The Reach the Beach (RTB) Relay is the longest (in length) running relay race in the United States and will take place September 16th -17th 2005 , in picturesque New Hampshire during the start of the New England foliage season. The relay will consist of 12 person (maximum) teams that will rotate through 36 transition areas as they cover the approximate 200 mile distance of the race. This means that each relay team member will run 3 legs of varying lengths and difficulty and will cover an average total distance of ~16.6 miles. There will also be an Ultra Distance division that will have a team limit of 6 members. In this case, the average distance covered per Ultra Distance Team runner would be ~ 33 miles. The runners will rotate in a set order once the race begins and will be obligated to follow this rotation until the final runner Reaches the Beach!

The event will start at the Bretton Woods Ski Area in Bretton Woods, NH.  Bretton Woods, the largest ski area in New Hampshire, is a short drive from I-93 and is an easy two and a half hour drive from downtown Boston, MA.  From there, the course will take the teams through the White Mountains of New Hampshire, past fields, lakes, mountain top vistas, and the occasional covered bridge; ultimately finishing along the Atlantic coastline in Hampton Beach, NH. Hampton Beach is located 1 hour from downtown Boston off of I-95 and is just 10 miles south of Portsmouth, NH. Its beautiful beaches and many state parks make it a major three-season tourist destination.

The finish area at Hampton Beach State Park will host a post race party for all competitors, sponsors, volunteers, family and friends. There will also be provisions made for team photo's, massage, music, food and fun.

Reach the Beach is a physical and logistical challenge, and just as much fun.  Since it has a limit of 300 teams it is a more intimate race, with a typical New England small-town  feel.  The first five legs offer breathtaking vistas of New Hampshire's White Mountains, including Mount Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast.     As the miles pass by, the mountain scenery gives way to valleys, lakes and small New England villages in full foliage splendor.   The competitors race southward through the night toward the New Hampshire seashore, and run the final ten miles of the course on route 1A alongside the Atlantic, to a wonderful beachside finish.