The Cheap Marathon
Windham / Derry, United States · April · Independent
Why people love it
- Flat out-and-back on a paved rail trail with 123 m (406 ft) of gain.
- Time-trial start, two runners every 7 seconds, so the trail is rarely crowded.
- 28% to 38% of finishers have run Boston times since 2021.
- Entry starts at 26.21 USD and rises about 10 USD per tier.
Watch out for
- Aid about every 5 km (3 mi); some runners carry their own water.
- Few spectators on the trail; reviewers call it quiet.
- Cutoffs at 21 km (mile 13) and 27 km (mile 17) move slow runners to the half.
- Sells out early; finishers get a ribbon, not a medal.
- Park at a Salem shuttle lot; no street parking at the start.
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 28% of the overall score.
Toughness: Moderate
- Racer satisfactionLoved4.2
RaceRaves 4.7 of 5 from 9, FindMyMarathon 5.0 from 3, MarathonGuide 3.9 from 2. Fans praise value, organisation and BQ odds; one calls it boring. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run4.4
RaceRaves production 4.7. Time-trial start, smooth shuttles and a calm handling of the 2024 storm postponement; a few said aid was too far apart. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable3.4
Flat with a 6 hour limit, but cutoffs at 21 km (mile 13) and 27 km (mile 17), sparse aid and few spectators. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAmong the fastest4.6
FindMyMarathon PR score 98.71, second in New Hampshire; 28% to 38% of finishers ran Boston times from 2021 to 2026. · High confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course sceneryPleasant3.1
RaceRaves scenery 3.6. Wooded trail described as pleasant but not exciting; a MarathonGuide reviewer said very few landmarks. · Medium confidence
- Room to runSome pinch points3.2
The time-trial start spreads runners out, but the two-loop out-and-back on a narrow trail means head-on traffic. · Medium confidence
- Road surfaceGood3.9
Paved rail trail; a 2021 runner found it undulating rather than flat but no surface complaints. · Low confidence
- Road closuresFully closed4.6
Rail trail with no road traffic; crossings not detailed. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessMostly flat3.6
Gain 123 to 150 m (406 to 493 ft), at the flatter end of the rolling band. · Medium confidence
- Net downhillEven3.0
Out-and-back, loss equals gain. · High confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsSmooth3.9
Time-trial start with names displayed, no corral chaos; shuttle from a lot 10 minutes away; paid VIP parking; no race-day registration. · Medium confidence
- Pacers and timingSome pace groups3.2
Time-trial format means no pace groups; chip timing with a livestream. · Low confidence
- Crowd supportSparse2.1
Reviewers describe minimal spectators and a quiet course, though a 2025 half runner saw good turnout. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsStandard3.0
Aid about every 5 km (3 mi) with Gatorade, water and toilets; two reviewers said stops were too far apart and recommend carrying water. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindMostly calm3.6
Wooded trail is sheltered; start wind 14 km (8.7 mi)/h (9 mph) from NNW, windy early in 2021. · Low confidence
- Air temperaturePleasant3.9
Start about 7 °C (45 °F), highs 12 °C (53 °F); mornings can be near 1 °C (34 °F) and windy. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.1
Early April in New England: storm postponed 2024, wind in 2021. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlySome viewpoints2.8
Two out-and-back loops pass the start area repeatedly, but trail access is limited and parking is by shuttle. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level4.9
About 185 m (608 ft). · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood3.5
Southern NH has chain hotels in Salem and Manchester; nothing in Windham itself. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.4
No price evidence found; chain hotels in Salem and Manchester. · Low confidence
- WalkabilitySome driving2.6
Parking is at a shuttle lot in Salem with a 10 minute ride; no street parking at the start. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeEasy3.6
Manchester airport about 30 km (19 mi) away and Boston Logan about 60 km (37 mi). · Low confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.6
Email with start time on the Thursday of race week; early pickup in Bedford; shuttles run 06:30 to 09:30. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodFine2.8
Suburban New Hampshire; post-race food not described. · Low confidence
Entry
How hard it is to get a place, and what you get for the fee. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Getting inRegister early3.1
Sells out, earlier each year; register early at the cheapest tier. · Medium confidence
- Value for moneyGood value4.3
Fee starts at 26.21 USD and rises by tier; reviewers say production matches pricier races. Finishers get a ribbon, not a medal. · Medium confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Windham / Derry, Rockingham County, United States
- Typical month
- April
- Latest or next date
- 3 April 2027
- Organiser
- Independent
- Field size
- About 613 athletes
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- out-and-back
- Climbing
- 123 m (405 ft)
- Descent
- 123 m (405 ft)
- Start time
- 07:30
- Cutoff
- 6 hours
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- Paved rail trail
- How to get in
- open
- Sells out
- Yes
- Entry fee
- About $59
- Air temperature
- 1–13 °C (34–55 °F)
- Humidity
- High, about 82% at the start
- Altitude
- 185 m (605 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Manchester-Boston Regional (MHT), 30 km (19 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Salem NH, Londonderry, Windham
- Booking
- General parking is at a shuttle lot in Salem, NH with a roughly 10 minute ride to race HQ; paid VIP parking is at the start. No street parking. Early packet pickup in Bedford, NH the day before. Distance to MHT approximate; Boston is about 60 km (37 mi).
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRavesRaced 2019 to 2026 · aggregator · Positive
Rated 4.7 of 5 from 9 runners (difficulty 1.3, scenery 3.6, production 4.7, swag low). Time-trial start, smooth shuttles and excellent value; flat course, a PR and BQ venue with sparse aid and few spectators. The medal is a ribbon.
- FindMyMarathonRaced various · aggregator · Positive
5.0 from 3 reviews praising flat course, organisation and BQ suitability; one found it quiet. Page logs 150 m (493 ft) gain and a 32.6% BQ rate for 2026.
- MarathonGuide reviewsRaced 2023 · aggregator · Mixed
Two reviews, 3.9 average. One finds it fast and pancake flat but boring with few landmarks; the other says if you cannot BQ here you probably cannot elsewhere.
“If you can't BQ here, you probably can't BQ anywhere.”
- RunningAHEAD forum: JTR race reportRaced 2021 · forum · Mixed
2:54:57 BQ at the Derry rail trail edition. Found the course rolling rather than flat, always up or down on 10 km (6.5 mi) out-and-backs; 9 °C (49 °F) start, windy early. Starts staggered by projected time, 210 marathoners.
“I think I was undertrained for this race.”
- Derry NewsRaced 2021 · article · Positive
Nearly 700 runners; 285 marathon finishers, 109 with Boston qualifying times, 41 under three hours; course called flat with favourable weather.
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- Running USARaced 2021 · article · Positive
Reports 109 of 285 marathoners ran Boston qualifying times at the rail-trail edition; winners 2:28:57 and 2:53:08.
Raced The Cheap Marathon? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
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