2024 COURSE INFORMATION

We are excited to announce we will once again call Windjammer Park home for the 2023 Marathon! For multiple years, Windjammer Park has been closed while experiencing a beautiful makeover. The city has been hard at work adding new running paths, green space, playgrounds, basketball courts, and a splash park for kids! This year, Windjammer Park will once again play host to the event’s festivities including the start line for all races (except the marathon), and will act as the finish line and finish festivities after the race! We will feature live music, kid's play areas, and of course the gorgeous waterfront backdrop at the finish line!

THIS IS NOT A CLOSED COURSE, PLEASE BE AWARE. The courses will be coned, flagged, and marked for your protection. We will have course monitors, certified flaggers, and police stationed throughout the course, but please be aware of all traffic. We will have motorcycles as well as HAM Radio Operators monitoring the course and basic first aid needs available at all water stations. Water stations will be located approximately every 2 miles along the course. There will also be electrolyte replacement drinks at every other water station as well as energy gels on the full marathon throughout the course. All participants will be chip-timed.

FULL MARATHON DESCRIPTION – The Whidbey Island Marathon will start at Bowman Bay Boat Launch, north of the Deception Pass Bridge. Marathoners will wind their way south from Bowman Bay and Pass Lake, across the Deception Pass Bridge. The Whidbey Island Marathon will once again be the only race that closes the bridge for runners! Once clear of the bridge, runners will wind through tranquil farmland meandering towards Oak Harbor. In 2023, marathoners will run a loop through the Silver Lake area before passing by the US Navy Seaplane Base and entering the City of Oak Harbor. From here, the race features a downhill run towards the finish line. Runners will cruise along the waterfront as they enter Windjammer Park, running along the promenade before reaching the finish line!

Reminder – All marathon participants need to be clear of Highway 20 by 7:45 AM. From the start of the marathon, through Deception Pass and off Hwy 20 is 2.5 miles. All participants will need to cover this distance in the 45 minutes allotted by the race and WSDOT. Any participants not clear will be picked up and advanced off Hwy 20.

Pacers will be provided for the full marathon in the following time increments: 3:30, 3:45, 4:00, 4:10, 4:20, 4:30, 4:45, 5:00

MARATHON COURSE MAP (PDF)

HALF MARATHON DESCRIPTION – The half marathon will start and finish along the water at Windjammer Park. After leaving the park, participants will wind their way through Oak Harbor’s historic downtown area and along the waterfront before running west through the Marsh Trail to Scenic Heights. At this point, runners will complete an out/back through Scenic Heights and Penn Cove (this section is very similar to years past). After exiting Scenic Heights, heading towards the finish line, runners will complete their half marathon experience along the Windjammer Park Promenade before finishing in the newly remodeled park to cheering spectators and live music!

Pacers will be provided for the half marathon in the following time increments: 1:50, 2:00, 2:10, 2:15, 2:20, 2:30

HALF MARATHON COURSE MAP (PDF)

10K & 5K RUN/WALK DESCRIPTION – The 10K and 5K routes will once again follow the half marathon course, starting and finishing at the newly remodeled Windjammer Park. Once exiting, they too will wind through Oak Harbor’s historic downtown area and along the waterfront. They will also run west through the Marsh Trail to the Scenic Heights neighborhood. Shortly after, the 5K course will turn around, heading towards the finish line as the 10K continues along the half marathon path. After the 10K turnaround, both races will join together again, heading towards the finish line back through the Marsh Trail and on the Windjammer Park Promenade before finishing at the newly remodeled Windjammer Park on the Oak Harbor Waterfront!

10K & 5K RUN/WALK COURSE (PDF)

WATER / AID STATIONS
Water Stations will be located approximately every two miles along the full and half marathon courses. Electrolyte replacement drinks will be at every other station and energy gels at various stations. There will be basic medical supplies at each station including, but not limited to bandages, antiseptic creams, Vaseline for chaffing, and heat blankets. Portable restrooms will be located at each water station.

RACE / COURSE TIME LIMITS
The full marathon has a 6-hour course time limit and the half marathon has a 4:30 time limit. If you are unable to make certain checkpoints by the time needed to meet the six-hour limit, we will pick you up and move you forward to the next checkpoint then average your current pace time accordingly to add to your overall finish time. Please allow us to do this as we have to meet road closure opening times dictated by the city, county, and state jurisdictions.

2024 Shuttle & Parking Information

All full marathon participants are encouraged to use our free shuttle service to the start of the marathon. There is NO parking at Bowman Bay during the race, nor will there be return service to the start line.

Shuttle Option 1) All participants will have the option to park near the finish line at Windjammer Park. From there, participants will be able to catch marathon start shuttles at the parking area within Windjammer Park off Beeksma Ave (West side of Windjammer Park, Parking Lot).

Shuttle Option 2) If you are an out-of-town guest staying in Oak Harbor at The Auld Holland Inn, The Coachman Inn, Best Western Plus, or Candlewood Suites, our shuttles will pick you up from your hotel and bring you to the marathon start line as well as return you to your hotel after your race is completed.

Shuttle Pickup Times:

Marathon Departure Time/Location (Please plan on 25 minutes to arrive at the marathon start line)

From Area Hotels (Coachman Inn, Best Western & Candlewood Suites, Auld Holland Inn) 5:40 am or 6:20 am
From Windjammer Park Parking Lot (Finish Line): 5:45 am, 5:55 am, 6:00 am, 6:05 am, 6:10 am, 6:15 am, 6:20 am

*Shuttles will pickup/drop off at the west parking lot of Windjammer Park at SW Beeksma Dr. / SW Bayshore Dr. for all races near the basketball courts.

Half Marathon – Shuttles will run continuous loops from the same hotels starting at 7:10 am with the last shuttle at 8:00 am for the half marathon start line

Return Shuttles – Shuttles will run from the event finish line to area hotels continuously throughout the day until 1:00 pm

Parking: 

There will be ample street parking available at the west side of Windjammer Park off Beeksma Avenue and street parking near Windjammer Park. Paved parking will be available in the Haggen Grocery Store parking lot. Please park in designated areas only and be mindful of parking/no parking signs.

*If you are an out-of-town guest staying at one of the area hotels (Coachman Inn, Best Western Plus, Candlewood Suites, or Auld Holland Inn), you will have the option to take a shuttle from your hotel to the start/finish line. After your race, shuttles will return you to your hotel.

See above for shuttle departure times from various locations.

The SWAG!

• Commemorative Participant Top (differs per race)
• Finisher medals for all events
• FREE Downloadable Participants Photos for all provided by University of Massachusetts Global
• FREE downloadable Finisher Certificate
• Customized Bib

*Pictures of all swag will be released closer to the event date. 10K/5K participants will receive a short sleeve running top, half marathon participants will receive a long sleeve running top and full marathon participants will receive a long sleeve hoodie or quarter zip type premium running top.

CLOTHING / GEAR CHECK

The clothing check area will be located near the start line of each event. Marathon participant-checked items will be transported from the start line to the finish line. We will not provide bags so please bring your own as long as your bib number is placed on the outside of the bag. Under no circumstances should you place valuables in your bag. Finishers may claim their bag near the finish line. Whidbey Island Marathon officials and volunteers are not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen checked items.

LOST AND FOUND

 
Any items found on the course will be brought to Clothing/Gear Check. Please see a clothing check volunteer if you have lost or found an item. All lost and found clothing not claimed within 30 days of the event at the end of race day will be donated to charity.