CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – The City of Corpus Christi is preparing for the return of the 45th Annual Beach to Bay Relay Marathon on Saturday, May 21. Over 8,000 runners will participate in the event, along with hundreds of spectators. Beach to Bay is one of the largest relay marathons in the United States and draws competitors from across the globe to honor those serving in the United States military. The race has not taken place since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.

The race will begin at 7:00 a.m. on the beach near Zahn Road and will end at The Water’s Edge on Shoreline Drive. Some streets and intersections will be closed along the course to protect participants as they run from beach to bay.

Here’s what you need to know about 2022 Beach to Bay:

THE ROUTE

Participants can run the 26.2-mile course three different ways, either as a relay of six runners, a relay of two runners, or one runner completing the full marathon.

-Leg 1 will begin at JP Luby Beach, South of Zahn Road, and end at Packery Channel Park (4.99 miles).  

-Leg 2 will begin at Packery Channel Park. Runners will then leave the beach onto Zahn Road, SH 361, and Park Road 22 (southbound lanes) and end below the Intracoastal Bridge Causeway Bridge Below (3.00 miles). 

-Leg 3 will begin below the Intracoastal Bridge Causeway Bridge and end along Waldron Road near NAS Drive (4.36 miles). 

-Leg 4 will begin along Waldron Road near NAS Drive and end just outside the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi (NASCC) north gate on Ocean Drive (4.60 miles). 

-Leg 5 will begin just outside of the NASCC north gate on Ocean Drive and end on the west side of Swantner Park (4.20 miles). 

-Leg 6 will begin on the west side of Swantner Park and end at the finish line at McCaughan Park (5.07 miles). 

STREET CLOSURES

Residents and business owners along or near the racecourse are urged to plan and be aware of road closures. Participants are encouraged to utilize the park and ride shuttle services. Motorists should follow posted signs and messages. They should also expect delays as travel lanes, ramp exits, and intersections along the course may be temporarily closed for the safety of the participants, bus services, and emergency responders.

The following closures will be in place by 4:00 a.m., and they will reopen on a rolling basis, based on the direction of the Corpus Christi Police Department:

-Shoreline Boulevard, Coopers Alley to Buford Street (full closure of both sides)

-Shoreline Boulevard, Craig Street to Buford Street (northbound right lane and bike lane)

-Ocean Drive, NAS North Gate to Craig Street (northbound right lane and bike lane)

-Waldron Road, SPID Frontage Road to Fawn Drive

-Fawn Drive, SPID Frontage Road to Waldron Road

-NAS Drive, Waldron Road to NAS South Gate (northbound outside lane and shoulder)

-Waldron Road Exit

-Northbound and Southbound Exits at Intracoastal Bridge (at Leg 2-3 exchange)

-Aquarius Street and Park Road 22 Intersection

-All crossovers along Park Road 22 from Aquarius Street to SH 361/Commodores Drive

-The intersection of Zahn Road and SH 361

Access to the beach from SH 361 will be via Newport Pass only. Access to Zahn Road will be limited to bus services, boat ramp access, and residents of Tortuga Dunes.

Due to the closures of the northbound and southbound exits at the Intracoastal Bridge, motorists will not be able to access the area under the bridge after 4:00 a.m. Additionally, Island residents traveling north of the SH 361/Commodores Drive intersection will have to use an alternate turnaround at Flour Bluff Drive to return to the Island or southbound access lanes along Park Road 22 during the closure times.

Safety is a top priority, so motorists are reminded to be aware of the runners, follow the posted detour signs, or seek alternate routes to avoid delays. 

For more information on Beach to Bay, please visit https://beachtobayrelay.com/.