The Powerade Panama City Beach Marathon held its first race in December 2009 and drew more than 1,000 runners from 36 states and 5 countries that year.
The start and finish are on Pier Park Drive inside Pier Park, just north of Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville.
These days it's a small race, with around 300 full marathon finishers a year (295 in 2025).
The wheelchair marathon goes off at 6:55 a.m., the marathon at 7 a.m., the half marathon at 7:30 a.m., the 5K at 8 a.m.,
and the kids' run at 9:30 a.m. The half marathon leaves Pier Park Drive and heads east on Front Beach Road,
turns onto Thomas Drive just before mile 6, turns around at mile 6.5, and retraces the route to Margaritaville.
The marathon runs this out-and-back twice, sharing the road with half marathon runners.
The course is flat, with just over 20 feet (about 6 m) between its highest and lowest points, and the Gulf of Mexico is in view for most of it.
The full marathon is a certified course (certification number FL15004LAB),
so it's a Boston qualifier, and times from this race can be used to enter the 2028 Boston Marathon.
Water and Powerade are set out at every mile marker and at the start and finish, and energy gels are handed out too.
Beast Pacing provides pacer groups for the marathon and half marathon.
