First-Day Registration Record Set for 2026 Manchester Road Race

Registration for the 2026 Manchester Road Race set a first-day record on Tuesday, with 1,825 entrants signing up—double last year's 946 and well above the average for previous years, according to race officials. Dr. Tris Carta, president of the Manchester Road Race Committee, confirmed the new Day 1 milestone.

This year marks the 90th running of the event, one of America's oldest and most celebrated Thanksgiving Day races. The field is capped at 14,000 runners, and this year's title sponsor is Hartford HealthCare. The course is a 4.737-mile loop through Manchester's central streets, starting at 10 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 26, 2026) on Main Street in front of St. James Church. Last year, more than 12,000 participants ranging from Olympians to costume-clad joggers, walkers and crawlers took part.

The entry fee is $32 for those who register before 11:59 p.m. EDT on Sept. 30, increasing to $37 on Oct. 1, $40 on Nov. 1, and $42 on Nov. 21 at 4:30 p.m. Registration closes completely on Nov. 24 at 11:59 p.m. EST, with no entries accepted on race day. Runners can pick up their bibs in person at no cost or have them delivered for a fee; details on bib distribution dates, locations, and delivery fees are available at www.manchesterroadrace.com. The committee reminded entrants that there will be no bib pickup on race morning.

Primary charitable beneficiaries of unallocated proceeds are Rebuilding Together of Manchester and Habitat for Humanity of North Central Connecticut. Last year's winner, Olympian Edwin Kurgat of Flagstaff, AZ, set a course record of 20:54, while fellow Flagstaff runner Weini Kelati won the women's championship for a fifth consecutive year. The race is organized annually by about 400 volunteers of the Manchester Road Race Committee, with support from the Town of Manchester.