Someone in another forum was writing about reasons they wouldn't do a race...mostly it came down to things "young" races get wrong, or haven't ironed out yet. Which had me thinking I almost never run a race in this state that hasn't been contested for at least 20 years. So, started putting together the list of oldest CT races...here's what I have so far:
Years old = assumes it will be run in 2014 (or already has been).
I'm a little skeptical of the Jim Fixx one - that 50 year old claim I think is fairly new, and I have a suspicion that maybe it was called something else, or was on different dates, or wasn't continuous...because New Milford always claims to be "third oldest" (behind Manchester and Westport). Finding out Firecracker was 49 was new to me too.
Anyway, add / amend if you know any I'm missing.
Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and roguesWe're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes
delicate flower
Huh...I've only done one of those (Manchester). I guess for some of the newer races, I trust the reputation of the organizer (HMF, Shoreline Sharks, etc).
<3
Oh yeah - not saying new races are bad at all. Just amazed at how many established - really established - traditional races there are.
And:
Branford Road Race: 34
Hold the Mayo
Wow Run For The Rock is over 30 years old ?!
And here I thought our July 4th club race was a an old one at 22 years (as a 5K - add a couple more for when it was a 3 miler before that)
Not sure of some of the ages, but here's a few others that go back "before the turn of the century" .
As far as I can recall, or see from race results / history, these are all continuously operating races:
50+
John J. Kelley / John & Jessie Kelley Road Race (New London, 11.6 miles, 52nd running this year)
40+
Meriden Tradition Run (started in either 1970 or 71)
Lake Waramaug Ultras (50 mile / 100k - 1974)
Bristol Mum-A-Thon 5K - 45th running in 2014
30+
Pequot Thanksgiving Day Race (32nd running this year)
Bloomfield Memorial Day (31 this year; 30 years as 3 miler, now a 5K)
Stratford MADD Dash 5K (at least 20 years; may be close to 30. I remember running this in the late '80s - I think I still have the shirt !)
Fairfield 1/2 (30th running this year)
20+ years
Ridgefield Half (at least 1985)
Litchfield Hills (at least 1987)
Christopher Martin's 5K (at least 1987)
Nichols Jingle Bell Run (Trumbull, 25th running this year)
Fishang-Cicchetti 5 Mi (Waterbury, at least 1989)
Monroe Sprint 5K (at least 1993)
Trumbull Pumpkin Run (4 miler back to at least 1993, changed to 5K format 2 or 3 years ago)
Darien Road Race (goes back to at least 1995)
Trumbull Cow Chip "5K"
Roxbury Race Series
Others, limited history:
Shelton Sunset Run 10k (1985) - can't find records that this one has been held continuously.
Kelley's Pace Hare Hop - ended its run last year, after 30 years.
MTA: Added Bristol Mum-A-Thon
"You're Not Winning"
Connecticut Runners' Forum on RunningAhead
Nice adds. Yeah, Run for the Rock surprised me too.
I looked back at some of my early races.
Darien's Bunny Boogie (3M): 33 years.
Bigelow Tea 5k: 27 years
Nipmuck Trail Marathon - 31 this year