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The oldest road race in North America will be back in Hamilton this year, but this time with a different route, and a longer distance.
At Valley Inn Trail, runners are already training for March’s Around The Bay Road Race, perhaps because this year it’s longer.
“In the most recent history, it’s been 30k. This year we had to change it to 34k because we’re finishing into Tim Hortons Field,” Race Director Anna Lewis said.
Runners usually cross the finish line at the FirstOntario Centre, but due to the venue’s unpredictable renovation schedule, the route had to be changed.
“The Grey Cup was just there so we know that this is a really exciting venue and we wanted to present that to the participants this year for our 130th anniversary,” Lewis said.
The relays have been cancelled and replaced with 10 and 15-kilometre individual races.
“You always have to be prepared for challenges, changes, hurdles, hiccups and that’s what events are all about,” Lewis said.
“I think this is actually more inclusive and allows more people to participate.”
The long-distance runners will start at the intersection of Lottridge and Cannon.
Then they’ll run west to Birch, and north until Burlington Street, where they’ll turn east until they take the Woodward ramp to Beach Boulevard.
The route takes them up to Eastport Drive, where they’ll exit on North Shore, and begin a westward stretch until turning south at Valley Inn Hill towards Dundurn Castle, and then moving west again.
People who live in the surrounding residential neighbourhoods on Cannon Street near Tim Hortons Field say they’re happy to see runners come through the area.
“It’s very exciting to see that people are coming in this area and that they’re going to do a different route,” one resident said.
“We live close by, it’ll be interesting to see if we can see the racers and the runners.”
The 130th Around The Bay Road Race kicks off at 9:30 on the morning of March 24th.
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