The DONNA RACE WEEKEND
5K, Half, Full, Ultra

3-Night Package
February 2-5, 2023

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Contact Jennifer to purchase your package (jennifer@destination-marathons.com).

Join two-time Boston Marathon winner and Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson for a weekend racecation.

The DONNA Marathon
5K, 15K Relay, Half, Full, Ultra

2 or 3 night package
August 25, 2022 – August 28, 2022

5/5

5.0  (5)

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Shared Cabin starting at

$650

/person plus taxes/fees

1 Bedroom Private Cabin starting at

$900

/person + taxes/fees

Race Date

8.27.2022

Location

Asheville, NC

“ONE OF SEVEN MARATHONS WORTH THE TRIP” – CNN Travel

The DONNA Race Weekend offers a fast, flat course in 5K, Half Marathon, Marathon, and Ultra distances in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Started in 2008 by Donna Deegan (a former Jacksonville news anchor and breast cancer survivor) and sponsored for 15 straight years by the Galloway organization, 26.2 with DONNA The National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer is the only marathon in the US dedicated to breast cancer research and care and benefits The DONNA Foundation. A flat and fast certified Boston Qualifying course that’s also an AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Ranking qualifying series race, it’s one not to miss! And with average temperatures in early February at lows of 45 and highs of 65 degrees, you can expect great conditions for a fast race!

Ideal Location

With 2 hotel options directly on the beach or yards away, stay at the closest hotels to the start/finish at Seawalk Pavilion and all the race action.

Pre-Race Dinner

We’ve got you covered!  Enjoy Italian fare right in hotel with views of the ocean.

VIP Activities

From a speaker panel luncheon and pre-race dinner featuring running legends and influencers (including Olympians Jeff Galloway and Joan Benoit Samuelson).

Galloway Experience

Stay among the Galloway leaders, including Jeff and Barbara Galloway and Chris Twiggs while supporting their efforts to raise money for breast cancer research.

Itinerary

Sit back, relax, and let us handle the logistics. 

  • 4:30-6:30 Welcome Reception
  • 8:00 Official DONNA Social Shakeout run
  • 11:00-1:00 Speaker Panel Luncheon
  • 1200-6:00 Official DONNA Race Expo
  • 1:30-4:00 VIP running workshop sessions and vendor visits at hotel
  • 4:00-6:00 VIP packet & bib pick-up at hotel
  • 7:30 Ultra Marathon start
  • 8:00 5K start
  • 8:00-4:00 Official DONNA Race Expo
  • 8:00 Shakeout Run
  • 11:00-2:00 Beach games
  • 6:00-8:00 Pre-race pasta dinner (Four Points by Sheraton Beachfront)
  • 7:30 Marathon & Half Marathon start (Seawalk Pavilion)
  • 9:00-3:00 Post-race party, massages at DM Finish Line Tent
  • Depart hotels
Accommodations
Four Points by Sheraton Beachfront or Element by Westin

Stay close to all the action at Seawalk Pavilion.  DM offers 2 hotel options to best fit your needs.

Stay in all-oceanfront suites at Four Points by Sheraton Beachfront with a separate living room and sleeper sofa or just a few yards across the way in modern, studio rooms at the Element – a brand new extended stay hotel with fully-equipped kitchens and sleeper sofas.

Swimming pool
Complimentary breakfast (Element)
Fully-equipped kitchens (Element)
Fitness center
Oceanfront suites (Four Points)
Onsite bar and oceanfront restaurant (Four Points)
Sleeper sofas
Beer on-tap (Element)
Hotel map and surroundings
Jacksonville Beach
What's included?
Optional add ons

Add an additional guest to your package for $295 for the weekend (excluding taxes/fees). Guests will enjoy all VIP perks as payors.

See pricing details below for specifics.

Not included
Inclusive Package Pricing*

Choose to pay in full or place a non-refundable $250 deposit per room to reserve your trip. 

*Book now to secure these prices. DM reserves the right to raise package pricing according to market value.

Four Points Sheraton Beachfront Oceanfront Suites
Contact Jennifer to purchase your package (jennifer@destination-marathons.com).

Pricing reflects not only the room but also all of the meals, activities, and perks listed under the What’s Included section.

Add Ons
See below for add on details

Add up to 3 additional guests to your package for $295/person (excluding taxes/fees) for the queen suite and up to 2 additional guests for the king suite.  Guests will enjoy all the VIP meals, activities, and other perks as the payors do.

*Please note all guests (including children) must be registered to ensure DM has knowledge of who is in the room in case of emergency and so all paid guests have access to the package perks.

Element by Westin Studios
Contact Jennifer to purchase your package (jennifer@destination-marathons.com).

Pricing reflects not only the room but also all of the meals, activities, and perks listed under the What’s Included section.

Add Ons
See below for add on details

Add up to 3 additional guests to your package for $295/person (excluding taxes/fees) for the queen studio and up to 2 additional guests for the king studio. Guests will enjoy all the VIP meals, activities, and other perks as the payors do.

*Please note all guests (including children) must be registered to ensure DM has knowledge of who is in the room in case of emergency and so all paid guests have access to the package perks.

Deposit
Contact Jennifer to purchase your package (jennifer@destination-marathons.com).
Add-Ons
Pay for add ons when paying your remaining balance.
Meet your hosts
Mark Janik

Founder / CEO

Carolyn Renick
Justin King
Jeff Lax
Reviews
5/5

5.0  (25)

My trip to Berlin was so much better because I went with Destination marathons. The meals/ tour/ hotels were all well organized and top notch. The staff provided us with everything we needed for a successful race weekend. The bonus was meeting other runners from various places in the process. I would highly recommend using DM for your next destination race!

I absolutely recommend being treated as a VIP at your next Marathon with Destination Marathons. They took wonderful care of the entire group at Boston Marathon. Met some great new friends too.

The team was very friendly and welcoming, the weekend itinerary was well thought out and executed, it was great to have a pasta dinner right at the hotel too. Having the coach bus to ride to the start line with our new friends was a big plus, too. The postrace gathering at the Park Plaza Hotel was an excellent way to get our postmarathon legs moving again, and I really enjoyed the postrace celebration at the hotel with all the finishers!

Excellent job by Mark and the team. No detail left undone. I’ve run Boston 5 times and this is the first time I have used a company and package. I would definitely recommend Destination Marathons and this way to experience Boston!! Thank you for a great time.

After qualifying for my 1st Boston I reached out to see when they would have a 2021 race package ready to go & signed up immediately. For me it was about maximizing my opportunity to completely soak in the experience of my 1st Boston. The Destination Marathons team took care of a ton of small, yet important, details to help reduced a ton of stress. They had the room lined up, shakeout run, pasta feed, transportation to the start, gear check, spectator itinerary & guidance to various points, detailed instructions for getting around & other details I’m overlooking or taking for granted. This is the 1st trip where my wife wasn’t stressed out about finding her way to watch points & the finish on her own. When our flight got canceled & made us miss the 1st night of our trip, DM changed our hotel reservation within minutes to add the night back to the end of our trip so we could stay an extra day. We left for this race not knowing anyone & came home with new running friends we can’t wait to see at new destinations & new races. Mark & his team do an absolutely amazing job of connecting with runners & their families to make sure everyone has the best trip possible. Can’t wait book another destination race with Destination Marathons! Thanks again Mark, Paul & Nicole! You all made our 1st Boston even more memorable 💙💛💙

I would highly recommend Destination Marathons if they are participating at your next race. They took EVERY headache out of the trip planning (hotel, pre-race dinner, pre-race breakfast, etc.). The body ache of running the marathon is still yours to deal with. However, they did have free massages for after the race. They took care of me during my marathon trip better than I normally take care of myself. Worth every penny. 10/10 do recommend!

Destination Marathons goes out of their way to create a first class experience. Whether you are a first time marathoner or one who has done many, Mark and his team go above and beyond to make your trip the best it can be. I can’t say enough about the great service they provide and totally allow you to focus on running your race and having a great time. I look forward to another trip with them in the near future.

Destination Marathons takes all the worry of race logistics away. All you have to do is show up and run ! No need to be overwhelmed with logistics! Save all that valuable energy for race day ! Mark and team take a special interest in getting to know you and it’s genuine. Traveling solo to Wilmington I so appreciated the whole experience. They take you in and make you part of the race family . I felt like I made some new friends this past weekend and I look forward to the next adventure with DM . Hopefully, it will be Grandmas !

My husband and I travel for destination marathons a few times a year. This was our first time booking with Destination Marathons (Atlanta to watch the Olympic Trials and run) and it was fantastic! Mark and Berkley communicated details thoroughly. Would totally recommend Destination Marathons to my firends! Great group of people! :0)

FAQ'S
What is the Galloway organization mentioned in the itinerary?

The Galloway organization was founded by Jeff Galloway, who ran for the United States in the 1972 Munich Olympics in the 10,000 meter event. Jeff has worked with over 300,000 runners of all ages and abilities and is the inventor of the Galloway Run-Walk-Run method, which opened up the possibility of running and completing a marathon to almost everyone. Philosophically, Jeff believes that we are all designed to run and walk – and he keeps finding ways to bring more people into the positive world of exercise.

Will there be ways to support the DONNA Foundation during race weekend?

Yes! DM wants to support the DONNA Foundation’s efforts, so there will be plenty of fundraising opportunities all weekend long, including a silent auction and a “live ask” (where we ask attendees to open their wallets to donate any amount they can afford) at the pre-race dinner. Not only does the DONNA Foundation provide financial assistance and support to women living with breast cancer, but they also continue to work to fund ground-breaking research. This is a cause we totally support and hope you will, too!

Which hotel should I choose?

Either hotel – Four Points or Element – are great options being centrally located to all the action of race weekend. It depends on what you desire most: a studio room with a sleeper sofa in the living area and a fully-equipped kitchen, or a more-traditional oceanfront suite at Four Points. The host hotels are very near each other, and both are just a few steps away from the start/finish area.

Can I get a two-night package?

Since we have packed the DONNA Race Weekend with so many events including instructional workshops, speaker luncheons, shakeout runs, beach games, and DONNA Foundation fundraising, we can offer only 3-night packages for our guests.

How much is the deposit, and is it refundable?

Guests are required to pay a $250 non-refundable deposit upon sign-up for the trip.

I am a new runner and don’t have a coach or a plan to get ready for the DONNA weekend. Does DM provide coaching?

Chris Twiggs of the Galloway organization will be providing a training program that you can follow to get prepared for the race, and this basic plan is included in the trip package. If you need more one-on-one attention or an advanced plan, custom plans can be purchased for an additional cost. Ask your DM staff if you desire a custom plan!

Will transportation be provided to the Expo?

We do not provide transportation to and around Jacksonville Beach, including the Expo. However, we will pick up your bib and packet for you. These will be available after the training workshops on Friday at Four Points for your convenience.

Do I have to register my guests even if they’re not running?

Yes! DM guests have access to all the VIP perks as our runners. To ensure they receive all our great services, we require that you let us know whom you are bringing at the time of registration.

Please note our security policy mandates that all people staying in our room block must be registered as a payor’s guest.  Adherence to this policy will be strictly enforced – no exceptions.

Can I bring my kids?

Yes! Children 15 and under are free, provided they stay in your room. If you purchase double-occupancy, they will share your bed.

Can I bring my dog?

Up to two pets are allowed in each hotel for an additional fee of up to $50 per night per pet. Weight limits apply, so check with your DM staff about the details.

What if I have food allergies?

Please notify us of any dietary restrictions you have so we can do our best to accommodate you.