VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - More than 7,000 half-marathoners and around 2,500 marathoners ran through the streets of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront on Sunday for the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon.
That's according to J&A Racing, organizers of the event's 52nd year, which — in a somewhat rare occurrance — actually fell on St. Patrick's Day.
In total, more than 22,000 registered for the weekend and Co-Race Director, Jerry Frostick told News 3 that more than a thousand volunteers helped put the races on.
He says he considers the Shamrock Marathon the premier event in Virginia Beach, one made better by the community.
“I really think it’s the smiles and all the people coming from all over that just say, ‘we love coming to Virginia Beach,'" he said. "I think it’s our team working together and then, when we cheer on that last finisher, it’s pretty emotional.”
The first marathon finisher was 36-year-old Jerry Greenlaw of Alexandria with a time of 2:28. The first female finisher was 28-year-old Clare Filiere of Columbia, MD with a time of 2:55.
The race route started at Atlantic Avenue and 42nd Street and took runners north through Fort Story. The Marathon route went south of the Oceanfront through Camp Pendleton. The Finish Line was on the Boardwalk near the King Neptune statue.
Frostick says the most recent economic study of the Shamrock Marathon in 2022 found a $22.5 million economic impact on the city of Virginia Beach.
