REVEL puts on an amazing race and this was their first go for this one in NH! It was downhill, which makes it so much easier to tolerate. I just … MORE
REVEL puts on an amazing race and this was their first go for this one in NH! It was downhill, which makes it so much easier to tolerate. I just wish we could have ran down the famous Kancamagus Highway during the changing of the colors in the trees in the fall. This was one of my better times even though I was not putting in much effort. The marathon went on during the half, as well. Some of them got to witness wildlife involving a moose! The scenery was beautiful even though it was gloomy. Before start time, it was a bit cold having to wait, BUT… It made for a very nice, cool temp for running. Having the best company during the race made the time go very quickly, including my running bestie and other fellow runners. Hydration stations were perfectly placed along the route. After party was fun, exciting, comfortable and was able to have conversations with several out of state runners. Swag was awesome and their expo was not bad. Loved this race!
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Great first REVEL participant encounter
REVEL puts on an amazing race and this was their first go for this one in NH! It was downhill, which makes it so much easier to tolerate. I just … MORE
REVEL puts on an amazing race and this was their first go for this one in NH! It was downhill, which makes it so much easier to tolerate. I just wish we could have ran down the famous Kancamagus Highway during the changing of the colors in the trees in the fall. This was one of my better times even though I was not putting in much effort. The marathon went on during the half, as well. Some of them got to witness wildlife involving a moose! The scenery was beautiful even though it was gloomy. Before start time, it was a bit cold having to wait, BUT… It made for a very nice, cool temp for running. Having the best company during the race made the time go very quickly, including my running bestie and other fellow runners. Hydration stations were perfectly placed along the route. After party was fun, exciting, comfortable and was able to have conversations with several out of state runners. Swag was awesome and their expo was not bad. Loved this race!
Beautiful course-mountains, river, woods
Train for steep downhill as the first 5 miles can kill your quads. Both overhill the downhill makes it easier. The scenery was great, it was cold at the start, … MORE
Train for steep downhill as the first 5 miles can kill your quads. Both overhill the downhill makes it easier. The scenery was great, it was cold at the start, but nice running weather, and it was all in the woods up to about the last mile. The small town of Conway at the finish is cute, and the community seemed to really support the race. Nice way to vacation in NH!
Outstanding
In my quest to run the 50 states, not many races would I repeat. However, this race I would repeat. REVEL really out did themselves in New Hampshire. This race … MORE
In my quest to run the 50 states, not many races would I repeat. However, this race I would repeat. REVEL really out did themselves in New Hampshire. This race was ran like a well oiled machine. There was plenty of communication. The Expo was a descent size. There were enough venders and photo props. I like the wall with all of the participants names. Packet pickup could not have been easier. The course was beautiful. It was on a paved road which ran a majority along a river. As a REVEL race, of course, it was a downhill course. The half was a gentle downhill, but I heard comments from some marathoners that the first portion of their race was more steep. I didn’t get to see much of the post race village but it seemed pretty nice. Picking dropping off and picking up my bag from gear check was very easy and organized.
I hope REVEL will reconsider and continue White Mountain in their series. I had a great experience and would definitely do it again.
Awesome Race!
The first 5 miles were significantly downhill and my quads were feeling it early on (around mile 3)! The rest of the course was more gently downhill with an uphill … MORE
The first 5 miles were significantly downhill and my quads were feeling it early on (around mile 3)! The rest of the course was more gently downhill with an uphill around mile 10, which I did not mind after running so much downhill. The course was pretty, but there were almost zero spectators. I did not love the finish…. we combined with the half marathon walkers and I had to slow down and weave the last mile which was not ideal given I was trying to hit sub three hours. I was very close, but missed the goal by less than a minute. Overall, I really liked this race!
Absolutely gorgeous
I don’t even know what to say about this race other than it was perfect! The weather, course, volunteers, swag, logistics, post race area…everything was spot on. If this is … MORE
I don’t even know what to say about this race other than it was perfect! The weather, course, volunteers, swag, logistics, post race area…everything was spot on. If this is ever offered again, I would definitely be back!
Beautiful
REVEL does a good job of providing options to help keep you warm while waiting for the race to start - since you have to be there so early for … MORE
REVEL does a good job of providing options to help keep you warm while waiting for the race to start – since you have to be there so early for the point to point course: gloves, heat blanket, gear drop that doesn’t have to be dropped until 14 minutes prior to race start. Porta-potties at start of race were kind of a mess. Extended lines up until race start. This was really the only issue I saw.
Race course was beautiful. Mostly downhill. There is one section of pretty steep uphill, but then you get to turn around and run down it. The first 5 miles are the fastest with the rest being flat or slightly downhill. There may have been some rollers, but I really didn’t notice much uphill (except for the one mentioned, and one other near the finish). Weather was great. Finish line in town with lots of spectators.
Downhill race
This point-to-point race was completely downhill. Runners got a shuttle to the start line, with different pickup locations for the half and full. Parking for the half was CRAZY, so … MORE
This point-to-point race was completely downhill. Runners got a shuttle to the start line, with different pickup locations for the half and full. Parking for the half was CRAZY, so I’d recommend staying at a hotel close enough to walk to the shuttle, if possible.
Packet pickup was at an ice rink arena, where runners got their long sleeve tech shirt, gloves, emergency (mylar) blanket and other small goodies. The blanket and gloves came in handy for the cool temps at the start.
The course miles were marked, with a few amusing signs along the way.
Water stops were adequate, with gels offered at at least 3 of the stops for the half. I believe the full had an additional 2 stops that had gels.
The after party offered donuts, beer and some vendors.
Bring it Back!
I have been wanting to do a Revel race as I have heard good things but they are always out west. So I was very excited an east coast race … MORE
I have been wanting to do a Revel race as I have heard good things but they are always out west. So I was very excited an east coast race was announced and in my home state of NH of all places. They did say this may be a limited event so I am not sure this race will return. I immediately signed up as soon as registration opened. The race is way up north in Conway and is a bit of a trek. It is a little over 2 hours from where I live and a little over 1.5 hours from my parent’s house and not very close to any airports. I initially thought I would stay at my parent’s house but when I saw how early the race started I booked a hotel. There was good pre race communication including an athlete guide. I had plans with my family Saturday afternoon so I didn’t think I would make the expo so I paid extra for race day packet pick-up. The athlete guide gave no info about race day pack pick-up but we did get an email with the info a few days before the race. I booked my hotel through the race website. One issue with this is they oversold the rooms at the hotel I booked and upgraded me to a nicer hotel at the same price. This doesn’t sound like an issue but this was never communicated to me until I arrived at my initial hotel and was told I had to go to another hotel and with the early wake up all I wanted to do was get to bed not drive to another hotel to check in. It all worked out but just a warning you may be better off directly booking with hotel and paying more if you don’t want to deal with this kind of thing. I was nervous about race morning as it involved shuttles after the shuttle fiasco in Maine but Revel seems to have every run very smoothly. If I didn’t know better I would have assumed Maine Coast was the inaugural race and this race had been held for years. There is separate parking for half and full marathoners and shuttles to the start and from the finish. I did arrive very early and everything was a breeze. I got my packet, brought it back to my car and there were no lines so I pretty much immediately boarded the shuttle. Packet included bib, a nice short sleeve tech shirt and a few other things like gloves to keep your warm. I did see lines to get in the parking lot as we were leaving in the shuttle so do try to arrive early if possible. The race is in a small town that does not have a ton of roads so it does take 30-40 minutes for the shuttle to arrive at the start and since the race starts at 6am this is a very early morning. My only production critique of an otherwise perfectly produced race would be the start area. The start area was a bit cramped for the number of runners and did not have enough porta potties. I’m not sure how this can be fixed given limited options for the course to work. I used the porta potty as soon as the shuttle got there and it didn’t have lines but didn’t use it right before the race. A lot of people also complained about how cold the start was. I’m guessing they are not natives of New Hampshire as I was completely fine with the temperature and had no additional layers and was comfortable but it may have been nice to have a heating tent for the out of towners. The race had runners line up by pace and started on time. Not everyone was finished with the porta potties but as it is chipped time they kept the start line open for them. I prefer this to delaying the start. The course is absolutely amazing! It is stunning scenery of mountains and rivers and the beauty of New Hampshire. Definitely a top 5% course in terms of beauty. It also definitely gave you the best views of NH. There aren’t a ton of spectators given the limited entry points for spectators though a few found ways to show up and there are plenty of other runners and such spectacular scenery that the miles fly by. The course is on the Kancamagus Highway and one half of the road is closed off for runners. They had some complicated system to allow traffic on the other side. The race was very easy to follow as except the last maybe half mile it was start down the highway. Everything was very well produced on course. There were aid stations approximately every 2 miles with water, electrolytes and multiple had Gu and/or fruit. There were also plenty of porta potties with no lines at each aid station. There were big mile markers and other encouraging signs. The half marathon course is pretty much all downhill. It is a relatively gradual downhill. The only difficult part is some of the road was on a slant which could be a bit painful on your muscles. I was hoping to have a very fast race and killed the first few miles but didn’t have enough left in the tank to finish strong at all and ended up finishing around 3:20. My main goal was to not get injured as I got injured during a downhill race a couple years ago and I did accomplish that. There is the same time limit for the half and full marathon so there are a ton of back of packers. I also stopped to take some pictures and chat with other participants which didn’t help my time. The last half a mile or so is in town and is well marked with course marshals directing traffic. It was also the correct distance. There is a nice finish area. I really like the medal. It is a very cute, and very New England themed, Moose design. The finish area was pretty good. There was a beer tent and you also got a sweet treat which was just a Dunkin Donut along with a bag of snacks and a water bottle. Dunkin Donuts didn’t seem like the most exciting post-race food but it does fit the New England theme. There was post race food to purchase but I had lunch plans afterwards. I then left for the shuttle and kept my fingers crossed there would be no line. It was an annoying about 1/2 mile walk to the shuttle but there was no line and it went as smooth as possible. As there were some traffic delays from runners crossing the street it does take a bit of time to get back to the parking lot and also a bit of time to get out of town though this seems unavoidable hosting a race in a small town. Overall I though this was an excellent race and I hope it comes back. If it does come back I would definitely recommend this race for NH and would definitely run it again if I had the weekend free. Even if it does not come back I would definitely love to run another Revel Race and would definitely recommend their races from this experience. If this race doesn’t come back, another great (mostly) downhill option for New Hampshire is the New England Half in October.
An overall great inaugural race at this
My first ever REVEL race. A few friends have experienced some REVElL races before so my expectations were high. And I wasn't disappointed. The course was scenic and enjoyable, although … MORE
My first ever REVEL race. A few friends have experienced some REVElL races before so my expectations were high. And I wasn’t disappointed. The course was scenic and enjoyable, although my quads are still screaming at me from the downhill! The expo was a little sparse from what was told to me from other races. Could be this was the first one in NH. Overall it was a great experience, if I had to point out one thing that I didn’t like, it was the walk from the finish line area to the shuttles to take us back to our cars. My legs were trash and the walk seemed like it was way too long!
Beautiful mostly downhill course
Overall, the organization was great: -Easy walk/drive to the busses to the start (at 4AM) -Chilly/windy/rainy waiting around at the start, so take extra clothes -Bag drop at start/finish was … MORE
Overall, the organization was great:
-Easy walk/drive to the busses to the start (at 4AM)
-Chilly/windy/rainy waiting around at the start, so take extra clothes
-Bag drop at start/finish was smooth
Race:
-started on time
-First 5 miles are the steepest downhill
-Miles 10-11.5 are uphill
-2nd half is more scenic and the downhill is much less steep.
-Last mile is flat with a slight uphill, but overall a nice course.
-Fastest marathon time for the past 5 years! (although I’m WAY more sore than usual a few days post-race)
-Locals are very friendly and welcoming. I’d highly suggest spending some time at the Tuckerman brewery (0.25 miles from finish line)
First Revel Race, Definitely Worth It!
This was my first Revel race, and I was not disappointed! I truly didn't think it was possible for me to PR since I run marathons back-to-back, so I can't … MORE
This was my first Revel race, and I was not disappointed! I truly didn’t think it was possible for me to PR since I run marathons back-to-back, so I can’t properly train.
Since the course is very downhill, we need to take the shuttle to the start between 3:15-4:15 (EARLY) to begin at 6:00. It is FREEZING! I wasn’t prepared for the cold since I thought I could handle the weather. I didn’t bring an emergency heat blanket. Fortunately, there was a good Samaritan who brought an extra blanket and offered it to me. Additionally, someone had an extra-long sleeve jacket to donate, and he gave it to me so I can be extra warm (thank you kind strangers)!
The Revel races are known for being very downhill. It sounds easy, but your quads still get very sore! The first 5 miles were the steep miles, and it kinda evens out the rest of the way (still downhill). The only part that was uphill was between miles 10-12, but it was minimal. The course scenery is absolutely gorgeous, I wish I stopped more often to take pictures.
Since this is along the highway, there are no spectators. The only time we had spectators were starting at mile 25. As for aid stations, there were GU gels, water, Nuun, oranges (a couple of stations), and muscle rub cream (3 stations).
We had a donut from Dunkin Donuts (they had extra so I also took a dozen), Siggis milk yogurt, and beer! People could also buy kettle corn as an extra treat!
Overall, my experience was wonderful and expectations were more than met! Definitely want to do another Revel race!
Let’s run it back!
They really did a great job having this run smoothly, especially being the first time on this race. Only real complaint (and seems I’m not the only one) were the … MORE
They really did a great job having this run smoothly, especially being the first time on this race. Only real complaint (and seems I’m not the only one) were the insufficient number of porta-potties at the start. A lot of people just ended up running into the woods. But the other parts went great—packet pick up, busing to the start, aid stations, etc. The course was beautiful, though fog shrouded at the start, which was cool in its own way. This would have been incredible in the fall but probably not realistic to close the Kanc during foliage season—can’t anger the leaf peepers! The course wasn’t too difficult. The worst of the downhill was in the first quarter of the race, then it was much gentler after that. The uphill on the out part of the little out and back felt tougher than it really was after being used to the downhill. The toughest thing was the slope on the road going around many of the curves. I tried to stay on the yellow line as much as I could which helped. Overall, I was really impressed with the event Revel put on and I hope the add this to their rotation as an east coast option.
I Hope They Bring This One Back!
Expo: Lots of items available to purchase. A few good other vendors. Decent size Swag: Love the medal! It is race specific. I like the dri-fit short sleeve shirt too. … MORE
Expo: Lots of items available to purchase. A few good other vendors. Decent size
Swag: Love the medal! It is race specific. I like the dri-fit short sleeve shirt too.
Start Line: shuttle system. Half marathon had to park at a different location than the marathon, which makes sense. Parking started at 3:45… which is very early, but traffic was backing up around 4:15. I got there early and thought things went smoothly. Bus took about 35-40 minutes to the start line. The start area was very small for the amount of runners there, but there probably wasn’t another option. There could have been more porta potties, but I don’t know where they would have gone. Luckily there were plenty of bathroom stops along the course which was nice. The race started on time, even though there were several people still in line for the porta potties. Bottom line: get there early. They provide bag drop so you can stay warm. They also give you a space blanket.
Course: very pretty! Run along the river in several spots. Limited crowd support, but the ones that were there were great. The mile markers were fairly accurate. Plenty of water stops and Gu provided.
Finish: water and goodie bag at the chute. Bag consisted of 2 mini granola bars and either mini bag of pretzels or goldfish. Kind of sparse in my opinion. Dunkin had Donuts outside the chute and there was a free beer by Tuckerman’s brewing. There was some food available to buy as well. The shuttle back to the parking lot was maybe .5 miles or less from the finish. All went smooth.
All in all, I think Revel was very organized and I would run this again if they bring it back.
Great Scenery
This is a great race and everyone has been signing up of REVEL races like crazy. These races are not as easy as you think. This particular race was only … MORE
This is a great race and everyone has been signing up of REVEL races like crazy. These races are not as easy as you think. This particular race was only a little over 2300 net downhill, it included an out and back, and rolling hills from mile 13-26.2. Running on a slant (curves) of a mountain is difficult. Make sure you train well. However, the race production and swag was top notch. I just wish they had more porta-potties at the start. I waited in line for an hour and still did not get a chance to go before the start. At the end of the day, I BQ’d and I am definitely proud of that accomplishment.
Loved it - more Revel!
This was my first revel race and my first downhill. I live where everything is flat! Outside of a military run race this is the best organized and produced race … MORE
This was my first revel race and my first downhill. I live where everything is flat! Outside of a military run race this is the best organized and produced race I’ve ever been in. The only constructive criticism I can give is that there should’ve been more porta potties at half marathon start line. Other than that, the situation was super easy. That can always be problematic, but they handled it beautifully. The expo was first. Love the metal. Now I want to do another one.!!
Rough start but all good from there
The start area was poor with vastly insufficient portaloos and not enough space to line up by pace. There were not heaters like at other Revel races which meant a … MORE
The start area was poor with vastly insufficient portaloos and not enough space to line up by pace. There were not heaters like at other Revel races which meant a very cold long hour plus wait to start. Once we started, it was beautiful and everything went well. The aid stations were great and mile markers were accurate. The middle hill was hard but not killer.
Great race
Great down hill race wth an excellent view of the mountains and mountains Great for a beginner runner Friendly city with great adventures,restaurants and friendly local people MORE
Great down hill race wth an excellent view of the mountains and mountains
Great for a beginner runner
Friendly city with great adventures,restaurants and friendly local people
A challenging and scenic course
This is my third revel race. They really know how to run a race. The logistics with busing, parking, post race are all so well organized. This is the first … MORE
This is my third revel race. They really know how to run a race. The logistics with busing, parking, post race are all so well organized. This is the first revel race I did where they did not use coach buses to transport runners, they used yellow school buses. Not the end of the world, but no bathroom on the yellow busses. Plenty of portajohns at the start, a long the course, and at finish. Plenty of water stations, but could have used a few more volunteers to assist at water/aid stations.
Highly recommend due to the uniqueness
Highly recommend due to uniqueness, well organized, amazing scenery and if you’re looking to run 50 states revel is a bit different. Lots of places to stay and eat while … MORE
Highly recommend due to uniqueness, well organized, amazing scenery and if you’re looking to run 50 states revel is a bit different. Lots of places to stay and eat while there and good course support!