Manchester Road Race Markers Get A Little Sprucing Up

MANCHESTER, CT — With local temperatures surpassing 70 degrees Thursday, it was a good day to do some painting for the annual Manchester Road Race.

A Manchester Department of Public Works crew was out in force to spruce up the mile markers for the race with fresh coats of paint. The mile markers are traditionally done in blue.

The 4.748-mile race takes place on Thanksgiving Day through the town's central streets.

"We are grateful to the town of Manchester for its support in getting the course ready," race officials said.

The scenes around town sparked some nostalgic responses.

Said one runner, "Always loved seeing that 2 Mile marker. You knew it was almost all downhill from there ... then, on to the Hungry Tiger for a cold one before that big old Thanksgiving Day turkey feedbag ... followed, of course, by a nap in front of the football game on TV."

Said another, "I lived at the bottom of the famous hill for four years and ran that hill almost everyday ... lots of memories ... all great."

The 87th Manchester Road Race is set for at 10 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 23). The road race starts and finishes on Main Street in Manchester, in front of St. James Church. Registration information is available at www.manchesterroadrace.com.

Last Thanksgiving, 9,641 runners registered for the MRR. Conner Mantz, a former NCAA cross country champion from Mapleton, Utah, won the race in the course record time of 21:04. Weini Kelati of Flagstaff, Arizona, who set the women’s course record of 22:55 in 2021, captured her second straight MRR women’s championship with a time of 23:39.