The 125th Anniversary of the Around the Bay Road Race

It’s the day before the big race and this year is a special milestone. The 125th Around the Bay Road Race is tomorrow, and excitement was in the air at First Ontario Centre today as runners were picking up their gear.

The historic road race draws people from all over the world, its especially significant for some runners.

Year after year. Hamilton’s Around the Bay Race draws thousands of runners of all skill levels to the city, participants flooding the streets of the downtown core.

The Around the Bay started three years before the Boston Marathon in 1894. This year marks the race’s 125th anniversary.

The Around the Bay has several races, but its known for it’s 30k event which will alone see 6000 participants.

So far, in total about 9,700 people have signed up, many runners here excited to take on the races challenging course, and the chilly weather expected for tomorrow.

But for others, the Around the Bay race means a lot more than taking part in history. For some, its a milestone in their own lives, one they didn’t know if they would ever be able to accomplish.

There were also runners from Brazil, Italy and Singapore who have come just for the event. The races kick off at 9:30 tomorrow.

Getting around Hamilton’s Downtown core tomorrow will be a challenge as there will be many road closures because of the race. Portions of main arteries like Bay Street and York Boulevard will be closed to traffic for the majority of the day. HSR detours are posted on the City of Hamilton’s website.