More than 15,000 runners will hit the streets of Utica Sunday for the 49th running of the city’s Boilermaker Road Race.
The annual event reached its entry caps at the end of June with 4,500 runners signed up for the 5K run through the city presented by Utica National and 11,000 for the featured 15K which is presented by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.
The 11,000 entries are the most for the 15K since 2019. The record field was 14,445 in 2017 before entries were capped. As many as 11,895 runners have completed the course in 2014. Approximately 80% of the entered runners complete the race in a given year; 8,472 of 10,687 entrants finished in 2025, matching the highest percentage (79%) since before the 2020 race was limited by the coronavirus pandemic.
The warm-up for Sunday’s featured event includes a sold out run for kids covering quarter-, half-, three-quarter- and mile distances at Mohawk Valley Community College Saturday, followed by a walk of up to 3.75 miles on the Utica campus. Spots do remain open for the 11 a.m. walk presented by Soocum-Dickson Medical Group.
Including Saturday’s walk and kids run, and virtual runners, 17,265 registrants are scheduled to participate this year, 300 more than last year and the most since the collective 2019 field topped 20,000.
“We’d like to thank Boilermaker nation for their continued support,” Boilermaker president Mark Donovan said in a June 29 statement announcing the race caps had been met. “One of the reasons that the Boilermaker is known as ‘America’s best 15K road race’ is because of the amazing group of runners who bless us with their presence year in and year out.”
Race Day Forecast
The National Weather Service forecasts clear skies Sunday morning with temperatures climbing to a high near 90 degrees for the day.
Saturday’s overnight low is forecast for 58 degrees. There is a minimal chance of rain Sunday following a similarly clear day Saturday.
The 15K race set out at 72 degrees last year, the warmest start since 2014. The race time temperature had been below 70 degrees each year for the intervening decade and was as low as 58 in 2018, a figure that was matches in 2021 when the race was run in October.
Boilermaker Weekend
The festivities begin Friday, July 10, with the Health and Wellness Expo presented by Mohawk Valley Health System at Mohawk Valley Community College.
The Expo runs from noon to 7 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday. In addition to packet pick-up, runners wishing to transfer their bibs or switch races should check in at the solutions desk.
The Utica National Kids Run starts at 8 a.m. Saturday between 8 and 10 a.m., with packet pick-up Friday at the Expo. Participation is free, and all registered participants receive a t-shirt, refreshments and a goody bag.
Saturday’s Boilermaker Walk offers courses covering one, two, three and 3.75 miles. Online registration remains open at Boilermaker.com, and participants can register in person at the walk’s bib pick-up table at the Expo. Registration costs $8, and can also be done online at https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Utica/BoilermakerWalk.
On race day – Sunday – the 5K run sets out first at 7:15 a.m. from the intersection of Burrstone Road and York Street. The wheelchair race starts at 7:45 a.m. with the 15K run 15 minutes later, both starting from Culver and Dwyer avenues.
All three races finish at the F.X. Matt Brewery on Columbia Street, home of the post-race party.
Raceday Parking
5K runners can use the west lot at ConMed on Chenango Road and catch a shuttle to the start. Shuttles, running 5:30-7 a.m., are for registered runners only, and are not open to spectators or race volunteers.
Shuttle service to the 15K start line is available from 5:30 to 7:45 a.m. Birnie Bus will pick up runners at the corner of Columbia and State streets near the finish line, and near the rear of the post-race party at 409 Court Street and 802 Whitesboro Street.
This article originally appeared on Times Telegram: Things to know about the 49th running of Utica’s Boilermaker Road Race
