Race: Manchester Road Race
Date: November 26, 2015
Location: Manchester, CT
Official Time: 38:54
Official Lap: 8:12
Place: 2160 / 12421
Race Stats
Speed: ★ ★ ★ .5 (slow start, but not bad if you are seeded)
Hills: ★ ★ ★ ★ (the first 2 miles are no joke!)
Crowd: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (doesn't get any more popular than this!)
Party: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (the whole race is a party)
T-Shirt: ★ ★ ★ ★ (this year's blue tee was very nice)
I just love this Thanksgiving tradition! Really, there is just nothing like waking up a little early on Thanksgiving morning, and getting together with 15,000 runners, and making a go at a great race course. The event brings out the whole town, and the tradition is to show up with some crazy costumes! Check out my web-page dedicated to this year's run.
I was pretty excited to get an under 40 minute seed card for the race this year. Even when I was walking around taking some photos of the race course, and meeting up with some friends, I was getting a little nervous about my seeding. I was pretty sure that I would come close to 40 minutes, but I didn't think that I would be under. Along with the Hartford Half Marathon, this race is sort of my barometer for my running all year - so I really try to give it my all.
But lining up with everyone and singing the national anthem, it just was so great to be out. The day was perfect, and it is such fun race. The hill that is the first half of the race was killer, but I was keeping a good pace. It's pretty cool to be running with about 200 people all running at your pace - that is usually the size of the entire road race that I normally run in.
I was beyond excited to get a selfie with Safety Man. He is very well known for the race, dressing up like a fighter pilot / runway control personnel, and whistling you to the top of the two mile hill at the beginning of the race. From there it was down hill, and through the streets of Manchester. My legs felt great, and just when you start to realize this really isn't a 5K, but a 4.7 mile run, you are heading into the heart of the fans who cheer you on like crazy to the finish line.
As I came down Main Street I could see that I was making good time. As I crossed the finish line I knew that I had beat my 40 minute and under spot, and I have been so excited to be under 39:00 for the race. It was a great start to a very nice Thanksgiving for me and my family, and I am just so thankful that I was able to run it. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!