2026 Battleship Half Marathon to feature redesigned course around historic battleship

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Organizers of the 2026 Parkway Subaru Battleship Half Marathon and GFL 10K have announced a redesigned race course that will once again take runners around the Battleship North Carolina Memorial.

The updated route returns participants in the half marathon and 10K to the SECU Memorial Walkway surrounding the battleship, a course feature that was last included in 2019.

Race weekend is scheduled for Nov. 14-15, with the half marathon, 10K and 5K taking place Sunday, Nov. 15. The races will begin at 6:45 a.m., timed to coincide with sunrise over the Cape Fear River.

Under the new course layout, half marathon and 10K runners will cross the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge before entering USS North Carolina Road near mile two. Participants will then travel counterclockwise around the battleship on the SECU Memorial Walkway before rejoining the course near mile three. The 5K route will remain on the downtown Wilmington side of the river.

Race organizers said the route was developed in partnership with leadership at the Battleship North Carolina Memorial.

The course update comes during the nation’s semiquincentennial year, marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. Organizers said the battleship will be illuminated in red, white and blue throughout race weekend as part of the America 250 observance.

A portion of race registration fees will be directed toward upgrades and repairs to the SECU Memorial Walkway, which honors veterans from all branches of the military. Additional fundraising details are expected to be announced later.

“The Battleship North Carolina Memorial honors the service and sacrifice of the more than 11,000 North Carolinians who gave their lives during World War II, the 10,000 men who served aboard USS North Carolina, and all who have worn our nation’s uniform,” said Dr. Jay Martin, executive director of the Battleship North Carolina Memorial, in a statement.

Martin said the partnership allows participants to reflect on the service of veterans while helping support preservation efforts at the memorial.

Registration for the half marathon, 10K and 5K is open. Organizers said they are targeting more than 3,000 runners across all race distances.

The annual event is held in Wilmington and features routes through downtown and along the Cape Fear River. The 2026 race weekend will take place the weekend following Veterans Day.