By Ellis Santoro, Sports Editor, The Independent
NARRAGANSETT – Sunday’s version of the Ocean State Rhode Races will celebrate a milestone.
The organization behind the 5K, half and full marathon through Narragansett, South Kingstown and North Kingstown each October is on tour to celebrate its 10-year anniversary. The company, founded by Susan Rancourt and Karen Zyons, organizes races throughout the year in Newport, Providence, Bristol and Jamestown, and the one that starts and finishes at Narragansett Town Beach is up next.
The races in South County have been held every year since 2016 and were among the very few in-person annual races in the Northeast that still took place in 2020. This is actually the 11th running of the Ocean State marathon, and the 10-year anniversary is a celebration of completing the first decade.
“The marathon is a bucket list event,” Rancourt said. “It’s a huge physical achievement. I think the stat is like less than 1% of people have ever run a marathon. And so it’s amazing to have it in Narragansett at the town beach. For us, it’s quintessential Rhode Island.”
Part of the draw is the sightseeing. Not many marathons start and finish at a beach. It’s a unique experience, and the race itself is settling in as a mainstay in the busy South County road-running scene.
Last year’s marathon drew 400 runners, with 757 more doing the half-marathon and 289 participating in the 5K. This year, the half-marathon and 5K are sold out with waitlists available, while the full marathon still has spots open as of press time.
The race originally started with the idea of honoring the long history of racing in Rhode Island. Rancourt, who’s from New Hampshire and competed in distance running at URI, references Tarzan Brown, the Native American distance runner from Westerly, as one of the many inspirations to bring a marathon back to South County.
Behind the scenes, it’s a year-long effort to make the race happen. The organization works with all three towns for its safety and security protocols and relies on volunteers for things such as bib pickup, the cleanup crew, water stations, course marshals and finish line support. There are still spots open for volunteers to join.
“Our concern is that we always want to be good partners to the community,” Rancourt said. “So we try to get the word out there as much as we can as far as the impact. There is still going to be some impact to the residents, so we just ask them to be patient and to be mindful. We only do this once a year, and I know Narragansett has a lot of running events, but a marathon is something special.”
All three races run up Boston Neck Road. The full marathon loops around Bonnet Shores and takes a few other turns but mostly follows the same path north until shortly after the 14-mile mark, when it turns left onto Fairway Drive near North Kingstown High School. It loops around and heads back south, mostly down the same path but this time making its way to Middlebridge Road. It eventually reaches Boston Neck Road again and finishes in front of the beach. A full map can be found on the race’s website at oceanstate.runri.us.
Roads are not closed to traffic, but safety cones are set up for runners.
“The course has worked out so well over these last few years that we haven’t really had to change it,” Rancourt said. “We are pretty locked down as far as our safety and security protocols, which is really nice. Everybody knows where they’re supposed to be at one time, which is great.”
There are opportunities to spectate. You’ll be able to watch runners race up and down the breakdown lanes from the road, and there are plenty of areas along the course to bring a chair and watch. The start and finish lines are accessible for spectators.
The marathon will start at 7:30 a.m., with the half marathon set for 8 a.m. and the 5k at 8:15 a.m. Last year’s winner of the full 26.2 miles, Ross MacAndrew, finished in 2:30:41.
The event is certified by USA Track & Field and serves as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon and the Abbott World Marathon Majors. It’s partnered with the Rhode Island Senior Games for the 5K, with eligible runners of the shorter course having the option to compete in their Senior Games age group.
It also helps raise funds for causes across South County. The organization partners with groups including the Narrow River Preservation Association and Save The Bay. A portion of the registration fees are donated to these organizations, and athletes are encouraged to fundraise for causes of their choice.
“Our tagline is, ‘The happiest place on earth is the finish line,’” Rancourt said. “A marathon is a huge accomplishment, so we love being a part of that.”
