Fun facts about the Boilermaker road race!

This year's post-race party beer will be the Haus Lager from Saranac – but do you know how many casks will be used at the party? Do you know the average percentage of runners who finish the 15 km race, compared to the number of registered runners? Do you know who correctly predicted the winners of the 15K race in 2011, including their time of arrival?

If you can not answer these questions, you are not alone – but we have you covered!

Take a look at these amusing facts of Boilermakers provided by the boilermakers road race:

– In 2017, there were 296,009 registered and 250,667 players . This gives the race an average of 85% of the participants who register to finish the race.

– Participants from 58 countries participated in the Boilermaker until 2018.

– 2015 was the first year the Boilermaker offered early access entries for those who ran the race from the previous year on schedule. Runners only were entitled to early access for the race that they ran the previous year.

– The 2014 boilermaker sold faster than any other year. The 15K closed in 2 hours and 19 minutes and the closing 5K 20 minutes later. That was before the early registration period for previous participants and the carryovers were instituted in 2015.

– In 2010, the Boilermaker saw four records fall; the men's and women's course records and a record number of participants in the 15K and 5K. Participation numbers have since been broken several times, but course records are still valid.

– Utica has had six mayors since the beginning of the Boilermaker. They are Stephen J. Pawlinga (1978-1983), Louis D. LaPolla (1984-1995), Edward A. Hanna (1996-2000), Timothy Julian J. (2000-2007) David P. Roefaro (2008-2011) and Robert Palmeri (2012 – present).

– Edward Hanna ordered the arrival line arch. Timothy Julian is the only mayor of Utica to lead the Boilermaker.

– Mayor Pawlinga began the race in 1979.

– The hottest boilermaker was a burning 92, at the start of the race, on July 10, 1988.

– County of. Oneida had ten county leaders since the beginning of the boilermaker. They are William E. Bryant (1974-1979), Antoinette Hyer (1979), Seymour Greene (1979), Michael Nbader (1979), Sherwood L. Boehlert (1980-1982), John D. Plumley (1983-1991), Raymond A. Meier (1991-1996), Ralph J. Eannace Jr. (1997-2003), Joseph A. Griffo (2003-2006) and Anthony J. Picente, Jr. (2007 – present).

– The state of New York has six governors since the beginning of the Boilermaker. They are Hugh Carey (1975-1982), Mario Cuomo (1983-1994), George Pataki (1995-2006), Eliot Spitzer (2007-2008), David Paterson (2008-2010) and Andrew Cuomo (2011 – present).

– George Pataki was the first governor of the state of New York to attend the Boilermaker (2002). He is the only governor to hold the banner of the finish line. Eliot Spitzer was the first governor to participate in a Boilermaker event. He ran as a candidate with opponent John Faso in Carbon 5K (2006). Faso beat Spitzer by 14 seconds. Spitzer returned the following year to run the 5K Boilermaker. David Paterson is the only governor to attend two boilermakers and run the 15K.

– Robert Duffy is the only lieutenant-governor to lead 15K (2011).

– There were three race directors, Earle Reed (1978 – 2000), Bob Ingalls (2001 – 2007), and Jim Stasaitis (2008 – present).

– The United States has had seven presidents since the beginning of the Boilermaker. They are James E. Carter (1977-1981), Ronald W. Reagan (1981-1989), George HW Bush (1989-1993), William J. Clinton (1993-2001), George W. Bush (2001-2009) , Barack H. Obama (2009-2017) and Donald J. Trump (2017-present).

– From 1978 to 1992 Matt's Beer was on the back of 15K glbad. 1993 was the first year that the Saranac brand was put on the glbad that continues today.

– The first 5K glbad was released in 2004. The first glbad Walk was released in 2007. The Walk has been dissolved since 2018.

– The Boilermaker course was changed in 1997.

– Boilermaker Shadow Works. o 2014 – Camp Buehring, Kuwait o 2013 – Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan o 2012 – Shindand Air Base, Afghanistan o 2011 – Camp Victory, Iraq o 2009 – Camp Adder, Iraq o 2008 – Camp Sauther, Iraq o 2008 – Base Aerial of Bagram, Afghanistan

– The 15K race was timed for the first time with a chip in 1999. The Champion chip was used first, (1999-2009) followed by D-chip, (2010) and finally B-chip (2011-present).

– The 5K was timed for the first time in 2007 and was scored as a race in 2011. The top 3 men and women receive medals.

– The Boilermaker has had 3 timekeeping companies in its history. From 1979 to 1984, it was International Computer Limited. From 1985 to 2006, Runtime Services took over the Boilermaker. In 2007, Leone Timing has resumed and multiplied the races so far.

– The Expo first took place at the Riverside Mall from 1978 to 1996, and then at the Masonic Care Community from 1997 to 2011. In 2012, the expo moved to the MVCC Utica Campus where he is currently detained.

– John Cahill and Regina C. Tumidajewicz each broke the best time record in the 75+ age group. They were 75 years old at the time. In 1999, John earned his age bracket for men with a time of 1:08:38. In 2002, Regina earned her age bracket for women with a time of 1:58:35.

– In 1989, Michelle Bush-Cuke was the last American to win. 1989 was also the last year for both a man and a woman from the United States won the race. Michele won with Jon Sinclair in 1989. Ed Eyestone was the last American to win the Boilermaker in 1991.

– In 2017, 270 runners came from outside the United States.

– The highest percentage of participation occurred in 1978 when 89% of registrants completed the race. 2014 saw the largest number of runners finish the 15K, with 11,895 finishers.

– John Korir has the highest number of Boilermaker wins by a four-year-old – 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2004 and Catherine Ndereba aka "Catherine the Great" has the female record with four – 1996, 1999, 2000 , 2001. Mary Wacera has 3 wins and will try to tie Catherine in 2018.

– Go the Distance started in 1997.

– In 2011, the illusionist Leon Entienne correctly predicted the winners of the 15K men and women and their finishing times.

– The Boilermaker has three (3) specifically dedicated miles: The Unity Mile (started in 2017), The First Responders Mile (started in 2011) and the Patriotic Mile (started in 2011).

– Boilermaker start times:
1978-1979 – 10:30 AM
1980-1985 – 9:00 AM
1986-1993 – 8:30 AM
1994- Present – 8: 00:00

– The Boilermaker officially authorized the transfers and postponements in 2012.

– The Boilermaker offered his first Charity Bib Program in 2012.

– 10 local non-profit organizations have participated in the 2018 Bib Charitable Program.

– The Children's Run was only sponsored by Utica National.

– There are 10 perennials that led the 40 Boilermakers. One of them, Sheila Burth, is the only woman left.

– In 2013, the Boilermaker raised $ 10,000 in three days by selling a commemorative shirt to support the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.

– The Boilermaker uses just under 7,000 gallons of water during the run to hydrate the runners.

– 290 barrels of Saranac Haus Lager will be served at the Post Race Party. Combined with other Boilermaker events, at least 316 barrels will be consumed.

– The Boilermaker distributes 30 cases of orange slices and 33,000 bottles of water at each stroke.

– 330 Porta Johns are used throughout the course.

– 52% of runners are between 18 and 39 years old.

– The Boilermaker participants come from 51 states and territories and 40 countries.

– The runner's gender is divided equally between males and females.

– 38.9% had a college education.

– 29.7% attended graduate courses or graduated from higher education.

– 1979 was the first year in which all the names of the people listed were in the newspaper.

– 1984 was the first year that Kathrine Switzer came. She started the race and ran it.

– In 1980, there were 34 kegs of beer consumed; in 1997 – 120 barrels of beer, in 2002 -140 and in 2015 – 315 barrels.

– 1985 was the first year that prices were offered.

– 1986 was the first year that David Katz of Finish Line road race technicians was working on the finish line.

– 1988 Dr. George Sheehan met with riders at the Health and Fitness Expo.

– 1990 was the first year Kathrine Switzer called the race for WIBX.

– The company logo and the running man were introduced in 1993.

– A version of the runningman appeared in 17 logos.

– The oldest runner of 15K is Sheldon Kall, at 86 years old.

– In 2018, the Run4U campaign raised $ 25,000 for the Boilermaker Urban Initiative, based on donations from registered members.