The large number of northern runners plus some of our friends from the south - and - 8000+ others all came away from the 116th running of Hamilton's 'Around the Bay' in a satisfied state. And for good reasons. The weatherman had promised rain which didn't happen. Yes, there was was a little drizzle late in the event but nothing like the torrential downpour of the previous year. The run started out under rather calm conditions at about 3 degrees with light overcast. Things remained much the same for the race duration except for a gradual temperature rise to about 7. Most agreed we had exceptional conditions.

Exceptional conditions make for exceptional finishes. Northern transplant Mike Hay did just that by placing 25th overall in a time of 1:52:48.6. One realizes how deep the competitive field was when Mike only came 4th in his 40-44 year age group. Others in our group had outstanding performances too. Brent Walker and Steve Fessenden both pulled off personal bests with Brent turning 2:02:37.4 and Steve breaking the 2:10 barrier in 2:09:07.2. Jody Nadjiwon also did phenomenal breaking the 2:20 barrier in 2:19:21.2.

The north was represented by about 30 runners and and all have their own success stories. Good going everyone and a special congratulations to all the first timers as there were many in our group. Hopefully your success will draw you back again and on to different challenges.

All Results Here

Led by Jackie White's 4-medal haul, Laurentian Masters placed 15 out of 53 teams at the recent Ontario Masters Swimming Championships at the Canada Games Aquatic Centre in London. The finish is one step higher than last year, despite having fewer swimmers scoring.

White, who lives in Manitouwaning, trains in Espanola, and swims for Laurentian, won gold in the women's 400-metre individual medley, 200-m and 100-m butterfly. She was second in the 50-m fly.

Other Laurentian medallists included: Hugh Ferguson (silver in 800-m freestyle and third, 50-m free); Rob Masih (bronze, 400-m individual medley), Blair Smith (bronze, 50-m breaststroke); and Laura Young (bronze, 400-m individual medley).

The women’s medley relay team of Andrea Turner, Jackie White, Terry Johnson, and Laura Young placed third.

Also representing the Sudbury-based club were: Amanda Hey, George Gavrel, Terry Johnson (also of Espanola), Maureen Moustgaard, Linda Tenhunen, and Allison White. All swimmers placed high enough in their respective individual and relay events to contribute to the team's overall score.

The host London Silver Dolphins, with 58 swimmers, took their fourth provincial title in 5 years. With 500 swimmers competing in the championship, the oldest swimmer was 85; the oldest male swimmer was 80.

Laurentian Masters is sad that the three years of head coach Ali Ferguson are ending. She will graduate this year from the university’s adventure leadership program. “She is beyond dedicated to swimming and has an uncanny knack for coaching, timing, and stroke correction while drinking her morning coffee,” says club president Rob Masih.

Laurentian Masters also acknowledges the good-humoured support of assistant coaches Blair Smith, Thierry Middleton, and Robyn Lucas, especially during early morning practices.

Yours in sport, Laura E Young

Since 99.99999% of us will never be Olympians, sport must be about so much more than IOCs, VANOCs and official this and that.

Take the Sudbury Rocks!!! Race, Run or Walk for Diabetes, which will be held May 2 and will celebrate its fifth annual running in this reincarnation. It used to be the Sudbury Fitness Challenge Sun Run. The Rocks marathon has managed to combine tough competition and prestige while making it about more than that. People who complete the race within a specific time in their respective age groups will qualify for the Boston Marathon, the world's oldest annual -- and arguably most prestigious -- marathon. The 114th running will be held April 19.

Boston has an aura. People will tell you in tones of awe that they are training for Boston, that they want to qualify in their age group. And hey, some trivia: in 1975, Boston became the first of the major marathons to allow wheelchair entrants.

Vince Perdue, organizer of the Rocks event, says Boston is the only marathon in the world where entry is gained solely by a minimum time standard. "Many runners will never qualify for Boston and that is part of its allure. The Boston Marathon is truly the big show or the Stanley Cup of distance runs," says Perdue, who has qualified for Boston three times and will again run it in 2011.

Sudbury's course was certified in 2006 with Perdue measuring every scrap of Sudbury asphalt. "To be a Boston qualifying marathon, the course needs to be certified to Athletics Canada standards which ensure the course is accurately measured. Our course has that certification," Perdue explains.

And so you can run well in Sudbury and go to Boston. But while you're at it, there are other goals. So far, Rocks race day has raised $150,000 for the Canadian Diabetes Association. This year the goal is to raise $75,000 for diabetes and have 2,010 entrants share in the moment.

Even if you've read the marathon times for Boston in your age group (and four hours isn't happening this year) and won't qualify this time anyway, all that training is in pursuit of the worthy cause of one's own fitness and funding for the Canadian Diabetes Association.

And then there's the prospect of sport for life, coming from the world of the Swimmer People, the people of goggles, no timeouts and racing suits that are supposed to be two sizes smaller than your training suit.

The scene was the Masters Swimming Ontario championships, March 19-21 in London. With 10 metres to go in the first heat of the women's 100-metre breaststroke, the crowd of more than 400 swimmers, coaches and fans began clapping loudly and in time with the stroke of Muriel Carlyle, the oldest swimmer at the meet.

As it was mid-afternoon Sunday, the third day of the three-day meet, the buzzing energy of the meet had faded as fast as kicking power in the legs. But the fan support for Muriel revived the Canada Games Aquatic Centre.

As the 85-year-old Brockville swimmer touched the wall, the clapping became a sustained ovation. Even race officials were cheering. It was a moment you longed to bottle and spritz when life feels heavy.

It's been 11 years since Muriel underwent bypass surgery, as she reminded me last Sunday, another 20 or so since she started swimming in the first place.

Her husband sits in the stands reading a book until she races. Often her grandchildren have watched.

She set yet another Ontario record in the women's 85-89 category in February. She may only compete for one day of a meet now, but she still dives into the deep water and moves that water as she races down the pool.

And I'd bet my goggles and more that Muriel truly knows how many swimmers (actually, athletes of all sports) hope to be just like her, literally still kicking at age 85. And beyond.

Laura Young's Personal Best column appears every other Monday in The Sudbury Star.