4,500 Run Through New Haven

“Quintessential New Haven,” Ruth Koleske pronounced, as she stood near the corner of Temple and Elm awaiting her husband on a sun-drenched Monday morning. 

She was referring to the Faxon Law New Haven Road Race, which played out for its 46^th Labor Day. In all, 4,500 runners competed in various races, including the 20K, which Koleske was following, the 5K, a 13.1‑mile race, and a fun run for kids.

In a photo finish with Conner Mantz, Clayton Young of Provo, UT was the winner, gliding through 12.4 miles of New Haven neighborhoods in 59:15. Among women, Emily Sisson of Phoenix, AZ prevailed, clocking a time of 1:06:09. The road race, which hosts the United States Amateur Track and Field (USATF) 20K Championships, had a prize purse of nearly $40,000, and featured a field of seven Olympians. 

Koleske’s husband Tony, a professor of biophysics and biochemistry at Yale School of Medicine, has run twenty-two 20K New Haven Road Races. ​“Rain or shine, no matter what,” she said, as bibbed competitors began their final sprint to the finish line, serenaded by cheers and cowbells in the humid air.

“This is the only race he does. My kids ran the 5K. Now they’re grown. He loves this race. I love this race.”

That air of jubilation was seemingly everywhere around the Green and its vicinity, nowhere more so, perhaps, than from those surrounding the legendary race announcer, Mark Gilhuly, who’s been undergoing treatments for pancreatic cancer since the spring. 

“I couldn’t miss it,” said Gilhuly, who’s distinguished himself, over his 29 years in the booth, for his unbridled enthusiasm, dramatic flair, as well as an uncanny mental dexterity in calling out the names of runners crossing the finish line.

The event also marked the return of John Bysiewicz, NHRR race director since 1989. Bysiewicz, also the founder of JB Sports, which stages road races and triathlons throughout New England, was struck by a car while cycling on Route 146 last November, losing part of his left leg and enduring multiple surgeries before teaching himself to walk again. 

Gilhuly said it was Bysiewicz who pioneered the idea of pairing a 5K race with longer distances, transforming the race into the veritable downtown-wide festival it is today. ​“Not everybody wants to run 12 or 13 miles,” he said. 

Before the 5K was the Kids Fun Run, which featured youngsters propelling themselves at full speed along Wall Street, onto Church, and then back onto Elm for a host of triumphant finishes. 

“Keep going, buddy, keep going, buddy, my man, my man,” someone, presumably a parent, called out from the sidewalk, as ​“Footloose” blasted from the speakers.

Near the finish line, Skye Anderson relaxed on a bench with her mother and grandmother.

“So much fun,” she said. As for whether she wanted to do a longer race in 2024, her answer was succinct: ​“No.”

Then came the 5K which drew about 2,400 runners, as Gilhuly announced in his signature upbeat rasp.

Among them was Toma Holley, 80, who seemed contented to be near the back. She said up ahead was her husband Jan Gero, 90, and her daughter Pia, 59.

“Here I go,” she said, a big smile on her face, as she took off. 

Over on the upper Green, Eugene Scott, who’s been a doorman at the Omni Hotel for the last 25 years, was wending his way between a booth for Lexus offering popsicles and one for Avelo which had a raffle going for free flights. 

“I come out every year to see this,” he said, amid the aroma of grilling burgers. ​“It’s so great. Isn’t it great? A lot of the runners stay with us, some from Africa, the real good ones.”

Already the top competitors were finishing the 5K. ​“You must have felt lonely out there,” Gilhuly was remarking to the top finisher, Travis Martin of New Haven, who finished 49 seconds ahead of the next runner. ​“I know the course is flat, but geez.”

Seated a few feet behind the three-person-deep crowd was Millie Grenough, who was absorbed in a thick volume that proved to be Sigrid Undset’s ​“Kristin Lavransdatter.”

“I’m waiting for my husband, and he usually finishes at around 38 minutes, so there’s a bit of time,” she said, as a parade of runners streamed through the final stretch. 

On the steps of United Church on the Green was Anthony Mastromarino, a pleased expression on his perspiring face.

“I’m psyched,” he said, as Gilhuly announced a lost debit card. ​“It was humid, but I took seven minutes off my time from last year.”

Back on the upper Green, East Rock Brewing Company​’s Wendi Taylor was filling glasses with Jogger Lager with dispatch.

“It’s going the fastest,” she said, as the crowd of thirsty runners pressed in.

Co-owner Tim Wilson said they made the Jogger Lager specially for the road race. ​“It’s a light lager which we thought was appropriate given the fitness oriented crowd that’s consuming it,” he said. 

The brewery, which was offering its bestselling Oktoberfest and Mexican-style lager Rocaveza as well, got invited to be the beer sponsor for the event three years ago, he said.

“This one in particular I work every year,” he said, raucous cheers rising for Sisson, the first woman, as she neared the finish line of the 20K race. ​“It’s such a feel-good event. We’re really proud to be beer sponsor.”

Tom Sullivan, 83, who competed in the 5K, sounded a similar refrain. 

“It’s a nice course, nice and flat,” said Sullivan; he did the race with his friend Barry who declined to give his last name.

“We’re old-time runners,” he said. ​“We ran in Florida together, Jacksonville. You can run 40 races a year down there.” Barry nodded. 

In his retirement, Sullivan is painting houses and donating whatever he makes to Guatemala for the Open Windows Foundation.

“It’s a nice retired job, good physical exercise, you keep moving, you gotta keep moving,” he said. 

“The good thing about this race,” he said, ​“there’s enough people so you’re always competing even if you’re slow like me. You always run a little better with people around you.”

Just then, two women passed.

“Let’s start training earlier for next year,” one said, evidently flush with post-race euphoria.

“Let’s do it,” the other said.