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New Hampshire > Smuttynose Hampton Marathon & Half Marathon
Hampton
Beach, NH
Date
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Event
Details
The gorgeously scenic coastal New Hampshire town of Hampton Beach is
the setting for the annual fall running of the Smuttynose Brewing
Company Hampton Half Marathon, a 13.1-mile race that takes runners on
what is considered one of the easiest half-marathon courses in the
region, a route that runs both inland and along the coastline and
features just two significant hills.
The race course shows off much of the local scenery for which the area
is known, from its beachfront and boardwalk to its more rural inland
areas, starting on D Street near the famous Seashell Stage outdoor
amphitheatre. From there runners head south along Ashworth Avenue down
to the turn onto Q Street, where they head east toward the water and
then head northward along Ocean Boulevard, running past Hampton Beach
State Park on their right for roughly the next two and a half miles of
the race until they hit Winnacunnet Road, where they turn left and
head westward away from the ocean.
Once onto Winnacunnet, also known as Highway 101, runners then head out
of Hampton and into the area known as North Hampton, also called the
North Parish or "North Hill," where runners will head past the
turn-of-the-century estate known as the Fuller Gardens are located,
home to two acres of flower gardens filled with thousands of tulips and
rose bushes. This section of the race also includes its hilliest
stretch, as the race elevation climbs roughly 50 feet between the mile
3 and mile 6 markers.
The course continues through North Hampton, past Lamprey Pond and
following the twists and turns of Woodland Road, Maple Road and Chapel
Road to take the field back toward the waterfront, putting runners back
out onto Ocean Boulevard near the area known as Little Boars Head,
whose rocky cliffs look out onto the water. From there, the last few
miles of the race take runners southward along one of New England's
most scenic drives (known as the "two-mile drive"), along Ocean
Boulevard down to the finish line in Hampton Beach State Park.
Race
Weather & Climate
Located along southeastern New Hampshire's Atlantic coastline, roughly
40 miles west of Manchester, the town of Hampton typically experiences
cool to occasionally cold weather conditions in the early fall season,
as well as its wettest weather of the year on average during the month
the race is held. In October, the town's average monthly temperatures
range between 61°F and 39°F, while precipitation
amounts average just over 4.8 inches for the month.
Fees
$38 for the half marathon, if registered before December 31, 2009
$45 after Dec. 31
Registration
To reserve your spot the fall 2009 running of New Hampshire's
Hampton Half Marathon, register online at the event website.
Website
www.hamptonrockfest.com
Course Map
Share
Your Race Story
Ever run in New Hampshire's Smuttynose Hampton Half Marathon race?
Share
your impressions and read fellow runners' stories
and tips for the event.
Post your comments in Runner Reviews for the Smuttynose Hampton
Half Marathon
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