Date of Race: Canada Day ~ Sunday July 1st
Location of Race: Toronto, ON along Lakeshore Boulevard West
Name of Race: HBC Run for Canada
Type of Event: Run
Distance/Length of Event: 10 km
Website: http://www.runforcanada.ca
The HBC (Hudson Bay Company) Run for Canada is held simultaneously in 13 communities across Canada July 1st – Canada Day. The run is part of HBCs pledge to raise 2.9 million each year for the next 6 years for Canadian Athletes competing in the Paralympics, Commonwealth and Olympic games.
Sunday morning I arrived at Ontario Place – start/finish of the run and headed over to the tents to pick up my very own shirt. Along with the shirts, SWAG bag contents included the usual bar, other upcoming run pamphlets, Wilson ball cap, sunscreen, gum and a pedometer.
Because the shirts had our very own bib # printed on the front and wanting to be part of the sea of red on running down Lakeshore Boulevard on Canada Day, I too changed into the shirt. My Running Free visibility was therefore left to wearing a hat. I hope Running Free can forgive me…this one time!
For the start of the run, I positioned myself with the middle of the pack runners. When the race actually begun, it would be 2 minutes before I would actually cross the start with all the runners making their way through the narrow chip time flooring. The sound of ‘beep’ beep’ ‘beep’, crossing the chip flooring, I always hope, my chip gets recorded amongst the others runners.
The 10 km run took runners down Lakeshore Boulevard West with the turnaround at the 5 km point at Windermere Ave. I had done this route before during the Waterfront Marathon in ’03 and Solstice Run in ’06. This was also, where I came to practice rollerblading with my team in preparation for an expedition adventure race in Utah, a few years back.
I had a goal to do the run in under an hour. So during the run, I would pick out a runner 10 m ahead of me – run up to them and at that point when the pace became comfortable, I do the same thing with another runner ahead. I ended doing this 4-5x. I carried an Ultimate Direction Hand Held FastDraw Plus bottle (purchased at Running Free of course) allowing me to quench my thirst while running and pass a good number of people at the water stations.
The temperature was very comfortable being in the low 20s. The first 5 km we ran away from the sun, the last 5km the heat from the sun was more pronounced.
Coming to the finish line, I sprinted the last 200 m. I noticed the official time was 57 minutes and I was happy that my chip time would be less than that. With the run being a major fundraiser for Canadian athletes competing internationally, it was nice to see a good number of them at the run handing out medals, congratulating, and thanking the runners for their participation. A few of them even did the run themselves.
Like the shirts, runners received an equally impressive finisher’s medal. The shear size of the medal made runners feel like Olympians themselves…if only for a moment. This was no more evident, then when the kid’s received their medal for their 1 km run and their eyes popping wide open.
After the run, I stretched along the water, changed into some dryer clothes and made my way into Ontario Place where runners received a free day pass. Inside in the pavilion, racers were treated to the usual après run foods – bagels, bananas, bars and juice. I grabbed a banana and bar and strolled around the park.
Completing my overview of the park, I walked back to the car but not before getting a massage. A massage clinic was still hanging about soliciting people for a 5-minute post run massage. I could not resist.
In all, it was a nice morning, great run and a wonderful way to start Canada Day.
Happy Birthday Canada!
