The 2011 information isn’t up yet…but I have friends who own a house in Daytona Beach and you never know…

2010 info:

The Daytona Beach Half Marathon’s 13.1-mile course is unlike any other race in the world, bringing runners from the World Center of Racing, to the World’s Most Famous Beach and back!

The entire course will be run on pavement (no beach run). Unfortunately, due to the track repave, we will not be able to run on the track as in previous years. However, we will use various parts of the track in-field, running a little more than 2 miles inside the Daytona International Speedway. (In 2011, the repaving should be done!!)

Runners will start just outside the Sprint FANZONE, only steps from parking, race-day registration & packet pick-up and permanent restrooms. Proceeding north from the start, runners will then loop around a portion of the Speedway’s Go Kart track. After the Go Kart track, runners will enjoy a .6 mile stretch on the scenic boardwalk alongside Lake Lloyd. You will then make your way back past the Sprint FANZONE before exiting the track.

After exiting the track, runners will dash past DAYTONA 500 Experience, the Official Attraction of NASCAR. The course will then head east towards the Atlantic Ocean. After crossing over the beautiful Halifax River and getting a first glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean, competitors will soon reach the World’s Most Famous Beach at approximately the 7.2-mile mark.

At that point, runners will catch a breathtaking view of the ocean at sunrise, with an approximate .1 mile stretch along the boardwalk at Sun Splash Park, before turning around and beginning the trip back to the Speedway and the finish line. The return includes another trip over the Intracoastal Waterway, as well as a run past one of the nation’s oldest historically African-American colleges, Bethune-Cookman University.

At the 13-mile mark, runners will reenter Daytona International Speedway, cross over the track and make a final sprint towards the finish line just outside the Sprint FANZONE. One of the best post race parties around is then just a few steps away in the Sprint FANZONE with awards taking place in the adjacent Gatorade Victory Lane.

KEY FEATURES:

Daytona International Speedway
The Speedway annually hosts the Super Bowl of motorsports, the DAYTONA 500, each February. The World Center of Racing is also the home of NASCAR’s Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola, held each July.

DAYTONA 500 Experience
The attraction is located outside turn four of the Speedway on the corner of International Speedway Boulevard and Bill France Blvd., and is the official attraction of NASCAR. Guests can experience the sights, sounds and history of the DAYTONA 500 through static and interactive displays. Each Daytona Beach Half Marathon entrant receives one complimentary DAYTONA 500 Experience admission.

Mainland High School
At the 3.5-mile mark, runners will pass Mainland High School, the alma mater of NBA star Vince Carter. The school’s gymnasium is named after Carter, who has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the school. Carter currently plays for the hometown Orlando Magic.

Bethune-Cookman University
Runners will run past BCU twice during the race. Bethune-Cookman was founded in 1904 by Mary McLeod Bethune, and is one of the nation’s oldest historically black universities.

Daytona Beach
Competitors will reach the World’s Most Famous Beach just past the 7-mile mark. Sunrise on race day is approximately 7:35 a.m., providing a great view once runners reach the ocean. Unlike the inaugural race’s quick turnaround, the course will wind through the oceanfront Sunsplash Park and includes a one-block run on the beach boardwalk. That is where the course will turn around and head back to the start line. The course does NOT run on the sand.

How cool does this sound???

A girl can dream!!

Happy Running!