Destination Race – The Cape to Cabot 20K

Cape to Cabot 20K

Date: Oct. 19, 2014

Location: St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

Distance: 20K

Start time: 8:00 a.m.

Participants: 400 (event maximum)

Registration begins: Aug. 1, 2014

Entry Fee: $75 ($5 discount to NLAA members)

Website

It’s called the toughest road race in eastern North America and its reputation might discourage many recreational runners. But each year in Newfoundland, several hundred runners turn out to take on the hilly challenge of running 20K from Cape Spear to the Cabot Tower in St. John’s. The difficulty and the scenery is a big draw. From the start line at Cape Spear, the most easterly point in North America, runners are closer to Ireland than they are to Winnipeg.

By the time they reach Cabot Tower, which incidentally they can see from the start line (it’s 4K across the North Atlantic), they will have experienced elevation gains of 550m. The last stretch, known as the Mazda Mile, takes runners up a steep incline from the bottom of Temperance Street, where Terry Fox dipped his toes in St. John’s harbour over 30 years ago, to the finish line at the top of Signal Hill, Newfoundland’s most recognizable landmark. From the finish line, athletes stagger to get their picture taken at the Cabot Tower, built in 1897 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of John Cabot`s landing in Newfoundland and the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria`s reign. There are grades of more than 10 per cent in some parts of the course, making it a real quad-busting workout.

“When I told a friend from Winnipeg about the hills, he wouldn’t believe me,” says Heather Barrett, who ran her second Cape to Cabot race in 2012. Even when her friend arrived at the start line within view of the hills, he had trouble believing the gravity of the challenge ahead. It’s not only the uphills that runners find challenging, the downhills also put a lot of stress on the body. “You’ve got to take it easy on the downhills,” says Art Meaney, leader of the Cape to Cabot running clinic, which prepares first-time and seasoned runners for this grueling event.

The race is capped at 400 runners and sells out within a matter of days. “We were full in 11 days, and the 20-person waiting list topped out in 12 hours,” says Steve Delaney, race director. “I’m not sure why we sold out so fast. Maybe the word has spread about what a quality race we put off. From the medals to the post-race reception, everything is first class,” says Delaney.

The Cape to Cabot was one of the first certified green races in Canada. “We’ve practically eliminated paper and switched to reusable cutlery and linens at the reception. Our race kit bags are reusable now replacing plastic bags. We compost fruit peels and cores. We even added a ‘no-shirt’ option to the registration page so [there’s] the choice of taking the shirt or not. Basically the only thing we haven’t done is have every race participant go out and plant a tree. We’re out to make as little a mark as possible on our unique environment.”

In 2010, Mother Nature rewarded runners in final mile, as two moose ran across Signal Hill Road in front of surprised runners. “The Cape to Cabot is definitely a unique road racing experience,” says Dan Penney of Penney Mazda, a sponsor of the race. “From the mummers giving out water at the water stations, to the incredible challenge of the Mazda Mile, I just love being a part of this event. How many times do you run a road race that starts at one National Historic Site and finishes at another?”