Taking a run down memory lane
We asked Run Ottawa members to share some of their favourite memories from Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekends past. They were so kind as to take us back to when they supported fellow runners, celebrated personal milestones by running with friends from across the globe, crossed their first marathon or half marathon finish lines, and introduced a new generation to the love of running and the excitement of Race Weekend:
“Being part of the Xtra Mile Crew in 2019. I got to run many marathoners home to the finish in the final 2k of their races.”
Tracy Shouldice
“I turned 50 in 2015 and my birthday is always around Race Weekend. My husband threw a surprise party for me, and the biggest surprise was the running friends I met at the NYC marathon in 2015 who showed up to celebrate and run! They came from Saskatchewan, Florida, Victoria, Belgium, Oregon, and England!”
Jane Spiteri
“2014 was my favourite, as it was my first marathon I completed. It was such a magical experience to push myself to distances I’ve never done and see the amazing crowds!”
Laura Welsh
“A very memorable Race Weekend moment for me was in 2008, the first year of the Kids Marathon. As a new event, nobody was really sure how this kids race was going to go. I managed to coach and get over 100 kids from the elementary school where I was teaching at the time – including my own two kids –signed up. Although my school had the most students entered, I never saw the race as I was out running the marathon! I actually remember being more nervous for the Kids Marathon than I was for my own race. Distributing over 100 race kits to first time runners was an event in itself, but there were so many happy kids with a great sense of accomplishment afterwards. I heard from many parents about how much it meant to their kids. In subsequent years, my school continued to introduce hundreds of runners to Ottawa Race Weekend. That remains a tremendous source of pride for me.”
David Dazé
“The 2008 Ottawa Race Weekend was my first half-marathon race, but it was also the first race-weekend race for two of my granddaughters who went to Katimavik School. The girls were also in that first Kids Marathon.”
Ian Hunter
“2017 was my first marathon and it was Canada’s 150th so that alone was memorable. No matter how slow I finished, it was going to be my personal best.”
Dan Pak
There will be many new memories made at Race Weekend 2022, some by new participants and some by those more seasoned. Will you be a part of this very special weekend? Register for Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend and BE HERE in 2022!
About the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend
The Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is Canada’s largest running and walking festival with six races, including the Ottawa Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, 2K and Kids Marathon, as well as the Lumberjack, Voyageur or Bytown distance challenges. In 2021, runners and walkers in the virtual event raised a record-breaking $1,064,163.58 for local and national charities through the Charity Challenge. The 2022 Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend will take place May 28-29.
The Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend was named Event of the Year at the 2019 Canadian Tourism Awards, and in 2020, its title sponsor Tamarack Homes won the Sport Tourism Canada’s Canadian Sport Event Sponsorship Initiative of the Year Award. The event is one of only two running events in Canada to host a World Athletics (formerly IAAF) Gold Label Marathon, and is host to Athletic Canada’s Canadian 10K Championships. For more information or to register: www.runottawa.ca.