Manchester Road Race
Encyclopedia
The Manchester Road Race is a 4.748 mile (7.641 km) race
held annually on Thanksgiving Day
in Manchester
, Connecticut
. Race proceeds are donated each year to Muscular Dystrophy research and about 18 other local charities. Beginning promptly at 10:00am every Thanksgiving Morning, the race attracts athletes of all ages and abilities. First run in 1927, the race regularly attracts accomplished runners from across the United States
as well as internationally recognized competitors. The official registration has been over 9,000 every year since 1991, with the highest registration of 15,000 in 2010. In addition to registered runners, many registered walkers and unregistered runners participate. The race committee estimates that approximately 1,000 unregistered runners participated in the 2005 race. In addition to competitive spirit of the road race, Manchester Road Race enthusiasts are attracted every year to further enhance the good spirit of the event. Also giving this race a unique and high-spirited atmosphere, runners and fans wear costumes and may enter a competition to see who has the best costume each year. Famous among these costumed runners are the "Blues Brothers" and "Safety Man." Of note, "Safety Man" also reminds runners and the crowd lining the streets that a safe morning means an enjoyable Thanksgiving afternoon.
This formally male-only road race first accepted a woman runner in 1961. In 1960, 18-year old Julia Chase entered Manchester in hopes of participating in the road race, where she was unfortunately turned down due to her gender. Race director, Pete Wigren told her that she was not allowed to run because this race was a Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) sponsored event, and AAU did not allow men and women to compete together. However, Julia returned in 1961 with a letter from George Terry (nationally recognized coach) proving that the rules did not outlaw women from participating in the race. Due to the media coverage on Chase's battle for participation, two other women; Dianne Lechausse and Christine McKenzie joined Chase on the starting line to unofficially run that Thanksgiving morning. After this first appearance of women in the road race, pressure started to build about allowing women to officially run in the race. In 1973 women protested and unofficially followed the men and completed the race. In 1974, the protest proved to be a success; 50 women entered and officially ran the Manchester Road Race.
In 1977, the race committee created male and female divisions, rather than a single open registration. Haron Lagat of Kenya
won the 2009 Race with a time of 21:40, beating Chicago
's Patrick Smyth by one second--Smyth was also the runner up in 2008. Alemtsehay Misganaw, an Ethiopia
n who lives in New York City
, won the 2009 women's race, beating five-time champion Amy Rudolph by a second.
Joe McCluskey was an American runner who is recognized for winning the race four times. His brother John was the winner of the first race held in 1927. Joe's final Manchester Road Race victory came in 1947, 17 years after his first.
John J. Kelley
(sometimes referred to as “The Younger”, to avoid confusion with the similarly named John A. Kelley) is an American runner from New London, CT
who is best known for winning the Boston Marathon
in 1957. He won the Manchester Road Race 6 times, and is also notable as a coach of Amby Burfoot.
Amby Burfoot is an American runner from New London, CT who is known for winning the 1968 Boston Marathon. As of 2006, he had competed 44 times in the Manchester Road Race, winning 9 times (7 consecutively). He later became a journalist, eventually becoming the Executive Editor of Runner's World
magazine.
Philemon Hanneck
, born in Harare
, Zimbabwe
, but now a United States citizen, is a 2-time winner and course record holder at the Manchester Road Race. He set the course record of 21:19 in 1995.
Road running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
held annually on Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
in Manchester
Manchester, Connecticut
Manchester is a township and city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 58,241.- History :...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. Race proceeds are donated each year to Muscular Dystrophy research and about 18 other local charities. Beginning promptly at 10:00am every Thanksgiving Morning, the race attracts athletes of all ages and abilities. First run in 1927, the race regularly attracts accomplished runners from across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as well as internationally recognized competitors. The official registration has been over 9,000 every year since 1991, with the highest registration of 15,000 in 2010. In addition to registered runners, many registered walkers and unregistered runners participate. The race committee estimates that approximately 1,000 unregistered runners participated in the 2005 race. In addition to competitive spirit of the road race, Manchester Road Race enthusiasts are attracted every year to further enhance the good spirit of the event. Also giving this race a unique and high-spirited atmosphere, runners and fans wear costumes and may enter a competition to see who has the best costume each year. Famous among these costumed runners are the "Blues Brothers" and "Safety Man." Of note, "Safety Man" also reminds runners and the crowd lining the streets that a safe morning means an enjoyable Thanksgiving afternoon.
History
The race was first held in 1927 with only twelve runners participating in the race. The race was conceived and promoted by the captain of the Manchester High School cross country team Frank "Duke" Haraburda, who competed and placed second in the inaugural race. The race continued annually until 1934, when the economic crisis during the Great Depression resulted in the race's cancellation. Consequently, the race was not held for 10 years (from 1935 to 1944), but began running again in 1945 and has continued to be held every Thanksgiving Day ever since. In 1967 the race was recognized as the second largest race in the country, with more than 200 participants. Due to growing interest and participation in this event, the race surpassed 1,000 runners in 1976 and just ten years later attracted more than 6,000 runners. In 1994 the number of runners had reached 10,000 and in 2009 over 12,000 people officially ran the race. "The Manchester Road Race has grown to be the largest race in Connecticut, the third largest in New England and in the top 25 largest distance races in the country." (Manchester Road Race Committee)This formally male-only road race first accepted a woman runner in 1961. In 1960, 18-year old Julia Chase entered Manchester in hopes of participating in the road race, where she was unfortunately turned down due to her gender. Race director, Pete Wigren told her that she was not allowed to run because this race was a Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) sponsored event, and AAU did not allow men and women to compete together. However, Julia returned in 1961 with a letter from George Terry (nationally recognized coach) proving that the rules did not outlaw women from participating in the race. Due to the media coverage on Chase's battle for participation, two other women; Dianne Lechausse and Christine McKenzie joined Chase on the starting line to unofficially run that Thanksgiving morning. After this first appearance of women in the road race, pressure started to build about allowing women to officially run in the race. In 1973 women protested and unofficially followed the men and completed the race. In 1974, the protest proved to be a success; 50 women entered and officially ran the Manchester Road Race.
In 1977, the race committee created male and female divisions, rather than a single open registration. Haron Lagat of Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
won the 2009 Race with a time of 21:40, beating Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's Patrick Smyth by one second--Smyth was also the runner up in 2008. Alemtsehay Misganaw, an Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n who lives in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, won the 2009 women's race, beating five-time champion Amy Rudolph by a second.
Joe McCluskey
Years won: 1930, 1931, 1932, 1947Joe McCluskey was an American runner who is recognized for winning the race four times. His brother John was the winner of the first race held in 1927. Joe's final Manchester Road Race victory came in 1947, 17 years after his first.
John J. Kelley
Years won: 1951, 1952, 1953, 1957, 1961, 1962John J. Kelley
John J. Kelley
John Joseph Kelley was the winner of the 1957 Boston Marathon and the marathon at the 1959 Pan American Games and a member of two United States Olympic Marathon teams. He was often dubbed John "The Younger" to avoid confusion with Johnny "The Elder" Kelley, the winner of the 1935 and 1945 Boston...
(sometimes referred to as “The Younger”, to avoid confusion with the similarly named John A. Kelley) is an American runner from New London, CT
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
who is best known for winning the Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
in 1957. He won the Manchester Road Race 6 times, and is also notable as a coach of Amby Burfoot.
Amby Burfoot
Years won: 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977Amby Burfoot is an American runner from New London, CT who is known for winning the 1968 Boston Marathon. As of 2006, he had competed 44 times in the Manchester Road Race, winning 9 times (7 consecutively). He later became a journalist, eventually becoming the Executive Editor of Runner's World
Runner's World
Runner's World is a globally circulated monthly magazine for runners of all skills sets, published by Rodale Press in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
magazine.
Philemon Hanneck
Years won: 1994, 1995Philemon Hanneck
Philemon Hanneck
Philemon Hanneck is a long-distance runner who specialized in the 5000 metres. He originally represented Zimbabwe as Philemon Harineki, but he changed nationality in 1999 to the United States and a misspelling in his documentation left him registered with an incorrect surname...
, born in Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, but now a United States citizen, is a 2-time winner and course record holder at the Manchester Road Race. He set the course record of 21:19 in 1995.