We didn’t really set out to “race” this, but somewhere along the way, it turned into something more. This trail means a lot to Jackie, so when she said she wanted to spend her birthday running the whole stretch from Cambridge to Hamilton, I just said yes. No questions.
We started just after 7 a.m. It was cool, shaded, quiet. The kind of morning you hope for when you’re about to run all day. Early on, we were moving a bit too quickly, probably caught up in the excitement. But we settled in, chatted, zoned out. The kilometers ticked by easily at first.
Brantford was the reset button. We stopped for lunch, took our time. That’s when the day really started. The sun came out hard. The trail opened up. It was hot. Exposed. Honestly, that last half felt like a different run altogether. The miles got longer, the wind less frequent. But every time we felt it, we soaked it in.
What made the day was the people. Members of the Burly Trail Runners met us all along the way, crewing, pacing, laughing, and feeding us. It felt like a party that just happened to stretch 70+ kilometers. We never felt alone.
We finished at Fairweather Brewing, salty and sunbaked. Jackie had a birthday beer in hand. Friends around. Felt like we earned every sip.
Packed lots of water, a ridiculous amount of snacks, and not much else. Didn’t overthink it. We ran on feel and sugar.
Audrey De Koning, Troy Bauman, Patty Bau, Brian Morrill, Brie S., Rob Sealey, Peter Scruby, Eileen Y., Jess Sjostrom, Doug Cooper, Hannah, Cassandra Kawiuk.
Can’t say thanks enough. You made it way more than a run.
Also special thank you to our Moms for getting us to the start, Jean Carter and Dina Brooks
This wasn’t just about the time. It was about doing something hard, together, on a day that mattered.