By Clark Judge
(July 24, 2024) — Shortly after Stephen Fengler and his sister, Elizabeth, last summer set course records at the annual Killingworth Road Race, they were asked if they planned to return this year to defend their titles. They looked at each other and shrugged before Elizabeth finally answered.
“We’ll see,” she said.
And so we will.
This year’s race takes place on Saturday, August 3, 2024 but a check of the pre-registration list a week-and-a-half in advance found neither the names of Stephen nor his sister – aka, “the Flying Fenglers” of the Run 169 Towns Society. Now, that doesn’t mean they won’t be there. But if they aren’t, expect the field to be wide open and their records safe.
Stephen last year won the four-mile race in 21:13, a time so fast that he beat the second-place finisher by almost two minutes. Furthermore, he bettered the winning time of a year earlier by 1:15. Not to be outdone, sister Elizabeth Fengler won the women’s race in 25:03, besting the 2023 winning time by over a minute. She finished sixth overall.
It was the first time either had run the course.
“They’re elite runners,” said Chuck Langevin, head of the Killingworth Road Race committee, “and it was a perfect day where the temperatures were in the low 70s. I don’t know, but they might just be records that are never challenged.”
As Elizabeth Fengler said, we’ll see.
Race organizers expect a field of approximately 150 runners for this year’s run, with pre-race entries slightly ahead of 2023 when 144 signed up. As Langevin mentioned, those runners had a near perfect morning a year ago, with temperatures and humidity down. However, they may not be so fortunate this summer. Early forecasts predict temperatures for August 3rd to soar into the high 80s, much like it was two years ago.
So stay tuned. In the meantime, this is what we know:
WHEN
Saturday, August 3, 2024 with the race starting at 8:30 a.m.
WHERE
The Killingworth Congregational Church on Route 81.
REGISTRATION
You can pre-register on the road race’s website (killingworthroadrace.org). The charge is $25 for those 19 and older and $18 for anyone 18 and under. But beware: The cost accelerates after 6:00 a.m. on the day of the race. Those 19 and over will be charged $30, while runners 18 and younger must pay $22. The registration desk opens at 7:00 a.m. on August 3, 2024 with bibs and tee shirts distributed when runners check in. Participants not already registered are asked to bring cellphones with them to complete the process. “Everything is pretty much all on line,” said Langevin. “It’s much smoother that way. There’s not as much confusion or as many questions.”
THE COURSE
It’s a four-mile out-and-back that starts at the church … goes north on Route 81 … doglegs right on Wolf Hollow Road … then turns right again on Roast Meat Hill Road. The turn-around is just north of where Reservoir Road intersects Roast Meat Hill, with the second half featuring a steep uphill climb three miles into the run. Traffic on Route 81 and Roast Meat Hill Road will be stopped, with state police serving to block traffic. One significant change: The start of the race will occur at the same spot in the church parking lot as the finish. In previous years, runners began at the edge of Route 81, but not anymore. The start has been moved fifty feet back to coincide with the finish line.
THE FIELD
A year ago, 144 runners signed up, and 126 participated. That was a significant decline from the previous year when 203 registered and 194 appeared, but there’s a reason: It was the first time in three years the race was run, with COVID closing down the previous two summers. While no one knows if the Fenglers will reappear, Cromwell’s Christian Nelson is a certainty. He was one of the first to pre-register. “He always comes up and says, ‘Hello,’ “ said Langevin. “We have a lot of repeats at this race.” The 56-year-old Nelson is one of them. He’s run every Killingworth race since it began in 2004, with race organizers recalling when he ran years ago while pushing his baby son in a stroller. That son is now in college.
PARKING AND FACILITIES
Participants are urged to park at St. Lawrence Church on Hemlock Drive, directly opposite the Congregational Church, and to cross Route 81 with caution. State Police are expected to be at the crosswalk at the corner of Hemlock Drive. As was the case a year ago, there are three porta- potties on site, located behind the east end of the church.
AWARDS/REWARDS
All participants are given tee shirts prior to the race. Afterward, the winners of each age category are awarded medals, as well as blueberry pies donated by Robert’s Grocery Store in Madison. In addition, three division winners (overall, women’s division and top Killingworth resident) are awarded trophies. Robert’s also donates bananas and water, while Cohen’s of Madison donates bagels. Those stores are two of a race-record twenty-two advertisers and multiple private donors in support of the Congregational Church’s mission budget that contributes to the Eddy House homeless shelter in Middletown.
BIGGEST CONCERN
You’d think it would be the weather, right? Not so fast. Granted, two years ago, it was infernally hot and humid. And in 2018, a furious thunderstorm drenched runners and reduced the field to 60. “We literally lost our shirts,” said Langevin. “We had tons of extra ones.” Nevertheless, the biggest concern isn’t Mother Nature; it’s the turnout. Two years ago there were nearly 200 runners. One year later, that number dropped by 37.5 percent despite ideal conditions. Expectations this year run in the neighborhood of 150, but, as organizers warn, there’s no way to be certain. “We usually get a ton of sign-ups the last week,” said Langevin, “including some who register at the last minute. But there’s really no way of knowing. We ordered 180 T-shirts when we had a breakout year (2022) … and we ran out. So last year we ordered more, and we had 40 or 50 extra. You just never know.”
Photo by Clark Judge
