From Victoria to Ottawa and back

Chasing around trying to coach traveling athletes is a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it. And it certainly does warrant documenting the great performances I witnessed, even as it gives me yet another excuse for being tardy in doing so (but not for neglecting to mention the additional great performances by those on the home front). Starting with the RVM on Oct 7, we had good representation and results in each of the 8K, 1/2 Marathon and Marathon races. In the Marathon, Graeme Wilson finished 2nd overall in 2:29:40 (to Steve Osaduik’s 2:20:14), after passing a (2:22 best) American with about 15k to go. It was his best of 3 consecutive RVM performances, so his $500 prize was well deserved. Chris Gt Downie also ran an even race to pass several runners and finish 14th in a 3 1/2 minute PB of 2:47:40, completing a 1-2 sweep of the M35-39. Shu Sanantani (3:02:46) and Marty Glendinning (3:07:54) ran solid races, while Kirsty Siemens ran 3:15:06 to place 2nd in the F40-44, and Sarah Louw 3:34:38 in her marathon debut. In the 1/2 Marathon, Paul Krochak had a big 2 1/2 min PB of 1:11:47 to place 6th overall and 1st M30-34, Chris Brandt added to his unending 2007 PB streak with a 1:21:33, Laura De Munain just missed her PB with a 1:26:47 to win the F35-39, and Rhys Howard ran a seasonal best 1:35:06. In the 8K, Rita Ivanauskas ran a 29:46 PB to set a new VFAC Masters Female record, while placing 3rd overall and 1st F40-44. Jim Davies got his racing groove back with a 34:32, Bonnie Kramer placed 2nd F35-39 with a 35:45, Sharon Emslie placed 3rd in the F45-49 with a 35:55, and Trudi Jackson was just behind to place 3rd F30-34. In the Chicago Marathon the same day, Katherine Moore overcame the rather significant obstacle of humid 30 degree C weather, a feat several world class runners were unable to do, to finish an amazing 28th woman overall in a 3:05:01 PB. She was also 1st Canadian woman among the ~37,000 finishers! Good thing I wasn’t there too, or I would have pulled the defrocked Irish priest trick and tried to pull her off the course before halfway. At the Turkey Trot 10K the next day, new club members Chloe Gendron and Kristina Bangma kept up Vancouver appearances by finishing as 3rd and 4th females overall in 40:51 and 41:33. Over to Ottawa Oct 13, where Rita Ivanauskas represented BC at the National 10K Road Championships by virtue of her 3rd place overall finish in the Timex Series. In a small, very elite women-only race, she ran a very even pace to place 13th in 37:38, her 2nd PB and VFAC Masters Female record in as many weekends. The next day, while I was almost being out-run by Rita on her recovery run in the Gatineau Hills and spraining my ankle in the process (hey, I was mesmerized by the brilliant fall colours), back in Vancouver 12 VFAC runners were almost being out-run by the course measurer in The Flatlands 10K Plus. It was too bad, as woman’s winner Natalie Closs was denied a big minute-plus PB and several others seasonal bests. Anyhow, through 2 independent sources (Google Maps and GPS- thanks, Matt!) it was determined to be 10.33K, so I have taken the liberty of adjusting the times to 10K, both in this report and the updated rankings. The race was won by Tristin Simpson in an adjusted 32:47, followed by our Ynuk Bosse in 33:05. Matt Fedoruk was 8th overall among the 169 finishers and 2nd M30-34 in 35:43, Ernest Hawker won the M45-49 in 36:17, Joel Werner was 3rd in the M30-34, and Trefor Smith got back on track with a 39:11. Among the women, Natalie’s adjusted winning time was 38:47, while Helen Ritchie ran 40:51 in her 1st race in several years to win the masters, Chloe Gendron just missed the medals in the F35-39 with a 41:39, Trudi Jackson and Sue Werner placed 2nd and 3rd in the F30-34, and Sharon Emslie ran a seasonal best 44:37 to win the F45-49. Whew! Better stay home a little more. PS Not to be forgotten, 2 weeks ago, Natalie Closs also traveled to a PB. In the Toronto Scotiabank Half Marathon she took over 3 minutes off her PB in 1:26:26, to place 3rd out of 520 women in the 35-39 category!
2 comments on “From Victoria to Ottawa and back
  1. Great racing. Do you guys do Hill running?

  2. John says:

    Thanks! We don’t primarily, but as you can see from the next article below, we had 2 runners at the World Mountain Running Champs in Switzerland in Sept. Many others also do the many mountain/trail races here.

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