Manchester Road Race To Again Honor Veterans

MANCHESTER, CT — The Manchester Road Race Committee announced Tuesday that it will again honor all members of the U.S. Armed Forces and veterans who run in this year's event.

The road race is a Thanksgiving Day fixture that draws an international field.

For the second straight year, the race committee will partner with the Manchester Veterans Council to hold a pre-race reception for all active duty, reserve and National Guard members and veterans who have entered the race. In addition, a special "Veterans Row Path of Honor" will be established near the course on Main Street to pay homage to the service members and vets as they run down the race's home stretch.

"It’s our small way of saying 'thank you for your service' to everyone who put on the uniform to help keep us safe," said Dr. Tris Carta, President of the Manchester Road Committee. "Our race was sponsored by members of the Manchester Army-Navy Club in the 1940s and early 1950s, and many of our champions have been war veterans. We are very proud of that association, and of all the men and women who served."

A pre-race reception is slated for 8 to 9:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day at the Vietnam War Memorial on Main Street. Light refreshments will be served and all service members and veterans who have registered for the road race will receive a token of appreciation from the Manchester Road Race Committee and the Manchester Veterans Council.

The military runners will be saluted as they run down Main Street with a display of service flags of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. The "Veterans Row Path of Honor" will be located on the sidewalk in front of the Vietnam War Memorial on Main Street.'

Sponsors of the event are Kaman Corporation (Patriot Sponsor); Tsunami Tsolutions, Kaman Aerospace, and Horst Engineering (Military Sponsors); and Goodwin College and Pratt & Whitney (Path of Honor Sponsors). Highland Park Market will provide refreshments for the Veterans’ Reception.

The 83rd Manchester Road Race will be run at 10 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 28, 2019). The race starts and finishes on Main Street in Manchester, in front of St. James School. Edward Cheserek of Flagstaff, AZ, won the 4.748-mile race last year in the course record time of 21:15.75.

More information about the race and on-line entry applications are available at www.manchesterroadrace.com.