Don’t Walk – Run to Your New Year’s Resolutions ~ The Southern Scoop’s Area Highlights

Best Gulf Coast Runs in 2019 ~ The Southern Scoop’s Area Highlights

For most of us, the promise of a new year means we’ll finally keep up with our fitness resolutions. If marathons and 5Ks are more your style, then you’re in luck, as the Gulf Coast is teeming with options all across Northwest Florida and Coastal Alabama. Just pick a spot, lace up your shoes, and get ready to hit the ground! Read on below for some of the best Gulf Coast runs in 2019, and find your next family event on our Gulf Coast Event Calendar!

Coastal Alabama’s Run the Beach Series consists of three half and full marathons from January 27th to November 30th. Kick off the event with the Big Beach Marathon & Half Marathon on Sunday, January 27th in Gulf Shores. Then, grab your shoes again for the Sea Turtle Half Marathon on February 16th. The Run the Beach Series ends on November 30th with the Kaiser Half Marathon. Sign up before December 30th to save $30 on registration! Visit here to sign up.

Next up is the Pensacola Double Bridge Run, also known as the “Race to the Beach.” This 15K run draws in over 3,000 runners! The race carries runners across two bridges over Pensacola Bay and the Santa Rosa Sound. The run begins in Downtown Pensacola with a tour that includes the historic district and Bayfront Parkway. Then, run through Gulf Breeze and onto Pensacola Beach. The 5K invites both runners and walkers to travel from Gulf Breeze to beautiful Pensacola Beach on Santa Rosa Island and the Gulf Islands Seashore. You can also save 15% on your stay in Pensacola Beach when you come for the 2019 Pensacola Double Bridge Run! We recommend a stay at Emerald Isle, some of our favorite Pensacola Beach, Florida vacation condos. Spectacular views, resort-style amenities, and large, private balconies await. This offer lasts from January 31 through February 9th, so don’t wait!

Then, in March, head over to Seaside on 30A for the Seaside School Half Marathon & 5K Run. 100% of the proceeds from this race benefit the tuition-free Seaside School which serves not just 30A locals, but surrounding counties as well. This race offers some of the best sights around, as 30A is surrounded by numerous dune lakes, white sand beaches, and an abundance of stunning foliage. What better backdrop could there be?

Also taking place in March is the Flora-Bama’s 5th Annual Beach Run/Walk for America’s Warriors. 5K runners will head into Orange Beach, while all half marathon runners head into Perdido Key. 100% of the proceeds on the March 23rd run benefit the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. The foundation gives full scholarship grants and educational/family counseling to the surviving children of Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps special operations personnel who lose their lives in the line of duty, as well as immediate financial assistance for severely wounded special operations personnel and their families.

One of March’s most highly-anticipated runs is the McGuire’s St. Patrick’s Day 5K Prediction Run. America’s largest prediction run sees more than 16,000 festive runners, clad in their green Irish wear! It’s hard to tell where the race ends and the Irish street party begins. Prizes are given out for speed division winners and prediction times.

Next up, in April, the Zydeco Crawfish Festival 5K kicks off the Run the Coast Summer Series by Harley Sports. Get ready to run through Gulf Shores’ beautiful beaches on April 20th, then spend the day at the festival enjoying music from Zydeco bands as well as arts and crafts and delicious food. The Run the Coast Summer Series also includes the Paradise Island 5K on May 26th, the Shark Run on July 4th, and the Bloody Mary 5K on August 31st. Visit here for more information!

Also in April is the Flora-Bama’s famous Mullet Man Triathalon, part of the Interstate Mullet Toss & Gulf Coast’s Greatest Beach Party. The triathlon takes place rain or shine on April 13th at 7:30 AM. The course consists of a 1/4 mile swim in the Gulf of Mexico, followed by a bike segment through Perdido Key Dr. Then, you’ll transition to a 3.9 mile run at the Flora-Bama, under the Perdido Pass Bridge, and rounding back around at the Flora-Bama. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, in memory of Gulf Breeze, Florida’s late popular mayor M. Lane Gilchrist.

Part of the annual Destin Fishing Rodeo, the Destin 5K Rodeo Run takes place at the beginning of October as a great way to kick off the fun. The course begins at Clement E. Taylor Park on Calhoun Avenue and rounds out through a winding, tree-lined course. Runners and walkers of all ages are welcome to participate! Proceeds from the run benefit the Miss Destin scholarship fund, as well as other local charities.

Then, in November, prepare for Thanksgiving with the 8th Annual 30A 10K. The race also consists of a 5K to walk or run as well as a 1-Mile Fun Run. All races begin and end at Downtown Rosemary Beach, offering up some of the best views around. Trust us when we say participating in the 30A 10K makes that extra slice of pie worth it later on!