Residents of Utica and the surrounding areas host thousands of visitors each year, usually during July, for the running of the Boilermaker Road Race. But to make the event happen this year, Boilermaker staff said they had to plan for an October date, and that has led to some other changes.
“We pushed it out to October to give it the best chance of being held in-person. Not being able to hold it in-person again would have put the organization in jeopardy, quite honestly,” Boilermaker President Mark Donovan said.
Donovan is busy setting up the former Macy’s at Sangertown Square Mall for the MVHS Health and Wellness Expo.
What You Need To Know
- The Boilermaker Road Race takes place Oct. 10, 2021
- There will be fewer participants, as elite runners were not invited and there is a vaccine requirement
- The MVHS Health and Wellness Expo at Sangertown Square will kick off Boilermaker weekend
“It’s going to be a very exciting year,” he said. “It should be a little cooler, a little different.”
Donovan says fewer people will be participating in this year’s race. Elite runners were not invited, and prize money isn’t up for grabs. But that means locals have better odds of winning.
“We have a strong chance of a non-professional winning the Boilermaker and having their name etched in stone with all these other champions, including Olympians, over the 40-plus years,” Donovan said.
Another factor contributing to low race numbers is a vaccine requirement. This also means the post-race party will be open exclusively to race participants.
“Three-quarters of our runners come back every year,” Donovan said. “We need those people to understand that there are differences this year, so just plan ahead, give yourself some extra time to ensure everything will go off smoothly.”
A few other notes: Participants of the 15K will see fewer water stations, but the Boilermaker president says there will still be more than enough for the course.
Due to October’s time of sunrise, the races will start at 8:15 a.m., 15 minutes later than usual.
Donovan says more than 400 people signed up for the virtual race option, and most of them are local.
