Beach and Back Half Marathon

Saturday, May 18, 2024 • Marshfield, MA • Course Map

Get ready for a race that takes you down to the shoreline of Cape Cod at the Beach and Back Half Marathon & 5K, a race organized by the folks who manage the South Shore Half Marathon every year, along a route that will bring you down to the oceanfront at South Cape Beach State Park.

The park, which has a mile-long white sand beach along with plentiful sand dunes and salt marshes, lies between Waquoit Bay and Vineyard Sound on the southern beaches of Cape Cod, and is part of the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, which spans some 2,700 acres of beaches, open waters and marshlands between Falmouth and Mashpee.

Runners will start the race about five miles north of the park near Mashpee, just off Great Neck Road, near the intersection of Donna’s Lane and Commercial Street.

From there, the race heads south along Great Neck Road, with a couple of detours along Great Pines Road and Tracy Lane and Red Brook Road, before bringing runners all the way south to the parking lot at South Cape Beach.

Once there, they’ll make the turn and run back all the way north along Great Neck Road, back to the finish line where they started.

After runners finish the race, which is presented by the Naukabout Beer Company, they’ll get to enjoy a post-race party with live music and Naukabout Beer for all finishers over 21, as well as a custom finisher’s medal and sunglasses.

While there are rolling hills along the course, there aren’t any big elevation changes — as you’d expect at a race near the ocean.

The race starts at about 50 feet above sea level and never rises above about 61 feet during the course of the 13.1 miles — its lowest point occurs at the turnaround point at South Cape Beach, where you’ll be just a few feet above sea level.

Aerial view of Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. South Cape Beach is down there. (Photo by Wikimedia)

Race Weather & Climate

Nestled along the southern shoreline of Cape Cod, roughly 70 miles south of Boston, Marshfield typically sees some of its warmest weather of the year in May, when temperatures average between the low 60s and the low 80s.

On race day (May 18), the average low is 60ºF and the average high is 78ºF.

Course Map

See the race route map for the Beach and Back Half Marathon here.

Starting Time

  • 7:30 AM – half marathon
  • 8:00 AM – 5K

Course Time Limit

3 hours, 30 minutes for the half marathon

Fees

  • $70 – $75 for the half marathon
  • $28 – $30 for the 5K

Registration

To reserve your spot in the 2024 running of Marshfield’s Beach and Back Half Marathon or 5K race, register online at RaceWire.com here.

Official Race Website

events.racewire.com/beach-and-back

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