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Marathon Details - Green Mountain Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > VT > South Hero > Green Mountain Marathon

Green Mountain Marathon

GMAA Green Mountain Marathon & Half Marathon

South Hero, VT USA

October 20, 2024

http://www.gmaa.run/schedule/green-mountain-marathon-and-half-marathon

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Race Details

Out and back on the islands of Lake Champlain. 3rd Oldest New England Marathon.

Contact Information

Name:	Jessica Bolduc
Address:	Green Mountain Marathon PO Box 194 Essex Junction, VT 05453-0194
Phone Number:	802-338-7247
Email:	Email the organizers

Race Organizer

Visit the New England of long ago! (3/31/04)

Steve Eustis

The Green Mountain Athletic Association is proud to offer a relaxed, uncrowded, quality marathon at an affordable price. The certified course is run entirely on a sparsley populated island in Lake Champlain - see wineries, orchards, family farms, beautiful mountain and lake vistas, and a small New England village. Use the money saved on your entry fee to visit some of Vermont's many attractions.

Runner Reviews (54)

Course 4.6

Organization 4.7

Spectators 3.3

Write a review

Number of comments: 54 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 > ]

T. S. from Indianapolis (10/24/2018) "No frill but still a thrill" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Green Mountain Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 You won't get a fancy medal, a fancy shirt (though both are nice) or any swag -- fancy or otherwise -- but this race is an inexpensive ($60) and wonderful way to spend a New England fall morning. The out-and-back course is beautiful, both along Lake Champlain and in rural areas. Because it is on the same road, you know what you're going to get on the second half. So while smiling as you zip down a big hill between miles 1 and 2, you can look forward to trudging up the same big hill between miles 24 and 25. I hate to give low ratings for spectators because the ones that were there were great. There just weren't too many of them, but it's a small race and you can expect that. And the water stop volunteers were enthusiastic. It helped that the weather was close to perfect, especially since the year before there were 40 mph winds and the day after this year was cold, rainy and windy. It was often quite lonely after the half-marathoners split, but that was OK for me. And we did see marathoners coming back after the 13.1 turn who were encouraging to us slower types. This race was great and I certainly recommend it, but one of the best things was before the race: the pasta dinner. Not only was the food great and inexpensive, but it benefitted the local middle-schoolers, who were delightful servers.
Leisa Murphy from NY (10/20/2017) "Great Marathon in all respects!!!" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Green Mountain Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my 14th marathon and definitely a favorite!The course was beautiful and pretty much just as described. It was rolling hills...a couple rolled a little higher than others but nothing too challenging.It was an out and back on scenic country roads and by Lake Champlain. There were water/Gatorade stations every two miles with super friendly volunteers. One of the things that I loved about this race was that it was low key and low waste but had everything you needed. Packet pick up included a shirt and a bib, no wasteful plastic bag filled with coupons that will just get thrown away. The expo offered some great running clothes from the Green Mountain Athletic Association. The after party had delicious Veg chili which made the vegans at the race very happy! Start and finish were at a school and there were more than enough porta-potties. The only drawback of the day was the wind. It gusted up to 40 mph in some points. It's just part of running on an island in Vermont. It made for an interesting and fun running experience! The race was about 20 minutes from Burlington which is full of friendly people,cool shops and restaurants. I would definitely recommend this marathon!
B. B. from Pittsburgh, Pa (10/18/2017) "Very scenic run" (about: 2017) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Green Mountain Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 A very nice, scenic, low frills, inexpensive race through beautiful country with striking views of Lake Champlain. Logistically, a very easy run with parking just steps from the start/finish and a simple packet pick-up at the middle school. Don't miss the pasta dinner the night before. Very tasty and served by sweet middle schoolers. Ample water stations with water and gatorade, but bring your own food. No food, that I noticed anyway, at the finish and nothing on the course. But for $55 how much can you expect? The out and back course had a few gentle hills, but the real challenge this year was the wind, with 40mph gusts and much headwind through the back half. At least it helped to offset the humidity. Under good weather conditions, a fast time could be achieved here. A solid medal and shirt. Overall, a good way to get Vermont for 50 Staters. After the race head to Switchback Brewing and Magic Hat in nearby Burlington for great beer and fun atmospheres.
M. R. from NY, USA (10/17/2017) "Fun race" (about: 2017) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Green Mountain Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran the half marathon. Weather was warm but incredibly windy- 25mph+ steady with 40mph+ gusts. Course is described as 'rolling hills'; it's more like steady up and down hills. My Garmin measured 414 feet of elevation gain, with 115 feet of that in mile 12 alone. Mile 12 has 1 short steep uphill and 1 long uphill that are tough. Spectators are sporadic but fun. Aid stations were every 2 miles, some with just water, some with water and gatorade. There was limited food at the end served by nice volunteers, and no freebies besides a tshirt. Well worth that for the registration price however. The race is also described as packed dirt... it no longer is, except for maybe 1 mile of it. Most of the road was recently paved.
J. F. from Ransomville, NY (10/13/2014) "A Race For Runners By Runners" (about: 2014) 6-10 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I actually ran the half marathon this year, but wanted to leave my comments because I believe they apply to the full marathon, too. This was a fantastic race! The course is a simple out and back. Rolling hills, asphalt in parts and hard packed gravel in parts. There are beautiful views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks in New York for part of it. The rest is farm land and is gorgeous, as well. The volunteers were all very friendly and helpful. The water stops were organized with the volunteers announcing whether they were holding Gatorade or water. Frequent water stops approximately 2 miles apart. The race is very simple, no frills. Packet pickup is basic, no expo. Highly recommend the pasta dinner the night before that is put on by the school. You can definitely tell this race is put on by runners. It was very well organized and communication prior to the race was appreciated. Spectators were sparse on the course, except where side streets met the road on which you were running, but if you don't need a lot of crowd support, it's just fine. If you like to have cows cheering for you, this is the race for you.
R. M. from Massachusetts (10/10/2013) "Beautiful course and wonderful organizers!" (about: 2011) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Green Mountain Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my first-ever marathon in 2011, and I am coming back this year after doing others because I loved it so much! The course is flat, scenic, and on packed dirt. It's a perfect size race, and the organizers are so enthusiastic and have planned everything extremely well. You should definitely check it out!
R. L. from MD Maryland (10/20/2012) "Lovely race!!" (about: 2012) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Green Mountain Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was such a nice race. Beautiful scenery (especially running by the lake... wish the weather would have been better that day though), and most of it is on hard-packed dirt trail rather than pavement. Much kinder to the joints and no post-race pain. Plenty of water stops. Course was just challenging enough: some hills that presented a nice challenge, but nothing too painful and steep. The volunteers and race organizers were amazing, always shouting encouragement to runners as they ran by. It was extremely well-organized, and I would DEFINITELY do this race again.
N. B. from Hudson Valley, New York (10/17/2012) "Best Marathon Yet!" (about: 2012) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Green Mountain Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 First time running this race, couldn't recommend a better race to run. Gorgeous scenery, even despite the weather we had on race day (40s, 15-20 mph gusts off the lake, rain). Great views of the Adirondacks in NY, as well as the surrounding farms and estates of the island. The race was well organized, everyone I met and dealt with was friendly and helpful, and the spectators were very supportive and stuck out the foul weather for us runners! Many aid stations with gels and various drinks was a nice surprise despite carrying my own fuel. It had all the amenities of a large marathon with none of the headaches, confusion and lack of personality the bigger ones often have. The course is tougher than the average road marathon, but that is why I ran it. Could not recommend more!
j. c. from Germantown, NY (10/15/2012) "Amazing scenery, support, weather can be a factor." (about: 2012) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Green Mountain Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 GMAA put on a nice race. The 7th &8th graders put on a fine pre-race pasta dinner. All volunteers were helpful and friendly. Packet pickup was very flexible over three days. I love the design of the race shirts. A specific shirt for the marathon and for the halfer. Obviously some thought and care went into making them. The medal, unfortunately, is cheap and disappointing. A generic medal with a plastic sticker over it denoting both the half marathon and marathon. I would rather have paid a little more for the entry fee to have received a nicer keepsake that says MARATHON, the race I completed. If you are planning to run this race, beware of the potential weather conditions around Lake Champlain. This running included temps in the 40s, rain, and relentless, howling headwinds over much of the out-and-back course, in both directions. Despite the stunning, off-season, rural setting, there was a surprising amount of traffic to watch out for. To be fair, it was difficult to hear cars coming from behind due to the strong, steady wind. Spectators were few, and hanging in numbly, but super friendly and encouraging. Mile markers were large and visible, more than abundant water stops with Gatorade, gels, and that Hammer sports drink that I wish I'd learned about earlier(loved it). I would recommend this race.
R. C. from Livonia, NY (6/13/2012) "Very nice race" (about: 2011) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Green Mountain Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is a small and very well organized race. The scenery is awesome and the course is not too hilly. The breeze from Lake Champlain is very welcome. The race location is very easy to get to from both NY State and nearby Burlington, VT. The race doesn't attract a huge amount of fans so if you are looking for an ego boost all along the way this may not be your race. I ran poorly and I still loved it.

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 > ]



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T. S. from Indianapolis (10/24/2018) "No frill but still a thrill" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Green Mountain Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 You won't get a fancy medal, a fancy shirt (though both are nice) or any swag -- fancy or otherwise -- but this race is an inexpensive ($60) and wonderful way to spend a New England fall morning. The out-and-back course is beautiful, both along Lake Champlain and in rural areas. Because it is on the same road, you know what you're going to get on the second half. So while smiling as you zip down a big hill between miles 1 and 2, you can look forward to trudging up the same big hill between miles 24 and 25. I hate to give low ratings for spectators because the ones that were there were great. There just weren't too many of them, but it's a small race and you can expect that. And the water stop volunteers were enthusiastic. It helped that the weather was close to perfect, especially since the year before there were 40 mph winds and the day after this year was cold, rainy and windy. It was often quite lonely after the half-marathoners split, but that was OK for me. And we did see marathoners coming back after the 13.1 turn who were encouraging to us slower types. This race was great and I certainly recommend it, but one of the best things was before the race: the pasta dinner. Not only was the food great and inexpensive, but it benefitted the local middle-schoolers, who were delightful servers.
Leisa Murphy from NY (10/20/2017) "Great Marathon in all respects!!!" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Green Mountain Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my 14th marathon and definitely a favorite!The course was beautiful and pretty much just as described. It was rolling hills...a couple rolled a little higher than others but nothing too challenging.It was an out and back on scenic country roads and by Lake Champlain. There were water/Gatorade stations every two miles with super friendly volunteers. One of the things that I loved about this race was that it was low key and low waste but had everything you needed. Packet pick up included a shirt and a bib, no wasteful plastic bag filled with coupons that will just get thrown away. The expo offered some great running clothes from the Green Mountain Athletic Association. The after party had delicious Veg chili which made the vegans at the race very happy! Start and finish were at a school and there were more than enough porta-potties. The only drawback of the day was the wind. It gusted up to 40 mph in some points. It's just part of running on an island in Vermont. It made for an interesting and fun running experience! The race was about 20 minutes from Burlington which is full of friendly people,cool shops and restaurants. I would definitely recommend this marathon!
B. B. from Pittsburgh, Pa (10/18/2017) "Very scenic run" (about: 2017) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Green Mountain Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 A very nice, scenic, low frills, inexpensive race through beautiful country with striking views of Lake Champlain. Logistically, a very easy run with parking just steps from the start/finish and a simple packet pick-up at the middle school. Don't miss the pasta dinner the night before. Very tasty and served by sweet middle schoolers. Ample water stations with water and gatorade, but bring your own food. No food, that I noticed anyway, at the finish and nothing on the course. But for $55 how much can you expect? The out and back course had a few gentle hills, but the real challenge this year was the wind, with 40mph gusts and much headwind through the back half. At least it helped to offset the humidity. Under good weather conditions, a fast time could be achieved here. A solid medal and shirt. Overall, a good way to get Vermont for 50 Staters. After the race head to Switchback Brewing and Magic Hat in nearby Burlington for great beer and fun atmospheres.
M. R. from NY, USA (10/17/2017) "Fun race" (about: 2017) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Green Mountain Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran the half marathon. Weather was warm but incredibly windy- 25mph+ steady with 40mph+ gusts. Course is described as 'rolling hills'; it's more like steady up and down hills. My Garmin measured 414 feet of elevation gain, with 115 feet of that in mile 12 alone. Mile 12 has 1 short steep uphill and 1 long uphill that are tough. Spectators are sporadic but fun. Aid stations were every 2 miles, some with just water, some with water and gatorade. There was limited food at the end served by nice volunteers, and no freebies besides a tshirt. Well worth that for the registration price however. The race is also described as packed dirt... it no longer is, except for maybe 1 mile of it. Most of the road was recently paved.
J. F. from Ransomville, NY (10/13/2014) "A Race For Runners By Runners" (about: 2014) 6-10 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I actually ran the half marathon this year, but wanted to leave my comments because I believe they apply to the full marathon, too. This was a fantastic race! The course is a simple out and back. Rolling hills, asphalt in parts and hard packed gravel in parts. There are beautiful views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks in New York for part of it. The rest is farm land and is gorgeous, as well. The volunteers were all very friendly and helpful. The water stops were organized with the volunteers announcing whether they were holding Gatorade or water. Frequent water stops approximately 2 miles apart. The race is very simple, no frills. Packet pickup is basic, no expo. Highly recommend the pasta dinner the night before that is put on by the school. You can definitely tell this race is put on by runners. It was very well organized and communication prior to the race was appreciated. Spectators were sparse on the course, except where side streets met the road on which you were running, but if you don't need a lot of crowd support, it's just fine. If you like to have cows cheering for you, this is the race for you.
R. M. from Massachusetts (10/10/2013) "Beautiful course and wonderful organizers!" (about: 2011) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Green Mountain Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my first-ever marathon in 2011, and I am coming back this year after doing others because I loved it so much! The course is flat, scenic, and on packed dirt. It's a perfect size race, and the organizers are so enthusiastic and have planned everything extremely well. You should definitely check it out!
R. L. from MD Maryland (10/20/2012) "Lovely race!!" (about: 2012) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Green Mountain Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was such a nice race. Beautiful scenery (especially running by the lake... wish the weather would have been better that day though), and most of it is on hard-packed dirt trail rather than pavement. Much kinder to the joints and no post-race pain. Plenty of water stops. Course was just challenging enough: some hills that presented a nice challenge, but nothing too painful and steep. The volunteers and race organizers were amazing, always shouting encouragement to runners as they ran by. It was extremely well-organized, and I would DEFINITELY do this race again.
N. B. from Hudson Valley, New York (10/17/2012) "Best Marathon Yet!" (about: 2012) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Green Mountain Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 First time running this race, couldn't recommend a better race to run. Gorgeous scenery, even despite the weather we had on race day (40s, 15-20 mph gusts off the lake, rain). Great views of the Adirondacks in NY, as well as the surrounding farms and estates of the island. The race was well organized, everyone I met and dealt with was friendly and helpful, and the spectators were very supportive and stuck out the foul weather for us runners! Many aid stations with gels and various drinks was a nice surprise despite carrying my own fuel. It had all the amenities of a large marathon with none of the headaches, confusion and lack of personality the bigger ones often have. The course is tougher than the average road marathon, but that is why I ran it. Could not recommend more!
j. c. from Germantown, NY (10/15/2012) "Amazing scenery, support, weather can be a factor." (about: 2012) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Green Mountain Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 GMAA put on a nice race. The 7th &8th graders put on a fine pre-race pasta dinner. All volunteers were helpful and friendly. Packet pickup was very flexible over three days. I love the design of the race shirts. A specific shirt for the marathon and for the halfer. Obviously some thought and care went into making them. The medal, unfortunately, is cheap and disappointing. A generic medal with a plastic sticker over it denoting both the half marathon and marathon. I would rather have paid a little more for the entry fee to have received a nicer keepsake that says MARATHON, the race I completed. If you are planning to run this race, beware of the potential weather conditions around Lake Champlain. This running included temps in the 40s, rain, and relentless, howling headwinds over much of the out-and-back course, in both directions. Despite the stunning, off-season, rural setting, there was a surprising amount of traffic to watch out for. To be fair, it was difficult to hear cars coming from behind due to the strong, steady wind. Spectators were few, and hanging in numbly, but super friendly and encouraging. Mile markers were large and visible, more than abundant water stops with Gatorade, gels, and that Hammer sports drink that I wish I'd learned about earlier(loved it). I would recommend this race.
R. C. from Livonia, NY (6/13/2012) "Very nice race" (about: 2011) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Green Mountain Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is a small and very well organized race. The scenery is awesome and the course is not too hilly. The breeze from Lake Champlain is very welcome. The race location is very easy to get to from both NY State and nearby Burlington, VT. The race doesn't attract a huge amount of fans so if you are looking for an ego boost all along the way this may not be your race. I ran poorly and I still loved it.

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Marathon Details - Green Mountain Marathon