This is a race with beautiful ocean views on a somewhat challenging course. The expo the day before was quite small, nothing more than a glorified bib pickup with a … MORE
This is a race with beautiful ocean views on a somewhat challenging course.
The expo the day before was quite small, nothing more than a glorified bib pickup with a handful of vendors. Information about getting to the race was good, we knew exactly where to go park for the marathon and there were ample shuttles there to get us to the starting line (spectators allowed on shuttles too).
The race started off right on time, marathon first at 7:30, then half at 8 and 5k at 8:30. This is probably the last good thing about the production, as the running lanes weren’t too crowded as a result. The first half of the course is a nice loop with a considerable amount of time with ocean views. Later during that first half the faster half folks started catching up so I had to take care while trying to run tangents so as to not block them. Aid stations were two miles apart so I carried my water bottle.
At the halfway point we crossed past the starting line and headed over to the challenging part of the course with some significant climbs, and is basically an out and back. We also experienced the joy of a water main break between the 14th and 15th mile markers, and hence cold and wet feet. Luckily it was closed up on the return. There is sporadic support on the course except in the starting and finishing section, where there was plenty of support. However, at the finish there was a big crowd just standing there waiting for other people, I barely had room after I crossed the line. I had difficulty finding the heat shield and food after the race, luckily my step daughter found what I wanted. The food tent was relatively empty when I went through it, though I did see pizza go in after I had left it. But all I really wanted was an orange.
The medal was one of the smallest I’ve gotten from a smaller sized race, though it does look nice. The shuttles that were so readily available to take us to the race were few and far between for the ride back to the parking lot, we stood in line for at least 45 minutes shivering. Even though the parking was two miles away I was thinking that even with my aching body I could have walked back quicker.
I would still recommend this race for the views alone.
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Beautiful Views, Iffy Production
This is a race with beautiful ocean views on a somewhat challenging course. The expo the day before was quite small, nothing more than a glorified bib pickup with a … MORE
This is a race with beautiful ocean views on a somewhat challenging course.
The expo the day before was quite small, nothing more than a glorified bib pickup with a handful of vendors. Information about getting to the race was good, we knew exactly where to go park for the marathon and there were ample shuttles there to get us to the starting line (spectators allowed on shuttles too).
The race started off right on time, marathon first at 7:30, then half at 8 and 5k at 8:30. This is probably the last good thing about the production, as the running lanes weren’t too crowded as a result. The first half of the course is a nice loop with a considerable amount of time with ocean views. Later during that first half the faster half folks started catching up so I had to take care while trying to run tangents so as to not block them. Aid stations were two miles apart so I carried my water bottle.
At the halfway point we crossed past the starting line and headed over to the challenging part of the course with some significant climbs, and is basically an out and back. We also experienced the joy of a water main break between the 14th and 15th mile markers, and hence cold and wet feet. Luckily it was closed up on the return. There is sporadic support on the course except in the starting and finishing section, where there was plenty of support. However, at the finish there was a big crowd just standing there waiting for other people, I barely had room after I crossed the line. I had difficulty finding the heat shield and food after the race, luckily my step daughter found what I wanted. The food tent was relatively empty when I went through it, though I did see pizza go in after I had left it. But all I really wanted was an orange.
The medal was one of the smallest I’ve gotten from a smaller sized race, though it does look nice. The shuttles that were so readily available to take us to the race were few and far between for the ride back to the parking lot, we stood in line for at least 45 minutes shivering. Even though the parking was two miles away I was thinking that even with my aching body I could have walked back quicker.
I would still recommend this race for the views alone.
Impressed with Scenery Not Production
Newport, RI is a beautiful town and is relatively close to where I live (about 1.5 to 2 hours) so I was excited for this race. The scenery definitely lived … MORE
Newport, RI is a beautiful town and is relatively close to where I live (about 1.5 to 2 hours) so I was excited for this race. The scenery definitely lived up to expectations. However the production was a major let down. I thought there was good pre-race communication with a helpful athlete guide that had the right amount of information in it. However a few participants I know received incorrect communication about an early start for the half marathon which was frustrating for them. As the race is a bit of a drive for me I did decide to stay in a hotel. I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Middletown just North of Newport. This was a convenient location if you are just driving to the race like me as it was pretty close to the parking lot for the half marathon. However it is a couple miles away from the beach and the mansions so if you are hoping to spend the weekend in Newport you may want lodging closer to the beach. There is the option for race day packet pick-up but you have to pay $20 extra. The expo on Friday goes to 7pm but as traffic can be dicey coming from the Boston area I opted to pay extra for race day so I wouldn’t be stressed Friday evening. Race day morning I parked in the suggested lot in a business park. I had no issues parking or finding my car but I arrived early since I needed to get my packet and got prime parking right by shuttle pick-up. Absolutely no issues with the shuttle in the morning. The start area on the beach was set up well. I got my packet easily. Packet was just shirt and bib. The shirt is a nice, tech shirt. I’d consider it above average though since the swag is just a shirt and medal I marked swag as average as many half marathons you get something in addition to a shirt. There was gear check but I opted to just wear my shirt so I didn’t have to deal with it. It was comfortable to run it. I liked that they had a heated tent as it was a cool morning and you couldn’t wait in your car. For the race they had pacers and you lined up by pace. As it had a 3:30 time limit I stayed near the end knowing it was hilly and I wouldn’t be fast. This is a pretty big race with between 2000-3000 participants in the half marathon. While production for the race wasn’t the worst I’ve ever seen as there were no egregious issues it was some of the worst production I’ve seen for a race this big. I’ll start with the positives which is the course. It is beautiful and has a nice variety of scenery. It starts at the beach and then goes uphill (which means it ends downhill) and is then a loop through Newport. The start is mostly though neighborhoods and quieter areas. There are some fancy houses and some farmland with some farm animals. The best part is the middle of the race where you run right next to the water which was some of the best scenery I’ve seen in any race. At the end you run past the historic mansions which is also really cool and then go downhill to the finish line. There are a lot of hills but they are manageable and worth it for the scenery. There is intermittent spectator support. Not a real spectator filled event but enough pockets of spectators to keep you motivated. Now to the not as good which is production. There were adequate aid stations. However there were not enough porta potties and I lost 5 minutes waiting for one which meant I was chasing the time limit the rest of the race. I did manage to stay under the needed pace but again they were packing up the aid stations by the time I got there even though I was under the time limit and one aid station in the middle ran out of cups. Luckily I had a water bottle. As I said it my last review, aid stations should stay open for all participants under the time limit. There were a few other production issues as well. The course was mostly on coned off sections of road which was fine but there was not enough police support or course marshals. While I never felt in danger there were a few intersections where there was no one directing traffic and I had to stop and look both ways and make eye contact with drivers to make sure they were gonna let me pass. At a very, well-produced race runners shouldn’t have to think about traffic at all. I also thought the course could be better marked. Some of the turns were just marked with arrows on the ground. The finish was also really poorly designed for back of packers. I noticed they were putting cones away to the sidewalk and off the street before the time limit as I was running to the finish line. I finished under 3:30 gun time so I should not have to move to the sidewalk. The finish line area was also really crowded with people waiting in line for the shuttle and it was not that clear where to go. I noticed the person in front of me veered to the right into the parking lot area and I almost followed him but then saw the 13 mile sign was straight ahead along the road and asked a participant who finished if I was going the right way. Luckily I was. It does look like the runner who went the wrong direction figured it out as I saw a result of a participant about his age 1-2 minutes after me. The worst part about the finish area was the half marathoners came in from one side and the marathoners from the other and there were spectators blocking my path and I had to maneuver around them. I did make it to the finish line under the time limit even if you use guntime so there really isn’t an excuse for packing things up. The finish line and spectators were all focused on the marathoners but I did get a medal. The medal is nice. There was a food tent. There was pizza, donut, some bars and fruit. There was plenty of food for me. However I heard for the middle of the pack half marathoners they ran out of food and told them to wait an hour until the marathon food arrived. The absolute worst part was the shuttle at the end. The line was ginormous and there was a ton of spectators which is annoying. I’ve seen shorter lines for Space Mountain. It looked like it would take 30 to 45 minutes to wait in line. I realized the parking lot was only 1 mile away and it would be quicker to walk so I did exactly what everyone wants to do after a half marathon and walk a mile to my car. Overall I did think the race was beautiful but it was not well produced and not back of the pack friendly. I have also done the Surftown Half in RI which is even less back of the back friendly but was a much better organized race. If you can guarantee a finish time under 3 hours, do that race instead. While Newport is an easy location to visit for me, this is not a race I am eager to repeat. Last year I did the Helderberg to Hudson Half in Albany, NY this weekend and while that is about an hour further away I thought it was a much better race and plan to do it next year instead if both races are the same date. I’m definitely hesitant to sign up for this one again or another Rhode Race Half although it wasn’t a bad enough experience that I would never do one of their races again if they were the only local options with 3:30 time limits.
Great Ocean Views
This half marathon in Newport, RI is a great race with a course that provides breathtakingly gorgeous ocean views. The wind was the biggest issue for me (a runner from … MORE
This half marathon in Newport, RI is a great race with a course that provides breathtakingly gorgeous ocean views. The wind was the biggest issue for me (a runner from Ohio is not used to the constant seaside “breeze”), but nature is not something that race organizers can control. The one thing that can be addressed for future races is the number of porta-johns at the water stations… they provided only ONE at the stated locations. One porta-john at mile 10 of a half and full marathon is NOT sufficient. The finisher medals were nice, and the race shirt was great. Lots of crowd support, and super-nice volunteers. Thanks to Newport for a fun race experience!
Beautiful oceanfront course.
Gorgeous area. Start/Finish and many parts of the course have ocean views. Some rolling hills along the way, but not to tough. A bit of a breeze along the coast … MORE
Gorgeous area. Start/Finish and many parts of the course have ocean views. Some rolling hills along the way, but not to tough. A bit of a breeze along the coast made for a chilly start, and another area had high winds. Definitely recommend bringing a pullover long sleeve encase you need it. Many historic mansions dotted along the course. They do use shuttle buses from a more remote parking area. Remember exactly where you parked, they use several different lots in a large office/warehouse complex area. A lot of people roaming around looking for cars afterwords. Post race food was decent, Beer, Pizza, Donuts, and other snacks. Nice looking finisher medal too. My only negative was they use 10 year age brackets. That prevented my from getting an AG award, if they had used 5 year, like most others do, I would’ve placed 2nd. Oh well, fun time anyway!
Beautiful Course, a couple of issues
I was supposed to run the Providence marathon in April but it canceled and I was fortunate to get into this race for my RI marathon. I am extremely grateful … MORE
I was supposed to run the Providence marathon in April but it canceled and I was fortunate to get into this race for my RI marathon. I am extremely grateful and happy that I was able to participate. The course was beautiful and the town is lovely. So happy that I was able to visit Newport. The weather conditions were cool and very windy, but I’d say that mostly the weather was almost perfect running weather IMO. The wind sometimes helped a little and sometimes it was tough. Same with the hills.
For the most part, the production was good. Here are the positives that stood out:
1) Excellent pre-race communication
2) Plenty of buses to take runners from parking lot to the start area.
3) Plenty of port-potties in the start area!
4) Plenty of aid stations, porto-potties and volunteers on the course.
Here are a couple of issues that stood out:
1) Expo – the parking lot was small and a problem for some. The expo was in a small room (not an issue) but interestingly, they didn’t provide any bag for the bib and t-shirt. This may indeed be petty; I have been at very small races and don’t judge races by the expo or swag. It’s just that this made it tough to shop for a shirt, and my bib almost blew away whenever the door opened. Minor issue.
Major issue: 2) Shuttle buses after the race: There was a long group of runners and spectators waiting for buses to come by, and when they did, there was no organization for people to get on the buses. It was just chaotic and made people mad who had been trying to wait in a “line” that was not controlled. RACE ORGANIZERS – PLEASE ADD VOLUNTEERS TO THE EXIT BUSES NEXT YEAR.
I really enjoyed this race and the town and highly recommend it!
Beautiful Race, Production Lacking
Overall this was a beautiful race in a beautiful state. Easy to get to - I flew into Providence - about a 45 minute drive to Newport. Stayed in a … MORE
Overall this was a beautiful race in a beautiful state. Easy to get to – I flew into Providence – about a 45 minute drive to Newport. Stayed in a very nice hotel in Middletown down the street from the shuttle bus pick-up. Packet pick-up was just ok – a few vendors there with additional merchandise to purchase. Parking for the pickup was a problem. Expo could have been so much better. Start time was reasonable – 8:00 am. It was very cold and there was a covered tent to stand in while waiting for the race to start. Course was incredibly beautiful all along the way. A little hilly. Along the course – one water stop ran out of cups and of course it was near the end when you really needed water. Not that much volunteer support along the course. The real problem was after the finish line. No snacks to really speak of. The worst part was waiting in the cold rain for 45 minutes to get a shuttle bus back to the car parking area and at that point you just don’t feel like it. The shuttle was open to spectators so that’s why the wait was so long. Runners should have had a separate shuttle. The shuttle bus dropped off at a different spot than it did that morning and for someone who is directionally challenged – I couldn’t find my rental car in this massive industrial park area. For the beauty alone – I would definitely choose this race for Rhode Island.
Beautiful, true ocean side race!
Although it was foggy, this boasts an Oceanside marathon and it is actually that! The Oceanside homes and rocky views were truly gorgeous!!! I did an early start at 6:30 … MORE
Although it was foggy, this boasts an Oceanside marathon and it is actually that! The Oceanside homes and rocky views were truly gorgeous!!! I did an early start at 6:30 and so glad they offered that option after my poor performance in Little Rock post Covid. I would’ve made it in time but I think being able to relax about it allowed me to totally enjoy it! Swag was mediocre but not a necessity for me to evaluate this great race! Great volunteers, town support, and after party food. (Yet no chocolate milk). One late race water stop ran out of cups, I felt bad for those after me where I normally would be and sooooo need water at that time. The hills were as expected with a few large ones in the 2nd half. Good organization and marked course. Thank you Rhode Island for my state #47!!
Mansions and water
I really enjoyed this race. It seemed like the early miles went quickly. There were some rolling hills throughout the course, the largest being in the first mile, but nothing … MORE
I really enjoyed this race. It seemed like the early miles went quickly. There were some rolling hills throughout the course, the largest being in the first mile, but nothing too bad. The race is about as sea level as it gets. The course ran along the outside of Newport which provided occasional views of the bay. You travel through various quiet neighborhoods throughout and pass some of the famous mansions as well as Salve Regina University. I enjoyed the course. There seemed to be something interesting throughout most of the course which helped occupy my mind. The roads were in good shape and there was generally plenty of room. The full marathon started 30 minutes prior to the half, so you would have a lot of the back of the packers that you had to pass. It wasn’t a problem most of the time, but some liked to walk 3 wide. I do get a bit of a rush when I pass someone. There were plenty of water stops along the way and I believe there was gel as well. Spectators were sporadic, with the majority around the start/finish line. There were pacers, but no corrals. Runners are supposed to line up based on their projected pace. We all know there are always a few that go to the front and shouldn’t. The only negative was the end. It was along the boardwalk, which was open to the public and people did not respect or were not aware of the runners coming through.
The expo was small and basic. They did have a few items for sale, but everything was seamless. The shirt and medal were nice. The finish area had the usual bananas, water and snacks, but also provided pizza. I can’t eat much right after a hard run though. They provided Sam Adams to those over 21 as well. It was a smooth operation, but for Pete’s sake, stay off the sand dunes.
Beautiful but hilly course.
The Good: This course is absolutely beautiful with views all around. While the roads are not closed, they are very quiet, so through much of the race runners were taking … MORE
The Good:
This course is absolutely beautiful with views all around. While the roads are not closed, they are very quiet, so through much of the race runners were taking up the whole street. It never felt unsafe.
Multiple loops and open roads make it easy for spectators to catch you often during the race. I saw my husband 7 times throughout the marathon.
The Bad:
Beware! The pacers were not spot on. The pace group I was with went out 30-50 seconds faster than avg goal pace in the first 4 miles and the pacers did not make it to the finish, not sure what happened. For this and all races, if you’re going to join the pace group – make sure you know their plan.
There are some big hills in tough spots on the course, but what goes up comes down
Great views with a lot of hills
This was a smaller marathon with about 650 completing the full and 188 the half. With that said the giveaway shirt was nice but they ran out of my size … MORE
This was a smaller marathon with about 650 completing the full and 188 the half. With that said the giveaway shirt was nice but they ran out of my size and all I could get was a size smaller. Don’t expect an expo but the bib pick-up did have the Run Newport store their for fuel needs, shoes and they did have some hats and visors for sale.
Race morning was fine. Took an Uber to the start. I was staying in Newport and to catch a shuttle I would have had to go to Middletown just to get back to Newport. There’s no parking by the start/finish so Shuttle/Uber/Biking or walking are the options.
The marathon started a half hour before the half but you run the same 13.1 miles which is mostly rolling hills that has you run along Ocean Drive. You’ll see some nice houses and on a clear day, an awesome view of the Ocean. We had fog. There is a small stretch running by some of the old historic mansions before making your way back to the start.
At 13.1, you pass the half finish line and make your way out in the opposite direction. I was expecting this to be more flat than it was. There were two out and back sections of this second half complete with more rolling hills with some decent views of the water but more neighborhoods. There was a water stop used for mile 19 and 21 that ran out of cups as I approached it again at 21. Luckily spectators were handing out bottled waters.
Though the spectators were light they were very cheerful and uplifting.
The finish/after party was run well. Lots of Pizza. Beer from Sam Adams but it was there not so good summer beer. There was no one handing out heat sheets but I saw some runners with them. They had some PT tables which was a plus.
Overall it was a fun Marathon with some minor hiccups and surprises I should have been prepared for. A nice Marathon if you need to complete Rhode Island.
My Newport experience
The views of the ocean and all of the houses were stunning beautiful. The medal is super awesome. The race was ran so smoothly, and I would highly recommend this … MORE
The views of the ocean and all of the houses were stunning beautiful. The medal is super awesome. The race was ran so smoothly, and I would highly recommend this race
Beautiful Course
I think visiting RI and running the beautiful course are the best part of the experience. Course support was good, however, not very many porta potties. Nice medal. After food, … MORE
I think visiting RI and running the beautiful course are the best part of the experience. Course support was good, however, not very many porta potties. Nice medal. After food, meh.
Great scenery. Well worth it.
Rolling hills but not noticeable. Windy in some areas but to be expected on the coast. The whole experience was smooth from beginning to end. Great group of folks. MORE
Rolling hills but not noticeable. Windy in some areas but to be expected on the coast. The whole experience was smooth from beginning to end. Great group of folks.
Beautiful Views!
I think this should be nicknamed the McMansion half marathon because there were a lot of them! The scenery of the Rhode Island coast was gorgeous! The course had rolling … MORE
I think this should be nicknamed the McMansion half marathon because there were a lot of them! The scenery of the Rhode Island coast was gorgeous! The course had rolling hills which added a little challenge but wasn’t super hard. The race was well run, especially the shuttles from parking to the start. I would definitely recommend this race.
Nonstop beautiful views
This course ranks among my top favorite for scenic views. The ocean, cliffs, mansions, historical sites, and wild daffodils were spectacular. The course was challenging with some of the steeper … MORE
This course ranks among my top favorite for scenic views. The ocean, cliffs, mansions, historical sites, and wild daffodils were spectacular. The course was challenging with some of the steeper hills. When near the ocean, the wind was cold. When in the residential area, gets hot. Good to keep a jacket or extra layer ready for the on and off again routine, if your from a warmer climate area. The locals didn’t seem to have any issues. The overall race production and swag wasn’t anything to get excited about. I would do this race again just for the scenery.
Gorgeous Oceanside Scenery
Rhode Island didn’t disappoint! It’s a beautiful course with stunning views and well organized! After finishing the marathon, I set off to explore. ❤️ 6 miles of Rock Jumping, Cliff … MORE
Rhode Island didn’t disappoint! It’s a beautiful course with stunning views and well organized! After finishing the marathon, I set off to explore. ❤️ 6 miles of Rock Jumping, Cliff Walking and then a fabulous Beach Walk of seashell hunting followed by mansion exploring and a visit to Fort Adams. Loved it all!
Scenic oceanside race.
Beautiful scenery. Nice ocean breezes and a great view of the ocean. Smooth operation from start to finish. Plenty of toilets, water stops and volunteers to keep the runners happy. … MORE
Beautiful scenery. Nice ocean breezes and a great view of the ocean. Smooth operation from start to finish. Plenty of toilets, water stops and volunteers to keep the runners happy. I would have liked more food options at the end, but overall I would highly recommend.
Maybe not again, but still had fun!
The race has you park away from the site and then take a bus to the starting line. I was worried about this at first, of missing a bus or … MORE
The race has you park away from the site and then take a bus to the starting line. I was worried about this at first, of missing a bus or not getting there at a time I would like. The race website emphasizes getting there early and that’s something I think made my race day go well. There were tons of buses getting people to the starting line, but get there as early as you can to avoid standing around in lines.
The race starts off with a medium sized hill. Nothing too daunting, but at least you have the energy to get up it right from the start. It was super foggy/rainy/overcast the entire race, so the beach scenery wasn’t as breathtaking as I’m sure it is on a sunny day. The water-side scenery was the highlight of the run for sure. You do run through some streets with mansions on them, so if you’re into architecture maybe this would be a good race for you?
The water stops were good, most having water and gatorade. Lots of opportunity to grab goo or a banana if you needed one.
In the end, the last mile takes you down the hill you ran up at the start. I got a light blue tech shirt with the Rhode Races logo on the front. It’s actually pretty comfortable and I train in it frequently. The medal is nice with some stained glass accents to it. Overall a good race!
Beautiful course, weather not so much
The course is gorgeous, but we unfortunately had cold and rain to downpour, to rain, so that wasn't great. The cliffs and beach and the mansions and the history were … MORE
The course is gorgeous, but we unfortunately had cold and rain to downpour, to rain, so that wasn’t great. The cliffs and beach and the mansions and the history were incredible! The volunteers did their best to keep us motivated.
Great, but less so at the back
Mostly a great, well organized event. Nice course, hilly but scenic. Heavy rain for the first half+ made for less than ideal conditions (not the organizers' fault). The problem was … MORE
Mostly a great, well organized event. Nice course, hilly but scenic. Heavy rain for the first half+ made for less than ideal conditions (not the organizers’ fault). The problem was that no one was handing out heat sheets to us toward the back. Given the weather, that was a problem and a danger for hypothermia. I found them behind the food tent, but I shouldn’t have had to look. That aside, I recommend this race.