Every January the Bermuda International Race Weekend, a three-day festival, begins with a series of road miles on Friday night, builds to a 10K on Saturday and ends in grand style with a marathon and half marathon on Sunday.
The January race date brings ideal running temperatures. And while the courses may be demanding of the legs, they are easy on the eyes. Coral-lined roads wind through our brightly coloured landscape, with the vibrant greens of the natural vegetation setting off the bright pastels of the local homes.
The last several miles of the 10K, marathon and half marathon courses afford breathtaking views of our island's north coast, where volcanic rock meets cobalt blue water.
The 10K rolls east through the hills at the centre of the island before hitting a particularly big one between miles two and three. Long and steep, the hill lasts over half a mile, but runners are rewarded shortly afterward with the ocean views along North Shore Road.
This shoreline segment takes the course back west, settling into a rhythm of rolling hills to the finish line. And what a finish: the race concludes inside Bermuda's national stadium.
