‘AWESOME DAY IT IS’
City welcomes marathoners
Runners and wheelers came streaming down the Ambassador Bridge in all shapes and sizes early Sunday morning, making their annual Canadian invasion as part of the Detroit Free Press/Chemical Bank Marathon.
A race announcer welcomed them to Windsor and drew loud cheers by saying: “What an awesome day it is in Canada. Aren’t you glad you’re here?”
Further north on Huron Church Road, Amherstburg ’s Fina St. Denis encouraged racers with a cowbell and a sign that simply said ‘Good morning.’
St. Denis started showing up to support the run four years ago and was so inspired she ran the marathon herself the next year.
“There’s a good possibility I’ll do it again,” she said. “To see all the different ages, races and disabilities going by, it makes you feel like you could do anything.”
St. Denis has become quite savvy in her support through the years.
“I brought a smaller sign because it’s easier to hold and I use the bell because yelling and clapping for 2½ hours hurts,” she said with a laugh.
Meelad Elias couldn’t believe the hectic scene that unfolded at the water station located near Assumption Church.
“It’s crazy here,” the 11-year-old said as he scooped an endless assortment of paper cups from the road and placed them in a cardboard box.
Elias tagged along with his sister, an Assumption high school student, to help out.
“We’ve got 100 kids here,” retired Assumption teacher Mo Bottos said.
“We’re in charge of this water station.”
Bottos used a leaf rake to gather up discarded cups. “I run marathons so I’ll give back anytime to this event,” he said.
Water stations were in high demand with unseasonably warm, humid weather for the 40th annual edition. “It was a little odd to have it that warm and humid,” said Belle River’s Jeff Wilson, who crossed the finish line in just under four hours. “I know some years it’s actually been snowing.”
Wilson was running the full Detroit course for the third time. He especially enjoyed a moment on Burns Street in Detroit where a homeowner set up a fake wall with a doorway between the 19th and 20th mile of the 26-mile course.
“So instead of hitting the wall you can run through it,” Wilson said.
Several homeowners on the U.S. side also had kegs of beer at the ready for thirsty runners.
“I did have one glass,” Wilson confessed.
One of the day’s better finishes by a local runner belonged to Windsor’s Scott Manser, who came third in the male masters’ international half marathon and second out of 656 in his age group (45-49). Manser clocked a time of one hour 21 minutes and 57 seconds.
Windsor’s Matt Gervais finished 16th overall and second in his age group (male 35-39) in the international half marathon.
Windsor’s Jeramie Carbonaro was third in his age group (male 40-44) in the international half marathon. Belle River’s Drew Patterson cracked the top 100 in the full marathon with a 90th for his time of 3:23.27.
More signs, music and cheering spectators greeted the runners as they headed into the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel and back toward the finish line in Michigan. The event had 26,000 registered runners, walkers, wheelers and handcyclists.
Don Bastien stood on Goyeau Street holding a sign that read “Chuck Norris never ran a marathon,” while his son Joshua’s proclaimed “No Candy? This parade stinks!”
They were waiting for Joshua’s mom, Jaclyn Etches, to run past.
“She did it last year,” Don said. “We waited on this same corner, we call it the party corner.” Indeed, the corner of Goyeau and Park Street was festive, what with music blasting from the back of a minivan.
As the runners headed for the tunnel entrance, one woman turned back to the crowd, gave a wave and said: “Thank you Canada!”