From there, the half marathon follows a double-loop course that winds a little over six and a half miles through the city streets of Lowell, and across two major bridges over the river and through LeLacheur Park, which overlooks the Merrimack River across from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell campus.
Runners can expect to encounter a number of slight changes in elevation over the duration of the race, though nothing too challenging or significant — the uphill and downhill stretches at most change about 50 to 75 feet in elevation. The steepest changes occur between miles 2 and 3, and miles 5 and 6 (which runners will make their way around twice, as this race is a double loop course).
As much of the race takes runners along the highway past the waters of the Merrimack, which cuts a path right through the center of the city, the course offers ample scenery to take your mind off the run. The race finish line lies just a stone’s throw from the starting line on Father Monssette Boulevard, along the traffic circle in front of the Tsongas Arena.
Just over 2,700 runners crossed the finish line in both races combined at the event’s 2016 running, with more than 1,300 finishers in the half marathon alone.
