Granite State Marathon (New England Challenge)
Nashua, NH
- Marathon, Half Marathon
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Course InformationHalf Marathon: 2 full laps + 1.6 miles out and backFull Marathon: 5 full laps + 1.4 miles out and backOne Full Lap is 4.96 miles. There will be two aid stations on the course. The main one at the start/finish line with hydration and nourishment and secondary at … MORE
Local Historical Weather (May 09):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°F) | 49 | 57 | 66 | 65 | 64 |
| L (°F) | 34 | 46 | 50 | 39 | 30 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
My home state is pretty
This is part of the New England Series by Star Racing. This year they split it into 2 parts. The first part VT, NH and ME and the second part … MORE
This is part of the New England Series by Star Racing. This year they split it into 2 parts. The first part VT, NH and ME and the second part MA, CT, and RI a few weeks later. The challenges take place Friday-Sunday. They have a full marathon and a half marathon. The full marathon has a not strict 7 hour time limit and the half has the same time limit as the full so essentially none. The set up is similar to Mainly Marathons though these races have longer loops. I only did this race in NH as I needed to stay very local this weekend. There was enough pre race communication to communicate everything needed. The race takes place at Mine Falls Park in Nashua which is about 30 minutes from where I live. There is a 5 mile trail loop in the park. The half is 2 loops plus an out and back on the road X 2 and the full is 5 loops with one out and back. The race starts at 6am and there is race day packet pick-up. Packet included bib and a tech shirt. Parking was easy and there were race instructions a few minutes before the race explaining the course. It was a small race with about 35 half marathoners. There were more doing the full. The out and backs were first. They were kind of boring just up and down a road adjacent to the park. They were a not steep uphill and then downhill back. Not much to see on them but it made the miles work. I needed a “break” this weekend so I planned to do this race really slow and did 15 minute miles with longer walk intervals than usual and a slower run than usual. The next is the trail. The trail is an approximately 5 mile loop. It is really beautiful. There are trees and wetlands and there is this pretty overlook to a pond which had a swan swimming in it. The trail is not very technical but its real trail. It is 100% runnable. of course I was taking a lot of walk intervals but never had to interrupt my intervals. There are some hills and maybe 500 feet of elevation gain but none were big and it was pretty average for New England. There were some rocks and roots to avoid but you didn’t need trail shoes or trail training. The trail isn’t too bad so I wouldn’t do the race to avoid trail unless you are really trail averse. The course was well marked and there was a big aid stations at the start and a smaller one at the halfway point of the loop along with someone giving twizzlers one course (my favorite). It was enjoyable to run it twice. The only issue with production is the race was kind of long. They said they were conservative with making sure it was certified but I was successful at 15 minute miles hitting 13.2 miles on my Garmin at 3:15 but you can see it took me an extra 8 minutes so it was like 1/2 mile long. I don’t know if they need to be that conservative with making sure it is certified. It wasn’t a super hard course but it would be really hard to PR or get a fast time given it is mostly trail and kind of long. At the end you get your medal which I like that it is in the shape of the state though it is not distance specific. Compared to Mainly this had some pros and some cons. It was definitely a more interesting course with longer loops but you didn’t pass people as much so it didn’t feel as social. It was a similar laid back, back of the pack friendly environment. In terms of my recommendations for this race, it depends on what you are looking for. Personally I prefer bigger races without loops and there are other races in NH I would recommend more but if you prefer smaller races or are looking to knock out multiple states in one trip this is a good choice. I have not had issues with back of the pack friendliness in NH, VT or ME but I have had a lot of issues in MA, CT and RI so if you are a 50 stater that needs 3.5+ hours for a half marathon then I would highly recommend the second series to knock out those states. I would do this or a few other races in the New England Series if I need to be in town for the weekend but wouldn’t necessarily stay in town just for the races.
A Race for Warriors
This specific race day was not for the faint-hearted. It was for the warriors! The day of the race rain came down heavily on the Granite State runners. We all … MORE
This specific race day was not for the faint-hearted. It was for the warriors! The day of the race rain came down heavily on the Granite State runners. We all pushed through it in spite of the cold that numb our fingers and the thick mud that swallowed our sneakers. This is a small race that goes around a loop in part of a trail in the forest and a little bit of road. There was a little bit over 100 runners almost split evenly between the half and the full marathoners. The race director and the few spectators that were there were very energetic. If you are not a fan of running loops, then this race is not for you. Nonetheless, it was a good day even though my Garmin measured 13.5 miles when I crossed the finish line.
Pretty trail run along the Nashua River
This race is part of a race series of six races in six days (full marathon or half marathon) known as the New England Challenge. The weather did not cooperate... … MORE
This race is part of a race series of six races in six days (full marathon or half marathon) known as the New England Challenge. The weather did not cooperate… it was cold and rainy… but you can’t tell Mother Nature how to act. The park was lovely and green, and there were some geese on the trail. I enjoyed running by the river. The race director is awesome, and his whole family helps. They even make homemade snacks for the runners. I highly recommend this race!
Scenic and enjoyable
The organization of the New England Challenge is always on point. Easy logistics. The loop is a little over 5 miles run 5 times and is very scenic. The main … MORE
The organization of the New England Challenge is always on point. Easy logistics. The loop is a little over 5 miles run 5 times and is very scenic. The main aid station is by the start/finish line and is well stocked. There is another aid station at the far point with water and stingers. Don’t let the multi-loop format throw you off…scenic and enjoyable.
Beautiful scenery
Nice, small race. Several loops through a beautiful state park. I spent most of my time running alone, with no one in sight. If you need spectator support, this is … MORE
Nice, small race. Several loops through a beautiful state park. I spent most of my time running alone, with no one in sight. If you need spectator support, this is not for you. Race staff was friendly and helpful. This one has the feel of a training run more than a race, but I enjoyed it.
Scenic park, beautiful trail
Day 2 : I didn't realize we would be running on a paved trail course on the second day. Weather was a bit cool in the morning. Only about 50 … MORE
Day 2 : I didn’t realize we would be running on a paved trail course on the second day. Weather was a bit cool in the morning. Only about 50 marathon runners and 30 half marathoners. The course takes the runner out of the park for about 0.6 mile out and 0.6 mile back into the park and then run 5 miles loop 5 times in the park. There’s aid station at start and finish and one also around 2.5 miles out. There’s one turn where there’s a 4 way intersection, so pay attention to the signs on the ground to avoid going the run direction. A nice series t shirt to the new runners and a small medal in the shape of the state of New Hampshire.
Gorgeous trail course
This was probably the highlight of the New England Challenge series for me. The course was two long loops on a beautiful trail with views of rivers and lakes. Not … MORE
This was probably the highlight of the New England Challenge series for me. The course was two long loops on a beautiful trail with views of rivers and lakes. Not really technical at all but some solid, small hills here and there. Highly recommend. This and Vermont were my two favorites on this series.
Nice loop course
Overall Rating: Excellent. I’m not a huge fan of loop courses, but this one was outstanding. Course Difficulty: Not bad. It was a moderately hilly dirt/cinder trail along the Nashua … MORE
Overall Rating: Excellent. I’m not a huge fan of loop courses, but this one was outstanding.
Course Difficulty: Not bad. It was a moderately hilly dirt/cinder trail along the Nashua river. There were a few land mines (aka rocks and roots) but the majority of the course felt really good underfoot.
Course Scenery: Perfect. Good representation of NH and I was never bored because of the terrain.
Race Production: There was a little confusion at the beginning over the short out and back, but otherwise, flawless. This crew does a really good job with aid stations and accommodating the runners.
Race Swag: Good. Nice state shaped medal, and a dry blend t shirt.
My Performance: Wasn’t sure what to expect, as this was the first time I had done 4 back to back marathons. All in all it was ok. I didn’t push really hard, but I didn’t walk the whole thing either. Definitely a little tender in the knees.
I had a great running friend along the way who kept me going in the low spots. The loop trail length (4.8ish miles) was perfect.