Event Description

This is one of the greenest, most scenic, tasty, and sensational half-marathons around! We keep it small, convivial, and very special. From a pre-race local organic foods dinner to a post-race blueberry-themed brunch, it's a good time. Oh yeah, and there's the race, where everyone wins. We don't believe in losers. You put in the effort, you receive a hand-made porcelain medallion. Everyone. Yes, we have hand-made pottery mugs for winning categories, but the goal is for everyone to have a great time, knowing they are supporting the cause of sending kids to a wonderful ecologically-minded summer camp where they can grow and learn together. Join us!

Event details and schedule

Support Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove by joining Midcoast Maine’s 14th annual half marathon on August 24, 2025, at 7:30 AM. Registration is $100 — all proceeds go directly to supporting UMaine Cooperative Extension 4-H Camp & Learning Centers at Tanglewood & Blueberry Cove.

Awards will be given to 1st place males and females overall and in the following divisions: 18 & under, 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70 plus. Finisher medals to all participants.

Policy for Participants:

At the University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H Camp at Blueberry Cove, we strive to create and foster a climate of inclusivity, diversity, equity, and access. While we have designed an experience that may challenge our runners, it is also important to us that everyone is accepted and welcomed.  With this in mind, we have established a runner policy that we hope provides this support.

We will accept each entrant’s declared gender at face value, and no additional supporting evidence is required. We foster a trustworthy, compassionate, and respectful environment.

If you identify as non-binary and/or gender fluid but would like to compete for age group awards we ask that you sign up for a binary gender category. 

We will provide an opportunity in the registration process for all runners to express how they would like to be recognized (including not being recognized publicly) if it differs from the information provided for scoring purposes. Race officials will honor this request. 

We are always looking to improve inclusivity, diversity, equity, and access within our events and programs and welcome participant feedback about how to improve our policies.  

For other questions or concerns about the race, please contact our main office at 207.789.5868 or extension.tanglewood4h@maine.edu.

Race Schedule:

SATURDAY August 23, 2025

• 2:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.  Bib pick-up. Runners, walkers, friends and family stroll around Blueberry Cove; visit organic gardens and the seashore
• 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.  Fish chowder supper with fresh greens and blueberry pie
• After dinner socialize, and then early to bed 

SUNDAY August 24, 2025

• 5:30 a.m. - 7:15 a.m.  Bib pick-up
• 6:45 a.m.  Volunteers meet at the Maine for pre-race instructions
• 7:15 a.m.  Participants walk to starting line together
• 7:30 a.m.  Race starts on Harts Neck Road
• 9:30 a.m.  Buffet blueberry brunch begins and continues through the morning
• 10:30 a.m.  Awards presented; enjoy Blueberry Cove with friends and family

Race Features:

• Mile markers for all 13 miles
• Water stations every 2-miles
• Post-race blueberry brunch
• Finisher medals to all participants
• Finish times

When and where does the race begin?

Sunday, August 24, 2025

Start time: 7:30 AM

Where: Blueberry Cove Camp, 22 Blueberry Cove Road, Tenants Harbor, ME; Phone: 207-789-5868.   (Off Harts Neck Road). Parking will be at Blueberry Cove Camp and on one side of Harts Neck Road, please do not park on side with No Parking signs.

Bibs can be picked up on-site after 2 pm on Saturday or on Sunday morning before the race beginning at 5:30 a.m.

Is this race capped?

Yes. We will allow 250 runners/walkers to register.

What is the cost?

Registration for the Blueberry Cove 13.1 is $100.

Due to a limited amount of space in the race, and the fact that this is an important fundraiser for Blueberry Cove, race fees are non-refundable.

Do you have a pre-race dinner?

Yes. Enjoy a real Downeast dinner Saturday from 6-8 pm with fish chowder (featuring fish from Port Clyde Fresh Catch), fresh bread made locally, salad with veggies from the Blueberry Cove Camp garden, homemade blueberry pie, and a beverage all for just $20 per adult, $5 per child.

What is the course like?

Discover the REAL Maine. The Blueberry Cove 13.1 is loaded with country roads, gentle hills, and lots of ocean views. The course is a ½ marathon, 13.1 miles. It is a challenging circumnavigation of the lower St. George peninsula, with the start and finish lines at Blueberry Cove Camp off Harts Neck Road in Tenants Harbor, ME.

The first half of the route is a rural back road, with quiet coves, gentle hills, and few houses, while the second half comes alive with much to see. Enjoy the beauty of Maine’s largest fishing fleet once you reach Port Clyde, also home of the Monhegan Boat Line ferries. Travel the same route Forest Gump traveled upon reaching the Marshall Point Light House, then head along Drift Inn Beach, the Atlantic Ocean, and back to Blueberry Cove for a scrumptious Maine blueberry brunch.

What will the weather be like?

Beautiful, it’s Maine!  Definitely shorts weather. Comfortable nights, warm days.

Can I walk the race?

Yes. Walkers will start with the runners at 7:30 AM. Because walkers are not timed, they may leave up to 1 hour earlier as long as they have checked in first. Please note, not all water stops may be set up this early.

Are pets or baby strollers allowed at Blueberry Cove Camp or in the race?

No pets.  Except for service animals, we require that pets are left at home.  Baby strollers are allowed.

Are there adequate bathroom facilities?

There are bathrooms at the start and finish of the race plus 4 more porta-potty locations along the route.

Is there hydration along the course?

We have hydration stations approximately every 2 miles.

Do I get a medal even if I come in last?

Of course! All participants will be guaranteed a finisher’s medal. We want you to be proud of your accomplishment.

Can I take a shower after the race?

Blueberry Cove Camp has limited shower facilities for runners on race day.

When are the awards given?

Awards will be presented at 10:30 AM during the blueberry brunch.

Are there cash prizes?

No. We are a small grassroots race. We have no big sponsors and limited small sponsors. We want participants to run for their health, for fun, for the challenge, and to help raise funds to support our programs.

Can my friends help during the race?

Yes, just have them contact us at extension.tanglewood4h@maine.edu for more information.

Where can spectators watch the race?

Once the race starts, we will be holding off traffic on Harts Neck Road until all the racers have cleared the 1-mile run to Route 131. We suggest you leave before the start of the race and park at the ball field approximately 1.5-miles from the start, just north of Harts Neck Road, or park there and walk back to the start. There will be plenty of parking and a porta-potty available at this location. You may also proceed further north on Route 131 and pull off into the parking lot of the Tenants Harbor Baptist Church. Runners will be turning at this location and the road will narrow. Once the racers have passed these two spots, we then suggest you head south on Route 131 and toward Port Clyde. There will be several places to watch from this direction.

First chance to see the runners will be at the Ridge Road/Turkey Cove Road intersection. Travel along Route 131, pass over a small bridge with water on each side and then turn right onto Ridge Road. Within a few miles, you will see our directional team at work.

Other locations to watch are in Port Clyde. Parking can sometimes be a problem, so please use good judgment and don’t use business parking lots.

Our best recommendation for viewing the race is along Drift Inn Beach. From Route 131 South, we will have a sign marking the beach parking lot. Here there will be porta-potties, a water station, and plenty of room to walk along the beach road to cheer on your friends and family. If the parking lot is full, you may also park along Route 131 near the parking lot entrance, as this is not part of the race route.

For those more ambitious, the parking lot is within 1.5 – 2 miles from Marshall Point Light, another water stop, and a porta-potty stop. This road will be closed to road traffic because it is an out and back for the runners, so please use common sense while walking this route, remember, these folks are in a race, not an obstacle course competition!

The best suggestion we can give is to contact us ahead of time and volunteer at a water station. They will be located every two miles along the route and offer first-hand viewing. Maps will be available.

What’s the most important thing I need to remember?

Because the St. George peninsula is mainly rural back roads, we encourage spectators to abide by our suggestions for the safety of the runners so that they do not get hit by a car or have trouble breathing with all the car exhaust.  Of course, we can’t keep you off most of the route, but we highly recommend that if you absolutely need to check up on your runner, please travel in the same direction as the racers.

What are my lodging options?

Midcoast Maine has many choices to pick from including campgrounds, bed & breakfasts, hotels, motels, inns, and cottages. Visit the St. George Business Alliance or Penobscot Bay Chamber for local listings. There are also a limited number of cabins available on site.

What is the closest lodging option?

Blueberry Cove Camp. Simple rustic cabins are located just steps away from Race Headquarters and the dining hall. Cabins are bunkhouse style with multiple beds per cabin. Campers must provide their own sheets or sleeping bag. Price:  $20 per person for a group cabin; $25 per person for private (2-person) cabins; $10 per person for space to set up your own tent.  You can register for a cabin or tent space during the online race registration process.

Is there anything to do in Midcoast Maine?

Yes, lots. Hiking, biking, hills, rivers, lakes, ocean beaches, museums, lighthouses, art galleries, great cafes and restaurants, pubs, lobster and lobster boats, and much, much more.

Visit St. George Business Alliance or Penobscot Bay Chamber for listings of what to do.

How can I stay in touch with what’s happening with the Blueberry Cove 13.1?

Follow us on Facebook!