Course features breathtaking view of Acadia National Park and Maine’s rocky coastline. The Acadia Half Marathon is a Spectacular 13.1 mile course traveling on the scenic Acadia National Park Loop road. The second largest island on the eastern seaboard, Mount Desert Island boasts an impressive 41,000 acres of land devoted …
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Course features breathtaking view of Acadia National Park and Maine’s rocky coastline. The Acadia Half Marathon is a Spectacular 13.1 mile course traveling on the scenic Acadia National Park Loop road. The second largest island on the eastern seaboard, Mount Desert Island boasts an impressive 41,000 acres of land devoted to the Northeast’s only National Park, Acadia – an amazing array of mountains and sea, cliffs and coastline.
This half marathon is fortunate to be one of only a couple of races of its kind held in Acadia National Park. Walkers are able to enjoy the beauty of Acadia at a slower pace and are encouraged to participate!
The Acadia Half Marathon and 10K is one of MDI YMCA’s largest fundraisers of the year. The money raised through your entry fees help sustain the YMCA’s scholarship programs, ensuring that individuals and families have access to the care, services, and programs that can help them improve their lives through healthy living or community activities.
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Acadia NP!
Race day weather was miserable. The temperatures were in the low 40s this is on the coast and there was a persistent blowing wind. Also there was steady to driving … MORE
Race day weather was miserable. The temperatures were in the low 40s this is on the coast and there was a persistent blowing wind. Also there was steady to driving rain throughout the entire run.
This was a very hilly course. Before running this, it would be very important for a Flatlander to do a little training.
Now, to the many positives! Bar Harbor is a very cool town, and there are many great hotel options for visitors running this race. Acadia is a fantastic national park and this race does an excellent job of showcasing the beauty at the park I have ran races at Yellowstone, Yosemite, Zion, and Bryce Canyon, but the scenery here was perhaps the best I’ve ever seen on a course. What was unique about this race is that the organizers managed to gain access to the carriage roads inside the national park for a large portion of the course. There are mountains, lakes, and attractions along the seashore that the runners get to enjoy throughout the race
Despite the suboptimal weather, the volunteers were cheerful and friendly. Water and Gatorade were provided at all hydration stations.
The T-shirt in all honesty was a bit plain, and the finishing metal was simple, but did feature the pine tree and ocean waves from the race logo.
I wish the weather had been a bit more welcoming, but nonetheless, this was one of the most scenic courses. I’ve had the pleasure to run. This is a challenge, but is well worth the experience!
Spectacular views!
What a beautiful race! Very few races occur inside a national park, making the Acadia National Park Half Marathon a true find! The race starts and ends at the local … MORE
What a beautiful race! Very few races occur inside a national park, making the Acadia National Park Half Marathon a true find! The race starts and ends at the local YMCA and the event is a fundraiser for the Y. This is not an easy course. The elevation change is a little over 1000 ft. Lots of water/Gatorade stations. Very chill and relaxed. I stayed at my hotel and my husband dropped me off at the starting line 15 minutes before the race started. Race started on time. Race director was so nice. It had rained and I was soaked and cold, so I approached the race director about getting my age group award early before the awards ceremony so I could go home and get out of my cold wet clothes and she did (I got a YMCA mug for being first in my age group). This race is capped at 400 runners and sells out early. I think the event sold out three or four months before race day if I remember correctly. There’s also a 10k as well. I would recommend this race to anyone who loves amazing views and isn’t afraid of hills! Such a great race and so happy I ran it!