The oldest distance race in North America went off on Sunday
in Hamilton when a few thousand individuals lined up for the
110th running of its 30k "Around the Bay Road Race".
This year there were over 4000 competitors in the full 30k
event + 507 in the 3 Person Relay and 262 people in the 2
Person Relay. The Bay and Back 5k event numbered over 600
finishers. These are record attendance numbers for both events.
And the Sudbury Rocks!! Running Club was well represented
with 16 runners in the long one plus a lone representative
in the 5k.
The day started off a little cool with full overcast and
some headwind for the first 10k and then again in the final
3k. While conditions weren't perfect, nobody was complaining
and quite a few hardy souls went with singlets and shorts.
Others, like me, had 2 light top layers and pants.
Our first 4 Rocks!! made a race out of it - all finishing
in a 2 minute window. Trevor Shamas lead the charge in 2:17:21.
Mauro Sorcinelli and Shawn Schryer were a minute down crossing
the line in 2:18:25 and 2:18:30 respectively. Apparently Mauro
just edged out Shawn in the last 100 metres. I'm sure Shawn
will watch his back more carefully in the future. Brent Walker
rounded out the first 4 with a rock!! solid 2:19:26 and made
especially sweet as this was Brent's longest run to date.
Steve Matusch came in next in a comfortable 2:24:50. He definitely
could have ran a little faster but his Tri Coach was adamant
he not overextend himself here as the recovery time needed
would compromise some hard training yet to come. I admire
Steve for sticking religiously to the plan. That's what a
training schedule is all about. (Read about Steve's run in
the YTri News here)
Monique Fournier is going to Boston in 3 weeks so she couldn't
cook it either. Even so, she turned a 2:32:56 and the course
is an excellent last long run before the taper to "the
Big Show".
John Tebaldi's 2:33:06 was a shade slower than his performance
last year but he still put in an excellent effort on only
reasonably good training. I'm sure John's looking to peak
in the upcoming Ottawa Marathon.
Our next 3 runners were close together on the road but never
saw each other in the crowded middle speed group. Our oldest
Rock!!, Paul Waschuk, lead the way for this group with a stellar
2:37:35. John Saftic followed closely with a 2:40:58 and then
came Sheila Yaw-MacLean breathing down his neck in 2:41:07.
The next 3 in the group hotly contested the under 2:50 crown
- although none of us were aware of the others existence in
the pack at the time. Franco Cazzola, Vince Perdue (that's
me) and Jesse Winters literally charged the last 3k to keep
the dreaded 3 hour bunny at bay. Only when we successfully
passed the Grim Reaper at the 28k mark, did we realize our
mission would be a success. And what a whupping that bunny
took as we utterly eclipsed the 3 hour mark blasting through
the line in 2:47:16, 2:47:30 and 2:48:27. I believe this was
Jesse's initiation into runs longer than 25k. And he'll soon
be competing in his first marathon in Ottawa this year. What's
next - Ultras?
This was Jan Weere's fastest "Around the Bay" to
date. Her time just edged higher than 3 hours by only 5 seconds
but her net time was well down at 2:57:59. Jan and Sheila
also used this event as a long distance endurance run in their
training program that will ultimately lead them to Lake Placid
and the Ironman Triathlon in July. I wish them well and will
be pushing them, figuratively, all the way.
Lise Perdue and Suzanne Dionne are sisters. Suzanne, the
younger, started running years ago and Lise followed suit
only a 3 or 4 years back. Suzanne has always lead the way
and is the faster of the 2. That is until the 110th running
of Hamilton's"Around the Bay" 30k Road Race was
completed. Somewhere around the cemetery at the 24.5 k mark
Lise pulled up on her ailing sister (sore heal) and thought
for a second about pacing her the final few Kms. Of course
those thoughts quickly vanished and Lise disappeared in the
distance and Suzanne was left to literally lick her wounds
and run on the soft cemetery grass for a bit of solace. Such
is the camaraderie of the long distance runner - and siblings.
Their times you ask: Lise - 3:17:51 Suzanne
- 3:20:02.
Suzanne comments:
Allo
I just have to say thanks again to
everyone for making it to Hamilton again
this year and what a great run.
It was Vince's seventh in a row as he reminded me.He started
it all and gave us
all the fever.
The next year I did the 5km and then I had to do the 30km.
So this was my 5th Around the Bay and the most PAINFUL and
I have to say
that with about a bottle of Advil in my body now because I
had to work with
a bad foot today all wrapped and still swollen. If it wasn't
for Lise I
would have quit at 6km but watching her long braid going along
kept me
going. I thought if I stop I have to walk and that would hurt
as much.
Lise thank you and I am very proud of you. You work so hard.
Vince thanks
for not letting me quit either.
And again thanks to the whole gang see you soon. Suzanne
Sean Waschuk competed in the 2 Person Relay with Julie Richards.
Their times: Julie Richards 1:28:43 and Sean Washchuk 1:14:30
with a total time of 2:43:12.6.
Henriette Waschuk was our only representative in the Bay
and Back 5k and she turned a truly admirable 32:15.
North Bay runners put on an excellent showing in both the
5k and the 30k events. Their names and placing's are included
in the local results.
Congratulations to All the Runners
Click
here for Results
