My Spirit Runs: Around The Bay 30K Road Race 2010

The Barrie Road Runners assemble in new shirts prior to the race.

Kathy (GONE2THEDOGS) and I pre-race.

Place - 4008/5697
Gun Time - 3:15:06.5
Chip Time - 3:10:58.1
Pace Avg - 6:31
F40-44 Age Category Result - 278/469
Gender Place - 1563/2683
10km split - 1:03:39
15km split - 1:35:43
20km split - 2:07:42

Older than Boston, this race is. This was the 116th running of the Around The Bay 30K Road Race in Hamilton Ontario. I had heard much about this race over the years and much of what I had heard was to not be fooled by the distance. Just because it is a 30K and not a full marathon, doesn't mean it is any less of a race. You break this race down into three sections as it is roughly a triangle with each leg being approximately 10K. The first leg carries you through and out of Hamilton. Not the prettiest of towns, but many members of this community were out on the streets and cheering us on, while some were complaining that they could not cross the street to get their laundry done.

Gathering at the start line. Over 10,000 participants overall.

With my pace buddy, Dave before the start.

Gun has gone off, 5 minutes before we cross the start line.

Starting down the streets of Hamilton.

Dave looking fresh.

Me feeling fresh.

We turn into Burlington and run along the east shore of Lake Ontario, along Beach Rd. I had a coach who used to live in one of these quaint beach houses. Again, people were out lining the streets to cheer us on with signs and noise-makers, but along this stretch, the most memorable cheer-leaders were the senior citizens from a nursing home lining their stretch called "Tin Pan Alley". They beat on pots and pans and are apparently there, every year, rain or shine. We ran along with a man, momentarily, who was wearing an orange bandana and Dave commented, "Nice bandana!"
Bandana man, "Thanks, it was my mothers."
Me, "Awe..."
Bandana man, "She hated that I ran."
Me, "Oh, so you wear it just to show her? My dad hates that I run, too."
Bandana man, "No, I wear it to have a piece of her with me on my runs, she was a strong lady."
I love this guy, and get all verklempt.
We crossed over the Canada Customs lift bridge which has wide grating, so was kind of freaky, and pass the 15K mark. Halfway! We veer left and enter the third leg of the race. We pass another man who states to us, "You run the first third of this race with your head, the second phase of this race with your heart and the third phase of this race tests your personality." I guess he means your guts?

Each kilometer was clearly marked with signs and each sign had an incredible motivational quote to read. I looked forward to each and every one and surely wish I could remember just one!

UPDATE : I did remember one, and this one is great, "Most people don't have the balls for endurance running. The polite word for them is sprinters."

Heading into the last third of the race.

We turned into Burlington, the last third of the race, at about the 18K mark. I told Dave to go ahead whenever he felt ready. Up to now, we had been deliberately maintaining a comfortable pace and kept the reigns on ourselves. I wanted to conserve for the first 2/3 of the race and then do whatever we felt capable of in the last third. He broke away at the 22K mark and ended up four minutes ahead of me in final chip time. I had great energy. I loved the hills through this section as they engaged new muscles and included refreshing downhills. The homes were gorgeous and the people of this community were out in full force.

Stan the Midget was out, as per tradition, blasting "We Will Rock You" from his boom box. This guy is another famous fixture on this race course.

A Barrie Running Room runner came up from behind. This is James, he is a Chi Running instructor in Barrie.

He, in turn, took my picture.

We were now into the deep hills and as I came around the corner, I came up on THE HILL. This race has a notorious hill at the 24K mark, approximately. I have been so forewarned about this hill, but have also trained hard hills, so literally, when we started up the hill, I had to turn to a lady and ask, "Is this THE hill?"

Base of THE hill. It is 450m and 18% grade, but still...

I breezed up it and clipped people off one by one as I went. A man yelled out at me, "Great pace, you've got this!" And I did!

At the top of the hill there is a man dressed in a Superman costume giving everyone high fives. He is a tradition, too, rain or shine. He shouted out, "Great work on that hill!" Another man replied, "What hill?!" My sentiments exactly.

Now we were on the final 6K and I was feeling fresh. I did surges between pylons for the last 6K. Three pylons hard, two pylons easy. I was passing people and this felt good. We pass a large cemetery and people are dressed in Grim Reaper costumes and coming out, grabbing your hand and saying, "It is time to come with me, now, my darling." I was cracking up, and saying, "No, sir, it is not my time yet, I am feeling too good!" Oh, that part was hysterical. I couldn't fumble fast enough to get my camera out for Superman and the Reaper, but next year. They are worth the photos - next time, for sure.

In the far distance on the other side of the harbour, that's where we had been.

The final stretch to the finish. Copps Coliseum in the background.

Our finish is inside the Coliseum, so it is exciting and a lot of fanfare. The crowds line the streets in front of the Coliseum and cheer you in. I was in a full on surge, which felt like a sprint, but lets be real. The crowd most certainly carried me. As you enter the Coliseum, the announcer announces your grand entrance. That was very cool. This time I remembered to smile as I crossed the line and did not have my finger on the stop button of my watch with my head down. Although I did not raise my arms up. That will take a bit of coaxing.