Run Oak Island 2024

Run Oak Island Beach is part of the BAM! Race Series (BAM is short for Big. Ass. Medals.)  2024 will be the 11th year for this series that started in 2014 with Run Sunset Beach being the very first event for Coastal Race Productions. While the bling might catch your eye, race day and our team will keep you coming back for more!  We hope you’ll join us to earn your own Big Ass Medal!

NOTE: You do NOT have to run all 4 events in the series (although we’d love you to!) You can participate in just 1 individual event and you will earn all the swag (medal/shirt/etc..) from that event weekend.

So, why do we call it the BAM! Series?  Well, everyone calls it that because these finisher medals (that everyone earns) are massive!  Even the 5K finishers earn a 4″ medal, the half marathon medals are 6″ and the Oak Island Full Marathon medal is 8″ wide! We even sell a custom hand-made medal rack for you to display them on if you’d like!

If you choose to run any combination of 5K, half marathon, full marathon or virtual event with us at each of the 4 BAM races in a calendar year – you’ll earn some extra swag! And this year it is a MASSIVE medal!

The BAM Series includes 4 races:
Run Oak Island (2/17) l Run Sunset Beach (4/27) l Run Holden Beach (10/5) l Run Ocean Isle Beach (10/26)

You crossed that finish line and are ready for the party! Wear that medal with pride all day long and start your celebration just a few steps away. We have famous Carolina BBQ – no worries – we’ve found THE BEST BBQ for you. Your bib will have a beer ticket if you choose to partake; ontap we have some big brands and locals to choose from. Limit 1 per person included with registration.

ULTRA – This may be “The Worlds Shortest Ultra” with just a short detour around the lighthouse for approximately 26.21 mile Ultra Marathon. Run the detour and earn some extra swag! This course is not certified and the exact route will be posted in the coming months but it will basically be the Full Marathon route listed below with a slight detour around the light house area.

26.2 – Starting just before sunrise, you’ll see the sunrise over the marsh in the first few miles. The country club and arboretum bring beautiful scenery and some shade if its a warmer sunny day as well as some 1,000 yr old live oak trees. Snag a selfie with the lighthouse before turning around with ocean views on and off for the next 11 miles. Tackle the intracoastal bridge around mile 23 and enjoy a flat race to the finish line.
*One of the flattest full marathons on the East Coast.
*One of the most scenic full marathons!

Map My Run Link

13.1 (East) – You basically run with the Full Marathon participants out to the lighthouse. You skip the arboretum and have a different turnaround (past the full marathon turnaround) and you’ll break away to the finish line as the full marathon continues to the West end of the island. The FLATTEST Half Marathon.

Map My Run Link

13.1 (West) – NON-COMPETITIVE  Starting separately from the Full Marathon & East Half Marathon participants, you enjoy a scenic 5 miles along the ocean (running on the road) before tackling a 65’ elevation over the intracoastal waterway bridge (twice). It’s a little more challenging but also provides a whopping 6.5 HOUR time limit! We call this a non-competitive race because we will not have age group or overall awards. This is certified and will be chip timed.

DOWNLOAD PDF OF THE “WEST” HALF MARATHON COURSE
– CERTIFICATION NC16006BW –

5K – ZERO elevation flat and fast 5K with minimal turns. You’ll have over 1 mile ocean front (running on the road) and 1 turnaround.

1 Mile – This is an easy out and back on a backroad where you finish into the same arch as all of the other participants.

We offer a SUPER Early bird discounted pricing for 2 weeks followed by discounted price breaks that increase as we get closer to race day. We do not offer discounts ontop of our low prices however we do offer a bundling discount if you register for 2, 3 or 4 of the BAM races all together. *Bundle discounts not valid during our super early bird discount pricing.

SAVE MONEY – REGISTER EARLY!

• Register early and save a bunch of money, one of the most affordable races available when you register early!
• An after party to remember – beer garden, bbq, music and more.  Hurry up and finish to enjoy!
• MASSIVE finisher medals – truly some of the most unique and amazing medals you’ll ever see!
• This course is phenomenal.  As flat as you get with the only elevation being a beautiful bridge near the end of the Full Marathon and West Half Marathon course.  Ocean views, a lighthouse and all completely on the island!
• A race for EVERYONE!  Ultra, Full Marathon, TWO half marathons (East & West courses), 10K, 5K & 1 Mile provide a fun island course for everyone to enjoy!

If you can’t make it to the race on race day – you can choose to run these events virtual.  This page will explain:
– What is a virtual race?
– How to sign up for a virtual race?
– How to complete a virtual race?
– Can I switch to virtual if I’m already registered for the in-person event?
– And a few other FAQ’s.

What is a Virtual Race?

A virtual race is when you run the event on your own time – where ever you want.  While we can’t wrap up the after party and ship you the beer and bbq, we will ship you your swag items in the mail after the event.

How to sign up for Virtual?

This is super easy.  Just head over to the registration page and find the registration distance you want to sign up with that also says “Virtual”.  So if you want to run the half marathon virtually – select “Virtual Half Marathon”.

How To Complete A Virtual Race?

This is on the honor system.  Run anywhere/anytime, no need to send us proof or log your miles online.  Everyone that is registered for virtual will get the swag (medal & giveaway) shipped to your door within 2 weeks after the race.

Can I Switch To Virtual If I’m Registered For The In-Person Race?

Yes, but there are deadlines and a small $15 processing fee to cover the shipping/handling. If you’ve signed up to be at the race but for any reason you can’t make it and want to switch or “transfer” your race to a virtual race, here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

#1)  It must be done no less than 7 days in advance before the event.

#2)  You must manage this yourself by logging into your RunSignUp account and choosing the “Event Transfer” option and choose the “Virtual” option for your distance and race.  Again, keep in mind there will be an online processing fee to make any changes.

FAQ’s & Policies:

Please keep in mind, these are our policies and they may differ from another virtual race company.  We think you will find our options very accommodating to you as a runner and we ask that you please read them carefully.  We are a small company and cannot make any special exceptions

This is something that you must register for separately and the following registration policies apply.  

• Must be registered for the virtual option in order to receive race packet by mail.

• If you are registered to run in a race and cannot attend, all of the registration policies on our FAQ page still  apply to you.  The only way to run a race virtually and receive your packet in the mail is if you are registered under the virtual option.

• You may transfer to the virtual option up to 7 days prior to an event.  You will manage this through your personal RunSignUp account and there is a $15.00 processing fee. CLICK HERE to login.

• Packets will not be available for pick up race weekend.  Even if you come to the race for any reason, or send family/friends to pick up your packet, we will not hand out any bibs, shirts, medals, or other swag items for any virtuals during a race weekend.

• ALL virtual packets will be mailed within 2 weeks of the race. 

• We will only ship packets to those who are actually registered for the virtual option. (Cut off for this is 7days prior to the each event)

*If you decide to come to the race instead of run it virtually.  You must manage this through your RunSignUp account 7 days prior to the event.  You will have to pay the difference in price as well as a $15.00 processing fee but we would love to have you join us!  It’s so much more fun to run with friends! 

NO EXCEPTIONS!

This will be 2pm – 7pm on Friday February 16th at the St. James Community Center located at: 4136 Southport-Supply Rd SE, St James, NC 28461

We ask that you pickup your bib and shirt here on Friday if at all possible – or have a friend pick this up for you to avoid delays on race day.

By now, hopefully you have your bib and went to packet pickup on Friday night. If you didn’t, please be sure to arrive and park extra early to allow for time to pickup your packet race morning.

PARKING:

We have several lots secured for parking very close to the start/finish lines. You’ll want to use the address: 4815 E Oak Island Dr, Oak Island, NC 28465. ALL of our approved parking is within 1/4 mile of the start line. Plan to arrive 1 hour prior to your start time!

START TIMES:

6:45AM – Full Marathon
6:45AM – East Half Marathon
7:00AM – West Half Marathon
7:30AM – 5K
8:30 – 1 Mile

AWARDS & AFTER PARTY:

The after party will be going as soon as you finish your race. Cold beer, Carolina’s Famous BBQ, Music and more! Come to run and stay to party! Awards will be held in the amphitheater facing the field where your after party is, below are the times for awards:

8:15am – 5K Awards
9:45am – Half Marathon Awards
12:15pm – Full Marathon Awards
*Times may adjust slightly. We do not hand out awards early or mail them.

Volunteers are loved by all!  We would be thrilled to have you join our race day team.  Waterstops, Intersection Cheerleaders, handing out our HUGE medals, among many other things.  We rely on some key non-profits that we partner with locally but we could always use some extra support.  If you’re interested in volunteering with us, please Register Here. Or if you have a group or company that would like to volunteer at the races, please email volunteer@coastalraceproductions.com

Coastal Race Productions support a number of Non-Profits throughout Brunswick County as well as the American Red Cross!  Please consider making a donation today!

To make a donation CLICK HERE – Thank you!

Results for previous Run Oak Island events as well as current Run Oak Island Results and Course Records are listed below.

CLICK HERE FOR ALL RUN OAK ISLAND RESULTS

Full Marathon Course Record:

Male:  Brian Zickefoose  2:28:28 (2017)

Female: Sarah Decarpentrie  2:56:17 (2023)

Half Marathon Course Record:

Male:  Benjamin Kassel  1:13:59 (2022)

Female:  Shari Eberhard  1:19:41 (2019)

5K Course Record:

Male:  Gage Hicks  17:18 (2022)

Female:  Amy Castle  18:21 (2020)

We’ve all been there. You buy something or register for an event – get sidetracked – and months later think …did I register for that race?  Hahah, well, if you’re not sure if you registered yourself (or someone else), you can check it out RIGHT HERE.

If you don’t find that you registered, come back and get signed up!

If you don’t see yourself listed, it could have been under a different name or email address – don’t hesitate to email us and we’ll be happy to look it up for you. Please be sure to provide us as much information as possible like full name, email address, physical address, nickname you could’ve registered under or even a confirmation email if you have it.

General FAQ’S:

Visit our General FAQ’s page for answer’s to all of your questions regarding Coastal Race Events.

*Please Note:

#1) Anyone on the course without a race bib will be asked to leave the course.
#2) Anyone running with a dog unless you have the required USATF paper work will be asked to leave the course.
#3) Companion riders on bicycles are not allowed and will be asked to leave the course.
These are all due to insurance regulations and are grounds for disqualification – It is for the safety of ALL participants.

Registration Policy:

We allow for deferrals, event transfers and bib transfers with minimal fees and deadlines. We currently do not allow for refunds or race transfers on our events. You may read more about this on our FAQ page.

Event Transfer:

If you want to change from one distance to another distance at the same race on the same weekend, we allow you to do this yourself prior to any Coastal Race Productions event.  This cutoff to switch is typically the final week leading up to a race and based upon availability in that event. You will manage this through your RunSignUp account and there is a $15 processing fee.  Need Help?  Click Here for a tutorial on how to edit this.

Course Support:

The full marathon will have 16 different water stops along the route and the half marathon will have 8 different water stops along the 13.1 mile course. All stops have water and Gatorade. There is 1 water stop along the 5K course as well.  Volunteers from Non-Profits across Brunswick County are assisting on the course for directions, as well as at the finish line and all of the water stops. Signage is marked on the ground, over 100 directional signs, and a biker will lead both courses.  We have 8′ flag mile markers for every mile on both the 5K and Half Marathon. Post race nourishment includes bananas, gatorade, pizza and beer! You’re going to LOVE running a Coastal Race Productions event!

Photos:

We hire some amazing photographers to provide FREE race day photos to you. While they try to get some of everyone, there are no guarantees! All photos will be uploaded to our Facebook page, please feel free to download them, tag yourself and share with your friends and family.

Can I walk:

Absolutely! Our 1 Mile and 5K races have no time limit and our Full & “West” Half Marathon time limit is 7 hours – plenty of time to walk most of the course if you’d like. If registering for the “East” Half Marathon, we ask that you’re able to finish in 3 hours.

Age Restrictions:

We have no age restrictions however we do ask for parent or guardian signatures on all minors under 18 years of age.

Are Dogs Allowed:

Sorry but they are not allowed on USATF certified courses. In order to be a sanctioned event – dogs are not allowed for safety reasons.  If you have a 4 legged running companion for medical reasons, you can file a request through the USATF ADA Committee (which takes 4-6 weeks) by clicking here and if they approve, they will provide you documentation that you will then need to provide to us.  Here is a direct link to the form you’ll need to fill out.

Register Offline:

We really prefer for you to register online if at all possible – it’s quick and easy with the link at the top of the page. We don’t offer offline or paper entries. Please email us if you have any concerns with registering online and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.

Certified Course:

Every Coastal Race Productions event is certified with USATF and measured for accuracy.  If you are hopeful for a state or national record, please give us a heads up so that we’re expecting it and can take proper actions to fill out the paperwork needed for your submission. Our courses are not just close – they are exact! Our Oak Island Marathon is a Boston Qualifier.

Discounts:

We’re offering the lowest prices we can for everyone and have done away with any discounts. You’ll notice price increases as we get closer to raceday so register early to save the most. Also, if you bundle and register for more than 1 race at a time, you’ll save even more (bundle discounts not valid during super early bird registration)

Timing:

We partner with a professional Timing Company that will provide accurate results. These will be available to print on race day and online immediately upon crossing the finish line.

Overall awards are placed by Gun Time – be sure to get to the very front of the corral.

Age group awards are placed by Chip Time – meaning you can start near the back and your official start time won’t be until you cross the start line.  This also means that it’s possible for someone behind you to have a faster time and place higher.