By Alison Langley Review Reporter
The Niagara Falls Review
A Niagara tradition dating back 96 years continued on Monday.
The annual Man-A-Mile relay took nine teams of runners from Fort George in Niagara-on-the-Lake to Oakes Park in Niagara Falls.
The first leg of the 22.5-kilometre relay began at the fort and the route followed the scenic path along the lower Niagara River.
Each relay team was made up of 14 people who took turns running a mile along Niagara Parkway and to the finish line.
The event is believed to be one of the oldest races in Canada.
“It’s unlike a lot of road races,” said organizer David Trotter.
“It’s unique because it’s a relay and it’s unique because it really highlights our local landscape.”
A team made up of students and graduates from Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School in St. Catharines won the relay with a time of 1:15:14. That time was nine seconds off the record the team set last year.
“We had a really good time last year so I wanted to do it again,” said 19-year-old Maddie Greenough, 19. “It’s a lot of fun.”
A graduate of Sir Winston, the St. Catharines native is now a student at University of Waterloo.
“I come home on weekends and I run with my high school group,” she said. “It’s like a huge family.”
Benny Ralston, coach of Sir Winston’s cross-country team and a team from Runners’ Edge, was impressed with his young athletes.
“I’m super pleased with how well they did this year,” he said.
Second place went to a team from E.L. Crossley Secondary School in Fonthill with a time of 1:23:24.
The event also raised funds for local charities. This year’s recipients were St. John Ambulance and the BoxRun Foundation.
The relay event began with just two teams – one from Niagara Falls and one from St. Catharines – competing for bragging rights only.
Over the years, the event has evolved to include teams from across the region and trophies in various categories and a high school division.
