Manchester Road Race Again Offering Virtual Option

MANCHESTER, CT — It's the next best thing to being there, Manchester Road Race officials say.

Runners who can't be physically present in Manchester on Thanksgiving morning will still be able participate in this year's 89th Manchester Road Race and have their times and finishes officially recorded.

For the sixth straight year, the Manchester Road Race Committee is offering a virtual option for individuals who cannot attend the on-site Turkey Day race in person. By downloading a GPS-enabled app on their smartphones, entrants can run the MRR distance of 4.737 miles at any location in the world.

An outline of the actual Manchester race course will appear on the runners’ phone screens, and their times will be electronically tabulated and transmitted to MRR officials. Although prizes are not awarded, individuals who complete the virtual road race will be credited with an official MRR finish for longevity purposes.

"We started doing the virtual road race in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic prevented us from holding an on-site race that Thanksgiving," says Dr. Tris Carta, the president of the Manchester Road Race Committee.

Carta said that the first virtual MRR in 2020 attracted 2,135 registrants and 1,749 finishers.

Runners participated in locations as far away as China, Ireland and France that year.

"Our committee decided to keep the virtual option available since then, and we’ve found it is popular with people who can’t be in Manchester on Thanksgiving Day but who wish to continue their tradition with the race by participating remotely," Carta says.

Last year, 100 runners and walkers competed virtually.

The entry fee for the virtual race is $30. Online registration is available at www.manchesterroadrace.com.

The 89th Manchester Road Race, one of America's largest and most popular Turkey Day events, will take place on Thanksgiving Day (this year on Nov. 27) at 10 a.m. The onsite event, which starts and finishes on Main Street in Manchester in front of St. James Church, annually attracts thousands of runners, including some of the world’s best long-distance competitors.

More details are available on the event website.