Cape to Cabot features plenty of highs and lows

Unique 20-kilometre race returns to N.L. running schedule, with over 470 set to start on Sunday

It’s unique in terms of its distance, its geography, the entertainment along its upand-down route and a finishing stretch unlike any other, one that constitutes a race within a race.

And it’s back to provide runners with what, as the official website suggests, the chance to claim “I did the hardest and toughest race in northeastern North America!”

After a one-year, Covidcaused hiatus, the Orangetheory Cape to Cabot 20-kilometre road race is set to go Sunday morning with what, at last word, was a complement of over 470 runners. The course begins and ends at national parks — running from Cape Spear to the Cabot Tower on Signal Hill in St. John’s — and features plenty of highs and lows apart from those individually experienced by competitors. In total, there are 550 metres of elevation gains and 450 metres of elevation drops on a route that features more than a few instances of grades above 10 per cent.

It’s enough to know that only three of the 20 kilometres are considered “flat.”

There are four of what are judged to be major climbs, the most daunting of which is that up the twisty road from the west end of the Battery to Cabot Tower and the finish, more than 150 metres above sea level.

It’s part of what is called the Munn Insurance Mile and what is a secondary competition. A timing mat is placed 1.6 kilometres from the finish line and the individual timing chips assigned to each runner separately compute times for the Munn Mile, with awards for those fastest over the distance.

This will be the 14th Cape to Cabot (there was an amended virtual race last year with nearly 480 competitors). It’s a well-organized event that has become increasingly popular since being introduced to the local NLAA running schedule; there were 236 finishers in 2007, the race’s first year — that’s about half the number of registrants for Sunday.

One of them is famed local octogenarian runner Florence Barron, who has completed the Cape to Cabot many times. Two years ago, at the age of 81, she ran it just less than two hours and 15 minutes — that’s a pace of about six minutes and 45 seconds per kilometre — and reached Cabot Tower ahead of almost 150 other finishers.

Runners are bused to Signal Hill from the Fort William Building in St. John’s, with the buses providing any necessary shelter. Masks must be worn on the bus and pandemic-related guidelines also call for social distancing at the start location, but any separation will not affect timing, since the individual computerized time chips activate a runner’s “clock” only after crossing the start line.

At intervals along the route, there are hydration stations, clothing drops, course marshals, available first aid, and music — with bands at

different locations — there have even been bagpipes.

There is no available parking at either Cape Spear or Signal Hill, but free shuttles (from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.; again, masks are required) will be available to runners and spectators between Cabot Tower and the Fort William Building (where spectators can also park).

The pandemic has led to the cancellation of the postrace health expo, awards ceremony and reception, with the food budget for the latter being donated to local food banks.

The kit pick-up for the race is today, between 1 and 5 p.m. at the Legion on the Boulevard in St. John’s. The race starts at 8 a.m Sunday, with the final shuttle from Signal Hill scheduled for 11:30 a.m.

The defending women’s champion is Jennifer Murrin, who smashed the course record for women in 2019 with a time of 1:19:32. That put her 10 minuted ahead of the next-fastest female competitor and second among all runners, behind only two-time defending men’s champion Zach Putt, who finished in 1:16:47.

Will Fitzgerald holds the male record with a time of 1:12:84, set in 2008.