A northeaster that has already brought strong winds and some rain to the East End and threatens to bring more rain and wind and coastal flooding this weekend has thrown a fork in the road for two big weekend athletic events that set out from Southampton: the Hamptons Marathon and Half Marathon on Saturday and Tour of the Hamptons, a cycling outing, on Sunday.
The starting line for the Hamptons Marathon and Half Marathon (and a 5K) is on Pond Lane near Agawam Park. The full and half marathons start at 7:30 a.m.; runners in the 5K set out at 7:45. Races are held rain or shine; however, in a social media post earlier this week marathon organizers acknowledged that they were closely monitoring the northeaster.
“For now, please plan for race weekend as scheduled,” they said. “Our team is in close communication with local officials and public safety partners and is exploring potential adjustments to help reduce the impact of weather.”
For last-minute participants, registration is still open and costs $81.16 for the 5K, $149.39 for the half marathon, and $159.88 for the full marathon.
Tour of the Hamptons, run by the Massapequa Park Bicycle Club, is not a race but a self-paced, supported ride with routes of 25, 53, 70, and 105 miles (and 30 miles for vintage bikes). Cyclists set out from the Southampton Intermediate School off Narrow Lane, with those on the longest route heading all the way to Montauk Point. Registration, which costs $96.04 through bikereg.com, closes this afternoon at 3, in part because Southampton Town requires signed waivers in advance of the tour. As of yesterday, the bike club seemed to be moving ahead as planned with the rides. Rain is likely Sunday, and winds are expected to be blowing at 20 to 30 miles per hour.
