Tely Ten Teaser trivia

This week as we head into April and Easter weekend I thought I'd give you a little history on the Tely Teaser. This annual traditional 'non-event' has actually been around for quite a few years.The NLRunning blog mentions it as early as 2007 http://www.nlrunning.com/2007/04/good-friday-tely-test-run.html
Runners completed the Tely Test Run that year on April 6th. Pictures show plenty of snow still on the ground. Some Nautilus Running Club members took part and according to the article this run was already a tradition. So the Tely Ten Teaser may have started a dozen or more years ago. It now brings out hundreds of runners in the early morning hours of Good Friday. One legend has it that runners got out and completed the course early so they'd beat traffic and get to church on time. A more believable story is that many runners complete the course, then head to The Big R on Harvey Rd. for fish and chips and beer! At 10:30 ... Oh well it is 5 o'clock somewhere!

My own Tely Teaser experience began with an out and back 32k run in 2009. I was training with a group of marathon trainee friends at the time. Even though my marathon that year was the Toronto Waterfront  in September, I joined these crazy guys for a memorable double Tely. As I recall, the trip back to Bannerman Road was quite tiring. Instead of The Big R it may have been a large Tim Horton's coffee for us. Since then I have done the Teaser just about every year, including one in a slushy windy late winter blast two years ago. Thank God for Coffee Matters on Military Rd. that year!

Whatever the weather the Tely Teaser is a fun, memorable run which all local runners should try at least once. As this is my last post for March I'll pass the torch to the next blogger. See you on the road...hopefully on the Tely Ten route on Good Friday.