Virtual Manchester Road Race Still On Tap, Registration To Begin

MANCHESTER, CT — Though the traditional on-course Manchester Road Race has been called off for 2020 because of coronavirus concerns, registration for this year's Virtual Manchester Road Race is still set to begin Oct. 1, race organizers said this week.

"This unprecedented health crisis prevents us from safely holding an on-site road race this Thanksgiving, but we are going to keep the wonderful spirit and tradition of the Manchester Road Race alive with a virtual run,” said Dr. Tris Carta, the president of the Manchester Road Race Committee.

Carta said that anyone who wishes to register for the virtual MRR may do so beginning Oct. 1 on the race’s website, www.manchesterroadrace.com. The registration fee is $20.

Runners who register can download a phone app with GPS capabilities to their smart phones. They can then run the MRR's 4.748-mile distance at any location of their choice.

The app will measure their distance, signaling when they have completed the full course, and upload their times to race officials. Runners will be able to see their progress on an event map of the actual MRR course that will be displayed on their phones, even if they running at some other location.

The Virtual Manchester Road Race must be completed between 8 a.m. (EST) on Thursday, Nov. 19, and 5 p.m. (EST) on Wednesday, Nov. 25.

"We are concluding the virtual race before Thanksgiving Day for safety reasons," Carta said. "We are urging our virtual entrants and everyone else to stay off the course on Thanksgiving Day, because our 600 road race volunteers, officers from the Manchester Police Department, and other public safety personnel and town employees won't be on hand to block the streets and provide protection for large groups of runners."

Carta said anyone who registers and runs in the virtual road race will be credited as an official 2020 MRR finisher and the effort will count toward longevity streaks.

He added that the race committee intends to publish the names and times of all registered finishers who run or walk in the virtual road race in local media outlets.

Because the virtual MRR can be run anywhere using the smart phone app, we anticipate that we'll have participants in locations all over the state and country, and perhaps even in foreign countries," Carta said. "We are going to do everything in our power to make the virtual race a fun and successful event this year, and to bring our traditional Thanksgiving Day road race back even bigger and better next year."

Principal sponsors of the Virtual Manchester Road Race are Pratt & Whitney, ECHN and Stop & Shop.

More information about the Virtual MRR and on-line entry applications are available at www.manchesterroadrace.com.