Reflections on the NCM Weekend

Another NCM weekend has come and gone! I can't believe that it is my 5th year participating in this event and it just keeps getting better and better. This year, Ottawa Frontrunners had a strong presence in the 5- and 10- km events, as well as in the half-marathon and marathon events. And not to mention our club's volunteer efforts cutting up those boxes of bagels, oranges, and bananas for the 26 394 runners who participated in the NCM. We have come a long way as a club from our humble beginnings with 3 – 4 friends getting together on a Saturday morning!

My NCM weekend started when I picked up several race kits at the Sports Expo and Registration Centre at Carleton University on Friday, 27 May. David M. was kind enough to drive me to Carleton University and even extremely patient when we had to make a second trip after I had forgotten one of the kits.

On Saturday, 28 May, I was up early preparing the race kits to distribute later that morning, not to mention preparing the shopping list for the post-marathon barbie that I was hosting for OFR on Sunday. Would I get everything done and even have time for a nap before my 10-km race later that evening? A moment of panic set in, but only for a few seconds and then it was gone!

I met up with the rest of the group at 9:30 am, many were just doing 1- or 2-km runs to stretch out their legs for their respective events and to welcome any out-of-town Frontrunners visiting Ottawa for the NCM. We had a leisurely breakfast at Carmello's before Wendy, Gilles, Michael C., Peter, Eric, John, Daniel, Hendrik, Stephen, Jafar, and myself met up with Brian M. for 3 h of cutting bagels, and fruit. We met Brian's amazing friend, Stella, who was witty and charming and very elegant. I don't think any of us knew what we had gotten ourselves into when we answered Brian's call for volunteers. Highlights included Peter's Princess Lea imitation with the bagels, fondling of the bananas, Hendrik chastising several of us with "those fruits are not going to cut themselves" and "a little less chatter and a little more chopping", hording boxes of bagels to cut because some of us didn't want to fondle the fruit, and of course Gilles complaining about spending the morning under a tent when he could be out getting some colour! Brian was extremely thankful for our support!

As the evening approached, my preparations for the 10-km race started in earnest. By 5:30 pm, I was heading to the Lisgar Street entrance to City Hall to get several group photos. There was Albert, Daniel, Hendrik, Eric, Michael C., Kelly (Gilles's friend), Roger, Colin, Rob, Herschel, and myself running the 10-km event and Peter and Herschel's partner running the 5-km event. There was a party atmosphere at festival plaza and City Hall. As we headed to the start line, I lost the gang and lost myself in my music and the crowd at the 55- to 60-min pace bunnies.

As the horn signalled the start of the race, I said a little prayer to let me finish this race. With one injury after another during the training, my only goal was to finish the race. It was a gruelling 10-km and that finish line couldn't come fast enough. My saving graces were my "family" cheering me on—first there was Kelly (from my office) just before the monstrous hill after the Bronson Bridge. Just as my legs felt like they were going to fall off, I heard her calling my name and encouraging me to run harder! I made it over the Bronson Bridge and started my way home. Nearing the finish line, even through my music, I could hear the crowd cheering—.550 m, 250 m, 100 m, and then the final beep of the Champion Chip as I crossed the finish line! All I could think about was to stay on my feet and not pass out! I heard my name being called out several times as I approached the finish line!

I bumped into Roger, Grant, and Grant's brother and sister-inlaw at the recovery area, but I couldn't find the rest of the gang. I wandered Confederation Park and festival plaza without any hope of finding the rest of the gang, but as luck was on my side, I ran into Daniel who directed me to where the gang had gathered. There was euphoria in the runners' faces in the gang and a celebratory beer was in order!

By the time I made it home and settled into making the hamburgers, it was past 10:30 pm and I had to be up and back at City Hall for 6:30 am to see the marathoners Brian R. and Shawn off; unbeknownst to me, Catherine McK., Terry, and David C. were also running the marathon. Gilles, Pu, Peter, John G., Phil, David M., Don (Boston Frontrunners), Ian (Montréal Frontrunners), Claudia, Paule, John W., Robert, and David McC. (Running Moose Squad) were still at home probably asleep, as their half-marathon wasn't scheduled to start until 10:15 am.

As the marathoners surged past the start line, I had time to head for breakfast and make it to the 21-km route marker just below the War Memorial and the tomb of the unknown soldier. I waited patiently for the first marathoners to reach my position and at 1:07:00, the elite marathoners came charging down Queen Street to the thunderous applause of the crowds. First I saw Shawn and Brian, then Terry, David C., and Catherine. As Catherine rounded the corner, it was time for me to head back to festival plaza to meet up with the halfmarathoners.

There they all were—looking all relaxed and ready to have the run of their lives. The jockeying for positions started the moment we had assembled for the group photograph! Roger, a friend of John G., Michael C., and I gathered at the 2:00:00 mark to see them off. What an amazing sight to see all the runners heading up the hill on Elgin Street and past the War Memorial—hundreds of them like ants marching to find a new colony!

Once they were all safely off, we headed over to watch the marathoners cross the finish line; some were in agony, while others had a healthy glow! I managed to find Brian R. and Shawn in the recovery area and congratulated them on a well-run race. I couldn't watch any of the half-marathoners finish, as I had to make it home to prepare for the post-marathon barbie.

By 1:30 pm and with a little help from Rob, Roland, and Bill, the party room and barbie area was ready to receive the runners! The first runner arrived shortly after 2:30 pm, just as the first round of burgers were being taken off the barbies. By 3:00 pm, more guests arrived, carrying home-made pies, pasta salads, fruit salads, condiments, juices, Perrier, wine, beer, mixed drinks, etc. I was in the zone—flipping 48 hamburgers and 8 veggie burgers in quick succession. As David M. said, "leave José alone—he is cooking up a storm and being a typical Pisces." LOL

By 5:30 pm, people were starting to fade and the adrenaline was starting to wear off! One by one the guests started to bid their adieus! What a way to end an amazing weekend—with "family"!

Reflections on the NCM Weekend

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