“I MIGHT be prejudiced.
But it’s true, I love New England best.”

So go the words of a song titled “New England” by Jonathan Richman.

And when it comes to the Greater Hartford Marathon, Jonathan Richman is right on! Amidst a backdrop of oranges, reds, and a lingering smattering of green, how can you not love New England in the fall—and this marathon in particular? Held the second Saturday of October, Hartford encapsulates New England in all her glory. Amidst the high-profile, big-city, huge-numbers marathons of the fall (New York, Chicago, Marine Corps), Hartford offers a delightful alternative in the medium-range category.

The Basics
Race	Greater Hartford Marathon
Organization	Hartford Marathon Foundation, Inc.
PHONE:	860/652-8866
FAX:	860/652-8145
E-MAIL:	hartfordmarathon@erols.com
WEB SITE:	www.hartfordmarathon.com
RACE DIRECTOR:	Beth Shluger
YEAR RACE ESTABLISHED:	1994
SANCTION:	USATF
START TIME:	Marathon & half-marathon: 8:00 a.m.
COURSE RECORDS:	Open men: Simon Peter, 2:16:59, Tanzania Open women: Irina Timorieva, 2:36:52, Russia Masters men: Jim Miller, 2:28:43, USA Masters women: Mary Burns Prine, 2:54:56, USA
PRIZE MONEY:	There is a $37,000 prize purse with prizes spread equally among male and female winners. Prize money also awarded in the half-marathon run and racewalk.
TIE-IN EVENTS:	Huck Finn 5K: 8:00 a.m.; Kids K: 9:30 a.m.
NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS:	1,500
MARATHON FINISHERS IN 2001:	1,375
MALE/FEMALE FINISHERS:	65 percent male; 35 percent female
COURSE MARKINGS:	26, plus kilometer markers at major points
WATER STATIONS:	Every mile, starting at mile 2
FUTURE RACE DATES:	Always a Saturday—12 Oct 02, 11 Oct 03, 09 Oct 04
ENTRY COST FOR 2002:	$45 before July 1; $55 after July 1; $65 after September 15
AREA HOTELS:	The official hotel is the Hartford Hilton, 860/728-5151; special rates available for marathon entrants. For more hotel information, you can also contact the Greater Hartford Tourism District at 800/793-4480.
GETTING THERE:	The Greater Hartford Marathon can be reached from the east by taking I-84 to exit 48 (Asylum Ave.), turn left off exit, turn right after underpass onto Ford St.; Bushnell Park is on your right. From the west, take I-84 to exit 48A (Asylum Ave.), turn right off exit, then take the next right onto Ford St.; Bushnell Park is on your right. From north or south, take I-91 to exit 29A (Capitol Area), and continue straight to Bushnell Park. There is free parking for runners, volunteers, and spectators in the State of Connecticut Office Building lot, located at 165 Capitol Ave., one block south of Bushnell Park. Bradley International Airport is located 20 minutes north (off I-91) of downtown Hartford in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. Ground transportation and car rental agencies are available at the airport. Amtrak/Metro North and all major bus lines arrive and depart Hartford at Union Station, located at Union Place off Asylum St. The station is located across the street from Bushnell Park.

The marathon is the brainchild of Beth Shluger. On October 1, 1994, she and a small knot of supportive volunteers produced the inaugural Greater Hartford Marathon. The event was very much a community extravaganza, as area businesses, nonprofit organizations, civic groups, and over 400 volunteers came together to make the race a reality—on very short notice. The first race was put together in a mere five months.

Marathoning legend “Boston Bill” Rodgers, often closely associated with Boston because of his four wins there and his Boston running store, is actually a native of Newington, Connecticut, where he ran cross-country in high school. For the inaugural Hartford Marathon, Bill served as honorary chairman.

The municipalities of Hartford, East Hartford, and South Windsor all cooperated to meet the demands of opening up their streets and services to welcome the 1,362 runners who ran the USATF-certified course.

Hartford’s mayor was quoted as saying, “We’ve finally got a sports event that will get Hartford up and running! We’ve got the marathon and it’s the work of the community pulling together that’s making it happen.”

It was estimated that 5,000 spectators lined the course in the three communities, adding enthusiasm to the occasion. The race committee made donations to Riverfront Recapture, Inc., the Hartford Police Athletic League, and the East Hartford Police Youth Programs.

GROWTH WITHOUT PAINS

“The marathon just seems to grow and grow,” says Rodgers. Despite the fact that he was scheduled to compete in the inaugural Boston Athletic

Must See/Must Avoid
GO SEE IT
The Mark Twain House	(351 Farmington Ave., Hartford; 860/247-0998 x26). Step back into the Gilded Age by taking a guided tour of the 19-room Tiffany-decorated mansion where Mark Twain raised his family and worked from 1871 to 1891. During this incredibly productive period, Twain created such classics as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Huck Finn, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.
Bushnell Park	An excellent place to take a little jog the day before the marathon to let off a little steam. It is the nation’s oldest public park and is dotted with grassy areas, ponds, and the famous Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, through which the race finishes. There’s also a marvelous old-fashioned carousel. Bring the kids or take a ride yourself on the merry-go-round.
Mark Twain River Boat	Enjoy the beauty of scenic New England at its best from the comfort of all-weather boats. See for yourself why the beautiful Connecticut River Valley has been named one of the 40 “Last Great Places” in the Western Hemisphere by the international Nature Conservancy. Advance tickets are not necessary for regular day cruises but are recommended for special event cruises. Free parking at all locations. Regularly scheduled cruises operate in all reasonable weather conditions. Call 860/526-4954 for updates.
Wadsworth Atheneum	(600 Main St., Hartford; 860/278-2670). America’s oldest public art museum, the Wadsworth Atheneum, is home to a world-renowned collection of fine and decorative arts. The quality and range of the works—from Hudson River School landscapes and modernist masterpieces to porcelains, costumes, and American furniture—put the museum among the top in the country. Free admission all day Thursday and before noon on Saturday.
AVOID
Parking Tickets. Don’t stray too far from your parking meter for too long. Watch your time on some of the meters. Aside from that, the city is awesome! A new municipal parking pavillion with a 3,000 car capacity has just opened. Walk around and enjoy the outdoor cafes (if the weather permits), the many restaurants, and on behalf of your legs, you might want to book a hotel with a hot tub for postrace relaxation.

Association Half-Marathon the day following last year’s marathon (Hartford is run on Saturday), Rodgers was still on hand to greet runners at the expo and speak at the Friday night pasta feed. These days some 30,000 spectators line the course and the race draws over 7,000 runners and 1,500 volunteers.

And the marathon’s commitment to the community has kept pace. The Marathon Foundation has established a program called “Heart ‘n’ Sole,” which donates the cost of one holiday meal for each athlete or volunteer. Donations are channeled through Center City Churches of Hartford, East Hartford Interfaith Ministry, and the South Windsor Food & Fuel Bank. The marathon also serves as a fundraiser for five charities.

Each athlete has the opportunity to raise pledge money for the American Diabetes Association, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the Arthritis Foundation, the United Way, or Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. In the past nine years, these pledges have brought hundreds of thousands of dollars to these groups.

THE COURSE

The race route starts on Elm Street and finishes on Trinity Street, next to the 116-foot Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch in Hartford’s gorgeous Bushnell Park. The marathon and half-marathon courses run together at the start, immediately crossing the Founders Bridge to East Hartford. From there, runners travel onto Main Street, East Hartford’s central business district.

The half-marathon makes an about-face at mile 4.5, while the marathon continues into the picturesque farmland of South Windsor. “At about mile nine, there’s a very welcome turnaround, and we head back toward the city,” says Guy Gordon, the 1999 and 2000 masters winner.

The marathon runners reverse their route and eventually cross the Founders Bridge back into Hartford. They pass by Bushnell Park at the 20-mile mark. The last 10K consists of a run through Hartford’s west end. Gordon adds: “It’s great to get back to the park, and though there’s a hill just after mile 20, the spectators are there cheering us on.”

The final three miles are downhill with a finish so spectacular under the Arch that it makes you feel like a king or queen as you make your final rush to the tape. Spectators line the final 200 meters, all of them thoroughly caught up in the music, celebration, pomp, and circumstance.

Held at the Hartford Hilton, the race expo features over 50 exhibitors. Bill Rodgers was on hand to give a seminar on “Course Strategy.” Rodgers spends the day floating around greeting runners and is, as usual, open to talking to just about anyone who wants to take the time.

The pasta supper runs from 5:30 to 7:30 P.M. on Friday. Last year, in keeping with the marathon’s theme of humorist Mark Twain, Bob Schwartz, author of I Run, Therefore I Am—Nuts!, spoke not once but twice, giving all participants an opportunity to enjoy his running wit and wisdom as he explored the peculiarities of runners and the strange and comical situations they encounter.

The dinner, held at Aetna on Farmington Avenue, features an all-you-can-eat extravaganza of pasta, salad, fresh bread, desserts, and beverages. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids; kids under 8 eat free.

A unique feature of the Greater Hartford Marathon is something called “Passion for Pasta.” Marathon organizers realize that not everyone wants to or can make the official pasta party, so they’ve arranged deals with restaurants throughout the city to offer special pasta dishes in honor of the marathon.

A RUNNING PARTY

On race day, the marathon and half-marathon start simultaneously, and as the runners make their way along Hartford’s highways and byways, the marathon committee has “parties” for spectators along the routes. Each party features live entertainment and plenty of parking. Party Number One is at the start/finish area in Bushnell Park. Here, spectators can cheer for the 7,000 runners as they cross the finish line. The party features continuous entertainment, children’s activities, exhibits, and the Kids K Run. This party runs from 8:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.

Party Number Two, billed as Breakfast on the Plaza at the Hartford Riverfront, goes from 8:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. Here, fans can enjoy breakfast overlooking the Connecticut River and enjoy live entertainment as they watch runners stream across the bridge at mile 2 and back again at mile 8 of the half-marathon and mile 18 of the marathon.

Other parties include The Country Blue Grass Mile on Main Street in East Hartford.

Immediately following the race, Hartford takes on an atmosphere that is difficult to describe. There are booths boasting everything from energy bars to new sports drinks to apparel to massage dotting the green of Bushnell Park. One huge tent is food court heaven. Traditional postrace eats are available as well as Hartford’s now trademark apple crisp. Filippo Berino Olive Oil has a booth where the company offers runners bread dipped in its out-of-this-world oil (good fats!). Radio station 96.5 is on hand and Foot Prints Family Shoe Store is happy to fit runners with the latest sneaks. Dancing Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee Coladas, mascots complete with pink pants and orange feet, do the twist and offer runners, volunteers, and spectators samples of the latest Dunkin’ Donuts coffee.

And then, there’s the beer. Not just any beer but Otter Creek Brewing Fine Ales. Located in Middlebury, Vermont, the brewery makes an annual trip to Bushnell Park to serve its homemade brew to runners and their entourages following the race. It even has a special creation, called Marathon Ale, which is brewed each October just for Hartford.

But let’s not overlook the dairy side of things. “This race is amazing!” said Sean Fallon of West Simsbury, Connecticut, following last year’s race. Fallon not only ran the half-marathon, he ran it dressed as a cow! On a day with temperatures nearing 75 degrees, he said of his furry, bovine costume, “These things aren’t made of CoolMax, you know!” Why, then, heifer it through 13.1 miles?

“I did it for my friend Dawn,” he beamed. This was Pennsylvania girl Dawn Gallagher’s first half-marathon, and Fallon knew it would take her mind off the distance if he added levity to the situation. “Man, if I only got a dollar for every time someone asked me, ‘Got milk?'”

PARTY ‘TIL YOU DROP

Runner’s High/Runner’s Low
HIGHS Very well-organized race weekend Good, scenic course Beautiful city Terrific postrace party Relatively easy access to everything Plenty of community and regional support	LOWS Hill just after mile 20 Unforgiving parking meters

The postrace party, officially titled “The Sally’s Smokin’ After Race Party & Awards Celebration,” runs from 5:00 to 9:00 P.M. at one of the top 20 blues clubs in the entire United States! At the party, race awards are given out to all divisions and the fare consists of award-winning BBQ Cajun cookin’. Sally’s is consistently voted one of Connecticut’s top 10 restaurants. Entertainment was provided last year by Sandra Hall, a “blues belter” who sings some awesome Chicago blues and boogie-woogie. Get ready to get down with whatever energy you have left after the race.

From the moment you set foot in Hartford and check in to one of the many hotels to the time you go to the expo and pasta dinner to the race itself (the marathon or the half or the 5K) to the pleasant 60-degree weather last year, you may find yourself, postrace, relaxing on your back in Bushnell Park, catching some rays while enjoying that “marathon buzz.” Hartford isn’t merely a marathon—it’s an extravaganza for the mind, body, and “sole.”

Guy Gordon sums it up this way: “There’s nothing quite like Hartford. They create a runner’s ‘Super Bowl’ weekend with the preamble, the outstanding event itself, and the postrace party.”

The numbers related to the marathon sound like an aerobic take on “The Twelve Days of Christmas”:

• 28,800 safety pins
• 100,000 paper cups
• 35,000 volunteer hours
• 9,600 gallons of water
• 8,500 T-shirts
• 5,400 space blankets
• 3,000 finishers’ medals
• 2,500 yards of barricade tape
• 1,000 pounds of pasta
• 500 “No Parking” signs
• 320 gallons of pasta sauce
• 312 awards
• and 95 port-a-johns.

TIE-IN EVENTS

One of the unique things about Hartford is how the marathon committee

goes out of its way to make the weekend fun for the entire family. In keeping with this philosophy, the race includes the kids. Running is great exercise and a lot of fun at any age. The Kids K is a noncompetitive fun-run designed just for the youngsters. All kids wear race bib #1 and are treated equally at the finish regardless of their finishing time. Kids 3–11 can enter races from 50 yards to one mile. All races loop around Bushnell Park. Kids K runners gather at 9:15 on marathon morning on Elm Street in Bushnell Park.

The half travels on the same roads as the marathon. The entire course is flat and fast with the last four miles full of entertainment and surprises. Additionally, there is a half-marathon competitive racewalk division with prizes to the top three male and female finishers.

The start of the Huck Finn 5K underscores the impeccable timing that characterizes the Greater Hartford Marathon extravaganza. Just after the first marathon wheelchair competitor passes by the 5K start, located across the park from the marathon and half starts, the 5K starter is on notice and on his walkie-talkie, ready to start the 5K simultaneously with the marathon and half-marathon start. Last year’s 5K was incredibly competitive, as the top male and female runners duked it out over the entire course. A 5K Team Challenge also was added last year.

PACING TEAMS

The marathon also offers pace leaders for runners who need help in reaching their Boston qualifying goals. These leaders are experienced runners who have volunteered to run the race at a set pace. Pacers are provided in various times between 3:10 and 4:30. To become part of any pacing group, runners are asked to register at the Marathon Pacing Team Booth at the Health and Fitness Expo.

THE ONLY NEGATIVE

Some people were upset that the race gave out only some awards in Bushnell Park after the races, while other awards were reserved for distribution at the evening, postrace party. The race is working to make the awards process smoother for the 2002 race.

BEFORE YOU GO . . .

You might want to read (or read again) The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Mark Twain’s influence on Hartford is incredible. Twain made Hartford his home between 1871 and 1891, longer than he lived anywhere else. What better way to taper than to curl up with one of Twain’s literary classics? During marathon weekend, you’ll be able to astound your friends with pertinent literary comments on the proceedings.

The Bottom Line

We have weighed various aspects of a marathon within a 1,000-point scoring grid. Besides the author of the article, two dozen runners at the race were randomly chosen to score the race for us (GHM = Greater Hartford Marathon). The results follow:

1. HISTORY/TRADITION

Evaluate the race’s sense of history and tradition.
[Possible points: 30    GHM score: 27]

2. ENTRY FORM

Is the race entry form clear, concise, attractive, complete, and easy to fill out?
[Possible points: 20    GHM score: 20]

3. ENTRY COST

For most races, the entry fee covers between 30 and 50 percent of the cost of putting on the event. Rate the value of your dollar relative to this race.
[Possible points: 30    GHM score: 30]

4. LOCALE/SCENICS

Is the race held in an area that is easy to get to and scenic and offers adequate food and housing services and nonrace activities for family and friends?
[Possible points: 50    GHM score: 47]

5. REGISTRATION

Is registration well organized and efficient? Does it bog down unnecessarily?
[Possible points: 20    GHM score: 16]

6. PRERACE ACTIVITIES

Evaluate activities, such as pasta feeds, parties, and so on, during the days before the race.
[Possible points: 50    GHM score: 47]

7. EXPO

Does the expo offer a fair number and variety of booths relative to the race’s size? Are there quality exhibitors and good guest speakers?
[Possible points: 50    GHM score: 44]

8. COURSE

Take into consideration the following: degree of difficulty, certified, sanctioned, quality of road or trail surface, adequate mileage and directional markers, aid stations, medical coverage, race communications, accessibility to course for friends and family, typical weather, and so on.
[Possible points: 400    GHM score: 338]

9. RACE AMENITIES

This category includes race T-shirt, finisher’s medal, finisher’s certificate, adequate and efficient finish area, ease of sweatbag retrieval, showers, postrace refreshments, awards ceremony, raffles, results postcard, results book, and so on.
[Possible points: 250    GHM score: 229]

10. VOLUNTEERS

Are the volunteers experienced and adequate in number?
[Possible points: 100    GHM score: 100]

TOTAL SCORE FOR GREATER HARTFORD MARATHON

898 points