Whitey Sheridan in the 1963 Around The Bay Road Race

Coming up this Sunday, March 24 is North America’s oldest running race – Around The Bay.  Yes, it’s older than the Boston Marathon by three years. 

 I’m sure the runners who have endured their long runs in the snowy and frigid conditions we’ve had this winter will be happy to know that the long range forecast for Sunday’s race is clear with a high of 4.

There’s something for everyone at ATB.  There’s a 5K run, a 30K relay (each person runs 10K…that’s not too bad!), there’s a 30K walk and not for the faint of heart, there’s the 30K run.  Funds from the race benefit St. Joseph’s Healthcare.

I’ve run Around The Bay on two occasions.   It’s the race runners love to hate….but it is an exceptional race from the pasta dinner to the expo right to the beer after the finish!   It’s all good!

My love affair with “the Bay”  began on March 25, 2000, the night before I completed this grueling 18 mile event for the first time.

We were at the pre-race pasta dinner.   John “The Penguin” Bingham was the guest speaker and Waterdown resident,  Whitey Sheridan, an outstanding runner in his time, was an honoured guest.

The Penguin told the tale of how he got into running – and how it changed his life.  He’s known for running at the back of the pack…hence the name Penguin.  But by the stories he told, that’s where you have the most fun!  No pressure…you can talk to people, enjoy your run and just have a great time.

We had the opportunity to chat with and have our photos taken with the Penguin and Whitey.  It doesn’t get much better than this!

Michael, Robyn, Smitty, "The Penguin", Kathy & Lee

Created by Billy Carroll who owned the Hamilton Herald Newspaper, the inaugural edition of “The Bay” was run on Christmas Day in 1894.   This race has established Hamilton as a running mecca for long distance runners.   The list of winners for this event reads like a “who’s who” of runners including the infamous Tommy Longboat from Caledonia, Ontario who crossed the finish line first in 1906.

The closest finish for ATB was in 1997 when Paul Mbuga of Kenya beat two other runners by a mere footstep in a time of 1:35:35. 

In 2006, the race finish was moved indoors to Copps Coliseum and now friends and family can watch their beloved runners in comfort.

Since my body will no longer tolerate the 18 miles of road running (I’ve crossed over to trails), I’ve been a spectator at The Bay the past few years.

I find a spot near the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlingon, where the runners have about 5 km to go.  That’s where I offer my support as do hundreds of others.   Little do some of them know, they still have the Valley Inn Rd. Hill – Hamilton’s own Heartbreak Hill -  to climb!   

This year, I will miss The Bay.  I’ll be in Florida for a long weekend so I’ll have to watch the live updates on CBC’s on line coverage, or watch twitter and Facebook.

 

For those of you who are running on Sunday…have a great race and may the wind be at your back!

Older & Wiser

What great mild weather we had this past weekend.  It’s just a teaser, isn’t it?  Yesterday morning, the sun was streaming into my bedroom window, just screaming at me to get outside and hit the trails.  Without giving it too much thought, I put my gear on and eagerly headed over to Dundas Valley.  I parked the car and ran to the main loop from the parking lot and it was at the entrance to the main loop trail where my bubble burst.

The trails were covered in crusty snow….you know that hard icy stuff that you can’t really run on unless you have Yaktrax  I actually purchased a pair a few months ago and have yet to break open the box.    How could I have been so stupid I thought to myself.  Did I think two days of above 0 temperatures would melt all the snow and ice on the trails!  Oh well, what to do now.  There was no way I was even going to attempt negotiating the ice and snow on those trails.  No way, I'm much smarter than that...now.  I had broken my leg years ago when I slipped on black ice, while running.  And just over a year ago, my friend Helene broke her wrist when she tried to break her fall on ice when we were out for a leisurely Sunday trail run.  

So, I ended up running from the trail centre to Governors Road on the laneway that cars drive in and out of.  It was quiet, the dirt was softening and there were trees all around me.  45 minutes later, I left with a smile on my face...feeling a bit gypped but semi-satisfied.  And those hills were killer….I’m feeling my quads today.    A few more weeks and the trails will be more manageable…they’ll be muddy but they’ll be runnable.  I can hardly wait!

2013 RUNNING CALENDAR NOW AVAILABLE!

Here’s a great Christmas gift for the runners on your list…including yourself!

The 2013 Running Calendar - It’s Just Running – featuring photos from some of Ontario unique running races.
Just click Add to Cart. 

Buy yours now before they run out!  Only $5 plus shipping.

ANOTHER GREAT SANTA 5K IN THE BOOKS

Running Burlington’s Santa 5K has become a tradition for myself, and a handful of friends and family members.

The weather gods didn’t cooperate  for this year’s event and despite a consistent light rain, the enthusiasm wasn’t dampened for the 3,000+ Santa runners in this year’s event.

The new route included starting and finishing on Brant St right in front of City Hall and the atmosphere, as always, was festive and energetic!

2013 Calendar Now Available

The 2013 It's Just Running Calendar is now available! The calendar features photos of some of southern Ontario's unique running events and motivational quotes.  The calendars will be distributed to runners in the Santa 5K in Burlington on December 8.   If you can't make that event, a limited number of calendars are available for on-line purchase.  Just click Add to Cart. 

Why Do You Run?

 "I appreciate the art and science of running, but more than a sport, it's part of my life. It helps me live better." George McGough

People run for different reasons. And why you run can change during the course of your life or running career.

We all have days when it’s hard to get out of bed before sunrise and coffee to throw our running gear on while half awake. But we do. What inspires someone to get up at 5 a.m. in the winter when it’s 10 below and put on three layers of running clothes, a reflective vest, gloves, headband, runners, and a heart rate monitor ? It can’t just be about the exercise when there’s a heated gym just down the street.

Running in its purest sense has so much to offer and few restrictions. What you put into it, you’ll get out and much more. I used to measure the success of my running by how far or fast I could run. Injuries, age and life have changed all of that.



Now I measure my running by my experiences- by the people I meet, the beautiful places I run, the connection I have with the people I run with. Whether it’s a feeling of contentment while running the scenic trails of Dundas Valley or the adrenaline rush of running with thousands of people dressed in Santa suits in downtown Burlington, I love the variety that running has to offer. And one never knows when and where inspiration may strike.
 
On several of my Sunday morning summer runs with a group of like minded individuals led by our energetic and unofficial coach, Helene, we ran into Olympian Reid Coolsaet on the Dundas Valley trails! Just seeing him fly by us was enough to get us to increase our speed for at least the next 50 meters! Running and training with kids a third of my age and my 20 year old son also helped me to work on my speed. Thanks to them and a 12 week running clinic with the Phat Chicks, I was able to clock a new personal best in my favourite race, the Sulphur Springs Trail Run.

Here’s a challenge for 2013. Try a new race or a different distance of a race. Add some interval work or hill training to your training runs. If you run alone, try a local running group. Mix it up…keep it interesting and keep on running. 

My Affair

I’ve had a life long affair with running. I despised it when I was told it was something I had to do…to help my asthma…to build my endurance for basketball. Gradually there was a shift and I learned to love the longer runs, the rhythmn of my feet pounding the pavement or trails, the pounding of my heart, my heavy breathing… When I was lean and in my 20s running was about competition and time. In my 30s it was about staying fit and losing my baby weight. In my late 30s there was a shift in my running. Following a separation, divorce, loss of my parents, the running was more about healing than about racing and competing. It was about friendships, about health, about adventures. That continued into my 40s…it’s a place I like to be…running is good for my head , heart and health but mostly my head.

If I’m stressed or had a bad day or need to vent, what do I do? I hit the road or the trails. When I’m done, there is a feeling of liberation and accomplishment. That never goes away. My running is measured by my experiences, the friendships I make and keep, the people I meet, the places I run, and most of all how I feel. My running journey has taken me many places..not just different geographical places but places physically and emotionally.

It's Just Running!

It’s just running but it’s actually so much more.  

What I’ve found is that running has been a metaphor for my life.  It’s helped me through life’s challenges, enabled me to celebrate my free spirit and good health and gave me the opportunity to develop many lifetime friendships that I otherwise wouldn’t have.

When I talk to a “runner” there is often an immediate connection….and when I talk to people about the meaning of running, I often find that we share many insights.

I’ve been running off and on for almost 30 years. What started out as something that I detested but was forced to do as part of a training program for the high school basketball team has turned into a life long love affair.

My running journey has taken me many places – not just different geographical places but places physically and emotionally. I’ve learned a lot…grown as a person, enjoyed interesting experiences and made some of my best friends through running ….and the journey continues.