Cycling & running events in Myrtle Beach, 2026

Grand Strand Base Miles

Running: Myrtle Beach gives runners beach running with an ocean view across 60 miles of coastline, so Z2 miles can feel easy even when the sand makes them honest. The beach run goes 9 miles and turns at Cherry Grove Pier. Grand Park at The Market Common gives a 2-mile paved runner’s path, while Central Park gives a quarter-mile loop and McLean Park gives a half-mile loop. Grand Strand Running Club, Black Dog Running Company, and Fleet Feet Myrtle Beach keep the week social. Anchor races include the 20th Annual Myrtle Beach Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk and the 17th Annual Independence Day 5K Run/Walk.

Cycling: Riders get the same coastal engine room, with Ocean Boulevard, Ocean Drive, and the East Coast Greenway carrying steady base miles along the Grand Strand. Grand Strand Bicycle Club and Myrtle Beach Cycling Community keep the scene connected, even as GSBC postponed Bike the Beach for 2025. The ride from Garden City to Pawleys Island covers 6 miles, and the Grand Strand section of the East Coast Greenway gives over 21 protected, well-marked miles. The Hulk gives 7+ miles of winding, moderately technical singletrack for cyclocross legs and dirt skills. 34 km.

Season: The Grand Strand works year-round because the climate stays mild, but locals treat spring and fall like the cleanest blocks for intervals, long runs, and gran fondo miles. Summer brings heat, beach life, and thousands of J1 students using traditional bicycles, e-bikes, and e-scooters to get around the beach. Runners shift toward early starts, shaded bits near North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex, and sand sessions before the day fills in. Cyclists lean into morning Z2 on Ocean Boulevard, Waccamaw Neck Bikeway, and the Conway Riverwalk. Winter keeps both sports rolling, while Myrtle Beach State Park shifts to 6am-8pm from December through February.