The ING Hartford Marathon and Half Marathon--Among the Best and the Greenest Anywhere
By Skip Cleaver
For Active.com
The ING Hartford Marathon and associated events are simply the best
by every standard. It will be the place to be and place to race on
October 10, 2009. This will be the 16th running, presented by the
Hartford Marathon Foundation, which has worked tirelessly for years to
make it bigger and better with great success. They are famous for
unique features and attention to detail. Their commitment to the
environment and philanthropic causes make these events very special.
Everything is world class: Terrific awards, unbelievable volunteers,
sponsorship from ING and a host of other terrific companies and
organizations, a spectacularly fast course, spectator friendly loops,
emphasis on charities and giving, a delicious post-race party
celebration (simply the best anywhere), and excellent live music with
over 50 bands performing live. Run Hartford! You are not only a
participant, but a guest enjoying top-flight organization at one of the
Northeast’s most beautiful, engaging, and rewarding destinations.
The ING Hartford Marathon is the ideal marathon. The course is alive
with natural beauty in peak foliage season, along with history, and
wonderful architecture. Much of the marathon and half marathon are run
along the along the Connecticut, New England’s largest river. Race day
always goes like clockwork with thousands of runners, and 332 separate
awards. Additionally, Connecticut provides so many interesting sites
and experiences that runners like to spend a few days in the Nutmeg
State—and Hartford is in the middle of it all. Yes, the location is
awesome.
The
marathon is the keystone, but there will also be a marathon relay (2-5
person teams), a half marathon run, half marathon race walk, 5K, and
Kids’ K (varies in distance by age group), with all kids getting
recognition and a chance to finish at the world class finish line. With
so many options, there will be a distance, a challenge, and a
celebration for everyone.
The setting will be crowned by magnificent, vibrant foliage, for which
New England is famous. People come from all over the world to see New
England in autumn. Hartford is a driving, dynamic, modern city; but the
city and the Greater Hartford region are also home to quaint, historic,
colonial and Victorian villages and neighborhoods. You will enjoy a
distinctive destination marathon.
The Greenest of Them All
The ING Hartford Marathon has been selected as one of five seedling
races in the United States by the Council for Responsible Sport (CRS),
and it is a model. They received the prestigious Gold Certification for
green sporting events. CRS certifies sustainable athletic events which
are environmentally responsible and which meet its guidelines in five
criteria: waste, climate, materials/equipment, community/outreach, and
health promotion.
The event uses a Fuel Cell bus to transfer the elite and the relay
teams, a Fuel Cell car for the lead vehicle, renewable energy credits,
and reusable water bottles.
“We want to be the greenest sporting event anywhere,” said Race
Director and Hartford Marathon Foundation President Beth Shluger. “Not
only the greenest road race on the planet, but we want to be the
greenest of all sporting events,” she said. The innovation and planning
to make this happen are impressive by any standard. The dedication to
this concept is palpable.
The Health and Fitness Expo, Packet Pick Up, and Pasta Dinner
The Health and Fitness Expo will be held Thursday and Friday, October 8
and 9 from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the XL Center (formerly the
Hartford Civic Center). It’s on Trumbull Street in the heart of
Hartford, only two blocks from the start and finish. The Pasta Feast
will also be the Friday evening, 5:00 to 7:30 p.m., also at the XL
Center.
Packet
pick up will be available during the Expo at the XL Center and also
race day morning at the XL Center beginning at 6:00 a.m. There will be
no number pick up at Bushnell Park—only at the XL Center.
Also on Friday there will be a fun run with Bill Rodgers, a Hartford
native, Olympian, and four-time winner of both the Boston and New York
Marathons. He will also be at the Expo to meet runners and sign
autographs.
There will be a variety of seminars and clinics at The Expo, with over
75 vendors and organizations participating. The general public is
invited to attend and check out nutritional products, sports and
fitness apparel and equipment, health screening opportunities, info on
recreational activities, exercise equipment, athletic apparel, running
shoes, and various races.
Bushnell Park—the Ideal Race Day Location
All events will start and finish at beautiful Bushnell Park in the
center of Hartford. Bushnell Park is itself an attraction, and the
center of marathon activity. Humming with energy, the park will be
brilliant with the colors of New England autumn, right in the center of
dynamic Hartford. The post race party (the best post race food
anywhere) will get underway at 8:30 a.m., along with the finish line
Expo.
Bushnell is a 40-acre front lawn of the gorgeous, golden domed,
gingerbread Victorian State Capitol. The park, established in 1854,
includes a working antique carousel (hand carved, 1914), a playground,
and the soaring towers of the Soldiers and Sailors Civil War Memorial
Arch built in 1884 and symbol of the ING Hartford Marathon, and a
fitting ending to each event, a triumph of fun and fitness.
The signature Marathon and Half Marathon, along with the Marathon
Relay, and Half Marathon Race Walk, will begin at 8:00 a.m. near the
Capitol on Elm Street bordering Bushnell Park. The accompanying 5K will
start simultaneously, but at a different Bushnell Park location.
The
unique marathon relay, which has 2-5 person teams, includes legs of
5.5, 3, 5.6, 7.5, and 4.6 miles. The relay will have nine team
divisions: Open, masters 40-49, and grand masters (50+)—women, men, and
mixed. Check the Website for relay rules and descriptions.
The Kids’ K will run at 9:30 a.m. They provide a non-competitive run
for children 2-11. Distance is based on age groups, and each child will
run under the inspiring Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch. Each will
receive a medal and a goodie bag with special treats.
Terrific, Inspiring, Fast Courses
These races provide beautiful courses along New England’s largest
river, and amidst the incredible foliage splendor of Hartford, East
Hartford, and South Windsor in autumn. The marathon course is marked in
orange, while the half marathon course is marked with blue, and the 5K
course in Red. All courses are 100% traffic free. The 50 bands will
keep everyone pumping throughout the race. Fluid stations are available
nearly every mile, and Hartford Hospital provides medical stations at
key locations. All courses are mostly flat. From Bushnell Park and the
capitol, the Marathon and Marathon Relay will surge through 4.3 miles
together, before the half marathon splits off in East Hartford.
The ING Hartford Marathon travels a very inspiring and fast course
through historic Hartford, East Hartford, and South Windsor, and will
keep your attention. Although it starts and finishes within the
striking grandeur of the city of Hartford, there is also a rural
section where many fields and farms dot the landscape along with
colonial homes. South Windsor appears much the same as it has for
several centuries. Course changes have made the route better and more
scenic, with plenty of views for those who take the time to look. The
surface is road and paved bike path, with the final miles featuring the
very scenic river front trail along the majestic Connecticut River.
Post-race activities feature one of the best parties in North America
and the only marathon known to be serving 100% organic foods.
The Marathon event records are 2:33:23 by Ramilia Burangulova in 2003,
and 2:16:34 by Moses Kemboi in 2005. The Half Marathon event records
are 1:15:11 by Jackline Tatori in 2002, and 1:03:36 by Benedict Akoi in
1999.
Post Race and Awards
There will be a post race party to remember, a fitting celebration!
Enjoy “the best post race food in North America”, with organic,
natural, and locally grown foods to feast on. During the morning and
afternoon at Bushnell Park there will be wonderful music and family
entertainment, along with dozens of exhibitors.
Granite State Race Services will be timing the races using the
Championchip. Times will be posted very quickly and accurately. There
will be over 332 individual and team awards presented. These include 30
divisions in each race, using 5-year groupings, plus 18 wheelchair
prizes (6 per race), and 18 Clydesdale and Athena awards (also 6 per
race). There will be at minimum 28 cash awards totaling over $60,000.
All marathon finishers will receive a medal and certificate, and all
half-marathoners will receive a medal.
Orange Laces ands Charity Options to Make a Difference
Charity running is exceptionally important at ING Hartford, with many
choices and many opportunities. The ING Hartford Marathon continues in
the tradition of giving. Charities can include any organization
registered as a 501 (c) (3), and the effort will heighten the personal
satisfaction, along with personal achievement. The Hartford Marathon
Foundation serves as a fundraiser for several charities.
This event has raised approximately $3.7 million since its inception
for local and national charities dedicated to “create and manage
fitness events to benefit the greater Hartford community,” and
particularly the kids. To help give kids a “running start to better
health,” you can donate on line and get your orange laces, a symbol of
your support in helping introduce kids to an active lifestyle; and
support in the fight against child obesity in America.
Some
of the charities which have been supported by the marathon include
Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, the Juvenile Diabetes Research
Foundation, The NF Marathon Team - fundraising arm of the Children’s
Tumor Foundation, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the American
Diabetes Association, and many others. There are even perks for runners
with their own mission who support their personal causes. The website
explains it all.
Hartford Region and Connecticut
You can almost feel the sense of history in this region, the
industriousness and cultural icons. The Wadsworth Atheneum (built in
1842, the first public art museum in the US, with artifacts spanning
5,000 years) is two blocks from the marathon finish. There are great
restaurants and other museums within walking distance, and many more in
nearby towns. River Front Walkway carries pedestrian traffic across the
river, or to the M/V Mark Twain. The walkway and pedestrian bridge to
Great River Park are immediately adjacent to the Marathon course. Mark
Twain loved Hartford, where he lived, wrote, and raised his family. He
created many of his classics. Harriet Beecher Stowe lived next door to
the Mark Twain home. Both houses are open to the public.
Connecticut is the state of many firsts. Hartford is home to the
Museum of American Political Life, and the home of Noah Webster. The
inspiring New England Air Museum is adjacent to Bradley International
Airport, and the Submarine Museum is in nearby Groton, adjacent to the
United States Coast Guard Academy. The Mashantucket Pequot Museum of
Native American History is terrific, located adjacent to the world’s
largest casino at Foxwoods near Norwich. The equally impressive Mohegan
Sun Casino is also nearby.
Just a few miles northeast of Hartford is Storrs, home of the
University of Connecticut Huskies, this year’s NCAA National Champions
in Women’s Basketball. A little further northeast is the “Quiet
Corner”, Connecticut’s northeast border, offering rolling hills and
farms with fabulous foliage and colonial homes. Putnam is New England’s
Antique Capital.
Hartford is easy to get to. Bradley International Airport is a few
miles north, and also serves nearby Springfield, Massachusetts, home of
the Basketball Hall of Fame. Interstates 91 and 84 intersect within
Hartford, making north-south and east-west transition very efficient,
and I-95 traverses the state west to east. The Union Station for Amtrak
is adjacent to Bushnell Park, and also houses several bus companies.
The Hartford Marathon Foundation
The Hartford Marathon Foundation, Inc. is a 501c (3) non-profit
organization. They are the organizers of the ING Hartford Marathon and
associated events. They direct 27 events throughout Connecticut. They
are well known for the excellent training programs for beginning
runners and new marathoners, as well as for sponsoring children’s
running programs. Phone (860) 652-8866, or e-mail
info@hartfordmarathon.com.
This is Your Event—Let’s Go
The ING Hartford Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K are famous for unique
features and attention to detail. Everything about these events is
world class: Sponsorship, a spectacularly fast course, top flight
organization by the Hartford Marathon Foundation, energetic volunteers,
and wonderful athletes from around the world.
Runners are drawn to Hartford for the terrific race amenities, the
cultural attractions, beautiful courses, choice of distances, energetic
bands, many, many quality awards, strong leadership, emphasis on
charities, scrumptious food, and the famous post race celebration.
Hartford, and all Connecticut, provides a gold mine of cultural,
historic, and athletic attractions and opportunities.
Hartford cannot be beat: Fabulous foliage, the beautiful State
Capitol, Victorian grandeur, glinting skyline, colonial village, and
New England’s largest river and riverfront lined with brilliant color.
It’s running in the best of places—green initiatives and
sustainability, history, museums, the arts, parks, restaurants, and
beautiful foliage. Bring your camera, your friends, family, and your
curiosity. Live this experience. Connecticut is the place to be in
October.
Visit www.inghartfordmarathon.com today to sign up.
