Couple gets married just before running Thanksgiving Day Manchester Road Race

More than 10,000 people ran the Manchester Road Race on Thanksgiving Day and the day was especially special for one couple who got married just before running the race.

Nithyalakshmi Kannan, of East Hartford, has been running the road race since 2012 and her now-husband, David, started running it with her when they started dating a few years ago.  

“When I told him that I run the Manchester Road Race religiously, he was like, ‘OK, I will run with you.’ And I was like, 'It’s a costume race and I had been running in many different costumes,'” she said.

Five years ago, they decided their costume would be the “Runaway Bride,” and Kannan ran in a secondhand dress that she found.

Then last year, Tom Topping saw them taking pictures and said that if they were ever interested in actually getting married, he’d be happy to officiate.

About 45 minutes before the race began, they got married with Topping as the officiant.

“It’s been a lot of fun getting to know them better. And her story is quite amazing. And he's quite a guy. And I’ve made a couple of friends for life, which is really the best part for me,” Topping said.

The newly married couple said this event was the best spot to get married at.

“And this is the best woman to get married to,” David said.

Together they ran with thousands of others, many of whom were dressed in costumes for the holiday event.

Runners were dressed as turkeys, in Santa suits and some were even in gold paint.

“I'm just going to try this year and try to run as much as I can. In the turkey, yeah, we'll see how it goes. Ha ha,” Giovanni Assunto, of Marlborough, said.

For Sue and Rob Davies, of Simsbury, running the race has become a family tradition.

Sue Davies said they started taking part the first or second year they were married as a way to start off Thanksgiving.

“It doesn't feel right, unless we're doing it now because it’s a big part of our family history,” Rob Davies said.