For me it will be a 6 miler! I cannot wait to run around historical Downtown Dartmouth on Natal Day. This event is a great way to kick off your holiday! After speaking with Race Director Dave Nevitt, and getting the quick low down I am even more excited. This race is not only held in a beautiful area of Dartmouth it is one of the oldest races in Canada!
So, here is the deal, Dartmouth Natal Day Road Races are scheduled to go on Monday August 3rd at 8:15 AM. It’s been 109 years since the first 6 Mile race was held in 1907, making the Dartmouth Natal Day Road Race the second oldest race in Canada. Only a few serious competitors would have lined up for the race in the early years, but with the growing popularity of running, the Natal Day Races are now run or walked by people of all ages and abilities. On Natal Day in 2014 nearly 1,200 participants completed the 2 Mile and 6 Mile events.
The 2 Mile race is a single loop course starting at Christ Church on Ochterloney Street and passing by notable Dartmouth landmarks such as Sullivan’s Pond, Hawthorne Street, Five Corners, King’s Wharf and Alderney Place. There are a few slight grades that will raise your heart rate and some short down hills to test your speed on. If you’re racing the 6 Mile event, you just keep to the right at Christ Church and complete the loop two more times.
The 2 Miler is a great introductory event and many young people have made it their 1st race. There is no age limit and there have been very young participants, some being pushed in strollers and on the other spectrum, age group competitors in their 80’s. The Natal day race has a nice family atmosphere and it’s not unusual to see multiple generations of the same family participating. Many Dartmouth families have made it an annual tradition and their extended family groups have numbered as many as 40 people.
The Natal Day Races are organized entirely by volunteers from The Fast Company Running Club. The Natal Day races are well priced compared to similar events and provides all the same amenities as other races such as t-shirts, chip timing, post-race food, age group awards, and special pricing for youth participants and Run Nova Scotia members.
Check out the Fast Company Running Club website for more information:
http://www.fastcompanyrunningclub.ca/
Like Dartmouth Natal Day Road Race on Facebook to keep up to date:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dartmouth-Natal-Day-Road-Races/110112405738429?ref=hl
Online registration is available through Race Roster:
https://raceroster.com/events/2015/4811/109th-dartmouth-natal-day-road-races