Venue Change For 2 Manchester Road Race Saturday Events

MANCHESTER, CT — The Manchester Road Race Committee announced Friday that the locations for two of its popular Road Race Saturday events on November 23, have been changed.

The Little Manchester Road Race, which previously took place at Charter Oak Park, will be run at the Manchester High School’s Barry Mitchell Athletic Facility fields and Pete Wigren Track.

The road race’s Sports & Fitness Expo, which in prior years was at the Bennet Academy’s Cone Gymnasium, has been relocated to the Manchester High School cafeteria.

Manchester High School is located at 134 East Middle Turnpike.

Parking for the Road Race Saturday events is available in the school’s Brookfield Street and Summit Street lots, in addition to legally posted on-street parking near the high school.

Race officials have designated the Brookfield Street lot as the primary parking site for the Little Manchester Road Race and the Summit Street lot as the primary parking location for the Sports & Fitness Expo.

A map of the high school’s parking areas appears on the road race website (www.manchesterroadrace.com).

"We have initiated these venue changes in order to accommodate growing interest in both events, and to ensure that the Little Manchester Road Race can go forward even if weather conditions are less than optimal," said Dr. Tris Carta, president of the Manchester Road Race.

The “Road Race Saturday” events on November 23rd kick off race week in Manchester and are a prelude to the town’s annual 4.748-mile Manchester Road Race on Thanksgiving Day.

The Sports & Fitness Expo, which features vendors and exhibits of interest to running enthusiasts, is slated for 8:30 a.m. to noon. Walk-in registration and seeding for the Thanksgiving Day Manchester Road Race will also take place at the Sports & Fitness Expo between 9 a.m. and noon. Participants in the Little Manchester Road Race may pick-up their number bibs and T-shirts at the Sports & Fitness Expo starting at 8:30 a.m. The race, which is expected to attract 1,000 runners 12 years of age or younger, will be run at 10 a.m.

The 83rd annual Manchester Road Race will tale place at 10 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 28). The race, which is run on a 4.748-mile loop course through the town's central streets, starts and finishes on Main Street in Manchester, in front of St. James Church.

Edward Cheserek of Flagstaff, AZ won last year’s road race in the course record time of 21:16. More information about the race and electronic entry applications can be obtained on-line at www.manchesterroadrace.com.