HiTOPS Princeton Half Marathon
Princeton, NJ
- Half Marathon, Kids Run
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
The HiTOPS Princeton Half Marathon features an iconic half marathon course located entirely in the heart of historic Princeton. Run through Princeton Battlefield, Institute for Advanced Study, past the home of Einstein, Princeton University, the Princeton Boathouse on Lake Carnegie Westminster Choir College, Mount Lucas and Herrontown Woods. All proceeds … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Nov 09):
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
| H (°F) | 56 | 61 | 54 | 70 | 75 |
| L (°F) | 36 | 37 | 34 | 40 | 42 |
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Cute Race with good competition
In the aftermath of doing the Princeton half people asked me how it was. My answer is that it was good... The Pre-race communmication was thorough and I had a … MORE
In the aftermath of doing the Princeton half people asked me how it was. My answer is that it was good…
The Pre-race communmication was thorough and I had a good grasp on the information that I needed as a person coming in from out of town. The expo was quite small and getting into Princeton Running Company was definitely a squeeze. The people at the desk however were very nice and friendly.
On the morning of the race the communication on site was quite clear it was easy to find gear check and get things in. The small issue I have with this gear check is that it was supposed to (and did) rain some the morning of the race. The gear check was placed out in the open however when a awning could certainly have been procured for the small to moderate area it needed to cover.
The course was lovely with a mix of town and wooded country roads. The markings were spot on and I thought there were enough aid stations. I did think the placement of some of the aid stations were a little weird but I wont quibble with that.
The course definitely has some inclines. It is not a crazy elevation gain, but one could not call this course flat. On the biggest hills there were a lot of supporters encouraging you along and I found that very nice.
The finish line was well staffed and the medal photos were a great touch. Just as a reminder, this race has free photos which is a perk that racers should just incorporate into their fees. The munchies at the finish line were minimalist. Bananas, bagels, pretzels, some granola bars, water, and Gatorade. What is missing from this list? BEER! Life went on, but there are plenty of breweries in the area of Princeton and I’m sure they could find one that wants to get the publicity.
The swag and small finisher festival were nice enough. I was very pleased with the speed of the results for this race. I think within an hour I had all the information I needed.
Would I suggest this race to people as a race to do in New Jersey? If you like cute towns and country roads, it is a great choice. Especially since it does bring out some solid runners to compete. If you want the large races that push you along with the sheer amount of people energy…. Not this one. If beer is important…. You need to speak to them about that.
Beautiful Fall Foliage in Historic Town
Great cause to support youth in the development of their sexual and gender identity, and equip them with an understanding of how to have safe, consensual, and healthy relationships. MORE
Great cause to support youth in the development of their sexual and gender identity, and equip them with an understanding of how to have safe, consensual, and healthy relationships.
Challenging course in Princeton!
The course was very nice, but had a number of hills that made it pretty challenging. Really enjoyed running in the Princeton area and the race was extremely well organized. … MORE
The course was very nice, but had a number of hills that made it pretty challenging. Really enjoyed running in the Princeton area and the race was extremely well organized. Plenty of parking near the the start/finish line made logistics very easy. Although one of the tougher halfs I’ve run (and I’ve run over 90), I’ll definitely consider repeating this one in the future.
Love the Princeton Half!
This race encapsulated everything fun about small town races. There's nothing better than running through a college town in the fall and Princeton really pulled out all the stops for … MORE
This race encapsulated everything fun about small town races. There’s nothing better than running through a college town in the fall and Princeton really pulled out all the stops for us. The course lets you see most of the town and campus, with a bit of trail running thrown in for good measure. Definitely a few hills in there, so be prepared! And the swag isn’t great, but that’s my only real complaint. Seriously, add this race to your list!