Greater Danbury Road Races
Danbury, CT
- Half Marathon, 5K, Kids Run
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Kick off half marathon season at the annual Faxon Law Greater Danbury Road Races! The event features a half marathon, 5K and the Union Savings Bank Kids Fun Run. The courses are flat & fast traveling through Danbury, Bethel & Redding. Following the event, enjoy a post-race party with food, … MORE
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Challenging hills, pretty scenery
Race offered packet pickup day of which was nice. Runners could wait inside a hall to stay warm and stretch. The course went through wooded residential areas that were quite … MORE
Race offered packet pickup day of which was nice. Runners could wait inside a hall to stay warm and stretch. The course went through wooded residential areas that were quite pretty. The course was more hilly than I expected and I earned my finish time. The shirt and medal were just OK. The post race had pizza and a live band inside the hall.
Nice local race, challenging course
This year's weather couldn't have been more perfect. It was in the 40's when we started, 50's when we finished, and sunny. Faxon Law always puts on a good race. … MORE
This year’s weather couldn’t have been more perfect. It was in the 40’s when we started, 50’s when we finished, and sunny. Faxon Law always puts on a good race. Most roads were open, but there was very little traffic and we were in the shoulder with cones blocking it off to traffic on the more main roads. I felt safe the entire time. There were also police vehicles regularly patrolling the course.
It’s not a huge field, but I was never alone, so it was a nice small race atmosphere.
They offer pre race packet pickup as well as day of. There was water and UCAN hydrate on the course about every 2 miles or so and a porta potty at mile 1.5/11.5. The course is mostly a giant look with about 1.5 miles that are out and back.
The course itself is rather pretty. You run along woods, streams where you can hear the frogs “talking” to each other (it’s mating season, afterall), and is otherwise mostly residential. The course is definitely hilly. Miles 7-9 are pretty regularly uphill, but there’s a nice long downhill in the last 4 miles or so of the course. If you pace yourself and take short walk breaks accordingly, the hills really aren’t that bad because they aren’t steep…just long. The finish is also downhill, which is super nice.
The first 1,000 registrants get a tech tee, the rest cotton, but rarely are there over 1,000 runners (there were about 700 this year). The medal was also pretty nice. Post race, I only found water (granted I didn’t look for anything else because I was going to lunch with my family), but the website advertises pizza like the other Faxon Law races.
The best part of the whole thing is that the parking is super easy and the start/finish is by the war memorial which has actual bathrooms (there were also porta potties out back if you didn’t want to wait in line). It also advertises changing and shower facilities (which again I didn’t look for).
All in all, it’s a great local race with a challenging course and nice small town atmosphere. Would do it again, especially with weather like this year’s.