Ramsey Tour - Race Recap

What a great event!

Considering the weather the previous day I was a little concerned but as weather goes, it was just the perfect weather for running.  Cool to start but the sun was out to remind you that summer had just ended and enough of a breeze to keep you cool and not be considered a head wind.

If ever there was an underestimated race in the running season it's the Sudbury Masters Continental Insulation Ramsey Tour (Ramsey Tour for short ) The race itself is a grass roots type run that's been around for many years.  It's championed by the anyone who's ever run either the 5 Km or 1/2 marathon courses and the attendance is annually supported by participants from Sudbury Rocks Run Club and Track North.

The 1/2 marathon course is one of the most challenging courses I've run (and I've done San Francisco!) but it's one of the most beautifully scenic courses so you can forgive the difficulty.

This year I was very excited to see some of the same volunteers as years past but a few new faces as well and I heard they were up to 5 aid stations this year!  Big shout out to the volunteers,  they rock!

The route is as the name suggests,  a complete once around Lake Ramsey and to put it mildly, HILLY but nothing that would worry a Sudburian.  Except that lovely little ditty known as cardiac hill but really.....walk it.......there's no shame in it.  The "hilly" only lasts for the first 6 Km and then it's long stretches of flat or almost flat terrain that passes along Lake Ramsey for the better part of the remainder of the race.  The hills are forgivable.

This year we had 5 water stations along the route so you can definitely run without the cumbersome fuel belt if you so choose but there is no gel station so remember to pack em if you got em'.  There are also no port a potties, so be sure to go at the start, because at this time of year you may not have the leafy privacy coverage you need. 

This is definitely a course you could try for a PB on,  the local runners do!  Although I have now resided it to be a Sunday LSD because with the great views and perfect weather they seem to get every year,  I want to enjoy every kilometer of the course  . With 50 participants in the 1/2 marathon average finish time was almost a 50/50 split in the pack with just over half finishing  this year's race sub-2.

I will definitely run this race again. It's hard to beat a race with great community support, a great course,  perfect weather and ice cream when you are finished!  

Two Deux Crazy Thumbs Up!
Oh yeah...and me?  A lovely little LSD brought in at 2:16

Long may we run,

D.  






SudburyMasters Continental Insulation Ramsey Tour