The premier marathon and half marathon in Connecticut is a fall celebration not to be missed. The beloved New England road race tradition delivers a top-notch experience with great attention to detail to support the safety and enjoyment of participants, volunteers and spectators. Be inspired with a glorious start in …
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The premier marathon and half marathon in Connecticut is a fall celebration not to be missed.
The beloved New England road race tradition delivers a top-notch experience with great attention to detail to support the safety and enjoyment of participants, volunteers and spectators.
Be inspired with a glorious start in front of the majestic Capitol. Marathon and half marathon courses venture into the welcoming neighborhoods of West Hartford, full of cheering race spectators, with a short pass through beautiful Elizabeth Park.
Marathoners veer off from half marathon participants and head over the Founders Bridge, traveling along the scenic East Hartford side of the river before hitting the rural and serene town roads of South Windsor, where the course highlights its quintessential New England charm. Journey back to Hartford to finish just past the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch in Bushnell Park and celebrate with food and music in the park and beer garden festivities.
The 13.1 mile course will split from the marathon in Hartford, about 8 miles in, before half marathoners enjoy a run along the river. The downtown Hartford finish delivers that joyous and memorable moment crossing under the Arch, along brilliantly colored mums lining the path.
The Charity 5K will run through downtown Hartford. Expect a fast race for competitive runners that also welcomes casual runners and walkers to accomplish goals finishing under the arch.
Those looking for a fun way to get in on the action together with others can enjoy the Team 26.2 Relay with options for 2-5 team members to run in legs along the marathon course.
A memorable experience awaits, with meaningful swag, well supported courses, thorough medical and security services and a great celebration in store.
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Fantastic Event, exceeded my expectation
I ran the Half Marathon. The Hartford Marathon/Half Marathon/5k is a very well organized event. The runners expo was good. Nice long sleeve t-shirt. I liked the course a lot … MORE
I ran the Half Marathon. The Hartford Marathon/Half Marathon/5k is a very well organized event. The runners expo was good. Nice long sleeve t-shirt. I liked the course a lot although it was a bit more hilly than I had expected. Plenty of aid stations and good crowd support. Fantastic finish line and the medal is one of the best. After race beer tent, etc. were first rate. I highly recommend this race. Great job Hartford!
Great, well run, race!
This was a really well put together race. I ran the half marathon with my cousin, who also has a 50 state goal. Since I am pregnant, we ran the … MORE
This was a really well put together race. I ran the half marathon with my cousin, who also has a 50 state goal. Since I am pregnant, we ran the race for fun and I was able to take in the course scenery more than I usually would. The course has rolling hills, but was quite scenic. You finish through the arch, which was lined with mums- it was picturesque! After the race, they were giving out soup, which was a nice change. Overall, great half marathon!
Huge Hearts from a Small Town
Connecticut is a small state and there aren't many options for marathons, so everyone does Hartford. Lots of spectators came out to see us and it made me feel welcomed! … MORE
Connecticut is a small state and there aren’t many options for marathons, so everyone does Hartford. Lots of spectators came out to see us and it made me feel welcomed! I stopped a lot to take photos of the scenery, the signs, and decorations.
I started to feel a bit more alone when the half marathoners separated from the marathoners, but at least we still had a nice course to run on. The course is rolling hills, but they didn’t feel terrible! The weather was perfect since it was cold in the beginning, and gradually warmed up!
We finished the run by running through the arch! Afterwards there were tons of vendors that sold food if runners wanted to buy some. The free food we received were soup, bread, bananas, popcorn, and monster cookie granola. Additionally, we received beer in the beer garden!
I will definitely run this again if I do another round of the USA.
Small race with BIG race feel
Really enjoyed this race! Expo was small (which I prefer). Race morning logistics easy. Lots of port-a-potties at start and along the course as well. First 8 miles or so … MORE
Really enjoyed this race! Expo was small (which I prefer). Race morning logistics easy. Lots of port-a-potties at start and along the course as well. First 8 miles or so is with half marathon runners so beginning is a little congested but not too bad. Crowd support was incredible the entire race. I was really impressed. The community really turns out for this one! Road closures were well executed (I really don’t like running alongside moving traffic). Aid stations had water and UCAN. Course had mild hills throughout – nothing bad, just enough to keep it interesting. The finish line was epic – really enjoyed running under the arch! Race medal is classy and hefty. Post-race party was festive. If I lived closer, would 100% run again. Highly recommend!
Good Race in Hartford
Overall this is a very solid race. The organizers did a great job with communication before hand. Packet pickup was easy, small expo, and great volunteers. T-shirt was long sleeve, … MORE
Overall this is a very solid race. The organizers did a great job with communication before hand. Packet pickup was easy, small expo, and great volunteers. T-shirt was long sleeve, probably one I will not hang on to very long. Basic stuff at the expo, not many freebees. My hotel was in a great spot, Residence Inn Marriott Downtown. 2 blocks from packet pick up, 10 min walk to the starting line. Though the area is a little iffy (its in the city), everything was fine. $45-$55 cab ride from the airport. There is a marathon, half and 5k. Marathon and half run together for the 1st 8ish miles. 1st 3 miles were pretty packed, then it started to thin out. There were always plenty of half runners around to stay motivated, which I like. Run through the city into the suburbs, then re-trace back to the city, then into a sparse area around mile 10. Run on a trail by the water back to the city. The finish is cool, running through an arch. There were many places with lots of crowd support and many with zero. Volunteers were great, some of the early water stations were getting slammed, though it was perfect running weather (40s-50s). No Gatorade or Powerade, a thick white electrolyte drink which was not the best, but still worked. They give out gu packets on the course. Medal is pretty nice to add to the collection. I did this race to cross off Connecticut for 50 states, not sure if there are better races in the state but this had the big race feel. Would recommend for out of staters, and the locals seemed to be very loyal to this race.
Good Connecticut Race
Overall this is a very good half to run. Good communication through Email in the weeks leading up to the race. The expo was decent: you received a long sleeve … MORE
Overall this is a very good half to run. Good communication through Email in the weeks leading up to the race. The expo was decent: you received a long sleeve shirt and a bag drop bag. There was plenty of merch to buy and booths for last minute running needs. Emily Sisson talked for a bit at the expo which was a nice bonus.
I can’t speak to parking since I stayed at an Air BnB within walking distance. It did seem like there were plenty of parking options, and there are plenty of hotels/ Air BnB’s that are close enough to walk.
There were three different start corrals and they had them separated in the beginning, however I don’t understand why they have corrals if everyone starts at the same time… It was very congested the first few miles of the course. I think if they even spread out the start by a minute per corral it would help. That’s really my only complaint from the race. The half and full run together until about mile 8.5. The signage was excellent and you would truly have to try to make a wrong turn. It was very organized, plenty of crowd support and water stops.
In my opinion, it wasn’t very scenic. You run by some churches and start at the capital in the beginning. You run along the Connecticut River for about a mile towards the end. The best was the finish running through the arch! There are some rolling hills throughout the course, but nothing horrible. I think the worst climb was one around mile 10 and then one leaving the river trail around mile 11.5-12.
At the finish you get a run Hartford water bottle, a nice medal, and a Hartford heat sheet. There are plenty of food options in the finisher village, merch for sale, and a beer garden with one free beer from the local brewery, Urban Lodge (definitely stop there if you like craft beer!).
All in all, a very organized race. I would run it again if I lived closer or if I ever find myself in the area.
Great community support!
Expo was nice sized to get a few samples and last minute supplies - we had to pay to park. Luckily, I got an Airbnb 10 min walk from race … MORE
Expo was nice sized to get a few samples and last minute supplies – we had to pay to park. Luckily, I got an Airbnb 10 min walk from race start so I didn’t deal with parking or traffic, but did see where there was a huge lot nearby. There were a few hills at 2.5 & 5 but nothing major. The one thing that really stood out to me was the community support throughout the entire course from both residence and the police. The medals were nice sized and we got 1 free beer at the finish. The shorts were long sleeved wicking, but the color would not have been my pick. I would probably run this marathon again, just based on the community support.
A nice fall race
Pros: Great finish line experience, hot tortilla soup and fresh bread was welcomed on the cool day! Medals are very nice, aid stations plentiful and music and cheering great. Everyone … MORE
Pros: Great finish line experience, hot tortilla soup and fresh bread was welcomed on the cool day! Medals are very nice, aid stations plentiful and music and cheering great. Everyone was very friendly. Beautiful fall weather and band afterwords.
Considerations: Roads are not smooth, potholes and such. It’s a hilly but fun race. They could improve by spacing the corrals out – after Corral A finishes, wait 2 minutes to let Corral B go. It would be much less congested. Downtown is a little depressing with all the homeless and cannabis if you decide to stay there. It would also be helpful if the aid stations were consistent. Sometimes water first, other times electrolytes. Sometimes they were on opposite sides of the street.
Good choice for a CT marathon
I really enjoyed this race! I love races starting in capital cities. I flew into Hartford and enjoyed not needing a rental car. Everything was very walkable. The race was … MORE
I really enjoyed this race! I love races starting in capital cities. I flew into Hartford and enjoyed not needing a rental car. Everything was very walkable. The race was just right! Big enough to not be lonely but not feel crowded. The finish line area was nice and spread out. There were many fall decorations and we had a gorgeous weather day. After the race you can ride the indoor carousel for free! The course was nice… mix of city and a bit more rural. Highly recommend!
Nice quiet race
The production isn't huge on this one, but the course support is there and the atmosphere is still good. The surrounding area is lovely, so even if the day of … MORE
The production isn’t huge on this one, but the course support is there and the atmosphere is still good. The surrounding area is lovely, so even if the day of is a little quiet, the location can’t be beat for scenery!
Deceptively Small with Big Heart
I registered for this race because it was close-ish to where I live (2hrs away) and would provide a refreshing new venue. There were surprises big and small, and no … MORE
I registered for this race because it was close-ish to where I live (2hrs away) and would provide a refreshing new venue. There were surprises big and small, and no real drawbacks.
What Worked: The expo was quite small relative to what I was used to for other marathons (Wineglass, Brooklyn, etc), yet had all the essentials. Swag seemed of decent quality – except for the shirt that came with race entry. That ran small for me. I wasn’t expecting much for race morning, but was pleasantly surprised! I opted in for the VIP experience which included covered parking and shelter, with a moderate spread of bagels and coffee. Getting on to the race, the course was a good mix of downtown-to-suburbs-and-back, with most of the elevation change happening in the first third of the race and the final mile. It was exhilarating to run east as the 5k runners were “coming at us” – don’t worry, the road was divided, and the crowd was kept in spectator areas. The half- and full-marathon split point was also well marked. Just keep your ears open! This race had a relay component, and where the handoffs would be there was a sizable crowd. Maybe this was a tongue-in-cheek way to assure that there was crowd support all throughout, but it worked either way! Many families were out of their homes to cheer on runners. The after-race party was really stacked, and I wished there would have been more people there!
What Needs Improvement: Not much, really! Though the expo was on the smaller side, it still met my expectations for getting what was needed pre-race. The race itself exceeded expectations, and was well organized. I always knew where I was supposed to go and felt safe/supported along the way.
A Good Race in Connecticut
This was a very well run race weekend. The Expo was a lot smaller than I thought it would be for the amount of runners. Not a lot of Vendors … MORE
This was a very well run race weekend. The Expo was a lot smaller than I thought it would be for the amount of runners. Not a lot of Vendors but it was easy to get to, park and was able to buy a few extra items.
Plenty of places to park near the start/finish and pretty cheap as well. We were fortunate that the rain that was forecasted held off until later in the afternoon. The temps were perfect for the run.
The course itself is a bit hillier than I expected especially for the first half of the Marathon. There was a decent amount of crowd support throughout the race. The volunteers were terrific and there never seemed to be a shortage of Water or Gatorade at the stops. Lot’s of people lined up for the last quarter mile or so to the finish which felt good to have nearing the end.
After Party was decent, though surprised it ended at 2. For anyone finishing over 5 hours, they are not getting a chance to relax, celebrate and have their well deserved beer. It seemed to cater more to the Half Marathoners. This was State number 9, and it is a race I would consider running again.
Excellent Race
At the announcement before the start, it was stated " we know what we are doing". Well, they certainly do! Everything from the expo, course, support and swag were top … MORE
At the announcement before the start, it was stated ” we know what we are doing”. Well, they certainly do! Everything from the expo, course, support and swag were top shelf . They even had volunteers controlling port-a-pot lines. A feature I like was the bicyclists on the course would ride by offering Gu shots if you needed one. Another nice touch was along the last 100 yards of the race, the course was outlined in mums, pumpkins and corn stalks . Very festive!
There were plenty of water stops and several Gu pick up areas. They even had a candy table at mile 21!
The finish area had plenty to do with numerous tents for charities .
The course was good, although some of the roads had pot holes. There are several hills, but nothing long or steep. The weather was perfect.
The only area that could be improved was the expo, not very many providers.
Finally , logistics were easy. The Capital Hotel is an easy walk to the start/finish line and they were very race day supportive moving up the breakfast time so folks could eat before the race.
I would do this race again!
Hartford Marathon marathon
the 2023 race was under perfect cloudy weather as the rain expected was delayed to the afternoon. The course had more up and down hills then what I expected but … MORE
the 2023 race was under perfect cloudy weather as the rain expected was delayed to the afternoon. The course had more up and down hills then what I expected but it just made for a more challenged finish. Scenery along the course was ever changing from the coast to downtown. the race was very well organized and the volunteer’s were excellent
Perfect Race, Perfect Conditions
This was a great race. The volunteers and staff (and everyone we met in Hartford for that matter) was kind and helpful. The rolling hills in the first half were … MORE
This was a great race. The volunteers and staff (and everyone we met in Hartford for that matter) was kind and helpful. The rolling hills in the first half were easy to run, nothing too crazy. I will say the section of the race that is a flat out and back, you maybe want to poke your eyes out with boring sticks as it feels like it will never end, but there are pretty houses and sheep to look at!
Great, Very Well-Organized Race
Great course. Rolling hills in the first half, then mostly flat on the second half. Lots of water/electrolyte stations. Awesome volunteers. Run mostly through downtown Hartford and residential neighborhoods of … MORE
Great course. Rolling hills in the first half, then mostly flat on the second half.
Lots of water/electrolyte stations. Awesome volunteers. Run mostly through downtown Hartford and residential neighborhoods of West and East Harford. Great crowd support as well from the locals.
Got my PR for a non-downhill race by finally getting a sub-4, so really happy about that. The cloudy, cool weather helped with that significantly.
Great race! Lived up to it's reputation.
This was the 30th anniversary of the race, and it showed! Very well-organized race with lots of pre-race communications. I opted to have my race packet mailed to me and … MORE
This was the 30th anniversary of the race, and it showed! Very well-organized race with lots of pre-race communications. I opted to have my race packet mailed to me and it arrived at least 2 weeks before the race. Loved the course. There were some hills but it was a nice mix of the city, local neighborhoods, and parks. Lots of crowd support as well (at least for the half). Great post-race festival and I love that they had soup that was vegan-friendly! They do something special for runners completing their 50th state as well. Highly recommend this race!
Pleasantly surprised
I loved this race! It was so smooth from start to finish. I had a work commitment and wasn't able to make it to the Friday night expo before 7pm … MORE
I loved this race! It was so smooth from start to finish. I had a work commitment and wasn’t able to make it to the Friday night expo before 7pm when it closed, but they had tons of information about how a proxy can do the whole bib pickup and that all went so smoothly. We got spoiled with really nice weather on race day (started overcast in the 40s, held in the 50s with sunshine toward the end). I was worried the route might get a bit boring with several out and back portions, but I always enjoyed the scenery, and it was especially nice to interact with runners coming from the other way as the crowd thinned out when the marathon split off from the half. Also, such a nice touch to have several live bands stationed on the course. At the end of the race, you get a free small meal of tortilla soup, bread, banana, chocolate milk, etc. and it really hit the spot. Washed all of that down with a free beer in a well-organized reunion area with even more live music. I would recommend this race to anyone!! It felt like all the warmth of a small-town race with the perks of a well-oiled machine (i.e. plenty of volunteers, clear course markings, great and consistent crowd support, etc).
An unexpected gem
This is a VERY well put-on race. The course goes through some beautiful parks and residential areas, and the people of Hartford show up to cheer runners on, even back-of-the-pack … MORE
This is a VERY well put-on race. The course goes through some beautiful parks and residential areas, and the people of Hartford show up to cheer runners on, even back-of-the-pack runners like myself. Hydration stations were plentiful and well stocked, and the after-race party was great.
Excellent production, nice city
Logistics: Airport is about 20 minutes from host hotels. I stayed at the Hilton and it was right across the street from the expo and about 10 minutes from the … MORE
Logistics: Airport is about 20 minutes from host hotels. I stayed at the Hilton and it was right across the street from the expo and about 10 minutes from the race start and finish.
Expo and Production: Good expo with lots of swag. This is 2 races in a row where the swag was really good so I had to buy a few things. Production was flawless in my eyes. Good communication, great start line and excellent finish area to hang out in. Well done!
Weather and Course: The weather was perfect for running on this day. Started out in the high 40s with cloud cover. So just cool enough but not cold. It remained in the 50s throughout the race and perfect. I enjoyed the first 6 miles of the course that went through neighborhoods and a park, and consisted of gently rolling hills. Nice scenery and variation to make it interesting. The course takes you toward the river and you go over a bridge to the other side. This is not a huge or super steep bridge but it is enough to work for when you go back over it in the last couple of miles. Most of the course takes place on the East side into residential areas. The course is mostly flat with an occasional incline and decline. If I am to be honest, this part of the course, from a scenery perspective, is just okay. Not the most scenic. But by the second half I was really concentrating on my speed and it was perfect.
Great volunteers and everything was perfect for a marathon!