I’ve been wanting to run the Manchester Road Race since we moved to Connecticut, after hearing about giant size and its long history. Thanksgiving Day can be a tough race to schedule, but I finally got the chance this year, in the race’s 80th running. It was a really chilly morning, and I was happy to have been able to be seeded, thanks to a result from an earlier 5K that qualified me for the third or fourth group from the front. In a race with 11,000 participants, it definitely made a difference.

After its size, the next most surprising thing was the number of people, drinking beer, standing along the course, the entire way. So cold, so much beer. There were a few bands, including a nice trombone ensemble, who kept us going, as well. It was quite an experience, and a really well run, nicely organized race. Not sure I need to do it again, but it was a good time.

Manchester Road Race | 4.748M | 11/24/16 | 34:50 | 36/169