Palm Beaches Marathon, Half Marathon, & 5K

Sunday, December 10, 2023 • West Palm Beach, FL • Course Map

Note: A virtual option is available for this event. Registration details are included below.

Run on a course that winds along the picturesque Intracoastal Waterway next to Lake Worth in West Palm Beach, the Palm Beaches Marathon & Run Fest offers no shortage of beautiful vistas for runners in the full and half marathon events, as well as its relay and 5K races.

Fast, mostly flat and run along paved surfaces, both courses start in downtown West Palm Beach and take runners on a tour of nearby cities and neighborhoods, including historic El Cid neighborhood and the historic Old Northwood community, as well as of the yachts and mansion homes of nearby Palm Beach.

As its name suggests, the 13.1-mile race is part of a true “festival” of running and cycling events which include a full marathon, full marathon relay, half marathon, 26-mile bike tour, 10K and a 5K. While the full marathon and relay are for runners only, walkers are welcome and encouraged to sign up for the half marathon, organizers note.

From the starting line at the Meyer Amphitheater on West Palm Beach’s scenic intracoastal waterway, the race takes runners first in a northward direction, running along breezy, palm tree-lined Flagler Drive for the race’s first several miles until they reach Manatee Lagoon, an educational center with a dedicated center for viewing manatees. Runners will run along the lagoon and may even spot a manatee or two, as December sits in the heart of manatee season.

After leaving the lagoon, the course continues south along Flagler Drive, past the start line and continues south past the campus of Palm Beach Atlantic College as Flagler Drive turns to Washington Avenue. After a few turns in the southernmost part of the race, runners head back onto Flagler Drive for the last stretch to the finish line, back at the start.

Because the course is run at sea level along the water, there’s almost no elevation change at any point during the race, though runners will need to bring plenty of sunscreen as the race can get quite sunny.

In both the full marathon and the half marathon, runners start their race at 6:00 AM, and the course will have a time limit of 6 hours for those running the 26.2-mile race.

For the half marathon, the course time limit is 3 hours, 30 minutes — which means you’ll need to keep a pace of 16 minutes per mile or better. At each mile marker during the race, organizers will post a notice of the event status in green, yellow or red, based on the event weather conditions — such as excessive heat, or severe weather that could impact the race.

Race Weather & Climate

Thanks partly to its proximity to the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the West Palm Beach area tends to see mild to moderately warm temperatures in early winter, with December temperatures averaging between 60°F and 76°F. December precipitation averages just over 3.1 inches during the month, and is the city’s second driest month of the year.

On the day of the race (Dec. 10), the average low is 62°F and the average high is 78°F.

Past Results

• 2022 Results
• 2019 Palm Beach Half Marathon Results
• 2018 Palm Beach Half Marathon Results
• 2015 Palm Beach Half Marathon Results
• 2014 Palm Beach Half Marathon Results
• 2013 Palm Beach Half Marathon Results
• 2012 Palm Beach Half Marathon Results

Course Map

See the Palm Beaches Half Marathon course map here.

Starting Time

• 6:00 AM – half marathon, full marathon, relay

Fees

• $95 – $105 for the half marathon
• $120 – $130 for the full marathon
• $55 – $60 for the 10K
• $40 – $45 for the 5K
• $85 for the virtual marathon or half marathon
• $40 for the virtual 10K or 5K

Registration

To reserve your spot in the 2023 running of the Palm Beaches Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K race, register online at RunSignUp.com here.

Official Race Website

gardenoflifemarathon.com

Comments

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See more races in: December, Florida