Flying Pirate Half Marathon
Event Info
Friday 19, April 2024
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Course Description
The Outer Banks is at sea level, and the point-to-point course is mostly flat. Within the Nags Head Woods Nature Preserve, elevation change includes some rolling terrain and two moderate hills. Outer Banks runners make this Preserve's trail and roads a frequent location for their training.
Begin your journey in historic Kitty Hawk, home to the birth of aviation. This part of the course is flat, but don’t run so fast that you miss the incredible Outer Banks scenery. After just a few miles you’ll be greeted by the real Outer Banks – the people who make up this warm, close-knit community. Feel the energy boost as they applaud your run down residential Bay Drive.
At mile 8, you’ll run along the base of the famous Wright Brothers Monument, marking the location of the first flight that took place on December 17, 1903. Look up and you are sure to see planes flying overhead. You’ll be running where powered flight began! Just two miles down the road, yet another surprise is in store. Around mile 10, you’ll enter the Nags Head Woods Nature Preserve. This lush maritime forest will amaze you with its understated beauty, and you'll experience the excitement of trail running along a mulched, dirt road within this unique ecosystem.
No one said this was going to be easy! At about mile 12, you’ll leave Nags Head Woods on a narrow trail with off-road conditions of mulch, sand, and dirt. NOTE: Here is the final course elevation before crossing the Finish line. Look up and catch a glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean! Take in the beauty of this awesome maritime forest and give yourself a pat on the back … you made it! Now it’s party time!
Costume Contest
Participate in your best pirate-themed costume and win! Judges will be Mile Marker Sponsors and Bike Marshals who will be on the lookout for the best dressed in a pirate theme costume.
Course Maps
- Half-Marathon - View HerePDF File
- Half-Marathon Finish Area - View HerePDF File
- USATF Certified Course Map - View HerePDF File
- 5K & Fun Run- View HerePDF File
Parking & Runner Drop Off
First Flight Schools Complex
(Elementary, Middle & High)