Sat, Apr 10, 2027

Run Sunset Beach

Sunset Beach, NC

Registration openAnnual since at least 2015
Half Marathon10K5K1 Mile

About the Run Sunset Beach

Run Sunset Beach takes you across a bridge over the intracoastal waterway and out onto a coastal island, where the route passes a waterfront park, shaded golf course neighborhoods, and stretches of oceanfront. The course has real variety for a beach race, moving between open water views and tree-lined residential roads.

Several distance options make the morning work for different runners in the same group. The spring timing tends to bring mild coastal temperatures, cool enough that the bridge crossing and the oceanfront stretch feel genuinely pleasant rather than a slog through summer heat.

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Run Sunset Beach 2026 Results

Going by the 2026 results, this is a decent-sized field, and the spread of finish times is wide, so this is a mostly recreational race rather than one for club runners.

5K Results · 2026

802finishers
17:37winner
39:51median
2:09:11cutoff

Top 3: Nikolai Webb (17:37) · Luke Terrell (17:50) · Sam Barefoot (18:40)

Half Marathon Results · 2026

665finishers
1:16:41winner
2:12:42median
3:35:16cutoff

Top 3: Michael Fiumara (1:16:41) · Travis Price (1:17:24) · Isaac Cowell (1:23:20)

10K Results · 2026

635finishers
35:13winner
1:08:10median
2:03:49cutoff

Top 3: Charles Vickery (35:13) · Sean Kyle (37:07) · Derrick Nowak (37:27)

The Run Sunset Beach has been held every year since at least 2015. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.

Where Would You Finish?

Enter a finish time to see where it lands against the most recent 3.1 Miles results.

Median

See how your time stacks up nationally →

How we calculate these stats: RunSesh calculates these figures from the most recent published results of past editions, sourced from RunSignup. We show aggregates only: field size, winning and median times, and the cutoff. We never publish individual finisher tables. Last updated Nov 12, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

13.1 Miles4/10/2027 06:45$110
6.2 Miles4/10/2027 07:00$70
3.1 Miles4/10/2027 07:00$55
1 Mile4/10/2027 08:30$40
13.1 Miles4/10/2027 06:45$110
Virtual 10K4/10/2027 07:00$70
3.1 Miles4/10/2027 07:00$55

Going for a Time?

Set a goal and get a pace band: every mile split on a card sized for your phone lock screen, so race morning needs no math.

Not sure what to aim for? The half marathon pace chart lists the pace for every finish time.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

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Common Questions About the Run Sunset Beach

Will I finish last at the Run Sunset Beach?

Almost certainly not. Half the 3.1 Miles field finished slower than 39:51, and the last recorded finisher came in around 2:09:11, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Run Sunset Beach a good first 3.1 Miles?

With 802 finishers there are runners at every pace, so you are never out on your own. There is no qualifying time, and the finish-time spread above shows how varied the field really is. If it is your first 3.1 Miles, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Run Sunset Beach?

The 3.1 Miles winner ran 17:37 while the median finisher took 39:51. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.

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