Windsor Waterfront Half Marathon and 5k races deemed a success for a good cause

Runners from across the world hit the pavement on Sunday for the inaugural Ground Effects Windsor Waterfront Half Marathon and 5k.

The event that raised tens of thousands of dollars for Big Brothers Big Sisters Windsor Essex and Lupus Ontario.

Runners laced up from Australia, Germany, Italy, France, and across Canada from coast to coast.

“The atmosphere yesterday, to put it simply, was just incredible,” said Laura Brown from Big Brothers Big Sisters Windsor Essex.

“There was such a sense of community and kindness and inspiration. The finish line was filled with people cheering everyone on. We had mentors cheering on their mentees. We had bigs cheering on littles, board members cheering on staff. It was incredible. I was so proud to be part of the Windsor-Essex community that day.”

The agency is about children overcoming obstacles and achieving their goals and many said they saw that at the event.

Organizers say they see it growing even bigger in the future.