The annual Manchester Road Race will be canceled and instead will be held virtually amid coronavirus concerns.
The decision comes after the Manchester Road Race Committee (MRRC) announced the race would be limited to 500 runners. Normally, thousands of people take part in the 4.784-mile run.
"After further review and consultation with officials from the Town of Manchester, we have sadly reached the conclusion that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it will not be possible from a health and logistical standpoint for us to safely hold an on-site race this Thanksgiving," said Dr. Tris Carta, president of the Manchester Road Race Committee.
"The Manchester Road Race has been run 83 times, and we did everything we could in an attempt to keep the tradition alive this year, even in the face of this unprecedented health crisis. Unfortunately, the coronavirus has made that impossible," Carta continued.
The committee said this is not the first time the race has been sidelined. The race was not held from 1935 to 1944 due to the Great Depression and World War II, according to the MRRC.
"Although so many of us are disappointed that the Manchester Road Race will not be live this year, keeping our community and the many visitors who come to town on Thanksgiving Day safe is our number one priority," Manchester Mayor Jay Moran said.
The Little Manchester Road Race scheduled to be held the Saturday before Thanksgiving is also canceled, the MRRC said.
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Anyone interested in participating in this year's virtual event can register online starting on Oct. 1. For more information, visit their website.
