Here are the 2004 Race statistics
This is a 25-mile relay race, run annually in early May. The primary teams competing are the mathematics departments of Rutgers and Princeton University. Begun in 1976 as the "Mathematicians May Day Relay", the name was changed in 1997 to the "Fred Almgren Memorial Relay Race," honoring one of the event's most active participants, Fred Almgren.
Here are links to
for a general description of the race and its history and
a table of all winning teams since 1976.
You can also find a
leg-by-leg breakdown of the course, and
driving instructions.
In odd years, the race starts in New Brunswick (at the Landing Lane bridge) and ends in Princeton (usually at Washington Road). In even years, it starts in Princeton and ends in New Brunswick. The race has almost always been held on the first Sunday of May, starting at 10:00 AM. (It began at 9:00 AM in 2001, and will be on the second Saturday in 2003.)
Here are the race results from the years 2004 , 2003 , 2002 , 2001 , 2000 , 1999 and 1998
On May 10, 2003, the race went from Rutgers to Princeton. There were
six teams, and the winner was Rutgers Math with a time of 3:07.
In second place was Columbia University, which competed for the first
time since 1979.
In 2003, the race was 25.5 miles. The first leg was shortened by
about 0.2 miles, and the second leg was lengthened by 0.15 miles, due to
construction blocking the towpath.
On May 5, 2002 the race went from Princeton to Rutgers, ending with a picnic in Johnson Park. There were 8 teams, and the Princeton Physics 'A' team defended their title, with a time of with a time of 2:34 for the 25.1 mile course. The Rutgers Undergraduate team ran the third leg in the wrong direction, and their team time was computed "virtually."
On May 6, 2001, it went from Rutgers to Princeton, ending at Alexander Road,
near the picnic area. There were 9 teams, including two Physics teams
(one from each school). The winner was the Princeton Physics team,
with a time of 2:38 for the 25.7 mile course.
There was also a bicycle team for the first time.
The D&R Canal
The race goes along the former towpath of the Delaware and Raritan Canal,
which has been a
New Jersey State Park (since 1973),
is on the National Register of Historic Places, and was designated a
National Recreation Trail in 1992.
The D&R Canal was completed in 1834, as a fast but safe route between
New York and Philadelphia, and was closed for shipping in 1932.
The main part of the Canal was 44 miles long until this century.
The concrete Mileposts found along the towpath give distances "xx-yy".
This refers to the distances (in miles) to the original Trenton end (xx) and
to the original New Brunswick end (yy), so that xx+yy=44 miles.
Today, the main part of the canal is only 34 miles long. One end is now at
the Landing Lane bridge in New Brunswick, near the milepost 41-03;
the original New Brunswick terminus of the canal has also been recently
restored, and is about 3 miles away in Boyd Park. Between these points
in New Brunswick, there is about one mile of the canal which was
covered in the late 1970's when the highway, Route 18, was built.
Another mile of canal is also covered by Route One, in Trenton.
The Main D&R Canal, along which the race proceeds, is also used as a
source of drinking water by several municipalities, providing about 75 million
gallons of drinking water each day. So treat the Canal as a Watershed Area.
The Course: Breakdown by legs (25.0 miles)
Reading down: Odd years--
From Landing Lane (New Brunswick) to Washington Rd (Princeton)
Reading up: Even years--
From Washington Rd (Princeton) to Landing Lane (New Brunswick)
Leg one (3.7 miles) (remeasured in 2002) 0.0
0.0 3.7 Landing Lane Bridge, New Brunswick (parking lot across canal road)
0.2 3.5 Milepost 41-03
1.2 2.5 Milepost 40-4
2.0 1.7 DeMott Lane (access point, parking lot)
2.2 1.5 Rough paving
3.5 0.2 Route I-287 overpass
3.6 0.1 Five Mile Locks (access, limited parking)
3.7 0.0 Spillway (actually 3.66 miles)
Note: the exchange often happens at Five mile locks, not the spillway
This makes legs 1&2 change length by 0.05 miles.
Leg 2 (4.15 miles) (remeasured in 2002) 3.7
0.0 4.15 Spillway
1.6 2.6 Bound Brook bridge
1.7 2.4 South Bound Brook Lock, parking and picnic area
2.5 1.6 Route I-287 overpass
3.6 0.6 Milepost 34-10
3.9 0.3 10 Mile Lock Footbridge (with stairs), No Parking
4.15 0.0 10 Mile Lock, Parking Area "NJ Water Supply Authority"
Note: Before 2000, when the Parking area was built, the exchange
took place at the 10 mile lock Footbridge, so legs 2 and 3 were
about 3.9 and 3.6 miles long.
Leg 3 (3.3 miles) (remeasured in 2002) 7.8
0.0 3.3 10 Mile Lock, Parking Area
0.6 2.7 Zarephath (Pillar of Fire) access, No Parking
1.2 2.1 Weston Causeway, Manville Road (access, parking)
3.3 0.0 East Millstone (Amwell Road)
Leg 4 (2.1 miles) 11.2
0.0 2.1 East Millstone (Amwell Road, parking)
0.2 1.9 Milepost 30-14
1.2 0.9 Milepost 29-15
2.1 0.0 Blackwell Mill's Road
Leg 5 (4.2 miles) 13.3
0.0 4.2 Blackwell Mill's Road (parking, picnic area)
0.1 4.1 Milepost 28-16
1.1 3.1 Milepost 27-17
2.1 2.1 Milepost 26-18
3.6 0.6 Griggstown Causeway (parking, picnic area, canoe rental)
4.1 0.1 Milepost 24-20
4.2 0.0 Griggstown Locks
Leg 6 (4.4 miles in even years, 4.3 in odd years) 17.5
0.0 4.4 Griggstown Locks (limited parking)
0.9 3.5 Milepost 23-21
1.4 3.0 Little Valley Footbridge (access, limited parking)
1.9 2.5 Milepost 22-22
2.4 2.0 Route 518, Rocky Hill (access, parking)
2.9 1.5 Milepost 21-23
4.3 0.1 Exchange point in odd years
4.4 0.0 Kingston Lock, at Route 27
Note: Distance is 4.37 from Kingston Locks towards Griggstown Locks,
but the exchange point is different in the other ("down") direction.
Leg 7 (3.2 miles in even years, 3.3 in odd years) 21.9
0.0 3.3 Exchange point in odd years
0.1 3.24 Kingston Lock, at Route 27 (parking lot)
1.8 2.5 Milepost 18-26
2.3 1.0 Millstone River Aqueduct (access at footbridge)
2.7 0.6 Harrison Street, Princton (access, No Parking)
3.3 0.0 Washington Road, Princeton (limited parking down the road)
25.1 miles
1999/2001/2003 end:
3.9 0.6 Alexander Road, Princeton (0.6 miles further than usual)
25.7 miles
Usual End of Race. 25.1 miles
End of race in 1999 and 2001 25.7 miles
End of race in 2003 25.6
Notes.
1) All markings "No Parking", etc. are according to State Park guidelines.
Several access points and parking areas have been added since 1976.
2) When the canal was in operation, the towpath had no trees and was muddy.
Until 2000, there are numerous trees, and tree roots are a danger for runners.
Especially on the legs from Bound Brook to East Millstone.
During 1999-2000, almost the entire trail was given a sand topping.
3) The course was re-measured in 2001 and 2002; several inaccuracies
were corrected, including:
Leg 1 changed from 3.8 to 3.66 miles (Milepost 40 appears to be mislocated)
Leg 2 changed from 4.0 to 4.15 miles
Leg 3 changed to 3.33 miles
Distance in legs 6&7 adjusted for different exchange points
Return to the top of the Mayday Web page
Maintained by: Charles Weibel,
weibel @
math.rutgers.edu,
last modified May 6, 2004