So a bunch of Norwegian, Dutch and American skaters, along with a Russian, a Pole, a Korean, an Italian, a Frenchman and one Japanese are going to take to the ice today at the Richmond Skating Oval for the men's 10,000 metre race. But just how long is 10,000 metres?
By Jeremy Sandler, National Post
So a bunch of Norwegian, Dutch and American skaters, along with a Russian, a Pole, a Korean, an Italian, a Frenchman and one Japanese are going to take to the ice today at the Richmond Skating Oval for the men's 10,000 metre race.
Who will win speed skating's longest race is an open question, but the winning time will likely slide in somewhere around 12:40, give or take a few seconds.
That's less than 13 minutes to travel 10 kilometres on foot, albeit well-trained feet gliding on state-of-the-art-blades over immaculately manicured ice.
Thanks to the good folks at Rand McNally, a ruler and some trusty orienteering instruction picked up during a junior high trip to the Toronto District School Board's Boyne River Natural Science School in the mid-1980s, here are some handy equivalents for people trying to put just how long 10,000 metres is into perspective.* (*-all measurements are as the crow flies, over land, water and possibly toxic waste dumps.)
Vancouver
Granville Island Market to Vancouver International Airport or the Lions Gate Bridge past the Second Narrows to Confederation Park
Edmonton
City Hall to Fort Edmonton Park
Calgary
Canada Olympic Park to the Olympic Oval
Regina
University of Regina to the RCMP Training Academy
Winnipeg
Portage and Main to Assiniboine Park
Hamilton
Dundurn Castle to Ivor Wynn Stadium, and back
Toronto
The CN Tower to the Ontario Science Centre
Ottawa
Parliament Hill to Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club
Montreal
Schwartz's Deli to Casino de Montreal, and back
Halifax
Pier 21 to Hemlock Ravine Park
P.E.I/New Brunswick
Three-quarters of the way across the Confederation Bridge
St. John's
Cape Spear to Confederation Building
