I hemmed and hawed over this race for awhile (it's a bit far for me) and ultimately ran it as a test run to see where I stand before I begin my next cycle of marathon training. I decided to run the 10K a few days before online registration closed, however, I ended up not being able to resister on the race site nor through the Active.com link that was provided. No matter, I paid the fee in cash on race day, and while it was an increased price, it would have been the same with processing fees online anyway. It was a cheap race, which is hard to find these days.

I arrived at McCook Point Park about an hour early and the parking lot was filling up fast. I highly suggest arriving early or searching out alternative parking when coming to this event. Registration was a breeze, but because I hadn't preregistered I didn't get a shirt. And they actually had smalls that were small! Ah well, I don't *need* another shirt...

The course was an out & back through residential streets along the water. This made it not a great spectator course for my family, but it was a pleasant run for me. The out felt hilly, but that was simply because I was pushing the pace. After looking at my Garmin data I saw that it was indeed flat! There were ample water stations, though I used one in the first half. The volunteers were extremely enthusiastic and encouraging. Traffic was not completely stopped for this race, so look out! There were signs alerting drivers to the race, but with a few curves in the road it was difficult to see some of the vehicles, and I'm sure hard for them to see runners. Running the tangents also made navigating through traffic a little difficult since there were several curves & I did cross the road a few times. Just take caution.

The finish line was a little unclear. A set of cones was placed in the road (probably the start line) that LOOKED like the finish, yet the actual finish line was a bit further ahead. After six miles of pounding pavement, it's amazing how long 50 meters can feel! The crowd at the end was fantastic though and the bagpipes were a lot of fun.

Awards were given to the top 3 male & female overall winners (I came in third!) as well as to age groups, so lots of folks walked away with hardware. There were physical trainers with a tent helping out injured runners (I visited for my bum hamstring) and Flander's Fish was there passing out delicious cups of clam chowder and coupons. We ended up going there for post-race dinner and it was ah-maz-ing!! They were also able to take our party of 13 without any problems.

This was an awesome course to run if you are looking for a good time. I set a new PR by over a minute and a half with minimal training, and other runners around me seemed pleasantly surprised as well. There was also a decent level of competition (at least on the women's side) to help encourage you to push yourself. I would highly recommend this as an early summer race!

This was my second running of the Hartford Marathon and my third marathon ever. I was determined to come back & do better than I had in 2013 when I had last run. I was smarter, calmer, and much better prepared this time around. Though, I would say that Hartford is a great race for first time marathoners as well as those looking for a PR or qualifying time. The course is easy, fairly flat, well-marked & well staffed. Personally, I did not use any of the aid stations, but they seemed to be in full supply with adequate volunteers.

I attended the Expo to pick up my bib shortly after it opened on the first day, which meant there weren't a lot of people or much to see. That seemed like a bummer since I was looking forward to the pre-race camaraderie, not just non-runners trying to sell me anti-chaffing cream. I did score a great deal on a winter running jacket though! I was also a little bummed about the t-shirt & swag bag. The long sleeve shirt was cotton (can't run in that over the winter!) and there was nothing in the bag except pamphlets. I learned later that samples were given out an individual booths, but since I arrived fairly early, there wasn't much available. The interactive Mazda booth was fun though & I got a neat shoe tag (just for fun). Because I was going for the New England Double, I visited the Vermont booth & did get some nifty stuff there.

As for the race it's self; it is fantastic! I was displeased with the starting corrals because you needed to be a seeded runner to be able to start with the 3:30 pace group. If you weren't seeded you were placed behind a barrier. Kind of annoying since it meant for a lot of dodging around walkers at the start, but it was easy enough to fall into pace. The course was well marked and well layed out. Crowds along the way, even through residential areas, were enthusiastic and supportive. Police officers lined much of the course directing traffic and lending an air of safety. My family was able to park right near the start/finish line (even though we arrived only 30 mins before the gun!) and the gear check was quick and easy. Post race festivities were a little lacking. There didn't seem to be enough food for all the runners nor staff in the massage tent. Lines were long and slow moving. I waited over a half an hour for the massage tent and never moved up. However, I ran a PR and was happy to attended my home-state marathon.

https://mazyruns.wordpress.com/2016/10/11/the-hartford-marathon-was-a-success/

The Willimantic Classic is a small crowd with a big event feel. White vendors’ tents dotted the green. Port-o-lets – amazingly clean ones, I might add – lined the far end of the open space. Music was playing, pictures were snapping, spectators were given cow bells for cheering. The joy & adrenaline was just awesome. This race perfectly fit into my Spring Marathon training schedule.

As usual, my family was running a bit late, so we arrived shortly before 8 a.m. Thankfully Jillson Square is a large and well organized place, so there was ample parking right next to the starting line. I quickly found my buddies for the Run 169 group picture and did some drills and slow jogging down Main Street while my family headed off to the Kids’ Race.This year the Willimantic Athletic Club added both a 5k and a 10k to the line-up. Both races took off ahead of the half marathon. Despite the large number of entrants (over 600 runners) and three events, everything was well organized and went off without a hitch (and on time!)

My race, the half, took off 30 seconds after the 5k start which did cause a bit of a jumble as the lead pack of the half marathon caught up with the back of the pack of the 5k. Several of the half’s front runners ended up following a few 5k-ers and took the wrong course – though it was well marked with signs, cones, and volunteers.

The course is fantastic! Everything a road runner could ask for; a little trail and woods, but enough road to keep it fast – some city streets, a bit of residential, and lots of lovely countryside. The race starts off down Main Street in Willimantic. A quick jog left, then right onto a newly built section of the Airline Rail Trail. You stay on the dirt trail for about a mile, crossing a side street once, before you make a right onto pavement. You’ll encounter a few hills before you hit mile 6, but nothing too strenuous, and the winding New England backroads will distract you from them with their typical quaint beauty. About half way you head back into town, crossing the city’s famous “Frog Bridge”. But the “urban running” doesn’t last long as the course takes you around Jillson Square and back to the countryside for a few miles of farmland before you are brought back down Main Street and through Jillson Square to a bombastic finish. The Farmer’s Cow had a booth with free ice-cream cones and chocolate milk; an immensely satisfying treat after a long race! I also visited the Bodyworks booth for my complimentary post-race massage. Any kinks I got from those sparse hills were rubbed right out!

The race swag was also pretty cool. Mylar blankets for the half marathon finishers, some nifty medals, and delicious Fitboxes filled with yummy goodies!!

https://mazyruns.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/willimantic-a-small-city-to-run-drink-be-merry/