Rehoboth Seashore Marathon and Half Marathon

The course

The race starts at 7:00 a.m. at Rehoboth Avenue and the bandstand, next to the boardwalk, and finishes on 4th Street behind Rehoboth Beach Running Co.¹³ The two points are half a mile apart.²

The FAQ describes the course as mostly flat with some small hills in Cape Henlopen State Park.² The marathon runs as far as the state park entrance in Lewes, where one of the two gel stops is placed. The other is at the Grove Park water stop.²

Water and Gatorade are available about every 2 miles, portable toilets are spaced about the same, and every mile is marked.² The organizers list four spectator points: Gordon's Pond, Grove Park, the Herring Point parking lot in Cape Henlopen State Park, and the Wolf Neck Road parking lot.¹

Time limit and pace cutoff

Both the marathon and the half marathon have a 7-hour limit, enforced strictly on chip time.² Runners have to hold a 16-minute-per-mile pace or they will not be allowed to continue.²

The official pages disagree on where that is checked: the FAQ says mile 19.5 and the home page says mile 18.²⁴ Half marathoners are told to hold a 16-minute pace through the first couple of miles because the cones on Rehoboth Avenue are collected quickly.²

Pace groups are expected from 3:00 to 5:30 in the marathon and 1:30 to 3:00 in the half marathon.²

Does it sell out?

Yes. The race limits entries to 3,300, with roughly 2,200 in the half marathon and 1,100 in the marathon.² The registration page says both races sell out in mid October in some years.⁷

The FAQ states that the 2026 race was sold out as of November 9, 2026. There is no waiting list, though the organizers suggest checking daily because deferrals and partial refunds can free up places.² There is no registration at packet pickup or on race day.⁴

Expo and packet pickup

For 2026, the expo and packet pickup are on Friday, December 4, from noon to 8 p.m., in a tent in the parking lot across from Rehoboth Beach Running Company at 301 Rehoboth Avenue.³

Packets can also be collected on race morning from 5:45 to 6:45 a.m. at the start, by the Rehoboth Bandstand.³ Someone else can collect your packet if they bring a copy of your ID and a note giving permission.²

Parking, lodging and race morning

The organizers say there is plenty of free street parking close to the start and recommend arriving at least 45 minutes before the race.² The race's hotel page lists the Atlantic Sands as one block from the start and half a mile from the finish.⁶

There is no formal bag check.² The organizers say temperatures are usually in the mid 40s at this time of year.²

Finish line and after-party

All finishers receive a medal, including virtual finishers.² The 2026 shirt is a red long-sleeve shirt in men's and women's sizing.¹

The after-party includes unlimited food, soft drinks and three beers.² Half of it is in a tent across from Rehoboth Beach Running Company, just past the finish line, and half is upstairs in the Cultured Pearl restaurant.⁵

Awards go to the overall and masters men and women and to five-year age groups. There is no awards ceremony, so winners collect awards at the awards table before leaving.²

Refunds, deferrals and transfers

• Refunds are on a sliding scale that starts at 90% for 121 to 365 days before race day and drops to 25% for 8 to 30 days out. There is no refund after that.²
• For 2026, the deadline to defer is November 21.²
• Switching between the half and the full is allowed until December 3 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern.²
• Bibs cannot be transferred. Running with someone else's number means disqualification.²

Who the race supports

The race describes itself as a fundraiser for Girls on the Run Delaware, the Friends of Cape Henlopen State Park, the Seashore Striders Youth Cross Country Team, the Delaware Kids Fund and the Surfgimp Foundation.⁴