Manchester City Marathon
The Lowdown
The Manchester City Marathon is an annual Boston Qualifier road race in Manchester, New Hampshire, organized by Millennium Running, roughly 45 minutes north of Boston. The point-to-point-style course starts in downtown Manchester, winds through the historic Millyard and the North End, crosses the Merrimack River, and follows the Goffstown Rail Trail before returning downtown to finish near Veterans Park. Held annually in early November, the event has run since 2007 and pairs the full marathon with a half marathon, a 5K (the Penmen for Patriots 5K), and marathon and half-marathon relay options, drawing a regional field of runners from across New England. Aid stations appear roughly every two miles along the marathon course, and the first 1,750 registrants across all distances receive an official event shirt. The marathon carries a 7-hour course time limit and a minimum age of 16; the half marathon allows entrants as young as 12.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
Medium-sized race
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Good crowd energy
Boston Qualifier
This race is a certified Boston Marathon qualifying event. Achieve your qualifying standard here on a verified course.
Historic Millyard district
North End neighborhood
Merrimack River crossing
Goffstown Rail Trail
Veterans Park (start/finish)
Other distances available during the event weekend:
Manchester, New Hampshire, USA
US
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Minimum age 16 to enter the marathon (in-person or virtual)
- Minimum age 12 to enter the half marathon (in-person or virtual)
- Marathon course closes after 7 hours; half marathon after 4 hours
Required Documents
- Government-issued photo ID for packet pickup
Entry Methods
- Online registration via RunReg
- Race-day registration and bib pickup at Veterans Park beginning 7:30am, subject to availability
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Entry fees are generally non-refundable per Millennium Running's standard event policy; confirm current transfer/deferral terms on the official registration page before entering.
The event has run annually since 2007, with historical results posted back through that year.
17 aid stations along the marathon course, 7 on the half marathon, and 1 on the 5K, spaced roughly every 2 miles.
The first 1,750 registrants across the Marathon, Half, Relay, and 5K receive an official event shirt.
4-person marathon relay legs run 5.7, 7.4, 6.6, and 6.5 miles; the 2-person marathon relay splits 13.1 miles each; the 2-person half relay covers 5.7 and 7.4 miles.
Entry pricing rises in three tiers: before Apr 1, Apr 2-Sep 2, and after Sep 2, 2026.
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Community
Stories, tips, and race-day snapshots from runners who have tackled this course.
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