Half at the Hamptons and a Whole Lot More

When we began our quest to run a race in every state, we had already run multiple races in New Hampshire.  So as we thought about our quest, we chose the Half at the Hamptons as our official New Hampshire race. Although we have both run the race, we have never actually run it together or on the same day.  I first ran it in February 2009 with Amelia when we signed up for the Will Run for Beer race series.  Mike ran it the following year on his own after I was unable to run due to coming down with bronchitis/pneumonia thanks to one of my lovely (but germ-ridden) little clients.

The course is scenic and quite flat.  There are stunning views on portions of the route that travel along the ocean. Runners are treated to hot soup and beer after the race. This event takes place in February, so training for it is a great way to keep running during the winter months.

Mike is finishing his Half at the Hamptons run in 2010.

Amelia and her dad after the race.

A few years ago we completed two race series in the New Hampshire Seacoast area. They were the Will Run for Beer series which always, of course, offers beer at the end of the races and the Seacoast Road Race Series. Participating in these series offered us an opportunity to run lots of new races.

These are some of the New Hampshire races that we have enjoyed over the years.

Market Square Day 10K in Portsmouth is run in conjunction with the Market Square Day Festival which is a large event in downtown Portsmouth on the second Saturday in June.  The race starts in the midst of the festival in Market Square and travels through various neighborhoods.  It ends at Strawbery Banke, which is an historic village museum.  This is a very popular race that sells out before the race date.

Great Bay 5K is held in October in Stratham.  This is a point to point race that seemed to be pretty much all down hill. We got a great long-sleeve technical t-shirt the year we ran it.

Children’s Museum 5K will be held in Dover in May.  The course is somewhat hilly but includes a run across a small wooden bridge which is a fun twist.  I remember a great selection of food at the end of the race, including local chowder and ice cream.

Red’s Shoe Barn 5 Mile is in April in Dover.  The website describes this as a “challenging” course and I concur! There are lots of hills along the route but it does end on a long, well-deserved downhill stretch.

Runner’s Alley/Redhook 5K is a really festive, flat race that ends at the brewery with great food, live music, and Redhook beer.

Saunders at Rye Harbor 10K is held on a Thursday evening in August in the coastal town of Rye.

Great Island 5K in New Castle is a nice race that winds around narrow seacoast streets, beginning and ending at The Great Island Common.

Margaritas 5K takes place in Exeter.  One of the fun things about this race is that the year we ran it with Amelia she won a sombrero for placing in her age division. Running this race also makes it completely reasonable to drink a margarita at 10:00 on a Sunday morning at the post race Mexican event!

Fox Point Sunset 5 Mile Road Race, as the name suggests, is run in the evening in Newington.  There is a big barbeque following the race.  The t-shirts for this race usually have really pretty sunset-themed artwork and I’ve enjoyed the evening racing.

All of the races I’ve mentioned so far are part of one of the race series that we’ve done.  However, there is another race that is not part of a series but is in a class of it’s own.  The St. Charles 5K is organized by the Running Nuns of Rochester.  Their website states, “We especially focus on running for children and beginners and ways running can help heal from grief, trauma and abuse as well as enhance well being and self esteem”.

We have run this race several times and find it especially poignant to see nuns running in full habits with their young running friends. We lived in Rochester where the St. Charles home is located and would often seen the nuns and children out for their daily runs.

The race is held in Newington on a very flat course.  I have found the prayer that is said before the race begins particularly moving.  Once you complete the race there is a big cookout and tons of food available for runners.  This is definitely a race that makes you feel wonderful about the cause for which you are running.

Since we live on the border of New Hampshire, we haven’t traveled far in order to check New Hampshire off our quest list. However, we would highly recommend joining the vibrant running community here and checking out one or more of these races. But if you prefer to visit without racing, the Seacoast area of New Hampshire is lovely and offers a multitude of diversions. There are quaint towns, beaches, great dining, lots of recreational activities, theater, music, and more to enjoy.

As we travel to new states for our 50 state quest we are always amazed at how much we love exploring a new area.  A trip to New Hampshire will offer you an opportunity to experience a fabulous area and perhaps it will inspire you to begin your own quest.

State: New Hampshire

Quest State #: 2

Dates Run: 2/15/09 (Karen)  2/22/10 (Mike)

The Bottom Line: The Half at the Hamptons half marathon is a great mid-winter race in a coastal setting.  The Seacoast region of New Hampshire offers a multitude of other exciting, fun races throughout the year. It is a wonderful destination for recreation and running.