MANCHESTER ROAD RACE 2015
November 26, 2015, MANCHESTER, CT.
*** Click on the photo below to scroll through the photo album ***
*** Click on the photo above to scroll through the photo album ***
While the Hartford Half Marathon is my big "challenge" race for the year, the Manchester Road Race is however the race to end all races for this Running Obstetrician. This race is held in the beautiful town of Manchester, CT, and it is always scheduled for Thanksgiving Day morning. This race has easily been going on since I was a kid, and this year's race was the 79th running. There is just so much tradition and fun going on, you really can't help but love to be here.
As you can guess, planning a race in southern New England at the end of November can get a little dicey. I definitely recall some pretty windy, rainy and cold races, but not his year. Nope, this year was one of the nicest fall days for Thanksgiving that we've had in a long time. With the beautiful weather, there was sure to be a ton of runners. And by a ton, I mean almost 15,000! This makes it one of the largest races in Connecticut and New England. Not bad for a Turkey Trot! Check out the Hartford Courant on-line article about the race.
Checking out the race course before the event. This giant American flag flies over runners as they come down Main Street for the home stretch at the end of the race. It's also what the 15,000 runners turn and look to for the national anthem at the beginning of the race.
With so many runners, it's an honor (and in fact a need if you are going to make any good time) to get a seed card so that you can get up ahead of the crowd for the start of the race. When I was younger I think that I just used to show up early and make my way up to the front. With so many people now enjoying this race tradition, the seed card is a great way to go. I think that's also part of why I enjoy this race so much. It seems like all of the local races throughout the season are building up to get a good seed card and put on a good show at the MRR.
When you are in the gate with 15,000 of your fellow runners, and another tens of thousands of cheering fans are lining the streets all singing the national anthem just before the race goes off on Thanksgiving morning, you just can help but feel a little patriotic. The starting "gate" is also amazing, since it is the big hill of Main Street, Manchester. From my "Under 40 Minute" vantage point, looking up at the sea of humanity ready to race behind me is always impressive. And don't forget the costumes - this year I saw a clan of vikings, Superman, LOTS of turkeys, and Minions just to name a few. I did miss the guy who runs in a full on fake Christmas tree - that guy always impresses me!
Selfie with Safety Man at mile marker two.
The race itself is no joke. After the start gun goes off, it's a little slow out of the gate ( I can only imagine how tightly packed it is just 5,000 runners back!). By a quarter mile down Main Street things are picking up, and at about half a mile you are up to your pace and turning left off of Main Street. This is where the big hill begins, and it goes on for about 1.5 miles. It's a really steep hill, and it puts your legs and lungs to the test. Everyone is pretty psyched to see Safety Man waving you on at the top of the hill. I was super-psyched to get this selfie with him this year - it's like getting an autograph from a celebrity.
Once you tackle the hill, there is a great down hill for just over half a mile, which has you feeling like you can do anything. Of course, this race isn't a 5K (and you really need to train for that fact) but rather 4.7 miles. So the race goes on for a little bit, but it's all through the town, and my goodness, the people come out! There are all sorts of bands and music pumping out of speakers on the sides of the road. It's just so great to see so many people out drinking, eating and cheering you on so early on a Thanksgiving morning.
Already looking forward to running again next year!
As I mentioned before the home stretch is all down hill back down Main Street to the finish. It's a great sprint and it just feels so good to get it all in. I usually wrap up this tradition by grabbing my water and making it home in time to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and then the National Dog Show with my kids before heading out to celebrate with the family. And there is nothing that stirs up an appetite for turkey and all the fixings like a 4.7 mile race in the morning!
So if you are looking for a Thanksgiving Day tradition - this is the one! My advice: train up past your 5K distance, look to run a few qualifying races before hand to get a seed card, and find a silly costume so that you can partake in the fun. It's one heck of a race and a good time, and when the weather is as gorgeous as it was this morning, it's one more thing to be thankful for.
CMM, The Running Obstetrician, November 2015