Race Weekend Update

Hello friends,

As you’ve probably heard by now, due to the incoming weather, Seaside made the call to cancel the half marathon this weekend. (You can read the official message they sent at the bottom of this email.)

I know. Deep breaths.

While we won’t be lining up at the starting line tomorrow, we will still be gathering for worship at 10 a.m. as usual. The roads should be open like normal, and the shuttles are still scheduled to run as planned.

Obviously, everyone would have loved to run tomorrow… well… most of you. But the priority is keeping people safe, and that’s something we can all get behind.

The silver lining? There is now hardly any excuse not to join us for worship. That said, if you were already planning to worship online, that option is still there for you and you should definitely still do that!

A couple of quick reminders:
•    There will be no kids or youth programming tomorrow, just as previously planned.
•    We will still be in sweatpants.
•    And yes, you should be too.

If you need anything at all, please let us know. We’re grateful for this community—rain or shine.

We’ll see you in person or online at 10 a.m.

Here is the statement from SEASIDE about the race.

RACE DAY WEATHER UPDATE
The safety of our runners, volunteers, staff, sponsors, and community partners is, and will always be, our number one priority. Over the past several days, we have worked closely with Meteorologist Chris Smith of Panhandle Weather, along with local and county officials, to carefully monitor the forecast and evaluate every possible scenario for Race Day. Weather impacts far more than just the time runners are on the course. It affects road closures, volunteer deployment, medical support access, emergency response readiness, and the safety of our community before, during, and after the event. While there may have been a potential window to hold a shortened race, the overall timing and severity of forecasted wind, rain, and lightning create significant logistical and safety concerns that extend well beyond the race itself.

We have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2026 SEASIDE SCHOOL™ Half Marathon + 5K. The decision was made with the full support of the Walton County Sheriff’s Office and the Walton County Fire District.

This marks the first cancellation in the race’s 24-year history, and it is not a decision we made lightly. We carefully evaluated every reasonable option to hold the event safely, but the risks to our volunteers, staff, runners, and community partners are too great. While conditions tomorrow morning could look different, we must make decisions based on the most current and reliable information available in order to provide proper notice and ensure everyone’s safety. While the races will not take place, the complimentary shuttle service will continue to operate as scheduled tomorrow. We are sincerely grateful for your patience, understanding, and continued support of SEASIDE SCHOOL™. We are finalizing details regarding race medals and will share an update with you by tomorrow morning.

Let me know if you need anything and I hope to see you at worship or sometime soon.
 

Blessings,

Andrew