Ready for a breathtaking run? The Great Bay Half Marathon & 5K is back with the perfect mix of spectacular views and uphill climbs (you know, enough to take your breath away). Half Marathoners will traverse through beautiful winding roads, the Great Bay estuary, and the historic district of downtown …
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Ready for a breathtaking run? The Great Bay Half Marathon & 5K is back with the perfect mix of spectacular views and uphill climbs (you know, enough to take your breath away). Half Marathoners will traverse through beautiful winding roads, the Great Bay estuary, and the historic district of downtown Newmarket, NH! But, don’t let the captivating views fool you, this race is one for the books – and you’ll soon learn that it is one hill of a run. Don’t worry though, we will reward you with stylish swag, complimentary beer (21+), and plenty of delicious and healthy snacks!
The Great Bay Half boasts a challenging but gorgeous course along the Great Bay estuary, featuring a 3.5 mile section on a well-maintained winding dirt road, sightings of bald eagles and great blue herons, and a dramatic finish in the heart of historic Newmarket. Just picture yourself on the final downhill stretch of closed downtown streets running past the centuries-old fieldstone mill buildings and throngs of cheering spectators!
We also provide some on-course entertainment for your running pleasure! Weather permitting, there will be live music at four locations along the course to keep you motivated. Also keep on the lookout for the belly dancers from Lotus Rising Belly Dance at Mile 10!
The Beyond The Rainbow 5K aims to bring awareness (and donations) to Exeter Hospital’s The Beyond The Rainbow Fund – helping local NH cancer patients since 2002.
The 5K starts at the same time and place as the half marathon! You’ll run (or walk) the same course as the half marathon up to Mile 2.5, at which point you’ll veer right when the marathoners stay straight. The course then goes up a short steep hill (sorry!) but finishes with a downhill stretch through the heart of downtown with thousands of cheering spectators!
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Beautiful and Very Hilly
This race is quaint and easy to participate in. We parked about 200 yards from the starting area and walked right up a few minutes before go time. Bib pick … MORE
This race is quaint and easy to participate in. We parked about 200 yards from the starting area and walked right up a few minutes before go time. Bib pick up was very easy.
Beautiful scenery through out the course, and thank goodness because it helped distract from numerous very steep hills. The uphills were no joke, but there’s plenty of down hills to keep your pace up. That said, the steep down hills are the real killer here, my legs were pretty beat up after this race.
The race T’s were not attractive at all, i don’t expect I’ll ever wear it. (however following the race, volunteers gave out leftover swag from previous years).
Fun after party, plenty of good drinks and Dominos.
Gorgeous scenery, but very hill
I love this race. I ran it for the first time in 2019 (hence the review) and plan to run it again in the future once races are back post-COVID. … MORE
I love this race. I ran it for the first time in 2019 (hence the review) and plan to run it again in the future once races are back post-COVID. The scenery is incredible, the aid stations were well-placed, and the race was well-attended without feeling overly-crowded. Race packet pickup also went very smoothly the morning of the race.
There are a few caveats that I would flag for people who haven’t run this race before. First, it is HILLY. The race course covers a series of up-and-down hills from miles 4 through 10, followed by a gradual incline/decline in miles 10-12. My watch said I gained around 550 feet of elevation on the course, and the earlier hills were around 100 ft. of elevation each. Most of my training was on flat ground and I struggled on some of the larger hills. Pace yourself accordingly.
Second, the race started fairly late in the day – I think around 11 a.m. Although it was around 45 and cloudy when we started, by the end it was 65 and sunny, so be prepared for it to warm up a lot during the race. A lot of runners were wearing warmer gear and I imagine the last few miles would’ve been tough.
Otherwise, it was a great race that I’ll definitely be revisiting in the future!
Great Race, Great Hills, Great Bay
This is a challenging half-marathon. Great Bay is known for it's hills. There are several steep and long hills on this course and they can eat you alive. Fortunately there … MORE
This is a challenging half-marathon.
Great Bay is known for it’s hills. There are several steep and long hills on this course and they can eat you alive.
Fortunately there are only a few of these hills and if you run smartly you will survive and enjoy the great scenery of the Great Bay Estuary.
The race is run partly in Newmarket, NH on pavement, then on dirt roads as you run out into the Great Bay Estuary.
I find it awesome to be running a race on a dirt road in the woods and to be able to smell the forest and salty air.
The after race party takes place at several bars and the American Legion Hall. Smuttynose Brewing provides the post race beverages and there is plenty of pizza and snacks after the race also.
The Over The Rainbow 5K starts with the half, so don’t try to keep up with the lead pack in the beginning, they are only running 3.1 miles!