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Lead Stories: Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Manchester Road Race Establishes Trophy in Crothers’s Honor

Posted September 26th, 2008 at 5:34 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

Organizers of the Manchester Road Race have established a new trophy in honor of the late Ray Crothers, who died of cancer last February at the age of 65. Starting this year, the top finisher in the men’s over-60 division will receive the Ray Crothers Memorial Trophy.

Crothers won the Manchester Road Race in 1965 and also captured the high school division twice in 1959 and ‘60. Compiling an impressive long-term record at the event, he finished in the top-25 14 times between 1959 and 1980. He also won the over-40 bracket in 1984. Despite being gravely ill, he walked the 4.748 course last November.
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Ray Crothers Remembered

Posted March 5th, 2008 at 10:00 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results

Ray Crothers, who won the Manchester Road Race in 1965, passed away last Thursday from melanoma. He was 65.

Crothers not only won Manchester, but was a category winner at the high school level and the masters level. Amby Burfoot, who won Manchester nine times, has posted a remembrance of Crothers on his blog at this link:

http://footloose.runnersworld.com/2008/02/ray-graduated-f.html

It’s a good read on a man worth remembering.
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“Running” on YES Network: Dec 2007 Broadcast Calendar

Posted December 1st, 2007 at 10:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Olympics, Drugs In Sports

RUNNING is broadcast on the YES Network, which reaches 10.3 million households in the tri-state area, including 3.8 million nationally on Direct TV. To confirm airtimes, visit sportfilm.com and click on “Broadcast Calendar” and/or visit www.yesnetwork.com.

Highlights for December, 2007 include:

For 71 years the runners of America have come to Main Street for the Manchester Road Race with elites out front and 10,000 fun runners doing what they do best.
While 40,000 prepare for their big day, the ING New York City Marathon Wheelchair Racers are well on their way, and it’s a full speed ahead adventure.

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Megan Metcalfe Third in Manchester Road Race

Posted November 27th, 2007 at 1:34 PM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results

Canadian and Pan Am Games Champion Megan Metcalfe (CAN/New Balance) finished third at the 71st running of the Manchester Road Race in Manchester, CT on Thanksgiving Day. Metcalfe, who lowered her 5k best in 2007 to 15:15.73, crossed the line in 24:53, one second shy of 2nd place. In the men’s race, 2007 Canadian 5000 meter champion Reid Coolsaet (CAN/Rbk) used the race to break up his winter training and finished 7th.

In other road race action, American record holder Nicole Teter (USA/Nike Oregon Track Club) stepped way up in distance at the Silicon Valley 5k to finish 6th overall in a new personal best, while Melissa Cook (USA/New Balance) ran to an easy victory in Houston’s Run Thru the Woods 5-miler.
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Letherby, Begley Win 71st Manchester Road Race

Posted November 22nd, 2007 at 9:25 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results

andrew letherby nyrr healthy kidney 10k Andrew Letherby of Australia and Amy Begley of Beaverton, Ore., won today’s 71st running of the Manchester Road Race in Manchester, Conn.

For the 34 year-old Letherby it was his second Manchester victory. He also won the 4.78 mile race in 2002, and remains the only Australian to race to victory at Manchester. His time today of 21:54 was nine seconds faster than his 2002 winning mark, but only one second up on Irishman Martin Fagan who took second.

U.S. steeplechaser Brian Olinger of Westerville, Ohio, took third in 22:00, while defending champion, Ian Dobson of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., was fourth in 22:03.
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Top Talent Headed to Thursday’s Manchester
Road Race

Posted November 22nd, 2007 at 10:00 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results

America’s most venerated Thanksgiving Day running race, the Manchester Road Race, will celebrate its 71st edition on Thursday in Manchester, Conn., with some top talent at the front.

In the men’s race, last year’s champion Ian Dobson, the former Stanford star, will try to become the first American to defend his title at Manchester since steeplechaser John Gregorek won two in a row in 1988 and ‘89. In cold and rainy conditions last year, Dobson prevailed by just one second over Canadian Simon Bairu.

Dobson’s key competition will likely come from a pair of Ethiopian Olympians, Dagne Alemu and Girma Tola. Alemu has won three consecutive races since winning the York White Rose Run on Nov. 11; Tola won the Baltimore Half-Marathon on Oct. 13 and the Boston Mayor’s Cup Cross Country on Oct. 28. Also in the mix will be 2002 Manchester champion, Andrew Letherby of Australia; New Zealand Olympian Michael Aish; Canadians Reid Coolsaet and Dylan Wykes; Irishman Martin Fagan; steeplechasers Dan Huling and Brian Olinger; and milers Rob Myers and Grant Robison.
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Dobson and Bairu to Return to Manchester Road Race

Posted October 26th, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results

The top two finishers from last year’s Manchester Road Race will compete there again this Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22. Ian Dobson and Simon Bairu have both entered the 71st Manchester Road Race, race officials announced last week.

Dobson, a nine-time All-American at Stanford University, won last year’s race in 21:39. He finished one second ahead of Bairu, a Canadian citizen who starred at the University of Wisconsin. Bairu was the NCAA cross country champion in both 2004 and 2005.
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Olympic Champion
Frank Shorter To
Speak In Manchester

Posted October 19th, 2007 at 4:24 PM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results

The Manchester Road Race Committee will sponsor a speech by Olympic Marathon Champion Frank Shorter on Tuesday, November 20, 2007 at 7 p.m. at Manchester Community College’s SBM Auditorium.

Shorter, an All-American long distance runner at Yale University, won the marathon at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. Four years later, he captured the silver medal in the marathon at the Montreal Olympics.

Shorter, who is widely credited with helping to spark the “running explosion” that has occurred in the United States during the past three decades, is the honorary chairperson of the 71st Manchester Road Race. He is also expected to compete in the annual Thanksgiving Day event.
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Frank Shorter to be honored at Manchester Road Race

Posted September 10th, 2007 at 8:00 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Two-time Olympic medalist Frank Shorter will be honored at the 71st on Thursday, Nov. 22. He will serve as honorary chairperson, race organizers announced last week.

“Without Frank Shorter, the running boom would not have occurred,” Manchester Road Race Committee President Tris Carta said through a press release.. “We are absolutely thrilled that he has agreed to serve as the honorary chairperson of this year’s road race.”

According to Race Director Jim Balcome, Shorter plans to spend several days in Manchester prior to the event, and will meet with the media, address local athletes, and attend several other MRR functions. “Frank is a quality person—an elite runner who keeps in touch with the every-day jogger,” Balcome said. “We are really looking forward to having Frank with us and representing our race.”

The Manchester Road Race, held on Thanksgiving Day, is one of the oldest road races in the United States, held over a hilly 4.748 mile course. More information is available at http://www.manchesterroadrace.com.

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Shalane Flanagan to make rare road racing appearance

Posted August 17th, 2007 at 3:03 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Flanagan_Shalane USA record holder at 5000m, Shalane Flanagan, will make a rare road racing appearance at the CVS Caremark Downtown 5-K scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 16, in Providence, R.I. The race will host the USA 5-K road running championships for both men and women.

Flanagan, 26, is in the midst of the best year of her career. In January, she smashed the USA indoor record for 3000m at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games with a sizzling 8:33.25 clocking. She followed-up with an American record for 5000m at last April’s Mt. SAC Relays (14:44.80). Flanagan also dominated the 5000m at the AT&T USA Outdoor Championships last June in Indianapolis, winning by about 17 seconds. She’s now preparing for the IAAF World Championships in Athletics where she will compete in the 5000m.

The CVS Caremark Downtown 5-K will only be Flanagan’s second road racing appearance. In 2006, she ran the Manchester Road Race in Manchester, Conn., and won by three seconds over Ireland’s Mary Cullen.

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