Nearly 2,000 people participated in the Hartford Marathon Foundation’s annual Blue Back Mitten Run Sunday in West Hartford.
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
By Ronni Newton. Photos by Ronni Newton and Hunter Marotto
With snow still lining the streetscape, a total of 1,967 runners took to the streets of West Hartford for the Blue Back Mitten Run – the Hartford Marathon Foundation’s final race of the 2019 season.
Many dressed in seasonally-appropriate costumes – which helped keep them warm on a frosty morning where temperatures started off at not quite 20 degrees. There were Santas, snowmen, and quite a few “ugly,” or actually not-so-ugly holiday sweaters.
A large number of runners immediately donned this year’s swag – a cheerful red and white knit hat – which kept them warm throughout the 5K mile course. Cocoa and cookies awaited runners at the end, as did a brunch at World of Beer.
Chris Angelo of West Hartford was the winner for the second year in a row, breaking through the tape in 16:02. West Hartford residents Greg Weaver (16:26) and Tommy O’Gorman (16:36) were right behind in second and third place.
West Hartford residents Max Aronow and Dylan Martz claimed the fourth and fifth places respectively.
The first woman to cross the finish line was Liz Lagoy, also a West Hartford resident. She finished 10th overall in the race, with a time of 18:21. Liz Fengler of Wallingford was the second woman (18:36), and West Hartford’s Molly Chambers (19:35) was third.
West Hartford residents Katherine Foley (19:36) and Maria Varela (20:48) also claimed the fourth and fifth places among female finishers.
Among the participants Sunday were about 200 members of the “Girls on the Run,” a group that encourages young girls to participate in running activities.
There were also about 150 participants in the HMF FitKids race for children ages 2-11, who were given the opportunity to run distances of ½ mile or one mile.
Celeste Fong of Middletown, dressed as an angel and accompanied by a large entourage of costumed compatriots, celebrated completion of the 5K as her final race for the Run 169 Towns Society at the Mitten Run. Members of the group aspire to run a race in each of Connecticut’s 169 towns or cities.
Liz Cowles Johnston, one of the race organizers, noted that the race was such a great success in part because of wonderful volunteers, including students from West Hartford colleges. Among the volunteers were 22 members of the University of Hartford softball team and 15 students from the University of Saint Joseph School of Pharmacy.
“It makes such a big difference to have these folks,” Cowles Johnston said.
Participants and fans were also asked to donate mittens, gloves, scarves, and hats, which will be distributed through the West Hartford Town That Cares Fund.
A gallery of images is below. For complete race results, click here.
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HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Hunter Marotto
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Chris Angelo of West Hartford wins the HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Greg Weaver in second place. HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Top five males, all from West Hartford. HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Top female finisher Liz Lagoy of West Hartford. HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Marlena Pegolo picks up her prize for finishing first in the female, 10-14 year-old age group (21:57). HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
HMF Blue Back Mitten Run. Dec. 8, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
[…] are always busy work days for me, especially when there are events to cover such as the Blue Back Mitten Run, and sorting through nearly 300 photos meant I sadly missed getting to attend Sunday’s West […]
[…] at all times busy work days for me, particularly when there are occasions to cowl such because the Blue Back Mitten Run, and sorting via practically 300 pictures meant I sadly missed attending to attend Sunday’s West […]