Share your story, in celebration of our 25th running!

We’re celebrating the 25^th running of the Eversource Hartford Marathon and we want the party to be all about you!

What made you sign up for your first-ever Hartford marathon event? Why was it a goal in your life to run Hartford?  What compelled you to that first Hartford marathon starting line?  What keeps you coming back?  

Share your story with us or nominate someone for a chance to be a member of this year’s Aiello Inspiration Team, a small group of individuals who will get extra special treatment for the 25^th running celebration.

How to enter:

Email us your story.  Whether you’ve only run with us a few times or it’s an annual tradition, we want to hear about you.  Email submissions will be accepted through July 15 to runhmfsocial@gmail.com. In addition to providing your story, please include as much of the following info as possible:

            -Event distances you’ve participated in at the Eversource Hartford Marathon (marathon, half marathon, Team 26.2 Relay, Charity 5K or Kids K).

            -First year you ran a Hartford marathon event

            -Where you’re from / currently live

            -Volunteer or other involvement you’ve had with the race

Feel free to share your favorite moments and photos with us via Facebook or Instagram too, just be sure to tag us and use #runHartford25 (submissions must be received by email for team consideration). We will contact everyone who submits a story by the end of July.

Up to 10 participants will be selected to represent this year's Aiello Inspiration Team.  Those chosen will be provided free race registration and a VIP race package at the October 13th Eversource Hartford Marathon and Half Marathon, including PRE Perks and a team shirt, courtesy of Aiello Home Services.

We can't wait to hear from you! Questions? Hit us up on social or via email.

The Aiello Inspiration Team is proudly supported by:

Free fun run in Bloomfield, 7/12

Join us in a free fun run with Team HMF on Thursday, July 12, to explore the running trails of Bloomfield in advance of the Achilles CT Hope & Possibility 5K & 10K on Sunday, July 22.

With 2.5 mile and 4 mile route options, the guided group run is great for varying paces to come together and enjoy a relaxing summer evening.  Following the run, all are welcome to stretch out and picnic while enjoying a family friendly concert at Town Hall Green at 7:00

Fun run details below (sign up in advance for the run HERE). Meet your local guide, Diane Perry!

Diane has had a true love and passion for sports, health and fitness since childhood. She started running in 2014 and became a Team HMF ambassador in 2015.  Through running, Diane has the opportunity to help motivate others to live healthier lives and realize fitness goals. She enjoys encouraging new runners and finds great joy and reward in pacing 5K and half marathon races, helping others attain the absolute glee of accomplishing a goal they trained for.

Recently, Diane adopted her 5 yr old Black lab mix, Karlie, and they enjoy running intervals or short runs together to supplement their daily 5 mi walks.  When not with Karlie, you can find Diane running and volunteering for many HMF races, at our HMF Girl Squad events or at many group runs around Hartford, West Hartford, Bloomfield and Glastonbury areas.

"Running makes me feel strong, capable and humble all at the same time. I can be better than I was yesterday and know that I will be stronger tomorrow than I am today. Most importantly, I'm constantly learning from the running friends and the community and feel fortunate to be a part of it, welcoming newer runners! "

  

Course Preview Fun Run

Sign-up HERE  (please fill out in advance)

Date: Thursday, July 12

Time: 6 PM run start

Location: Meet at Bloomfield Town Hall 

Distance: 2.5 and 4 mile runs (out and back routes)

Parking: Available at Town Hall

Water and cups will be available for runners, no other amenities provided.  

Rock the Red for Girls on the Run

The Red Dress Run (July 14, 2018) is a wonderful tradition celebrating women’s fitness. What better way to bring more purpose to this cherished annual event than to support girls in achieving lifetime health and wellness for themselves.

  

We are proud to partner with Girls on the Run, Greater Hartford for this year’s Red Dress Run 5K walk/run. Your donations will help get their program into two more local schools this fall. Girls in grades 3-8 that go through the 10-week program are taught about core principles to help them grow into strong, confident young women: Confidence, Character, Care & Compassion, Connections, Competence and Contribution.

WE EQUIP GIRLS WITH SKILLS TO LEAD HEALTHY, JOYFUL LIVES

Adolescence can be tough. During these years, girls face social pressures, relationship challenges and conflicting messages about how they should act and who they should be.  By nurturing girls' overall wellness - physical, emotional, social and spiritual - we help girls to be intentional with their decision making, build healthy relationships and be comfortable in their own skin.

Your generosity and donations are greatly appreciated – please consider running on July 14 and raising donations for them or donate directly HERE. 

The girls are not simply asking for your donations.  They have put their time, efforts and heart into swag to be enjoyed by all race participants!  Girls in the program have hand-made all of the custom finisher bracelets and a team of girls will be participating on race day!

Run, walk,volunteer or donate on July 14 – all experiences and ages are welcome to participate in a welcoming race environment that supports women, fitness and strength.

Global Running Day celebrations

Global Running Day - we couldn’t think of a more perfect day to kick-off celebrations for the 25^th running of the Eversource Hartford Marathon!  This Global Running Day (Wednesday, June 6), we will use all of our energy and rally together to foster our love of running to benefit local kids.

Specifically, we’re asking for you to join us by donating $5 to help send a Parkville Community School 3^rd grader in Hartford to the Charity 5K at the Eversource Hartford Marathon on October 13.  For $15, you can send one student to the event! There are two ways to celebrate:

Donate online HERE and run anywhere you want on June 6.  You’ll be emailed the link for a downloadable bib to show that you supported sending a student to the race!

• Take a selfie with your downloadable bib, share it with us on social or email it by June 7 for a chance to win a 25^th running prize package (race entry, training shirt and commemorative pint glass). 

Join us for a free fun run at Thomas Hooker Brewery at Colt on Global Running Day, June 6.  Make your $5 donation online here or on-site on June 6, you’ll get a special event bib customized by Parkville students (limit 100)

• Guided group 5K runs along the river in Hartford (various pace groups) starting at 6:00 pm
• Delicious, ice cold Hooker beer and food for purchase after the fun run
• Preview NEW 25^th running training shirt and commemorative pint glass, available for purchase
• Raffles for free race entry, shirts and glasses
• Take a selfie at the event, share it with us on social or email it by June 7 for another chance to win a 25^th running prize package (race entry, training shirt and commemorative pint glass).

Plus – throughout Global Running Day, get 30% off of all Eversource Hartford Marathon race merchandise in our SHOP, just use code MARATHON30 at checkout.

Thank you for supporting local kids and joining our Global Running Day celebrations!

Together, we can help kids to be healthier, happier and become lifelong runners.

Simsbury Art Show Turns Heads

We love Simsbury for its charming town center, quaint shops, wonderful restaurants and, of course, the great space to hold a race! If you're coming to town for the Amica Iron Horse Half Marathon, 10K & 5K on June 3, don't miss the latest attraction, the Simsbury Art Trail!

Shaping Up by Seward Johnson © 1987

The Seward Johnson Atelier, Inc.

Walk down any Main Street and you’re likely to see people doing ordinary things: reading a book, walking the dog, relaxing on a bench. But you'll need to look a little closer in Simsbury, many of these “people” are actually lifelike bronze sculptures created by artist Seward Johnson. "Life In Simsbury: A Public Art Trail" has been brought to town by the Chamber of Commerce and consists of 32 sculptures, which are sponsored by local businesses.

The statue by Abigail’s Grill depicts a man with a cigar reading an actual oversized menu from the restaurant. The Simsbury Historical Society is sponsoring a statue of Claude Monet standing in front of a painting showing some of the society’s buildings. 

The artist has created 400 sculptures that have been placed on Main Streets across the country and the world.

"Hosting an event of this magnitude requires an incredible commitment from the entire town and everyone has rallied behind it," said Lisa Gray, Executive Director of the Simsbury Chamber of Commerce, "We are so appreciative of the companies and individuals who have already invested in making this what is sure to be one of the most popular cultural events in the region."

The goal of the art trail is to encourage more people to walk along Main Street and support local businesses. There are maps of the trail at each sculpture, and visitors are encouraged to touch, climb on and take selfies with the art works (#simsburyarttrail). The sculptures will be on display through September 15.

On June 3, the Simsbury Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring free guided tours of the art trail from 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM. Three options will be offered: walk 2.2 miles of the trail and see 19 sculptures, bike 4.2 miles and see 22 sculptures or bike 17 miles and see all 32 sculptures.

On June 12, the Simsbury Free Library is holding an old-time ice cream social and Art Trail scavenger hunt from 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM. Prizes will be awarded, and it’s free and open to the public.

For more information on these events, visit http://www.simsburyarttrail.com/.

 

My World by Seward Johnson © 1989 The Seward Johnson Atelier, Inc. 

New course hydration at 2018 half marathons

We’ve said it before and you’ll hear us say it again and again – proper hydration is vital for performance. 

Providing runner support on our courses is a responsibility we take very seriously. Every event distance page has a course amenities section that outlines exactly where and what that support entails.  We are pretty excited to be updating these hydration offerings for all of our 2018 half marathons, including this weekend’s MysticHalf Marathon & 10K.

Expect to see nuun electrolytes this Sunday in Mystic.  Fluid Locations will offer water & nuun electrolytes lemon+lime flavor in the following spots along the course:

• Pre/Post Race
• Mile 1.8
• Mile 4.2
• Mile 5.7
• Mile 7.5
• Mile 8.9
• Mile 10.8
• Mile 12.6

Sample nuun electrolytes flavors post-race in Mystic.

You’ll see the nuun team after you cross the Mystic finish line too.  Grab a sample packet and try other flavors or talk to their crew in the post-race area to get any questions answered and learn about the products. 

  

We’ll update our amenities listings for upcoming half marathons with details on the course offering, but expect to see nuun performance on course at the Eversource Hartford Marathon too.