The Outer Banks has a full running calendar, and most of it falls outside summer. The two big weekends, the Outer Banks Marathon in November and the Flying Pirate Half Marathon in April, land in the shoulder seasons. The weather is cooler then, traffic is light and rentals are easy to find.
This guide covers the races put on by Outer Banks Sporting Events, the nonprofit organizer behind the main OBX road races. It also covers the logistics that trip people up: where packets are picked up, where to park, and how early you need to leave on race morning. Every date and location below comes from the organizer's own race pages as of November 2026. Courses and schedules change from year to year, so confirm on the race site before you book travel.
The OBX Race Calendar at a Glance
| Race | Date | Distances | Start area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outer Banks Marathon Weekend | Nov 6–8, 2026 | Marathon, half marathon, 8K, 5K, color fun run | Fort Raleigh (Sunday), Wright Brothers Memorial (Saturday) |
| Running of the Leprechauns | Mar 13, 2027 | 10K, 5K | Nags Head area |
| Flying Pirate Half Marathon | Apr 23–25, 2027 | Half marathon, 8K, 5K, fun run | Wright Brothers Memorial |
| Killer Dunes 2-Miler & Fun Run | Jul 2, 2027 | 2 miles, fun run | See race page |
| Outer Banks Triathlon | Sept 11–12, 2027 | See race page | Fort Raleigh (finish) |
Outer Banks Marathon Weekend (November)
The TowneBank Outer Banks Marathon and the Southern Fried Half Marathon are the headline events of the fall. The 2026 edition runs Friday, November 6 through Sunday, November 8, and the organizer lists the marathon as a Boston qualifier.
The current course
You may see older articles describe a point-to-point course from Kitty Hawk to Manteo. That is not what the organizer currently publishes. For 2026, both the marathon and the half start and finish at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site on Roanoke Island. The route runs through the village of Manteo and along the sound side of the island before returning to Fort Raleigh. The organizer calls it a "flat, fast course," and runners have to stay on the multi-use path.
Both courses are certified. The organizer's FAQ lists a 6-hour limit for the marathon and 4 hours for the half. Another page on the same site gives a single 4-hour limit, so check the current number if you expect to be near the cutoff.
The 2026 schedule
- Friday, Nov 6, 1–7 p.m.: Packet pickup, late registration and expo at the Ramada Plaza Nags Head Oceanfront (1701 S Virginia Dare Trail, Kill Devil Hills)
- Saturday, Nov 7, 7:30 a.m.: Surf & Soar 8K at the Wright Brothers Memorial
- Saturday, Nov 7, 7:45 a.m.: Surf & Soar 5K, followed by the 8 a.m. color fun run
- Saturday, Nov 7, 11 a.m.: The expo reopens at the Ramada. The schedule page lists it until 4 p.m. and the expo page lists it until 6 p.m., so plan for the earlier time.
- Sunday, Nov 8, 7:00 a.m.: Marathon start at Fort Raleigh
- Sunday, Nov 8, 7:15 a.m.: Half marathon start at Fort Raleigh
- Sunday, 9:30 a.m.: After party at The Lost Colony, with live music, barbecue for runners and a beer garden for anyone 21 or older
There is no packet pickup on race day. If you can't make the expo, the organizer lets you authorize someone else to collect your packet.
Race-morning parking
You can't park at Fort Raleigh. Marathon and half runners park at the Manteo Elementary, Middle and High School lots and at College of The Albemarle. Saturday's 5K and 8K runners park at the First Flight schools off Colington Road and Veterans Drive in Kill Devil Hills, then cross at the crosswalk.
What to expect from the weather
The organizer's FAQ puts November averages at roughly 50° to 66°, often cloudy, with a chance of rain. That is close to ideal for a marathon, but the wind off the sound can feel colder at a 7 a.m. start. Bring a throwaway layer.
Flying Pirate Half Marathon (April)
The Flying Pirate Half Marathon is the spring counterpart, and the 2027 weekend is April 23–25. The weekend includes the half (13.1 miles), an 8K, a 5K and a fun run. Runners who do the half plus the 5K or 8K can sign up for the Double Dare Challenge. There is also a pirate-costume contest.
- Start and finish: The Wright Brothers Memorial in Kill Devil Hills
- Course: Mostly flat and at sea level through Kill Devil Hills neighborhoods and along the Albemarle Sound, then into Kitty Hawk, where the organizer describes the terrain as "rolling," and back to the memorial
- Packet pickup and expo: St. Andrew's By-the-Sea Episcopal Church, 4212 S Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head. No race-day pickup.
- Parking: The First Flight Schools complex, 100 Veterans Dr, Kill Devil Hills
If you've never been to the Wright Brothers National Memorial, you can come back on an off day to see the museum and the first-flight markers without race-day crowds.
The Smaller Races
- Running of the Leprechauns (Sat, March 13, 2027): 10K at 8 a.m. and 5K at 8:05 a.m. Packet pickup is Friday evening at Swells'a Brewing in Kill Devil Hills, with late pickup early Saturday morning at Satterfield Park in Nags Head.
- Killer Dunes 2-Miler & Fun Run (July 2, 2027): A short race on the Fourth of July holiday week. Pair it with our OBX 4th of July guide.
- Outer Banks Triathlon (Sept 11–12, 2027): Packet pickup is the Saturday afternoon at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site (1401 National Park Dr, Manteo). The finish and athlete parking are at the Lost Colony lot, and athletes are shuttled from Fort Raleigh to the swim start.
Leave the Dog at Home on Race Morning
Outer Banks Sporting Events does not allow pets, strollers or baby joggers at any of its races, and that includes the fun runs. If your dog travels with you, plan for someone to stay back with them while you run.
Dogs can still be part of the rest of the weekend. In some beach towns, the summer limits on dogs are lifted in the off-season, so November and April are good months for a dog-friendly beach day. Our pet-friendly OBX guide covers restaurants, vets and rules town by town, and the /pets page explains how dogs stay with us.
Where to Stay for an OBX Race Weekend
Most runners book near the expo in Kill Devil Hills or Nags Head. That works, but you pay beach-strip prices for a room you'll mostly sleep in. Staying on the Currituck mainland in Grandy trades a slightly longer drive for a lot more space.
The drive times:
- Grandy to Kill Devil Hills (the Wright Brothers Memorial, First Flight schools, and the Ramada expo): about 25 to 35 minutes across the Wright Memorial Bridge
- Grandy to Manteo (the Fort Raleigh start and the race-morning school parking): about 45 minutes to an hour, south through Nags Head and over the Washington Baum Bridge
For a 7:00 a.m. marathon start in Manteo, leave Grandy before 6 a.m. That gives you time to park at the schools, walk to the start and line up. Off-season roads are quiet at that hour, but give yourself a cushion anyway. Our OBX traffic guide explains where the bottlenecks are when traffic does build.
What a waterfront condo does for a race weekend:
- A full kitchen for your usual pre-race dinner and breakfast, so you aren't relying on a restaurant that opens too late on Sunday
- An in-unit washer and dryer for race clothes before the drive home
- Three bedrooms that sleep six, so a running group or a family that came to cheer can split one place
- A private dock on Currituck Sound for sore legs on Sunday afternoon. It is a quiet place to sit with a coffee and watch the water.
- Room for up to two dogs, with no size limit, so your dog doesn't have to go to a kennel
Plan to stay a day or two after the race. November and late April are some of the best weeks on the Outer Banks. The fall guide and spring guide cover what's open, and a Manteo day trip is easy to fit around a Fort Raleigh finish.
Race Weekend Checklist
- Register early. Late registration is available at the expo but isn't guaranteed.
- Arrive Friday or early Saturday. There is no race-day packet pickup.
- Check the course maps on the race page. They are published per distance, and the start areas differ by day.
- Plan your parking: Manteo schools or College of The Albemarle on Sunday, First Flight schools in Kill Devil Hills on Saturday.
- Arrange care for your dog on race morning.
- Bring a layer for the start and a dry change of clothes for the after party.
- Check the official Outer Banks Sporting Events site for any changes in the week before the race.
Book Your Race Weekend
Whether you're running the Outer Banks Marathon, the Flying Pirate in April, or coming to cheer someone on, Grandy Cove gives you space, a kitchen and a dock without paying beach-strip prices. Book direct and you skip the platform fees.
Check race-weekend availability or book your stay directly. For directions and drive times, see the location page.