Utica Boilermaker race popularity sets new record

UTICA — In the event you plan to stand at the intersection of Culver Avenue and Broad Street in Utica at 8 a.m. on Sunday, July 13, be sure that your life- and disability-insurance premiums are paid.

At the stroke of 8 a.m., 14,000 runners start the country’s “most competitive” 15K race (according to Analytical Distance Runner magazine) — the 37th running of the Utica Boilermaker Road Race. It’s the highlight of a three-day weekend that attracts more than 20,000 contestants and a total of 64,000 people, a number larger than the city’s official census. A strong indicator of the race’s popularity is the necessity to cap the number of registrants and how quickly the registration is completed. In 2013, registration for the flagship 15K event (9.3 miles) and 5k races closed in 4 days; this year, they closed in under 3 hours.

“Simply incredible,” declares Tim Reed  president of the Boilermaker Co., a 501(c) (3) corporation. “It’s quite a contrast to the first Boilermaker launched in 1978 on the 50th anniversary of the Utica Radiator Co. (now ECR International). My brother, Earle, requested a budget from the company of $750 to create an event that would thank the community for its support over the previous half-century. The idea was to promote the community’s health and welfare.

“The first race, which attracted just over 800 runners, has today expanded to a variety of contests. In addition to the 15K run, the event promoters added the 5K run, a wheelchair race, a 3-mile walk, a kids’ run, youth Olympics, and the invitational mile. The long weekend also includes a national-anthem contest and a two-day expo at Mohawk Valley Community College designed to promote health and wellness to consumers. The expo features exhibitors, live entertainment, interactive sports and fitness activities, race merchandise, and more. Capping the weekend is the post-race party, a massive community celebration which attracts more than 40,000 at the finish line.”

The original $750 budget is now more than $1 million. This pays for items such as the 20 official water-and-ice stops, 33,000 bottles of water, 250,000 cups, 30 cases of oranges, 330 “portajohns,” and 38 bands and DJs, just to identify some of the expenses. It also pays for the $57,000 in prize money, the two full-time and five part-time staffers, and security. To house the staff, the National Distance Running Hall of Fame, the retail store, and all the materials used for the annual event, the Boilermaker signed a purchase offer in December 2013 to buy a 20,000-square-foot building at 805 Court St., a stone’s throw from the finish line. Reed hopes to move in before this year’s race.

“Last year, we spent $1,038,531 to put on the Boilermaker,” says Reed, “but the event has a regional economic impact of more than $8 million (2012 figures). We figure that each runner spends $59 per person and those staying overnight spend $246 per person. Hotels are sold out, even charging the rack rate (list price). The restaurants are full ... The event attracts … [attendance] from 40 countries and from 51 states and territories, including 45 from California, 102 from Florida, 121 from the Carolinas, one from Alaska, and two from Hawaii (2012 figures). Last year, we had more than 300 [runners] from Canada, eight from Ethiopia, nine from Kenya, two from Russia, and single runners from Belarus, Morocco, Eritrea, Great Britain, and Poland.”

The registration demographics reflect that 65.5 percent of the participants are between the ages of 20-44, nearly 40 percent have a college education, and more than 30 percent have taken graduate courses or received a graduate degree. Female runners represent 51 percent of the participants, and male runners make up 49 percent.

Attracting elite runners has helped take the Boilermaker to the next level.

“The Boilermaker really took off in 1983 when Bill Rodgers not only participated but won the race,” notes Reed. “He elevated the race by bringing both national exposure and credibility to the event. Since then, we have attracted elite runners from all over the world. But what makes this event so special are the volunteers, the spectators, and the community coming together.

“Every year, we ask volunteers to help us with things like our water stations, parking, medical assistance, recycling efforts, and even massage therapists to provide massages for thousands of runners at the post-event party. The response is overwhelming with 5,000 volunteers stepping up to the plate. The 15K race also has tens of thousands of spectators lining the route. It’s wall-to-wall cheering, followed by a party with a live concert, refreshments, food, and an awards ceremony that brings the runners, family, and friends together to enjoy the spirit of the community.”

In addition to the more than $8 million regional impact, the Boilermaker is also a major fundraiser for area charities. “Last year, the race donated over $35,000 to support various charities,” asserts Reed. “We also sent $10,000 to the One Fund that supported the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. Finally, the Boilermaker charity ‘bib-program’ raised over $105,000 last year for 10 area charities. This year we have designated 11 charities to participate in the program.”

Reed’s background
Reed is a 1973 graduate of New Hartford High School. He spent the next three years in the army infantry completing airborne and ranger schools, then matriculated at Hamilton College. Upon graduating in 1980, Reed joined Procter & Gamble’s food division, before returning to Utica in 1983 to work in the family business. He became the president of ECR International in 1996 and retired in 2007 to assume the presidency of the Boilermaker Co. Reed, who ran the Boilermaker 27 times before becoming its president, lives with his wife Cindy in New Hartford. The couple has three children.

Contact Poltenson at npoltenson@cnybj.com