Runners Again Hoofing It To Ocean Beach

A nearly 50-year-old classic road race is hitting the beach on Saturday.

The 49th Annual John and Jessie Kelley Road Race will set out from Ocean Beach Park at 9 a.m. that morning. The course follows an 11.6-mile route, mostly flat with some rolling hills and a longer incline set to challenge racers at the eight-mile mark. Roads will remain open during the race, so drivers and runners should be cautious.

The race honors local standout athlete John Joseph Kelley. Born in New London in 1930, Kelley graduated from Bulkeley High School and went on to compete in the Summer Olympics in Melbourne in 1956 and Rome in 1960. Kelley won the 1957 Boston Marathon and set the course record with a time of 2:20:05. He also logged five second-place finishes in that race and eight straight victories in the U.S. National Marathon between 1956 and 1963, according to RunningPast.com.

According to CoolRunning.com, last year’s winning time at the John and Jessie Kelley Road Race was 1:03:47, completed by 40-year-old Kevin O’Neil of North Kingstown, R.I. Laura Brustolon, 22, of Mystic, was the top women’s finisher with a time of 1:13:20.

Awards will be given to the top finishers, and a raffle will follow the race. The band “Run for Cover” will perform on the boardwalk. There is no entry fee for the race, but racers must present their number at the gate to get into the beach and park for free.

For more information, contact race director Way Hedding at wayhedding@att.net or 860-739-9927.