Running News Daily

Vermont City Marathon will expand field of runners

More runners will be able to sign up for this fall’s Vermont City Marathon starting next week.

Marathon officials announced Thursday they will expand the total field but didn’t specify by how many, only saying it’s a “limited” number. Run Vermont says that’s because they’re waiting to see how many of the runners who signed up for last year’s marathon want to run this year -- they get first priority.

The marathon usually happens Memorial Day weekend but was put off until October 24th this year due to the pandemic.

(07/02/2021) Views: 1,149 ⚡AMP
by WCAX News Team

2021 Vermont City Marathon is back, but it’s moving to October

The Vermont City Marathon is back for 2021, but it’s moving to the fall. That’s one of several things that will be different this year.

Whether you’re a runner or an onlooker, this year’s marathon will be smaller with a different route-- no beltline this year. But even with those changes, officials tell me having a race at all is a sign of things getting back to normal.

At a virtual press conference on Wednesday, RunVermont announced their plans for the 2021 Vermont City Marathon to happen in person.

Instead of the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, the race is set for Oct. 24 with a mini-marathon the day before.

“One of the benefits we believe the move and date will allow us is that we hope that we will be able to engage the primary asset for this event and that is the community at large,” said Peter Delaney, the executive director of RunVermont.

But the day is about the runners and it will have a different look.

“It will be moving to a two-loop 13.1-mile course. The start and finish will be co-located at Waterfront Park,” Delaney said.

Officials say the loop will pass along all the main highlights like the bike path and Church Street.

“Additionally, the format changes will include wave starts. We will have multiple waves, size is yet to be determined,” Delaney said.

With the date change and the unknowns of the pandemic, organizers are shrinking the field of runners down from over 7,000 relay runners and marathoners to about 3,500. Runners who signed up for the 2020 race didn’t get a refund, so the Vermont City Marathon is giving them first dibs on signing up for this October event.

“All of the eligible participants for 2021 will be those people who are registered with us for 2020,” Delaney said.

The city says the Vermont City Marathon will be one of many big events in a post-pandemic world.

“I think when we get together this way this fall, it’s going to be one of the moments-- I hope there are many-- that I think will be a special moment of being on the other side of this pandemic,” said Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger, D-Burlington.

As for that route change, Run Vermont tells me that’s only for this year. They will return to their normal course for the 2022 Vermont City Marathon.

(02/18/2021) Views: 1,433 ⚡AMP
by Ike Bendavid

The 2020 Vermont City Marathon now postponed until may 30 2021 due to the pandemic

The Vermont City Marathon become the latest sporting event impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as its postponement was announced Monday.

The 32nd annual race, originally slated for October 25, will now take place on May 30, 2021.

“Despite our highest hopes, hard work and careful deliberation, the RunVermont team is disappointed to announce that we will be not be able to run the People’s United Bank Vermont City Marathon & Relay on October 25, 2020,” an update on the RunVermont website read. “After consultations with state officials, it’s clear that a large public event with several thousand people will not be possible, even in late October.”

The Timberlane Dental Group Mini Marathon will occur on May 29, 2021.

RunVermont has amended their deferral policies, given the unprecedented situation. Interested parties can go to the RunVermont site for detailed deferral options.

(07/07/2020) Views: 1,522 ⚡AMP

Maxwell Curtiss, 26, recovers from coma to run in marathon

After an application process, four lucky runners were selected to join an Olympic Silver medalist's relay team that will run at Sunday's Vermont City Marathon. One of those four is a Milton man who overcame a brain injury and broken bones, using the marathon as motivation. Maxwell Curtiss, 26, laces up his sneakers, ready to run, after a hard day working for the family business. "Just with all the work, and all the stresses with work, you can just just put that behind me," Curtiss said. Routines may be boring for some, but Curtiss doesn't take his for granted. Especially after what happened to Maxwell last Summer while biking home from work. "The last thing I remember, I was in Fairfax, saw my friend's dad, said hey, chatted for a little bit, then I took off and don't remember anything after that," Curitss said. It was July 19th of last year, around 8:30 p.m. Maxwell was on his bike at the corner of Lake Road and Route 7 in Milton when he was hit by a car. Maxwell suffered a fractured skull and a broken hand he was in a coma for ten days.   (05/26/2018) Views: 1,626 ⚡AMP