If you want a spring marathon that rewards honest training rather than hill strength, this is the one. You start on Atlantic Avenue at 7:30 on Sunday morning, head north along tree-lined Shore Drive where the road winds beside First Landing State Park, then turn back south toward the resort strip and Rudee Inlet. Total elevation change is a couple hundred feet over the whole distance, which is why the course keeps showing up on fast-course lists and why the 2027 race counts for Boston 2028. The course limit is generous, and 22 local run clubs support the weekend, so you will not be alone at the back. The finish is on the Boardwalk with the Atlantic beside you, and the party on the beach at 28th Street runs until mid-afternoon. Book lodging early; the oceanfront fills.
Very flat road course from 42nd Street and Atlantic Avenue north along tree-lined Shore Drive beside First Landing State Park, then back south across Rudee Inlet to an oceanfront finish on the Virginia Beach Boardwalk near the King Neptune statue. Course map ↗
Open until sold out; last chance is the day before the race, closing one hour before the expo ends (official FAQ). Registration for 2027 is live via Let's Do This (Register Now link on official site). No race-day registration, no refunds under any circumstances; deferrals to the following year are offered via shamrockmarathon.com/edit-your-registration/. Minimum age 16 for the marathon. Pricing tiers could not be retrieved. Register ↗
- The 2027 marathon is a qualifier for the 2028 Boston Marathon; the official site bills the course as flat, fast and scenic. ↗
- Findmymarathon rates it one of the flattest and fastest courses in the United States, with about 270 ft of gain over 26.2 miles. ↗
- It is the oldest continuously running road race in Virginia Beach; 2027 is the 55th edition. ↗
- Marathon and half marathon start together at 7:30 a.m. Sunday at 42nd Street and Atlantic Avenue, with the post-race party on the beach at 28th Street until 4:00 p.m. ↗
- Organizer J&A Racing offers deferrals to the following year but processes no refunds. ↗
Checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site before booking travel.