20k USATF

There is a hotel about a block and a half after the finish on your left. I totally forget the name (might be a HIlton?) but the rate was reasonable and it had parking. Stay there.

Race itself is excellent. First half mile is a tad tight, but really not that bad. People respect that faster runners start up front, so there won't be a lot of heros starting hard and dying. After a half mile or so the road opens up wide so you have plenty of room to run.

Course is very fair. The hills are not very difficult in the first 6 miles, they're very soft. Around 10K, you run along the shore, expect a stiff headwind for about 1.5-2 miles. Then at about 15K there is a decent hill. I thought it was the worst of the course - but it's really not that bad. Once you get to the top there is a very nice downhill and the last 2 miles are sightly declining. Overall a very fast course.

Weather can be tricky. I have run it when it was absolutely perfect conditions - picture 50 degrees and not too humid. Then there were times that it rained/or was so muggy that breathing was difficult. Not sure what to tell you - it's a crap shoot.

Things to do in the area - There are some nice restaurants. I usually drove in the night before and was gone by lunch to head home in Mass.

You must not have run the new course. They no longer run along the water.

the course comes back by the start around 6.5 on the other side of the green.

Folks

I have run this race at least 10 times. The new course is much more spectator friendly. They see you at the start, half (approx), and finish

And, yes, there are plenty of great places to eat. Yes, big-time about the pizza. As a native CT' resident about 1 hour away, I try to go to Sally's whenever possible. It's like the Red Sox and Yankees when talking pizza in NH. Either Pepe's or Sally's. Pepe's claim is to be the original pizza restaurant in the country (1930 something)

Yale owns most of the town, and has made some old restaurants move out. But, some places are really nice, and there are some decent fast food places like Chipolte about 200 ft away from the finish line. Prime 16 is really cool if you like a choice of 200+ beers and good burgers. The hotel you might have been referring to is the Omni at Yale/New Haven (told you Yale is buying everything)

This was the race the 300 lb lady jumped out and ran with the lead pack for about 50 meters, but a nice picture was taken and is hilarious.

If the Omni is full, try the Duncan. A New Haven original with marble floors, original wood carvings and only about 300 meters further than the Omni from the finish (I estimate 1/4 mile?)

For the talk of humid conditions; it was humid and hot 2013 and 2014, but for the majority of time I ran it was around 60 or 70 degrees and dry.

I hope this helps.

Good luck folks!

Get the free beer on the green after!!

Ran it 2x

Both times they announced my name as I finished.

Finishing next to historic Yale campus was way cool for me.

Flat and fast course. Yes the course is new.

Tons of fast runners. 5k runs same time in opposite direction

Of the 8 or 10 bands on the course, I really loved the bagpipes echo at 10

Clemson Track wrote:

Ran it 2x

Both times they announced my name as I finished.

Finishing next to historic Yale campus was way cool for me.

Flat and fast course. Yes the course is new.

Tons of fast runners. 5k runs same time in opposite direction

Of the 8 or 10 bands on the course, I really loved the bagpipes echo at 10

I can "echo" your points. And, would like to expand somewhat, and add in some questions for you more experienced runners, if I may. First, this is a championship race? Second, is there an elite start area?

I ran it in the early 2001, maybe 2002. The footing was rough in the miles 3-5 due to milling of the pavement, but looking at the map, it looks like that area changed or is the part of the course that changed. I remember more about the finish area, with tons of free beer, food and some people being carried on stretchers. That is what I remember. I did not eat at any restaurants.

Reading about Beach to Beacon about "American money.."

This race does that

Yes. This race does "American" money only.

How competitive are the distances shorter than 20K at the meet?

YK20K wrote:

How competitive are the distances shorter than 20K at the meet?

Well, (USATF Championship at New Haven) it's a road race, not a track meet. And, there is one 5k run at the same time. Typically the low 15's win. The results all the way back to 1987 are posted on the race website.

And, whoever wins usually gets a decent size photo in the paper, but most of the press is for the big race.

You obviously did not try to open any of the links...

I'm going. I hope to do a half marathon in late October.

Where should I stay?

Folks

Welcome to New Haven if coming for the famous Labor day Road Race. Try to get a taste of our famous pizza. As some know, New Haven is the home to "Pepe's", the original pizza place in the country. And, famous for white clam pizza. Not only that, "Bar", a trendy pizza, microbrew, just 2 blocks from where you elites stay, (at the Omni?) has fantastic brick oven pizza, and the mashed potato pizza with bacon is the favorite of many.

Good luck

hurter wrote:

I'm going. I hope to do a half marathon in late October.

Where should I stay?

I suggest The Duncan Hotel for best $. If $ is not the issue, the Omni is closest to the finish line and it is called the official race hotel.

How many of you from the NY CT area took the questionaire from the NH20k?

Can you believe that the results showed that the fastest growing group in running is females 19-39?

And, that most of these women know how far a 5k is, but the same women don't know how far a 20k is?

Seriously?

Man, some dumb ass broads out there.

Is there a start list for elites?

NewHavnrunner wrote:

Folks

Welcome to New Haven if coming for the famous Labor day Road Race. Try to get a taste of our famous pizza. As some know, New Haven is the home to "Pepe's", the original pizza place in the country. And, famous for white clam pizza. Not only that, "Bar", a trendy pizza, microbrew, just 2 blocks from where you elites stay, (at the Omni?) has fantastic brick oven pizza, and the mashed potato pizza with bacon is the favorite of many.

Good luck

Please, someone tell these jokers to stop ruining pizza. If your Margherita's no good, nothing you plop on top will make it any good.

gdm wrote:

NewHavnrunner wrote:

Folks

Welcome to New Haven if coming for the famous Labor day Road Race. Try to get a taste of our famous pizza. As some know, New Haven is the home to "Pepe's", the original pizza place in the country. And, famous for white clam pizza. Not only that, "Bar", a trendy pizza, microbrew, just 2 blocks from where you elites stay, (at the Omni?) has fantastic brick oven pizza, and the mashed potato pizza with bacon is the favorite of many.

Good luck

Please, someone tell these jokers to stop ruining pizza. If your Margherita's no good, nothing you plop on top will make it any good.

Said the guy who never had any New Haven pizza....

gdm wrote:

NewHavnrunner wrote:

Folks

Welcome to New Haven if coming for the famous Labor day Road Race. Try to get a taste of our famous pizza. As some know, New Haven is the home to "Pepe's", the original pizza place in the country. And, famous for white clam pizza. Not only that, "Bar", a trendy pizza, microbrew, just 2 blocks from where you elites stay, (at the Omni?) has fantastic brick oven pizza, and the mashed potato pizza with bacon is the favorite of many.

Good luck

Please, someone tell these jokers to stop ruining pizza. If your Margherita's no good, nothing you plop on top will make it any good.

Um, you do know New Haven is the THE first in the country to have a pizza restaurant? And, is visited by people from all over the country just to see Wooster Street, it's pizza, and to experience the Sally's Vs. Pepe's . This rivalry is almost as old as Red Sox and Yankees. If you ain't from here, you don't know here...

wwwnewhavenroadrace.org