The Boilermaker Road Race is a

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-certified foot race and

wheelchair race Wheelchair racing is the racing of wheelchairs in track and road races. Wheelchair racing is open to athletes with any qualifying type of disability, amputees, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy and partially sighted (when combined with another ...

held annually in Utica, New York,

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. Although local recreational runners are the majority of entrants, the race is highly competitive, with international professional runners filling the top ranks. With the exception of 2020, when it was cancelled due to the

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, the Boilermaker has been held every year since 1978. Traditionally, the Boilermaker is held on the second Sunday in July, although the 2021 Boilermaker was held on October 10th due to COVID-related concerns. Although 15Ks are uncommon compared to other road races, the Boilermaker has been rated highly by running publications. The race course is primarily in the city of Utica, with the earlier portion largely within the Utica Parks and Parkway Historic District. The course passes through the suburbs New Hartford and Yorkville near

Utica College Utica University is a private university in Utica, New York. The university dates back to the 1930s when Syracuse University began offering extension courses in the Utica area. In 2016, the university enrolled 3,084 undergraduate students and ...

. The course is hilly, changing 300 feet in elevation over its length: combined with the mid-summer heat, winning race times are generally longer than for other 15K races. The finish line lies outside the F.X. Matt Brewery, where post-race festivities are held. Like many urban races in the United States, the Boilermaker was created during the 1970s running boom. The first Boilermaker was held on July 16, 1978, with a budget of $750 and 800 local runners participating. The name alludes to a primary underwriter of the race, the Utica Radiator Corporation (now Utica Boilers). The wheelchair section was added in 1980. The race gained prominence in 1983 when American distance runner Bill Rodgers won with a time of 44:38. From 1997 to 2006, the Boilermaker was known as the largest 15K race in the United States, but was overtaken by the Gate River Run in

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in later years. The Boilermaker has been described as an essential part of the identity of its host city, Utica, like the

Peachtree Road Race The Peachtree Road Race (branded AJC Peachtree Road Race for sponsorship reasons) is an American 10-kilometer run held annually in Atlanta. After being held on Independence Day from 1970 to 2019, the race was cancelled because of the COVID pand ...

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. Semi-unofficial performances and parties fill the sidewalk along much of the race course:

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magazine described the Boilermaker as "part road race, part festival."

Past winners

Key: Due to COVID-19 concerns, international professional runners were not invited to the 2021 race. Thus, the winning times in that year's race are longer than in prior years, with Americans taking first place in both divisions for the first time since 1991.

References

External links

Boilermaker Official website

{{City of Utica, New York Utica, New York 15K runs Road running competitions in the United States Sports competitions in New York (state) Wheelchair racing