With near perfect conditions for a long distance race and some good runners, a new record was set for the Outer Banks Flying Pirate Half Marathon on Sunday.
The temperature at the start time of 7:00 a.m. was around 55 degrees with a light breeze and bright sunshine. It It didn’t take overall winner Ethan Sommers of Washing , North Carolina long to move to the lead—a lead he never relinquished.
Sommers completed the 13.1 mile race in just short of 1:14:24 with an average pace of 5:40 miles. That is by a considerable degree the fastest time that has ever been run for the Flying Pirate course.
The course is one of the nicest on the Outer Banks. Beginning behind First Flight Middle School in Kill Devil Hills, runners pass through a residential area before entering Nags Head Woods.
Nags Head Woods is both the prettiest and most challenging leg of the race. The forest and canopy are beautiful, especially as the vibrant colors of an April spring on the Outer Banks are on full display.
But Old Nags Head Woods Road that runner use to pass through the reserve is a dirt and sand road, with some of the few hills that there are in the race.
According to Sommers, the Flying Pirate was his first half marathon, although he had run a 15K previously.
The first place woman was Susanna Stroik of Carboro, NCwho finished with a very respectable 1:39:51.
The Flying Pirate Half Marathon is sponsored by the Outer Banks Sporting Events, the same organization runs the Outer Banks Marathon in November every year. Next up for OBSE will be a new event—the Killer Dunes 2-Miler. Two miles on the sand of Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head on July 4. This will be tough race; sand is not a runners best friend.
So much to do and enjoy on the Outer Banks from Corolla to Hatteras Island. Make your vacation plans include a stay in a Brindley Beach Vacations home.