In this edition of the RunVermont Pulse:
1. The Countdown is On: Registration Opens on October 1, 2025
2. Connelly's Corner - Island Vines Recap
4. Youth Halloween Run on October 18, 2025
Island Vines 2025, Lee Krohn Photography
The Countdown is On: Registration Opens on October 1, 2025
It seems like Memorial Day Weekend and the 2025 M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon & Relay were just last weekend, but spring turned to summer and now summer is about to turn into fall and here at RunVermont we are gearing up to open registration for the 20th Annual Half Marathon Unplugged on April 11, 2026, and the M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon on May 24, 2026.
Registration for both events and our Memorial Day Weekend Youth Events (M&T Bank Mini Marathon and M&T Bank Vermont City Two Mile) will open on October 1, 2025, at 6 am EST. Registering early is a great way to lock in the lowest price for each event, with the first price increase just before the stroke of midnight on New Years Eve, and get something on your calendar to motivate you and keep your training steady through stick season and winter. And if you really want to save and set yourself up for success in the marathon, you can register for the bundle, which gets you entry into both Half Marathon Unplugged and the M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon.
More information and where links to register starting on October 1, 2025, will be posted are here:
M&T BANK VERMONT CITY MARATHON & RELAY
M&T BANK VERMONT CITY TWO MILE
Connelly's Corner - Islad Vines Recap
It feels like yesterday to me that it was late summer 2013 and we were sitting around the RunVermont conference table brainstorming ideas for a summer or fall race to add to our lineup. By the end of the year we had locked in on the plan to produce a new 10k. Originally we were looking to produce this race around August 20th. The Lanes, proprietors of SnowFarm Vineyard convinced us that mid-late September was a better date. With 12 years of fantastic weather for this race, we have to tip our caps to the Lanes for their incredible foresight.
Almost 700 racers registered this year, wow!!! Just short of 600 in the 10k and 5k, and the Kids Run is really taking off with 88 kids entered this year. We hope all of you who came out to race had fun, and we hope we were able to provide some inspiration to drive your training and help you stay fit. We know, summer training can be tough getting out there to put in the miles when it’s so hot and humid. But we find a way, right?
When I think about our 12 years with this race, I think of a lot of things that haven’t changed and a lot of things that have:
- Changed – The course. Originally this was a 10k only. Same first mile and last 1.8 miles as now, but the middle was a loop with a massive climb at the 5k mark. We loved that course, but ¼ mile was on Rt 2 and that was a logistical challenge. Racers were definitely split on that course – some hated that hill SO MUCH, but a lot of racers liked the challenge. For the right runner it could be a fast course, but in my opinion the new course is faster.
- Not changed – An awesome post-race party in a beautiful venue. Snow Farm Vineyard has been a key element of this race since the start. When we looked at potential venues in Grand Isle County, one of the big challenges was finding a venue that could handle parking for 500+ racers, plus had enough grounds for everyone, plus made sense for a race course. Back in 2013 Snow Farm’s operations were a lot smaller. It’s been so cool to see them grow as a destination event venue over the years – their Thursday night concert series, weddings, and a greatly expanded hospitality program. We are so lucky to have a great relationship with the Lanes.
- Changed – Added the 5k in 2021. Added the Kids Run in 2023. This race was a 10k only until COVID. In 2020 we needed to simplify the production in order to get state approval to hold the race. We changed to a 5 miler for 2 years, limited the field size, and changed to the out-and-back course. That got us back on our feet. I’m proud that we found a way to keep this race, as well as our Half Marathon Unplugged, going right through the challenges we all faced during early COVID.
- Not changed – The vibe, mood, buzz, whatever you want to call it, about this race. It’s always been a race that people look forward to for the challenge, just the right amount of challenge, for the fun morning we get to have. Walking around amongst all of you before the race, this one feels a little more laid back than other races we produce.
- Not changed – Our awesome volunteers!! This race isn’t heavy on volunteer needs, and we always seem to get the A Team signing up. Special shout out to Jon Floyd, who has been the Course Director for a heck of a lot of years. He’s there early, hanging out of the back of a truck or van or car dropping all those cones. From our bib pickup team, to parking, to our Course Monitors, to the Bike Crew, to the Aid Station (Colchester High School XC!), to the Finish Festival crew, to the Youth Team, to the Merchandise Team, to the Timing Crew, we are blessed to have such committed volunteers.
- Changed – Our staff! I think we had about 8 people on the RunVermont staff back in 2013. At this point I’m the only one left, with an asterisk because Peter Delaney was our Director through 2022 and he joins us on the volunteer side now. This race has a solid foundation due to the hard work of all our staff over the years, and that tradition continues through today’s core staff of Anthea, Lauren, Moe, and me.
We’d love to get your thoughts on this race. If you raced this year, or if you have raced in the past, what are your memories? What made this a good day for you? Why did you choose this race? How can we bump up the show as we move to the lucky 13th annual next September?
Joe Connelly
Chief of Race Operations
From the RunVermont Blog
Did you know that, like Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, we have been blogging more? We had some especially interesting posts this summer, and have more in the works.
Two great posts from the summer are a Q&A with local endurance athletes Kim Lord and Ryan McKeever, who recently tackled the double-traverse on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (running 193 miles from St. Johnsbury to Swanton and then all the way back again in less than 52 hours), and a Q&A with our Director of Registration, Moe Brown, on how to get into running.
You can learn more about Kim and Ryan “journeying to Oz” and how this endeavor “was about discovering what’s possible on [the LVRT], which is a gift to Vermont and to the endurance community[, and celebrating the] human potential” here.
And you can read Moe’s tips for getting into running here, many of which are important reminders to even the most seasoned of runners, like “celebrat[ing] all improvements no matter how big or small they may be.”
We hope you enjoy these and other recent blog posts, and please stay tuned for future blogs, from our favorite running movies to running routes in Burlington!
Halloween Howl Fun Run
The spookiest race of the season is almost here!
The Halloween Howl Fun Run, a partnership event with Burlington Parks, Recreation and Waterfront, returns this October where little ghosts, goblins, superheroes, and pumpkins hit the course for festive fall fun. The course is a 1/2 mile loop, with the option to complete it once or twice. Costumes are encouraged and parents/guardians can accompany their runner.
Stick around after the run for plenty of Halloween activities to enjoy!
Learn more about the event by clicking the button below:
Volunteers Rock
I’ve been involved in competitive running for about 40 years—as a race participant, coach, volunteer, and now as a RunVermont staff member.
I’ve always been appreciative of volunteers and recognize the important role they play in race production; however, it wasn’t until I immersed myself behind the scenes of race production as a member of the RunVermont staff that my appreciation for volunteers soared to new heights.
Sunday, September 14th, was the 12th running of the RunVermont Island Vines Road Race at Snow Farm Vineyard in South Hero, consisting of 10k and 5k distance options. It was also my first Island Vines in the role of Registration Director. My race day responsibilities included bib pick-up and timing.
As anyone who has run a race can likely attest, these tasks cannot be done by just one person. I needed a team! So, in the weeks leading up to race day, a modern-day Bat signal in the form of emails and social media posts was sent out in search of volunteers to assist with these and several other tasks. Fortunately, several past and first-time volunteers came through for us. By the time race day rolled around, my teams had been assembled. I could breathe a little easier.
With some basic instruction, both the bib pick-up and timing teams went about their tasks with enthusiasm and efficiency. The bib pick-up team kept the line of runners waiting to check in flowing steadily, enabling them to be ready to run at the arrival of the 9 a.m. start time and keep things on schedule. The timing team at the finish line was right on top of things and compiled thorough backup data. All of which—besides making my day much less stressful—contributed to making a more positive race experience for all involved.
This is, of course, my most recent example of how volunteers have made a positive difference, but it’s not my only one. It can be applied to all volunteers in all tasks for any of our events. From our largest event, the M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon, to our smaller events like our Freezy Cheeks 5k series, volunteers make the event possible.
So, to all past, present, and future volunteers, THANK YOU. You rock!
Moe Brown, Registration Director
