The Crowley is the best 10K championship in New England. Why? This year marks the 43rd annual consecutive running of the Crowley with a total of 91 years since that famous first challenge run between Olympian Crowley and Clarence DeMar. This year, with your support and the support of the Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce, we guarantee an exciting weekend designed for athletes and to attract spectators and visitors. Sunday’s main event of the 10K race also includes the Half Marathon, the 10th Annual 5K race and 5K Walk, the 5K Corporate Challenge Walk and the Kids’ Downtown Mile Run. We are proud to announce that for the first time in the history of the Crowley, monies will be raised in support of our most gallant, brave and selfless wounded soldiers and veterans, so please support “the brave” by running the Crowley. Yes, this is a weekend full of events for runners, athletes, and families…something for everyone in the Green Mountains!
These are certified point to point races run on championship courses from Proctor to Rutland, Vermont.
The Kid’s Downtown Mile Run is also slated to be bigger than ever. This event has grown from 50 runners to 350+ in the past few years. Children from the Rutland County schools participate in this event along with young runners and walkers from Canada, and many states throughout the U.S. This is a fun run for children with the main purpose of promoting healthy hearts and bodies through youth fitness and run in conjunction with the Kids Run the Nation Program of RRCA.
Half Marathon
The Crowley Brothers’ Half Marathon is a unique event that will be terrific for the fortunate participants. If you enjoy distance running and a fun-filled party, and if you take great satisfaction in helping to fight cardiovascular disease and educating children and adults to a healthier way of living, you will definitely want to participate in the Crowley Half Marathon.
The course is UST&F certified and is certifiably a fast and beautiful point to point race. From the Green Mountains, through the quaint villages, the Crowley Half Marathon offers the best views of the scenic Green Mountains not only as a half marathoner, but as a spectator as well. You just might forget you’re running a half marathon, as you become one with the breathtaking scenery dotted with lush pastures, babbling brooks, as well as majestic steeples.
With the ideal venue set in the foothills of the Green Mountains for every inch of the course, this magical run will stir the soul and captivate the imagination of the beauty and serenity. Making your way along rivers, waterfalls, marble bridges, an old castle, and country roads, you and spectators will be amazed at the beauty of the “marble country” that Vermont offers.
Southern Vermont is one of the most enticing destinations with lush mountains as the perfect backdrop for all festivities surrounding our race events. Everyone is a winner for participating and supporting the sport they love so deeply, and for that alone, we are committed to making everyone experience the thrill of being number one.
The Crowley makes the vision of exciting running the greatest experience there is to offer. The Crowley Road Race Events, presented by our most generous sponsors, hopes to relax and cool you down with a post- race party just a few feet from the finish line. You’ll be entertained with live music, cheering spectators and much more. When all is said and done, we, of the Crowley, know that every memory from the Crowley events will be a lasting and enjoyable one. Join us at the starting line to see and experience what awaits you from our Green Mountain state.
10K Vermont Run Championship
The Crowley 10K Road Race is the oldest point to point 10K in New England and the RRCA Vermont 10K Masters’ Championships. This 10K started 86 years ago, but has run consecutively for the past 40 years.
The 10K is a beautiful race for runners of all levels, with something for every style of runner. As Bill Rodgers, Olympic runner, so aptly puts it, “This race is a hidden gem with so much history attached to it. It’s a great course for all runners, and I love to run it.” Bill discovered this race four years ago and continues to run it every year. Just imagine a beautiful, cool summer morning, running along the foothills of the majestic Green Mountains. You will lose yourself in the serenity of the lush, green pastures, marble bridges, quaint villages, waterfalls; then, to be awakened by cheering spectators, who cheer you forward to the finish line. What an experience for the lover of the art of running!
The starting line for the 10K is in the quaint New England village of Proctor, Vermont, know as the marble capitol. Runners meet on the Proctor Green next to the Vermont Marble Company and Museum. As the gun signals the start of the race, runners take themselves across the beautiful, white marble bridge, pass along the beautiful countryside, and end crossing the finish line in downtown Rutland.
Join us in the celebration of the 10K, and help in the fight against cardiovascular disease, our country’s #1 killer.
5K Run
The 5K road race is a great run along the foothills of the Green Mountains. You will experience the serenity of the lush, green pastures, rushing waterfalls and all that Vermont has to offer. The 5K is a point to point race starting at Loop Street in Proctor, Vermont and finishing in downtown Rutland, Vermont next to the Citizen’s Bank.
The Crowley guarantees an experience to remember, and a great time for all runners and their families throughout the entire weekend with pre and post- race events, live music and much, much more.
The Crowley brothers were Frank, Larry, and Joe. Their dad was Arthur Crowley and they lived at 20 Nichols Street, Rutland, Vermont. As a high school runner, Frank Crowley set the national high school mile record. He went to Manhattan College and was a record holder there also.
On August 5, 1932, Frank, representing the USA, was eighth in the 1500 meter finals at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
In the winter of 1980, Frank Crowley died at seventy-years of age from brain cancer. In 1930, he won the Proctor to Rutland 10K Road Race.
The 1978 race was run from the Rutland-Proctor town line to the Rutland City Hall and was won by Jack Arthur and Betsy Scott.
Over the years, the course route has changed. One of the initial courses started in front of St. Dominick’s church, in Proctor, and ran to the finish line at the Howard Bank.
Another one of the courses, a loop course, started at the Rutland Recreational Center and ran up and over Campbell Hill Road. To finish, the runners returned to the Rutland Recreational Center, which at that time was located on Court Street.
Several races started at the Proctor High School Athletic Field and finished near the current finish line on Merchant’s Row.
LESS
Meet Katharine Switzer
The race was very small with less than 100 people. The course was scenic but was also very difficult. The race is the epitome of rolling hills. The hills were … MORE
The race was very small with less than 100 people. The course was scenic but was also very difficult. The race is the epitome of rolling hills. The hills were broken up by some farmland stretches. Then there were more hills. For the final miles there were long stretches of running on the side of highways …boring!
I don’t want to paint a picture that this was the worst race ever. But, it was definitely a difficult race. There were no spectators and limited water stations.
The best part of the race was getting to meet Katharine Switzer. Not only was she at the bib pick-up but she was also at the race. That in itself makes the race worth it!