Running in Maine has long been on my race bucket list. This fall, I made that happen. The Maine Half Marathon takes place on the first Sunday in October in Portland, Maine right along the water of this quaint New England town. There are both the full marathon and half marathon options as well as a marathon relay. Let’s get right to all the details.
Maine Half Marathon
Depending on where you are arriving from, there are some direct flights to the Portland airport. We chose to fly into Boston (about a 1.5-hour drive). In retrospect, I would not do this again. The traffic was more than we expected and the drive took 2 hours. We stayed in a great Air BnB right in heart of town which was a 5 min drive to the start line.
Race expo
The Maine Marathon race expo was held in the gym of a nearby University. Parking and logistics were very easy. The expo itself was pretty small and unremarkable. We were in and out of packet pick up in under 10 minutes. I will note there were some very helpful volunteers who answered all of our questions and gave us some great tips on race day parking. We received a long-sleeved tech t-shirt.
Race Day
Both the marathon and the half races started together at 7:45 am. There was an option for marathoners who needed more time to start at 6 am. We easily found parking and walked to the start area.
The temperature was perfect in my opinion at 50 degrees. There was a 15 mph wind which made it a little chilly while standing at the start area. I was impressed by how many porta potties there were and we only had to wait a few minutes to use them. I wore capri pants (Brooks) and a tank with arm sleeves. I ditched those pretty quickly
Before we knew it, it was time to assemble. There were no corrals and runners seeded themselves. Pacers were available for both the marathon and half. We did not take advantage of them.
The Course
The Maine Half Marathon course is probably the most scenic and beautiful course I have run. Running along Casco Bay and seeing the quaint New England-style houses is peaceful. The out and back course was hillier than I expected. The race is so well organized and had fantastic crowd support at a few different places. I brought my own hydration pack however there were numerous well-stocked water/Gatorade stops along the course.
My Race
I was super unconfident going into this half as I have been experiencing some Gluteal pain issues over the last month. I never had the chance to run over 10 miles and had to walk for part of many of my runs due to glute issues. My plan was to start out conservatively and just aim to make it to the finish line.
I felt surprisingly good at the start and even needed to rein in my pace a bit so as not to start too fast. The first 10 miles felt remarkably good. I only stopped to walk at the water stops. After a significant hill around mile 10, my glute area started to bother me a little more and my pace slowed a bit. I kept telling myself I only had a 5K to go. My last 3 miles were slow but I made it without walking. I sure was happy to see that finish line crossing it with a time of 2:21. (about 11 minutes off of my last half.) There were 1446 finishers which placed me smack dab in the middle of the pack. I am okay with that! I am happy to have been able to finish without walking or injuring myself further.
Overall
This is a very organized, well-run race in a beautiful location. The weather was perfect despite what seemed like a headwind the whole time. The great crowd support and a large post race celebration add to the score. Portland is a quaint and fun city to visit with lots of restaurants. The Maine Half Marathon is one to add to your bucket list.
Great recap. I felt like I ran the race. Lol.
I agree. Our biggest issue was the traffic to the race.
And we had to wait until the marathon and relay runners finished. It got very cold and windy.
I wish could have hung out more. I’ll be solo in March.
Ha thanks. We parked at a bank about a 1/2 mile away so we could scoot out quickly post race. We barely made our flight!
we jumped out at a bank and ran to bag check and the start. Made it!!
staying close by the race is always so helpful! Such a well organized race
Congrats! I knew you could do it and I’m so glad the glute let you finish with a very respectable time. What a beautiful course!
It was so pretty out there and the weather was great. I was so worried I would have to walk so I am very happy w my race
That’s a great finish time, especially considering all the PIA turmoil you had in getting there! Sounds like a very beautiful course. I know what it’s like to run with a headwind, no matter which direction I turn, LOL. Well done, Deborah!
Thanks Kim! It was a beautiful course and I am glad I made it!
Congratulations! This is a fantastic outcome- especially considering the glute pain you were having and the fact that you felt undertrained. It sounds like you ran strong and were really able to enjoy the race. And the course sounds really beautiful! Glad you had good weather and a great time overall. I hope the recovery is going well!
I am very happy with how it worked it turned out considering how I felt going into it
Well done, Deborah!!! So glad you got to finish this race despite the gluteal pain and the undertraining. You did so well to end up in the middle of the pack.
Such a beautiful course, too!
The marathoners and half-marathoners started at the same time – but did they start in separate blocks? Or was it a mixed bunch?
yes both races started together and then the half runners turned around and headed back. It was not a huge race so it worked well
There’s something to be said with having “low expectations! Congratulations on an awesome race!!
*for
Yes, it did take some of the stress off for sure. I am pretty happy with how it turned out considering how I was feeling
Awesome job Deborah! Despite the glut pain in the last 3 miles, it sounds like you had a very strong race!
thanks Kim! I am happy with how it turned out given my status
Portland is so gorgeous. The weather was awful when we were there, so no major running for me, but I would love to do a race in Maine.
I am so glad you had a great experience and did so well in spite of your discomfort. Congratulations!
thanks me too!
Great job! I’m so glad that your glute problem was really not a problem during the race. Congratulations!
Thanks I made it work as best as I could
There’s something magic about New England in fall. I agree though, that traffic can be a bear. When we went to Old Orchard Beach a few years ago it was nuts to realize just how fast the flight was vs. the slog drive.
Congratulations on a solid race. Glad you were able to have 10 solid miles before it squawked and way to go pushing through last 5K. Even when healthy, that’s why I just love 15K/10 m iles.
Will definitely put this race on my list. Love the sun kissed photos.
thanks and yes, I think the 10 m distance is my favorite too. It was a gorgeous course and glad I made it to the finish