VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Since 1973, the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon Weekend has drawn in thousands of runners to Virginia Beach.
This year, in true 2020 fashion, the event was one of the first large running events in the United States to be canceled in light of the coronavirus pandemic. With that in mind, organizers say planning for the 2021 event has included a lot of uncertainty.
“The third weekend in March is always the Shamrock Marathon Weekend. It is a tradition in our local community and the running community. Runners train all winter with the goal of running a spring race. As we looked forward to 2021 race calendar, we knew we couldn’t host a traditional running race, but we had to do something.” said Amy Frostick, co-owner and race director.
On Monday, December 14, Frostick and organizers announced the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon Weekend would not be held as a traditional multi-day event because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Scheduled for March 19-21, runners will instead have the chance to race on the new official course starting and finishing on the Virginia Beach Boardwalk during the open time window of 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The party tent will not be in place this year, but leaders say runners can “expect to feel the traditional St. Patty’s Day excitement when they cross their finish line.”
A virtual option will also available for participants who would like to run anywhere or anytime during the race window.
Stay with WAVY.com for updates.