The Clarence DeMar Marathon was established in 1978 to honor former Keene resident Clarence DeMar. We currently offer two competitive races, a Full Marathon and Half Marathon, and two community wellness programs: the DeMar Kids Marathon and DeMar Super Senior Marathon. We are inspired by Clarence DeMar’s pure love of …
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The Clarence DeMar Marathon was established in 1978 to honor former Keene resident Clarence DeMar. We currently offer two competitive races, a Full Marathon and Half Marathon, and two community wellness programs: the DeMar Kids Marathon and DeMar Super Senior Marathon.
We are inspired by Clarence DeMar’s pure love of the sport, his stature in the distance running community, and his particularly New England character—stern, principled, humble, and wry. At the DeMar Marathon, we follow his example. Anyone who wants to run can run. We’ll make sure you have an world-class experience. All you have to do is start.
The Clarence DeMar Marathon is a tremendously well-organized, welcoming race held during early New England foliage season. The 26.2-mile course is USATF-certified and a Boston qualifier. At the DeMar, we give our runners a world-class experience as we celebrate each and every cross of the finish line.
So you’re only half-crazy? Then the DeMar Half Marathon is for you! The 13.1-mile course winds through exquisite scenery of early foliage season. All DeMar half-marathoners enjoy a world-class running experience, along with the support and encouragement of 300+ volunteers.
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One of the Best in NH
I had run this race last year and not much had changed so that review has more details. Overall this is one of the best half marathon in NH and … MORE
I had run this race last year and not much had changed so that review has more details. Overall this is one of the best half marathon in NH and probably the best full marathon. I’ve done most of the halfs in NH but only one full in NH but this is the best half that also has a full marathon so I assume it is the best full marathon here. My favorite NH half is the New England Half in Concord but this race is a close second. It is located in Keene which is a bit far away which is my only negative. I am trying to be a little cheaper with an upcoming trip to Europe in less than 2 weeks and a trip to Antarctica in March so I again stayed at my parents house an hour away instead of getting a hotel and did race day packet pick-up. Swag for the race is okay. The shirt this year was a long sleeved green polyblend shirt. I’d prefer a tech shirt like last year but I suppose it’s good to mix it up. I do like the swag back has some other items like a bumper sticker, Gu and ChapStick and not just a shirt. Race logistics exactly the same and everything was smooth. It was absolutely perfect weather and a but warmer than last year (though still nice and cool for running) so it was more comfortable waiting for the start. The race is excellent. It is very scenic with fall foliage (though not quite at it’s peak which is one reason why I slightly prefer the New England half). The course has some hills but isn’t bad for New England. The course is well marked and there are plenty of aid stations. There are a ton of spectators for being a smaller town and the therapy pig was back. I think there were even more spectators this year. Not all of the course is on closed roads but it is generally coned off and lots of course marshals. My biggest issue last year outside of the race’s control was even though it is a back of the pack friendly race there were not many back of packers and I was third from last and running only with marathoners. However this year there was a significant amount more people in the back of pack and I was about 15 minutes faster so I had an even better experience. My only very minor criticism is I wish there was an aid station with nutrition somewhere between mile 6-10. There is an unofficial aid station near the end of the race with lots of goodies but no official aid station with nutrition. This is mentioned in the info and you can take the Gu they give you. The finish line and after party are at Keene State College and set up nicely. I was happy I finished under 3:10. The medal is a bit small but it’s okay. There is soup, cookies and other food at the end. Overall this race has an excellent course and is very well produced. The medal could be a bit better and the location isn’t as convenient as some other locations in NH but this is still an excellent choice for a NH race. I’m sure I will run in again.
Beautiful New England Race in Keene
Clarence DeMar Marathon was absolutely fantastic. Would recommend it to anyone wanting to complete race in New Hampshire. Race Pick up- The Marathon is on Sunday and you Friday and … MORE
Clarence DeMar Marathon was absolutely fantastic. Would recommend it to anyone wanting to complete race in New Hampshire.
Race Pick up- The Marathon is on Sunday and you Friday and Saturday to pick up your bib and packet. (does have a Sunday option as well) Includes a DeMar bag and some goodies. There is little bit of DeMar merchandise you can buy, but no outside vendors. Very fast and efficient.
The race starts well outside of Keene. It starts outside of an Elementary School. You have two options to get there. Park at Keene State were the finish line is and a bus will drive 30 minutes or so to the start line. Option 2 is have someone drop you off. Marathon starts at 7 and does have a 10 min walk from the Elementary school were you dropped off to the start line. You are allowed inside the school gym and cafeteria which was nice. But porta potties are outside and like almost every marathon I ran they don’t have enough and had long lines.
Race Course: The race starts in the city Gilsum. One thing that was interesting with this race is you start at top of hill and start running downhill. I never ran a marathon running down hill and this was a really big decline.
The first 10 miles of this marathon are absolutely breathtaking. You are running through the forest there small river your running next to. The leaves while not in full peak are starting to show there colors a lot. It was one of the most beautiful portion of a race I have done. Now the marathon is a net down hill. However, this portion of the race does have some hills. You will have to deal with both uphill and downhill, but well worth it.
Miles 10-12 you go around this lake/dam that was absolutely breathtaking. I just cant emphasis how nice the first half of this marathon again.
Miles 12-14 is really the last of the country roads you run through. You run along a golf course before you finally start to hit Keene.
Miles 15-21 are probably my least favorite. You are running along busy roads and there is no room between you and the traffic. Wish this part of the race had little more room. However, the police and volunteers always made it feel safe.
Mile 21-22 was a fun part as you run through this really big graveyard. Though this part is really hilly.
23-26 You are running at the edge of town on a bike bath. Not as much moments on the road, so defiantly nicer.
Finish. Then you finish on the beautiful Keen State College.
Outside some parts in the middle on some busy roads this marathon was absolutely beautiful.
Production: The volunteers were great. They always helped you on every turn. There was a ton of them too. Water station every 2 miles or so. Water and Gatorade at every station. Later ones had gels. Finish line had soup, cookies, and fruit. Well run marathon.
Size- Decently small. About 300 Full and 3000 half marathoners. The half marathon starts an hour latter at 8am. Its start location is different then the full, but 90% of the course they run is same as the full. So you will see the half marathon runners with you at times. It is a small town so you wont have the crowd support like a big city, but it was decent for its size.
Swag: Was probably just average. T-Shirt was long sleeve and fine. Medal was pretty basic with outline of DeMar. Nothing special here, but it was fine.
Weather/Difficulty: When I ran it was cloudy with Low in the low 50s and High around 70. Most years the temperature is around that. Maybe you get unlucky with some Rain, but you should be fine. It is pretty big downhill marathon. However, there are some hills especially in the first half and the graveyard part of the run. So if your not use to hills it could be harder. I was find with it.
Overall: An extremely well ran race that was absolutely breathtaking scenery in the first half. Would recommend it for anyone wanting to run a race in New Hampshire.
Well organized
Race was well run. Volunteers were great (Especially Cheryl) the course was well marked. Plenty of porta potties and water stops. Beautifully difficult for a Florida flat lander. Highly recommend. MORE
Race was well run. Volunteers were great
(Especially Cheryl) the course was well marked. Plenty of porta potties and water stops. Beautifully difficult for a Florida flat lander. Highly recommend.
Deceptively tough
The course didn't look too difficult on paper, but it was more difficult than anticipated. I only had an elevation gain of 449', but it seemed like more. Packet pickup … MORE
The course didn’t look too difficult on paper, but it was more difficult than anticipated. I only had an elevation gain of 449′, but it seemed like more.
Packet pickup was at the gym on the Keene State College. Not much of an expo, just a few race related items for sale. Pickup was quick and easy with plenty of parking. Race communication was good leading up to the race.
Both the half and full were point-to-point. Both distances offered buses to transport runners to the start. The buses were at the same location as the packet pickup and once again seemed to be plenty of parking options. The buses were on time and I didn’t hear of any issues. The start area for the half had a tent for keeping warm and a few port-a-johns. The race started promptly at 8. The race was a little smaller than some, about 356 finishers, and did not have pacers or corrals.
The race started with a downhill, followed by a quick uphill. The biggest incline is between miles 3.5-4. Early you run along some country roads with decent scenery of the countryside. The leaves were not at peak colors yet. Runners eventually run along the shoulder with traffic. I prefer having the road to myself, but keep that in mind. There were a good amount of spectators on the course, especially the closer you got to town. It seemed to have an adequate number of aid stations. The course goes onto a trail and even through a cemetery. There were a lot of cheering spectators at the finish and the announcer called every finishers name and their hometown. There was some decent post race food and all the volunteers seemed very friendly.
The weather was overcast, in the upper 50’s with over 90% humidity. It wasn’t the hilliest race I’ve done, but it seemed more difficult than the 449′ of gain indicated by my watch. It was an ok race, but I think I had higher expectations. The town wasn’t the quaint little New England town I expected. It was busy and had some of the most chaotic traffic circles I have ever witnessed.
The shirt was ok, but didn’t think the image was great. The medal was a little small, but it was nice.
Beautiful, Hilly Course
This is probably the most scenic of the 26 marathons I've done. The course is hilly and was challenging; some of the downhills were worse than the uphill sections. The … MORE
This is probably the most scenic of the 26 marathons I’ve done. The course is hilly and was challenging; some of the downhills were worse than the uphill sections. The course was well marked with plenty of enthusiastic volunteers. They obviously take pride in running a well organized race. Pre-race instructions were clear. No detailed was overlooked.
challenging, beautiful, great support
The course is more challenging than the elevation map would suggest because of different surfaces and road camber….support stayed open (and staffed) the entire time. Aid stations were H2O and … MORE
The course is more challenging than the elevation map would suggest because of different surfaces and road camber….support stayed open (and staffed) the entire time. Aid stations were H2O and Gatorade…although the Ultra crew had a fully stocked support stop at mile 23. Definitely worth driving the course in advance to get a sense of where the challenging moments will be.
Gym is open to wait for shuttles to the start and there is shelter at the start line as well. Overall a great experience.
Beautiful scenery, welcoming community
Very well organized at all levels. Whether a first time participant or a veteran, you will receive full support. The community will be there to cheer you on, MORE
Very well organized at all levels. Whether a first time participant or a veteran, you will receive full support. The community will be there to cheer you on,
A lovely fall run in New Hampshire
Best part of this race: Making new friends, seeing old ones. I met several other 50-staters and Marathon Maniacs at the pre-race dinner event. Second best part of this race: … MORE
Best part of this race: Making new friends, seeing old ones. I met several other 50-staters and Marathon Maniacs at the pre-race dinner event.
Second best part of this race: The race route. There’s nothing like running the gently rolling hills of New England in the fall. From the burbling river beside us for much of the descent to the out-and-back across a dam to the brief jaunt through a cemetery, this one was pretty from start to finish.
Other highlights: Keene. It’s a nice town. You can pretty much see/do it all in a few hours, then it gets old. But Machina Arts was a cool bar. Small-town vibe. Felt like a ghost town a few hours after the race though.
Pro Tip: Search around for airBNBs. I found one for wicked cheap 3 minutes from the start line. Better to create memories and meet people than to stay in a hotel.
Awesome Close Race!
Really awesome race. I live in Dublin NH right near Keene so getting there was a breeze. Their was a ton of people cheering which was really nice, and their … MORE
Really awesome race. I live in Dublin NH right near Keene so getting there was a breeze. Their was a ton of people cheering which was really nice, and their was only one big hill at the beginning of the race. The weather when I also did it was perfect for running.
Meet Archie the Therapy Pig!
I have only heard great things about this race so since I am back in NH and had the weekend off I knew I had to do it. There was … MORE
I have only heard great things about this race so since I am back in NH and had the weekend off I knew I had to do it. There was great pre-race communication with weekly emails leading up to the race. This race is located in Keene, NH which is by the Vermont border. Probably my only real negative about the race is it is not a convenient location. Every airport is over 1 hour away so if you are flying you will need to rent a car or be creative. I obviously drove but it’s still a pretty far drive. It is about 1 hour from my parents house in Concord, NH and 1.5 hours from my apartment in Salem, NH so I stayed with my parents. I was happy there was race day packet pick-up as it would be a long drive to go back and forth for the packet and I didn’t feel like spending money on a hotel. There is a pasta dinner that I’ve heard is great but again because of the distance I skipped it. The race ends at Keene State College and there is a different start for the full and half. You can park either at the start or finish but if you are doing race day packet pick-up you have to get the packet at the finish so I parked at the finish and took the shuttle to the start. I had to leave very early in the morning to get there and get the shuttle. I may consider a hotel if I do it again. The full starts at 7am and the half at 8am but you have to get the shuttles pretty early. The half shuttle left between 6:30 and 7:00. Packet pick-up went smooth and included a very nice, long sleeve light blue tech shirt and a draw string bag with lots of goodies like a bumper sticker and nutrition items. Definitely more swag than I’ve been getting at most half marathons. The shuttle went smoothly. One other minor negative is you had to wait at the start for a while. As I said in my last review the weather cooled down and it was perfect running weather but not perfect waiting 1 hour outside before a race weather. There was a tent runners could hang out it but it was not heated. Other than that everything else was great. There is about 300 participants in both the half and full. The full is net downhill and a fast course that a lot of people use to BQ. The half follows a lot of the marathon but there are a few areas that split. The half is not net downhill (well technically my Garmin said it was 20 feet net downhill lol) and is rolling hills but is not too difficult especially for NH. The scenery is beautiful and there is fall foliage and you also go past farms, pretty rustic neighborhoods, parks and through a cemetery. It was impeccably well marked. It could have been a confusing course as the half and full diverged quite a bit but it was so well marked you couldn’t get lost. There were very frequent aid stations every 1 to 2 miles. The road was not all closed for runners but it was always coned off and there was always space for runners to pass each other since there is some mixing of paces. With the size of the field there wasn’t much issue with the half and full mixing together and it was nice to almost always be running with others even if they were running much faster than me. There is good spectators support for a town of this size. It is not going to be the spectator support of the NYC marathon but there were more spectators than I expected. My favorite spectator was Archie the Therapy Pig who I met and got the pet and take some pictures with. There were also some really cute kids handing out treats to the runners. The half is very back of the pack friendly as there is essentially a 6 hour time limit. However there were very few back of packers participating. I was surprised there were only a couple participants behind me given the long time limit. I had no issues being in the back and since I was finishing with a lot of marathoners, all the aid stations were well stocked. I did run alone for one portion that diverged which was a bit lonely until I rejoined the marathon. The finish line is at Keene State College and it is busy, energetic and well set up. The medal is fine. It’s probably a bit below average for a half medal but adequate. The full medal is appropriately bigger. My finishing time was exactly the same as I have been running. I was hoping to break 3:20. I was on target until I met Archie but it was more fun to pet him and interact with the spectators than be 5 minutes faster. The food was a bit picked over at the end. There was still plenty of food but there was a selection of cookies and only healthy “breakfast” cookies were left. There was also vegan soup and a selection of different granola and protein bars. There was only one thing of chocolate milk left. I hate chocolate milk but I saw a marathoner excitedly get the last one. Since there were like 2 or 3 half marathoners behind me this shouldn’t be an issue for most half marathoners but full marathoners may not have as great of food selection if over 4ish hours (though there should be some food). Overall I thought this was an excellent race. I’m not sure it’s the best half marathon in NH but it’s definitely in the top 3 (the other 2 being New England Half and Smuttynose Rockfest). However this is the best that has a marathon so as long as you can get to Keene this is definitely the race to do for 50 state marathoners and one of the best choices for 50 state half marathoners especially walkers. I am not sure I will be in town next year for this race but it’s one I will definitely do again.
I thought I was too old to PR.
Great race all around. Absolutely no complaints. Just the right amount of runners where you don't feel crowded but yet not lonely. Somehow I didn't look at the elevation profile … MORE
Great race all around. Absolutely no complaints. Just the right amount of runners where you don’t feel crowded but yet not lonely. Somehow I didn’t look at the elevation profile and was pleasantly surprised by the net elevation loss, leading to a PR! The indoor waiting area at the school pre-race was a plus. Friendly volunteers and pockets of crowd support. Pretty fall scenery and the unexpected run through a cemetery. Nice little swag items in the pre-race bag. Hot soup and chocolate milk at the finish. Hotels seemed a bit pricey and ended up staying in Brattleboro, VT so we had a short drive in morning of the race. Great race for NH. Highly recommend! Quality shirt and medal.
Great Way to Experience New Hampshire
I knew nothing about New Hampshire before this race and now I’m looking for a reason to return. The course and people were wonderful. There were definitely more volunteers than … MORE
I knew nothing about New Hampshire before this race and now I’m looking for a reason to return. The course and people were wonderful. There were definitely more volunteers than runners and I’d feel guilty for walking since they would cheer so enthusiastically when you came into view. They had very good soup at the end with chocolate milk, and then a variety of energy bars, but that was about it. Perhaps there was more earlier and they ran out, but I don’t know. We stayed in an Airbnb about half a mile from finish and bus pickup and it was so convenient to navigate. We drove just so we had a few extra minutes in the am and parking was a breeze. The cut-off was extremely generous at 7 hours,. Really, everything was smooth sailing with this race (we flew into Hartford, CT about 1 1/2-2 hours south) and I’d recommend this race, whether you’re a 50-stater or not.
Nice course for early fall New England
Nice racecourse that is net downhill but has enough uphill to relieve the quads. Easy check-in and a fair number in the goodie bag. Director strives to give you the … MORE
Nice racecourse that is net downhill but has enough uphill to relieve the quads. Easy check-in and a fair number in the goodie bag. Director strives to give you the number corresponding to the state # you are completing if you are a 50-stater, just let them know when doing the online registration. Cars on the roads with runners but not enough to be distracting. Good locations for family and friends to watch and then move to the next location along the course.
Great Race with even better Backstory!
Good Fall Marathon in New England. Great race volunteers! Downhill Start gets the runners spread out quickly. only a couple of out and backs where one can see the runners … MORE
Good Fall Marathon in New England. Great race volunteers! Downhill Start gets the runners spread out quickly. only a couple of out and backs where one can see the runners ahead and behind. Point to Point makes it better race for me, and I heard, other people too. The finish line energy made me so happy!
Love This Race!
This is a fantastic fun race! Rolling hills, great scenery, extremely organized. Great fun with terrific crowd support and the BEST volunteers. There are a number of spots where the … MORE
This is a fantastic fun race! Rolling hills, great scenery, extremely organized. Great fun with terrific crowd support and the BEST volunteers. There are a number of spots where the marathon and the half diverge and come back together and the course markings and volunteer directions were impeccable. I’ll be back!
Beautiful course, well organized, fun!
I've run the half marathon twice, in 2022 and 2023. Both times I've run this race it was a small town race of around 800 participants, with a big time … MORE
I’ve run the half marathon twice, in 2022 and 2023. Both times I’ve run this race it was a small town race of around 800 participants, with a big time race feel! This race is so well run from the minute you sign up until the moment you cross that festive finish and head over to the amazing spread of hot soup, fresh fruit, yummy cookies and many options for refreshments.
The on course support from the local community and volunteers is amazing. All road crossings are well managed and assisted. The marathon and half merge where the half starts in this point to point race, and split/merge again over the final 13.1, but all splits are extremely well marked and staffed with volunteers.
Finishing on the Keene State college campus is festive energizing! This is a popular Boston qualifier Marathon for good reason! I love the quality of the long sleeve shirts you receive with sign up, and the additional swag goodies are great! I cannot recommend this race enough for all ability levels! You will be glad you chose to run the historic Clarence DeMar race!
Top Notch Marathon
Ran this race as a 50 stater looking to knock off NH, and wow was I impressed. Of all the marathons I’ve run, this is in the top 5. Starts … MORE
Ran this race as a 50 stater looking to knock off NH, and wow was I impressed. Of all the marathons I’ve run, this is in the top 5. Starts outside of Keene and runs downhill for a good portion, with beautiful views of the mountains and the fall foliage. Eventually you make your way into town, encountering a couple small climbs and one sizeable one. Finish is at a local college, with nice food, massage, and a great atmosphere. Swag was good, with a really nice medal.
If I wasn’t on a quest to run all 50 states, I’d repeat this one – it’s that good! If you like a nice, small race with beautiful scenery, run to this one!
Perfection in every way!
It’s not often you will find a marathon with a beautiful course, a great director whose communication is superb, a supportive community who cherishes runners, well stocked aid stations, great … MORE
It’s not often you will find a marathon with a beautiful course, a great director whose communication is superb, a supportive community who cherishes runners, well stocked aid stations, great swag, and every single detail spot on! If you are looking for a well organized event that loves running…this one is for you! I definitely would love to run this one again!
Love Keene & the story behind this race!
Such a sweet race. The commeradery is just impeccable. You can tell that everyone from this town absolutely LOVES their town. It's very evident in this race. This is one … MORE
Such a sweet race. The commeradery is just impeccable. You can tell that everyone from this town absolutely LOVES their town. It’s very evident in this race. This is one that is full of 50 staters, and the locals are so excited to welcome everyone to their hometown race. Absolutely loved the spirit here. Not my best performance — went out for a PR and the hills just got me that day. But still a good experience. The town of Keene is precious. I stayed in Gilsum at the cutest eco friendly house. Definitely recommend!
Fantastically well organized
Five sshoes are not high enough for the race production with this race. The pre-race communication and website information was fantastic. If you didn't find an answer to a question … MORE
Five sshoes are not high enough for the race production with this race. The pre-race communication and website information was fantastic. If you didn’t find an answer to a question then you either didn’t read well enough or you really didn’t need to know it. The race director was also super accessible at packet pickup and pre-race pasta dinner. This was my 15th marathon and this was the most well marked course I’ve ever run (including 20 halfs). Color coded route arrows on the pavement and corriplast signs as well as at least 2 volunteers at each turn made it impossible to get off course. I think the website described it as ‘challenging but fair’ and I would agree with that. Net downhill according to my watch, but that wasn’t really noticeable. Some rolling hills at various parts with a couple of steeper ones later in the race, particularly a down into the cemetery and then a couple ups closer to the end of the cemetery. Most of the inclines weren’t really noticeable though.
Crowd support was decent, but it’s a smaller race mostly through NH countryside, so if you need the roar of a Chicago crowd, this probably won’t work for you. Volunteer support all weekend was top notch. Pre-race pasta dinner was good with an enjoyable program (Frank Shorter this year). Post race food was okay, cookies and chocolate milk were my favorites, some fruit, bagels and vegetable soup (heavy on chickpeas and beans) this year. The course was mostly open to traffic, which at times was not great but manageable. Several times you were running with traffic, but the drivers seemed more courteous to runners than I’m used to. Porta-potties were not super plentiful and were fairly spread out (none from 4 – 10, roughly every 5 miles after that). I also had significant overlap with half marathoners (they start 1 hour later, I ran mid 3 hours), passing the same runners 4 or 5 times based on how the courses were set up, so that got a little old. All in all, a fantastic race weekend (nice quaint small town also), highly recommended if you are a 50 stater needing New Hampshire. They also do a very cool thing with your bib for 50 staters, at least by my wife and I’s nerdy standards.