In 2020 it's hard to really judge a race comparing it to the olden days. There weren't bands, cheer sections, pre/post race parties or any of that. It did have … MORE
In 2020 it’s hard to really judge a race comparing it to the olden days. There weren’t bands, cheer sections, pre/post race parties or any of that.
It did have a RD that communicated well and put on a race in a time not many are happening. The course was well marked and had good aid stations. I heard some people mentioned there aren’t many aid stations. I ran sub4 time and it seemed fine. On a hot day or taking longer, I could see that complaint, but they did mention there would be less this year due to some communities not wanting aid stations in them because of Covid.
The course was scenic, along the water a while and in tree lined streets. It was hillier than what I thought it would be, my Garmin clocking just over 1000ft of elevation gain. It wasn’t closed to traffic but we had a coned area and it being a smaller race there wasn’t ever a lot of congestion after the first couple miles.
Post race there were pre-packaged snacks that hit the spot. No shirt this year. I suspect they didn’t want to order them and then have the state tell them they couldn’t have the race, and totally understand.
I would suspect that in a normal year this group would have great parties and atmosphere to round it out. If you need RI for your states or live in the area, give this race a shot. The Narragansett area is a great area with lots of fun shops and restaurants too.
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Good covid era race
In 2020 it's hard to really judge a race comparing it to the olden days. There weren't bands, cheer sections, pre/post race parties or any of that. It did have … MORE
In 2020 it’s hard to really judge a race comparing it to the olden days. There weren’t bands, cheer sections, pre/post race parties or any of that.
It did have a RD that communicated well and put on a race in a time not many are happening. The course was well marked and had good aid stations. I heard some people mentioned there aren’t many aid stations. I ran sub4 time and it seemed fine. On a hot day or taking longer, I could see that complaint, but they did mention there would be less this year due to some communities not wanting aid stations in them because of Covid.
The course was scenic, along the water a while and in tree lined streets. It was hillier than what I thought it would be, my Garmin clocking just over 1000ft of elevation gain. It wasn’t closed to traffic but we had a coned area and it being a smaller race there wasn’t ever a lot of congestion after the first couple miles.
Post race there were pre-packaged snacks that hit the spot. No shirt this year. I suspect they didn’t want to order them and then have the state tell them they couldn’t have the race, and totally understand.
I would suspect that in a normal year this group would have great parties and atmosphere to round it out. If you need RI for your states or live in the area, give this race a shot. The Narragansett area is a great area with lots of fun shops and restaurants too.
Rhode Island Running on a Fall Day
This was a rare in-person running event due to Covid, so after finding out my state was not on Rhode Island's list of states with a Covid positivity rate greater … MORE
This was a rare in-person running event due to Covid, so after finding out my state was not on Rhode Island’s list of states with a Covid positivity rate greater than 5%, I booked this last minute trip to Narragansett. Race communications with Ocean State Rhode Races was fantastic! They had a very comprehensive plan to keep runners safe. They staggered the start – marathoners went off at 7:30 and 7:50 and half marathoners went off at 8:10 and 8:30. You had to wear a mask at the start and stand 6 feet apart from other participants. But once you crossed the starting line, you could take off your mask. The course was beautiful! Weather was cloudy and overcast (no rain) the day before, but the morning of the race, it was warm and sunny with a 48 degree start. The sun stayed out the entire time! The course was all road and pavement. You shared the road a majority of the time with cars passing you by, and you had to run on the shoulder. There were spots of gradual inclines but nothing too extreme. The scenery along the coastline was spectacular! I did take a pause in my running to just stop and admire the view of the bridges that connect Narragansett with Newport. It was so pretty! All in all, a beautiful fall day in New England. There were only a handful of water stops, but I didn’t really need too much hydration so it was fine with me. The finish line was easy and the announcer was screaming at me to put my mask back on before I crossed the finish line. We received a nice medal for our efforts at the end of the race. Decent finish line snacks – cookies, crackers, bananas, bottled water, popcorn, etc. But not encouraged to stay and mingle due to Covid. No t-shirts were distributed this year and instead we received buffs. That was probably my only complaint about this race. I understand about social distancing and all, but not sure why they couldn’t give out t-shirts with a race fee of almost $90. There were only about 170 half marathoners and maybe 150 marathoners and for a majority of the time, the half marathoners and marathoners shared the same course. It never felt crowded though. I applaud the race organizers for putting on this in-person race in these crazy times of 2020.
Well organized, beautiful race
- course elevation map looked fairly flat with some elevation, but actual course seemed a lot hillier. i actually didn’t mind as much, since i’d rather have hills that all … MORE
– course elevation map looked fairly flat with some elevation, but actual course seemed a lot hillier. i actually didn’t mind as much, since i’d rather have hills that all out flat.
– nice fall scenery along the course, but i wish there were more ocean views, since it is the ocean state
– mostly on the side of the road, through beach area neighborhoods and business areas
– due to covid, aid stations were further apart, so make sure you’re well stocked
– nice fall weather. chilly start in the high 40s, but once you’re moving, you appreciate the cooler temps
– some patches of wind along the course
– strictly followed covid-19 race protocols, and i felt 100% safe
Cold but pretty oceanfront race
This race is flat and easy, I would highly recommend it. Sadly it was cold, windy, and rainy when I ran it but despite that I really enjoyed it. I’d … MORE
This race is flat and easy, I would highly recommend it. Sadly it was cold, windy, and rainy when I ran it but despite that I really enjoyed it. I’d love to run it again when the weather is more cooperative! The packet pickup was also really unique, at Alcoa brewery/distillery, which was a fun touch.
The weather did not cooperate.
Nice small race. Sneaky hard with over 1,000 ft of elevation change. The costal views of Rhode Island were great, however a driving rain and 40 mph winds made things MORE
Nice small race. Sneaky hard with over 1,000 ft of elevation change. The costal views of Rhode Island were great, however a driving rain and 40 mph winds made things difficult.
Nice small race
Course has some tough hills but some nice scenic sections as well. It can get a bit lonely out there though. Overall a low key, well organized small race. MORE
Course has some tough hills but some nice scenic sections as well. It can get a bit lonely out there though. Overall a low key, well organized small race.
Lumpy
Rugged elevation profile that results in a spread out race field after the midpoint and lots of solo time on quiet country roads. MORE
Rugged elevation profile that results in a spread out race field after the midpoint and lots of solo time on quiet country roads.
The elevation profile destroyed me
The website and online info for the race are great. The pre-race bib pickup process was limited in scope but easy to find and people were friendly. Free race photos … MORE
The website and online info for the race are great. The pre-race bib pickup process was limited in scope but easy to find and people were friendly. Free race photos are offered after the race which is refreshing. The race had a small field (about 160) which meant I ran the majority of this event by myself. The live race tracking with RaceJoy was a joke and didn’t work well and made my wife more concerned that something happened to me because of the irregularity of the infrequent race updates. The race goes through regions with poor GPS connectivity with likely affected the utility of the app. There was adequate water and volunteer support for the race and the scenery is beautiful along the coast. The portions of the race that were run along the shoulder of the roadway were less glamorous. The elevation profile crushed my legs and made me realize I really needed to focus on loosing weight (I ran this at 192lbs). The impact 2nd major incline at mile 18 (see pic) on my remaining energy reserves made the last 6 miles miserable for me (but the younger, lighter runners that were all passing me seemed to tolerate it well). The funny thing is that the website describes the course as relatively flat. This is a small race with scenic portions that are very enjoyable but don’t underestimate the hills if you are not ready for them. My review of this race is biased by my major league BONK of the last 6 miles.