PELEE ONTARIO
The island has a variety of accommodations, but make sure when you register for the race you book your room. It’s a small island and with all the runners and their guests accommodations fill up very fast.
Race morning is one of the most relaxed I’ve ever experienced. Depending on where you are staying, it’s a short walk or drive to the start line. With only 350 runners, there are no corrals so everyone just lines up on the road and waits for the race to start. It’s an amazing atmosphere and feels like everyone is on a mini-vacation, not running a half-marathon.
The course itself is beautiful. For much of the run Lake Erie is on your left side. You cruise down a mix of gravel and paved roads, then through a charming wooded area. Along the course, there are porta-potties and aid stations every two kilometres. There are even extra stations set up by islanders to help support and welcome the runners. Instead of looking at your watch and figuring out your splits, you’ll be looking at the wildlife, the gorgeous island homes and the waves lapping up against the beaches.
In its first few years, the race has developed its own eccentric trademarks. Along the course keep an eye out for the wine bottle tree which is exactly that – an assortment of wine bottles sculpted together to look like a tree. There is also the shoe tree, with pairs of running shoes hanging off the branches. Last year, one of the half-marathoners put the tree to good use when she forgot her running shoes. As luck would have it she found a pair on the tree that were her size. There’s also the island’s only school which has a sign out front warning hunters to not shoot near the school. Definitely rustic living at its best.
The final leg of the race cuts through the middle of the island. It’s usually the hottest part of the event as you head away from the cooling effect from the lake. But, as you run up that final section, remember that the Pelee Island winery and the after-party awaits.
In the final metres to the finish, the course weaves through the vineyard and ends right at the winery where you collect your medal. Fittingly, it also serves as a wine stopper.
Following t he race, runners are treated to a wine tasting and a luncheon with live entertainment. The post-race party that unfolds throughout the day is always difficult to leave when it’s time to head back to the ferry.