This year’s Granby Road Race on Saturday, May 7, sponsored by Burkentine Builders, promises to be a day of fun for the whole family. New this year is a kid’s fun race, generously sponsored by Command Corporation.
The Granby Road Race committee has embraced the fact that this small-town race has become an inclusive, family-style race, with strollers allowed on the 5k course, and kids encouraged to try running their first 5k. To make this race even more family friendly, and to pay homage to past families who have brought—perhaps dragged—their kiddos of all ages, the committee is excited to introduce a short, casual fun run for the littlest members of the community.
In honor of this new family event, the Granby Road Race Committee spoke with several local residents who have attended the race over the years.
Granby resident Kate Bogli spoke about the joy she got from sharing in the love of the race with her children. She commented, “I’ve run the Granby Road Race several times, but I used to really love running with my kids. It was fun to see their progress year to year—at first, I had to run slow and run at their pace, but after a few years they were passing me, and I couldn’t keep up!” Tariffville resident Alexis Slabinski also feels that this is a perfect family-friendly race stating, “The Granby Road Race is the perfect race for a family! Well attended enough to make it exciting but not too crowded to be overwhelming, the location is easily accessible and there is lots of parking close to the race start.”
One aspect of the Granby Road Race that is so special is seeing familiar faces return each year. As Bogli shared, “We have such a great community, that it always feels like running with friends.” Granby resident Jake Koteen agrees, “While my girls (ages 6 and 8) are quite active, the 3.1-mile distance proved to be a challenge. However, every time their spirits dipped there were people on the course cheering for them. My most memorable moment came nearing the finish line with my 6-year-old Ansley. After pressing well past her comfort level, I looked at her wide, exhausted grin while countless fans cheered her on.” Slabinski loves the fact that her family can spectate in one spot and see her pass by several times coming in and out of McLean’s or Salmon Brook Park.
Adults have the option to run either the 5K road race or 10K road/trail race through McLean Game Refuge. We asked Bogli about the different race experiences and she said, “I’ve run the 5k and the 10k depending on the year and how much training I’ve done. Both courses are great: 5k is nice and flat and fast, and the 10k has just the right mix of road and trail.” We heard a similar theme from Koteen, “I ran my first 10k Granby Road Race after moving to Granby in 2016. I immediately fell in love with the mixed road/trail course, especially the 2.2-mile trail section within the McLean Game Refuge. The organizers do a wonderful job making a small-town race feel special with fun local prizes and strong spectator support.” And we can’t forget about the amazing volunteers who support the race. As Slabinski said, “I especially appreciated the volunteers that were stationed at each mile announcing your splits. They were so festive and encouraging and I began looking forward to seeing them at each mile!”
Without the support of the volunteers and generous sponsors this race would not be possible. All of the money raised is given back to the community through YMCA programs and services. The money allows children and families in need of financial assistance to enjoy health and wellness programs, learn to swim, go to camp, and make lifelong friendships.
On May 7, the 5k and 10k races will start at 8:30 a.m. and the kids’ race will start at 9:30 a.m.
There is still time to register—we can’t wait to cheer you on this spring! ghymca.org/granbyroadrace