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ACCOMMODATIONS AND DIRECTIONS Please review the Lodging Options tab. Directions to the Marathon start: Bennington, VT at Bennington College Bennington College is located at 1 College Dr. Bennington is 45 minutes east of Albany, NY (nearest commercial airport), 3.5 hours north of New York City, and 3 hours west of Boston. From Boston/Southern New England: I-91 North to Brattleboro (Exit 2), then Route 9 west to Bennington. From Metropolitan New York: I-87 North (New York State Thruway) to exit 23, then I-787 north to Route 7 East for 25.8 miles(Troy/Bennington). Continue on to VT 279 for 3 miles and take the VT 67A Ramp making a right onto N Bennington Rd. After about 1/4 mile, make a left onto VT 7A with an immediate and sharp left onto Berard Rd. From Berard road, make a right onto N Bennington Rd. Follow N Bennington rd for 1 mile, Bennington College Rd/College Dr is on the right. From the Hudson Valley: Rt 22 North to Route 7 East in Hoosick. See above instructions from Route 7. From Northern New York: I-87 South (the Northway) to Route 7 East. See above instructions from Route 7. From Northern Vermont: U.S. 7 South to VT 279. Take the Exit for VT 67A North/N Bennington Rd. Make a left at the end of the ramp. Bennington College Rd/College Dr is .6 miles on the right. Directions to the finish: Hunter Park Road, 410 Hunter Park Rd, Manchester Center, VT 05250 Hunter Park is located off of 7A (Main Street), 1.6 miles north of the Northshire Bookstore. Manchester is located 30 minutes north of Bennington. From Bennington: U.S. 7 North to exit Exit 4, then Routes 11/30 West (left off ramp) to Route 7A North (right at the circle). Hunter Park Road is about 1.5 miles on the left. Shuttle Buses and Parking: Please park at Riley Rink (race finish). Shuttle buses will be available in the morning to transport you from the finish to the race start. Buses will depart at 6:30 a.m. (40 minutes travel time). Parking is available at the race start (there is no shuttle service at the end of the race) and the race finish. Limited parking available at the half marathon/relay transition point. BKVR Home Sponsors Volunteers Lodging Race Detail Course Registration Shires Home Marathon Race Start Marathon Finish © 2012, Shires of Vermont Marathon Bennington, Vermont shiresmarathon@gmail.com

BKVR Scholarship Deadline April 30, 2026 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION (click for access) BKVR Past Scholarship Awardees Each year the Batten Kill Valley Runners Club (BKVR) issues scholarships to deserving high school graduating seniors with an interest in running and involved in the running community. The amount of these awards varies from year to year but may range from $250.00 to $5,000.00 depending on the applicant’s qualifications and the number of applicants. The program is open to students within southern Vermont and southern Washington County, New York, with priority given to applicants who have been members of the BKVR for at least one year. We encourage our members to apply! Scholarship Application Requirements: Applications must be submitted by April 30 each year. Applicants must be interested in running and must participate actively in the sport by participating on a school track or cross-country team or by being an active member of a running organization. Applicants must be: High School Seniors at schools located within the Batten Kill watershed or be BKVR members at any high schools, who are planning to graduate in June and will be attending college, university or technical school no later than the following spring semester after high school graduation. Applicants must complete the application form and must submit all required documents by mail (received by April 30) to the BKVR Scholarship Committee, 47 Gray Avenue, Greenwich, NY 12834 , or the applicant may email the completed package to battenkillrunners@gmail.com . Copies of the application may also be obtained from the same address. Awardees will receive their scholarship grant upon proof of registration for classes. Essays submitted by the winning applicants may be posted to the BKVR website with permission. © 2023 by BKVR. Proudly created with Wix.com

2014 Running of the Turkeys November 27, 2014 Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow stopped the many runners and walkers who came out on Thanksgiving Day morning to enjoy the fresh air, friendship, and family!

BKVR is diverse group of runners, fast and not so fast, laid back and serious - all sharing a love for the sport and the beautiful valley that we're named for. Our races fund raise for scholarships for graduating seniors. 2016 Picture Gallery 4 on the 4th Home BKVR Home

Running of the Turkeys 2023 Finding Inspiration in Every Turn 2023 Race Results Post race festivities

Membership Our members hail from Vermont, Eastern New York, and beyond. As a member of the Batten Kill Valley Runners you will receive discounts at club races*, regular email updates, notifications of upcoming events and group runs, and you will be supporting our sport and many worthy local causes and organizations. Download the Membership Form and mail it in today! The membership fee is $20 /year (individual or 2 person household), $25/year (family membership) and is renewable in January. Checks should be made payable to: Batten Kill Valley Runners or BKVR and mailed to: BKVR ‐ 823 County Route 61; Shushan, NY 12873. ZEM BENN (Steve Zemianek Bennington Road Race) (active only on race day) BKVR RUNNING OF THE TURKEYS Pay online (active 11/25 and 11/26, 2026 only) * BKVR's current club races include: Zem-Benn Bennington Road Race, Moonlight in Vermont 4-mile Road Ramble fun run, and the Running of the Turkeys. Race directors and volunteers needed to reinvigorate the Wandering Witches, 4 on the Fourth. Purchase your membership on-line Pay online

Batten Kill Valley Runners The Batten Kill Valley Runners was founded in the mid-1990’s to promote the sport of running, both on a competitive and recreational basis. The club supports running, racing and walking on the roads and trails of the Batten Kill River water shed. We organize group runs and races and help support other organizations that sponsor running events in this beautiful region. Fundraising Race proceeds support our scholarships to graduating seniors to schools in the Batten Kill watershed. In awarding the scholarships, named for one of our founding members, Jack Quinn, the BKVR seeks not only to promote running as a healthy lifestyle choice among our local youth but also to identify and recognize individuals who embody the spirit of running. and manifest the pleasure, benefits, and unbridled joy of running.

Shires Home Race Detail Registration Course Travel Volunteers BKVR Home Sponsors L ODGING O PTIONS Casablanca Motel Address: 5927 Main Street, Manchester Center, VT 05255 Email: CasablancaMotelVT@gmail.com Phone Number: (802) 362-2145 or toll-free 800-254-2145 Website: www.CasablancaMotel.com Run & Stay Package: 2 Night Special for race participants & their families - $119/night plus tax based on double occupancy. Children under age 13 stay for free. Pets allowed in select cabins for additional charge. A short walk through the woods from the Northshire Civic Center/Riley Rink Description: Yankee Magazine calls the Casablanca Motel “Vermont’s best retro escape.” What’s the secret? Ten charming, restored cabins offering a vintage vibe with modern amenities, friendly innkeepers, and realistic rates, recalling the heyday of American travel. Pets welcome in select cabins. Breakfast provided: No breakfast is provided however, each cabin offers 4 cup coffee/maker, small fridge & microwave oven. Located only one mile from the center of town where you will find many dining options. Charcoal grills are available on our side lawn should you choose to cook out while here. www.vermontvacation-rentals.com Address: P.O. Box 343 Email: andy.jt53@gmail.com Phone Number:802-362-3170 Website: www.vermontvacation-rentals.com Run & Stay Package: two night minimum Description of your property: Why stay in a room, when you can rent an entire home and stay with friends or family? These homes are exclusively designed for vacation rentals! Every bedroom has a in suite full bathroom! These homes are handicap accessible with a ramp and a zero threshold tile shower. They are less than a miles from Riley Rink the end of the race in Manchester! Breakfast provided - No but FULL KITCHEN! © 2012, Shires of Vermont Marathon · Bennington, Vermont · shiresmarathon@gmail.com

A 26.2 mile, picturesque point to point journey through 5 beautiful southern Vermont villages. The half starts at the second half of the full, so no one misses out! The Shires Marathon was last run in 2018. We loved it and who knows, never say never. Thank you for your support for our races and the Shires communities. “I have raced plenty of marathons and other races in many states, but this was exceptional.” The race begins at Bennington College, a small private liberal arts school, heads through the small town of North Bennington before entering into the back roads of Shaftsbury. The half-way point is at the Federated Church in East Arlington, which is also the Half Marathon start, and then the route heads toward the Chiselville Covered Bridge and onto Sunderland Hill Road with spectacular views of mountains and meadows while protected by a canopy of trees. The course takes you through Manchester's back roads before emerging onto downtown Manchester. The course concludes with a run through the downtown area of Manchester and on to Hunter Park finishing at Riley Rink with plenty of amenities including showers for all participants. Train for the Shires of VT Marathon on the actual course with Training for More , a Southern Vermont running group under the leadership of Road Runners Club of America Certified Coach and two-time Shires finisher, Andrea Malinowski. Visit www.tfmvt.com for group information. Contact Andrea and mention you're a registered 2018 Shires of Vermont marathon participant to receive 15% off training fees. Race Details Course Volunteers Travel Sponsors "The medals themselves are so very Vermont, beautifully rustic ceramic pieces from a local pottery. Just across the board it was an awesome experience. If you live in the area and you want a challenge, do this race. If you're a 50 stater and you're looking to cross Vermont off your list, DO THIS RACE! You won't find a better encapsulation of the spirit of Vermont!" - 2017 Marathon Participant 2018 Race Results 2017 Race Results 2015 Race Results BKVR Home © 2012, Shires of Vermont Marathon Bennington, Vermont shiresmarathon@gmail.com

Calendar of Events, Races, and Group Runs Please check our Facebook page for updates, changes, and cancellations.

Shires Home Registration Race Detail Travel Lodging Volunteers Sponsors BKVR Home Course Detail Marathon Start: Bennington College, 1 College Dr., Bennington, Vermont (50 min from Albany) Half-Marathon Start: Federated Chuch; 102 Ice Pond Road; Arlington, VT Finish: Hunter Park/ Riley Rink, 410 Hunter Park Road Manchester Center, Vermont 05255. Course Map: These maps give approximate distances. The Full marathon course is an officially USATF-certified (VT14002JK) Boston-qualifier marathon. Click here for an interactive/detailed map. Course Description: T he marathon is a point-to-point race from Bennington to Manchester Center, Vermont. The course follows mainly secondary roads through the villages of North Bennington, Shaftsbury, Arlington, Sunderland, and Manchester. Sections of the course will be closed to traffic. About eight miles consist of hard-packed dirt, with the remainder of the surface paved. Shuttle Busses to Start: Full: Depart Hunter Park at 6:30 a.m. (40 minutes travel time). Half: Depart from Hunter Park around 7:50 a.m. There will be NO post race shuttle to the race start. Please plan on parking at the race finish an using the shuttle to the race start in the morning. Parking: A vailable to runners and their support teams at the start and finish. Pre-race shuttle buses transport runners from the finish area (Hunter Park) to the start. Aid Stations: Water will be available at Miles 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25. Sports drink will be offered beginning at Mile 5, with gels/GU available at Mile 13.5 and Mile 21.3. Finisher's Medals: Commemorative handmade medallions to all finishers locally made by middle school students at Mountain School at Winhall. Baggage Check: Available at Start. Timing: By Underdog Timing Portajohns: A t start, finish, and at regular intervals along the course. © 2012, Shires of Vermont Marathon Bennington, Vermont shiresmarathon@gmail.com

T HANK Y OU TO O UR 2018 S PONSORS ! Volunteers Lodging Travel Course Registration Race Detail Shires Home Thank you for your interest in being a sponsor for the Shires of Vermont Marathon. Your sponsorship benefits over 40 local non-profit organizations throughout the Shires region, supports the BKVR scholarship program, and helps us promote running and fitness in the region. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, email Race Director, Chrissy Blaylock. © 2012, Shires of Vermont Marathon · Bennington, Vermont · shiresmarathon@gmail.com BKVR Home