It's actually called the "United Healthcare" Breakers marathon (and thank you sponsors for all that you give to the world of running in exchange for having your company name in the marathon title). Last time I checked nobody paid me for a name drop on my blog title, hence the omission. ;)
For those unfamiliar with Rhode Island (that would be all of us), Newport City is actually on an island called Aquideck in the southern coastal region of the state. It's known as a New England summer resort and also known for the famous Newport mansions, which the marathon runs by. Although undated, the results and reviews on marathonguide.com go as far back as 2005, making 2014 the 10th annual running of the marathon. I have contacted the race organizers for verification. (Stay tuned).
Ok so here are the stats:
Size:
Although the recent reviews read as if this marathon is suffering growing pains, the race results over the past three years have been about the same: Approximately 1000 for the full and 3,000 for the half marathon. This is a nice, manageable size, in my opinion.
Expo:
In the past the expo was held in a tent positioned next to a local running store, which seemed to be a non-issue until this year. I'm not sure why there were ridiculously long lines when the number of race entries didn't dramatically increase. At any rate, unless this changes, I wouldn't expect a large venue with a lot of participating vendors. For a marathon of this size that is expected! I always try to get to expos as early as possible, and in this case I would strongly suggest that.
Course:
Here is the course description taken from their web page:
The UnitedHealthcare Marathon and Half Marathon cover a rolling course on scenic Newport and Middletown roads. Starting by the water in downtown Newport, the course runs through some of the most scenic spots on Aquidneck Island, including along historic Thames Street in downtown Newport, around Fort Adams State Park, past Hammersmith Farm and the Newport Country Club, around scenic Brenton Point and Ocean Drive and past the famous Bellevue Avenue mansions.
All three USATF certified races take advantage of Newport and Middletown's rich history and beautiful oceanside scenery to offer some of the most breathtaking runs in the country.
True, most people commented on how stunning this course is, but the most beautiful parts are on the first half of the course. The first half is a loop that runs back to the start, and the full marathon runs past the start/finish to run a series of out and backs in the opposite direction. I have done a few marathons that ran past the start/finish and it is not fun, so prepare mentally for this. (Seeing the start/finish and then the quietness after parting with the half marathoners). The second half is still quite nice scenery-wise though--just not as pretty. I'll take that.
Logistics:
The race starts and finishes downtown, but there appears to be parking issues, so they have a shuttle bus system for parking. Proper handling of this seems to be a challenging task for the race organizers, as there are many negative reviews with regards to long waits and race delays, so this is a negative...unless you stay at a hotel within walking distance to the start/finish, which is possible. A race delay of 10-15 minutes may be expected.
Swag:
With a small race there won't be much in the way of race apparel for purchase, but the given tech tops and medals are fine. In fact, I love last year's medal, a Rhode Island state shaped medal, which is very unique.
Post race party:
Here is a picture of the finish area, which I think is sweet! There may or may not be "food" at the finish, so this could be a negative, but this is pretty much a non-issue for me. They don't mention beer though. :(
Destination Marathon:
Newport is about 90 minutes from Boston, so traveling to this marathon is pretty easy. (And probably a nice, scenic drive from Boston too). Be warned: Newport is expensive! The host hotel rate is over $300 a night, yikes, won't be staying there! Other hotels in the area are cheaper. Marathon fee ranges from $80 to $110 on race day, which isn't too bad, considering how marathon prices keep going up! There are lots of things to see and do in Newport and the surrounding area: lighthouses, breweries, museums, historical monuments and structures, and great seafood restaurants.
One more thing: Next year this marathon is slated to be Kathy Murgas' final 50 states marathon! We plan on making this race--planning on the full, but the half is a plan B if training goes awry! Regardless, the "post race celebration" will be epic I'm sure. Don't miss out.
Here is the link to the race web-site:
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