When the world feels a little too stressful—whether it’s work, politics, rising prices or all the little pressures that add up—the Manchester Road Race allows us to escape and remember how light life can feel when the whole town comes together to celebrate. This Thanksgiving marked the 89th running of this well-loved event, a tradition that found a way to keep going even through COVID. Last year I wrote about the proposed road diet and its possible impact on the course, though I haven’t heard any updates since.
The weather couldn’t have been better this year: sunny and cool, a welcome change from last year’s cold, rainy race. The men’s winner set a new course record, finishing in 20 minutes and 54 seconds, and the women’s champion claimed her fifth straight victory with a time of 23 minutes and 18 seconds.
If you’ve never done the race, it’s a 4.7-mile course that begins with its famous first climb—a long hill that begins where Charter Oak Street becomes Highland Street and continues to rise all the way past Highland Park Market. Once you turn onto Porter Street, the rest is downhill until a short uphill at the very end on Main Street. This year, 12,386 people took part and 10,998 finished. The final finisher crossed the line in 1 hour, 53 minutes, and 20 seconds. He’s 86 years old.
World-class runners share the course with people dressed as polar bears, penguins, turkeys, Safety Man, Ghostbusters, and just about anything else you can imagine. Music comes from porches and lawns—live bands, giant speakers, and plenty of homemade sound systems. Spectators hand out snacks and drinks, including the occasional adult beverage, and kids line the sidewalks with outstretched hands counting how many high fives they can get.
Below are some of the photos and videos I captured while walking the course—a little glimpse into an uplifting tradition that has become part of Thanksgiving morning in Manchester.
Even walking just part of the course, you will feel the joyful energy, hear the encouragement, and sense the Manchester spirit that have made this race such an essential part of Thanksgiving morning in town. If you’ve never watched it or walked it yourself, consider joining the crowd next year. It’s a tradition that brings out the very best of Manchester!
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