New Bedford Half Marathon, fast course ?

Pretty flat course but the real problem at New Bedford is the wind, which can ruin you in the last 3 miles. Very good competition though as it is generally always a GP race so you'd have no problem finding people running in that range.

QC runner wrote:

Hello all,

I'm looking for a fast half marathon in March (goal = 1:09:xx), to prepare for Boston.

I'm considering running the New Bedford Half Marathon.

Is the course fast ?

What do you think of this race ?

Thanks.

It is where I set my PR (1:18, so not really in your ballpark). The profile of the course is not fast, and it is windy, but it gets a good crowd. I think having so many competitive runners, and having a ~5mi stretch where you have a gentle downhill with tailwind balance out the couple of hills and the wind. The most important thing is to have people to run with (behind) in that last 5k, and save something in the tank for the hill the last mile.

It was my first race in NE and I've run it at least 10 times since, and I think it's the best race in the Northeast. Maybe becauseI got my pr (and it will be my lifetime pr) there, 1:10xx.

First 3.5 miles have two highway overpass hills. Then it turns and becomes slightly downhill usually with a tailwind (which you pay for later), screaming fast, until just before 9 miles.

There you turn, usually into the wind, and it will be into the wind until 300 meters left in the race, with a long hill from 11.5 to 12 or so. That can be really tough.

The key is to find a pack on the fast middle part, (which, as others have said, should be no problem as there are lots of guys in that range). Then, provided you don't kill each other, you can all work together when you turn into the wind, until that last hill, where it becomes every man for himself. All that came together for me when I ran that 1:10.

Rarely, but some years, the wind goes the other way, and then the last part becomes fast, and the race is completely different.

It is a pretty fast course, except for the last three miles, which can be very windy and have a good hill.

I have actually PR"ed through for ten miles on this course twice, and was on pace to run around 67:30, but ran around 68:10-68:30 each time, so you really have to work the last three.

I should add that running New Bedford hard wipes me out.

One year, on my am run after NB I was passed by a walker.

The year I ran my best NB, I got calf cramps right after the race, which persisted, and sabotaged my Boston. So be careful out there.

Thanks for the feedback.

That's appreciated.

Best race in the NE in my opinion, actually probably my favorite and most frequently run race (6-7 starts). I moved out West two years ago and will probably never get for NB again which is too bad.

Others have described the course well, not the fastest course but a good course to run fast on.