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By Louise Rachlis
Triathlete Randy Roffey, 47,
got to the start line 23 minutes
late for the Ottawa Marathon
marathon last year, and he still
qualified for Boston.
“I thought it started at 7:30 a.m.,”
says Randy, who was attempting to
qualify for Boston for the second
time. The previous year he encountered
IT band problems at the uphill
at 30k at Vincent Massey Park. He
then limped and hopped to the finish.
Last year he was going to redeem
himself. “I trained on that hill a lot,
and it wasn’t going to cause me pain
again.”
In fact, he did everything to prepare
but be sure of the start time.
“I did everything to focus and pay
attention to detail. It was a bit of a
shock to walk into the corral area
and see nothing but t-shirts hanging
on the railing. I thought they had
moved the start line.”
Nevertheless, he asked a bystander
what happened. He was told
the Sportstats people were already
removing the timing mats at the
start.
A Sportstats employee manually
entered in his number and and
pointed with his thumb to get going.
“I didn’t even tighten my shoe laces
or start my watch.”
He had to come up with a new
race plan – “give it my best effort as
if I’d started on time.”
At the War Museum he got up to
the last of the walkers. Half way
through Gatineau he found the tail
end of the runners. “I felt guilty
passing so many people. The negative
start made me so focussed on
the run. I dropped the chit-chat and
realized I was having a pretty good
run.”
When he reached Vincent Massey
Park, he tried to increase his speed
and bolted up the hill. It was smooth
sailing the rest of the way and he
ended up getting his chip time to
qualify for Boston. His chip time
was 3:25:23 and his gun time was
3:48:13.
His advice for other runners:
“Travel with a buddy who is going
to make sure you get there on time.
I thought I was going to be early.”
Besides ‘get to the race start early,’
here’s more advice from the race
weekend organizers to smooth your
day:
• A corral system will be set up at the
start line. Look for signs with the
estimated finishing time you indicated
on your registration, signs
will be colour coded and should
match the colour on your race bib.
Line up behind the signs with your
time and colour.
• Runners must follow and stay on
the course. In most cases, the
entire road is at the runner’s
disposal. Where cones are used,
shortening the course by not
following the cone line is against
the rules and will expose the
runners to unsafe conditions.
• Participants may not use curbs,
sidewalks, grass surfaces, as they
are not part of the measured
course.
• With the exception of the 2K and
5K runs, baby joggers/strollers are
not permitted.
• In-line skates, scooters, or any
other mechanical assistance are
not permitted in any event.
• Participants agree to follow the
instructions of race, medical and
police officials.
• Participants in the marathon must
be minimum 18 years of age on
race day.
• Removing yourself from the race is
permitted and encouraged if you
are not feeling well. If you choose
to do this please consider the
following:
A) If you do not feel well, please
contact medical personnel along
the route. They will provide
necessary medical support and
arrange for transportation back
to the finish and medical area.
Do not remove your bib.
B) Transportation is available back
to the recovery area for all runners.
Please wait curb-side and
keep your bib on.
C) Runners who do not return their
timing chip will be charged $40.
• As a courtesy to those finishing
behind you, please keep moving
once you cross the finish line.
Do not wait for family or friends
in the finishing chute as it will get
congested and some runners may
not be able to finish. Proceed
through the chute where you will
be given your medal and have your
chip removed.
• If you do not feel well look for a
medical volunteer in a RED T-SHIRT.
Water, refreshments and toilets are
available in the Recovery Area in
Confederation Park. This is the
best place to meet up with friends
and family in the same race. Keep
moving!
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