Considering the heat and humidity we’ve been struggling with for the last month or so here in S-W Ontario – the favorable weather was an added bonus for Runners’ Choice 61st Port Stanley Run! Yes – this was the sixty first Port Stanley run organized by John Ferguson and Runners Choice.
This is a worthy job for my iCalculator. Let’s see, there are 3 Runners Choice Port Stanley Runs a year, so 61 divided by 3= 20.333. Wo! Those who participated contributed to the success of the 21st year of this event!
As I posted last year following my inaugural Port Stanley Run, this is an event not to be missed by long distance runners and road racers. The route is strategically planned with multiple starting points to accommodate the running ability of all participants and their goal for that day. Beginning in London for those who wish to run a marathon distance of 42.2 km (26.1miles), the route to Port Stanley is plotted with multiple starting points where one’s running speed is correlated with his/her pace and running distance. The the goal that all runners are synchronized to reach the beach at 11:15 am on the last Sunday of the months of July, August, and September.
Once runners finish the course they switch roles to join John in offering support and cheers to their incoming comrades. This in my view is the crescendo of this event! But there are more highlights. This includes the cheery volunteers full of praise and big smiles who load the trunk their cars and SUVs with every conceivable item to ensure that we remain hydrated, maintain our electrolyte levels, are well fed, and of course, pain free . As an added bonus we were even treated to a loaded mobile kitchen this time around.
Already the buzz is getting louder in anticipation for the 62nd Port Stanley Run. A big cheers to John and his team of volunteers, and sponsors for making this such an anticipated event!
À la prochaine – eh!
In the meantime, check out the photos!
