Why I love the CPC Loop

I recently ran the City-Pier-City Loop (CPC) in my hometown, The Hague. And while I love destination races and want to “run the world”, sometimes, there’s no place like home.

The ABN AMRO CPC Loop has become the stage for world class runners to set and break records, including Samuel Wanjiru who set a world record time in 2007 and legendary distance runner Haile Gabrselassie, and Sammy Kitwara who, after defeating Gebrselassie on the course in 2009, became the runner to watch.  This year’s winner, Lelisa Desisa Benti finished in 59:37, the second best time of the season

Despite the intense international attention shown to the race in recent years because of the world-class runners it attracts, the CPC still retains a small, hometown feel, what the Dutch call gezellig. In addition to a half marathon, there is a 10K, which I ran, and youth runs in which students from local schools participate in a 1, 2.5 or 5k run.  Miss P and Miss V ran the 2.5K and their school won the prize for most participants.

I love the CPC Loop because, though the training period is during the dark, damp, dreary days of winter, the actual day of the race is the symbolic beginning of spring for me.  It always seems as though the day of the race is the first warm and sunny day of the year.  I’m sure I’ve romanticized this and it isn’t actually true, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

The CPC feels like a big block party.  It seems as though if the people of The Hague aren’t running the race, they are along the route cheering us on.  It also feels good to run in my ‘hood, past the lake I circle during my regular 4 mile loop, or past friends houses or my husbands work place.

What’s your favorite local race and why?