By Alex Rodman, Staff Writer
Arrrrrgghhhh — you signed up for the Flying Pirate Half Marathon or First Flight 5K?
The Flying Pirate Half Marathon, presented by Outer Banks Sporting Events and Wells Fargo Bank, returns Sunday (April 23) for its eighth consecutive year on the Outer Banks. The community event hosts a weekend full of pirate-themed races, contests, raffles, prizes and a pirate jamboree with live music performed by Strictly Business.
The half marathon sets sail Sunday morning at 7 on The Woods Road in Kitty Hawk. The course guides participants along the Albemarle Sound, circles the daunting Wright Brothers Monument and finishes with a trek through Nags Head Woods that concludes with serious hill work before reaching the finish line at the Outer Banks YMCA.
Senior Hunter Crook, a veteran half marathoner, has competed in this race multiple times and enjoys the many challenges the course has to offer.
“I actually really like the Flying Pirate course because at the end it goes through Nags Head Woods, which gets really fun,” Crook said. “I always fall, which adds some excitement to the end of the race. I trip on roots and rocks, but honestly that’s the best part.”
Freshman Aidan May has never ran a half marathon, but plans to make the Flying Pirate his first.
“I’ve wanted to do a full marathon for a while,” May said. “So I just decided to do the half marathon because it’s just half, it’s a lot easier. I am gonna go for it; hopefully, I don’t puke at like the two-mile mark.”
The First Flight 5K, sponsored by the Outer Banks Hospital, begins at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. Principal Tim Albert has participated in the First Flight 5K the past two years. This year, instead of racing solo, Albert plans to share the experience with his family.
“I’m running it actually with my wife, my daughter and my grandson, who is 4 months old,” Albert said. “We’re gonna push him in one of those running stroller things. So that’s really why we’re doing it — as a family thing.”
Some courageous participants will double their voyage by competing in both the 5K race on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday. These brave runners will earn the glorified title and gear of “Double Dare Challengers.”
Proceeds from these events benefit the Outer Banks Relief Foundation and the Dare Education Foundation. Learn more at http://www.flyingpiratehalfmarathon.org/.
Junior Alex Rodman can be reached at rodmanal0704@daretolearn.org.
