The 49th Boilermaker was held in Utica on Sunday, July 12th. Through beautiful weather, about ten Cliff’s employees and their family members participated in the 5K and 15K races. The support that was given by the community spurred our runners on and made it fun for everyone, even if they were previously non-runners. For years, Cliff’s has had a group of people participating in the Boilermaker. Watching the area come together to run, cheer, and celebrate is why Cliff’s Local Market is proud to be a sponsor
The race is powered by the community and the Boilermaker’s 65 partners, which includes Cliff’s Local Market since 2017. This year, as an associate partner, Cliff’s sponsored a mile marker and had a banner along the course in West Utica for the runners to see as they neared the finish line. Cliff’s was also supporting runners before they even hit the track. When picking up their bibs, runners received a “grab bag” which included two coupons (one for a $5 sub and one for a free Gatorade) to prepare for and to refuel post-race. After the race, the community was able to come together to enjoy the night. The in-course entertainment and the family reunion was sponsored by Cliff’s, allowing runners and the community to better enjoy the festivities and feel the community support of Central New York.
The Boilermaker started in 1978 as an event to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Utica Boiler company. They were teamed with Saranac Brewery to create a 15K (9.32 miles) race with just 876 runners. Since then, the event has grown into a worldwide known hotspot for runners with over 20,000 participants between runners, spectators, and volunteers. Participants come from across the local area, 47 U.S. states, and more than a dozen countries.
At Cliff’s Local Market, we are happy and proud to be involved in the production and execution of such a big event for the local area. Great job to all Boilermaker runners; We hope to see you in the 50th race next year!
