New England Green River Marathon

This race begins in Vermont and ends in Massachusetts, running along mostly rural roads along the Green River with very little traffic for the first 21 miles. The RD team is communicative and thoughtful, the volunteers along the way are incredibly helpful, proud of their slice of paradise, and very supportive of runners, even at the back of the pack. The course starts with a very steep couple miles. The rolling hills that follow are a net decline ... as a result, my quads exited the race around mile 18. Despite my own poor showing, many runners had a GREAT day because the course is quiet, it was cool and overcast, and it can be a really fast run with the right training. As mentioned, I was at the back of the pack. Every volunteer treated me like I was in the lead, encouraging, cheering, and generally being awesome. There were even some folks in the remote locations cheering by playing drums on their deck as we jogged past. And at the finish line, so late in the day, there were still plenty of volunteers cheering wildly as I scraped the last bit of energy from my legs. The scenery is really lovely indeed, and this race benefits local conservancies focused on the rivers in the area. If you like a quiet, well-supported, scenic run with the sound of birds and running water as your accompaniment, this is the race for you. Be aware that the last 5 miles are on a busier road that is not shaded. I found that this was a bit more treacherous than I expected with the traffic, probably because I was out there later in the day. My guess is that faster runners do not have that problem since they are hitting that stretch before folks are out and about. For food, can't recommend the People's Pint highly enough. Really awesome, ate there multiple times over the weekend. I was really happy with this race; even though my performance was not what I wanted, I loved the experience, the people, and the place. Cannot ask for more than that!!

My first marathon in over 6 1/2 years. Unique course; downhill but not easy. Great New England country vibe. I definitely recommend this marathon! So nice....

I was a bit unsure of this one as it was an inaugural marathon. However, everything was great about it. The 20 or so miles of shade at the beginning helped considerably. When we emerged from the shade into the sun, it wasn't too bad. Bus ride to the beginning was fine. There was plenty of parking at the end. My wife had no trouble tracking me down as I hit the home stretch. Great post race grub. If I wasn't trying to do one in every state, this would be one I'd run again. I love the small, quiet marathons. The scenery was just amazing along the Green River. If you want a Massachusetts marathon that isn't Boston, do this one.