| 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
| H (°F) | 66 | 77 | 71 | 70 | 60 |
| L (°F) | 49 | 56 | 44 | 45 | 40 |
Every thing was done well. Had a gorgeous day for a race. Except for some port-o-lets that were locked with no one in them so they couldn't be used, everything … MORE
Every thing was done well. Had a gorgeous day for a race. Except for some port-o-lets that were locked with no one in them so they couldn’t be used, everything was great. Fortunately a volunteer was able to pry them open so the folks after myself had access to them.
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Excellent course, excellent race production, shirt and medal are awesome. I didn’t go to the expo but heard it was very large. Can’t think of anything to be critical of, … MORE
Excellent course, excellent race production, shirt and medal are awesome.
I didn’t go to the expo but heard it was very large.
Can’t think of anything to be critical of, just excellent across the board.
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Best aspect is the ease of parking, getting to the race start, the staging area, volunteers and the finish line with party at Bushnell Park! It's a great half marathon … MORE
Best aspect is the ease of parking, getting to the race start, the staging area, volunteers and the finish line with party at Bushnell Park! It’s a great half marathon course with some small hills, definitely NOT boring – with all the fall foliage around it makes for a terrific run. This is a good PR course with a down hill finish under the arches. I love that they have been a “green” marathon with less use of paper cups! They give a Finisher water bottle at the end instead of all that plastic. Love it and will do it again!
5th in my division (55-59) and 444 overall
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I have to admit, I did not have expectations one way or another when I registered for this race, but WOW. I had an absolute blast running this marathon! Packet … MORE
I have to admit, I did not have expectations one way or another when I registered for this race, but WOW. I had an absolute blast running this marathon!
Packet Pickup/Swag: Packet pickup was held in the convention center in downtown Hartford. The only negative thing is that it looked like you had to pay for parking. I was with family, so they drove around the block while I hopped in and out. Therefore, I didn’t spend a lot of time at the expo. It was small but well organized. Participants received their bib, race shirt and a drop bag. The race medal was neat, and finishers also received a sports water bottle that was filled with cold water at the end of the race.
Start Area/Organization: We stayed in a hotel across the street from the start/finish for an easy morning walk to the start corrals, but I believe the city offered free parking, and there were plenty of lots. The marathon and half marathon started together, and the pace signs were clearly marked. The entire experience ran smoothly.
Course: The marathoners and half marathoners only shared the course for about the first mile. The marathon course stayed in/around/through downtown for approximately 3-ish miles before heading into a beautiful local park. There were some gentle rolling hills. Nothing crazy. Around mile 9 or 10, the course became more residential. There was a long, flat out and back section of the course before runners headed back into downtown to the finish. There was one hill at mile 25, then it was smooth sailing to the end. Now that the technical description is out of the way, let me tell you about the city of Hartford and its residents: these people CAME TO PARTY! Although there were not as many spectators as there would be in some larger city races this time of year (think Twin Cities or Chicago) they more than made up for it with enthusiasm and contagious joy. There was entertainment throughout the course every 1.5-2 miles: everything and anything you can think of, bands, DJ’s, bagpipers, Irish dancers, acoustic solo artists, and on and on. I was a little worried about the out and back section getting boring (as they tend to do in the middle miles of a marathon) but holy cow! I don’t know if I looked at my watch at all, LOL.
Finish Experience: Runners ran under the arch and were greeted by lines and rows of cheering spectators. We were given our medal, mylar sheet and water. Then we had easy access to meet our friends and family. The finish food tent had a variety of options (they provided a bag): various snack foods, fruit, a cider doughnut, bread and soup. There was a beer garden with a band. They had vendor tents and entertainment set up as well. My mom and sister even rode a carousel while I ran!
Overall: I thoroughly enjoyed my entire experience at the Hartford Marathon. It was a small enough race so that you never had to wait in a long line or stress about getting somewhere on time, and you were never crowded on the course. But it was also large enough to provide constant companionship throughout the course, and I cannot say enough about the city, its residents, spectators and race organizers. I would strongly recommend a trip to Connecticut for anyone looking for a fantastic marathon experience. Thank you, Hartford!
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Expo was easy with simple swag. Made it to early pickup and participated in the Pratt St before party…. Free beer! Met and talked with other area runners. The course … MORE
Expo was easy with simple swag. Made it to early pickup and participated in the Pratt St before party…. Free beer! Met and talked with other area runners.
The course was well marked with plenty of friendly volunteers and traffic control. Very safe course. A few climbs in the beginning and couple rollers at the end. There was a long out and back from 10 miles til turn around at 17 but lots of people out cheering! Music could be heard around much of the course for motivation.
The finish line and after party was beautifully decorated and nice music to ride out the high of a great marathon. Clam chowder soup with bread, fruit and other packaged snacks. They even provided a bag to hold all the stuff.
Thank you Hartford for a sub five hour marathon. Haven’t had one of those since Nov 2019; this race means a lot to me just for that! Third marathon in 14 days! Felt so good! Nice, solid medal!
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This is a nice race, pretty, partly along the Connecticut River. Mostly flat. Good race support, swag and after race festivities. Parking is a bit tricky but we were able … MORE
This is a nice race, pretty, partly along the Connecticut River. Mostly flat. Good race support, swag and after race festivities. Parking is a bit tricky but we were able to utilize a parking garage close to the start/finish line.
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The half and full run the first 11 miles together...over 7000 runners. Probably wouldn't have been my first choice for a CT race if I wasn't visiting local family. (I … MORE
The half and full run the first 11 miles together…over 7000 runners. Probably wouldn’t have been my first choice for a CT race if I wasn’t visiting local family. (I would have preferred one on the shoreline.) For a city race though, I appreciated the riverwalk section, the city streets and the finish through the arch at Bushnell Park. Great volunteer course support. Nice medal and shirt too!
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Awesome, well organized run for the number of participants. This half was the largest I ran this year and one of the most well organized. The start and finish are … MORE
Awesome, well organized run for the number of participants. This half was the largest I ran this year and one of the most well organized. The start and finish are extremely close to each other and the course winds you through the city and past some great old time architecture, over some highways and along a river for a bit. Aide stations are frequent, the crowd support was awesome. The finish line is at the famous arch and is lined with mums and has a ton of post race stuff to do. The medal was great too. This years was of the arch w/ mums and is a great memento to hang on your wall.
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HMF Events always puts on a solid race event. Plenty of port-o-potties, great race support throughout, and I never felt like I was lost (back of the pack runner here). … MORE
HMF Events always puts on a solid race event. Plenty of port-o-potties, great race support throughout, and I never felt like I was lost (back of the pack runner here). Nice medals and long sleeve shirts. Awesome post-race party with beer garden and live band. They changed the course since I last ran in 2018, and it’s much more scenic along the river.
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The thing that stands out most for me about this marathon is the volunteers! They were plenty and awesome! From the water stations to the volunteers on bikes, they were … MORE
The thing that stands out most for me about this marathon is the volunteers! They were plenty and awesome! From the water stations to the volunteers on bikes, they were the best! The course was beautiful, I thought, with some water, some green, and some lovely homes to look at while we were running. I’m glad I chose this race for my Connecticut marathon!
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Great medal Awesome volunteers who cheered the entire course Great course. Not many hills. Loved seeing different parts of the city. Ran thru east Hartford and downtown. Police did and … MORE
Great medal
Awesome volunteers who cheered the entire course
Great course. Not many hills.
Loved seeing different parts of the city. Ran thru east Hartford and downtown. Police did and awesome job with traffic control
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Although I didn’t have the time I would’ve hoped considering it was not a difficult course, I enjoyed the entire race. I had recently come off a completely downhill course … MORE
Although I didn’t have the time I would’ve hoped considering it was not a difficult course, I enjoyed the entire race. I had recently come off a completely downhill course and I think my muscle memory made me start out slower than I usually do and I then continued to run slower(I’ve never been able to do negative splits.lol) But this race was so enjoyable. Great swag, fun but (covid) small expo, organized start, top notch volunteers, great water stops, road closures, and the finish is epic! They had a spread out finish area, and a nice drawstring bag for our post race food so you weren’t grabbing things off tables. And the post race band was really good, (I did come in early enough to catch their last few songs). They had an alternative to beer which always makes me happy. One other surprise I figured out while running through the residential section 18-24 was that mailboxes had a bag with a cowbell so residents could cheer us on! I figured it out that those who weren’t home the bells were still hanging (and filled with rain water). What a cool idea! The community embraces this race. And of course the medal is beautiful too.
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Awesome vibe, LOVED running the first 12 miles throughout the city and on the water. Really fast course in the beginning. Not the biggest fan of the second half as … MORE
Awesome vibe, LOVED running the first 12 miles throughout the city and on the water. Really fast course in the beginning. Not the biggest fan of the second half as it was an out and back and on a very busy road. Great finish regardless under the arch way! Big party afterwards, really great time!
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Starts and finishes in the city of Hartford, first to run along the river and then into some surrounding communities. All in all a good race, plenty of support aid … MORE
Starts and finishes in the city of Hartford, first to run along the river and then into some surrounding communities. All in all a good race, plenty of support aid stations and spectators. Had a great time
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Bottom Line: Nicely organized race and pretty course. Expo: We parked in a parking garage across from the expo to keep it easy. We paid to park but I don't … MORE
Bottom Line: Nicely organized race and pretty course.
Expo: We parked in a parking garage across from the expo to keep it easy. We paid to park but I don’t recall it being much. The expo was small but very organized. My boyfriend even remarked that it was one of the most organized expos we have attended.
Pre-Race: The communications were very detailed and timely. We stayed in West Hartford and I was dropped off at the starting area about an hour earlier than start time and there was no traffic. The staging area was slightly confusing but there were a lot of signs and volunteers there to help. Tons of port-a-potties 🙂
Corrals: There are two different start lines, one for the 5k and the other for the full and the half. Again, there is clear signage so it’s not a problem. One minor thing here, I didn’t realize you needed a special sticker on your bib if you planned on running faster than an 10 minute mile? They block off that corral and you can only enter if you had that sticker. I wasn’t the only person who missed that detail. Not a big deal but I did spend the first mile weaving in and out of people.
Course: I really enjoyed the course. There were a good amount of spectators and most of the course went through beautiful neighborhoods. The first few miles were a little sketchy but made for good entertainment 😉 There were ample water stops and I liked how they had cyclists on the course that were there to assist you if you needed water or GU. Great idea! The finish line was spectacular. You finished under the arch and the last 100 meters of the course was lined with mums.
Post Race: The race offered gear check, but it was executed very poorly. Due to rain the morning before the race, they moved the bags inside a building but the pickup table was located outside. So the volunteers (who were lovely!) had to go from the table, up a step of stairs, into the building, and it took several minutes to get your bag. Again, not a huge deal but something to be aware of. I would have ditched the bag but I wanted my stuff back 🙂 I didn’t partake in the festival because I celebrated at my family’s house, but it seemed like people were having fun.
Overall, I really enjoyed this race and will be back once my 50 state goal is done 🙂
Aid stations are fairly close together, between 1-2 miles apart, so I did not carry water. The course is relatively flat except for mile 2 and 26. 26 is a … MORE
Aid stations are fairly close together, between 1-2 miles apart, so I did not carry water. The course is relatively flat except for mile 2 and 26. 26 is a killer as you cross back into the city. Crowd support is minimal, a lot of the race is an out and back in East Windsor through residential neighborhoods. The finish area and mile 27 beer garden were quite nice.
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It was a nice little race. The race organization was great, it was easy to get to the start and the start of the race went smoothly. The course itself … MORE
It was a nice little race. The race organization was great, it was easy to get to the start and the start of the race went smoothly. The course itself was pretty boring. There were a couple hills on the course, but for the most part the race was flat and fast. The only part of the course that I didn’t enjoy was from about mile 9-17 was. It was a long out and back and though it was fun to see the fast runners go by it lasted for a really long time and became more discouraging the further out we got.
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This was my CT race and I'm totally ok with having chose it. Lots of positives: Nice, easy course. The weather was great (cloudy in the 50s). The downtown part … MORE
This was my CT race and I’m totally ok with having chose it.
Lots of positives:
Nice, easy course. The weather was great (cloudy in the 50s). The downtown part of the course was scenic, but a long stretch mid-race was largely forgettable. Crowds were good, and encouraging, especially at the finish. Plenty of aid stations and port-a-pots. Expo was fine. Long sleeve shirt was nice, not particularly garish. Medal was also nice, nothing too crazy nor oversized. After-race party was also pleasant – lots of space, still food and beer available for us slow marathon folk, even after the 1/2 marathon finishers had made their way through.
Not many cons:
The starting corrals were a little cramped, especially with last minute arrivals pushing up through the crowd from the back. (Maybe get there a little earlier?) Food offerings after the race were not particularly impressive, (though I liked the rice mix better than I thought I would). Expo was a little on the small size?
Downtown Hartford was interesting. No problems, but not particularly amazing compared to some other cities/states I’ve visited. (However, I’m not sure the other CT marathon offerings would have been better?). I stayed at a hotel near the start/finish area so it was very convenient. Not a particularly flashy hotel, but again, solid with no problems.
Overall – it was a pleasant weekend. Race organizers did a great job pulling off a very nice fall race.
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I ran this half marathon for my Connecticut race in trying to complete the 50 States. The race is very well organized, cool expo the day before, good post race … MORE
I ran this half marathon for my Connecticut race in trying to complete the 50 States. The race is very well organized, cool expo the day before, good post race food, overall great production. I didn’t expect the elevation of the course to hit me as hard as it did. I definitely wished I had done more hill training in preparation for this race (I did none). Nothing overly daunting, but frequent enough that I think it affected my time.
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Very nice way to click CT off your state list. Pros: fast course Very well supported with Police at every major intersection. Ample (almost too many) aid stations with Nuun … MORE
Very nice way to click CT off your state list.
Pros: fast course
Very well supported with Police at every major intersection.
Ample (almost too many) aid stations with Nuun and Water
Very organized from registration, packet pickup, and post party.
Cons: just a few….I normally run in the 3:30s. My friend in the 3:20s and we were forced to start with the 10 minute mile group because they had our starting stage area roped off unless you had a ‘B’ on your bib? Kinda frustrating and unnecessarily crowded at start because of this.
Felt the finishing food was a little lacking. Loved the Hot Rice cups and Sam Adams stand though! Overall a very nice experience and a good way to click CT off your state list!
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Nice Connecticut race
Every thing was done well. Had a gorgeous day for a race. Except for some port-o-lets that were locked with no one in them so they couldn't be used, everything … MORE
Every thing was done well. Had a gorgeous day for a race. Except for some port-o-lets that were locked with no one in them so they couldn’t be used, everything was great. Fortunately a volunteer was able to pry them open so the folks after myself had access to them.
100% recommend
Excellent course, excellent race production, shirt and medal are awesome. I didn’t go to the expo but heard it was very large. Can’t think of anything to be critical of, … MORE
Excellent course, excellent race production, shirt and medal are awesome.
I didn’t go to the expo but heard it was very large.
Can’t think of anything to be critical of, just excellent across the board.
Under the Arches Finish line is EPIC!
Best aspect is the ease of parking, getting to the race start, the staging area, volunteers and the finish line with party at Bushnell Park! It's a great half marathon … MORE
Best aspect is the ease of parking, getting to the race start, the staging area, volunteers and the finish line with party at Bushnell Park! It’s a great half marathon course with some small hills, definitely NOT boring – with all the fall foliage around it makes for a terrific run. This is a good PR course with a down hill finish under the arches. I love that they have been a “green” marathon with less use of paper cups! They give a Finisher water bottle at the end instead of all that plastic. Love it and will do it again!
5th in my division (55-59) and 444 overall
Fun and Entertaining Marathon
I have to admit, I did not have expectations one way or another when I registered for this race, but WOW. I had an absolute blast running this marathon! Packet … MORE
I have to admit, I did not have expectations one way or another when I registered for this race, but WOW. I had an absolute blast running this marathon!
Packet Pickup/Swag: Packet pickup was held in the convention center in downtown Hartford. The only negative thing is that it looked like you had to pay for parking. I was with family, so they drove around the block while I hopped in and out. Therefore, I didn’t spend a lot of time at the expo. It was small but well organized. Participants received their bib, race shirt and a drop bag. The race medal was neat, and finishers also received a sports water bottle that was filled with cold water at the end of the race.
Start Area/Organization: We stayed in a hotel across the street from the start/finish for an easy morning walk to the start corrals, but I believe the city offered free parking, and there were plenty of lots. The marathon and half marathon started together, and the pace signs were clearly marked. The entire experience ran smoothly.
Course: The marathoners and half marathoners only shared the course for about the first mile. The marathon course stayed in/around/through downtown for approximately 3-ish miles before heading into a beautiful local park. There were some gentle rolling hills. Nothing crazy. Around mile 9 or 10, the course became more residential. There was a long, flat out and back section of the course before runners headed back into downtown to the finish. There was one hill at mile 25, then it was smooth sailing to the end. Now that the technical description is out of the way, let me tell you about the city of Hartford and its residents: these people CAME TO PARTY! Although there were not as many spectators as there would be in some larger city races this time of year (think Twin Cities or Chicago) they more than made up for it with enthusiasm and contagious joy. There was entertainment throughout the course every 1.5-2 miles: everything and anything you can think of, bands, DJ’s, bagpipers, Irish dancers, acoustic solo artists, and on and on. I was a little worried about the out and back section getting boring (as they tend to do in the middle miles of a marathon) but holy cow! I don’t know if I looked at my watch at all, LOL.
Finish Experience: Runners ran under the arch and were greeted by lines and rows of cheering spectators. We were given our medal, mylar sheet and water. Then we had easy access to meet our friends and family. The finish food tent had a variety of options (they provided a bag): various snack foods, fruit, a cider doughnut, bread and soup. There was a beer garden with a band. They had vendor tents and entertainment set up as well. My mom and sister even rode a carousel while I ran!
Overall: I thoroughly enjoyed my entire experience at the Hartford Marathon. It was a small enough race so that you never had to wait in a long line or stress about getting somewhere on time, and you were never crowded on the course. But it was also large enough to provide constant companionship throughout the course, and I cannot say enough about the city, its residents, spectators and race organizers. I would strongly recommend a trip to Connecticut for anyone looking for a fantastic marathon experience. Thank you, Hartford!
Personal comeback, beautiful race
Expo was easy with simple swag. Made it to early pickup and participated in the Pratt St before party…. Free beer! Met and talked with other area runners. The course … MORE
Expo was easy with simple swag. Made it to early pickup and participated in the Pratt St before party…. Free beer! Met and talked with other area runners.
The course was well marked with plenty of friendly volunteers and traffic control. Very safe course. A few climbs in the beginning and couple rollers at the end. There was a long out and back from 10 miles til turn around at 17 but lots of people out cheering! Music could be heard around much of the course for motivation.
The finish line and after party was beautifully decorated and nice music to ride out the high of a great marathon. Clam chowder soup with bread, fruit and other packaged snacks. They even provided a bag to hold all the stuff.
Thank you Hartford for a sub five hour marathon. Haven’t had one of those since Nov 2019; this race means a lot to me just for that! Third marathon in 14 days! Felt so good! Nice, solid medal!
Fun and fairly flat
This is a nice race, pretty, partly along the Connecticut River. Mostly flat. Good race support, swag and after race festivities. Parking is a bit tricky but we were able … MORE
This is a nice race, pretty, partly along the Connecticut River. Mostly flat. Good race support, swag and after race festivities. Parking is a bit tricky but we were able to utilize a parking garage close to the start/finish line.
Nice mix of riverwalk and city streets.
The half and full run the first 11 miles together...over 7000 runners. Probably wouldn't have been my first choice for a CT race if I wasn't visiting local family. (I … MORE
The half and full run the first 11 miles together…over 7000 runners. Probably wouldn’t have been my first choice for a CT race if I wasn’t visiting local family. (I would have preferred one on the shoreline.) For a city race though, I appreciated the riverwalk section, the city streets and the finish through the arch at Bushnell Park. Great volunteer course support. Nice medal and shirt too!
Awesome run through Hartford!
Awesome, well organized run for the number of participants. This half was the largest I ran this year and one of the most well organized. The start and finish are … MORE
Awesome, well organized run for the number of participants. This half was the largest I ran this year and one of the most well organized. The start and finish are extremely close to each other and the course winds you through the city and past some great old time architecture, over some highways and along a river for a bit. Aide stations are frequent, the crowd support was awesome. The finish line is at the famous arch and is lined with mums and has a ton of post race stuff to do. The medal was great too. This years was of the arch w/ mums and is a great memento to hang on your wall.
New Course This Year
HMF Events always puts on a solid race event. Plenty of port-o-potties, great race support throughout, and I never felt like I was lost (back of the pack runner here). … MORE
HMF Events always puts on a solid race event. Plenty of port-o-potties, great race support throughout, and I never felt like I was lost (back of the pack runner here). Nice medals and long sleeve shirts. Awesome post-race party with beer garden and live band. They changed the course since I last ran in 2018, and it’s much more scenic along the river.
Beautiful, Fun marathon
The thing that stands out most for me about this marathon is the volunteers! They were plenty and awesome! From the water stations to the volunteers on bikes, they were … MORE
The thing that stands out most for me about this marathon is the volunteers! They were plenty and awesome! From the water stations to the volunteers on bikes, they were the best! The course was beautiful, I thought, with some water, some green, and some lovely homes to look at while we were running. I’m glad I chose this race for my Connecticut marathon!
This was a fun course. Very scenic
Great medal Awesome volunteers who cheered the entire course Great course. Not many hills. Loved seeing different parts of the city. Ran thru east Hartford and downtown. Police did and … MORE
Great medal
Awesome volunteers who cheered the entire course
Great course. Not many hills.
Loved seeing different parts of the city. Ran thru east Hartford and downtown. Police did and awesome job with traffic control
Fantastically run race!!!
Although I didn’t have the time I would’ve hoped considering it was not a difficult course, I enjoyed the entire race. I had recently come off a completely downhill course … MORE
Although I didn’t have the time I would’ve hoped considering it was not a difficult course, I enjoyed the entire race. I had recently come off a completely downhill course and I think my muscle memory made me start out slower than I usually do and I then continued to run slower(I’ve never been able to do negative splits.lol) But this race was so enjoyable. Great swag, fun but (covid) small expo, organized start, top notch volunteers, great water stops, road closures, and the finish is epic! They had a spread out finish area, and a nice drawstring bag for our post race food so you weren’t grabbing things off tables. And the post race band was really good, (I did come in early enough to catch their last few songs). They had an alternative to beer which always makes me happy. One other surprise I figured out while running through the residential section 18-24 was that mailboxes had a bag with a cowbell so residents could cheer us on! I figured it out that those who weren’t home the bells were still hanging (and filled with rain water). What a cool idea! The community embraces this race. And of course the medal is beautiful too.
Fun race, loved the city
Awesome vibe, LOVED running the first 12 miles throughout the city and on the water. Really fast course in the beginning. Not the biggest fan of the second half as … MORE
Awesome vibe, LOVED running the first 12 miles throughout the city and on the water. Really fast course in the beginning. Not the biggest fan of the second half as it was an out and back and on a very busy road. Great finish regardless under the arch way! Big party afterwards, really great time!
Nice race
Starts and finishes in the city of Hartford, first to run along the river and then into some surrounding communities. All in all a good race, plenty of support aid … MORE
Starts and finishes in the city of Hartford, first to run along the river and then into some surrounding communities. All in all a good race, plenty of support aid stations and spectators. Had a great time
Well Executed Race!
Bottom Line: Nicely organized race and pretty course. Expo: We parked in a parking garage across from the expo to keep it easy. We paid to park but I don't … MORE
Bottom Line: Nicely organized race and pretty course.
Expo: We parked in a parking garage across from the expo to keep it easy. We paid to park but I don’t recall it being much. The expo was small but very organized. My boyfriend even remarked that it was one of the most organized expos we have attended.
Pre-Race: The communications were very detailed and timely. We stayed in West Hartford and I was dropped off at the starting area about an hour earlier than start time and there was no traffic. The staging area was slightly confusing but there were a lot of signs and volunteers there to help. Tons of port-a-potties 🙂
Corrals: There are two different start lines, one for the 5k and the other for the full and the half. Again, there is clear signage so it’s not a problem. One minor thing here, I didn’t realize you needed a special sticker on your bib if you planned on running faster than an 10 minute mile? They block off that corral and you can only enter if you had that sticker. I wasn’t the only person who missed that detail. Not a big deal but I did spend the first mile weaving in and out of people.
Course: I really enjoyed the course. There were a good amount of spectators and most of the course went through beautiful neighborhoods. The first few miles were a little sketchy but made for good entertainment 😉 There were ample water stops and I liked how they had cyclists on the course that were there to assist you if you needed water or GU. Great idea! The finish line was spectacular. You finished under the arch and the last 100 meters of the course was lined with mums.
Post Race: The race offered gear check, but it was executed very poorly. Due to rain the morning before the race, they moved the bags inside a building but the pickup table was located outside. So the volunteers (who were lovely!) had to go from the table, up a step of stairs, into the building, and it took several minutes to get your bag. Again, not a huge deal but something to be aware of. I would have ditched the bag but I wanted my stuff back 🙂 I didn’t partake in the festival because I celebrated at my family’s house, but it seemed like people were having fun.
Overall, I really enjoyed this race and will be back once my 50 state goal is done 🙂
Nice course but mile 26 is quite hard
Aid stations are fairly close together, between 1-2 miles apart, so I did not carry water. The course is relatively flat except for mile 2 and 26. 26 is a … MORE
Aid stations are fairly close together, between 1-2 miles apart, so I did not carry water. The course is relatively flat except for mile 2 and 26. 26 is a killer as you cross back into the city. Crowd support is minimal, a lot of the race is an out and back in East Windsor through residential neighborhoods. The finish area and mile 27 beer garden were quite nice.
Well-run Race
It was a nice little race. The race organization was great, it was easy to get to the start and the start of the race went smoothly. The course itself … MORE
It was a nice little race. The race organization was great, it was easy to get to the start and the start of the race went smoothly. The course itself was pretty boring. There were a couple hills on the course, but for the most part the race was flat and fast. The only part of the course that I didn’t enjoy was from about mile 9-17 was. It was a long out and back and though it was fun to see the fast runners go by it lasted for a really long time and became more discouraging the further out we got.
A fine marathon weekend
This was my CT race and I'm totally ok with having chose it. Lots of positives: Nice, easy course. The weather was great (cloudy in the 50s). The downtown part … MORE
This was my CT race and I’m totally ok with having chose it.
Lots of positives:
Nice, easy course. The weather was great (cloudy in the 50s). The downtown part of the course was scenic, but a long stretch mid-race was largely forgettable. Crowds were good, and encouraging, especially at the finish. Plenty of aid stations and port-a-pots. Expo was fine. Long sleeve shirt was nice, not particularly garish. Medal was also nice, nothing too crazy nor oversized. After-race party was also pleasant – lots of space, still food and beer available for us slow marathon folk, even after the 1/2 marathon finishers had made their way through.
Not many cons:
The starting corrals were a little cramped, especially with last minute arrivals pushing up through the crowd from the back. (Maybe get there a little earlier?) Food offerings after the race were not particularly impressive, (though I liked the rice mix better than I thought I would). Expo was a little on the small size?
Downtown Hartford was interesting. No problems, but not particularly amazing compared to some other cities/states I’ve visited. (However, I’m not sure the other CT marathon offerings would have been better?). I stayed at a hotel near the start/finish area so it was very convenient. Not a particularly flashy hotel, but again, solid with no problems.
Overall – it was a pleasant weekend. Race organizers did a great job pulling off a very nice fall race.
Unexpected Hills
I ran this half marathon for my Connecticut race in trying to complete the 50 States. The race is very well organized, cool expo the day before, good post race … MORE
I ran this half marathon for my Connecticut race in trying to complete the 50 States. The race is very well organized, cool expo the day before, good post race food, overall great production. I didn’t expect the elevation of the course to hit me as hard as it did. I definitely wished I had done more hill training in preparation for this race (I did none). Nothing overly daunting, but frequent enough that I think it affected my time.
Nicely done, Hartford!
Very nice way to click CT off your state list. Pros: fast course Very well supported with Police at every major intersection. Ample (almost too many) aid stations with Nuun … MORE
Very nice way to click CT off your state list.
Pros: fast course
Very well supported with Police at every major intersection.
Ample (almost too many) aid stations with Nuun and Water
Very organized from registration, packet pickup, and post party.
Cons: just a few….I normally run in the 3:30s. My friend in the 3:20s and we were forced to start with the 10 minute mile group because they had our starting stage area roped off unless you had a ‘B’ on your bib? Kinda frustrating and unnecessarily crowded at start because of this.
Felt the finishing food was a little lacking. Loved the Hot Rice cups and Sam Adams stand though! Overall a very nice experience and a good way to click CT off your state list!