here prior to race day!

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @CoastGuardMarathon for more updates and info!

5K- We will have 1 water station at approximately the halfway point.

Half Marathon- We will have 6 water stations located approximately every 2 miles along the race route that will offer water and replacement drink.  There will be one food stop that will contain a runner gel or chomp located between miles 8.5 and 10.

Full Marathon- We will have 13 water stations located approximately every 2 miles along the race route that will offer water and replacement drink.  There will be one food stop that will contain a runner gel or chomp located between miles 8.5 and 10 and another station around mile 20.

5K– We will have 2 bike medics along the race route and the main medical tent will be positioned near the Start/Finish lines.

Half Marathon- We will have 2 medical tents located along the race route.  These tents will be located at approximately mile 5 and mile 10 along the half-marathon route.   Each medical location will have basic medical supplies, EMTs, and an ambulance. We will have a full medical tent at the Start & Finish line. We will have radio communication with all medical personnel and police.

Full Marathon- We will have 5 medical tents located along the race route. These tents will be located at approximately mile 5, mile 10, mile 15, and mile 20 along the marathon route. Each medical location will have basic medical supplies, EMTs, and an ambulance.  We will have a full medical tent at the Start & Finish line. We will have radio communication with all medical personnel and police.

Yes! We will have port-o-lets located at each water station and medical station along the race route.

The Coast Guard Marathon will offer the option to select a 5K distance that can be completed anywhere on your own time. Are you ready to take on a challenge?

Run your race wherever you choose! Whether you finish your race on TBD, or run a half-mile each day until you reach the virtual finish line is up to you!

Yes! We welcome (and encourage) team registrations to add some friendly competition to the race. Round up members of your local Coast Guard community, the company team, or just you and a few friends. Let the fun begin!

You can walk, run, or hike your race. Ideally, you are using your own power to go the distance, but we leave room for individual adaptation where necessary, so biking, swimming, rowing, etc. are welcome for the virtual race!

If you participate virtually, you will receive your swag (finisher medal and shirt), but you will not receive awards.

Of course! Virtual and in-person runners will all receive a t-shirt, finisher medal, AND can download their race bib through RunSignUp!

Check back soon for updated deadlines.

Yes! There is an additional $25 international shipping charge that will be reflected at checkout before completing payment.

However, there will be no additional shipping charges for those with an APO, FPO, or DPO address.

TBD, 2025, is the last day to sign up for our virtual races in order to receive race day swag in time.