Manchester Road Race facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Manchester Road Race
The Manchester Road Race logo
Date	Thanksgiving Day
Location	Manchester, Connecticut, U.S.
Event type	road
Distance	4.748 miles (7.641 km)
Primary sponsor	ECHN
Established	1927
Course records	Men: 21:16 Edward Cheserek (2018) Women: 23:59 (2003) Emilie Mondor
Official site	ManchesterRoadRace.com

The Manchester Road Race is a famous running event held every year on Thanksgiving Day in Manchester, Connecticut. It's a 4.748-mile (about 7.6-kilometer) race. People of all ages and running skills join in. The race starts exactly at 10:00 AM.

Money raised from the race helps with Muscular Dystrophy research. It also supports about 18 other local charities. The first race was in 1927. Today, it brings in top runners from all over the United States and other countries.

History of the Race

The first Manchester Road Race took place in 1927. Only twelve runners participated that year. Frank "Duke" Haraburda, a high school cross-country captain, thought of the idea. He also ran in the first race and came in second place.

The race happened every year until 1934. It was canceled because of the Great Depression, a time when the economy was very bad. The race did not happen for ten years, from 1935 to 1944. It started again in 1945 and ran until 2019. It will continue again in 2021.

In 1967, the Manchester Road Race became the second-largest race in the country. More than 200 people ran that year. The race kept growing in popularity. By 1976, over 1,000 runners joined. Just ten years later, in 1986, more than 6,000 people ran.

In 1994, the number of runners reached 10,000. In 2009, over 12,000 people officially ran the race. The Manchester Road Race is now the biggest race in Connecticut. It is also one of the largest distance races in the entire country.

Breaking Barriers: Women in the Race

In 1960, a woman named Julia Chase-Brand wanted to run the Manchester Road Race. But race officials told her she could not because she was a girl. They said if she ran, she would be banned from all races for life. She tried for a year to get permission, but it didn't work.

In 1961, Julia ran the race anyway, without permission. Two other women, Chris McKenzie and Dianne Lechausse, also ran. Julia finished in 33 minutes and 40 seconds. This time would have placed her ahead of 10 men if it had been officially counted. Lechausse finished in 41 minutes and 12 seconds.

After this, racing officials threatened to ban Julia from all competitions. She agreed to stay out of "men's" road races. This event helped to change rules for women in sports. In 1977, the race committee finally created separate divisions for men and women.

Famous Runners and Coaches

Ray Treacy, an Irish immigrant, came in second place in the 1979 and 1981 races. He later coached four runners from Providence College who also won the Manchester Road Race. These runners include Mark Caroll, Amy Rudolph, Kim Smith, and Emily Sisson.

In 2009, Haron Lagat from Kenya won the men's race. He finished in 21 minutes and 40 seconds. Alemtsehay Misganaw from Ethiopia won the women's race that same year.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 race was held virtually. This meant runners could complete the distance on their own.

Race Day Fun

The Manchester Road Race is very popular. Since 1991, over 9,000 people have officially registered each year. In 2010, a record 15,000 people signed up. Many unregistered runners and walkers also join in the fun.

The race is known for its lively atmosphere. Many runners and fans wear fun costumes. There's even a competition for the best costume each year! Some famous costumed runners include the "Blues Brothers" and "Safety Man."

"Safety Man" is a special part of the race tradition. He leads the elite runners and reminds everyone to stay safe. He makes sure spectators know the race has started and runners are coming.

Notable Runners Who Won

Many amazing runners have won the Manchester Road Race. Here are some of the most famous:

Joe McCluskey

Years won: 1930, 1931, 1932, 1947 Joe McCluskey was an American Olympic runner. He won a bronze medal in the steeplechase event at the 1932 Olympics. Joe won the Manchester Road Race four times. His brother, John, won the very first race in 1927. Joe's last win was in 1947, 17 years after his first victory!

John J. Kelley

Years won: 1951, 1952, 1953, 1957, 1961, 1962 John J. Kelley was an American runner from New London, Connecticut. He is famous for winning the Boston Marathon in 1957. He also ran in the Olympics twice and won the Pan American Games marathon. John won the Manchester Road Race six times. He also coached another famous runner, Amby Burfoot.

Ray Crothers

Year won: 1965 Ray Crothers was an American runner. He is the only person to win three different divisions at Manchester. He won the High School Division twice. In 1984, he won the Masters Division (for older runners). Ray finished in the top 25 fourteen times. His best time was 23 minutes and 7 seconds.

Amby Burfoot

Years won: 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977 Amby Burfoot is an American runner from New London, Connecticut. He is well-known for winning the 1968 Boston Marathon. As of 2015, he had run the Manchester Road Race 53 times in a row! He won the race nine times, including seven wins in a row. His 53 consecutive races is a record for the event. Amby later became a journalist and an editor for Runner's World magazine.

John Vitale

Year won: 1970 John Vitale is an American runner. He was the top American finisher at the 1971 Boston Marathon. He later opened a running shoe store called "The Run In."

John Treacy

Years won: 1978-79, 1984-85 John Treacy is an Irish runner. In 1979, he and his brother Ray ran the Manchester Road Race. John won, beating the nine-time champion Amby Burfoot. He also broke Burfoot's course record. John won the race again in 1984 and 1985. His 1979 course record of 21:56 lasted until 1995.

Charlie Duggan

Year won: 1980

Eamonn Coghlan

Year won: 1981 Eamonn Coghlan is an Irish Olympian. He was known as the "Chairman of the boards" for his amazing indoor mile running.

Philemon Hanneck

Years won: 1994, 1995 Philemon Hanneck was born in Harare, Zimbabwe. He is a two-time winner of the Manchester Road Race. He also held the course record for a while. In 1995, he set a record time of 21 minutes and 19 seconds.

Aaron Braun

Years won: 2012 Aaron Braun tied the old course record in 2012 with a time of 21 minutes and 19.4 seconds. This was a bit debated because of how times were recorded in the past.

Edward Cheserek

Year won: 2018 Edward Cheserek is a Kenyan-born athlete. He ran for the University of Oregon. In 2018, he set the current course record for the Manchester Road Race. His winning time was 21 minutes and 16 seconds.