75th Running of the Manchester Road Race

It was a beautiful day (sunny and about 40 degrees) for the 75th running of the Thanksgiving Day road race in Manchester, CT. Amby Burfoot (who ran this race for the 49th straight year) and 15,000 of his closest friends ran the 4.75 mile loop, which includes a mile-long climb of a couple hundred feet in the second mile.
This race is a circus, and is hard to run fast, and the hill helps to keep my time down. I always run it in 36:xx, and this year was no different, finishing at 36:31. A bit slower than last year, when I was in better shape, but not much (less than 30 seconds difference). I could have run it a little faster, but unless I'm going to break 35:00 (and I'm not!), I just don't feel like it - this race is too crazy. I'll keep running it as long as my daughter wants to run it. I drove her and 4 friends, and they ran dressed as candy canes, and handed out candy to little kids among the spectators. All in all, a good time. This year's race also commemorated the breaking of the gender barrier - the woman who did that years ago, defying the AAU, ran the race again today, and even wore the same outfit she did that day! Wow. You go girl! Also, a 91 year old woman ran it yet again. This race has it all!
Happy Thanksgiving!

It looks like a fun race and a nice holiday tradition Michael. Probably not a race to worry about your fastest times. Your daughter and her friends certainly got into the spirit. Happy Thanksgiving!

That sounds like a great race and a great way to enjoy the holiday with family - thanks for sharing it!

Great job, Michael. I ran this ran once back in the mid 1980s and all I remember was/is the hill. Congrats!

Nice job, Michael. I agree, you've got to run a race if your daughter is. Congrats on a fine run.