Twin Lobster Half Marathon
Gloucester, MA
- Half Marathon
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Enjoy beautiful ocean views along the coastline and run past the historic Fisherman’s Memorial Statue. Run a scenic half marathon as you race along the spectacular back shore! Whether you’re just hitting the road for the first time or already passionate about the sport, YuKan races provide fun, festive and … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Jun 01):
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| H (°F) | 59 | 79 | 85 | 58 | 75 |
| L (°F) | 54 | 50 | 55 | 53 | 51 |
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Not enough porta potties
There were 1000 people entered in this race and with spectators and 30 minutes out from the gun there were probably at least 250 people in line for ~15 portos … MORE
There were 1000 people entered in this race and with spectators and 30 minutes out from the gun there were probably at least 250 people in line for ~15 portos (and that line never got shorter). There were only two potty stations along the course which were at approx mile 3 and 10. There were some random ones along the course which I saw people use, but it’s tough to have to count on that. ALL THAT SAID, it was a gorgeous course, it was well run, and the swag was really nice (free race pictures taken at the start, one mile mark, and finish!!). The course was very hilly; I’d describe it as constant rolling hills, with the extra loops done on the way back particularly hilly. It was a PR for me because I’d never run a half before, but I think if you’re looking for a course to PR at it is NOT this one. I had a blast (minus my obvious porta potty critique) and could recommend to anyone looking to have a good run on the coast.
Overall a solid race for Massachusetts
I enjoyed the race and the course had many scenic views. The medal and shirt were decent. Post race featured good donuts and a lobster roll. The only negative was … MORE
I enjoyed the race and the course had many scenic views. The medal and shirt were decent. Post race featured good donuts and a lobster roll. The only negative was the traffic coming back into town. It seemed a bit chaotic and it seemed as though it was the runner’s responsibility to hop across lanes of traffic with no volunteers to help. Overall it was a good race and a good choice for Massachusetts.
Very well organized race
The Twin Lobster Half marathon is a small race that hits well above its weight. First thing to know is that there is no expo. Packet pickup is the morning … MORE
The Twin Lobster Half marathon is a small race that hits well above its weight. First thing to know is that there is no expo. Packet pickup is the morning of the race. I was a little nervous about this because this can make for a very chaotic starting line, but I thought they did a very good job of having enough personnel there and clear instructions so that everyone could get that done with plenty of time before race launch. The shirt for the race was red and fairly basic while at the same time nice enough.
One thing I will fault the race a little on is that there was no gear check. No gear check is understandable in a small race. However if you are going to have no gear check, it is probably better to have a small bib and shirt pickup the day before the race. Otherwise you likely make trips back and forth to your vehicle with ID and swag and such. This was not a huge issue, but definitely not the most efficient.
There were enough port-o-potties for a change at a race.
The announcements were easy to hear and understand. The race corrals were nicely spaced and therefore it was easy to get into place when it was time.
The course was a lovely run around the harbor and through a couple of backstreets. Hopefully no one gets nauseous at the smell of dead seafood when running because that is definitely a strong smell during this race. The aid stations were nicely spaced and the volunteers did a great job on the course.
The finish area was well appointed with goodies. Donuts, full sized cookies, grain bars, bananas, sports drink, the runners seltzer, and a lobster roll. It was not a bad lobster roll but I will say that I would wait a little longer next time between finishing the race and eating that particular goodie.
The handling of finishers awards was very efficient and the prizes were nice. I won runners socks, coffee, and a #1 medal for placing first in my age. The finisher medal was nice though nothing too exciting.
I have run no other races in Massachusetts so I can’t compare this race to others in the state. However I have done many other races across the nation and this was definitely a nice surprise in terms of production. I would say if you like smaller races with a lot of goodies you should do this one. I would also guess that the other races that YuKanRun produces are going t be of similar success.
So many hills!
I loved the scenery along the course, but it’s almost all hills- either uphill or downhill. The roads aren’t closed to drivers, so you have to stay to the side, … MORE
I loved the scenery along the course, but it’s almost all hills- either uphill or downhill. The roads aren’t closed to drivers, so you have to stay to the side, run on sidewalks on parts (a lot are asphalt, so not a big deal), but also run around parked cars. I wasn’t expecting all of that. However, I loved it & would run it again.
Beautiful course but no med staff?!?!
I grew up spending my summers in Rockport and Gloucester. My first half marathon was Twin Lights in 2016, which I enjoyed. So I decided to give Twin Lobster a … MORE
I grew up spending my summers in Rockport and Gloucester. My first half marathon was Twin Lights in 2016, which I enjoyed. So I decided to give Twin Lobster a shot. While the course scenery itself was beautiful along the water, it was inadequately staffed. There was no medical staff nor police patrol in busy areas. A few runners (myself included) were need in need of assistance due to injury…no medical personnel were to be found on course. During the last two miles, no police patrol/volunteers were on course. I finished in under 3 hours so that was extremely strange. When I finally crossed the finish line, it took the race personnel nearly 10 minutes to find medical!
I emailed the race director voicing my concerns and received no reply. I’d avoid this race .