Halloween in Rockaway starts on the boardwalk this year. On Saturday, Oct. 31, the Rockaway Track Club is running three races from the Rockaway Beach Amphitheater at Beach 94th Street: a marathon at 8 a.m., then a half marathon and a 5K at 9 a.m. All three start and finish at the same spot on the boards.

The races were first set for Oct. 24 and were moved a week later, which puts them on Halloween morning. Registration stays open until the 9 a.m. start.

The three races

  • The NYC Ocean Marathon: Check-in, bibs and T-shirts open at 6:30 a.m., and the gun goes at 8 a.m. The club lists the event window as 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • The half marathon: Starts at 9 a.m. The course is two loops of the boardwalk: from Beach 94th Street west to a turnaround at Beach 124th Street, then east to Beach 54th Street, and back to the finish at Beach 94th.
  • The 5K: Also at 9 a.m. It is a single out-and-back, from Beach 94th Street to the Beach 124th Street turnaround and back.

What it costs and what you get

On the registration page, the half marathon is $74.14 and the 5K is $52.94, each including the sign-up fee. Every runner gets a T-shirt and a medal, and there is water and Gatorade at several points along the course.

Friends and family who are not running can follow along through the RaceJoy app, which gives live GPS tracking and progress alerts if the runner carries a phone.

Who is behind it

The Rockaway Track Club runs a series of 5Ks and half marathons on the Rockaway Beach boardwalk, with registration through RunSignup and more information on its own site.

Also on the peninsula that day

Two free NYC Parks events fill out the rest of the morning:

  • Cardio Punch on the boardwalk, 11 a.m., at Beach 60th Street, an NYC Parks fitness class held on the boards.
  • A Howl-oween Doggie Day Walk, 1 to 2 p.m., at Bay Breeze Park, Beach Channel Drive and Beach 88th Street. The Urban Park Rangers lead a stroll for dogs in costume, with a costume contest along the way. Dogs stay on leash, and people without dogs are welcome too.

Getting there

The amphitheater is on the boardwalk at Beach 94th Street, and the club lists free public parking in the lot on Beach 94th. By subway, the Rockaway Park Shuttle stops at Beach 90th Street and Beach 98th Street, each a short walk from the start. The NYC Ferry's Rockaway route lands at Beach 108th Street.

To run, register on the club's race pages before the 9 a.m. start on Oct. 31, and arrive at Beach 94th Street by 6:30 a.m. for the marathon or in time for check-in before the 9 a.m. races.

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