At a ribbon cutting on Main Street on September 1, Mayor Jay Moran said what plenty of local runners had been thinking: Manchester ought to have a running store close to the Road Race's start and finish. That same day, Run Manchester by Kelley's Pace opened at 785 and 789 Main Street, about 300 yards from the line. It's the first year-round, race-focused storefront the Thanksgiving tradition has had in town.

The 90th Manchester Road Race steps off on November 26. But if you're planning to run, the date to circle is November 1. That's when the entry fee goes up and the option to have your bib mailed disappears. Miss it, and you'll be picking up your bib in person, most likely in Manchester.

A New Running Hub Steps From St. James

The race begins and ends on Main Street in front of St. James Church, looping 4.748 miles through downtown. The new shop is an offshoot of Kelley's Pace in Mystic, which takes its name from Olympian John Kelley, who won the Manchester Road Race six times.

Owner Jeff Anderson runs the Manchester location with Ashley Reichelt, a Manchester native. Reichelt runs Main Street regularly and saw the empty storefront as a natural fit. Inside, you'll find a map of the town's popular running routes and race posters lining the walls, and local coverage expects it to become a meeting place for run clubs.

Two training options are already up and running:

  • Thursday group runs: The Manchester Thursday Run with Urban Lodge x Run Manchester Run Club meets at 6:00 p.m. starting October 8 at Urban Lodge Brewing Co., 47 Purnell Place. It's a weekly, all-paces fun run, and there are seven Thursdays between October 8 and Thanksgiving week.
  • Fleet Feet Hartford training: A 10-week program kicked off September 19. It meets Saturdays at 8:00 a.m. at the store at 1003 Farmington Avenue in West Hartford, with relaxed group runs on Wednesday evenings too.

Why November 1 Matters

Registration opened September 1, and the price climbs in stages. The catch is that the mailing deadline lands on the same day as one of those increases.

  1. Through October 31: $37. (The $32 early-bird price expired September 30 at 11:59 p.m.)
  2. November 1: The fee goes to $40, and it's the final day to choose mailed bibs, which cost $20.
  3. November 21 at 4:30 p.m.: The fee goes to $42.
  4. November 24 at 11:59 p.m.: Registration closes. There's no race-day sign-up on Thanksgiving.
  5. November 26 at 10:00 a.m.: The race starts on Main Street.

How Bib Mailing Works

  • You need to register and select mailing by November 1. If you've already registered, you can add mailing through your Race Roster profile before then.
  • Once you pick mailing, you can't switch back.
  • Mailed bibs can't be picked up in person.
  • Up to five bibs bought in a single transaction and going to the same address ship together for one fee.
  • Bibs are printed and mailed starting in mid-to-late October and into early November.

To put the numbers side by side: mailing costs $20, registering after November 1 tacks on $3, and waiting past November 21 adds another $2.

The Field Is Filling

The race committee has capped participation at 14,000. As of September 23, registrar Dani Kennedy reported 4,076 entries, which is ahead of last year's pace. The 2025 race drew 12,382 registered runners and walkers, so there's room for only about 1,618 more people than last year. Kennedy's advice is simple: sign up early.

Where and When to Pick Up Your Bib

There's no bib pickup on Thanksgiving morning. If you skip mailing or register after November 1, you'll grab your bib at one of five sessions beforehand, three of them in Manchester:

  • Saturday, November 21, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: MRR Health & Fitness Expo at Manchester High School. Plenty of parking and the longest hours, though 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. is busy because of the Little Manchester Road Race.
  • Sunday, November 22, 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.: Fleet Feet in Glastonbury. A good chance to shop for shoes and gear.
  • Monday, November 23, 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.: Fleet Feet in West Hartford, an evening option.
  • Tuesday, November 24, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.: Urban Lodge Brewing in Manchester, with a social atmosphere.
  • Wednesday, November 25, 3:00 to 7:00 p.m.: Cone Gym at Bennet Academy in Manchester. Pickup only, with no registration.

A few tips: The Tuesday session at Urban Lodge is your last chance to register and collect your bib in one stop, since online registration shuts down that night. Wednesday is strictly for people who are already registered. And if you're bringing the family to Saturday's expo, aim to arrive after 10:00 a.m. to miss the Little Manchester rush. You'll still have more than six hours to work with.

What Makes the 90th Running Special

For the first time, every registered runner who crosses the finish on Thanksgiving morning will receive a commemorative medal featuring the race's winged-foot logo. Virtual participants won't get one. Committee president Dr. Tris Carta is encouraging everyone to register and wear their bibs.

This year's beneficiaries are Rebuilding Together of Manchester and Habitat for Humanity of North Central Connecticut, so your entry fee supports local housing work.

Honoring a Founder

The honorary chair is Dr. Eamon Flanagan, a Manchester physician and former chief of anesthesiology at Manchester Memorial Hospital. He helped launch the race committee in 1977, the year registration troubles pushed back the start and left runners waiting in line at the finish. He served as the committee's first president through the 1980s, bringing in hundreds of volunteers, commissioning a finish-line chute system to manage crowds, and improving registration and timing.

Together with P.J. Tierney, Tim Moriarty, Joe Mullarkey, and Pete Keenan, Flanagan recruited Irish standouts John Treacy and Eamonn Coghlan, helping turn Manchester into an international race. His family is expected to attend the race and the week's ceremonies.

Bigger Prizes and Fast Times

  • Winners now take home $10,000, up from $7,000, and second place earns $5,000, up from $4,000.
  • Last year, Edwin Kurgat set the men's course record at 20:54, the first finish ever under 21 minutes.
  • Weini Kelati claimed her fifth consecutive women's title in 23:18. She holds the women's course record of 22:55, set in 2021.
  • British runners Amy Eloise Neale and Marc Scott are coming through an exchange with the Great Manchester Run.
  • Hartford HealthCare has signed on as the new presenting sponsor.

Getting Around on Race Morning

  • Shuttles: Free buses leave from the east lot at CT State Community College–Manchester between 7:45 and 9:15 a.m., dropping riders on Linden Street at Center Memorial Park. Return trips run from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
  • Parking: Use town lots or side streets without posted restrictions. Steer clear of the backup at Exit 4, and never park on ramps or on I-384.
  • Road closures: The official sources don't quite agree. The shuttle page lists a 7:00 a.m. Main Street closure, while the race information page says 5:30 a.m., with some course roads and I-384 ramps closing at 9:00 a.m. Until the committee clarifies, plan around the earlier time.

Keep an eye on the official race website for updates as Thanksgiving approaches.

If you live near the course, or you've been thinking about making Manchester home, I'd be happy to help. Reach out for a home valuation or to talk through your next move.