CONNECTICUT STATE CHAMPIONSHIP "The Half Marathon to do in Connecticut"
voted by Active.com users
THE COURSE
Run along the beautiful beaches of Milford featuring the Silver Sands State Park Boardwalk. This is a PR Course like no other. This race has sold out before.
The flattest and most beautiful Half Marathon in CT.
Gulf Street is closed for the start and finish of the race but other roads are open to traffic. We have police or volunteers at most intersections along the course.
USATF Certified Course #CT19028JHP
Aid stations: miles 2.75, 4.75, 6.75, 8.75 & 10.75 stocked with Poland Spring Water & Gatorade Endurance.
Bathrooms & Porto-Lets at the Start / Finish as well as Miles 3, 4.5, 8.5 & 10.
This race starts at 7am to avoid the heat!
Half Marathon course including elevation on Strava
Venue: Gulf Beach 550 Gulf St. Milford, CT. 06460
Plenty of parking in the beach lots and on-street. See map below.
THE ENTRANT STUFF
Men's and Women's cut Short Sleeve Tech T-Shirts for all entrants.
New Gorgeous 4" Custom Finisher medals for all Finishers.
Poland Spring Water, Gatorade Endurance, fresh bagels and bananas at the finish line for Finishers.
Custom awards to the top 3 Men and Women overall and in every 5-year division (from 15 years old to 80+).
FREE downloadable Race Photos and Finisher Certificates by EliteFeats.
Bibs and Shirts will ONLY be available during Friday and race day registration. We do not keep or ship these.
TIMING AND RESULTS
Transponder Timing and Results for gun time and net time.
Results will be live streaming, texted and emailed to you once you finish.
CUTOFFS AND EARLY STARTS
THERE WILL BE NO EARLY START THIS YEAR
Half Marathon Time cut off is 3:00
WHAT IS A RACE SERIES STREAKER?
Since 2014 we have offered a challenge to all who would like to accept. Finish all 3 of our 2027 Half Marathons (The Savin Rock Marathon counts too) and we give you a FREE custom Shoreline Sharks Race Series Streaker Hoodie.
1. 4/3/2027 The Savin Rock Marathon or Half Marathon
2. 5/29/2027 The Hamden Hills Half Marathon
3. 9/18/2027 The Gulf Beach Half Marathon
You can register on-line or race-day, it does not matter. Finish all 3 and you’ve got it! We will be handing the Hoodies out at the Rail Trail 10K on 10/2/2027 or the Shoreline Turkey Trot 5K on 11/25/2027 or you can pick it up from us in North Haven. We do not ship them. Make sure to email Streaker@ShorelineSharks.com when you finish all 3 with your size and color (unisex S,M,L and XL)
THE HISTORY
2011: The inaugural race had a 5K as well.
2013: The 5K was moved to another date.
2019: The Half Marathon course was USATF certified.
2020: The State of CT cancels all races due to Covid19.
2021: The 5K made its last appearance with the Half Marathon
2023: The Race was the RRCA Half Marathon State Championship
2024: The race is the RRCA Eastern Region Championship
2025: The race is the RRCA State Championship again
We have had runners from all 50 States and a dozen other countries race. Many make this State #50 with us!
PRICING STRUCTURE
10/19/2026 - 12/31/2026 $75
1/1/2027 - 2/28/2027 $80
3/1/2027 - 9/16/2027 $85
9/17/2027 & 9/18/2027 In Person Registration:
$90 Cash, Checks made out to "CASH" and Venmo only. No cards on race day.
TRANSFER & DEFERRAL INFO
You may TRANSFER your registration to another athlete until 8/18/2027 for $25. *This is done by you on-line through Active* THIS IS A HARD DEADLINE. NO EXCEPTIONS.
You may DEFER your entry to the 2028 Race until 8/18/2027 for $25 by sending a Venmo to "Shorelinesharks" and emailing Defer@ShorelineSharks.com. We will confirm via email. You will be manually removed from 2027 and manually entered into 2028. THIS IS A HARD DEADLINE. NO EXCEPTIONS.
NO REFUNDS /NO EXCEPTIONS.
We will not reply to emails asking for an exception to our NO REFUND, Transfer or Deferral Policy.
Active.com offers an insurance plan for a fee but we are not involved with that. They will refund you, not us.
Friday 9/17/2027: Bib and Shirt pickup as well as In Person Registration at the Race Venue from 3pm-6pm. We leave at 6pm on the dot. We will be staffed for a large turnout.
RACE DAY
Saturday 9/18/2027
Dawn: 6:09am, Sunrise: 6:39am
5:15am: Registration / Bib and Shirt Pickup Opens
6:45am: Registration / Bib and Shirt Pickup Closes
7:00am: Half Marathon Starts
8:20am: First Finishers for the Half Marathon
10:00am: Final Finishers of the Half Marathon, Race Venue Closed
550 Gulf St. Milford, CT. 06460
Bring photo ID
TRAVEL AND HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
Air Travel
Milford, Connecticut can be accessed easily from Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, CT. (64 Miles away) as well as JFK International Airport (71 miles away) and LaGuardia International Airport, (65 miles away) both in Queens, NY. Bradley will be MUCH easier to fly through and travel to and from the race venue, but the tickets may be more expensive. Recently Tweed Regional Airport has offered flights from various cities so check them out too. Tweed is less than 15 miles from the venue.
Hotels
The closest (2 miles from the venue) hotels to stay in for the Gulf Beach Half Marathon are:
Hilton Garden Inn 291 Old Gate Ln. Milford, CT. 06460 Phone (203) 783-9988
Hyatt Place
190 Old Gate Ln. Milford, CT. 06460
Phone (203) 877-9800
We do not have any deals with these hotels but they may offer you one or late checkout.
PARKING
We have the permit to park in the Resident Only lots UNITIL 11am ONLY. There are 300 spots there at the venue. There are hundreds more spots on side streets that are legal and within 1/4 of a mile. Please do not park where it is prohibited! You risk being ticketed and towed.