MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – The Myrtle Beach Mini Marathon returns this weekend with race events happening Friday through Sunday.
The 13.1-mile race takes place on Sunday, but in addition to the main event, the Grand Strand will play host to a health and fitness expo, the Coastal 5K race and the popular 1.5-mile Doggie Dash. All the events leading up to the half marathon will take place at the Marina Inn at Grande Dunes, located at 8121 Amalfi Place in Myrtle Beach.
The following roadways will be impacted by the mini-marathon on Sunday, according to Myrtle Beach Police:
- Grissom Parkway between Harrelson Blvd and Granddaddy Drive from 7AM to approximately 8:30AM. There will be no northbound traffic allowed on Grissom Parkway.
- 62nd Ave North between Bypass 17 and Ocean Blvd. from 7:30AM until approximately 9:05AM. No eastbound traffic will be allowed on 62nd Ave. North.
- Ocean Blvd. 63rd Ave. N to Joe White from 7:40AM to approximately 10:30AM. No southbound traffic will be allowed on Ocean Blvd.
- Ocean Blvd. between Mr. Joe White Ave. and 1st Ave. from approximately 7:50AM – 11AM. No vehicular traffic will be allowed in this section of Ocean Blvd.
“I think for folks who are going to be running here, no pun intended, but they’ll be coming down to visit, they’ll be bringing folks with them,” says Susan Phillips with the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. “Plus, again we’re getting folks that are saying, ‘I’m coming back. I’m ready now. I know I couldn’t come a couple of weeks ago. I’m ready to visit down there, now’s a good time.’”
Runners and supporters can get results from the race on the race result website.
The weekend’s events will include:
- 2-day Health and Fitness Expo Oct. 16, 2 to 7 p.m.; and Oct. 17, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Marina Inn at Grande Dunes
- Coastal 5k Oct. 17, 7:30 a.m. start time, Marina Inn at Grande Dunes
- 5-mile Doggie Dash Oct. 17, 9:15 a.m. start time, Marina Inn at Grande Dunes
- 1-mile Mini Marathon Oct. 18, 7 a.m. start time, Coastal Grand Mall, located at 2000 Coastal Grand Circle in Myrtle Beach
Race Director Robert Pozo says as of Friday afternoon there are 4,520 runners signed up for the 5K and half marathon races. That number is down slightly from 2014, which pulled in about 5,000 runners. Pozo says the drop is likely from recent floods and weather leading up to this weekend.
Pozo adds event officials expect to lose about 300 to 400 last minute registrations due to the flooding the Grand Strand recently experienced. Runners in this year’s events come from all 50 states as well as the Caribbean Islands and Venezuela.
