The Stockade-athon is popularly recognized as the oldest “major” 15K road race in the USA. Starting in 1976 this classic 9.3 miler has become the highlight event on the fall racing season in upstate New York. New England Runner selected the Stockade-athon as its 2005 “Race of the Year.”
The Stockade-athon 15K course was modified in 2014 and now starts near Veterans Park in downtown Schenectady. The course travels west on State Street for 1K before entering the historic Stockade District and proceeding on a scenic bike path in Riverside Park along the Mohawk River. The course exits the Stockade District via Front Street after crossing Erie Blvd. The course then proceeds east on Nott Street past Union College before entering the historic GE Plot residential neighborhood via Lenox Ave, Douglas Rd and Rugby Rd. The course exits Rugby Road and proceeds north on Waverly Place near the 5K mark. The course turns east off Waverly and follows Grand Blvd to the city boundary with Niskayuna, then proceeds south on Dean Street to Central Parkway past 8k. After a 1K residential loop on Central Parkway, the course enters beautiful Central Park and follows a bike path around Iroquois Lake and Duck Pond before reaching its highest elevation near 12K. The final 3k is mostly downhill or flat as the course exits Central Park and proceeds west through historic Vale Cemetery and Vale Park before a final downhill section on Franklin Street to the finish at City Hall.
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Hilly and beautiful
Taking place in the city, you wouldn’t expect this race to have many hills. It starts downhill and then alternates between a few flat stretches, slight downhills, gradual uphills, and … MORE
Taking place in the city, you wouldn’t expect this race to have many hills. It starts downhill and then alternates between a few flat stretches, slight downhills, gradual uphills, and ends with an almost all downhill mile. Fun, challenging, and seamlessly organized.