Ottawa Race Weekend

[IronGoddess]

My two best running friends have started the vortex and now it looks like I will be coming out for the race weekend. Here are my questions: marathon course is it hilly, rolling, or pretty flat? weather??? hotels I like to be as close to the race start as possible. After two marathons and an Ironman over the last couple years my plan for 2016 was not to run another marathon is this course scenic enough to justify another marathon or should I just do the half? And who would meet up with me??

[ian]

Based on my 2013 experience...

Terrain: lots of minor undulations but no big hills. My race spreadsheet has the course (easiness) rated at a 7, slightly ahead of the courses in Victoria and Vancouver.

Weather: I had a cool day but late May has the potential to get warm and sticky, especially later in the morning for those doing 42K. I wouldn't consider it enough of a reason not to do it, and warmer weather will mean more spectators and better-tasting beer afterward.

Scenery: Lots of nice things to look at, particularly for a westerner, but I think you would get most of the highlights even on the 21K.

Hotels: With a couple months lead time, I had no problem finding something downtown, just a short walk from the race expo, the start & finish lines, and neighborhoods that were fun to wander pre- and post-race.

[canalrunner]

Want to post early to avoid an early discussion of the weather (it is usually warmer than the winter training weather). Sure others will contribute.

It is an awesome race. Good elite race, fun watching the Saturday night races, International designations. There are some hills but no huge hills on the course so tends to be fair marathon course. No downhill advantages like Goodlife, Hamilton. Crowds are awesome. Tons of people---love the area around the Art Gallery and then through to the Laurier bridge on the final stretch. There are stretches of quiet but there are also bands and cheering sections scattered. Also a bit of a loop to the course so spectators can see runners at the start then around 21k (art gallery) and 38k (art gallery) and potentially at the finish with a brisk walk. (can you walk 2k faster than they can run 4K) Did I mention pace bunnies galore. 45,000 runners plus in all the events and there is a great buzz in the city. Feels like people actually like Race Weekend in the city---very few frustrated drivers or honking horns. Last couple of years they have had a music line up and a beer garden. I have run the marathon in its various forms 13 times so I am bit bias.
Depending on numbers and sensibilities, the U of O student residence rents out rooms at that time of year, and it is easy walking distance to the start line and expo.

[La]

And who would meet up with me??

Well, Duh! If you can fly 4+ hours to come east to race, I can drive 4+ hours to come meet you.

Lots of RM-ers do this race, so you'll have lots of people to meet up with.

[IronGoddess]

Want to run with me??

[La]

Want to run with me??

Not if you're running the marathon! My marathon days are behind me.

[Miss*Smiles]

Marathon weather can be cold and rainy or hot and sticky. One year DH, my roommate and I gave out freezies where the half and full marathoners meet up. We were told many times over how much we were loved the morning was cool and by the time 10am rolled around the sun was blazing. Another year I was dressed in several layers and standing in the rain to cheer on friends.

Hotels - Minto hotel isn't far and has suites (kitchen, in room laundry), if that's what you are looking for. My parents always stayed there and LOVED it. If you are travelling with other people, you can get a 2 bedroom one that has a living room area too. It is in a quieter part of the Downtown, also. Delta hotel downtown is really nice. I have had family stay at Les Suites and had mixed reviews (ex. once a previous guests food was in the microwave... it wasn't pretty). Sometimes cleaner than others... The hotel immediately next to Les Suites (they share a pool) - can't remember it's name right now - is quite nice. I stayed there with a friend before.

The course - I haven't run it before, however I'm told the Army Run half is similar to the ORW half. It's pretty. I don't love running through Gatineau but the rest of it is lovely. Great crowds for most of the race.

I could be convinced to come meet up with you for the ORW!!! I'd love to meet you in person!!

[Jo-Jo]

And who would meet up with me??

Well, Duh! If you can fly 4+ hours to come east to race, I can drive 4+ hours to come meet you.

Lots of RM-ers do this race, so you'll have lots of people to meet up with.

And I can drive 2 hours to meet you...you're a Maniac I've wanted to meet for years!

[HCcD]

And who would meet up with me??

If you can fly 4+ hours to come east to race, I can drive 4+ hours to come meet you.

Lots of RM-ers do this race, so you'll have lots of people to meet up with.

And I can drive 2 hours to meet you...you're a Maniac I've wanted to meet for years!

If La and Jo-Jo can drive 4+ and 2+ hours, respectively, surely I could drive down 15-20 min myself to meet up with you .. Ha!!!

What time goal are you aiming for?

Race Weekend will be the last May 29th, so as others have said anything is possible, but likely in the warmer side than that of Vancouver conditions??

For whatever reasons, I have done well in the various Vancouver marathons as compared to Ottawa? Perhaps, I was just focused more ?

Already registered for the marathon due to the early price guarantee from this year's participant's offer..

[scrumhalfgirl]

It's an awesome race weekend - great course, super fan support, love the atmosphere. There's a reason I keep passing up on other races to do this one again! Only complaint is potential for heat.

If you aren't feeling the winter marathon training, then go for the half - it's just as awesome as the full. And I don't think I've ever met anyone who wished they were doing the full at km 20 of a half!

[n_fraser]

I LOVE Ottawa Race Weekend. I did the full in 2014 and it was HOT HOT HOT. A runner passed out in front of me by the PM's house. On the other hand, you do have potential for cool, rainy days as someone else mentioned too.

Little hills, but nothing to worry about. If the weather is nice, the course will be lined with spectators and cheer stations.

You will not regret doing this race! Plus there are lots of RMers to cheer you on!

[n_fraser]

Also - have you ever been to Ottawa? If not, it's a beautiful city to visit!

[IronGoddess]

I am definitely coming your way. I plan on running/racing the half, I just don't feel like running another marathon this year.

[La]

I am definitely coming your way. I plan on running/racing the half, I just don't feel like running another marathon this year.

Then count me in for the half, too!

[scrumhalfgirl]

I am definitely coming your way. I plan on running/racing the half, I just don't feel like running another marathon this year.

great choice! you will love it!

[NMG]

Agree with everyone, it's great fun!

The half is a really nice course as well. The first part is basically along the canal, the next portion goes through some residential and downtown neighbourhoods, then you are on the parkway along the river and into Gatineau, and the last stretch has you coming back into Ottawa across the river and along the canal where you can see all the crowds, etc. There isn't really any part that isn't scenic and it gives you nice exposure to much of what is nice about the downtown core.

[canalrunner]

Usually lots of discussion and debate of heat and Ottawa race weekend and there have certainly been some years hotter than others. Having run(mostly pacing) the marathon every year since 2005, here are my observations:
1) For me, not the heat on the day but the lack of time training in warmer that has the greatest impact. Same temperatures later in the season are less of a heat issue for runners. Example, 2014 was considered a hot year. Race day Mean temp was 17.2, Max was 26.2 Min was 8.2. Army Run 2014. Mean temp was 16.4 Max was 23.1 Min was 9.6. (people remember Army Run 2014 more for the rain than for the heat) The race day temps can be warm but mostly compared to the time training in Feb through April. Adapting is a challenge if there is a spike. To put the temps in perspective, I ran the 2012 Boston aka a Hot Boston, Temperature at start was 27 degrees at finish it was 31 degrees. Now that was hot--and it was six weeks before Race weekend. BTW temps at ORW 2012 were max of 24, lows of 14 and mean of 19. Warm but not Boston warm.
2) The shift in start time helps. Marathon starts at 7am Half used to start at 10am now it is at 9 am so temperatures are closer to the mean and minimum for a good part of the marathon and at least the first hour of the half. A 4 hour marathon finishes at 11 am and the maximum heat for the day is usually between 2--4pm in afternoon. The max heat doesn't really play for most runners.
3) If you can find a warm place to train (inside at the Dome in Ottawa), or going south for a week, the impact can mitigated. I find that alone is a great excuse to go to Cuba or Mexico in March.
4) I have seen more heat at the 10k than on the Sunday morning. There were a couple of years where the heat was strong for Saturday races and there was good humidity, both of which were a lot less at 7am for Race Weekend.
5) There is less impact of heat on me as I am pacing, but there was only one year where both the forecast and the Friday--Saturday temperature had me consider adjusting pace times due to a heat wave. Never did as there was a nice drop that moved it from Hot to Warm. Think that was 2012.
6) At the end of day, the heat needs to be taken into consideration and goals adjusted. In the case of Boston 2012, most runners understood it was not a PB day and slowed down. For many, including me, it seemed to average about 30 minutes slower than planned. Most shut it down early and enjoyed the slower race (loved the car wash style shower tents at the fire halls along the way) If Ottawa is warmer than you trained for and warmer than you planned, then adjustment is the smart thing to do. It sucks if ORW was your BQ or PB target race, but sadly stuff happens. Good to survive to run another day.
7) Bring back the Manor Park freezie station at 31k. I missed it last year.

[scrumhalfgirl]

Good analysis! I think the thing I struggle with is that as a late May marathon, if you get a hot day and have to slow down, you don't get a second shot that season. The marathon is such a "all your eggs in one basket" kind of event. For 2015, I agonised between Toronto/Missy three weeks earlier and Ottawa, as the average temperature is 5 degrees cooler. However, HCD and Jes did Mississauga and they got temps just about the same as I did in Ottawa, but I'd had three extra weeks of heat acclimation.

[La]

Good analysis! I think the thing I struggle with is that as a late May marathon, if you get a hot day and have to slow down, you don't get a second shot that season. The marathon is such a "all your eggs in one basket" kind of event. For 2015, I agonised between Toronto/Missy three weeks earlier and Ottawa, as the average temperature is 5 degrees cooler. However, HCD and Jes did Mississauga and they got temps just about the same as I did in Ottawa, but I'd had three extra weeks of heat acclimation.

This is true of any spring marathon (training through the cold, racing in the "heat"), though as you mention, the temperature for Goodlife/Mississauga is usually lower due to it being 3 weeks earlier. But anything can (and does) happen on race day.

[canalrunner]

Good analysis! I think the thing I struggle with is that as a late May marathon, if you get a hot day and have to slow down, you don't get a second shot that season. The marathon is such a "all your eggs in one basket" kind of event. For 2015, I agonised between Toronto/Missy three weeks earlier and Ottawa, as the average temperature is 5 degrees cooler. However, HCD and Jes did Mississauga and they got temps just about the same as I did in Ottawa, but I'd had three extra weeks of heat acclimation.

This is true of any spring marathon (training through the cold, racing in the "heat"), though as you mention, the temperature for Goodlife/Mississauga is usually lower due to it being 3 weeks earlier. But anything can (and does) happen on race day.

Agreed. There is not a clear solid option after ORW and it takes more discipline than I have to back off the pace enough at Goodlife or Mississauga to regroup for a ORW PB attempt so it does feel like all the eggs in one basket. Personally if my goal was purely PB/BQ I would do Goodlife or Mississauga as the weather tends to be cooler and both courses have an awesome downhill first half that has to help. If I want both a great marathon experience and good course then ORW is my choice, no question. It is the bookend of the fall where Hamilton is all business: fast course, BQ/PB and Niagara Falls has the potential to be a better experience (two countries, more scenic etc..) or Scotiabank (elite field, big feel) For what it is worth there is 6 minute difference between my Toronto Goodlife times and my ORW times--bunch of reasons but course and weather are part of it.