Run Manchester set for August 7
2018 Run Manchester. Photo courtesy of Matt Hall.
Run Manchester is back! And it’s returning with some hopeful expansions, pending approval by two more township boards.
After a year’s hiatus due to COVID concerns, the event, organized by Robotics Teams of Manchester (RTM), is set for Saturday, August 7, 2021.
RTM representatives attended the Village of Manchester virtual meeting on Monday, March 1 to ask for approval to use village streets and trails for the 5K and 10K races that they have traditionally held. On Thursday, March 4, the Bridgewater Township board approved the team hosting the run on Neal and Bemis roads. The team will be seeking approval from Freedom and Manchester Townships at their upcoming meetings, so they can utilize Schwab, Eisman, and Bethel Church roads. All approvals are or will be pending proof of liability insurance, which the team hopefully can obtain through the school district. This way, the race can expand to a 10-mile version and a half-marathon (13.1 miles) version to accommodate more runners.
“We have high hopes for approval from all the townships to be able to host an expanded race,” said parent mentor Daniella Kippnick, who attended the meeting with her sons who are members of RTM.
Team member Jacob Mann also spoke at the village meeting and explained that to keep the M-52/Main Street intersection out of the equation, the team had changed its starting point from the Main Street Bridge to the front of the Blacksmith Shop. Kippnick added that this will also keep the roads open in front of downtown businesses.
“The team is also looking forward to seeing how we can help promote the local businesses during our race,” she said. “It’s been a difficult year for small businesses and we would like to help. We have had a lot of community support over the years and are so grateful for the opportunity to give back.”
The team has set up extensive Safety Precautions for the race, including chip timers to avoid crowds at the start line, results posted online rather than in an awards ceremony following the race, and a safer packet pickup system.
Kippnick added that the team is meeting in small groups and via zoom to work through not only the planning of the race, but a modified robotics season. “Last year our high school team was a top pick to partner with many of the top teams for the finals,” she said. “We were grateful to attend the competition as everything shut down shortly after. We are very proud to do so well, representing a small town school, while competing against the big school districts with many resources.”
Kippnick also complimented the programming team and the “creative and knowledgeable” build team. “It is hopeful and within our grasp for the high school team to qualify for the state competition next year when we are back to a normal season … and there’s always hope of the world competition in the international FIRST robotics league! Nothing is out of reach for these kids when they work hard. We have a good foundation to build on.”
Finally, she added, “We also hope to rebuild the middle school team next fall when the FIRST robotics league is able to compete as usual. We will need more kids and parents to be guided as mentors. The middle school FTC team qualified for states every year except the first ‘learning curve year.’ We have a great foundation and mentors ready to guide new parent mentors.”
Congratulations to the RTM for their success and their ingenuity in creating a better-than-ever Run Manchester.
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