MANCHESTER, Conn. — Runners are reacting to the on-site cancellation of the Manchester Road Race, a race that attracted thousands of people a year from all over.
The Manchester Road Race Committee announced Saturday it has canceled its in-person race on Thanksgiving morning this year for the safety of everyone. Instead, the race will be held virtually through an app.
Dr. Tris Carta with the committee said this way, people can still participate while following state guidelines.
"It's a downloadable app that you put on your cell phone and you run with it and you hit the start button and you go run until you hit the 4.748 miles and that'll tell you to stop. it'll give you a time and that'll be reported to our people who collect the times," added Dr. Carta, President of the Manchester Road Race Committee.
The race has been run for 83 years and this is not the first time it has been sidelined.
"There was 10 years when we did not have the race during the Great Depression and World War Two. It started in 1927 and 1933 it stopped restarted again in 1945," added Dr. Carta.
Dr. Carta stressed anyone who registers and will run the race will qualify as an official 2020 Manchester Road Race finisher and the effort will county for longevity streak purposes.
For runners like David Bouchard, this news came as a big disappointment at first but he already has plans to not let Coronavirus ruin his race.
"On Thanksgiving morning, you might find me out there rucking along the same course that I do every year and you might just find me rucking along maybe the racecourse on the sidewalks and by myself at about 10 a.m.," said Bouchard of East Granby.
Bouchard has participated for many years, even during his time in the Marine Corps. For him, he said it is the social experience that has made it worth it.
"There's thousands of and thousands of people that put their differences aside for a brief moment in time. They come out there, they smile they have a great time and they share in each other's company," added Bouchard.
Registration for this year's race will begin October 1st and will cost 20 dollars.
The committee is also encouraging runners to attend the blood drive which will be at the Manchester High School the Friday after Thanksgiving from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
