Thousands of runners left with questions: Why was the Hilton Head Island Marathon canceled?
The Hilton Head Island Marathon scheduled for next weekend was canceled by the organizers on Jan. 30, leaving thousands of disappointed runners with a simple question of why. The marathon announced the cancellation of the full and half marathons along with the 5K race two weeks from when runners would take to the starting line, citing permitting issues due to “unforeseen safety and support challenges.”
According to a spokesperson from the Hilton Head Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K, “Despite our best efforts working with local leaders, the 2025 Hilton Head Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K will not take place. We were unable to secure a permit due to unforeseen safety and support challenges from local jurisdictions. We hope to return to the city of Hilton Head next year.”
This comes after weeks if not months of training for runners, including some who were planning on running their first marathon this weekend, and many of who were coming from across the country to run the race, according to comments on Facebook. Registrations for the event first opened ten months ago in May.
For Austin Thomas, a 27-year-old from Charlotte, North Carolina, this was the second year in a row that his New Year’s resolution to run the Hilton Head Island Half Marathon was halted weeks before the race. Last year, he told The Island Packet, after months of training for the 13.1-mile race, he suffered a back injury. He was not able to run.
This year, he was once again determined to run his first half marathon, dedicating time not only to the training but injury prevention. Once again, with just two weeks to go in training, he learned he would not be running. His redemption tour dreams were not fulfilled this time around, he said, this time because of the cancellation.
What have local leaders said?
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office did not sign off on the race’s route, Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner told The Island Packet. With the route provided, which Tanner said had been changed several times, the department could not ensure the event would be safe for runners. That means they could not sign off on the plan, he said.
Tanner had particular concerns about officers covering each and every curb cut on the race’s path. When asked about whether this was a requirement of state law, Tanner said that it was a policy the local department enforces to ensure safety during events held on public and highly-trafficked roads.
He also expressed concerns about increased traffic congestion and the route of the race preventing property owners from leaving or entering their homes and businesses. Shutting down major roadways on Hilton Head for a marathon is very different than it is for cities that are more equipped for marathons, like Boston and New York City, he said.
Tanner said that he has always been critical of events that occur on public roads, especially those where motorists and pedestrians could co-mingle. But after recent events across the country, he is especially wary.
Citing the New Year’s Day tragedy in New Orleans, when 14 people were killed and another 60 were injured after an individual drove a pickup truck into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street, Tanner said that the department is being especially cautious of events where people could come into contact moving vehicles. Since the tragedy, the city of New Orleans and the New Orleans Police Department have been sued for negligence.
Angie Stone, Hilton Head’s assistant town manager of community engagement, said that before the town issues a permit for the races, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office has to sign off on the safety plans. Without the prior approval from law enforcement and traffic control, the town did not issue permits for the marathon and half marathon, and Venture Endurance withdrew their application for the 5K.
Stone said that the route was similar to what it has been in the past, but that safety issues have cropped up during past races as well, like portable toilets sitting too close to the roadways or having challenges getting support to injured runners.
The proposed route for the full marathon in 2025 would have started and finished at the Jarvis Creek Park. For the first lap, runners would run down Cross Island Parkway and loop around on Arrow Road. The second lap would have take a similar route, with a mile-long extension off Marshland Road.
What options do runners have?
According to the race’s website, registered runners are eligible to receive a refund through these steps:
- Login to the EnMotive website.
- Once logged in, runners should click Registrations on the left menu, then locate the personalized 2025 Hilton Head Island registration.
- Click the three dots at the top right, select Cancel Registration.
- Repeat the process for each participant or additional registration (for those in the challenge) registered on your account.
The website says that refunds could take up to 5-7 days to be credited back to the account. If the refund can not be processed to the original payment method, registered runners will receive a check in the mail. If runners contributed to The Outside Foundation, a local non-profit with a goal of getting kids outside while preserving the environment, their funds have been donated, but they can also receive a refund.
Some runners have decided to sign up for other marathons scheduled for Feb. 15 and 16. Thomas plans to run in the Oak Island Half Marathon in North Carolina, along with others runners who have commented their plans on the race’s Facebook page.
Others will participate in a local 13.1-mile fun run on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 8 a.m., hosted by The Hilton Head Running Company. According to a Facebook post, they will start and finish at the running company, and there will be water stations along the way. The post emphasizes that this is an unofficial training run, and runners are participating at their own risk.
