Overall Rating
Overall Rating (23 Reviews)
4.4
(23 Ratings)  (23 Reviews)
DIFFICULTY
2.9
SCENERY
4.6
PRODUCTION
4.2
SWAG
3.7
The Amica Newport Marathon features 13.1 and 26.2 miles of unrivaled oceanfront running. This award-winning fall classic in the City by the Sea is not to be missed! Both the marathon and half-marathon start at 7:30 a.m. at Easton’s Beach in Newport, Rhode Island. The races run through downtown before … MORE
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Recent reviews

    arsenal8 REPEAT RUNNER '23

    One of the most beautiful courses I've run. The first half gets all the recognition and I've heard some comments about the second half being anticlimactic in comparison — but … MORE

    One of the most beautiful courses I’ve run. The first half gets all the recognition and I’ve heard some comments about the second half being anticlimactic in comparison — but it’s just quieter and more rural with plenty of beautiful views as well.

    Everything from pre-race to post-race was very smooth and well organized. 5/5 race.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5

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    cassidymegan3 FIRST-TIMER '23

    I wish that I would have written this immediately after the race. I loved it. The course was beautiful. Packet pickup was at a park where the start line was. … MORE

    I wish that I would have written this immediately after the race. I loved it. The course was beautiful. Packet pickup was at a park where the start line was. We went the evening before the race. It was cold and rainy but race day was beautiful.
    The shirt was a short-sleeve performance tee. It was a beautiful blue color with the race logo on it. The medal was a clamshell that opened and closed.
    The water stations were well-spaced and well-stocked.
    The scenery was breathtaking. I thought, “oh, this race will be on the ocean – nice and flat.” Wrong. There was a surprising amount of hills on this course (we were pretty much running up and down cliffs) but it was beautiful. I wish that I had my usual long-winded, extrememly detail-oriented review for this one but I don’t.
    I *DID* manage to snag another Guinness World Record on this course for the Fastest Marathon Dressed as a Sailor (Female) at this race. (in the 2nd most uncomfortable costume ever.) but the emcee and race directors were really cool about calling my attempt out on the course. It was a great race. I loved it.
    I have photos attached.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4
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    DonutShark FIRST-TIMER '23

    I’ve seen the reviews that say the first half is scenic and the back half is boring. I disagree! There’s no denying the first 13 miles are some of the … MORE

    I’ve seen the reviews that say the first half is scenic and the back half is boring. I disagree! There’s no denying the first 13 miles are some of the prettiest marathon miles…especially along the coastline. And while the second half isn’t all mansions and seashore, it has some pretty stretches of its own.

    Is this race hilly? I don’t think it’s THAT hilly. There’s one at mile 22 or 23 that was a doozy that late in the race. And the second half certainly is hillier than the first half. But it’s not as hilly as some folks make it out to be. Is it flat? No. So I guess if you’ve only ever run pancake-flat races, it’ll seem hilly. Still…this is Rhode Island, not the Himalayas.

    Crowd support is decent. Most of the crowds are congregated in a few touristy areas within the first 13 miles. There are places where it’s sparse…the ocean miles are empty, but who cares with a view that good. The back half has empty stretches. Still, you rarely went more than a mile or so without finding a little cluster of folks. I ran sans headphones the whole time and didn’t miss the crowds.

    Race swag is so-so: A basic medal and not much else. I like the shirt.

    Post-race: They ran out of pizza. They almost ran out of beer. These are things I hate. Sufficient food and beer for ALL runners should be a “don’t F this up” issue for a race director. Would love to see them do more than the minimum though.

    Aid stations & porta johns: I legit don’t remember. Vaguely remember the aid stations being staffed by friendly folks, but couldn’t tell you if there were enough or what they served.

    Final thoughts: Despite a few nitpicks, this race is a top five marathon in my book (of the 17 states I’ve run). It’s about the view. Look around you! If you can’t enjoy running along the New England coast surrounded be grand mansions, what DOES a pretty run look like to you?

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    3
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    aubreynetzel FIRST-TIMER '23

    Pros: Very pretty course, pacers up to a 6 hour finish, encouraging announcer at finish line, easy packet pickup, free parking and shuttle. Cons: Ran out of beer far before … MORE

    Pros: Very pretty course, pacers up to a 6 hour finish, encouraging announcer at finish line, easy packet pickup, free parking and shuttle.
    Cons: Ran out of beer far before all runners were done, second half is very boring compared to the first half, and hilly course.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    3

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    grimesdee FIRST-TIMER '23

    Bib pick up was a breeze. Nice easy in and out at the beach. The race tells you to be on the bus by 6am to get bused from the … MORE

    Bib pick up was a breeze. Nice easy in and out at the beach. The race tells you to be on the bus by 6am to get bused from the parking lot to the start. It was one of those hurry up and wait kind of things. It was cold waiting around at the start. Even though I knew ahead of time this was two big loops and that we would go by the finish area at mile 13, this race is definitely ideal if you’re doing the half. Almost everyone out cheering in the first 13 assume you are doing g the half. I had some beer at 12 because why not. A biker even have me a hard time for not picking up my pace beat mile 12.8 and I had to tell him I was no where close to being done. The first half has some quick little streets you run down and then turn back. I was expecting to spend the 2nd half running alone but I didn’t as surprised to be surrounded by people most of the time. The traffic control in the 2nd half was not idea especially right after 24 there is a very scary intersection where my friend nearly got hit by one of the buses that was transporting runners. The 2nd half is definitely hilly. The hills at 22.5 and 24 are as advertised big hills. The long straightaway past where you see the finish and into the parking lot was tough. The cars along the road are also staring at you very impatiently. When I finished I was able to get a beer but they ran out shortly after I finished because they were selling them. So anyone finishing around 5 hours or more didn’t get one. There is no chairs inside the beer garden and you can’t take your beer outside the tent. I did really love the portable lockers rather than gear check especially since we had a rental car. The scenery was absolutely beautiful. I also love the medal.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4
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    aamb FIRST-TIMER '23

    I think this might be the most beautiful course I've run, or at least top five. The medal was great, shirt was ok. Shuttle to the start/finish was easy. Lodging … MORE

    I think this might be the most beautiful course I’ve run, or at least top five. The medal was great, shirt was ok. Shuttle to the start/finish was easy. Lodging was very expensive though, but since I was able cross two states off my list this weekend (Cape Code the day before) I wasn’t too upset. My time was not great but that’s on me because I stopped numerous times to take pics of the ocean and the unreal mansions along the course.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4

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    asthmarunna FIRST-TIMER '23

    TL;dr: be prepared for gusts of wind, bring a hat if you run the marathon, you don't need to be at the parking lot at 5 am-- you could get … MORE

    TL;dr: be prepared for gusts of wind, bring a hat if you run the marathon, you don’t need to be at the parking lot at 5 am– you could get there at 6 and be fine, and train hills on tired legs.
    Pros: swag is awesome, course is beautiful, plenty of well-stocked aid stations along the route, small race pool means lots of good photos and more personalized finish
    Cons: second half has minimal shade, rolling hills throughout (not just the beast that is mile 24), some spots dangerous with cars, they had no pizza or beer when I finished, no recognition for first time marathoners
    This was my first marathon, and I picked it for the scenery and the finishers medal (hinged scallop– so cool!!). The website said to park as close to 5 am as possible; we parked at 5:45 and stood around in the dark at Easton Beach just waiting until 7:30. You could easily have parked at 6:30. Also, the open air pavilion offers little shelter from the cold, and they didn’t want people staying inside the bib tent to stay warm because it was hard for people to get their supplies. The half marathon route is beautiful, with a sizable hill right at the beginning and a tour of the gorgeous oceanic views from Ocean Drive. The entire course is rolling hills, and I think the elevation map provided makes them seem small but they were difficult for many runners. Decent elevation gain over a moderate distance. Plenty of spectators make it a very fun and encouraging race if you do the half. The last few miles running back toward Easton beach I found to be difficult because the road is not asphalt, it’s more like concrete so my knees really felt it. I’m not a huge fan of the little turnarounds but I understand the need to add on small amounts of distance. Great downhill finish for the half and the signage is very clear for the marathoners to continue on past. At this point, there are far less runners and spectators, so it is very much a mental race. Also, due to the shape of the course, it’s tough for your personal spectators to see you at multiple points (if they can bring a bicycle, I would recommend it– my cheering section saw me at the start, in between miles 11 and 12, at mile 17, and at the finish. I wish I could have seen them more, but they were walking and trying to utilize the shuttles). The roads in the first half have plenty of shade from large trees, while the second half has pretty minimal shade which I did not expect. This added to my overall fatigue and you could tell it was impacting multiple runners. Aid stations the whole time had water, gatorade/nuun, candy (sour patch kids), bananas, and gels at select location; I was able to get what I wanted from each one every time. Some of the worst parts were that roads were not totally closed, and many drivers tried to continue to drive on the course around the runners, creating dangerous situations for both other drivers as some were driving in the wrong lane and leading to cars going both directions in the same lane being stuck while runners ran in the other lane or cars trying to weave through runners and cones. There was clear signage that drivers should find alternate routes but I would like to see the roads be totally closed. This race also offered pizza and a free beer to all race participants, but when I finished they had run out of both. I think the organization could have been better there as they knew how many runners had registered and should have planned accordingly– why only bring 2000 beers for a 4000 person race? However, I think this race overall was a high energy, very positive and challenging race with beautiful views and clear communication. Would recommend running it once!

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5

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    Christie629 FIRST-TIMER '23

    This race has been recommended over and over by 50 staters. Did this as a double state weekend with Cape Cod. Easy bib pickup. Shuttling to start while a pain … MORE

    This race has been recommended over and over by 50 staters. Did this as a double state weekend with Cape Cod.

    Easy bib pickup. Shuttling to start while a pain was pretty painless.

    Course was simply gorgeous!! Beautiful views. Beautiful day. Highly recommend

    DIFFICULTY
    3
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    4
    SCENERY
    5
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    tsltan REPEAT RUNNER '22

    You start and finish the race almost on the water (Easton's Beach), running through scenic waterfronts, quaint neighborhoods, and historic mansions. Check out my YouTube video below. The event was … MORE

    You start and finish the race almost on the water (Easton’s Beach), running through scenic waterfronts, quaint neighborhoods, and historic mansions. Check out my YouTube video below. The event was well organized and had a relatively small field compared to the big marathon events. Come check out this race before it the secret gets out and it becomes too large!

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    3
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    edge FIRST-TIMER '22

    Beautiful course and town. This is a must race for anyone looking to add Rhode Island. Nicest people everywhere. The miles went by due to the beautiful scenery. MORE

    Beautiful course and town. This is a must race for anyone looking to add Rhode Island. Nicest people everywhere. The miles went by due to the beautiful scenery.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    2
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    2

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    micart91 REPEAT RUNNER '21

    Absolutely breathtaking course all around downtown Newport. You run all the way around ocean drive past countless beautiful mansions. There are rolling hills, but nothing overly challenging. MORE

    Absolutely breathtaking course all around downtown Newport. You run all the way around ocean drive past countless beautiful mansions. There are rolling hills, but nothing overly challenging.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5
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    This is by far the most spectacular run I've ever done. Half the race is along ocean drive, right along the Atlantic Ocean and the rest was through the beautiful … MORE

    This is by far the most spectacular run I’ve ever done. Half the race is along ocean drive, right along the Atlantic Ocean and the rest was through the beautiful city, countryside and mansions of Newport. The event was super well executed and supported throughout with plenty of water stops, closed roads, and locals cheering along the route.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4

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    cleat12 FIRST-TIMER '20

    This company will not follow its own policies and rob you blind. Hope you like being nickle and dimed. They are dishonest in their communications will lie to your face … MORE

    This company will not follow its own policies and rob you blind. Hope you like being nickle and dimed. They are dishonest in their communications will lie to your face and not stand by any of their own policies or previous messaging. They also don’t give updates on the race and just expect for you to actively figure things out even as things change daily in a pandemic situation. They don’t care about Covid or their customers safety in general. Just race any other race where management cares about doing good business and cares about their customers. There’s plenty of them!

    DIFFICULTY
    1
    PRODUCTION
    1
    SCENERY
    1
    SWAG
    1

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    SlowJuan FIRST-TIMER '19

    The first 13.1 miles of the Newport Marathon could well be the most scenic half-marathon you'll run this year. The Start & Finish lines are staged on Easton's Beach, so … MORE

    The first 13.1 miles of the Newport Marathon could well be the most scenic half-marathon you’ll run this year. The Start & Finish lines are staged on Easton’s Beach, so runners are treated to a beautiful sunrise over the bay as breakers roll in on the beach. A grateful “shout out” to Kicking Horse Coffee for pouring out hot cups of their “Kick@$$” java blend to the shivering, huddled masses. This marathon is a hidden gem; well organized, enthusiastic volunteers, spectacular views and clearly the pride of Newport. Mile 2 takes the runners past an expansive yacht basin and sailboat moorings too numerous to count. What then follows is 10 miles of touring “Mansion Row” …..and the name doesn’t do it justice. These are palatial estates, many on the Historic Register, with magnificent homes, manicured grounds and panoramic views of the ocean. Then, as the entire field approaches the Half-Marathon Finish Line
    …….everyone goes away. As a marathoner, you get that uneasy feeling they all know something that you don’t. The second half is still scenic, but pales in comparison to the first 13 miles. And there are two beat-you-up-&-take-your-lunch-money hills at Miles 22.5 and 24. (That’s just mean!) But, the Finish Line is glorious and it was ironically appropriate that the ’70s boogie hit “Born to be Alive” was blaring as I shuffled in.
    Micro-Brew Review: Lots of great options! Tilted Barn in Exeter, Whalers in Kingston, race sponsor Ragged Island in Portsmouth and Coddington in Newport. But….my two-thumbs-up favorites, and well worth the drive, were Buzzard Bay in Westport, MA and Moby Dick Brewing in New Bedford, MA. You won’t be disappointed.
    Cross my heart and call me Ishmael!

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    cassidymegan3 Feb 22, 2023 at 7:23am

    Thanks for the thorough review. I like reviews with a lot of details. 😊 Thanks for the heads-up on 22.5 and 24!

    Thanks for the thorough review. I like reviews with a lot of details. 😊 Thanks for the heads-up on 22.5 and 24!

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    SlowJuan Feb 22, 2023 at 9:04am

    You are most welcome, Megan. Come prepared to have a great experience. Newport is a quaint, old city with a fascinating history. Be sure to allow some time to walk,… MORE

    You are most welcome, Megan. Come prepared to have a great experience. Newport is a quaint, old city with a fascinating history. Be sure to allow some time to walk, shop & dine in the harbor area. And enjoy the run! LESS

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    cassidymegan3 Feb 22, 2023 at 9:35am

    I'm really looking forward to it! Thanks for the advice!

    I'm really looking forward to it! Thanks for the advice!

    cindytong FIRST-TIMER '19

    The only reason I picked the race is because it looks very beautiful, and it is. The half marathon course covers the entire coast of Newport. With Fall weather in … MORE

    The only reason I picked the race is because it looks very beautiful, and it is. The half marathon course covers the entire coast of Newport. With Fall weather in October, it is as beautiful as the painting. The volunteers were awesome and friendly. The only thing that nobody mentioned is there are a lot of long, gradual hill. Not even to be consider hills, but enough incline to make you feel the incline.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    3

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    Joann FIRST-TIMER '18

    Charming New England town. The course took us through town and then along the water front. We found a hotel close to the finish line which always makes it more … MORE

    Charming New England town. The course took us through town and then along the water front. We found a hotel close to the finish line which always makes it more convenient.

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5

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    abbjmc FIRST-TIMER '18

    I had a great time at the Newport Marathon. The race was well-run, with smooth packet pickup and gear check, ample water stops, and a great start/finish location. The scenery, … MORE

    I had a great time at the Newport Marathon. The race was well-run, with smooth packet pickup and gear check, ample water stops, and a great start/finish location.
    The scenery, especially along the first half of the course, is stunning. Waves were crashing up along the seawall as we cruised by and the jaw-dropping mansions loomed over us.
    I didn’t love the number of sharp turns the course incorporated and, like others have said, the second half becomes a bit of a slog as the best parts of the scenery drop away and the rolling hills add up, but it was overall a worthy course and I was able to meet my goal time.
    Hotels in the area are unfortunately pricy, but it was worth it for me. I would definitely recommend.

    DIFFICULTY
    2
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    5
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    yma98 FIRST-TIMER '17

    The course along the coast line just makes this course worthwhile! Small race expo, but the race logistics, aid stations and crowd support were good. Highly recommend this race! MORE

    The course along the coast line just makes this course worthwhile! Small race expo, but the race logistics, aid stations and crowd support were good. Highly recommend this race!

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4

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    Evwatkins FIRST-TIMER '17

    I ran this race as the 4:40 pacer for my 43rd state. I enjoyed this race despite having some travel issues. The course is partially scenic. I enjoyed running along … MORE

    I ran this race as the 4:40 pacer for my 43rd state.
    I enjoyed this race despite having some travel issues. The course is partially scenic. I enjoyed running along the coast and having the waves crash up onto us.
    Excellent day of packet pickup, post race area and bag check.

    DIFFICULTY
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    Profile photo of Leslie Christensen
    lchristensen44 FIRST-TIMER '17

    Scenery of ocean was very pretty. If you're not from the coast be prepared for humidity, even if it's not hot. Race day was windy when we were near the … MORE

    Scenery of ocean was very pretty. If you’re not from the coast be prepared for humidity, even if it’s not hot. Race day was windy when we were near the coast. The shirt was pretty and the medal was a pineapple with an inscription on the back that explained the significance of the pineapple. After the race they offered drinks, fruit, candy, bagels, peanut butter and delicious soup! The shuttle buses were no issue and there were plenty of bathrooms. The start and finish is right next to the beach so you’ll get to walk in the sand if desired.

    A few minor issues. The course has at least two 360 degree turnarounds which might impact someone going for a PR. Also the spectators seemed reluctant to cheer for strangers, with the exception of a few groups of teenagers.

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