Branford Road Race 2026

Branford, CT

Sunday, June 21, 2026

Held annually on Father's Day, this would be my 2nd time running the 5-mile race.  I ran the race in 2024 in a 30:03, and I remember the course to be hot, open sun, and moderately hilly on the return.  Matthew and I ran together the day preceding the race (he was preparing for the BAA 10K) and he asked me if I thought I'd go sub-30.  I had no illusions of going sub-30, but I thought somewhere in the 31 area was possible, where he thought was fair given that I ran a 19:04 at Gaspee Days 5K (~6:08 pace).

Last time I arrived an hour early and drive around trying to find parking.  So this time I got there 70 minutes early, had no trouble finding parking, but I still could've used more time.  The parking spot was about 0.4 miles to the start and check-in, and I wasted time making three trips (to the check-in, back to the car, back to the start), when I realized too late that I should've just brought my bag with race shoes and left everything at the Mohegan Striders tent.

The race was taking part amidst or maybe as part of some kind of festival, so there were a lot of people there.  It took extra time and navigation to get from the start / finish area to bib pickup to the Striders tent to the bathrooms.

Anyway, between those multiple back-and-forth trips to the car, getting my bib, and using the bathroom (which fortunately there was no line), by the time I got back to the Striders tent, it was 35 minutes before race time.  I pinned my bib to my singlet, lined up for both the team photo and then the team photo of Dads (it was Father's Day), and went out for a 1.5 mile solo warm-up.  Would've liked to get a 2.5 miler in.  Back to the Striders tent (which I was grateful for to be out of the sun and have a place to sit) to change into race shoes, apply sunscreen, and then off to the starting line for a few strides.

Pretty good size team turnout.  I'm kneeling in 2nd row, 2nd from left,
between Bob Kerwin and Shelly Rivera.

Race start:  Lined up in the 3rd row, caught up with a few folks I know including Linda Spooner from Sturbridge, MA, and my teammate Mike Stadolnik, and shortly after the national anthem we were off. The course is pretty flat overall (~183' elevation gain according to my Strava), but especially flat in the first two miles as we head down to the Long Island Sound.  Brett Stoeffler passed me about 1/2 mile in, but fortunately he's not in my age group anymore as he's 58.

As I mentioned, the course changed slightly.  There was a minor change in Mile 3 along the coast,
but most of the change was in the first and final 1/2 mile with the change in venue to Hammer Field.

Mile 1 6:05 and Mile 2 6:12.  We run along the coastline for a bit and then have some small hills in Miles 3 and 4, but they were enough to cause me to slow down.  Running them uphill in full sun wasn't much fun either.  In Mile 4, my teammate Shuhan ("Sean") Du passed me going uphill.  Again, not my forte.  Mile 3 6:28 (slowest mile) and Mile 4 6:22.

View of Long Island Sound, as you come to the end of Mile 2
on the course.
(From Google Maps street view)

Nearing the finish line

The final mile is a slight downhill to the finish.  I repassed Sean early in the final mile, and held on to the finish, running my fastest mile of the day in a 5:55.

Finished!

Final result:  31:18 (gun), 31:16 (chip).  70th overall of 1,326, 3rd in age group.  Link to results.

Kind of disappointed that my finishing time was over a minute slower than two years ago, and my final mile being my fastest this year suggests I could've run a little faster?

I really liked the water station they had at the finish line.

Also really liked the quarter-zip we got as age
group award!  Plus $15 gift card to 
Marathon Sports, will probably let that accumulate
until I have more to spend.
(photo courtesy of Lisa Conyer)

Runners received a coupon good for breakfast at one of three
stations.  In my opinion, the strawberry pancakes (albeit
w/frozen strawberries) from the Branford Rotary Club,
plus orange juice (and optional sausage) was the
best option.

Again, I think in retrospect that I could've run a little faster, but overall a very nice race.  And I've heard preliminarily that next year Branford Road Race and Summer Solstice Trail Race will be one week apart, so if they're selected for the USATF-CT race circuits again, I'll certainly consider both of them.

Post-awards ceremony, I was still a little hungry, but when I found out my teammates were going out for beer but not food, it just wasn't my cup of tea, so I headed home, stopping at Madison Coffee House.

After a run or race in hot weather, I often just want fruit.
So fresh fruit it was, plus an iced latte.