Big Beach Marathon, Half Marathon & Safari 5K
About this race
You are invited to join us for Big Beach Marathon in beautiful Gulf Shores, Alabama the weekend of January 30th & 31st, 2027. The courses are scenic, flat, and FAST, running on the fully paved trails through the Gulf State Park. Our course is also a USATF Certified Boston Qualifier for those who are hoping to score a coveted Boston qualifying time (and potentially snag a spot at the world major).
The marathon and half marathon take place Sunday, with the start and finish located beach side at The Hangout. Enjoy stunning views of the Gulf Shores beaches, a gorgeous backdrop for your race weekend! And a celebration that brings runners back year after year.
In addition to Sunday's marathon and half marathon, the Safari 5K and Family Fun Run/Walk on Saturday provides an opportunity for those not up to the marathon or half marathon distances the ability to participate, as well as giving those looking for an added challenge, the opportunity for TWO days of racing in your weekend. Take on the Shark or Dolphin challenge by choosing to participate in the 5K on Saturday and the full marathon (Shark) or 5K Saturday and then half marathon on Sunday (Dolphin)! Challengers receive finishers medals from both races PLUS a third challenge medal, extra beer tickets, and the ultimate in bragging rights.
All race participants are welcome to The Hangout after party on Sunday to celebrate! Participants will receive post-race food, beer, and a great time near the beautiful Gulf Shores beaches! We can’t wait to see you at Big Beach!
Pick your distance
Running
5K
Safari Family Fun Run & Walk (Untimed)
Dolphin Challenge - 5K + Half Marathon
Maximize your race weekend with extra bling, shirts and yummy craft beer. Chose the Dolphin Challenge and run the Big Beach 5K on Saturday and the Big Beach Half Marathon on Sunday for a total of 17.5 miles and get a cool Dolphin Challenge medal and t-shirt to recognize your achievement. And we’ll throw in extra beer tickets for Sunday’s Big Beach Bash!
Shark Challenge - 5K + Marathon
Go BIG race weekend with extra bling, shwag, beer and bragging rights. Chose the Shark Challenge and run the Big Beach 5k on Saturday and the Big Beach Marathon on Sunday for a total of 30.6 miles. You will get a cool Shark Challenge medal and t-shirt to recognize your achievement. And we’ll throw in extra beer for Sunday’s Big Beach Bash!
Marathon
Half Marathon
Virtual Marathon
Virtual Half Marathon
Virtual Dolphin Challenge
Virtual Shark Challenge
Typical race-day weather
Based on 11 years of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in Gulf Shores, plus the 3 days either side.
The sun rises at 6:42 AM and sets at 5:25 PM local time (CST) in Gulf Shores on January 30, 2027 — 10h 43m of daylight.
Course
No course map published yet.
The organizer hasn't released a route for this event, and we don't publish guesses. If you're the organizer, send us a GPX file and we'll draw the profile.
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Results — Big Beach Marathon, Half Marathon & Safari 5K
Other races near Gulf Shores
Different organizers, within 40 miles, in the next three months
Haunted Hustle 5K, Monster Mash Dash, and The Wicked Walk Parade
Skippin & Sippin 5K & PHun Walk/Run
Shrimp Festival Run
Compassion Coast 5K
🏃 Plan Your Next Race in Gulf Shores
Find upcoming events by distance:
- Gulf Shores 5K Races 6 races
- 10K Run Events in Gulf Shores 2 races
- Gulf Shores Half Marathons 2 races
- Gulf Shores Running Calendar 2026 9 races
Where this page comes from. Race details were last updated on . We re-check listings regularly and again in the week before race day.
- Entries, prices, waves and inclusions — the event's official registration page
- Temperature and humidity — Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)
- Elevation and terrain relief — Copernicus DEM GLO-90, ESA (CC BY 4.0)
- Comparisons and counts — Race Discovery calendar, 9 Gulf Shores events
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