Great Bay Half Marathon & 5k

The race takes participants on a scenic tour of the Great Bay Estuary and National Wildlife Refuge, a 1,000-acre park filled with marshes, beaver ponds and pine and oak forests that are home to abundant waterfowl, river otters, foxes, turtles, and many other species of wildlife.
Starting a couple of years ago, organizers also added a 5K race called the Beyond the Rainbow 5K, and proceeds from the race will be donated to Exeter Hospital’s Beyond the Rainbow Fund, which provides assistance to families fighting cancer.
The 13.1-mile race course starts in the small mill town of Newmarket, following paved roads for the first two and a half miles, with some gentle rolling hills thrown in along the way.
While on the Bay’s scenic road, participants are cautioned to stay on the left-hand side throughout the remainder of the race, as it will remain open to automobile traffic. The next 3 to 4 miles offer some steep hills followed by long, gradual downhills, and are considered the most challenging part of the course.
After mile 9, the course enters the Moody Point area and becomes flatter and easier, and includes ample breathtaking views of the Great Bay.
The last few miles of the race take participants out of the more natural landscape and back into the neighborhoods of Newmarket, with Cape Cod-style architecture and breathtaking views of the scenic areas nearby.