The Hamden Hills Half Marathon course is challenging and picturesque as you run through the back country of Hamden. The course runs on the Rail-Trail for the first 2 miles and the last 2 miles offering a bit of flat, shady ground to enjoy. The 5K is 100% on the …
MORE
The Hamden Hills Half Marathon course is challenging and picturesque as you run through the back country of Hamden. The course runs on the Rail-Trail for the first 2 miles and the last 2 miles offering a bit of flat, shady ground to enjoy.
The 5K is 100% on the rail-trail for a flat and fast finish.
Race features include:
– Chip timed for accuracy
– Mile 6.65 timing mat for the half way split
– Short sleeve race shirts for all entrants
– Custom Finisher Medals for the Half Marathon
– Subway is providing Subs, Cookies and Chips post-race
– Gatorade, GU and Poland Spring water at all Aid Stations (Miles 2.5, 4.5, 6.5, 8.5, 10.5)
– Porto-lets at the Start/Finish and Miles 4.5 & 8.5
– All finishers receive a “Race Receipt” when they finish will all of their stats. You’ll know if you won top 3 right away
– Our Real-Time tracking system allows award winners to get their award immediately so there is no wait for an awards ceremony later
– Top 3 Overall and in every 10 year age division wins a custom Race Pilsner Award
LESS
Confusing course
I don't know that I'd do this one again. The course was not very well marked and the turns were confusing as it doubles back a couple of times. If … MORE
I don’t know that I’d do this one again. The course was not very well marked and the turns were confusing as it doubles back a couple of times. If there wasn’t a volunteer at a turn, you weren’t always sure which way to go and there was rarely an arrow telling you to keep straight after an intersection. The course map is also confusing, often with arrows in both directions as the course is an out and back. The most confusing bit being the start. The start is just a line on the ground saying “HM start” and there’s no arrow telling you which direction to start in. The race offered an early start, which I did, which was just a few of us told to start a half hour early with no one to direct us or send us off. Thus, a few of us started in the wrong direction as the course map seemed to indicate to do so. We didn’t find out until we were 2 miles in. Luckily, the RD told us where to turn around on the course to get the proper mileage without having to run 17 miles.
I can’t speak to the scenery in the second half of the course, but from the course map it looks like it would be pretty. I can say that the paved rail trail is nice as it is completely tree lined and shady. The race is aptly named as it was very hilly and I’m sure those hills continued through the rest of the course.
The course is open to traffic, with police at major intersections. This really wasn’t an issue as Hamden is a pretty sleepy town on a Saturday morning.