Thousands brave cold and rain to race new route in Around the Bay

About 7,000 runners crossed the finish line in Hamilton's annual Around the Bay road race Sunday.

They ran in four events — 30 km, 15 km, 10 km and five km — along a new route that started and ended at Liuna Station on James Street N.

Race director Anna Lewis said she felt "a sense of gratitude to the participants for showing up on a rainy day," and to the organizers and roughly 500 volunteers who made the event possible. 

Hamilton experienced rain and near-zero temperatures Sunday morning, but in much of southern Ontario, freezing rain caused power outages and dangerous driving conditions.

About 10,000 people registered to run, but Lewis told CBC Hamilton some decided not to attend because of the ice storm. "Weather always plays a role in turnout," she said. 

Liuna Station was a new venue for the race. It has traditionally started and finished at FirstOntario Centre, which has been undergoing renovations. The 2024 race started and ended at Tim Horton's Field. It was notable in part for having a longer-than-normal 34-kilometre route rather than the traditional 30 km. That route was extended by one more kilometre to avoid a sinkhole in Burlington, Ont. 

In September, Lewis said going back to 30 km was something participants requested.

This year's 30-km race took runners north from Liuna Station to loop around Hamilton Harbour. At the 26-km mark runners went through Dundurn Castle and back to Liuna Station. Participants in the 10-km and 15-km routes ran along the same route but took shuttle buses to different starting lines. 

The five-km route took runners westward to Dundurn Castle and back. 

Local runner raises $2,500 for hospital where he had surgery this year

Around the Bay is a "total adventure," Hamilton runner Drew Hauser told CBC Hamilton days before the race. 

"Some years you're in shorts and a tank top, and the next year it's a snowstorm or it's raining."

Hauser, who is active in the Westdale-based club Runner's Den, said Sunday would be the seventh time he participated in Around the Bay.

He was one of the many who ran in support of a cause — in this case the hospital where Hauser had surgery for kidney stones early this year. 

Starting Dec. 26, Hauser spent several days fasting and waiting on standby for a spot to open up. He was able to get the surgery at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton and came away feeling positive. 

"It's strange to say this, but I had a genuinely great experience undergoing surgery," Hauser wrote on his fundraising page. 

"It really felt like I got to know everyone" — from the administrator, he would call while on standby to his nurse, who made him feel like he was her only patient, Hauser said in an interview.

"I felt sincere empathy when they were working with me and talking to me," Hauser said of the team at St. Joe's. He thanked the workers who helped him by name on his fundraising page, which surpassed its goal of $2,500 for St. Joe's day surgery and urology team on Sunday afternoon.

After the races on Sunday afternoon, St. Joseph's Healthcare Foundation announced Around the Bay participants had raised over $400,000 to support robotic surgery at the hospital network.

In robotic surgery, surgeons use small robotic instruments that make smaller incisions than one could by hand, spokesperson Debbie Silva said in an email. "All of this reduces pain post-procedure, minimizes blood loss and helps patients to heal faster."

Hundreds showed up to cheer on runners

Hamilton's downtown was abuzz Sunday with runners and their supporters. Some supporters, like Kerstin Steele from Toronto, made signs. 

Steele's read: "You are running better than the U.S. government! You got this!"

"I hope it's to give people a laugh," she said. 

After the race, Steele told CBC Hamilton the sign prompted lots of laughs and thumbs up. "It was definitely a hit."

The other side of Steele's sign promised Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Auston Matthews would be waiting at the finish line. That message was for her daughter, Lily, who Steele said is a big fan of the hockey player. 

The pair was planning to run the 30-km race together, but Steele couldn't due to an injury. She said Lily — who fundraised over $2,200 for cancer research in the lead-up to the race— finished the race in her target time but "sadly, [Matthews] was not at the finish line waiting for her."

Hauser also had an injury but was still able to race. He said he ran slower than he might have otherwise but still had a great time and celebrated with family and friends after.

The fastest man to run the 30-km distance was Phil Parrot-Migas from London, Ont., who finished with a time of one hour 37 minutes 30 seconds. 

The fastest woman was Rachel Hannah of Port Elgin, Ont., whose time was 1:47:38. 

Hannah and Parrot-Migas were also the quickest woman and man last year. 

The fastest Hamilton runner to complete the 30-km race was Andrew Aguanno with a time of 1:46:05.