Nothing says springtime in Kingston, Ont., quite like the sound of hundreds of student-athletes taking off for yet another road race.
After last week’s Bayridge road race, this week LCVI had its turn to host a competition.
“This is an opportunity for them to get out and practicing because their track and field season is upon them,” co-convener Tonia Moore said.
As is the case every year, the race will go ahead rain or shine — and judging by the number of umbrellas out Wednesday, it’s safe to say a soggy run has become an annual tradition.
“Forty-two years and it almost always rains. Bayridge’s road race was last week and they had awesome weather so we were bound to have terrible weather,” co-convener Amy Healey said.
More than 1,000 runners took part in the race, which features a two-kilometre course beginning at the LCVI track, through residential areas, before returning to the track to cross the finish line.
There was excitement in the air as students from throughout the region prepared for the race.
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“I feel like I’m going to get first,” Amherstview Public School student Jeff Berthiaume said.
“He’s the fastest one, probably the fastest one in all of Amherstview Public School,” fellow Amherstview student Lane Ferris said of his friend.
“I just like the sense of competition and it’s just really fun to do,” Joyceville Public School student Jamie Woods said.
But the runners weren’t the only students involved with the LCVI road race.
In fact, it couldn’t have been the success it was without the help of those who donated their time.
“We have 140 LCVI students volunteering and a lot of them have memories of being involved in the road race when they were young,” Healey said.
Medals were given out to the top three runners in each division, while the top 25 received an achievement ribbon.
The next big event in the Limestone Elementary School Athletics calendar is the first track and field event on May 25th.