Clarence DeMar Marathon: Pacing & Race-Day Strategy
Named for the seven-time Boston champ, a net-downhill point-to-point built for BQ attempts.
- Where:
- Gilsum to Keene, New Hampshire
- When:
- Sunday, September 27, 2026
- Course:
- Net downhill · point-to-point
- Best run as:
- Even pace
Course & elevation
The Clarence DeMar honors the seven-time Boston Marathon winner with a fitting net-downhill point-to-point from Gilsum to Keene. The course sheds a few hundred feet through quiet New Hampshire countryside and rail-trail, with a gentle, steady descent rather than any steep plunge. A handful of small rises interrupt the drop, but the overall tilt makes it a favorite for runners chasing a Boston qualifier.
- Start → Finish
- 620 → 355 ft
- Net
- −265 ft
- Total gain
- ≈ 265 ft
Key moments
- Mile 1–5Gentle early descent through Gilsum; relax and let the grade set an easy rhythm.
- Mile 8–20Steadily dropping countryside and rail-trail miles; lock into goal pace.
- Mile 24–26.2A few small rises before the finish in Keene. Stay strong over the last bumps.
Pacing strategy
Run even effort and the steady downhill will hand you a slightly negative split without forcing it. Keep your stride light on the descent to protect your quads, and don’t let the small late rises break your rhythm.
Pacing by goal time
Checkpoint splits for four common goals at Clarence DeMar Marathon. These are effort-even rather than pace-even: the paces shift with the course profile, so climbs are slower and descents faster by the amount the grade actually costs. For any other goal time, use the planner below.
| Checkpoint | Sub-3:00 | Sub-3:30 | Sub-4:00 | Sub-4:30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mile 3.1 | 20:306:50/mi | 23:557:58/mi | 27:209:07/mi | 30:4510:15/mi |
| Mile 6.2 | 41:046:52/mi | 47:548:01/mi | 54:459:09/mi | 1:01:3510:18/mi |
| Mile 9.3 | 1:01:376:52/mi | 1:11:548:01/mi | 1:22:109:09/mi | 1:32:2610:18/mi |
| Mile 12.4 | 1:22:116:51/mi | 1:35:537:59/mi | 1:49:359:08/mi | 2:03:1710:16/mi |
| Mile 15.5 | 1:42:496:52/mi | 1:59:588:01/mi | 2:17:069:09/mi | 2:34:1410:18/mi |
| Mile 18.6 | 2:03:276:53/mi | 2:24:028:02/mi | 2:44:369:11/mi | 3:05:1110:20/mi |
| Mile 21.7 | 2:24:046:53/mi | 2:48:058:02/mi | 3:12:069:10/mi | 3:36:0710:19/mi |
| Mile 24.9 | 2:44:446:53/mi | 3:12:118:02/mi | 3:39:389:11/mi | 4:07:0510:20/mi |
| Finish | 2:58:306:53/mi | 3:28:158:02/mi | 3:58:009:11/mi | 4:27:4410:20/mi |
Grade adjustment is a model, not a promise. It assumes even effort and ignores wind, heat, and how well your legs handle sustained descent — which on a steep course is often the deciding factor.
Plan your mile splits
Enter your goal time to get a mile-by-mile pacing band for Clarence DeMar Marathon. The even pace option is pre-selected to suit this course.
| Mile | Pace | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9:09/mi | 9:09 |
| 2 | 9:09/mi | 18:18 |
| 3 | 9:09/mi | 27:28 |
| 4 | 9:09/mi | 36:37 |
| 5 | 9:09/mi | 45:46 |
| 6 | 9:09/mi | 54:55 |
| 7 | 9:09/mi | 1:04:05 |
| 8 | 9:09/mi | 1:13:14 |
| 9 | 9:09/mi | 1:22:23 |
| 10 | 9:09/mi | 1:31:32 |
| 11 | 9:09/mi | 1:40:41 |
| 12 | 9:09/mi | 1:49:51 |
| 13 | 9:09/mi | 1:59:00 |
| 14 | 9:09/mi | 2:08:09 |
| 15 | 9:09/mi | 2:17:18 |
| 16 | 9:09/mi | 2:26:28 |
| 17 | 9:09/mi | 2:35:37 |
| 18 | 9:09/mi | 2:44:46 |
| 19 | 9:09/mi | 2:53:55 |
| 20 | 9:09/mi | 3:03:05 |
| 21 | 9:09/mi | 3:12:14 |
| 22 | 9:09/mi | 3:21:23 |
| 23 | 9:09/mi | 3:30:32 |
| 24 | 9:09/mi | 3:39:41 |
| 25 | 9:09/mi | 3:48:51 |
| 26 | 9:09/mi | 3:58:00 |
| 26.22 | 9:09/mi | 4:00:00 |
Fueling & hydration
Aid stations appear roughly every two miles, but the rural and rail-trail stretches reward carrying your own gels. Take a gel every 30–40 minutes on a fixed schedule so the quiet, fast miles don’t tempt you to coast through one.
Weather
Late-September in southern New Hampshire is usually cool and crisp at the start, close to ideal racing conditions for a hard effort.
Is Clarence DeMar Marathon a good Boston qualifier?
Yes. The course drops 265 ft net, comfortably inside the 1,500 ft threshold where Boston's downhill adjustment begins, so a time here is submitted as run.
This drop is our estimate rather than a figure from the course's certificate. If it sits near a threshold, confirm with the organizer.
Dial in your pacing & fueling
New to how training builds toward a race like this? Start with Anatomy of a Running Plan, find your zones with the pace calculator, and plan race-day nutrition with the fueling calculator.
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