March 18, 2012
The Quintiles Wrightsville Beach Marathon presented by Landfall Realty allows runners of all levels to “Run on the Road and Play in the Sand.” With beautiful beaches, world class shopping, famous restaurants and a historic downtown waterfront, why participate in just another race weekend when you can enjoy a complete vacation experience and earn a PR too!
Both races are set to kick off at 6:30 a.m. Sunday, March 18, 2012. The events will be the largest participatory races in the Wilmington/Cape Fear area, and are expected to draw 3,000 competitors from dozens of states, and a spectator crowd of roughly 15,000.
Throughout this fast, flat, Boston Qualifier course, runners will be able to enjoy the scenic coastal views of Wrightsville Beach, Landfall Community, and HYPERLINK “http://www.mayfairetown.com/index/c/index/” Mayfaire Town Center. Each competitor and their supporters can take full advantage of all the fun offered by this world famous beach destination.
Proceeds from the event benefit two great organizations – The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation and The Landfall Foundation.
Expo/Packet Pick-Up
Quintiles Marathon TrySports Expo and Packet Pick-Up will be at the finish-line area in Mayfaire Town Center adjacent to the movie theaters inside the large TrySports Expo Tent. The expo will take place Friday March 16th from 4pm to 8pm and Saturday, March 17th, from 11am to 6pm.
Directions to Expo/Packet Pick-Up (url link http://www.mayfairetown.com/maps-and-directions)
Traveling on I-40E:
Take a left on Martin Luther King Parkway (look for the HWY 74/Wrightsville Beach road sign). Continue on this road; it will become Eastwood Road. Take Eastwood Road to Military Cutoff. Take a left on Military Cutoff and then another left into the Mayfaire Shopping Center on Main Street. Within the Mayfaire Shopping Center take a right onto Town Center Drive and you will see the expo tent on your right.
Celebrity Guest Speaker: Bart Yasso
Bart Yasso, internationally acclaimed runner, coach and author, and one of the best-known figures in running will be our 2012 key-note speaker and guest. Yasso joined Runner’s World in 1987 and is a member of the Running USA Hall of Champions. He also invented the Yasso 800s, a marathon-training schedule used by thousands around the world.
Yasso is one of the few people to have completed races on all seven continents from the Antarctica marathon to the Mt. Kilimanjaro marathon. In 1987, Yasso won the U.S. National Biathlon Long Course Championship and won the Smoky Mountain Marathon in 1998. He has also completed the Ironman five times and the Badwater 146 through Death Valley. He has also cycled, unsupported and by himself, across the country twice.
Aid Station Nutrition and Information:
The course will have 7 aid stations that will be hit 2 to 3 times each, about every 1.5 to 2 miles.
GATORADE and Hammer Gels will be served at aid stations along with coke, pretzels, bananas and oranges.
Aid Stations will be at the following miles for the Half and Full: 2,4, 5.2, 6.8, 9, 10.5, 11, 12, 13.5, 15.8, 16.5, 19, 20.5, 21, 22, 23.5, 24.5.
Spectator Information:
Option #1
Park at Mayfaire and walk towards Military Cutoff Road. You will see your runner at mile 4 and 11, and for marathoners, mile 22. You can then walk back across the street to see your runner finish.
Option #2
TO SEE THE START – You can park at Wrightsville Beach Park and watch the gun go off and then see your runner at mile 2. You will not be able to leave WB Park until all of the runners have cleared, so it may take you a little more time to get up to Mayfaire/Military Cutoff area. Please NOTE: Parking meters will be enforced beginning at 9:00AM. So do not park at a meter spot or paid parking lot if you plan to leave your car. (WB Parks and Rec lot is free parking all day)
Option #3
Bike Rentals from Bike Cycles – The Quintiles Marathon encourages spectators to ride bikes to spectator friendly locations. This is a spectator friendly course as runners will race up Military Cutoff 2X in the Half Marathon and 3X in the Full Marathon. You cannot ride next to your runner, but this will help you get from point A to point B so you don’t miss your runner. Please call ASAP to reserve a bike for this event. $20 race day/$30 weekend (Friday pick-up) located in Mayfaire. (910) 256-2545 or email Melanie@bikecycleshop.com
