The Eversource Hartford Marathon (and accompanying half marathon, 5K and marathon relay) will take place Saturday starting at 8 a.m. in front of the state Capitol in Hartford and finishing in Bushnell Park.
Here are some things to know about the races, which will have over 9,000 people running in the streets of Hartford, East Hartford, West Hartford and South Windsor:
Race Schedule
7:55 a.m. – Marathon/Half Marathon Wheelchair athletes start, Capitol Avenue at the front lawn of State Capitol.
8 a.m. – Marathon/Half Marathon/Team 26.2 Relay, Capitol Avenue at the front lawn of State Capitol.
8:01 a.m. – Charity 5K, Capitol Avenue east of Bushnell Theater (between Clinton & West Streets)
9:30 a.m. – HMF FitKids Run, Elm Street at West Street (east end of Bushnell Park)
Finish line expo and festivities: 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Bushnell Park
Mascot invitational: 9:30 a.m., Elm Street and West Street.
Road Closures
On race day, road closures and travel delays will begin at 7:30 a.m. and remain throughout the city of Hartford and surrounding towns until 2 p.m.
Expect closures and/or delays on the following roads: Hartford – Asylum Avenue, Asylum Street, Atheneum Square, Broad Street, Buckingham Street, Capitol Avenue, Charter Oak Avenue, Clinton Street, Elm Street, Farmington Avenue, Fern Street, Ford Street, Founders Bridge, Gold Street, Jewell Street, Lafayette Street, Main Street, Market Street, Oxford Street, Pearl Street, Prospect Avenue, Prospect Street, Reverend Moody Overpass, S. Prospect Street, Sheldon Street, State Street, Van Dyke Avenue, Washington Street, Wells Street, West Street, Weston Street, Whitney Street.  West Hartford – Asylum Avenue, Elizabeth Park, Fern Street, Penn Drive. East Hartford – Carroll Road, East River Drive, Main Street, Pitkin Street, Silver Lane Ext., South Prospect Street, Founders Bridge. South Windsor – King Street, Old Main Street.
Highway Exit Closures
All exit ramps listed below will close at 7:30 a.m. and remain closed until the time specified:
I-84 Eastbound: Exit 48B: Capitol Avenue closed until 10 a.m. Exit 48A: Asylum Street until 11 a.m. I-84 Westbound: Exit 54: Founders Bridge until 2 p.m. Exit 50: Main Street until 11 a.m. I-91 Southbound: Exit 32B: Trumbull Street until 11 a.m. Exit 31: State Street until 11 a.m. I-91 Northbound: Exit 32B: Trumbull Street until 11 a.m.
Rt. 2 Westbound: Exit 2W: Downtown Hartford closed until 2 p.m. Exit 3: Pitkin Street until 2 p.m. Of Note: Conlin Whitehead Hwy inbound will be closed at Columbus Blvd. until 2 p.m. Rt. 2 Westbound, Exit 4 and Rt. 15 Southbound, Exit 90 will be right turn only. East River Drive will be coned by East Hartford PD to allow right turns only.
In East Hartford, the Founders Bridge will be closed from 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. The Founders Plaza area (including East River Drive exit, East River Drive and Pitkin Street) and the Prospect Street area (including S. Prospect St., Main Street (north of Prospect) and Carroll Road will be closed from 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The King Street area (King Street, Brook Street and Main Street) will be closed from 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m. The Silver Lane extension (Access to Rt. 2 and Rt. 15) will be closed from 7:30 a.m.-10 a.m.
In West Hartford, Fern Street (Prospect Ave.– Penn Dr.), Penn Drive, Asylum Avenue (Penn Dr.– Prospect Ave.), Elizabeth Park Road and Prospect Ave (Fern St.– Asylum Ave.) will be closed between 8 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
In South Windsor, King Street and Old Main Street will be closed from 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
For more info on road closures, go to the Hartford Marathon website.
Parking
See the parking map on the Hartford Marathon website.
Spectators
Fans can watch the race in the bleachers near the finish line at Bushnell Park but if you want to go out on the course (being mindful of road closures), here are some places to go, per the Hartford Marathon website:
After the race starts, walk over to Mortensen Riverfront Plaza (~1 mile east of Bushnell Park) at the Founder’s Bridge. From here, you’ll be able to cheer marathon participants on as they leave the city and head into East Hartford (mile 9), or watch half marathoners make their way along the beautifully maintained riverfront path (mile 11).
Or plan ahead to drive to Morley Elementary School (77 Bretton Road, West Hartford), to park and catch marathoners and half marathoners at mile 3.2.
To catch full marathon participants twice on the course, drive to Alumni Park/Town Green at 740 Main Street in East Hartford. Once parked, walk 1 block east on Richard Street to Prospect Street to watch mile 12.5 and 23.7
Another option to catch full marathon participants, drive to Wood Memorial Library at 783 Main Street in South Windsor. Park along Pleasant Valley Road and walk down to Main Street by the library to watch participants at mile 16.7 and 19.5.
NOTE: Driving or cycling along the race route is not permitted during the race.
Race Registration, Packet Pickyp, Expo
The marathon and 5K are sold out as of Thursday and the half marathon was nearing capacity. Over 9,000 runners are expected on the course on Saturday.
There is no packet pickup on race day. Runners may pick up their numbers between noon-9 p.m. at the race expo at the XL Center in Hartford.
The race expo takes place Friday from noon-7 p.m. but packet pickup has been extended until 9 p.m.
Q&A with American marathon record holder Emily Sisson from 5-6 p.m. at the Expo.
Who’s Coming
In the marathon, last year’s male winner, Alex Norstrom, who grew up in Coventry and now lives in Glastonbury, returns, as does last year’s female winner Jenna Gigliotti of Amherst, Mass. Rachel Schilkowsky of Providence, R.I., the 2018 winner, is also running the marathon. Grant O’Connor of West Hartford, who was the fifth American finisher at the Boston Marathon this spring, will also run the marathon. Annmarie Tuxbury, a Connecticut native who now trains with ZAP Fitness in Blowing Rock, N.C., is the favorite to win the women’s half marathon, while last year’s men’s winner, Ethan Hermann, returns.
