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Marathon Details - Manchester City Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > NH > Manchester > Manchester City Marathon

Manchester City Marathon

Catholic Medical Center Manchester City Marathon & Half Marathon, Relay, 5K

Manchester, NH USA

November 10, 2024

https://www.millenniumrunning.com/marathon

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Contact Information

Name:	Millennium Running
Address:	Millennium Running 138 Bedford Center Road Bedford, NH 03110
Phone Number:	603-472-7867
Email:	Email the organizers

Runner Reviews (84)

Course 3.8

Organization 4.4

Spectators 3.6

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Number of comments: 84 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 > ]

J. G. from Wlliamsburg, VA (11/23/2022) "Well organized!" (about: 2022) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Manchester City Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This marathon course has most of the hills during the first half of the course. The second half of the course is mostly an out and back on a bicycle trail. The highlight was running around inside of a baseball field that had the giant TV on so you couuld see your self running around the field . It was a cold rainy day, so spectators were few. However, the volunteers at the water stations were excellent! It should be noted that for food at the rest stops, they gave out small packets of maple syrup , not Gu shots. This race is really for runners, no bands on the course or expo. You can get your bib race day morning with ease. Results were provided quickly. Food at the end was suppose to be soup, but they ran out before 3 hours into the race! Both medal and long sleeve tech shirt were very nice! Very nice race to do to get New Hampshire off your 50 state list.
C. V. from Westborough MA (11/7/2021) "Scenic New England Race" (about: 2021) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Manchester City Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I ran this race for my 30th marathon and I really enjoyed the course. It's a tougher marathon due to the hills and some of the descents are a bit steep to go really fast. I did not realize a portion was run on actual trails. I loved the trails but they did mess up my timing and I rolled my ankle on a large rock due to not paying attention to the trail. It's a great smaller race but not too small that you feel isolated. Organization was top notch and great after party. I loved running around the city as it's historic and has some interesting architectural to looks at. I'd definitely recommend this one if you are looking for a more challenging race.
B. S. from Cambridge, MA (11/15/2019) "Solid local race" (about: 2019) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Manchester City Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Ok, so the course is moderately hilly but not soul-sucking. My tracker read ~1250ft of elevation gain. If you are targeting a goal time, definitely get some longer hills work in and practice running downhill. I would also recommend running some tempos and long runs on a route with rolling hills. If you are going out to have fun, as long as you are well-trained you should be able to manage just fine. The course overall provided some good scenery and variety. It starts downtown then loops through the neighborhoods of Manchester, past a pond and large park, then out over the Merrimack River to a rail trail for miles 16-24. Nice views re-crossing the river and entering the city for miles 24-25. Yes, you do run right past the finish line only to do an out and back over a 2-lane road bridge to wrap up miles 25 and 26, but as long as you mentally steel yourself for this, you should be able to finish strong. Crowds were relatively scarce but energetic; course marshals were excellent and friendly; aid stations were fine. I too noticed a lack of obvious port-a-potties, but did not need one during the race so I wasn't really looking for them. The website says they were at every aid station, though. My only gripe about the course is that sometimes you are forced to run essentially single file on the inside of cones to allow traffic to pass, which can disrupt your rhythm. Also, on the rail trail it is two-way traffic, so sometimes you have to semi-scramble to uneven footing on one side of the path to let runners coming the other way pass. I read some complaints about post-race food; there seemed to be a whole row of food and drink trucks near the park where the race ended, but I am not sure if these were free. I will say I did not see the usual spread of bagels and bananas near the finish line.
C. W. from United States (11/11/2019) "A hill so nice, they make you do it twice" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Manchester City Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my 20th marathon overall. I would call it a small mid-sized marathon. It was hillier than I thought it would be. Most of the climbs were not too bad and it was relatively flat along the trail section from mile 17 to 23. The first half of the race is run through the streets of Manchester. The second half takes you out across the river to the other side of town where there were few spectators. The course marshals were very good and all were friendly. The marathon start is with the half marathon folks as well as the relay teams. I was surprised at the lack of porta-potties on the course. There were only a few that I saw at two or three of the aid/water stations. I saw some people using the ones that were set out for contractors on construction projects. At the aid station at Mile 4, I saw six people standing in line to use the one that was there. There is a good hill at mile 24.5 that wouldn't have been so bad if they hadn't already made you run it at mile 5. They set the course up so that you have to pass the finish line just before mile 25 before turning around and running back to it. Other than the nice guy announcing the finishers, I was not impressed with the finish. They give you a water or energy drink and a heat sheet and that's it. If there was food there, nobody was pointing people in the direction of where to get it. The medal was nice and the weather was perfect. There are also a ton of turns on the course so my Garmin showed that I actually ran 26.65 miles after all was said and done. It's almost impossible to hit the tangents on this course. This race was incredibly average as marathons go.
J. C. from Bogota, NJ (11/6/2018) "Really fun experience" (about: 2018) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Manchester City Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 First lets get this out of the way...there are hills. But hey, we're marathoners and we thrive on challenge! Don't let the hills scare you off, they are quite manageable. This is a really fun race. I ran it as #9 in my 50-state quest and it was a great experience. Manchester is a big town with a small town feel. You will be amazed at how friendly everyone is. They take the runners into their hearts and really turn out to support the event. And they stay on the line shouting encouragement until the last runners cross the finish. The organizers have arranged the course so you run through the city, through the burbs, over bridges and through wooded trails. This race has something for everyone. NH in the fall -- you can't beat this race. I hope they don't change a thing -- I'll be back. PS: Ok, one change...if we could get the Governor to remove that one hill at mile 24, my quads would be eternally grateful.
S. E. from Boston, MA (3/28/2018) "Hills and Trails" (about: 2017) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Manchester City Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 If you're looking to check New Hampshire off your 50 States list, this is most likely the race to sign up for. Otherwise, you're likely a local. Great start/finish with lots of spectators and post-race snacks/drinks. We stayed in the hotel suggested, which was perfectly located for the race. It was 25 degrees race day, so being able to stretch and stay warm in the lobby up until the start of the race was ideal. Runners beware: this course has a lot of hills! Between the temps and the hills, my legs were weak by mile 16. Also, some of the trails in the back half of the race were sand/dirt which made for difficult footing. Make sure you practice your hills prior to this course!
J. G. from Lincoln, Rhode Island (11/13/2017) "Great race, bit hilly but beautiful course" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Manchester City Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 As someone who typically doesn't like the hills I can say I really liked this course. From 16 through 25 you're on 5 plus miles of trails then onto a bike path with amazing scenery. Lots of local support at the start and finish but what was a nice surprise was the on course support from people throughout. If you're looking for a late fall race or checking off New Hampshire for your fifty states I highly recommend. Keep an eye on the temps, it was 24 at the start in 2017.
M. C. from California, USA (11/21/2016) "Awesome marathon. Awesome people." (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Trails to rails course was very good.
M. Z. from Kentucky, USA (11/7/2016) "Beautiful Setting! Super Oraganization" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Manchester City Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The course is a little difficult for a flatlander but overall what to be expected for this part of the country. The very best host hotel I've encountered. Super accommodating and courteous.
R. J. from Bedford, NH (11/11/2015) "Better than I thought." (about: 2015) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Manchester City Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Past comments indicated that the Manchester City Marathon was not organized well, had a poor course design, and was very tough! I live within 2 miles of the course and had not run this marathon in the previous 8 years, partially due to past comments. Finally I decided to run this marathon and see first hand, what all of the chatter was about. To make a long story short, the course layout was awesome. What a tour of the city & I didn't know that parts of the city even existed. As far as toughness & it was a fair course. Lots of hills, but lots of downhills and long, flat stretches too. Traffic was never a problem. The police were awesome and actually offered words of encouragement and gave high fives throughout the course. Not a lot of spectators, but they were sprinkled throughout the course and were very, very loud and happy. Plenty of aid, lots of traffic control, the course was well marked, great finisher's medallion, and an o.k. long sleeve shirt. Plenty of food and beverages at the finish. I would say that everyone was well taken care of, and all of the volunteers really cared about all of us from first to last finisher. Can you set a PR on this course? Probably not. Are you looking for a very good race on a fair course or do you just want the fastest, downhill course without good management and caring volunteers? You make the choice. I am very happy that I finally chose to run the Manchester City Marathon after all of these years.

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 > ]



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J. G. from Wlliamsburg, VA (11/23/2022) "Well organized!" (about: 2022) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Manchester City Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This marathon course has most of the hills during the first half of the course. The second half of the course is mostly an out and back on a bicycle trail. The highlight was running around inside of a baseball field that had the giant TV on so you couuld see your self running around the field . It was a cold rainy day, so spectators were few. However, the volunteers at the water stations were excellent! It should be noted that for food at the rest stops, they gave out small packets of maple syrup , not Gu shots. This race is really for runners, no bands on the course or expo. You can get your bib race day morning with ease. Results were provided quickly. Food at the end was suppose to be soup, but they ran out before 3 hours into the race! Both medal and long sleeve tech shirt were very nice! Very nice race to do to get New Hampshire off your 50 state list.
C. V. from Westborough MA (11/7/2021) "Scenic New England Race" (about: 2021) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Manchester City Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I ran this race for my 30th marathon and I really enjoyed the course. It's a tougher marathon due to the hills and some of the descents are a bit steep to go really fast. I did not realize a portion was run on actual trails. I loved the trails but they did mess up my timing and I rolled my ankle on a large rock due to not paying attention to the trail. It's a great smaller race but not too small that you feel isolated. Organization was top notch and great after party. I loved running around the city as it's historic and has some interesting architectural to looks at. I'd definitely recommend this one if you are looking for a more challenging race.
B. S. from Cambridge, MA (11/15/2019) "Solid local race" (about: 2019) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Manchester City Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Ok, so the course is moderately hilly but not soul-sucking. My tracker read ~1250ft of elevation gain. If you are targeting a goal time, definitely get some longer hills work in and practice running downhill. I would also recommend running some tempos and long runs on a route with rolling hills. If you are going out to have fun, as long as you are well-trained you should be able to manage just fine. The course overall provided some good scenery and variety. It starts downtown then loops through the neighborhoods of Manchester, past a pond and large park, then out over the Merrimack River to a rail trail for miles 16-24. Nice views re-crossing the river and entering the city for miles 24-25. Yes, you do run right past the finish line only to do an out and back over a 2-lane road bridge to wrap up miles 25 and 26, but as long as you mentally steel yourself for this, you should be able to finish strong. Crowds were relatively scarce but energetic; course marshals were excellent and friendly; aid stations were fine. I too noticed a lack of obvious port-a-potties, but did not need one during the race so I wasn't really looking for them. The website says they were at every aid station, though. My only gripe about the course is that sometimes you are forced to run essentially single file on the inside of cones to allow traffic to pass, which can disrupt your rhythm. Also, on the rail trail it is two-way traffic, so sometimes you have to semi-scramble to uneven footing on one side of the path to let runners coming the other way pass. I read some complaints about post-race food; there seemed to be a whole row of food and drink trucks near the park where the race ended, but I am not sure if these were free. I will say I did not see the usual spread of bagels and bananas near the finish line.
C. W. from United States (11/11/2019) "A hill so nice, they make you do it twice" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Manchester City Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my 20th marathon overall. I would call it a small mid-sized marathon. It was hillier than I thought it would be. Most of the climbs were not too bad and it was relatively flat along the trail section from mile 17 to 23. The first half of the race is run through the streets of Manchester. The second half takes you out across the river to the other side of town where there were few spectators. The course marshals were very good and all were friendly. The marathon start is with the half marathon folks as well as the relay teams. I was surprised at the lack of porta-potties on the course. There were only a few that I saw at two or three of the aid/water stations. I saw some people using the ones that were set out for contractors on construction projects. At the aid station at Mile 4, I saw six people standing in line to use the one that was there. There is a good hill at mile 24.5 that wouldn't have been so bad if they hadn't already made you run it at mile 5. They set the course up so that you have to pass the finish line just before mile 25 before turning around and running back to it. Other than the nice guy announcing the finishers, I was not impressed with the finish. They give you a water or energy drink and a heat sheet and that's it. If there was food there, nobody was pointing people in the direction of where to get it. The medal was nice and the weather was perfect. There are also a ton of turns on the course so my Garmin showed that I actually ran 26.65 miles after all was said and done. It's almost impossible to hit the tangents on this course. This race was incredibly average as marathons go.
J. C. from Bogota, NJ (11/6/2018) "Really fun experience" (about: 2018) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Manchester City Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 First lets get this out of the way...there are hills. But hey, we're marathoners and we thrive on challenge! Don't let the hills scare you off, they are quite manageable. This is a really fun race. I ran it as #9 in my 50-state quest and it was a great experience. Manchester is a big town with a small town feel. You will be amazed at how friendly everyone is. They take the runners into their hearts and really turn out to support the event. And they stay on the line shouting encouragement until the last runners cross the finish. The organizers have arranged the course so you run through the city, through the burbs, over bridges and through wooded trails. This race has something for everyone. NH in the fall -- you can't beat this race. I hope they don't change a thing -- I'll be back. PS: Ok, one change...if we could get the Governor to remove that one hill at mile 24, my quads would be eternally grateful.
S. E. from Boston, MA (3/28/2018) "Hills and Trails" (about: 2017) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Manchester City Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 If you're looking to check New Hampshire off your 50 States list, this is most likely the race to sign up for. Otherwise, you're likely a local. Great start/finish with lots of spectators and post-race snacks/drinks. We stayed in the hotel suggested, which was perfectly located for the race. It was 25 degrees race day, so being able to stretch and stay warm in the lobby up until the start of the race was ideal. Runners beware: this course has a lot of hills! Between the temps and the hills, my legs were weak by mile 16. Also, some of the trails in the back half of the race were sand/dirt which made for difficult footing. Make sure you practice your hills prior to this course!
J. G. from Lincoln, Rhode Island (11/13/2017) "Great race, bit hilly but beautiful course" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Manchester City Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 As someone who typically doesn't like the hills I can say I really liked this course. From 16 through 25 you're on 5 plus miles of trails then onto a bike path with amazing scenery. Lots of local support at the start and finish but what was a nice surprise was the on course support from people throughout. If you're looking for a late fall race or checking off New Hampshire for your fifty states I highly recommend. Keep an eye on the temps, it was 24 at the start in 2017.
M. C. from California, USA (11/21/2016) "Awesome marathon. Awesome people." (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Trails to rails course was very good.
M. Z. from Kentucky, USA (11/7/2016) "Beautiful Setting! Super Oraganization" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Manchester City Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The course is a little difficult for a flatlander but overall what to be expected for this part of the country. The very best host hotel I've encountered. Super accommodating and courteous.
R. J. from Bedford, NH (11/11/2015) "Better than I thought." (about: 2015) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Manchester City Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Past comments indicated that the Manchester City Marathon was not organized well, had a poor course design, and was very tough! I live within 2 miles of the course and had not run this marathon in the previous 8 years, partially due to past comments. Finally I decided to run this marathon and see first hand, what all of the chatter was about. To make a long story short, the course layout was awesome. What a tour of the city & I didn't know that parts of the city even existed. As far as toughness & it was a fair course. Lots of hills, but lots of downhills and long, flat stretches too. Traffic was never a problem. The police were awesome and actually offered words of encouragement and gave high fives throughout the course. Not a lot of spectators, but they were sprinkled throughout the course and were very, very loud and happy. Plenty of aid, lots of traffic control, the course was well marked, great finisher's medallion, and an o.k. long sleeve shirt. Plenty of food and beverages at the finish. I would say that everyone was well taken care of, and all of the volunteers really cared about all of us from first to last finisher. Can you set a PR on this course? Probably not. Are you looking for a very good race on a fair course or do you just want the fastest, downhill course without good management and caring volunteers? You make the choice. I am very happy that I finally chose to run the Manchester City Marathon after all of these years.

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Marathon Details - Manchester City Marathon