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Manchester Road Race

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Manchester Road Race
BERJAYA
The Manchester Road Race logo
DateThanksgiving Day
LocationManchester, Connecticut, U.S.
Event typeroad
Distance4.737 miles (7.623 km)
Primary sponsorECHN
Established1927
Course recordsMen: 21:04 (2022)
Conner Mantz
Women: 22:55 (2021)
Weini Kelati
Official siteManchesterRoadRace.com

The Manchester Road Race is a 4.737 mile (7.623 km) footrace held annually on Thanksgiving Day in Manchester, Connecticut. Race proceeds are donated each year to Muscular Dystrophy research and about 18 other local charities. Beginning promptly at 10:00am every Thanksgiving Morning, the race attracts athletes of all ages and abilities. First run in 1927, the race regularly attracts accomplished runners from across the United States as well as internationally recognized competitors.[1]

History

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The race was first held in 1927 with only twelve runners participating in the race. The race was conceived and promoted by the captain of the Manchester High School cross country team Frank "Duke" Haraburda, who competed and placed second in the inaugural race. The race continued annually until 1934, when the economic crisis during the Great Depression resulted in the race's cancellation. Consequently, the race was not held for 10 years (from 1935 to 1944), but began running again from 1945 to 2019, and will resume in 2021.[2] In 1967 the race was recognized as the second largest race in the country, with more than 200 participants. Due to growing interest and participation in this event, the race surpassed 1,000 runners in 1976 and just ten years later attracted more than 6,000 runners. In 1994 the number of runners had reached 10,000 and in 2009 over 12,000 people officially ran the race. "The Manchester Road Race has grown to be the largest race in Connecticut, the third largest in New England and in the top 25 largest distance races in the country." (Manchester Road Race Committee)

In 1960, Julia Chase-Brand entered Manchester in hopes of participating in the road race, but she was turned down due to her gender. Race officials told her that if she ran she would be banned from racing for life.[3][4] She lobbied to be allowed to race for a year, but without success.[5] In 1961 she did run the race, without permission, but then racing's governing body vowed to ban her from all competition unless she agreed to stay out of "men's" road races.[6] She agreed to stay out.[7] Two other women, Chris McKenzie and Dianne Lechausse, also ran the race, although McKenzie veered off onto the sidewalk before the finish line so as not to get in trouble with racing officials.[8][9] Julia finished in 33 minutes 40 seconds, which would have given her 128th place, ahead of 10 men, if her time was officially counted.[10] Lechausse finished with a time of 41:12.[11]

In 1977, the race committee created male and female divisions, rather than a single open registration.

Irish immigrant Ray Treacy finished second in the 1979 and 1981 races. He coached four Providence College runners who also won the MRR: Mark Caroll (1998 and 2000), Amy Rudolph (1995-97, 2000 and 2002), Kim Smith (2004 and 2005), and Emily Sisson (2017).

Haron Lagat of Kenya won the 2009 Race with a time of 21:40, beating Chicago's Patrick Smyth by one second—Smyth was also the runner up in 2008.[12] Alemtsehay Misganaw, an Ethiopian who lives in New York City, won the 2009 women's race, beating five-time champion Amy Rudolph by a second.[13]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 edition of the race was held virtually.[14]

In 2024, the course was remeasured and found to be nearly 60 ft shorter due to various repaving projects over the years. [15]

Overview

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The official registration has been over 9,000 every year since 1991, with the highest registration of 15,000 in 2010. In addition to registered runners, many registered walkers and unregistered runners participate. The race committee estimates that approximately 1,000 unregistered runners participated in the 2005 race.[16] Runners and fans wear costumes and may enter a competition to see who has the best costume each year. Famous among these costumed runners are the "Blues Brothers" and "Safety Man." Preceding the race, "Safety Man" will lead the runners and alert spectators along the course that the race has begun and runners are approaching.

Notable runners

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Joe McCluskey

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Years won: 1930, 1931, 1932, 1947

Joe McCluskey was an American Olympic bronze medalist in the 1932 steeplechase who is recognized for winning the race four times. His brother John was the winner of the first race held in 1927. Joe's final Manchester Road Race victory came in 1947, 17 years after his first.

Amby Burfoot

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Years won: 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977

Amby Burfoot is an American runner from New London, Connecticut who is known for winning the 1968 Boston Marathon. As of 2015, he had competed in the Manchester Road Race 53 times in a row, winning 9 times (7 consecutively). His 53 consecutive races is the record for the Manchester Road Race, breaking the record of barefoot runner, Charlie "Doc" Robbins, who ran 51, though missing two while serving in WWII. Burfoot later became a journalist, eventually becoming the Executive Editor of Runner's World magazine.[17]

Results

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Year Men's winner Time (m:s) Women's winner Time (m:s)
1927 BERJAYA John McCluskey (USA) 29:46
1928 BERJAYA James Gwinn (USA) 27:44
1929
1930 BERJAYA Joe McCluskey (USA)
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947 BERJAYA Joe McCluskey (USA)
1948
1949
1950
1951 BERJAYA John J. Kelley (USA) 24:30
1952 25:33
1953 24:20
1954
1955
1956
1957 BERJAYA John J. Kelley (USA) 23:59
1958
1959 BERJAYA John J. Kelley (USA)
1960
1961 BERJAYA John J. Kelley (USA) 24:21
1962 24:30
1963 BERJAYA Victor Zwolak (USA) 23:53.4
1964 BERJAYA Ralph Buschmann (CAN) 23:56
1965 BERJAYA Jim Keefe (USA) 24:15
1966 BERJAYA Ralph Buschmann (CAN) 23:14.8
1967 BERJAYA Arthur Dulong (USA) 23:15.5
1968 BERJAYA Amby Burfoot (USA) 22:34
1969 22:38
1970 BERJAYA John Vitale (USA) 22:42 ? ?
1971 BERJAYA Amby Burfoot (USA) 23:45 ? ?
1972 22:22 ? ?
1973 22:37 ? ?
1974 22:32 ? ?
1975 22:34 ? ?
1976 22:34 ? ?
1977 22:41 BERJAYA Elizabeth Berry (USA) 27:13
1978 BERJAYA John Treacy (IRL) 22:23 ? ?
1979 21:26 BERJAYA Patty Catalano (USA) 25:37
1980 BERJAYA Charles Duggan (USA) 22:30 BERJAYA Ellyn Block (USA) 28:19
1981 BERJAYA Eamonn Coghlan (IRL) 21:37 ? ?
1982 21:43 BERJAYA Sally Zimmer (USA) 27:41
1983 21:36 BERJAYA Janice Cataldo (USA) 26:56
1984 BERJAYA John Treacy (IRL) 21:52 BERJAYA Darlene Beckford (USA) 26:04
1985 21:47 BERJAYA Judi St. Hilaire (USA) 24:40
1986 BERJAYA John Doherty (USA) 21:45 BERJAYA Leatrice Hayer (USA) 25:54
1987 21:31 BERJAYA Jill Harrison (USA) 25:35
1988 BERJAYA John Gregorek (USA) 21:30 BERJAYA Judi St. Hilaire (USA) 24:26
1989 22:13 25:05
1990 BERJAYA Christian Weber (USA) 21:47 BERJAYA Cathy O'Brien (USA) 24:12
1991 BERJAYA John Gregorek (USA) 21:36 24:06
1992 BERJAYA Richard Nerurkar (ENG) 21:33 BERJAYA Judi St. Hilaire (USA) 24:29
1993 BERJAYA John Gregorek (USA) 21:28 BERJAYA Mary Slaney (USA) 24:31
1994 BERJAYA Phillimon Hanneck (ZIM) 21:30 BERJAYA Lynn Jennings (USA) 24:33
1995 21:19 BERJAYA Amy Rudolph (USA) 24:24
1996 BERJAYA Khalid Khannouchi (MAR) 21:36 24:29
1997 BERJAYA Aurelio Miti (ANG) 21:44 24:38
1998 BERJAYA Mark Carroll (IRL) 21:49 BERJAYA Deena Kastor (USA) 24:27
1999 BERJAYA David Makori (KEN) 21:27 24:12
2000 BERJAYA Mark Carroll (IRL) 21:49 BERJAYA Amy Rudolph (USA) 24:26
2001 BERJAYA Leonard Mucheru (KEN) 21:40 BERJAYA Svetlana Zakharova (RUS) 24:22
2002 BERJAYA Andrew Letherby (AUS) 22:03 BERJAYA Amy Rudolph (USA) 24:45
2003 BERJAYA Patrick Nthiwa (KEN) 21:36.7 BERJAYA Emilie Mondor (CAN) 23:58.5
2004 22:16 BERJAYA Kimberly Smith (NZL) 24:47
2005 BERJAYA Nicholas Willis (NZL) 21:49.8 24:22.3
2006 BERJAYA Ian Dobson (USA) 21:39 BERJAYA Shalane Flanagan (USA) 24:30
2007 BERJAYA Andrew Letherby (AUS) 21:53.4 BERJAYA Amy Begley (USA) 24:38.9
2008 BERJAYA Martin Fagan (IRL) 21:40.4 BERJAYA Misiker Mekonen (ETH) 24:59.6
2009 BERJAYA Harun Lagat (KEN) 21:39.1 BERJAYA Alemteshay Misganaw (ETH) 25:25.6
2010 BERJAYA Mourad Maroufit (MAR) 21:39 BERJAYA Sally Kipyego (KEN) 24:08
2011 BERJAYA Brian Olinger (USA) 21:33 24:22
2012 BERJAYA Aaron Braun (USA) 21:19.4 BERJAYA Delilah diCrescenzo (USA) 24:34
2013 BERJAYA Samuel Chelanga (KEN) 21:31.6 BERJAYA Alice Kamunya (KEN) 25:08
2014 BERJAYA Benjamin True (USA) 21:34.0 BERJAYA Diane Nukuri (BDI) 24:37.3
2015 BERJAYA Will Geoghegan (USA) 21:33.5 24:18.9
2016 BERJAYA Benjamin True (USA) 21:30.2 BERJAYA Emily Sisson (USA) 24:07.1
2017 BERJAYA Paul Chelimo (USA) 21:32 BERJAYA Buze Diriba (ETH) 23:56.5
2018 BERJAYA Edward Cheserek (KEN) 21:16 BERJAYA Celliphine Chespol (KEN) 24:33
2019 BERJAYA Eric Jenkins (USA) 21:19 BERJAYA Edna Kiplagat (KEN) 24:30
2020 BERJAYA Donn Cabral (USA) 23:00 BERJAYA Eilish McColgan (GBR) 25:15
2021 BERJAYA Ben Flanagan (CAN) 21:33 BERJAYA Weini Kelati (USA) 22:55
2022 BERJAYA Conner Mantz (USA) 21:04 23:39
2023 BERJAYA Morgan Beadlescomb (USA) 21:12 23:21

[18]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Riley, Lori (2004-11-26). "Nthiwa Has It Figured Out— Defends Title By 1 Second". Connecticut Outdoors. The Hartford Courant. Retrieved 2007-02-05. [dead link]
  2. ↑ Manchester Road Race Celebrates 70th Running
  3. ↑ "Title IX Archives". Archived from the original on 2015-11-02. Retrieved 2019-04-24.
  4. ↑ "Heroes of Running: Julia Chase-Brand". 26 December 2012.
  5. ↑ "Heroes of Running: Julia Chase-Brand". 26 December 2012.
  6. ↑ "Heroes of Running: Julia Chase-Brand". 26 December 2012.
  7. ↑ "Heroes of Running: Julia Chase-Brand". 26 December 2012.
  8. ↑ Longman, Jeré (26 October 2011). "A Leading Pioneer". The New York Times.
  9. ↑ "Julia Chase Brand Returns to Manchester". 21 November 2011.
  10. ↑ Longman, Jeré (26 October 2011). "A Leading Pioneer". The New York Times.
  11. ↑ Longman, Jeré (26 October 2011). "A Leading Pioneer". The New York Times.
  12. ↑ Riley, Lori (2009-11-26). "Haron Lagat, Alemtsehay Misganaw Win 73rd Manchester Road Race". The Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on 2009-12-01. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
  13. ↑ Riley, Lori (2009-11-26). "Manchester Road Race: Top 30 finishers and top 15 women". Running Around in Connecticut. The Hartford Courant. Retrieved 2009-11-26.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  14. ↑ "Plans for 2020 Manchester Road Race announced". 20 August 2020.
  15. ↑ "The Manchester Road Race course nearly 60-feet shorter after remeasurement: Officials". fox61.com. 2024-08-08. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  16. ↑ 2005 Manchester Road Race Summary Archived December 2, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  17. ↑ Riley, Lori. "Over 50 Years, Manchester Road Race Has Been A Running Theme For Amby Burfoot". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 21 November 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  18. ↑ "ARRS - Race series: Manchester Road Race". more.arrs.run. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
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