Connecticut
Engaged couple from Glastonbury wins this year's Hartford Marathon
An engaged couple from Glastonbury has won this year’s Hartford Marathon.
Alex Norstrom, 28, came in first in the marathon on Saturday with a time of 2:17:56 while his fiancée, Angelia Rafter, 25, finished first for the women with a time of 2:38:09, according to the race’s results page.
Norstrom and Rafter said it was really hard for them both to win, but this is the best result possible.
“The goal for both of us was to win the race. Angie had a little bit more of a taller task because this was her first marathon. I think that’s the highlight of the day for sure, her getting that win and running really fast,” Norstrom said.
“All the credit to Alex, you know we train together day in and day out. He trains me so I’m just really proud to cross the finish line for him,” Rafter added.
The couple is set to get married next year.
In the half marathon, 24-year-old Ethan Hermann, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, came in first with a time of 1:05:17. For the women, the winner was 30-year-old Annmarie Tuxbury, of Boone, North Carolina, with a time of 1:13:24.
And in the 5K, 23-year-old Jason Gibbons, of Northport, finished first for the men with a time of 15:08 and 28-year-old Elizabeth Fengler, of Wallingford, came in first for the women with a time of 17:22.
More than 9,300 runners and walkers participated in the races on Saturday. You can get all of the race results here.
Amtrak says it will not close any railroad bridges along Connecticut’s shoreline during the 2026 World Cup, backing away from a potential proposal that had sparked concerns from boaters, harbor officials, and marine businesses.
In an email Tuesday to NBC Connecticut, Amtrak spokesperson Jason Abrams said: “At this time, in coordination with the Coast Guard, we will not be closing any bridges on the Connecticut Coast Line during the tournament.”
The statement is a shift from a plan previously circulating among members of the boating community. That proposal outlined possible hourslong closures of several movable railroad bridges on the Connecticut shoreline on dates tied to World Cup matches in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
The affected bridges would have included the spans over the Connecticut River, Niantic River, Shaw’s Cove, Thames River and Mystic River.
The proposal had raised alarms among charter boat operators, harbor masters and marine industry leaders, who warned the closures could disrupt navigation during the height of the summer season, create safety risks on crowded waterways and hurt businesses that depend on fishing and recreational boating.
Amtrak also said is “exploring all options to move travelers safely and reliably during the World Cup with minimal interruption and inconvenience to local communities, visitors, and other stakeholders and travelers.”
Fans are expected to use rail service along the Northeast Corridor to travel to matches in the Northeast, including in the Boston area, where passengers would use connecting service to reach the stadium in Foxborough.
Earlier Tuesday, the U.S. Coast Guard told NBC Connecticut it was reviewing Amtrak’s request related to the bridge proposal.
“The Coast Guard has received Amtrak’s request for the bridge closures and are reviewing it to reach a final decision. When that decision is made, the Coast Guard will work with Amtrak. We are also aware of the mariners and boating communities concerns regarding this,” the Coast Guard had said.
It was not immediately clear whether Amtrak had formally withdrawn that request or whether the rail operator’s latest statement means the bridge closures are no longer under consideration.
NBC Connecticut reached out to the Coast Guard to request additional information.
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