Photo credit: BigA888 | Flickr
It started in 1985 with 3,200 runners trotting through the streets of downtown Vancouver.
Fast-forward to the present and the Vancouver Sun Run is the biggest 10K road race in Canada, with more than 40,000 participants running one of the prettiest courses anywhere in the world. And this year, the race is shaping up to be more memorable than ever.
Tens of thousands of runners and spectators are expected to pack the downtown core this Sunday, April 17, for the 32nd instalment of the Vancouver Sun Run. A seasonal rite of passage for Vancouverites, the festive run brings out everyone from world-class athletes to office mates who have been training for weeks and moms and dads pushing strollers.
A big part of the appeal: the breathtaking backdrop. Starting at Georgia and Burrard Streets in downtown Vancouver, the route descends gradually toward 1,000-acre Stanley Park. Crossing through the park, runners reach English Bay, where they’re greeted by sea and mountains views.
Spectators and even live bands cheer on participants as they chug in a massive column down oceanfront Beach Avenue, then up and across the Burrard Street Bridge. The last leg of the course traces the streets above south False Creek, before looping back downtown over the Cambie Street Bridge to finish outside B.C. Place Stadium. Afterwards, the party picks up inside the stadium. Participants, family and friends stream inside for live entertainment and free fruit and bagels.
Photo credit: Mim42 | Wikipedia
The action gets underway at 9 a.m. sharp, but owing to the volume of participants the start times are staggered depending on ability level. The fastest, seeded runners spring from the starting line on Georgia and Burrard Streets first; groups are then released gradually depending on their estimated finishing times. In case you’re curious, the fastest men’s time on record for the Vancouver Sun Run is a blazing 27 minutes and 31 seconds, recorded by Joseph Kimani of Kenya in 1996. The fastest women’s time is 30 minutes and 58 seconds, recorded by Isabella Ochichi of Kenya in 2006.
Photo credit: GoToVan | Wikipedia
Interested in setting your own personal best? Though online registration is closed at this time, you can still register to participate in person at the Vancouver Sun Run Fair at BC Place Stadium on April 15 and April 16 ($65).
