quote:<HR>Originally posted by jcumming:
Eddie you did Nike last time it was in town didn't you?? Whatya think?

I don't know whether to do it or go to Ottawa...or just have a beer.<HR>

Hi JC,

Yes I did the NikeTO run a couple of years ago. I thought it would be a unique and fun event (Nike put a ton of money into the race promotion and organization). It appeared to be mostly promoted to new runners.

I'm sure it was a logistical nightmare to get all the supplies and everybody over to the island for the race start. I briefly spoke to the Sportstats guys and they said they came over at 4:30am to set up.

The course is basically the same as the Longboat race so it's on a narrow two lane roadway, some grass, paved park path and of course finishing on the boardwalk. With 8,000 runners we were corralled like in Boston according to our projected finishing times. I was in the second corrall with a 42 minute projected finishing time so it wasn't too bad for me and I was in visual range of the start area band (I think it was Treble Charger that year) who played a couple of songs before the start gun. Still it was elbow to elbow almost all the way during the race. You had to really watch that you didn't get your heels clipped.

I was schedule to do a 23K marathon training run that year, so I ended up doing a second loop. Started to pass the walkers and slower runners just before the 5K mark the second time around.

My additional lap meant instead of being early in line to get my bag back from the bag check, I had to line up for 1/2 hr. to retrieve my bag. I remember they had Krispy Kreme doughnuts as one of the post race foods. A lot of people were waking around with a box of a dozen Krispy Kremes because they weren't too many runners who wanted a dougnut post race and they had boxes and boxes left.

The biggest problem is the same as they have at Carribana is the wait for the ferries to go back to the city. The wait was at least 2-2 1/2 hours to get back after the race. I took my time going to the ferry docks, wandering through Centerville to relive my childhood (I still remember the antique car ride and the bumper cars fondly) and getting to the ferries dock by the back way through Olympic Island which allow me to cut in about 2/3 third in front of the line as it snaked passed the bridge.

So far I don't plan to run it again this year.

Eddie