UTICA- Officials from the Boilermaker Road Race unveiled the new 45th-anniversary logo and announced that this year’s races will be run on Sunday, July 10, 2022, with a full field of runners. The 15K race presented by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield will have a capacity of 14,500, including the return of professional runners and wheelchair athletes. The 5K race presented by Utica National will have a capacity of 4,500.
Priority registration will open at noon on Thursday, March 3 via the race’s website www.boilermaker.com. Runners who completed any of the 2021 races, including the virtual events, are eligible to register during the one-week priority registration period, which ends Thursday, March 10 at noon. Open registration begins Friday, March 11 at noon and will remain open until Tuesday, July 5, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. or until the races reach capacity.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 races were held virtually and the 2021 events, though held in-person, were moved to October.
“After two challenging years, the Boilermaker is eager to get back to our traditional second Sunday in July race date and what we all hope will be a pathway to normalcy,” said Mark Donovan, Boilermaker president. “We are eternally grateful for the unyielding support of our sponsors who have helped carry us through the pandemic and for the opportunity to bring back many of the unique elements of the Boilermaker that combine to make it all so special.”
In addition to the full field of runners, this year’s Boilermaker week will once again feature multiple community-minded events and challenges. The week begins with the Youth Olympics presented by Bank of America. The Boilermaker Kids Run, presented by Utica National, will take place at Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC), Saturday, July 9. Additionally, the Boilermaker Charity Bib Program, presented by Wolfspeed, allows participants to fundraise on behalf of a local non-profit organization to receive race bibs in exchange for their fundraising efforts.
The event also featured the unveiling of the official 2022 race logo. Commemorating the event’s 45th anniversary, this year’s logo was once again designed by McGrogan Design of Utica. The race’s traditional runner icon links the numbers four and five.
The Boilermaker is following the lead of county and state guidance in establishing health and safety protocols around the event. “Our goal is to present our runners with a safe and fun atmosphere to run the race,” Donovan said. “Right now, this means that runners need to show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours of the race, but we are hoping that there will be no need for restrictions by the time July rolls around.”
2022’s event will also include several team and individual challenges, including the Corporate Cup presented by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, the High School Challenge and the Wheelchair Challenge sponsored by Sitrin Healthcare.
“The various challenges provide a race within the race and add a special element of intrigue and competition both for our wheelchair athletes and our various community institutions,” said Donovan. “While road racing is typically an individual event, the challenges represent an opportunity for teamwork, bonding and friendly competition.”
The Boilermaker Health and Wellness Expo presented by Mohawk Valley Health System, will return to the Utica Campus of MVCC for Boilermaker weekend. The expo will be open on Friday, July 8 from noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday, July 9 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. In addition to packet pickup, the expo features healthy living information, vendors and more.
The Saranac post-race party will be open to runners and spectators from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., providing plenty of time to celebrate after the events.
“The communion of runners and non-runners alike on the second Sunday in July is a big part of what makes the Boilermaker so much more than just a race,” said Donovan. “We are pleased to be able to once again unite our community and celebrate together with 19,000 runners and many more of our friends.”
Donovan also took the time to thank the over 4,500 community members who volunteer at various events throughout the week. “Each year I am blown away by the sheer number of people who take time out of their lives to help make our event a success,” he said. “From helping with the expo and manning the water stops along the course, to helping clean up after the post-race party, there is not a single area of our race which isn’t touched by our volunteers.”
For more information on Boilermaker Weekend, including event details, volunteer opportunities and registration links, please visit boilermaker.com.
