Older than Boston. No, not me. I’m considerably younger than both the city (founded 1630) and the marathon (founded 1897). But the first race in my spring running quadfecta, the Around The Bay 30K Road Race, is older than Boston. As the story goes (i.e. according to the official website), “The Hamilton Herald Newspaper and cigar store owner ‘Billy’ Carroll, originated and sponsored the first Around the Bay Road Race, run on Christmas Day, 1894″. It tickles me that the first race was sponsored by a cigar shop. It is the oldest race in North America, beating Boston by a three year margin (although Boston does have that whole world’s oldest marathon not counting the Olympics claim to fame, but one must grab glory wherever possible). Displayed prominently across the back of every famously fluorescent race shirt is the tag-line “Older than Boston”. The shirt is a little awkward for those of a certain age to wear. I count myself among those of a certain age. Nothing like explaining to your 12-year cousin, no I am not older than Boston. Yes I know that’s what I says on my shirt. I am considerably younger than [insert spiel].
The course isn’t wicked hard, but it’s not an easy one either. As the clever among you might deduce from the name, the route encircles a bay, which is situated beside Lake Ontario (from 12K to 17K or so you run with the bay to your left and a great view of a great lake to your right) – which is scenic, but also screams ‘lake effect weather patterns’, most notably wind and rain. Today, with the driving rain and just enough wind to chill soaked bodies, was no exception. The first 15K is relatively flat, but the wind kicks in around 10K as you enter aquatic territory, and the last 15K is a steady stream of undulating hills, with a dandy make it or break it climb around 25-26K. They also throw in a couple of cemeteries, lest you get too cocky. This is the race that would-be spring marathoners use to test their fitness and to practice race strategy, in anticipation of the spring races to follow in five or six weeks. Or in my case, three weeks later (and, being as insane as I am, I added on another 3.5K to the route to get in one final over 30K run before Boston – certifiable, I know).
No, not an easy course, but a good one. From Tin Pan Alley (sadly, this year it was just a lady, a sign, and a frying pan), to the dude playing We Will Rock You on loop at the bottom of the final hill, to Superman at 26K encouraging you up that hill, to the Grim Reaper (now with a Ms. Grim Reaper – is she new? Did the reaper find love?) trying to fill his graveyard at 28K, to the graduated finishers’ medals (gold, silver, or bronze depending on your gun time), to the roar of the crowds in Copps Coliseum as you cross the finish line, this is an enthusiastic event. Not even buckets of rain and water-filled potholes can dampen the spirit. This year my personal highlight was the guy who staggered into his lane-way and puked up his last three meals (all liquid I suspect) at my feet before sharing with me his wise words: “drinking all morning is hard work”. If only he had an easy morning running around the bay like us.
Title reference: Creedence Clearwater Revivial – Who’ll Stop the Rain. From the album Cosmo’s Factory. 1970.
Nice tribute to the race!
I forgot to add the thrill of handing of $20 to a random person in a parking lot and crossing your fingers that your car won’t get towed away. A classic ATB moment.