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Hudson Relay Rules, Routes, and Winners

Origins | Rules, Routes & Winners | Celebrations | Firsts

When planning for the first race began, running from Painesville to Cleveland was proposed as the route. Quay Findley, Class of 1911 and member of the planning committee, suggested running from Hudson to Cleveland. His suggestion was accepted and, until 1990, Hudson to Cleveland, with minor variations, was the race’s route.
1950 Hudson Relay Map by Phil Ritzenberg (Adelbert 1953)
The length of each leg was 1 mile until the 1970s, when half-mile legs began. Early rules required each runner to finish his mile unassisted and no runner could participate in more than one mile. Team sizes varied from 24 to 52, It was the custom for the class president to run the final mile, with elected team captains running the first mile. The overall length was 26 miles until 2003 when the course was changed to pass through the North Residential Village, shortening the distance to 24.5 miles.
Adding Winning Teams to Hudson Relay Rock, 1915	Adding Winning Teams to Hudson Relay Rock, 1982
Monitoring progress of the race was a constant, but the method changed over time. In the early years, people who lived along the route phoned in updates, which were recorded on a large map of the course at the steps of Adelbert Main. In 1972 WRUW, the student radio station, offered live coverage of the race using a radio car.

Winning Teams

The First 100 Years

The Second 100 Years

Information was compiled by staff of the Case Western Reserve University Archives, April 2010.

Hudson Relay images are available in the University Archives Images of Events and Activities collection in Digital Case.

Origins | Rules, Routes & Winners | Celebrations | Firsts