Turning Around the Bay into an Ultra event

cbaker1 · Postby **cbaker1** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 7:47 am

My Around the Bay story for 2013 starts at about 1 AM Sunday morning. Dressed in my running gear, chip on my shoe and Bib pinned to my leg I met a small group of mostly Ultra-running friends at Parklawn and Lakeshore in Etobicoke and started a running journey to Hamilton. The goal was to get into Hamilton at 8:30 AM, meet up with my wife, change any clothes that needed changing and start the 30km at 9:30am

Overnight
I got out of the warm car and started running in the cold night air with about 4 people. 3 of them would continue with me all the way to Hamilton. One other was running ATB as well (he was a DNF due to stomach related issues). Our journey took us through the Mimico Bar area, where we got a few comments "Go Etobicoke" being one I remember. A car, also pulled up beside us in this area and went beside us for about 30 seconds. Kind of freaky. But then they just drove off. We stopped to take a picture of the "Welcome to Mississauga" sign and continued on. We hit Port Credit as the bars were closing, it was about 2:30 am. We got a few comments and strange looks and continued on. We passed through, Clarkson, the nice refinery area that everyone loves at the Mississauga Marathon and entered Oakville. Another photo op for some people. We ran through Oakville and I guess it was about 4 Am or so and no one was out. The Pit stop this time was at a gas station that was open. Tims was our preferred stop along the route, but Oakville's was closed. During the run, the person who organized the run was having stomach issues and we had to stop and walk every once and a while so. We got to Burlington, I am going to say around 5:30 or so. Photo op at the "Burlington" sign and onwards. We started to see the lights of Hamilton in the distance, but it was still a long way off. Another person joined us around Burlington and ran with us for the final few hours. We stopped in St. Joe's Hospital just before we hit the 18km point of the ATB route. Someone else from Toronto has stopped there an hour before because of major blisters on his foot (he was running solo, and not with our group but he knew some of us). We wished him well, but he already decided he was a DNS. At this point, our small group slip up. It appears I might be the only person able to start ATB, as the other guy was walking a lot more due to his stomach issues. I ran ahead with two other who were just there to get a 65km distance done (they started in High Park with the group, at about 12:30 am). We ran the last 12 km of the ATB course. The marshals were just putting the cones down and signs up! No Stan the Midget or Grim Reaper around yet! We ran down York where my wife was waiting with a couple of friends. It was about 8:20. Time to run back to the car, change my shirt, get rid of my backpack and line up for the start of ATB.

Around the Bay - Race
I won't give a long description here. Many others can describe the race, hills etc in their reports. I ran with a friend who was pacing for 3:30. We ran together for the first 22km. We did 10 and 1's which I needed at this time! I ran into a couple of ultra runners on the course - Chris McPeake and Ron Irwin. Chatted a bit with them along the way. Both of them were coming off of injuries as well.
At about 22km I went ahead because my friend was slowing down on the hills and I actually felt like I could run. I actually felt pretty good, I did walk the big hill at 25.5km but ran most of the way back into Copps. This was my slowest time in 9 tries but is my most memorable and most rewarding. My time was 3:38, about 20 mins ahead of the 4 hour goal. I had lunch at the Anchor Bar and my wife and a couple of other friends then drove home. Hit bed at 4 PM and woke up for work at 6 AM for work Monday morning.
For anyone who knows me, my goal it to finally finish my first 100. I think this is a big boost to my confidence for Sulphur Springs.

trixiee · Postby **trixiee** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:06 am

great report! An urban ultra!

Good on ya!

orleansrunner1962 · Postby **orleansrunner1962** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:14 am

Great confidence boost indeed -- well done! Love how you got it all coordinated -- and LOVE that you ran overnight -- I will be doing my first "starting at night and into the night" training run in a few weeks, and it's good to know that I'm in good company

purdy65 · Postby **purdy65** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:34 am

What a story! You ran the last 12K of ATB 2 times in one day AFTER running from Toronto! :shock:

Good luck on your first 100!

AjaxRunner · Postby **AjaxRunner** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:44 am

Incredible!

Well done.

Robinandamelia · Postby **Robinandamelia** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:49 am

Great race report, congratulations!

Engmomma · Postby **Engmomma** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 11:41 am

scrumhalfgirl · Postby **scrumhalfgirl** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 12:41 pm

amazing! congrats!

erinmcd · Postby **erinmcd** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 2:14 pm

Crazy.

La · Postby La » Mon Mar 25, 2013 2:18 pm

I've heard of people cycling from TO to Hamilton, then running ATB, but never RUNNING to Hamilton! Well done!

ratherawkward · Postby **ratherawkward** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 2:46 pm

Amazing! What was the distance you ran to get from TO to ATB?

Doonst · Postby **Doonst** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 6:47 pm

Outstanding! I thought by the end you were gonna say you ran over to Ancaster and did a loop of Sulphur!

jes · Postby **jes** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 6:55 pm

That's awesome! Makes the rest of us ATBers look like slackers!!

Ken B · Postby **Ken B** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 6:58 pm

Wow! Impressive. Good luck at Sulphur Springs!!

cbaker1 · Postby **cbaker1** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:17 pm

Thanks all.

Doonst, never thought about doing a loop of Sulphur. Maybe next year.

Sylvie, you will love night running. Its my favorite.

Jes, no one who can finish ATB is a wimp. I certainly could not have done this even a year ago!

jes · Postby **jes** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:22 pm

cbaker1 wrote:Thanks all.

Doonst, never thought about doing a loop of Sulphur. Maybe next year.

Sylvie, you will love night running. Its my favorite.

Jes, no one who can finish ATB is a wimp. I certainly could not have done this even a year ago!

No, not a wimp, but you sure made me feel like a slacker - I slept in until 7 am! :lol:

Jwolf · Postby **Jwolf** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:59 pm

That's impressive! Way to go.

You're in great shape for Sulphur.

Chainsaw Baby · Postby **Chainsaw Baby** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 1:12 pm

Way to go Chris! What is the time for a podium finish at Sulphur? Just asking!

cbaker1 · Postby **cbaker1** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 3:11 pm

Pierre,
I am too slow for a top 3 finish. Just finishing a 100 is my first priority!

irun4me · Postby **irun4me** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 5:45 pm

Congratulations!!

Had I known I was talking to a Maniac just before the race, I would have introduced myself.

Great job!!

barebuns1 · Postby **barebuns1** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 6:25 am

Congrats on your amazing run. Great race report. What!! no ag awards.

Double Bellybuster · Postby **Double Bellybuster** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 5:10 am

Great job Chris. Sounds like you are ready for a great year.

You must have been running with the Killer Bees/Boultbees. Now those girls are Beer Mile Legends.

Dave

West Grey Runner · Postby **West Grey Runner** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 8:30 am

Don't fret the 100, you are 100% ready my friend. It was great seeing you out there on Sunday the start of many more this 2013 season ... that is if I can keep up with you. As Chainsaw pointed out way back in January its the "Year of the Bakers".

PS you are in my video ... http://youtu.be/A-Yco44MjQ0

chunkymonkeymelonhed · Postby **chunkymonkeymelonhed** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 11:27 am

Wow that is crazy and very impressive