Are there hills?

Well, that depends what you mean by “hills” and what you are used to. While the course profile can look pretty scary, it never actually rises more than 200 feet / 60 metres above sea level (and never dips below sea level either). But it does go up and down rather a lot, just never for very long and rarely very steeply. Total elevation gain is around 700 metres / 2,300 feet. Below is a profile from a GPS used by a race participant in 2013 (the vertical lines at the beginning and end should be ignored–the course starts high and ends only just above sea level).

The half marathon has two short but gentle uphills and one gentle downhill in the first 0.9 miles before joining the above course at about mile 14.

The 10K essentially follows the same profile for the first 5 miles of the marathon at which point you meet some gentle, but not very long, hills. There is one very short but very steep uphill approximately 0.5 kilometers from the finish line.

The ultramarathon consists of most of the first 10K run in reverse, a longish downhill and uphill at the West Quoddy Lighthouse, then follows the marathon course for the rest of the way.

Is this marathon a Boston Qualifier?

Yes. The Athletics Canada certification Code for the Marathon Course is NB-2013-033-BDC, and the USATF certification number is ME13003JK.  Check the Boston Marathon site for qualification times for your age group.  The Half marathon course is also certified in both Canada and the USA (see relevant pages for details) while the 10K course is only certified in the USA, since it does not enter Canada.

Will I have to stop and show my passport at the border?

No–unless of course you want an excuse for a slow time!  Passport control will be done during packet pick-up.  Provided that as you cross the border your official marathon, half marathon or ultramarathon race bib is clearly visible, you will be directed through the “runner lane” and will not have to stop.  If your bib is not showing or you have not been pre-cleared you will be stopped.  Runners in the 10K do not cross the border and are not required to show passports during packet pick-up.

What if I arrive late?

If you arrive at the official points after packet pick-up and bib distribution has closed but before midnight on Saturday, marathon, half marathon, and ultramarathon runners must proceed to the Whale Watch Motel on Campobello to collect their bibs. They must also check-in at both border stations before 1:00am race day.

May I use a baby stroller?

We regret that for both safety reasons, and the nature of our courses, wheeled “vehicles” of any kind cannot be used in any of our events.

May I use headphones?

While we do not actually ban the use of headphones, we strongly discourage it for safety reasons.  We also believe you are missing out on some of the unique features of our event if you can’t hear the wind and waves, and frequently, Bald Eagles crying overhead.

May I run with my dog?

For safety reasons you may not run with a dog in any of our events.

What are the future dates of Bay of Fundy?

Race weekend is held the 4th weekend in June. Our anticipated 2020 date is June 28th.