The Cheap Marathon
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About the race
The Cheap Marathon is a road race held on the Windham and Derry Rail Trail in New Hampshire. It offers two distances:
- Marathon : 26.2 miles
- Half Marathon : 13.1 miles
The course is out and back, run as one loop for the half and two loops for the marathon. The route is USATF certified (NH26003JK) and has measured total elevation gain of 203 ft for the half and 406 ft for the marathon. Mile markers count down to the finish (Marathon 26 to 1, Half 12 to 1). Aid stations are placed at roughly every 3 miles and provide water, Gatorade, and porta-johns; trash buckets are available at each mile marker and race officials request that trash be disposed within 100 yards of aid stations.
The event uses a time trial start format with participants seeded by pace and sent onto the course two at a time. The marathon operates under a strict 6-hour course time limit and enforces two mandatory cutoffs at Mile 13 and Mile 17; participants who miss a cutoff will be directed back to the finish and recorded as Half Marathon finishers.
Logistics include early bib pick-up at the Millennium Running retail store and race day bib pick-up at Medicus Healthcare Solutions in Windham. General parking uses a shuttle lot in Salem with shuttle service to race headquarters; VIP parking is available by prior purchase. Results, photos, and finisher videos are published online after the event. Every finisher receives a ribbon; top finishers receive digital awards by place and age group. The race supports local charities including the Derry Rail Trail Alliance, Windham Rail Trail Alliance, and Girls on the Run NH. Registration features tiered pricing starting at $26.21 and increasing by set tiers. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
