Ocean City Running Festival

Ocean City Running Festival is held in Ocean City, Worcester County, Maryland, on November 14, 2026, with the marathon (26.2 miles), the half marathon (13.1 miles), an 8K and a 5K all starting at 7 a.m. The course takes in the OC Boardwalk and the wide scenery around Assateague State Park.

Four distances on one start line make this a festival in the real sense, and the marathon is the centerpiece. Give it 16 to 20 weeks, with the long run as the non-negotiable weekly session and easy mileage filling out the rest of the week. The half is a strong goal in its own right for anyone not ready to double it. Boardwalk and coastal running is flat and exposed, so hold a steady effort rather than surging, and expect the finish-line celebration to be the place where the whole field ends up.