
Race Date
Dec 5, 2026
Location
Wilmington, NC
WHEN IS RACE DAY? 12.5.2026 WHY RUN THE HISTORIC RACE? 1. Voted 2024 Best Half Marathon in NC by Race Raves! 2. Choose from 4 different races- Half Marathon, 10K, 5K or the Challenge. The Challenge consists of the 5K followed by the Half Marathon. We are the only race in Wilmington to offer this. 3. All 3 courses take runners through some amazing views in a closed course through historic downtown Wilmington. 4. Run over all 3 downtown bridges and over 1 mile along the nation’s top-rated riverwalk (Half Marathon & 10K only). 5. An awesome Finish Line party is waiting for you! You’ll cross the finish line in Riverfront Park where there will be music, free beer from Wrightsville Beach Brewery and Oden Brewing Company as well as some good food! WHERE IS THE START/FINISH LINE?
Riverfront Park | 10 Cowan St | Wilmington, NC | 28401 WHAT TIME DOES IT ALL START? The 5K will start at 7:00 AM The 10K start time is 7:30 AM The Half Marathon will start at 7:45 AM TAKE ON THE HISTORIC CHALLENGE
Run both the 5K & Half Marathon and earn all the swag! (16.2 miles) Challenge registration includes: Race bib, Half Marathon finisher medal, long sleeve shirt, 5K finisher medal and bonus gift! CHALLENGE RUNNERS SPECIAL NOTE: You must complete the 5K under 45 min. in order to be at the Half Marathon start line by 7:45. There will be no late starts. ARE THERE AWARDS?
Every participant will earn a finisher medal! In addition to that, we would like to celebrate some of our top runners! Stop by the Awards Tent to pick up your award! (We will not have a ceremony due to the different start times of the races. We are also unable to mail awards.) The age group brackets can be found on our FAQ page.
Race Day
Saturday, December 5, 2026
Start Time
7:45 AM
Giveaway
Long Sleeve Tech Shirt
Start Location
10 Cowan St., Wilmington, NC, 28401
Course Type
Loop Course
Terrain
road
Difficulty
Ultra-Flat
Elevation Gain
272'
Elevation Loss
272'
Max Elevation
44'
Net Drop/km
+0.05 m
Separation
0.7%
Also Offers
USATF Certified Course
NC23040BDS · Expires 2033 · Wilmington Historic Half Marathon 2023
Relatively flat with minimal net elevation change. Loop course — start and finish are close together.
Median Finish
2:10:19
9:57/mi
Winning Time
1:10:55
5:25/mi
Finishers (2025)
837
States Represented
32 / 50
Gender Split
FASTER 25%
1:55:48
MEDIAN
2:10:19
SLOWER 25%
2:28:44
Start (Low)
44°
Afternoon (High)
59°
Ideal racing weather — cool and comfortable
0.1"
Precipitation
10 mph
Wind
75%
Humidity
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