KINGSPORT, N.S. — Weather seldom stops runners from doing what they love, and this was certainly the case at the Race Against the Tide 5K fun run at Kingsport Beach June 22.
Saturday morning saw strong winds and some rain across the Annapolis Valley, but this merely caused a slight delay. By 9 a.m., the start gun fired and the race was underway.
The race is part of the annual Kingsport Gala Days celebration, which went on for the rest of the day. Driving around Kingsport, one could spot many garage sales and neighbours out enjoying the weekend. Several tents were set up at the nearby green space to host more festivities.
At first glance, the ideal route to take seemed to be the shortest one – straight across the beach at low tide. However, as runners started to get further out, the sand got thicker and deeper, putting a damper on their pace. In the end, it was the ones who chose to hug the shoreline that came out on top.
Ian Manning of Berwick won for the second time in as many years, but the second-place runner was not far behind him. The sportsmanship displayed by runners after the race showed that the element of competition took a backseat to the collective desire to get out and have fun.
Despite being covered in mud and sweat, all racers had a smile on their face as they crossed the line.
