The marathon course starts and finishes at the same location, the Mullen-Hall School on Katherine Lee Bates Rd. which is situated at about an elevation of 7 feet above sea level. This results in a net elevation gain/loss of zero. The total elevation gain over the entire course is 598 feet.
Click Here for MapMyRun view (mileage is approximate)
Course Description
From the start to about Mile 3 you will enjoy a very flat course. From Mile 3 to Mile 6 you will run a mixture of flat to rolling hills along the famous Falmouth Road Race course, in the reverse direction, passing the iconic Nobska Lighthouse along the way. On this section of the course you will pass the highest elevation of 49 feet. The remainder of the course is flat with the exception of a short hill at Mile 12 that rises to an elevation of about 30 feet. You will encounter this hill again at Mile 23.4 as you run back on this out-and-back section of the course.
Cape Cod Marathon Elevation Map
Start Elevation: 7 feet
Min/Max Elevation: 5/49 feet
Elevation gain/loss: 594/-594 feet
Finish Elevation: 7 feet
Cape Cod Marathon Turn-By-Turn Directions
Race Start Line– Mullen Hall School
Head South on Shore Street
Turn Right onto Surf Drive
Turn Right onto Mill Road
Turn Left onto Cemetery Lane
Turn Left onto Shining Sea Bikeway
Turn Right onto Surf Drive
Surf Drive becomes Oyster Pond Road
Relay Exchange Zone 1 – on Oyster Pond Road at 3.7 Mile Mark
Oyster Pond Road becomes Nobska Road
5 Mile Mark on Nobska Road before the Lighthouse
Nobska Road becomes Church Street
Turn Left onto Woods Hole Road
Turn Left onto Crane Street
Crane Street becomes Cowdry Road
Turn Right into SSA Parking lot – Timing Mat in SSA Parking Lot
Follow back perimeter to Shining Sea Bikeway
Follow Shining Sea Bikeway to Surf Drive
Turn Right onto Surf Drive
Relay Exchange Zone 2 – at 9.2 Mile Mark at Surf Drive before Mill Rd.
Turn Left onto Shore Street
Turn Right onto Clinton Ave
10 Mile Mark on Clinton Ave at 155 Clinton Ave after Timothy Nye Cartway
Turn Left onto Scranton Ave
Turn Right onto Robbins Road
Turn Right onto Falmouth Heights Road
Falmouth Heights Road becomes Grand Ave
Turn Left at Falmouth Yacht Club
Grand Ave becomes Menauhant Road
½ Marathon timing mat at 196 Menauhant Road after bridge
Turn Right onto Ocean Ave.
Turn Left onto Bridge Street
Turn Right onto Menauhant Road
Turn left onto Davisville Road
15 Mile Mark on Davisville at Bacon Farm Rd.
Turn Left into East Falmouth Elementary School parking lot
Relay Exchange Zone 3 – at 15.9 Mile Mark at EFE School
Timing Mat @ EFE School
Turn right onto Davisville Road
Turn Right onto Menauhant Road
Turn right onto Acapesket Road
Turn Left onto Great Harbors Drive
Turn Right onto Alcott Road
Turn Left onto Sally Lane
Turn Left onto Shorewood Drive
Turn Left onto Alcott Road
Timing Mat on Alcott Road
Turn Right onto Jenkins Street
Turn Right onto Acapesket Road
20 Mile Mark at #401 Acapesket Rd before Boggs St.
Turn Right onto Menauhant Road
Menauhant Road becomes Grand Ave
Turn Right onto Worcester Ave (East)
Worcester Ave becomes Worcester Court
Turn right onto Jericho Path
Turn Left onto Hudson Street
Turn Left onto Lake Leaman Road
Turn Left onto Holland Street
Timing Mat on Holland Street
Turn Left onto Jericho Path
Turn Right onto Worcester Court (West)
Worcester Court becomes Worcester Ave
Turn Right onto Grand Ave
Relay Exchange Zone 4 – at 23.4 Mile Mark at Heights Ball field
Turn Right at Falmouth Yacht Club
Grand Ave becomes Falmouth Heights Road
Turn Left onto Robbins Road
Turn Left onto Scranton Ave
25 Mile Mark on Scranton Ave at Flying Bridge Restaurant
Turn Right onto Clinton Ave
Turn Right onto Shore Street
Race Finish Line – Mullen Hall School
Aid Stations – Sponsored by Martha’s Vineyard Bank Charitable Foundation and Eagle Events Management.
We have 16 water stations on the marathon course. All of them provide both water and Gatorade. They are spaced roughly every two miles apart, but not exactly. As you are nearing the late stages of the race, the water stations are placed one mile apart at miles 23, 24 and 25. There will be a GU gel station at Mile 16 on the marathon course and GU chews at mile 19.5.
The water stations will also be stocked with first aid kits to treat minor issues, such as blisters or bruises. Medical Tents at the finish line will be staffed with medical personnel and supplies to handle any medical issues that may arise.
Portable Restrooms
Portable restrooms will be at start/finish area, as well as at each water station along the course.
Runner Progression Chart
| Mile | Fastest (5:00/mile) |
Slowest (13:44/mile) |
Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 8:00 am | 8:00 am | Start – Mullen Hall School |
| 1 | 8:05 AM | 8:14 am | Surf Drive at Bywater Court |
| 2 | 8:10 am | 8:27 am | Shining Sea Bikeway near Locust St. |
| 3 | 8:15 am | 8:41 am | Shining Sea Bikeway near Surf Drive |
| 4 | 8:20 am | 8:55 AM | Oyster Pond Rd. after F R Lillie Rd. |
| 5 | 8:25 am | 9:09 AM | Nobask Rd. before Lighthouse Hill |
| 6 | 8:30 am | 9:22 AM | Woods Hole Rd after Church St. (559 Woods Hole Rd) |
| 7 | 8:35 AM | 9:36 AM | Shining Sea Bikeway before Fay Rd. bridge |
| 8 | 8:40 AM | 9:50 AM | Shining Sea Bikeway before Trunk River bridge |
| 9 | 8:45 AM | 10:04 AM | Surf Dr. 100 yards before FRR 4 Mile Mark |
| 10 | 8:50 AM | 10:17 AM | Clinton Ave at Timothy Nye Cartway |
| 11 | 8:55 AM | 10:31 AM | Falmouth Heights Rd. at Charr Custom Boat |
| 12 | 9:00 AM | 10:45 AM | Grand Ave at Walden Ave. |
| 13 | 9:05 AM | 10:58 AM | Menauhant Rd. at end of Great Pond Bridge |
| 13.1 | 9:06 AM | 11:00 AM | After Great Pond Bridge at 196 Menauhant Rd. |
| 14 | 9:10 AM | 11:12 AM | After Green Pond Bridge Past Green Harbor Rd |
| 15 | 9:15 AM | 11:26 AM | Davisville Rd. at At Bacon Farm Rd. |
| 16 | 9:20 AM | 11:40 AM | After Relay 3 – 91 Davisville Rd. before Rose Meadow Rd. |
| 17 | 9:25 AM | 11:54 AM | Davisville Rd. at Seashell & Shaker Lanes |
| 18 | 9:30 AM | 12:07 PM | Acapesket Rd just after Menauhant Intersection |
| 19 | 9:35 M | 12:21 PM | Shorewood Dr. at Great Harbor Clubhouse |
| 20 | 9:40 AM | 12:35 PM | Acapesket Rd. after House #401 before Boggs St. |
| 21 | 9:45 AM | 12:49 PM | Menauhant Rd. after Beach St. at bridge |
| 22 | 9:50 AM | 1:02 PM | #25 Worcester Ct. (East) before Jericho Path |
| 23 | 9:55 AM | 1:16 PM | #18 Worcester Ct. (West) after Jericho Path |
| 24 | 10:00 AM | 1:30 PM | Grand Ave before Black Dog Cafe |
| 25 | 10:05 AM | 1:44 PM | Scranton Ave at Flying Bridge Rest. before Frances Ave. |
| 26 | 10:10 AM | 1:57 PM | Shore St. at Shoreway Acres Inn |
| 26.2 | 10:12 AM | 2:00 PM | Finish — Mullen Hall School |