Archive for the 'Club News' Category

VFAC again easily won the team title at Sunday’s Harry’s Spring Run-Off 8K, with Kristina Rody beating her own best and club record in 28:20! Congrats to Jay, Kristina, John, Chris B, Rita, Katherine, Marty, Laura, Janette, Mary, and Rhys for snagging the 10 opportunities to try to get something for $100 at Harry Rosen’s (probably more difficult than their races). In the previous Sunday’s Barcelona Marathon, Dave Stephens celebrated his 50th birthday with an excellent 2:44:14, to place 71st in the European Championship Race (his time also would have placed him 2nd 50+ in Canada last year!).

VFACer’s also placed very prominently in the Dirty Duo Saturday, with Ellie Greenwood winning yet another ultra (by 1 1/2 hours!) with a 4:24:37 in the 50K, and Simon Driver had the fastest time for the 25K, while running 2:06:26 as part of the winning relay team. Mark Bennett was close behind in 2:07:21, while Katrina Driver placed 2nd female in the 25K with a 2:26:07, and Mike Palichuk was close behind Ellie in 4:25:20, to place 4th male in the 50K. Finally on Sunday, Nancy Fedoruk ran a solid 18:53 in the very competitive Bazan Bay 5K in Victoria.

Harry’s Spring Run-Off 8K highlights:

Jay MacDonald 25:28, 2nd M30-34
Kristina Rody 28:20 PB, 3rd overall Female ($300), 1st F30-34, VFAC Women’s Club Record
John Atkinson 28:52 PB (after a 55 min 10K Snowshoe Race Saturday!)
Chris Brandt 29:10 PB
Rita Ivanauskas 29:50, 1st Masters Overall Female ($250), 1st F45-49
Katherine Moore 30:27, 3rd F30-34
Janette Purdham 32:42, 1st F40-44
Mirabelle Tinio 33:22 PB

Perfect, windless weather, a great course and race, and of course some dogged improvised training (or needed extra rest??) during the winter’s record snows, led to a great VFAC presence at Sunday’s First Half 1/2 Marathon. We had 30 participants, 9 PB’s, 2 men and 4 women in the top 10 overall, 7 age group top 3’s, and another VFAC Master Men’s Record by Kevin O’Connor (breaking Brian Bjornson’s 1996 1:13:33!) . Not too bad for the ‘first’ half of the year! Highlights follow:

Jay Macdonald 1:10:38 PB, 8th overall, 2nd 30-34
Paul Krochak 1:10:48 PB, 9th overall, 3rd 30-34
Kevin O’Connor 1:13:10, VFAC Masters Men’s Record
Phil Dickens 1:14:13 PB
Simon Driver 1:14:15, just ahead of Phil gun time
Mark Bennett 1:16:06 PB
Dave Stephens 1:16:17
Ben Maas 1:17:38
Kristina Rody 1:18:55 PB, 3rd overall woman, 1st F30-34
John Atkinson 1:20:44 PB
Jo Astoria 1:20:58
Katherine Moore 1:22:56 PB, 7th overall woman, 2nd F30-34
Rita Ivanauskas 1:22:59, 8th overall woman, 2nd F45-49
Anne-Marie Madden 1:24:43, 10th overall woman, 1st F25-29
Laura De Munain 1:27:27
Helen Ritchie 1:27:41, 3rd F40-44
Rory Carr 1:27:56 PB
Ryan Allderman 1:29:04
Rebecca Reid 1:29:15
Sophie Dansereau 1:33:37
Kim Jow 1:34:14
Mirabelle Tinio 1:34:07
Rhys Howard 1:35:35
Vicki Mann 1:49:33, 1st race in 10 months

Conditions were also conducive to a new record for earliest outdoor post race imbibing (or for collective foolhardiness?). For all those ex-Brits and others ‘from away’, it’s a Vancouver thing!

Excellent results from all VFACer’s who ran Sunday at the Icebreaker 8km in Steveston. I quickly scanned for results and almost everyone ran quicker than last week’s Club 8Km. Two new VFAC records were set.
Jay MacDonald with a 25:13 PB broke Brian Bjornson’s Open record of 25:16 which has stood since 1988! He also finished 3rd overall.
Rita Ivanauskas with a 29:39 PB broke her own Master Woman’s record of 29:41 set just last week and finished 4th overall woman.
(editor’s note: all four VFAC 8km records have already been broken in 2009!)
Also competing were:
Paul Krochak 25:50 (great season debut for 4th overall)
Phil Oreopoulos 27:08 (last week 27:10, 1st M35-39)
Ellie Greenwood 29:20 PB (2nd overall female)
John Atkinson 29:26 (despite racing in a snowshoe event Sat)
Chris Brandt 29:41 (30:07 last week)
Jo Astoria 29:52 (30:38 last week)
Katherine Moore 30:11 PB (30:56 last week, 2nd W30-34)
Rory Carr 30:21 PB (2nd M45-49)
Anne-Marie Madden 30:22 (30:30 last week, 2nd W25-29)
Nancy Fedoruk 31:32 (last week 31:53)
Rebecca Reid 33:23 (3rd W40-44)
Rhys Howard 34:47 (last week 34:50)
Bonnie Kramer 35:41 (last week 36:12, 3rd W35-39)
Sabrina Wong 38:15 (last week 38:14)

Good job all!

The annual Club Handicap Race took place in sunny, but very cool (0 degrees) conditions on Saturday, Jan 24. This year the race was finally brought into the modern era as an 8K, rather than a 5 mile, as we did an out and back on the Seawall from km 0. Some very impressive early season performances were racked up, including several PB’s. Mike Wood won the Handicap race, and Kevin O’Connor and Rita Ivanauskas broke their own VFAC Master’s 8K records. Congrats all- one gold star each!

In order of fastest times:

1. Jay MacDonald 25:59 - Fastest Male Award
2. Kevin O’Connor 26:28
3. Phil Oreopoulos 27:10
4. Phil Dickens 27:42
5. Mike Wood 27:50 PB - First Home Award
6. Dave Stephens 27:53 PB
7. Mark Bennett 28:40
8. Mike Spagnut 29:17
9. John Atkinson 29:20
10. Kristina Rody 29:22 - Fastest Female Award
11. Rita Ivanauskas 29:41 PB
12. Chris Brandt 30:07
13. Anne-Marie Madden 30:30
14. Jo Astoria 30:38
15. Katherine Moore 30:56 PB
16. Jonathon Massel 31:22
17. Brian Devereux 31:26
18. Nancy Fedoruk 31:53
19. Janette Purdham 31:59 PB
20. Helen Ritchie 32:22
21. Rod Urquhart 33:30
22. Michelle Ball 33:52
23. Rhys Howard 34:50
24. Kim Jow 35:20 - Turtle Award
25. Bonnie Kramer 36:12
26. Sharon Emslie 37:27
27. Sabrina Wong 38:14 PB

The 2009 VFAC and BC Athletics membership forms are up on this site.  Click the Membership tab above to find links to the forms.

Please fill out the forms and submit it with cash or a cheque payable to VFAC. Please read the details on the membership page or the form. The short version for most members is that the renewal fee is $36.75 + $55 =  $91.75.

Your BC Athletics membership must be through the club. And you must have it prior to racing.

Options for submission are:

• Give it Chris at a workout before Jan 31st.
• Mail it to Jeff Lopes before Jan 31st (his address is on the form) .
• Tape it to the back of a turtle and hope that either Jeff or I can run it down before Jan. 31st.

Chris.

The annual Awards Night and Christmas Party was held on Friday, Dec 19 at the Rowing Club. About 40 people braved the -12C temperature outside (and what seemed even colder in the hallways and washrooms!) to attend.

Congratulations to the following award winners:

Outstanding Female Athlete(s)- tie
-Ellie Greenwood
-Katherine Moore

Outstanding Male Athlete
-Jay MacDonald

Outstanding Master Female Athlete
-Rita Ivanauskas

Outstanding Master Male Athlete(s)- tie
-Mark Bennett
-Kevin O’Connor

Outstanding Age-Rated Athlete
-Dave Stephens

Most Improved Athletes (Coaches Award)
-Ryan Conroy
-Janette Purdham
-Mary Walsh

Hall of Fame Outstanding Service Award
-Chris Brandt

5K

Overall Male / Overall Female

1 Graeme Wilson 15:36 / 1 Ellie Greenwood 18:03
2 Simon Driver 15:41 / 2 Rita Ivanauskas 18:25
3 Paul Krochak 16:00 / 3 Nancy Fedoruk 18:28
4 Ynuk Bosse 16:06 / 4 Susanne Russell 18:29
5 Ben Maas 16:07 / 5 Laura De Munain 18:37
6 Paul Crosby 16:42 / 6 Natalie Closs 18:59
7 Phil Oreopoulos 16:57 / 7 Helen Ritchie 19:02

Masters Male / Masters Female

1 Ernest Hawker 17:00 / 1 Rita Ivanauskas 18:25
2 Guy Smith 17:45 / 2 Helen Ritchie 19:02
3 Bob Wade 17:59 / 3 Kirsty Siemens 20:48

8K

Overall Male / Overall Female

1 Jay MacDonald 25:17 / 1 Susanne Russell 30:22
2 Paul Krochak 25:48 / 2 Natalie Closs 30:46
3 Graeme Wilson 26:04 / 3 Katherine Moore 30:57
4 Simon Driver 26:18 / 4 Mary Walsh 31:07
5 Brad Cunningham 26:30 / 5 Helen Ritchie 31:21
6 Frank Grieder 27:34 / 6 Nancy Fedoruk 31:30
7 Mark Bennett 27:57 / 7 Laura De Munain 31:31

Masters Male / Masters Female

1 Mark Bennett 27:57 / 1 Helen Ritchie 31:21
2 Ernest Hawker 28:59 / 2 Rebecca Reid 32:08
3 Guy Smith 29:00 / 3 Kirsty Siemens 33:09

10K

Overall Male / Overall Female

1 Jay MacDonald 31:16 / 1 Rita Ivanauskas 37:18
2 Simon Driver 31:37 / 2 Nancy Fedoruk 37:26
3 Graeme Wilson 31:38 / 3 Susanne Russell 37:49
4 Paul Krochak 32:05 / 4 Katherine Moore 37:56
5 Kevin O’Connor 33:54 / 5 Mary Walsh 38:32
6 Roy Millen 34:04 / 6 Emma Hann 39:03
7 Mark Bennett 34:06 / 7 Laura De Munain 39:21
8 Ben Maas 34:20 / 8 Jacquie Perrault 39:23
9 Guy Smith 35:01 / 9 Helen Ritchie 39:33
10 Ernest Hawker 35:23 /10 Hisayo Matsumoto 39:40

Masters Male / Masters Female

1 Kevin O’Connor 33:54 / 1 Rita Ivanauskas 37:18
2 Mark Bennett 34:06 / 2 Jacquie Perrault 39:23
3 Guy Smith 35:01 / 3 Helen Ritchie 39:33
4 Ernest Hawker 35:23 / 4 Nicola Everton 40:29
5 Jo Astoria 36:50 / 5 Janette Purdham 41:10

Half Marathon

Overall Male / Overall Female

1 Paul Krochak 1:11:15 / 1 Susanne Russell 1:23:08
2 Graeme Wilson 1:11:29 / 2 Ellie Greenwood 1:23:34
3 Jay MacDonald 1:12:00 / 3 Katherine Moore 1:23:44
4 Brad Cunningham 1:12:52 / 4 Laura De Munain 1:24:03
5 Ynuk Bosse 1:15:52 / 5 Emma Hann 1:25:28
6 Dave Stephens 1:16:00 / 6 Mary Walsh 1:25:57
7 Kevin O’Connor 1:16:24 / 7 Jacquie Perrault 1:26:21
8 Mark Bennett 1:16:48 / 8 Helen Ritchie 1:27:28
9 Paul Crosby 1:16:57 / 9 Rebecca Reid 1:28:52
10 Ben Maas 1:17:15 / 10 Hisayo Matsumoto 1:29:32

Masters Male / Masters Female

1 Dave Stephens 1:16:00 / 1 Jacquie Perrault 1:26:21
2 Kevin O’Connor 1:16:24 / 2 Helen Ritchie 1:27:28
3 Mark Bennett 1:16:48 / 3 Rebecca Reid 1:28:52
4 Guy Smith 1:19:08 / 4 Nicola Everton 1:30:48
5 Ernest Hawker 1:19:39 / 5 Kirsty Siemens 1:30:57

Marathon

Overall Male / Overall Female

1 Paul Krochak 2:31:26 / 1 Katherine Moore 2:54:12
2 Simon Driver 2:39:58 / 2 Ellie Greenwood 2:55:18
3 Dave Stephens 2:43:06 / 3 Susanne Russell 3:03:37
4 Mark Bennett 2:44:47 / 4 Jacquie Perrault 3:05:16
5 Ben Maas 2:49:04 / 5 Rebecca Reid 3:07:11
6 Chris Brandt 2:49:12 / 6 Nicola Everton 3:09:40
7 Guy Smith 2:49:48 / 7 Mary Walsh 3:09:53
8 Kevin O’Connor 2:50:55 / 8 Sophie Dansereau 3:11:16

Masters Male / Masters Female

1 Dave Stephens 2:43:06 / 1 Jacquie Perrault 3:05:16
2 Mark Bennett 2:44:47 / 2 Rebecca Reid 3:07:11
3 Guy Smith 2:49:48 / 3 Nicola Everton 3:09:40

Sunday’s Fairhaven 15K race in this funky historic town near Bellingham proved to be more than a just an interesting road trip for a small group of VFAC’ers. It was more like the Fairdinkum 15K for Katherine Moore, as she ran away with the women’s title by almost 5 minutes in a very good 58:01. (See the accompanying story in the Bellingham Herald). Katherine is on a roll with with 1st, 2nd, and 1st overall female finishes in her last 3 races, over the past month. Chris Brandt also ran very well to place 8th overall and 2nd 35-39 with a time of 56:13. Also amongst the 596 finishers were Walter Kwan, who was 4th in the 50-54 and Andrew Kamara. Natalie Closs was entered, and off recent workouts was certainly ready to produce a good one, but unfortunately the plantar problems she has been hobbled by this year returned just 3 days before the race, so she was relegated to support status. From all accounts a race (and nearby pubs!) well worth the trip stateside.

Congratulations to all those who participated and volunteered to make the Summerfast 10k a huge success!

Results can be found at Winning Time

There have been many great performances and personal bests recently and I haven’t personally been doing my best to keep up. But I still want to try to recognize all those deserving so will report an abridged version of the Sun Run, Times Colonist, Vancouver International Marathon/ 1/2 Marathon, Mother’s Day 5K, and a couple of not insignificant others.

In the Sun Run we had 41 participants and came away with 22 bests! Jay MacDonald led the onslaught with a 31:25, good for 18th place overall (7th 25-29) and 7th on the VFAC All-time top 10K list (see Records). He was followed by Simon Driver in 31:37, 21st overall (9th 25-29) and 10th on the all-time list. 1 second(!) and 1 place back (and 3rd 35-39) was Graeme Wilson. Also recording PB’s among the men were Paul Krochak in 32:05 and 33rd place (7th 30-34), Roy Millen in 34:04 and 8th 30-34, Mark Bennett in 34:06, 3rd 45-49 and into 8th on the VFAC All-time Master’s list, Ben Maas in 34:20, Tim Oftebro in 35:47, Chris Brandt (again!) in 36:10, Jeremy Hill in 38:13, Ryan Conroy in 38:57 (running in the yellows!), and David Poon in 45:35. Nancy Fedoruk led the women with a 37:26 PB, also good for 17th overall (3rd 25-29). She was followed by Susanne Russell in a near PB 37:49 for 20th overall (5th 25-29). Also recording PB’s among the women were Katherine Moore (ditto, again!) in 37:56 and 21st place (4th 30-34), Mary Walsh in 38:32 and 28th place (5th 35-39), Hisayo Matsumoto in 39:40, Sue Werner in 41:39, Sonia Hundal in 42:40 (from the yellows), Sarah Louw, 42:41, Janelle Belter in 43:24, Monica Owczarek (temporarily!) in 45:18, and Sabrina Wong in 48:02.

In the Victoria Times-Colonist 10K the following weekend, Nancy Fedoruk again ran well to win her 25-29 age group in a race of almost 9000 finishers, while Monika Owzcarek took advantage of the near perfect conditions to knock 2 1/2 minutes off her Sun Run PB the week before with a 42:41. Liana Sipelis also had a PB of 45:20.

The next weekend back to Vancouver, where we had 3 of the top 6 women overall in the BMO VIM Marathon. Ellie Greenwood, fresh off a 12 minute 3:07 PB in Boston 2 weeks previously, dropped another 12 to finish 3rd overall in 2:55:18, picking up $500 in the process! Susanne Russell was 4th in 3:03:37, and Jacquie Perrault ran an outstanding debut in 3:05:16, for 6th and 1st master! Simon Driver led the charge with a solid 2:39:58, while Guy Smith led the male 50+ with an excellent 2:49:48. Al Urquhart with a PB of 3:38:13 and Andrew Kamara met their goals of qualifying for Boston. In the Half Marathon, we had 4 women in the top 10. Katherine Moore placed 6th in yet another (1:23:44) PB, Emma Hann debuted in 7th (and 1st 20-24) with a 1:25:28, Helen Ritchie was 8th and 1st in the masters with a 1:27:28, and Laura De Munain rounded off the top 10 in a respectable 1:28:01 in her 3rd consecutive weekend of racing. Chris Brandt (again!) in 1:20:31, Jeremy Hill in 1:26:20 and Ryan Allderman in 1:26:52 also had PB’s.

On Sunday, Graeme Wilson ran 15:57 and Ynuk Bosse 16:19, behind only Oliver Utting’s 15:49 in the hilly Timex Mother’s Day 5K. Sophie Dansereau ran a 20:44 PB only 3 weeks after her 3:11:16 PB in Boston to win the F35-39, while Liana Sipelis also PB’ed again in 22:21. The previous day in the 5 Peaks Golden Ears Trail Race, 48 year old Mark Bennett also had only Oliver Utting (less than a minute!) ahead of him in 59:41. Chris GT Downie was back at it with a respectable 5th in 1:04:15, and Ernest Hawker trail- debuted with an 8th overall time of 1:05:57. In the women’s side, Mirabelle Tinio was also second overall, only 27 seconds behind Martina Ramage’s 1:12:54, while Chloe Gendron returned from injury in 6th overall with a 1:15:50.

Not last and certainly not least, Mary Walsh continued her PB streak with a 3:09:53, 6th place female finish in the Mississauga Marathon Sunday.

Congrats all (and then some?). With all these great performances, it leaves me no choice but to produce forthwith a ranking list for the year to date.