The Detroit Free Press Marathon rolled through the heart of Windsor early Sunday, drawing the largest crowd in the race’s history. Nearly 30,000 runners were expected to be on the course for the marathon and half marathon races, which kicked off around 7 a.m. On each side of the course, a different race was underway for thousands of volunteers responsible for keeping the race on track. From waving through runners, handing off much-needed water, supplying the all-important race bibs, and sometimes simply tossing in some morale support, each volunteer had a part to play. On Riverside Drive West, Rob Moore, a volunteer and former track and field coach at Sandwich Secondary, manned a water station with about 80 other people. “50 to 55 are from Sandwich High School. A couple from other high schools, and the rest are volunteers from the community that have signed up,” Moore said of the group. Tasked with hydrating thousands of runners, cups were filled quickly, and empty water jugs frequently flew through the air after being replaced. Despite being on site since 5:30 a.m., Moore said their enthusiasm never wavers through the morning, knowing they have runners that count on them. “You can see the kids just love having fun out here right now. Cheering each other on. You hear them yelling, you got signs for power boost, and people are loving it too,” Moore said with a grin. Only steps down the road, Russ Evon, a former runner himself, stood enthusiastically along the riverfront in a place he knows quite well. “This is probably my 15th year, maybe. I used to run this water stop when my kids were small, probably 25 years ago,” Evon recalled. Each year, Evon said he comes back to feel the “energy” that comes from cheering on runners. Even as he spoke to CTV News, Evon’s eyes were glued to the course as he continued to hand out cups and occasionally shout “Gatorade” to the passing runners. “A race is only as good as its volunteers,” Evon said. Through each turn and past each mile marker, when the finish line felt like it was only getting further, volunteers like Wayne Sinasac stood at the ready. Having participated in the half marathon, Sinasac and his wife often came out to watch the race after they hung up their shoes. In 2013, they figured why not find a way to help. Standing at the Detroit Windsor Tunnel, Sinasac was one of the last faces runners would see before they returned to the U.S. “At the beginning, we worked with the police and set up the barricades, and we’re here with the tunnel people, and we’re here to watch it and just keep an eye on everything,” Sinasac said of his role. With experience of his own on the course, Sinasac said there’s no doubt having a supportive group of volunteers and fans can make the difference down the stretch. “As you get to a certain point, it’s nice [to know] people are out there cheering and you know they’re out there,” he said. “If your name’s on your bib, then they’ll call you by name, and it really motivates you to finish.” The Detroit Free Press Marathon says more than 3,000 volunteers are recruited to aid in the marathon each year.
