🌟 2024 Details are subject to change! 🌟
The Margarita Half Marathon & 5K Race Details
The Courses
Jump into spring on this beautiful rural course that runs on the outskirts of Portsmouth and through the historic towns of Greenland and Newington!
The Margarita Half features a gently rolling, scenic, and relatively easy course. The course starts at the Lowe’s parking lot and makes a loop around a Portsmouth Avenue neighborhood. Then, it heads onto Newington Road with views of the Great Bay Estuary and pastoral farm fields. As you cross the town border into Newington, you experience the serenity of the Great Bay National Wildlife preserve before coming into the village area where you run by centuries-old stone walls and cemeteries. At the turn around you will be treated to views of the Newington Historic district complete with the Old Town Hall. Be sure to high five your friends as retrace your steps back to the finish line at Mercedes Benz of Portsmouth.
The 5K starts at the same place and time as the half marathon (8:00am). Both races share 3.1 miles together when the 5K ends at the finish line party at Mercedes Benz of Portsmouth.
Half Marathon
2024 Maps subject to change.
5K
2024 Maps subject to change.
Packet Pick-up
🌟 2024 Details are subject to change! 🌟
New this year, early packet pickup will be held on Saturday, April 29th, at the Great Bay Athletic Club from 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM as well as on race morning from 6:00 AM – 7:45 AM. at the Lowe’s of Portsmouth (1440 Greenland Rd, Greenland, NH 03840). We’ll have designated free parking in the lot (read below for more).
At packet pickup, you’ll receive your bib and commemorative race t-shirt. Medals will be given out at the finish. Important Note: Shirts will not be mailed out after the event if you don’t pick yours up, so don’t oversleep!
The After Party
The party is just getting started when you cross the finish line. Join us after your race on the lawn at Mercedes Benz of Portsmouth (309 Portsmouth Ave, Greenland, NH 03840) for an after party filled with margaritas, beer from Smuttynose Brewing Company, mouth-watering tacos, and other snacks and treats to help you celebrate and recover. The best part? Everything is included with your registration!
Results and Photos
The half marathon will award prizes for the top 3 men and women finishers overall, and to the top male and female in the following categories: 19 & Under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70+.
The 5K will award prizes to the top 3 men and women finishers overall, and to the top male and female in the following categories: 14 & Under, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70+.
Results and Photos
The half marathon will award prizes for the top 3 men and women finishers overall, and to the top male and female in the following categories: 19 & Under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70+.
The 5K will award prizes to the top 3 men and women finishers overall, and to the top male and female in the following categories: 14 & Under, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70+.
All awards will be mailed out to participants after the event within 2-3 business days. There will not be an awards tent or ceremony at the event.
Directions & Parking
The 2024 Margarita Half Marathon & 5K features a field of participants larger than ever before. With that being said, parking is limited and we anticipate it filling up quickly on race morning. To make traffic flow on race morning smooth, we ask that you please carpool with other participants and try to limit spectator vehicles at the event. Spectators should plan to travel with the participant they are watching to limit the number of cars in the parking lot.
Spectator Information
Parking: There is NO PARKING available at the finish or surrounding businesses. Access to Portsmouth Avenue via car will be extremely limited during the event so please do not plan on driving to the finish area! All spectator cars should be parked at the Lowe’s/Target parking lot before the race begins. We highly suggest spectators carpooling to the event as we anticipate parking filling up.
Shuttle Times: Shuttles will begin taking spectators from the parking lot of the start area to the finish area at approximately 7:30 AM. There will be a brief pause in shuttles at the start of the race as runners clear the parking lot and nearby roads. All shuttle service will resume continuously at approximately 8:30 AM and run until 12:15 PM. *If you DO NOT take the first shuttle at 7:30 AM, you may miss the finish of the athlete you are spectating as there will be a brief pause in shuttles once the race begins.*
The shuttle drop off and pick up location for participants and spectators near the finish area will be at the Greenland Veterans’ Association (376 Portsmouth Ave, Greenland, NH 03840).
We ask all spectators to please refrain from driving on the courses! The course follows narrow roads and additional cars will cause traffic and safety issues.
Spectator Areas
That said, we do highly encourage friends and family to cheer on you and other runners. Spectators can choose from the following options:
1. Park at the Lowe’s / Target parking lot before the race begins and take the first shuttle at approximately 7:30 AM to the finish area. This option will allow you to cheer on both half marathon and 5K participants along Portsmouth Avenue and watch everyone finish!
2. Park at the Lowe’s / Target parking lot before the race begins and spectate the first few miles of the event which circle around the parking lot and nearby Route 33. Please review the course map to find your preferred spectating area! Spectators who choose this option can take the shuttle to the finish area beginning at approximately 8:30 AM once all runners have cleared the area and shuttle service resumes.
3. Park at the Lowe’s / Target parking lot before the race begins and spectate the first few miles of the event which circle around the parking lot and nearby Route 33 then walk to the finish area! For those who choose this option, it will be approximately a 1 mile walk to the finish area. Please DO NOT walk on Route 33, but instead use Portsmouth Avenue which has much less vehicular traffic to access the finish area.
