Manchester Road Race Is Back For 2021

MANCHESTER, CT — The Manchester Road Race will be back — live and in-person for 2021.

The Manchester Road Race Committee over the weekend announced that runners will return to Main Street and the revered holiday tradition will resume in Manchester on Thanksgiving morning. The 4.748-mile event that draws an International field and traditionally more than 10,000 runners is set for Nov. 25.

The coronavirus pandemic forced the committee to cancel the live road race last Thanksgiving and conduct a virtual event instead. Based on the elimination of most pandemic restrictions in the state, and after conferring recently with town officials, race organizers said they now have the green light to stage the traditional holiday run.

"We're back," said Dr. Tris Carta, the president of the Manchester Road Race Committee. "Barring any adverse changes in the current public health conditions or state and federal regulations, we will hold our regular road race this year. We've already begun planning, and we are hoping to make the 85th annual Manchester Road Race a very special celebration."

Manchester Mayor Jay Moran agreed.

"There’s nothing quite as special as Thanksgiving morning in Manchester, Connecticut," Moran said. "The Town is thrilled to be hosting the Manchester Road Race once again."

In addition to holding the on-site road race on Thanksgiving, the MRR committee will sponsor a virtual road race again this year. Runners anywhere in the world can participate in the race by using the MRR's proprietary timing app on their smart phones.

About 2,000 runners and walkers entered last year's Virtual Manchester Road Race. The race committee also sponsored a highly successful blood drive on the day after Thanksgiving last November that collected 306 pints of blood for the American Red Cross.

Carta emphasized that the race committee is "strongly urging" all runners and volunteers to get virus vaccinations prior to this year’s road race.

"We want the Manchester Road Race to be as safe as we can possibly make it, and that will of course depend heavily on the cooperation of our participants and volunteers in getting fully vaccinated," Carta said.

He added that the race committee will work closely with the town and continually monitor public health conditions and state and federal guidance between now and November.

Manchester Director of Public Health Jeffrey Catlett stated that the lifting of Virus restrictions in Connecticut is a direct result of our successful vaccination efforts.”

"The vaccine is safe, effective and the reason why we are able to hold this year's race in person," he said. "So far 98 percent of Manchester residents over age 65 have received at least one vaccine dose, plus nearly 75 percent of those over 45 and over half of residents over age 15. To ensure the positive trends continue, we are asking any eligible resident who has yet to be vaccinated to sign up."

The race committee will announce details about the status of other race week events, including the Little Manchester Road Race, in the near future, Carta said.

The 85th Manchester Road Race is slated for 10 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day. The race, which is run on a loop course, starts and finishes on Main Street in Manchester, in front of St. James Church.

On-line registration for the road race will open on Sept. 1 on the event's website: www.manchesterroadrace.com.