This was my third time running the Baystate Marathon, the first time (2016) was my first half, last year (2017) was my first marathon and this year was my second. … MORE
This was my third time running the Baystate Marathon, the first time (2016) was my first half, last year (2017) was my first marathon and this year was my second. The course is relatively flat, a little too windy this year, but race officials can’t control weather. The scenery is beautiful, but I’m a Lowell native, so a tad biast, but you can overlook the river, fall foliage and the incredible UMass Lowell North and South campus buildings. Plenty of water and aid stops and the double loop helps you pace better the second time around. Racers, volunteers and the community are extremely supportive with encouraging words and large posters with quirky quotes which makes you feel like a million bucks. The expo center has a ton of great deals for last minute running gear. I strongly recommend this race to beginners, advanced runners and ones looking to qualify for the Boston Marathon . I haven’t yet ran a BQ time, but I’m going to keep at it and I will be back next year, Baystate 2019!!
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Absolutely Love this race every year!!
This was my third time running the Baystate Marathon, the first time (2016) was my first half, last year (2017) was my first marathon and this year was my second. … MORE
This was my third time running the Baystate Marathon, the first time (2016) was my first half, last year (2017) was my first marathon and this year was my second. The course is relatively flat, a little too windy this year, but race officials can’t control weather. The scenery is beautiful, but I’m a Lowell native, so a tad biast, but you can overlook the river, fall foliage and the incredible UMass Lowell North and South campus buildings. Plenty of water and aid stops and the double loop helps you pace better the second time around. Racers, volunteers and the community are extremely supportive with encouraging words and large posters with quirky quotes which makes you feel like a million bucks. The expo center has a ton of great deals for last minute running gear. I strongly recommend this race to beginners, advanced runners and ones looking to qualify for the Boston Marathon . I haven’t yet ran a BQ time, but I’m going to keep at it and I will be back next year, Baystate 2019!!
Great race to go fast
Perfect race to try for a PR on, make sure your support people know where to stand so you can get your energy gels mid-race. The course was relatively flat … MORE
Perfect race to try for a PR on, make sure your support people know where to stand so you can get your energy gels mid-race. The course was relatively flat and easy with great support throughout.
I enjoy the race very much
I'm a male and 56 years old now. I start running 2 years and half years ago because of my high blood pressure. After 7 days everyday one mile jog, … MORE
I’m a male and 56 years old now. I start running 2 years and half years ago because of my high blood pressure.
After 7 days everyday one mile jog, My blood pressure became normal. Quick!
After 3 month, I tried 5k. It was 25 min 40 sec. I was a little disappointed.I bought three books about how to running. Next year, practice 800m x 3 once a week for 3 month then I run 5k for 22 min. Better! I love running now.
Then I followed the running practice schedule for marathon from the books for 4 month. 1000m x 3, 20k pace run, 30k LSD, plus weight training. Then run the first time marathon at Baystate and I got BQ. Time was 3 h 38 min. BQ time was 3h40min fro my age. But this year, I just missed deadline for Boston marathon registration . Sad.
I had only 2 weeks for practice before Baystate. I was jogging 30k once a week after last year Baystate marathon. But my weight was 20 lb havier and much weaker muscle. Then I took a week rest before race. 3h 42.5 min. Sad. l failed. 2.5 min late.
I have to try again next year. Baystate course is nice almost flat course. Good for speed. Perfect for BQ. Running same course every year, I can learn many things. I just notice I need to change my form a lot. I will beat 3.5 sub next year. Beat 8 min per mile.
Anyway I practice again 1000m x 5, 20k,30k for 2 week.
Great and well organized
This was my second race! And my Boston qualifier for 2cond time, all the race was nice , very little hills and a little windy , some parts has nice … MORE
This was my second race! And my Boston qualifier for 2cond time, all the race was nice , very little hills and a little windy , some parts has nice scenic scenery , it’s a good choice if you are considering to do a first full marathon, and also it’s a good race to qualified for Boston marathon, I had a good experience there, my only recommendention is if you can put a little more portable restrooms, There is long lines and I feel anxious when the race is going to start and I still have to wait in the line..
thanks and I am looking foward for the 2019 marathon..
I can't wait to do this again!
If you're looking for a PR, want to be able to see your fan club multiple times, and like a community feel in your races, then Baystate is the race … MORE
If you’re looking for a PR, want to be able to see your fan club multiple times, and like a community feel in your races, then Baystate is the race for you! I ran the half last year and loved it so much that I came back for the full. The race is incredibly well organized with predictable, regular, and enthusiastic water stops along the way. The full marathon loops twice, which makes it easy for spectators to see you numerous times throughout your race. With local sponsors and schools so actively involved, you feel supported by the community. It’s big enough that you’re never alone, but small enough that you aren’t crowded. With the exception of a few short, steady inclines, the course is mostly flat, which helped me reach a 28 minute PR! You would not believe the enthusiasm of these spectators. I have never smiled so much throughout a race! From peanut butter sandwiches to hot soup to massages, the finish line accommodations at Baystate are top notch. I cannot wait to come back to this one!
Great organization, BQ course
The race has been around long enough so that folks know what to expect. Not really scenic, no gimmicks, but a well run race and a potential PR or BQ … MORE
The race has been around long enough so that folks know what to expect. Not really scenic, no gimmicks, but a well run race and a potential PR or BQ course..
Great race! Flat course!
Event was great. Porta-potties right at starting line, nice flat course, weather was good. The course was a bit windy and they had trouble with the live tracker but other … MORE
Event was great. Porta-potties right at starting line, nice flat course, weather was good. The course was a bit windy and they had trouble with the live tracker but other than that it was an excellent course race. I highly recommend this for a first-time marathon runner.
Awesome Volunteers
I was leery about running a double loop race - but my friends all said 'you'll love it.' And I did. Some of the loop was on a main road … MORE
I was leery about running a double loop race – but my friends all said ‘you’ll love it.’ And I did. Some of the loop was on a main road without scenery – but the runs along the river more than made up for it.
The best part were the volunteers at the aid stations – talk about infectious energy. A local guy (I wish I knew who it was!) put out bottles of water on his lawn – and I took advantage of that twice – so thank you to my anonymous helper!!
Already planning on 2019!!
Medal and 1/4 zip are amazing!! Water stops not bad and just the right amount. Crowd support was great! Great course to pr! Scenery blahh and expo ehhh but the … MORE
Medal and 1/4 zip are amazing!! Water stops not bad and just the right amount. Crowd support was great! Great course to pr! Scenery blahh and expo ehhh but the informational mtg was super helpful and great!!
Amazing race and well organized!
This is a great race to qualify for the Boston marathon or even beat a personal record. I highly recommend running this marathon. They have great water stations and porter … MORE
This is a great race to qualify for the Boston marathon or even beat a personal record. I highly recommend running this marathon. They have great water stations and porter johns everywhere. There was many people supporting during the race!
Great Race!
This race was super well managed - the course was well-marked and the volunteers were top-notch! I was a little nervous about the loop course, but it wound up working … MORE
This race was super well managed – the course was well-marked and the volunteers were top-notch! I was a little nervous about the loop course, but it wound up working to my advantage with planning race strategy in the wind. Course is mostly flat, with just enough hills to wake up the legs. The pace groups I worked with both seemed on the quick side, but communicated clearly with their runners what was happening. I would recommend this course to anyone looking for a fantastic local race….and looking for that BQ!
Great Course, well run!
This is the third time I've run the half marathon here, and it's always good. The course has a few gentle hills but nothing brutal, and the scenery along the … MORE
This is the third time I’ve run the half marathon here, and it’s always good. The course has a few gentle hills but nothing brutal, and the scenery along the river is really nice! there are plenty of ppl out cheering for you, lots of water stops and a good place to recover behind Tsongas at the end. It’s a great one to do!
Great start to a love of halfs!
This was a great entry level half marathon for a first timer like me! And I went to college at UMass Lowell so it was a total blast from the … MORE
This was a great entry level half marathon for a first timer like me! And I went to college at UMass Lowell so it was a total blast from the past to be running around some of my favorite places from college. The course was nice and flat with the exception of a few very slight inclines over the bridges. The “temporary” O’Rouke bridge adding a little thrill to the morning. There was an abundance of water/gatorade stations and rest stops. I wish it had been one long loop and not a repeated 6.6 mile loop but on the other hand it was nice to know what to expect and how far was left to go when coming around the second time. I will mention that I was told by a volunteer when picking up my bib that there would be gels at the water stops so I did not bring a snack for mid-run, but when I stopped at water station around mile 9 and asked they had no idea what I was talking about. That was a little disappointing; if I’d known I would’ve brought a little something for calories and would’ve had a much better push through the last couple miles. Overall I had a great time and plan to do it again next year!
My first marathon in MA
My best race ever! Beautiful running course! Bay state is flat and fast with a few small hills - most notably from miles 15 to 18. The flat course, coupled … MORE
My best race ever!
Beautiful running course!
Bay state is flat and fast with a few small hills – most notably from miles 15 to 18. The flat course, coupled with the typical race day temperature and humidity make the Baystate Marathon a very good PR and Boston Qualifier course.
Windy day along the river
Very well-organized race that is predominantly flat but can be windy (as it was this year). The foliage on the back half of the course was beautiful. Good fan support, … MORE
Very well-organized race that is predominantly flat but can be windy (as it was this year). The foliage on the back half of the course was beautiful. Good fan support, multiple pacing groups, great runner support for fluids/gels. The expo is limited. I stayed at the Best Western in Chelmsford with the Baystate Marathon rate and found it to be a great location to get to the race quickly in the morning. Getting out of the parking garage after the race is tough because of all the traffic. I plan to try to run it yearly as it is a good race to use for a BQ. The race provided BQ and PR keychains in addition to the medal after the race which was a really nice touch.
Great course
Loved the medal!!! Beautiful views of Merrimack River & delicious food at the end of the race for runners ! Course support and hydration stations are very frequent as well. MORE
Loved the medal!!! Beautiful views of Merrimack River & delicious food at the end of the race for runners ! Course support and hydration stations are very frequent as well.
Great Crowd, Great Course
This race has a very competitive group of runners. If you are trying to BQ there will be pacers for all standards, along with dozens of runners. The water stops … MORE
This race has a very competitive group of runners. If you are trying to BQ there will be pacers for all standards, along with dozens of runners. The water stops are decently placed, so you don’t need to worry if you don’t have your own. The course is mostly flat, with two small bumps near the start of the loop and an incline at the bridge. The shirts are nice, but there wasn’t a lot of food at the finish, only some bars and soup.
Great Boston Marathon Qualifier
The people running Baystate do a great job. I had an issue with the shirt size at the expo and they took care of it no problem. They made sure … MORE
The people running Baystate do a great job. I had an issue with the shirt size at the expo and they took care of it no problem. They made sure I was in a Mylar blanket as soon as I finished and checked up on me to see if I was okay. The food and drink at the finish line was great, Pepsi (to settle my stomach) … yes, it works, as one of the volunteers some years back called it, her “magic elixir”, and hot chicken noodle soup to warm me up, some chips and a delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich (PB&J never tasted so good!!!. I did miss not having the digital clock to display my name and finish time where I would normally stand beside it and get a picture of it but I think there may have been a technical difficulty as I did see one of the clocks on the ground but not plugged in. They did have a machine where you keyed in your bib number and it printed out your results..
Speaking of pictures, they give you free pictures (which I still have to log in and download).
But all in all, I really like running this race. Almost every year the weather seems to cooperate. It is extremely flat and fast. The quasi double loop might be tough on some but I think of it as a character builder..
And BEST OF ALL, I qualified for Boston 2020 by more than 10 minutes! I finished ahead of my goal by 11.3 seconds.
Fast, flat, convenient
The volunteers are the highlight of this course! The high school kids are so energetic they make the race really fun. I wish there were more water stops at the … MORE
The volunteers are the highlight of this course! The high school kids are so energetic they make the race really fun. I wish there were more water stops at the end of the race though, at least to break up the monotony because it lacks spectators between miles 23-26, particularly the last mile! Had some trouble with wind on the 2nd lap. Some of the race can be dull as it’s long stretches of the side of the road without many turns. Race logistics were a piece of cake, super organized. Would recommend this race for MA runners, especially if you can run it with a friend!
Race Lowell to Boston qualify
The course is very flat which makes for a great run and qualifier for Boston! Get out there and train! While it is flat you need to be prepared! It … MORE
The course is very flat which makes for a great run and qualifier for Boston! Get out there and train! While it is flat you need to be prepared! It is so much fun and you won’t regret running it!!