7th Annual Wilmington Historic Half Marathon, 10K & 5K Presented by Race Bash Ready to Welcome More Than 1,300 Athletes and Families

Travel industry partners in Wilmington and our Island Beaches will welcome more than 1,300 athletes and their families during the first weekend in December for the 7th Annual Wilmington Historic Half Marathon, 10K & 5K presented by Race Bash.
 

On Saturday, December 7 beginning at 7:00 a.m., runners will follow a scenic 2.5-mile closed course through the streets of Wilmington’s historic River District. The 5K will split off to finish on the Riverwalk, while the half marathon will cross over the Isabel Holmes Bridge, the S. Thomas Rhodes Bridge, and the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge to continue around Greenfield Lake before finishing on the Riverwalk. The 10K debuted last year and has since grown. Participants also have the opportunity to run both the 5K and the half-marathon back-to-back, and those that take on the “Challenge” can earn all the race swag.
 

“The Wilmington Historic Half Marathon, 10K & 5K takes runners through some amazing views in a completely closed course through downtown Wilmington and other historic sites,” states Erica Svab, the owner of Race Bash and race director for the Historic Half Marathon, 10K & 5K. “The race includes the most historic routes of North Carolina's largest historic district, along the nation's top-rated Riverwalk and over three bridges. I love that this race provides an opportunity to discover the beauty of our city. I can't wait to see everyone come together and hit the downtown streets!”
 

Approximately 1,300 athletes are expected this year who will be joined by family members, spectators and event volunteers that will more than double the number of attendees for the weekend. This year’s race headquarters and host hotel is the Lumina on Wrightsville Beach, a Holiday Inn Resort. Athletes and guests will also stay at additional hotels and spend time at local restaurants, businesses and attractions. Race schedules, course maps, sponsors, volunteer opportunities and other event information can be found online at RunWilmington.com.
 

Earlier this year, the Wilmington Historic Half, 10K & 5K scored the North Carolina title in RaceRaves’ 2024 “Runners Choice: Best Half Marathons in the U.S.” poll. The top half marathon in each state was crowned based on nearly 20,000 votes from runners across the country along with finisher ratings and reviews on RaceRaves.com, the nation’s premier online race finder and reviews community for runners and endurance athletes.
 

“We are excited to welcome back the Wilmington Historic Half Marathon, 5K, and second year for the 10K,” states Kim Hufham, President/CEO of the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority. “Hosting races in Wilmington and our Island Beaches provides a wonderful opportunity for athletes and their families to explore our destination. We hope that everyone enjoys the race and will return for future athletic events and family vacations.”