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Marathon Details - Rockfest Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > NH > Hampton > Rockfest Marathon

Rockfest Marathon

Smuttynose Brewing Co. Rockfest Marathon & Half Marathon, 5K

Hampton, NH USA

~~October 4, 2015~~ - CANCELLED

http://www.hamptonrockfest.com

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2013 2012 2011 2010 Top 3 Finishers

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Address:	LOCO Sports PO Box 423 Newmarket, NH 03587
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Runner Reviews (38)

Course 4.1

Organization 3.7

Spectators 3.3

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Number of comments: 38 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 > ]

P. T. from United States of America (10/5/2015) "congested" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rockfest Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 Wave start & first loop ridiculously congested - where was chip start mat? Run by Atlantic - priceless but impacted by poor start. Rockfest? Saw one group of percussionists. Dead stop directly at finish line. Didn't bother trying to make way through congestion for beer & lobster. Questionable timing. First & last.
E. P. from Hatfield,MA (10/12/2014) "Looking forward to 2015" (about: 2014) 3 previous marathons \| 3 Rockfest Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 The race seemed to be better supported this year with increased water stations and 'gu' distribution - very well organized! I always enjoy the spectators on the route - especially the children! What else would you be doing at 8 a.m. on a lovely Fall Sunday?
Jay O'B from Boston, MA (11/8/2013) "Overall poor race" (about: 2013) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Rockfest Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 Lots of hype for this race but overall I think it was poorly run by organizer and the course is just ok. Obviously the ocean parts are fantastic but running through the mcmansions of Hampton is torture. Every house is the same and it felt like 1 big culdasac. Next, the cost is ridiculous and the tshirts are awful. Loud and full of sponsors, not to mention none of the 6 people in my group got the right size! For $70 we expected more. Oh, and the beer after was great but come on! Have a tent! You know it might rain! Overall just a money grab!
A. M. from VT (10/25/2013) "Good, bad and ugly" (about: 2013) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Rockfest Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 This was my first marathon and I enjoyed it but there is plenty of room for improvement. Good - I really enjoyed the course and scenery. The turns didn't bother me although my Garmin registered 26.74. I even found the damp, cool and windy weather preferable to warm and sunny. The wave start worked great. Bad - I finished towards the end but well within the 6 hour time frame (closer to 5 1/2)and the only acknowlegement at the finish was from someone who handed me my medal and blanket, and another who assured me the timing was still working even though they'd taken the mat away. No one even handing out water. Help yourself to the box over there. No beer. The 'party' was over before I got there. Lobster roll was there but chowder was ice cold. Ugly - The first water stop after the split from the half was completely packed up. No volunteers. No water. The stop after that, no volunteers. Cups of water left on the ground (which I doubt were enough for the runners behind me). Remember, I was well within the 6 hour time limit and even though I had a half full Fuel Belt, I found it very disconcerting. I had good directions from the volunteers but I know of others who did have problems and my husband saw a volunteer starting to take down signs prematurely. I know it was a long, cold, wet day for them but when I have volunteered at events we were not able to break down until the sweep car/bike came by with the last runner. Perhaps they were calculating the 6 hour pace on the first wave rather than the last? In summary, this is a good event if you finish early, not so good if you finish in over 5 1/2 hours.
A. T. from Cape Cod (10/14/2013) "Fantastic First Marathon!" (about: 2013) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Rockfest Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I chose this for my first marathon and it did not disappoint! Everyone was friendly and wonderful. I was a 4+ hour runner and never felt alone! The aid stations were always just around the corner and friendly! The spectators were amazing! Always ready with a cheer or sign to make you laugh and remember to have fun - even in the rain/drizzle/wind and surf! I was cold and wet by the end but the spectators were fantastic. Strangers cheering me on that last mile or so when I needed it most - making you feel like you were a first place finisher! No complaints about the traffic. Although the traffic was closed only for the first half, you would never know it wasn't closed for the 2nd half! Well organized! My only complaint would be that my family that came to cheer me on did not have any refreshments available to them. It would be nice if the race offered something for spectators waiting for the runners - even at additional charge is fine. I think my family was as cold, tired and hungry as I was when I finished! But as I said, I have no complaints for the runners! I will definately run this again!
B. C. from Worcester, MA (10/9/2013) "A perfect day trip fall marathon" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Rockfest Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 My first Smutty run but my 57th marathon. This race is fast, furious and very very fun. Looking for a BQ...look no further than the Smutty. The course is flat and scenic (with some twists/turns through some quiet neighborhoods). I found a new fall marathon here in Hampton Beach, NH. Too bad the weather made the 2 free Smutty beers at the finish line kind of damp. I will be back with more friends next year. Easy day of race check in, easy parking, friendly volunteers, helpful police on the route and 2 cold Smutty beers at the finish. My only suggestion would be to add a first aid tent out in the course near mile 18. Its the furthest spot from the start and one never knows if its needed. See you next year my Smutty friends!!!
M. L. from Pennsylvania (10/9/2013) "The marathon feels like an afterthought" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rockfest Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This race seems designed with half-marathoners in mind. It's basically a double-loop for marathoners (fine) but roads open to two-way traffic once most of the half-marathoners have gone through (not ideal). Most of the roads were quiet, but I wasn't comfortable on those that weren't - especially since we were told to run with traffic on the right-side shoulder. That said, it is flat, and the fall foliage was nice. You get a great view of the ocean, twice, when turning back onto the main road. There were more spectators than I expected considering it was in the 50s, windy, and raining, but not all that many, and some long stretches were empty. No complaints re: organization. And the best postrace eats ever - clam chowder, lobster rolls, and good-quality beer. (Which I enjoyed once my stomach had calmed down. I didn't see any easier to digest foods, like bananas or ClifBars, but luckily, I brought my own.) They didn't allow people without bibs in any part of the postrace party area, which was disappointing. I would have hung around longer to enjoy the band if my boyfriend didn't have to stay behind the wall.
K. K. from Boston, MA (10/9/2013) "Great Experience" (about: 2013) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Rockfest Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I had a great experience at Smuttynose & thought it was a great race! Field size - big enough to have plenty of company on the road, but never felt crowded, even in the first few miles Course - the turns were incredibly staffed and there was never a moment where you didn't know where you were heading. Roads were closed for the first loop and the traffic was extremely low the second loop - I was worried about this based on previous reviews and never felt the least bit nervous about car traffic during the race. I didn't notice any place on the course that had a steep camber in the road. I had read that the course ran really (.5 mile) long and did not find this to be true. GPS measured 26.45 which seems reasonable given that you can't run tangents perfectly & there are a lot of turns on the course. Course was pretty & flat. Volunteers - they were fabulous, friendly and well organized. The only race I've ever seen where the volunteers put the heat blankets at the end on runners correctly (shiny side towards the runner to keep heat in). Spectators - while there weren't a ton of spectators, the ones who were out were great. I saw a few that set up their own aid stations handing out water and even a guy handing out watermelon slices & salty potato wedges! If you need a lot of spectators/ course support this probably isn't the best race for you. Other: really nice tech shirt, medal & the beer at the end was a fun way to end the race It did seem like some of the water stops closed down between the first loop & second loop. The one thing I do wish is that they had food other than clam chowder and lobster rolls at the end. I saw Larabars but bagels, pizza or something else more substantial would have been a nice addition.
B. H. from Puerto Rico (10/8/2013) "Nice course, but not much else" (about: 2013) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Rockfest Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I ran this race after reading that it was a good New England race. In general, it is a good race - certainly not as flat as it is hyped to be, but not too bad. The route has some really nice shore line scenery and some beautiful homes along the route. The fall foliage was very nice.I also thought that race support and water stations were fine. The weather was not nice, so I bet it would be much more scenic on a sunny day. The pre-race packet pck up was easy enough, but the shirt was a disappointment. The biggest issue I have is non-race related. The beach area was basically shut down, and there was nothing to do over the weekend. The hotels are weak at best, and I would not recommend it as a destination.
elizabeth adams from geneseo ny (10/7/2013) "incredible course" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rockfest Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I absolutely loved everything about this race... Everything was incredibly easy and manageable... from getting your bib... good accommodations to start and finish... incredible spectators throughout the course...EVEN in the rain... the wind in the beginning was a little rough but did not impact my overall impression of this race... completely flat... this would be a GREAT first marathon ... if the weather was warm, i'm guessing that there would have been a few more water stops added, which is my only concern... it was just enough... maybe a few more could be put in but because the weather was great cool running weather it was perfect.....

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 > ]



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P. T. from United States of America (10/5/2015) "congested" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rockfest Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 Wave start & first loop ridiculously congested - where was chip start mat? Run by Atlantic - priceless but impacted by poor start. Rockfest? Saw one group of percussionists. Dead stop directly at finish line. Didn't bother trying to make way through congestion for beer & lobster. Questionable timing. First & last.
E. P. from Hatfield,MA (10/12/2014) "Looking forward to 2015" (about: 2014) 3 previous marathons \| 3 Rockfest Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 The race seemed to be better supported this year with increased water stations and 'gu' distribution - very well organized! I always enjoy the spectators on the route - especially the children! What else would you be doing at 8 a.m. on a lovely Fall Sunday?
Jay O'B from Boston, MA (11/8/2013) "Overall poor race" (about: 2013) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Rockfest Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 Lots of hype for this race but overall I think it was poorly run by organizer and the course is just ok. Obviously the ocean parts are fantastic but running through the mcmansions of Hampton is torture. Every house is the same and it felt like 1 big culdasac. Next, the cost is ridiculous and the tshirts are awful. Loud and full of sponsors, not to mention none of the 6 people in my group got the right size! For $70 we expected more. Oh, and the beer after was great but come on! Have a tent! You know it might rain! Overall just a money grab!
A. M. from VT (10/25/2013) "Good, bad and ugly" (about: 2013) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Rockfest Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 This was my first marathon and I enjoyed it but there is plenty of room for improvement. Good - I really enjoyed the course and scenery. The turns didn't bother me although my Garmin registered 26.74. I even found the damp, cool and windy weather preferable to warm and sunny. The wave start worked great. Bad - I finished towards the end but well within the 6 hour time frame (closer to 5 1/2)and the only acknowlegement at the finish was from someone who handed me my medal and blanket, and another who assured me the timing was still working even though they'd taken the mat away. No one even handing out water. Help yourself to the box over there. No beer. The 'party' was over before I got there. Lobster roll was there but chowder was ice cold. Ugly - The first water stop after the split from the half was completely packed up. No volunteers. No water. The stop after that, no volunteers. Cups of water left on the ground (which I doubt were enough for the runners behind me). Remember, I was well within the 6 hour time limit and even though I had a half full Fuel Belt, I found it very disconcerting. I had good directions from the volunteers but I know of others who did have problems and my husband saw a volunteer starting to take down signs prematurely. I know it was a long, cold, wet day for them but when I have volunteered at events we were not able to break down until the sweep car/bike came by with the last runner. Perhaps they were calculating the 6 hour pace on the first wave rather than the last? In summary, this is a good event if you finish early, not so good if you finish in over 5 1/2 hours.
A. T. from Cape Cod (10/14/2013) "Fantastic First Marathon!" (about: 2013) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Rockfest Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I chose this for my first marathon and it did not disappoint! Everyone was friendly and wonderful. I was a 4+ hour runner and never felt alone! The aid stations were always just around the corner and friendly! The spectators were amazing! Always ready with a cheer or sign to make you laugh and remember to have fun - even in the rain/drizzle/wind and surf! I was cold and wet by the end but the spectators were fantastic. Strangers cheering me on that last mile or so when I needed it most - making you feel like you were a first place finisher! No complaints about the traffic. Although the traffic was closed only for the first half, you would never know it wasn't closed for the 2nd half! Well organized! My only complaint would be that my family that came to cheer me on did not have any refreshments available to them. It would be nice if the race offered something for spectators waiting for the runners - even at additional charge is fine. I think my family was as cold, tired and hungry as I was when I finished! But as I said, I have no complaints for the runners! I will definately run this again!
B. C. from Worcester, MA (10/9/2013) "A perfect day trip fall marathon" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Rockfest Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 My first Smutty run but my 57th marathon. This race is fast, furious and very very fun. Looking for a BQ...look no further than the Smutty. The course is flat and scenic (with some twists/turns through some quiet neighborhoods). I found a new fall marathon here in Hampton Beach, NH. Too bad the weather made the 2 free Smutty beers at the finish line kind of damp. I will be back with more friends next year. Easy day of race check in, easy parking, friendly volunteers, helpful police on the route and 2 cold Smutty beers at the finish. My only suggestion would be to add a first aid tent out in the course near mile 18. Its the furthest spot from the start and one never knows if its needed. See you next year my Smutty friends!!!
M. L. from Pennsylvania (10/9/2013) "The marathon feels like an afterthought" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rockfest Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This race seems designed with half-marathoners in mind. It's basically a double-loop for marathoners (fine) but roads open to two-way traffic once most of the half-marathoners have gone through (not ideal). Most of the roads were quiet, but I wasn't comfortable on those that weren't - especially since we were told to run with traffic on the right-side shoulder. That said, it is flat, and the fall foliage was nice. You get a great view of the ocean, twice, when turning back onto the main road. There were more spectators than I expected considering it was in the 50s, windy, and raining, but not all that many, and some long stretches were empty. No complaints re: organization. And the best postrace eats ever - clam chowder, lobster rolls, and good-quality beer. (Which I enjoyed once my stomach had calmed down. I didn't see any easier to digest foods, like bananas or ClifBars, but luckily, I brought my own.) They didn't allow people without bibs in any part of the postrace party area, which was disappointing. I would have hung around longer to enjoy the band if my boyfriend didn't have to stay behind the wall.
K. K. from Boston, MA (10/9/2013) "Great Experience" (about: 2013) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Rockfest Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I had a great experience at Smuttynose & thought it was a great race! Field size - big enough to have plenty of company on the road, but never felt crowded, even in the first few miles Course - the turns were incredibly staffed and there was never a moment where you didn't know where you were heading. Roads were closed for the first loop and the traffic was extremely low the second loop - I was worried about this based on previous reviews and never felt the least bit nervous about car traffic during the race. I didn't notice any place on the course that had a steep camber in the road. I had read that the course ran really (.5 mile) long and did not find this to be true. GPS measured 26.45 which seems reasonable given that you can't run tangents perfectly & there are a lot of turns on the course. Course was pretty & flat. Volunteers - they were fabulous, friendly and well organized. The only race I've ever seen where the volunteers put the heat blankets at the end on runners correctly (shiny side towards the runner to keep heat in). Spectators - while there weren't a ton of spectators, the ones who were out were great. I saw a few that set up their own aid stations handing out water and even a guy handing out watermelon slices & salty potato wedges! If you need a lot of spectators/ course support this probably isn't the best race for you. Other: really nice tech shirt, medal & the beer at the end was a fun way to end the race It did seem like some of the water stops closed down between the first loop & second loop. The one thing I do wish is that they had food other than clam chowder and lobster rolls at the end. I saw Larabars but bagels, pizza or something else more substantial would have been a nice addition.
B. H. from Puerto Rico (10/8/2013) "Nice course, but not much else" (about: 2013) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Rockfest Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I ran this race after reading that it was a good New England race. In general, it is a good race - certainly not as flat as it is hyped to be, but not too bad. The route has some really nice shore line scenery and some beautiful homes along the route. The fall foliage was very nice.I also thought that race support and water stations were fine. The weather was not nice, so I bet it would be much more scenic on a sunny day. The pre-race packet pck up was easy enough, but the shirt was a disappointment. The biggest issue I have is non-race related. The beach area was basically shut down, and there was nothing to do over the weekend. The hotels are weak at best, and I would not recommend it as a destination.
elizabeth adams from geneseo ny (10/7/2013) "incredible course" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rockfest Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I absolutely loved everything about this race... Everything was incredibly easy and manageable... from getting your bib... good accommodations to start and finish... incredible spectators throughout the course...EVEN in the rain... the wind in the beginning was a little rough but did not impact my overall impression of this race... completely flat... this would be a GREAT first marathon ... if the weather was warm, i'm guessing that there would have been a few more water stops added, which is my only concern... it was just enough... maybe a few more could be put in but because the weather was great cool running weather it was perfect.....

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Marathon Details - Rockfest Marathon