"Run for the hill of it."
Cute though it was, the slogan for this year's Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon didn't exactly apply at the Dal-sponsored water station located in Halifax's North End. For one, the corner of Rosemeade and Hillside is far from the hilliest location on the route. For another, the Dal volunteers had plenty of reason to be there than just the "hill" of it.
More than a dozen volunteers, organized by the Dalhousie Alumni Association, were up bright and early Sunday to keep full and half marathoners well-hydrated as they took part in the 11th annual Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon.
"It's about giving back to the community," explained Courtney Larkin, executive vice-president of the Dalhousie Alumni Association and co-organizer of the water station along with Stephen Richey. "It's an important event for Halifax, and it shows our support for the many students, faculty, staff and alumni who take part each year."
The yellow volunteer shirts provided by the marathon perfectly matched the black-and-gold caps many of the Dal volunteers wore to show their stripes. In addition to providing water and Gatorade, the volunteers cheered on the participants with whistles, cowbells and two big "Run Like a Tiger" signs that awaited runners as they turned the corner.
At around 8:30 a.m., the half marathoners came through en masse: because the station was a mere 3.5 km or so into the route, the runners had yet to really space themselves out. That meant volunteers were frantically handing out water and Gatorade to more than 2,000 speedy passers-by.
The full marathoners, in contrast, were well on their way by the time they reached the station, approaching their 25th kilometre. The Dal volunteers continued to ensure runners had the fuel — both liquid and emotional — they needed to make it to the finish line.
Congrats to all in the Dal community who took part in this weekend's events!
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