The Oak Island Marathon takes place in Oak Island, NC, and is held by Coastal Race Productions
as a part of their BAM! race series. This race happened during the COVID-19 pandemic so I'm not sure if this would apply to how the races normally are. I was super impressed with all of the precautions race directors took to have a safe race.

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T-Shirts/SWAG
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For being a small, relatively inexpensive race, it had some awesome swag. One of the gimmicks of the BAM! race series is the gargantuan medal you get. The longer the race distance, the bigger the medal, and this one did not disappoint. It was a 3-D locket in the shape of a sea turtle with a picture of a lighthouse on the inside! Not only that, but all participants got a fleece blanket and marathon finishers got a finisher jacket.

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Aid Stations
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Due to COVID-19 the aid stations were every 3 miles (I think usually it's every mile) and still had volunteers but it was strongly suggested you bring your own method of carrying hydration so the volunteers could pour water/gatorade into it instead of handing you water. You could also grab some single use cups already filled on the table.

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Course Scenery
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It was a pretty course for the most part and for a good stretch you actually get to see the beach! Unfortunately with the weather, the views were kind of tainted. I wouldn't travel super far for the scenery, but it was worth the 3 hour drive. Unfortunately, due to the weather and COVID, there weren't any spectators really but the race directors had a bunch of fun and motivational signs along the course! I will say, if it rains, make sure your socks and shoes can handle some deep puddles.

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Expo Quality
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No expo just a basic bib pickup

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Elevation Difficulty
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The whole race is flat... except miles 20-23! What is it with race directors putting .the only elevation at the end of the race? Haha! Even then, the bridge wasn't too bad.

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Parking/Access
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It's a small race but that doesn't mean you can stroll up at the last minute, which we learned the hard way. They do have the entire lot behind the Middleton Park amphitheater booked for that day. HINT: If you see a sign in that lot that says "Town Bus Parking Only," you can park there.

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Race Management
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Besides the medal, probably the best thing about this race was the communication from the directors. Every week they would let us know the status of their permit approval and made sure everyone was clear on the COVID-19 safety guidelines: masks required in start/finish area and for spectators, less aid stations, carrying own hydration encouraged, rolling starts, less runners, etc.
They also changed the course last minute because of flooding in one section instead of leaving it there for us to suffer through. They organized a fun socially distant/masks-on after party area at the finish line with free beer and BBQ! All in all, I was super impressed.

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Overall
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I thought this race was awesome for anyone nearby looking for a marathon or half marathon. I will definitely consider their races in the future due to the awesome race directors.