Baystate Marathon Course Description

Hi Runners –

This is a description of the Baystate Marathon Course.  You can use this description to plan your race day, or perhaps you will join the hundreds of other runners who use the Baystate course as a training route.  Either way – this will help you prepare.

The marathon starts in historic downtown Lowell near the corner of French St and John St.  There is a parking garage right on the corner, and if you are training on the course, this is a good place to park.

Mile 1 and the Start

The start line is on the right side of the road (looking west).  Before race day it might be a bit faded (we repaint it each year, but heavy traffic wears on it).  Walk east about 110 feet from the corner – you should find the marker on the curbing.

On race day the sun will be at our backs, and the race will start by running west on French St, which turns into Fr Morissette Blvd and then into Pawtucket St.  At the corner of John St, on your right, is Boarding House Park (site of the Lowell summer concert series).  After the first tenth of a mile, we pass Lowell High School on your left and the first of the famous Lowell canals – in this case it’s the Western Canal.  Also crossing the course at this spot is the Lowell National Historical Park Trolley system.  A little farther along we cross Arcand Drive and the entrance to Tsongas Arena.  Another tenth of mile brings the Northern Canal on our right.  At about ¾ miles the road starts to bend to the right, the canal empties into the Merrimack River, and we pass the University Ave Bridge (aka The Textile Bridge).  In another tenth of a mile we will pass the 1 Mile marker. 

A word about the Marathon Road Markers: Every marker is a 2 foot white square with a blue mile number in the center.  There are also 10K markers, a half-way and a 1 mile to go maker.  On race day sign boards are setup to make the splits more visible.

Mile 2

After Mile 1, in about 2 tenths, you cross School St (and the south end of the O’Donnell Bridge).  In another 2 tenths you cross the Pawtucket Canal (yeah – we’ve got a lot of canals).  On your right you can just make out the top of the Pawtucket Falls.  Right away you come to John Sheely Park on your right.  In a little less than half a mile you will come to the first water stop on the course.  It is directly across the street from the Lowell Humane Society on the left side of the street (you might hear the dogs barking).  Now the course bends a bit to the left and you ascend a gradual hill (one of the few on the course) to cross the old B&M rail line.  At the start of the hill is the 2 Mile marker. 

Mile 3 & 4

On the down hill side of the rail bridge we enter the Middlesex St Commercial district.  In a little less than one mile we cross Wood St and the south side of the Rourke Bridge.  Right after the CVS store on the right we come to the 3 Mile marker (also here is the half-way marker – but we’ll come back to that).

In just over 3 tenths of mile we come to Mill View Estates on the right, notable because of it’s fancy brick wall and its name emblazoned on it.  Just past the end of the wall we will turn left onto Broulette St (also shown as Grosvenor St on many maps – one end of this street is in Lowell and the other end is in Chelmsford – hence the name confusion).  At the other end of the street we will turn left again onto Princeton St.  We are now in Chelmsford.

In just over half a mile Princeton St will descend a gentle grade and bend to the left to join Route 4 from Drum Hill.  On your right will be the PetroPlus gas station, which is also the site of the your second water stop and 4 Mile marker. 

Miles 5 to 8

We’ll now be on a 4 plus mile north-west run to the Tyngsboro Bridge.  Before we get there, in 4 tenths of a mile we’ll cross the B&M Rail line (again) and another minor hill.  In 2007 and 2008 this rail bridge is under repair.  On race day the bridge is closed to traffic.  If you are running on other days, please use the sidewalk.  In another 3 tenths we come to Vinal Square in North Chelmsford.  3 tenths after the square, we are at the 5 Mile marker and well on our way to Tyngsboro.

Near the 6 Mile Marker is the 3^rd water stop.  You are now getting glimpses of the Merrimack River on your right.  About 4 tenths past the 7 Mile marker is the 4^th water stop.  The Tyngsboro Bridge is now very visible ahead of you.  The 8 Mile Marker is just before the bridge.  You turn right onto the pedestrian walk along the bridge (so you don’t have to cross any traffic). 

Miles 9 to 12

After you cross the river, you immediately turn right and head south-east back towards Lowell.  There is a carpet wholesale store on your right.  At the 9 Mile marker is your 5^th water stop.  7 tenths past the 10 Mile marker is the 6^th water stop where you will pass the Greater Lowell Vocational High School on your left.  You might not realize it as you run – but you’ve actually been going down a gentle grade for 2 miles (don’t believe me – try it backwards someday). 

We continue our run back to Lowell, crossing the town line just after the 11 Mile marker.  We continue east to the Rourke Bridge at about 12.6 miles.  Just before the bridge will be your 7^th water stop.  At the Rourke Bridge we turn right onto the bridge.  On race day the bridge is closed to traffic and you’ll run in the travel lane.  On other days use the pedestrian walk on the right. 

Mile 13 and the second loop – Miles 14 to 22

As we descend the other side of the bridge we pass the 13 Mile mark and then turn right back onto Pawtucket St to begin our second loop.  As we pass the CVS on our right, we celebrate having completed half the distance. 

From here we run the same loop we did the first time.  The loop is about 10.1 miles, so the second loop markers (miles 14 to 22) are about one tenth of a mile before the first loop markers (you probably already noticed that). 

Mile 23 and the run to LeLacheur Park for the Finish

Just before 23 miles we come to the Rourke Bridge for the 3^rd and final time.  We go straight east.  Just ahead, on the right is the Bellegade Boathouse (home of the UML rowing team) and we pass the 23 Mile marker. 

At the 24 Mile marker we come to yet another water stop (the next to last stop) and the Pawtucket Falls are now visible on our right.  We begin a gentle grade as we near the falls.  We cross Mammoth Rd and the O’Donnell Bridge and start a final hill – it’s not steep and only lasts a quarter of a mile.  Then we cross University Ave (and pass the north end of the Textile Bridge).  From here we cruise down a welcome downhill that is not steep – but just right – a chance to let gravity help while you relax those tight muscles.  As we flatten out we see the 25 Mile marker and the UML fields across the way on the left.   Next we spot the 1 Mile To Go marker and the road bends to the right and cross over Beaver Brook empting into the Merrimack.  Just past this brook is the final water stop. 

You can now catch glimpses of the light stanchions at LeLacheur Park across the river – the finish is near.  A little less than half a mile from the last marker (1 to go) we see the Aiken St Bridge (aka Ouelette Bridge) – pictured in the Baystate Marathon logo.  We turn right and head for LeLacheur Park (home of the Red Sox affiliate the Lowell Spinners).  At the park we turn right and right again going up the driveway on the west side of the ballpark.  Halfway up the driveway is the 26 Mile marker.  On race day, we turn right into the left field service gate.  From there we sprint (maybe) around the warning track to right field and then down the right field line to the finish at the beginning of the first base dugout. 

On race day be sure to take a peak over your right shoulder – you should be on the centerfield video screen!  Congratulations!