Newport Marathon (RI)

In 2022, we had great, cool temps. The breeze off the ocean got pretty stiff in the second half, but it was not terrible. The first half - as many have observed - is a perfect tour of Newport mansions and Ocean Drive, just stunning. The second half is scenic, but sparse as it winds through a wildlife refuge and some tony neighborhoods overlooking the ocean. Rolling hills in this race are not major, but they are consistent. I have to say that the organization and volunteers were superb. Aid stations were well-stocked, and the volunteers friendly and very encouraging. The half is the marquis event, but the full marathon is really good too. Overall, well organized, phenomenal way to see this stunning coastal town!!

You would be hard pressed to find a route that provides as many elements as this one: running through downtown Newport, by the mansions along the Cliff Walk, along the ocean, through Sachuest Point National Wildlife refuge, and then the rural streets of Middleton. I very much enjoyed the variability. The location of the expo, race start, and finish is right on the beach, beautiful. We thought the vendors were on the light side. You need to get a bus to the start, but an impressive fleet of free, non-stop shuttles transported both runners and spectators back forth all day, so there were no delays. They have wave starts, which is always helpful. The course has rolling hills mainly on the back half, but nothing too steep. After party was pretty good, but we couldn't stay long so can't say too much about that. I really liked the medal, a ship in a bottle that hung horizontal, a nice little change. Newport is a beautiful place to visit. Between the beaches, the mansions and the harbor, it is hard to find a more picturesque city. The center of town has a variety of shopping districts with great bars, shops and restaurants; the whole place is very walkable (once you find a parking spot that is). So this is a super destination race. You can get a feel for the race and the place at our YouTube channel Race The Nation.

Who knew you could find the house of your dreams -- or maybe 50 houses of your dreams -- while running 26.2 miles? Now if I can just win the lottery maybe I could buy one. What a cool course, not only for the mansions of the 'other half' but also the scenic ocean views and yes, the rural areas of the second half. The hills were indeed tough for this flatlander, but I'm way past the days when I was looking for PRs and BQs so not a big deal. If those things are a big deal for you, maybe this isn't your race, but I can't think of any other reason to not recommend it. It was my first visit to Rhode Island and I loved hanging around an extra day to check out Newport. Wonderful restaurants, too.