It was while taking stock of his life in the days leading up to birthday No. 60 that he came to the decision to run the Around The Bay Race the following spring. The whole thing. All 30 kilometres.

Having reached this milestone conclusion, heretofore-non-runner Jim Hyk sat down with his loving wife and let her in on his ambitious plan. Eagerly awaiting her vote of support and words of Tony Robbins-like encouragement.

"(She) said, 'Yeah, right,' " he laughs.

Thus began the most-inspiring and possibly the least-fleet-footed career in the 124-year history of North America's oldest road race.

[ PHOTOS: The crowds and runners from races past ]

Undeterred by the doubters, Hyk — pronounced "hike" — began training in the fall of 2015. First by fast-walking a few kilometres a day. Then jogging a few. Then mixing the two until he got up to about 25 clicks in one shot. He'd even hoof it home from his office at McMaster Innovation Park near Westdale High School to Rymal and Upper Wentworth to get in his steps.

But on race day, it was clear the work he'd done had built up fitness and endurance, but not much speed.

By the time he got to the five-kilometre mark at Burlington Street and Sherman Avenue, he says barricades stopping traffic were being removed behind him, forcing him to scamper onto the sidewalk when he looked over his shoulder and saw buses and trucks bearing down on him.

More disconcerting, volunteers were already collecting the street cones and signs that showed runners the way to go. That turned a mere running race into an orienteering competition. Out of desperation, he began following the path of discarded protein bar packaging and empty cups from the now-closed water stations to stay on track.

"I'm looking for wrappers and cups when I would get to a fork in the road," he says.

It all seemed to be working until he got to North Shore Boulevard where he turned right instead of left and eventually found himself hopelessly off course in front of the hospital. ("What hospital?" a puzzled race official later asked when he said where he'd been).

Long story long, he turned around, got back on track and eventually came walking up York Boulevard toward FirstOntario Centre where he saw his wife and son cheering him on. More accurately, cheering the fact that he hadn't collapsed somewhere along the route since they'd been told everyone had already checked in.

Now with a jolt of energy and a spring in his step he sprinted into the arena, blowing past a guy sweeping the floor. Then he crossed the finish line as it was being dismantled — having run 33 kilometres thanks to that unplanned Joseph Brant detour — where another official checked her watch and manually checked him in.

He'd done it in 6:10:00. Dead last. Runner No. 5,184 out of 5,184. Breaking the imaginary tape more than four-and-a-half hours after the three-time champion from Kenya was done and nearly 45 minutes after the previous runner had arrived. But he finished.

So that's it, right? The end of Hyk's running career? Been there, done that, got the medal. Onto the next challenge?

Not a chance.

The following year — last March — he was on the start line again. And again he quickly found himself bringing up the rear. Though this time he'd been smart and brought his own water.

The trouble was, once again the directional signs were coming down as he passed, which he figured wouldn't be a problem on his second go-round. Until he somehow found himself on an off-ramp to the QEW.

With his race number pinned to his chest and confused drivers honking at him as they blew by, Hyk tried to figure out how to get back on course. Fearful that if he turned his back to the traffic he could be putting his life at risk, he kept moving toward the flow.

"I'm walking on the QEW looking for the first exit," he says. "That was probably my quickest pace in the race."

Thankfully, he found his way back onto the course and a few hours later, runner 4,173 out of 4,173 crossed the finish line in 6:02:00, this time 44 minutes behind second last. Which accomplished exactly what he wanted. An improvement. Even if the time had to be manually recorded again.

For a guy who'd never run until he was 60, he'd persevered through discomfort and had even survived Heartbreak Hill. Sure he was slow. But he darn sure wasn't a quitter.

It got him thinking. He's done a lot in his six decades. He's worked for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Ottawa Rough Riders, ran Maple Leaf Gardens and managed the Fallsview Casino. Now he'd done what for him was the impossible. He'd finished the Around The Bay Race. Twice. And despite his unique circumstances, he'd actually enjoyed it. For six hours he'd had no phone to answer, plenty of beautiful homes to look at, and nobody bothering him.

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"It's a quiet six hours," he says. "You can reflect to yourself quite a bit."

He won't be taking a third crack at it this year because of an unbreakable family commitment, meaning there will be someone else claiming his title on Sunday. But now 62, he says he'll be back in 2019 and intends to keep going until he's at least 70.

"For the next 10 years, I'm going to shave off time," he says.

He pauses for a second to clarify that last line.

"I'm not going to be a Kenyan."

Fair enough. The lead is safe. But what if he doesn't get much faster? What if Mr. Last Place continues to trot along at his rather-pokey pace and extends his back-to-back title into something more permanent? What then?

No big deal, he insists.

"I really enjoy it."

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