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Texas > Harbor Half Marathon & Relay
Corpus
Christi, TX
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Date
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Event
Details
Warm, balmy weather conditions along the Gulf coastline that let
runners compete in shorts and without shirts if they like are the norm
at Corpus Christi's Harbor Half Marathon & Relay, which is
perhaps most well-known for taking runners along the big, steep uphill
and downhill stretch across the Harbor Bridge of the Nueces Bay
Causeway that overlooks the blue waters and runs through the coastal
wetland areas of the Corpus Christi Bay.
More than 460 runners came out for the 2007 individual and relay races
combined, starting the out-and-back course on East Port Avenue near
Whataburger Field, the home field of the Corpus Christi Hooks, the AA
minor league affiliate club of Major League Baseball's Houston Astros.
From there, the field follows the course down Port to Hirsch Street and
turns right on Chaparral Street, followed by turns on Fitzgerald, Water
and Power Streets before turning again onto North Broadway, which
becomes Highway 181.
Runners follow the highway across the first, smaller bridge over into
the North Beach area, and then remain on the highway as it rolls
through these neighborhoods on its way to the much larger bridge over
the Nueces Bay, which is its claim to fame as the "highest half
marathon in Texas." Once over this long bridge -- which stretches
nearly two miles over the water -- runners enter the natural beauty of
Sunset Lake Park, a protected ecological zone with more than 300 acres
of coastal wetlands and marshes as well as two miles of hiking and
biking
trails.
The turnaround point for the race lies at the Indian Point Pier, which
runners reach shortly after running over the causeway and where they
begin their trek back over the bridge a second time for the second half
of the race. Participants follow the exact same course they've just run
in reverse, getting a second look at some of the local sights they
might have missed on the first run past, including the U.S.S. Lexington
aircraft carrier and museum parked in the bay, the Texas State Aquarium
and the skyline of Corpus Christi off in the distance.
To take advantage of the day's best weather for running, organizers
will send off the field starting at 7:00 AM, and transportation will be
provided for relay participants in the second split to Sunset Lake
Park. The course will close after four hours, at 11:00 AM, and there
will also be a kids' "marathon" fun run after the main field starts its
race.
Race
Weather & Climate
As coastal city in south Texas, not far from the Padre Island
National Seashore, Corpus Christi experiences weather conditions you
might expect -- plenty of wind and warm to mild temperatures even in
the fall, with relatively frequent rainfall and storms. In October,
average area temperatures range between 84°F and 64°F,
while rainfall amounts average around 3.94 inches for the month --
making February the city's second-wettest month of the year on average.
Fees
$40 if registered before July 1, 2008
$50 between July 2 - August 31
$60 after Aug. 31
Registration
To reserve your spot in this year's running of Corpus Christi's Harbor
Half Marathon or Relay, register online at Active.com.
Website
www.harborhalf.com
Course Map
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Larger Map
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Your Race Story
Ever run in Corpus Christi's annual Harbor Half Marathon or Relay?
Share
your impressions and read fellow runners' stories and tips for the
event.
Discuss it in the HalfMarathons.Net
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