Marathon Canada - News

Natasha Wodak broke Rachel Cliff’s Canadian half-marathon record on Sunday morning in Houston, running a 1:09:41 to finish the race. Wodak becomes the first Canadian woman to run under the 70-minute mark for the half.

-full story is on Canadian Running at runningmagazine.ca

Top Canadian results

Natasha Wodak – 1:09:41
Rachel Cliff – 1:10:13
Sarah Inglis – 1:10:24 (PB)
Emily Setlack – 1:11:40 (PB)
Dayna Pidhoresky – DNF

Malindi Elmore shatters Canadian marathon record in 2:24:50 - 2020-01-19

The Kelowna, B.C. native was a talented high school runner who attended Stanford University before returning to Canada to do a masters degree at the University of Calgary. She competed for Canada at the 2004 Olympic Games, the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the 2011 Pan Am Games as a 1,500m specialist who ran one of the fastest times ever by a Canadian woman, at 4:02.64. Check out the rest of the story at runningmagazine.ca

80 plus is now in the mix!! - 2019-06-19

Race results are now more detailed and I feel confident that we can now properly recognize 80 plus runners in the Marathon Canada rankings. I hope everyone understands that past results were often 60 plus. 70 plus then became common and now 80 plus categories are becoming the norm. If anyone spots a runner now who is incorrectly included in the 70-79 category when they are above 80, please let me know.

Rachel Cliff!! - 2019-03-13

The 30-year-old from Vancouver crossed in two hours 26 minutes 56 seconds to finish 15th, breaking the previous record of 2:28:00 set by Lanni Marchant in 2013. Sylvia Ruegger's Canadian mark of 2:28:36 had stood for 28 years before Marchant finally smashed it. https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/trackandfield/canada-marathon-record-rachel-cliff-1.5050479

Canadians rock in Houston!! - 2019-01-20

		Malindi Elmore and Sasha Gollish also ran huge marathon debuts this morning in Houston. Elmore finished seventh in 2:32:11 and Gollish finished eighth in 2:32:52. Please see Canadian Running Magazine for the following links: https://runningmagazine.ca/sections/runs-races/elmore-and-gollish-run-232-marathon-debuts-at-houston/ https://runningmagazine.ca/sections/runs-races/woodfine-top-canadian-at-houston-marathon/ (Photo taken by Alan Brookes)

Check the Calendar!! - 2017-12-25

I have the calendar updated for 2018. Please check to see if I am missing a marathon distance event in your area.

I am posting my archived articles to my blog Don't Fear the Jogger - 2017-07-30

Sample Article:

Personal Best

When you tell your friends about a run you did, they may relate to your position but they rarely clue in to the true meaning of your finishing time. The best case scenario for a runner is often a better finishing time over a top placing at the finish line. Of course, we would all like to receive a top 3 medal. Nirvana is when you get both a medal and a personal best! At the recent North American Indigenous Games in Toronto, we had several athletes from New Brunswick achieve the ultimate experience.

Madison Wilson had a performance of 4.43 meters in the long jump before going to NAIG. She not only won the gold medal but matched her personal best of 4.43. She then broke her personal best of 10.93 in the 80 meters with a time of 10.87 in the semifinal. In the final, she ran 10.94 to win the silver after a long delay due to heat. She also won a medal in the 4*400.

Jacob Tenass and Keith Dennis won two individual medals as well. Jacob won a silver medal in the 1200 meters which was his first experience at the distance. In the 800, he went from running 2:23.70 at the East Coast Games to running 2:15.57 at NAIG to win the bronze. Keith went from throwing 10.19 meters in the shot put at the East Coast Games to throwing 11.66 meters at NAIG to win bronze. Keith went from throwing 25.57 meters in the discus at the East Coast Games to throwing 37.41 meters at NAIG to win silver.

Jacob Labillois was also lucky to have a personal best in the high jump result in a bronze medal. But I know from experience that a race can be a highlight even when you do not win a medal. Sometimes your competition dictates that a high placing will not be possible but your response to that challenge can result in an incredible performance. Emily McCafferty was unlucky in that she had three girls finish ahead of her in the 800 meters. However, Emily ran an amazing race and finished in 2:41.73. Her best time from the high school season was 2:48.95! Thankfully, she already had a medal from the 4*400 with help from Madison.

I think we can all relate to a performance that does not seem impressive to others but we know different. We know that we trained hard and the training combined with our mental toughness resulted in an improved performance. I think all of our kids on Team New Brunswick experienced a personal record. Hopefully you do as well at the upcoming Marathon by the Sea weekend. And, if you do not, hopefully you have a Brandon Robichaud experience. Brandon sized up his competition in the javelin at NAIG and made sure he had the gold medal throw even if he didn’t throw a personal best. With the finishing medals at the Marathon by the Sea events, you just have to finish no matter your time!

The River and Trail Runners hosts a beginner’s trail group in Rothesay that meet at the store on Wednesdays at 5:30pm and their regular group meets Mondays at 6:30pm at various locations. The KV Road Runners meet at the Clark Road Java Moose on Sundays at 9:30am. As well, Rothesay resident and legendary running guru Daryl Steeves has started “THIS” training on Tuesday nights at 6:30pm at various locations.

In Sussex, runners are meeting on Tuesdays at 6:30pm through Outdoor Elements! Please consider joining the facebook groups Go Outdoors Sussex and The Sussex Running Club. Alex recently finished his bachelor of arts in sports psychology at the University of New Brunswick- Saint John and completed his master of arts in physical education at the University of Victoria. Alex is the general manager of the PotashCorp Civic Centre in Sussex.

Lovig and Watson top Canadians at London!! - 2016-04-24

Christy Lovig of Kelowna was 19th for the women with a time of 2:48:55. Rob Watson of Vancouver was 21st for the men with a time of 2:18:45.

5 Year Progression of Canadian Marathon Rankings - 2015-01-04

Reid Coolsaet and Eric Gillis have had a fantastic rivalry in the Canadian marathon best time rankings the last five years. After Reid finished second in the rankings in 2009 to Andrew Smith, Reid has finished #1 in 2010 and 2011, #6 in 2012, #1 in 2013, and #2 in 2014. Over the same time period, Eric finished #2 in 2010 and 2011, #4 in 2012, #2 in 2013 and #1 in 2014. Another fantastic progression is that after Andrew’s fastest time in 2009 of 2:16:14, the fastest annual time in Canada has never been slower than 2:11:22. The only year that Eric and Reid did not have the fastest time, Dylan Wykes ran 2:10:47.

On the women’s side, it could be argued that the rivalry between Lanni Marchant and Krista Duchene may turn out to be even better. After Lioudmila Kortchaguina ended her dominance at the top in 2009, Krista had the top position in 2010 followed by Lanni’s top times in 2012 to 2014. Emily Kroshus had the top Canadian women’s time in 2011. Lanni did not have a time in the top 20 in 2010 and finished #5 in 2011 before her win streak. This year, she had the top 3 times for the year! Krista was #1 in 2010, did not have a time in the top 20 in 2011, was #2 in 2012, was #2 in 2013 and was hampered by injury in 2014.

The depth of the overall marathon times has settled under 2:40 the past two years for men. On the men’s side, the 100^th time in 2010 was 2:40:57, 2:41:53 in 2011, 2:40:56 in 2012, 2:39:24 in 2013, and 2:39:27 in 2014. The women also seem to be trending downwards. On the women’s side, the 100^th time in 2010 was 3:08:02, 3:08:37 in 2011, 3:06:51 in 2012, 3:04:25 in 2013, and 3:06:27 in 2014. When I first started the rankings, I used to cut off the men’s rankings at 2:40 which gave me 59 men’s finishes in 2001. Now there are over 100! Cutting off at 3:10 in 2001 gave me 64 women’s finishes in 2001. I would estimate the women’s times under 3:10 in 2014 is a much greater difference!

For the age groups, the past five years has featured the expected flow through of developing or aging runners.

For the 20-29 men, Dylan Wykes progressed through first followed by Rob Watson and Lucas McAneney. For the 30-39 men, it was the Reid Coolsaet- Eric Gillis rivalry. For the 40-49 men, it was Pepi Peterson from 2010 to 2012 but then giving way to Ian Forsyth and Christian Mercier. For the 50-59 men, Clyde VanCaeyzeele was followed by Michel Lavoie and Mark Bennett who now has a current two year streak. For the 60-69 men, Les Disher now has a current four year streak after taking over from Herb Phillips and Chris Morrison. Les has never been ranked lower than #3 since 2009. For the 70-79 men, Milos Kostic entered the category in 2011 and finished #2 to Ed Whitlock that year. He had the #4 time in 2012 behind John Zawada’s two performances and Ed Whitlock. Milos has now taken over the category and has had the top two times for both 2013 and 2014. It should be noted that Ed Whitlock is now over 80 and was still the #2 ranked 70-79 runner in 2013.

For the 20-29 women, Jennifer Feenstra progressed through first followed by Emily Kroshus and Lanni Marchant. In 2014, Natasha Lebeaud and Kimberley Doerksen both showed similar potential to Lanni with solid mid 2:30s performances. For the 30-39 women, it was the expected dominance of Krista Duchene before Lanni Marchant turned 30. For the 40-49 women, Lioudmila Kortchaguina has taken over after Denise Robson, Jen Nicholson and Marilyn Arsenault took turns at the top. For the 50-59 women, it has been a fantastic rivalry between Lynda Desmeules and Agathe Nicholson. Lynda has won the category 4 times out of the last 5 years but Agathe was #1 in 2011, #2 in 2012, #4 in 2013, and #2 in 2014. For the 60-69 women, Louise Voghel has just turned the category upside down. Her time of 3:17:17 was 12 minutes faster than Helene Grenon’s #2 time and 10 minutes faster than Helene’s #1 time from 2013. Helene’s time in 2013 was the fastest time in the category in the past 5 years! For the 70-79 women, Jean Marmoreo has a two year streak going at the top after taking over from Gwen McFarlan. Jean is infamous from her role in the Marine Corps Marathon shortcut controversy. However, Jean’s personal performances have never been in doubt to my knowledge.

The regional rankings are always the biggest interest to me. For the atlantic region, Greg Wieczorek had a brief reign at the top from 2011 to 2012 but Daniel McNeil responded and has been #1 for both 2013 and 2014. With the women, the masters category women was dominating through Paula Keating, Jen Nicholson and Denise Robson. In 2014 however, young gun Kate Bazeley ran 2:40:49 in Houston for a 10 minute cushion on Denise. For Quebec, David LePorho has moved to the top with a current two year streak. Bianca Premont took over the women’s title for the first time in 2014 with a solid time from the spring and then added the #3 time in the fall. For Ontario, it is the expected storyline from the overall titles between Eric Gillis and Reid Coolsaet. Krista Duchene enjoys the reprieve from Lanni here as Lanni is based in the United States. However with Krista injured this year, Lioudmila Kortchaguina was able to take the region for 2014. For the prairie region, Kip Kangogo has become a citizen while living in Lethbridge and is pushing the local athletes from the top. Kip had the top 2 times in 2014. Caitlin Schindel is another 20-29 runner showing promise. She was #3 for the prairies in 2013 but improved her time by over 4 minutes to take # 1in 2014. For the BC and north region, Dylan Wykes seems to have taken a marathoning break and Rob Watson has enjoyed the top position for both 2013 and 2014. For the women, it has been a different winner each year but Kimberley Doerksen may start a streak as she is very young for a marathoner and had the top two times in 2014.

Marchant Interview from Commonwealth Games - 2014-08-08

By Lori Ewing, Canadian Press GLASGOW – Come Monday morning when her running rivals are still focused on rest and recovery, Lanni Marchant will pull out her laptop and begin researching her latest case. The 30-year-old from London, Ont., is both Canada’s greatest female marathoner and a practising criminal lawyer. And work doesn’t stop for the Commonwealth Games where Marchant raced to fourth place in the marathon Sunday. “I actually picked up a case when I was here, I got an email about an appellate case that another law firm wants me to write for them. Hopefully I’ll get the trial transcript Monday,” Marchant said, moments after crossing the finish line. Marchant completed the two-loop course that started and ended at Glasgow Green, a 15th-century park on the bank of the River Clyde, in two hours 31 minutes 14 seconds. Kenyans finished 1-2. Flomena Daniel crossed in 2:26.45 for gold, and Kenyan teammate Caroline Kilel was second in 2:17.10. Australia’s Jess Trengrove won the bronze in 2:30.12. Australia’s Michael Shelley won the men’s race in 2:11.15. Marchant, whose law firm is in Chattanooga, Tenn., is a big believer in balance. She unwinds after a hard run with a beer. And even though her racing schedule has her criss-crossing the globe, she’s mastered the ability to combine work and running. “I just do my work from abroad,” said Marchant. “A lot of what I do is appellate cases (court appeals), so I can do the research and write the brief from anywhere in the world. As long as I have an email connection, I can mail it back to them.” Marchant was the only Canadian racing the marathon, which kicked off the track and field competition in Glasgow. She could have passed on Scotland and picked a race with better weather, a better field and better prize money (read: any prize money), but believed that soaking up the experience of her first multi-sport Games was important. “I want as much experience lining up, with the pressure, wearing the Team Canada bib, being ranked fairly well, so that when I line up hopefully in Rio (2016 Olympics) it’s not going to be a shock to the system. “And at the end of the day, I’m doing this because I want to represent Canada and I want as many opportunities as I can, especially with the times I’ve not been able to, I’m not going to turn down the chances again.” Marchant, a former steeplechaser at Michigan State and one of seven kids in her family, made a major breakthrough when she broke Sylvia Ruegger’s 28-year-old Canadian women’s marathon record last year in Toronto, running 2:28.00. She said life changed for her after that day. “I’m not used to people really caring what I do in my day to day life and wanting me to blog more. I’m not used to that. And lot of the races I do back in Canada, it seems everybody will recognize me. “It’s a little bit surreal, but I enjoy it and I’m happy to be out there to help garner attention for our sport.” Her mom Mary Lou, a figure skating coach and choreographer, has even shared a bit of her celebrity spotlight. “She joined the London Pacers, a local masters running group and they’re sending the e-mail out about how to join, and were like ‘Wait, are you Lanni’s mom?’ So she feels kind of important which is fun,” Marchant said. She also relishes being a role model, saying a big motivating factor is inspiring young women to run. “We had a dry spell for a while for long distance running for women in Canada, so I’m trying to show them that if you stick with it, you get out there, you can run,” she said. “There are probably a million people out there who could run faster than me.” There were only three on Sunday in a race that was all about placing rather than time. Marchant, her brown hair pulled back in a ponytail under a red cap, ran a tactically smart race that for a while had her within striking distance of a bronze medal. Namibia’s Helalia Johannes was running in third but fading badly. Trengrove would pass both and Marchant and Johannes around the 35-kilometre mark for bronze. “I was trying to (catch third), but just around 37-K my calf started to cramp up on me a little, so I had to make sure and run it smart so I didn’t completely cramp up,” Marchant said. “So when the Aussie caught me, I kind of figured the medal was out of contention.” “But I wasn’t going to give up. And I ended up catching fourth.” The calf cramp wasn’t nearly so severe as the debilitating leg cramp that saw her famously stab herself in the leg with a safety pin while running the world championship marathon in 2013 – another runner insisted it would relieve her severe cramp; it didn’t. “It was just bad enough that I couldn’t get on my toe,” she said of Sunday’s leg issue. “So you can’t really respond to someone (Trengrove) surging past you. But other than that, I was happy with it. I can’t really complain.” Marchant ran most of the race alone after a lead pack of eight runners broke apart between 15 and 20 kilometres. “Lanni had the composure to just lay back and hold on to a rhythm. Played it pretty well,” said Canadian distance coach Dave Scott-Thomas. “Lanni’s got the temperament and bravery to just go for it, and get the most out of what she’s got, and then the intelligence to play it well tactically.” Crowds, in some places a dozen deep, cheered on the athletes, creating a racket by banging on the signage that lined the fences along the route. The runners crossed the River Clyde four times and also negotiated their way through cobbestoned city streets that were made slick by the light rain that fell for much of the morning.

Gwen McFarlan and Ed Whitlock still ranking in 70-79 despite being over 80!! - 2014-06-08

Gwen McFarlan is currently #2 in the national 70-79 age group marathon rankings despite turning 80 recently. Due to many events not reporting 80+ results, Gwen is listed in the 70-79 category but her time not only ranks for the marathon but her half marathon split of 2:00:06 at the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon would also rank #2 in the 70-79 category if splits were used. Ed Whitlock who was 83 when he toed the line at the recent Goodlife Toronto Half Marathon is ranked #5 in the 70-79 age category for men in the half marathon.

Out of the fog and into the record books - 2014-03-28

Source: Gord Holder, Ottawa Citizen Out of the fog and into the record books. Yemane Tsegay completed the fastest marathon ever on Canadian soil on Sunday, running away from the field and running to victory in the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon. “I would like to thank the Canadian (spectators) because I saw them all over, and that was a big encouragement,” the 29-year-old Tsegay said after crossing the finish line in two hours six minutes 54 seconds, which not only sliced 31 seconds off the national all-comers record that Deressa Chimsa established last fall in Toronto, but also obliterated the year-old Ottawa standard (2:08:04.8) set by a third Ethiopian, Tariku Jufar. “This was the first time that I’ve (competed) in Canada, and, when I get the record, it is a really nice surprise for me, and I’m really delighted,” Tsegay added through a translator. Tigist Tufa completed an Ethiopian sweep of the marathon titles for the second consecutive year, claiming the women’s title with a time of 2:24:31, which was not only a personal best by more than 3 1/2 minutes, but also nearly a minute better than the year-old event record of Yeshi Esayias. “I was really very much prepared to win,” said Tufa, who crossed the line nearly three minutes ahead of Ethiopia’s Meseret Tolwak (2:27:26). Kenya’s Agnes Kiprop (2:28:05) was third. The Ottawa marathon also served as the Canadian championship for the 42.195-kilometre distance, and the crowns were claimed by Eric Gillis (2:13:47) of Guelph, Ont., and Rhiannon Johns (2:47:11) of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. Tsegay was among the leaders from the very start of the race in moderately thick fog, which proved to be a plus for the elite athletes since it kept the temperature from rising until they had nearly completed the course. That pack of 10 runners dwindled to about half that size by the race’s mid-point, and by 30 kilometres Tsegay had dropped the last pacesetter and set out on his own. He was then 15 seconds ahead of Wami and Kenya’s Milton Rotich, but he put the hammer down as he raced along the Rockcliffe Parkway and built his advantage to more than 90 seconds by the time the runners reached 40 kilometres. “The last 10 kilometres was really difficult for me,” said Tsegay, who last fall won another marathon at Eindhoven, Netherlands, and in early April also triumphed at Daegu, South Korea. “I had pain in my legs, and it was really foggy, and, at the same time, I was so tired. But, I was doing my best, which was just to keep the record of Canada so that I could make it. “I made it.” Even if he did experience some physical discomfort, it didn’t show in Tsegay’s on-course performance. He could also comfort himself with an impressive array of prizes for his record-setting race: $20,000 US as winner; $10,000 US for setting the Ottawa marathon record; $10,000 Cdn and a new automobile for the fastest time on Canadian soil. Yes, he holds a valid driver’s licence. Rotich fell back into fifth place in 2:10:48 behind Wesley Korir (2:09:17), the 2012 Boston Marathon champion who is now also a member of Kenya’s parliament. Tufa also received $20,000 US as winner and $10,000 US for her course record. Following her in second and third place were Mulugeta Wami (2:08:18) of Ethiopia and Ishhimael Bushendich Chemtan (2:08:35) of Kenya. “After this race, I will improve my time,” Tufa said through the interpreter. “That is my target. I will improve the time more than this.” Gillis, who added the national marathon title to the half-marathon championship he captured four weeks ago at Montreal, said he wasn’t surprised at Tsegay’s record time. “Absolutely the deepest field in Canadian history, all-around, and I’m not surprised the Canadian-soil record went down. Really world-class guys up there,” said Gillis, who was eighth overall, two placings and a little less than three minutes faster than the second-ranked Canadian, Vancouver’s Rob Watson (2:16:38). It was another two spots back to Montreal’s Philippe Viau-Dupuis (2:23:22), who was running his first marathon ever. Johns was only in her second, so, even if she only placed ninth overall, becoming national champion was worth the effort. “It hasn’t quite sunk in yet,” she said. “It was my goal coming in, but to actually do it is fantastic.” Montreal’s Eric Noel was first among men’s half-marathon participants in 1:14:16, followed by Dany Croteau of Mont St-Hilaire, Que., and Ottawa’s Patrick Kong, both in 1:14:43. Toronto’s Angela Switt placed first in women’s half-marathon in 1:22:06. Jenny Drabble (1:23:41) of Winston-Salem, N.C., was second, and Véronique Cloutier (1:24:02) of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que, was third. Total participation in the Saturday and Sunday events was 46,666, including more women (25,934) than men (20,732).

Reid Coolsaet runs 2:11:24 at Fukuoka - 2013-12-04

First off I’m happy with 6th place at the Fukuoka marathon. Also, I have no regrets going with the lead pack even if it wasn’t the best move (in hindsight). I better say those things off the bat because the rest of this post might not have the same tone. (I started playing music, Anyone Seen My Baby randomly came on and that lyric stood out. I don’t think it was really impossible to hold on, but I couldn’t resist using it.) I think I just ran 2:11:23 (saw the official result, 2:11:24). What I can’t comprehend right now is that my training and preparation this time was much, much better than ever. When I was warming up I was very confident in my condition and I don’t think I was over-confident because I knew I was going to have to work really hard and was prepared to do so. As we warmed up the rain stopped and I thought, this is it, this is the day. I decided to go with the leaders as they were planning on 3:01/km and I was planning on 3:04/km. I figured that 3:01 with a group is easier than 3:04 solo. In fact, I know it is. The problem was a lot of my km splits were 2:59. After 15km a lead group separated and I found myself running with Fujiwara (2:07 pb), Lamdassen (2:09 pb) and some other guy. It made sense to peel off with these guys as I was tired of seeing 2:59′s every once in a while. This seemed to be a reasonable group to run with. However this pack slowed down a ton and after a 3:08 and 3:10 I left those guys behind me and got back into a 3:04 rhythm. From about 18km I ran solo until the very end picking off 4 runners, who didn’t give up a fight. I hit halfway in 1:04:11. At 25km I was still well on Canadian record pace. When I got to the 25.8km bottle table my bottle wasn’t first on the table as it had been on all the others and I grabbed the wrong bottle and tossed it immediately. I took some of the generic sports drink right after but didn’t take too much in case it didn’t agree. Missing one bottle is not the end of the world. After that I was dialled in on Matsumiya who was in 7th. I came to the 180 turn around, naturally slowed down a bit and found I was now fighting an annoying headwind. I had Matsumiya in my cross hairs and all of a sudden I saw my bottle to the left, made a sharp turn went to grab it but it slipped out of my hands. I stopped, turned around (I heard the crowd gasp) and decided to run on without it because I would have had to go back. This time I had to take in at least 150ml of the generic drink. That 5km split was slow (15:51) but with the 180 turn-around and the complete stop I figured I could get it back to 15:30′s. I was wrong, very, very wrong. After 35km it got really tough and I was losing it a little mentally. A voice in my head kept saying that the record had slipped, it was gone, you’re done. And then I would tell myself that I could still get to 40k in 2:03 and be in the running for it. There were times when my pace got really slow and then I would pick it up. But those efforts didn’t last that long. I hit 40km in 2:03:58 and was now focused on a PB. But I was suffering, bad. I passed a Kenyan around 41km and I found myself passing him with gusto and feeling pretty good. I thought to myself at that point that there is more in me but I couldn’t access it alone. 20 seconds later I knew I had buried him and settled back into a slow pace. With 400 to go on the track I looked at my watch and saw 2:10:00. I knew I wasn’t going to run a 55 second lap for a PB and cruised it in. I was deflated. Other than asking myself “what the hell just happened?” I was at a loss for words. It scares me a little that my preperation could good so well and I still didn’t have it. I’ve gone out faster than today through halfway (63:58) and held on better (2:10:55). I held on better in Toronto because I was running with guys until 37km or so. That is where I can make improvement, with better pacing and running in a pack longer. I guess my training, theoretically, could improve too. I’m frustrated because today was such a good opportunity and I came up short. Like every race, I learned a lot and I hope to build from here. The journey continues… Here are my splits from my watch: 15:08 30:13 (15:07) 45:16 (15:03) 1:00:44 (15:28) 1:16:05 (15:20) 1:31:32 (15:27) (Unofficial Canadian 30km record) 1:47:24 (15:51) 2:03:58 (16:34) 2:11:24 (7:25)

Grand Bay- Westfield Canada Day Run History - 2013-07-26

The Marathon by the Sea was the major catalyst for a wave of road races in the Saint John area that quickly took advantage of the localized running boom. Many of these events continue to this day including the Catch the Bug Road Race, the Hampton 5 Miler, and the Grand Bay Westfield Canada Day Run. Our committee always felt a bond with the Hampton event as they started just the year before and we usually had similar attendance.

The Canada Day Half Marathon event was a creation from a very dynamic group of people. The original committee consisted of Earle Burrows, Alex Coffin, Keith Doiron, Ethel Harrison, Dennis Hickey, Jack Keir, Paul Looker, Martina MacDougall, and Gary Mittelholtz. RCMP Officer Paul Looker had organized running events in Grand Bay- Westfield prior to 2002 but everyone involved hoped to create something on a larger scale for the community going forward.

The first year in 2002 was very exciting! It was the one and only year that we ran past and behind Scholtens before heading back towards Westfield. Local Legend Chris Brake won the half marathon in 1:18:25 with top triathletes Stephen Vienneau and Earle Burrows in 2nd and 3rd. Kelly Tolentino (who has since moved to the US with her husband Rodney) won the women’s title in 1:36:14 with top triathletes Gina Spear-Burrows and Shelly Gauthier in 2nd and 3rd. Alex Coffin won the 10K in 35:33 while 13 year old Spencer Mason won the 5K in 19:25. Everyone loved finishing at the rink and the parade afterwards was a nice touch. We also had a beer garden in the finish area! We had 73 in the half, 55 in the 10K, and 24 in the 5K.

2003 brought our first taste of controversy. Everyone liked our new turnaround at the post office but the decision to not recognize the 5kers was not popular. Our numbers increased to 93 in the half marathon and 81 in the 10K. Chris Brake broke his record in the half with a 1:17:28 beating military runner Dave Shirley while former University star Heather Goodfellow won the women’s title in 1:28:26 beating Gina Spear-Burrows. Todd Price won the 10K while 2002 Half Winner Kelly Tolentino won the women’s 10K title in a new course record of 42:25.

2004 was our “hot” year. Our water stations were severely tested and the times were much slower due to the heat. Chris Brake took his third consecutive half title in 1:22:18 followed by Bruce Rosvall and Glenn Trites. Elita Rahn ran an incredible 1:30:03 considering the conditions with Gina Spear-Burrows second. Joe Oliver who later spearheaded the new track at River Valley Middle School won the 10K by 12 seconds over Todd Lambert. This prevented a husband wife sweep as April Lambert won the women’s title in the 10K in 45:25. David Tree and Monica Vautour established new records in the 5K with times of 19:14 and 23:32. We had 88 in the half, 112 in the 10K and 63 in the 5K.

Ironically, 2005 was our biggest year but this was also the year that the Miramichi Rock’Run was created giving us a competitor for our Fredericton area runners. John Herron took the title in the half beating Todd Price and Glenn Trites. On the women’s side, Krista McCluskey won a tight battle against future committee member Trina Goguen with only 16 seconds separating them at the finish. Dean Strowbridge became a major player in the local scene by beating 50-59 age group star Michael Coyne by only 2 seconds in the 10K. Oromocto’s Francine LaVallee won the women’s title. Satish Punna narrowly defeated Stephen Mundle in the 5K. There were 112 in the half, 145 in the 10K and 54 in the 5K.

2006 had an interesting story in local legend Gilles Gautreau taking an ill-fated attempt at Chris Brake’s record in the half. Gilles won the half in 1:18:45 followed by Todd Price and John Herron. 50-59 Age Group Star Michael Coyne ran 1:21:14!! Local runner Arlene Harrigan defeated defending champion Krista McCluskey by 30 seconds in 1:36:24. Maggie Johnson took her second straight third place finish. The 5K was almost as exciting however as Chris Brake decided to take the 5K record down a notch by winning in 17:22. Another 50-59 Age Group Star pushed him though as Derek Fisher finished second in 17:55. Brent McCullum finished third in 18:10 which would have also broken the course record. The women’s race in the 5K was a highly dramatic finish. Monica Vautour once again won the 5K but by only 1 second over Vicki Woods. Merina Farrell was only 3 seconds behind Vicki!! In the 10K, Dean Strowbridge continued his progression to faster times with a 35:53 while local runner Donna McCullum won the women’s title in 45:10. 50-59 Age Group Star and Run NB Hall of Famer Eunice Phillips ran a 47:08!! There were 102 in the half, 117 in the 10K, and 68 in the 5K.

2007 returned Chris Brake back to the half where he ran a new course record of 1:16:56. We had a great battle between 50-59 age group stars in the half with Michael Coyne running 1:22:21 and Robert Jackson 1:25:13. April Lambert took the women’s title in 1:34:15 with a very exciting battle over Maggie Johnson 1:35:12 and Trina Goguen 1:35:50. Evan Arsenault 36:36 and Krista McCluskey 43:39 were the champions in the 10K. The 5K featured two winners under 19 with Brent McCullum running 17:56 and Rebecca Barton running 20:34. At this point, we had moved from shorts to singlets and our singlets featured the artwork of local artist Elizabeth Donnelly-Nelson who now also served on our committee. We had 105 in the half, 95 in the 10K and 72 in the 5K.

2008 was both a year for excitement but also some challenges. The half marathon and 10K were combined to create a 10 miler to address traffic issues and parade conflict.. We also had a lot of excitement over the new track that had been created near the start/finish area. Both the half marathon and the 5K would now start on the track with the finish remaining the same. The turnaround was now at the town hall which was a big improvement over having to use the post office hill. Unfortunately, the start line was moved incorrectly and both races ended up being 500 meters long. Alex Coffin narrowly edged Chris Brake in the 10 Miler 57:28 to 57:57. Newcomer Suzanne Doucet won the women’s title in 1:10:12 over Gina Spear-Burrows and Arlene Harrigan. Brent McCullum defended his 5K title while Marla Sachilone edged Monica Vautour. There were 99 in the 10 Miler and 70 in the 5K.

2009 was a return to stability with the 10K added back by using a double loop of the 5K course. We also paid to get all three distances certified for Run NB sanctioning. Alex Coffin set the new course record in the 10Miler with a 56:18 followed by John Herron and Todd Power. Newcomer Brenda Guitard ran a great race to defeat defending champion Suzanne Doucet 1:10:03 to 1:10:47. Arlene Harrigan was third. Dean Mercer won the 10K title in 39:40 while Ontario runner Lisa Little edged Patti Doyle 48:07 to 48:32. Matt McNeil just missed Chris Brake’s 5K record with a 17:39. Kari Pettinger won the women’s title in the 5K with a 12 second victory over Heather Wood. We had 98 in the 10 Miler, 49 in the 10K and 78 in the 5K.

2010 became a memorial year as we celebrated the life of Gary Mittelholtz. Gary was there right from the start and he promoted activity in our area like few others had or could.. We renamed the 10 Mile event after Gary and were very lucky to have members of Gary’s family at the race. Both champions broke the course record as Alex Coffin won the 10 Miler in 54:18 and Elita Rahn won for the women in 1:09:22. April Lambert was less than a minute behind. Defending champion Brenda Guitard was 3rd. In the men’s race, John Herron added to his record top 3 performances by accomplishing that feat a 6th time. Bruce Rosvall was third. Albertan 50-59 runner Ed Bickley ran 38:49 to win the 10K but this missed the 50-59 best mark of 36:37 that Michael Coyne ran in 2005. Michael Coyne finished second this year but was 60 so he established a new 60-69 record of 39:13. Colleen McQuaid took the women’s 10K title in 44:23 and finished 3rd overall!! Gabriela Tymowski was second for the women and Anne Wall was third. Andrew Vail won the 5K in 18:36 while former University star Renee Embree narrowly missed the 5K women’s course record with a 21:09. We had 92 in the 10 Miler, 50 in the 10K and 97 in the 5K.

2011 was our 10th event and a beautiful technical shirt was produced to celebrate. Dean Strowbridge became a master in 2011 but still won the 10 Miler outright in 59:16 over John Herron. In third, Rob Jackson smashed the 50-59 record lowering it from 1:05:38 to 1:03:04. 2009 Champion Brenda Guitard won the women’s title in the 10 Miler with a 1:12:35 ahead of Sylvie Landry and Trina Goguen. Rachael Lunn set the under 20 age group course record in 1:35:41. Dean Mercer won the 10K in 40:18 ahead of Randy Davis and Gary Ogden. Lisa Little returned from Singapore to take the women’s title in 48:53 ahead of Erin Dixon and Claire Ryan. In the 5K, Andrew Vail was the overall champion in 18:17. Michael Coyne demolished the 60-69 age category taking it from 27:03 to 19:00!! 50 year old Cyril Johnston was third. On the women’s side, Marta Kelly narrowly missed the 40-49 age category record winning the overall women’s title in 23:15. Sherry Dumont and Angie MacNeil were 2nd and 3rd. We had 73 in the 10 Miler, 56 in the 10K and 53 in the 5K.

2012 was the first year of Coach Coffin taking over as event organizer from Earle Burrows. The 10 Miler was a fantastic battle between up and coming road racer Lee Roy, up and comer track/cross country athlete Matt McNeil and nationally ranked 1500 meter runner Adam Kellar. Matt McNeil prevailed on a hot day with a new under 20 record of 57:36. Lee Roy was second and Adam Kellar was third. 50-59 age grouper Rob Jackson smashed the 50-59 age group record again with a 1:01:28. He finished less than a minute behind Adam!! For the women, race record holder Elita Rahn and Elizabeth Seiffert had a great battle with Elita winning in 1:15:47 with Elizabeth finishing in 1:16:26. Suzanne Doucet was third and defending champion Brenda Guitard was fourth. Korey Nixon won the 10K in 41:01 ahead of Arnaldo Sepulveda and Randy Davis. April Lambert ran an impressive 43:48 to win the women’s title. Dianne Sharpe was second in 47:19 and just missed Eunice Phillips’ 50-59 record. Jessica Wilson was third and Eunice Phillips was fourth taking over the 60-69 age record with a 48:12. In the 5K, young star Josh Shanks erased two legends from the books as he took out Chris Brake for the course record and Matt McNeil for the under 20 record. His time was 17:01!! Todd Power was second with an 18:48 and took over the 40-49 record! Glenn Trites was third. Sherry Dumont edged out junior runner Maggie Oliver for the women’s title with Leanne Sherwood finishing third. Elizabeth Donnelly-Nelson set a new 60-69 age record with a 29:10!! We had 83 in the 10 Miler, 58 in the 10K, and 59 in the 5K.

2013 was the year of the ASICS bag and a long course!! All early registrants received an amazing running bag but unfortunately we had to change the 10 mile course late in the game because of the RCMP being unable to cover the Milligan Brook intersection. The 10 mile course ended up being 320 meters long which will be fixed in 2014. Lee Roy of Beresford ran an amazing 56:41 to take the 10 mile title ahead of Paul Gallant and Dean Strowbridge. Somehow, Joe Burke ignored the long course and still set a 10 mile record of 1:16:24 for 70-79 taking over the record from Frank Kelly. Even more amazing, Brenda Guitard narrowly missed the overall women’s record and still set a new 40-49 record with a winning time of 1:09:59!! Allyson MacDonald was second and Louise Chiasson was third for the women!! Gail Teed was our first ever 70-79 female competitor in the 10 Miler finishing with a 2:16:12. Visiting runner Dagen Bendixen from Guatemala City won the 10K in 41:17 with Shane Farnham second and Shawn McGrath third. It was Bonga time for the women as teenage phenoms Charly and Laura Bonga finished first and second. Charly set a new under 20 record of 47:05 with Laura only 36 seconds behind. The old record by Erin Shaw (now Dr. Shaw) had stood for 10 years! In third was Eunice Phillips who barely missed improving on her 60-69 record set in 2012. In the 5K, it was a STU sweep for the men. Paul Nozicka ran a new course record in 16:47 erasing Josh Shanks’ record after only 1 year. Brandon Leblanc was second and Andrew Vail was third. The top 5 runners were all under the age of 20!! For the women, rowing legend Stacey (Norwood) Briggs took first place in 22:26 erasing Monica Vautour’s 40-49 record. In second for the women was Corinne Fournier followed in third by Maryro Mendez. Mary Brosnan broke the 50-59 record with a 25:22!!

Our event has left a great legacy for our town with both participants and volunteers coming from the town or nearby West Saint John. The event has donated many dollars including funds for the new community track. We also continue to attract visitors from far away like our 2013 10K winner from Guatemala City.

We hope that you come join us to celebrate our 13th year. It is a great way to start your Canada Day activities and the festivities continue after our race at the beautiful new Brundage Point Centre.

Highest Finisher Count- 2005 (311 finishers)

2013 Finisher Count- 220 finishers

Half Marathon Records

Overall Men Chris Brake, Saint John, 1:16:56 (2007)

Overall Women Heather Goodfellow, Halifax, 1:28:26 (2003)

Under 20 Men Michael Stockford, 1:46:30 (2003)

Under 20 Women Cara Duffy, 2:16:04 (2003)

40-49 Men Gilles Gautreau, Rothesay, 1:18:45 (2006)

40-49 Women Arlene Harrigan, Grand Bay-Westfield, 1:36:24 (2006)

50-59 Men Michael Coyne, St Stephen, 1:21:14 (2006)

50-59 Women Marlene Henry, 1:55:34 (2003)

60-69 Men, Phil Booker, Fredericton, 1:40:25 (2007)

60-69 Women, no racers

10 Miler Records

Overall Men Alex Coffin, Saint John, 54:18 (2010)

Overall Women Elita Rahn, Carter’s Point, 1:09:22 (2010)

Under 20 Men Matt McNeil, Saint John, 57:36 (2012)

Under 20 Women, Rachael Lunn, Grand Bay- Westfield, 1:35:41 (2011)

40-49 Men Alex Coffin, Saint John, 54:18 (2010)

40-49 Women Brenda Guitard, Saint John, 1:09:59 (2013)

50-59 Men Robert Jackson, Fredericton, 1:01:28 (2012)

50-59 Women Arlene Harrigan, Grand-Bay Westfield, 1:14:24 (2009)

60-69 Men Joe Burke,Saint John, 1:10:39 (2010)

60-69 Women Annabelle McRae, Hampton, 1:28:37 (2009)

70-79 Men Joe Burke, Saint John, 1:16:24 (2013)

70-79 Women Gail Teed, Saint John, 2:16:12 (2013)

10K Records

Overall Men Alex Coffin, Saint John, 35:33 (2002)

Overall Women Kelly Tolentino, Saint John, 42:25 (2003)

Under 20 Men Evan Arsenault, Saint John, 36:36 (2007)

Under 20 Women Charly Bonga, Saint John, 47:05 (2013)

40-49 Men Tony Robinson-Smith, Fredericton, 38:54 (2005)

40-49 Women Arlene Harrigan,Grand-Bay Westfield, 44:56 (2007)

50-59 Men Michael Coyne, St Stephen, 36:37 (2005)

50-59 Women Eunice Phillips, Fredericton, 47:08 (2006)

60-69 Men Michael Coyne, St Stephen, 39:13 (2010)

60-69 Women Eunice Phillips, Fredericton, 48:12(2012)

5K Records

Overall Men Paul Nozicka, Newbridge, 16:47 (2013)

Overall Women Rebecca Barton, Fredericton, 20:34 (2007)

Under 20 Men Paul Nozicka, Newbridge, 16:47 (2013)

Under 20 Women Rebecca Barton, Fredericton, 20:34 (2007)

40-49 Men Todd Power, Salisbury, 18:48 (2012)

40-49 Women Stacey Briggs, Saint John, 22:26 (2013)

50-59 Men Derek Fisher, Saint John, 17:55 (2006)

50-59 Women Mary Brosnan, Saint John, 25:22 (2013)

60-69 Men Michael Coyne, St Stephen, 19:00 (2011)

60-69 Women Elizabeth Donnelly-Nelson, Grand Bay- Westfield, 29:10 (2012)

Michasiw takes out defending champ Lunty - 2013-05-28

By Kevin Menz, The StarPhoenix Dylan Wykes may have let James Funk win the half marathon. Wykes was one of two Canadian Olympic marathoners in Saskatoon on Sunday for the Saskatchewan Marathon. Wykes competed in the half-marathon, narrowly losing to the event's defending champion, Funk. Both Funk and Wykes finished the 26-kilometre course in 1: 18: 04, but Funk crossed the line a few 10ths of a second ahead of Wykes. "Dylan was gracious when we were coming to the finish," Funk joked, noting the two runners stayed together most of the race until he asked Wykes near the finish line if he could sprint ahead. Wykes was the top Canadian marathoner at the London Olympics last summer, finishing 20th in the full marathon event. Sunday's run in Saskatoon was a training exercise for him and fellow Olympic marathoner Reid Coolsaet, who won the 10-kilometre event. It was both Ontario athletes first time in Saskatoon. "It wasn't a full-on race effort for me today," Wykes said, joking he probably could have beat Funk if he wanted. "I'm recovering from some injuries, so I'm not in racing shape yet, but it's still nice to get out there and see the course; to have all the people cheering along the way," Wykes said. "This is a fun thing for him," added Funk, an organizer of the marathon. "He wanted to be a little bit cautious. When it's your lifestyle and your career you take that probably a little bit more seriously and you don't want to jeopardize things by doing some-thing stupid." Funk was just happy to see the two Olympic athletes running in Saskatoon. "These are guys you hear about and read about. To have them here is just a tremendous boost for those of us in the running community," Funk said. Sunday's full marathon event, while perhaps lacking the photo finish of the half marathon, featured its own rivalry and a familiar winner. Saskatoon runner Brian Michasiw ran for his sixth title in the race. Michasiw ran the 42-kilometre course in 2: 48: 23. His time beat out second-place finisher and three-time defending champion Brendan Lunty's 2: 50: 09. Michasiw and Lunty are the only two men to win the event in the last seven years. Lunty, who first won the Saskatchewan Marathon in 2006, won the last three races while Michasiw won the event each year from 2007 to 2009. Michasiw's first two wins came in 1992 and 2000. The pair ran side-by-side in this year's competition until they reached the Broadway Bridge. "We came up Broadway and he took off on me. I couldn't keep up," Lunty said. "He had a good day. I'm happy for him." Michasiw owns the Brain-sport running shoe store in Saskatoon, while Lunty is an X-ray lab technician from Camrose, Alta. The pair have been friends for years and had nothing but good words for each other. "Brendan has beaten me quite handily the last few times we raced. If I was to bet I would have bet he was going to win today," Michasiw said after the race, noting Lunty's personal best time of 2: 33 is three minutes faster than his own personal best. This year's women's marathon title was won by last year's runner-up Erin Humphreys of Saskatoon. Her run of 3: 03: 33 beat second-place winner Marcia Richards' time by 59 seconds. Amanda Froehlich Chow of Clavet, Sask. crushed the competition in the women's half marathon with a run of 1: 26: 08 - a time seven minutes faster than the next top female runner - while Saskatoon's Courtney Sjodin won the women's 10-kilometre race. kmenz@thestarphoenix.com

Ethopians dominate National Capital Marathon - 2013-05-28

CBC On-LIne Ethiopians dominated the Ottawa Race Weekend marathon on Sunday morning, with Tariku Jufar and Yeshi Esayias claiming the top spots for men and women. Jufar clocked in at 2:08:04, shaving 67 seconds off the record established last year by Kenyan Laban Moiben, who came in sixth place this year with a time of 2:11:44. Esayias clocked in at 2:25:30. The first Canadian man to cross the line was Vancouver's Rob Watson, 29, in 10th place with a time of 2:18:33, and the first Canadian woman was 41-year-old Lioudmila Kortchaguina of Thornhill, Ont., in eighth place at 2:33:10. The first man from the National Capital Region to cross the finish line was Gatineau's Maxime Leboeuf, 26, in 15th place at 2:27:08, and the first woman was Ottawa's Kerri Labrecque, 28, in 14th place with 2:52:14. In the half marathon, Ottawa's Josh Karanja, 28, placed first with a time of 1:07:47. Ottawa's Laura Durno, 41, led the women at 1:24:56.

Wieczorek and NIcholson take titles at the Bluenose Marathon!! - 2013-05-21

CBC On-Line Thousands of people in Nova Scotia are resting after competing in the 10th Annual Blue Nose Marathon on Sunday. Just under 14,000 people participated in the three-day long event, a new record. Greg Wieczorek won the full marathon for the third time in a row. In 2011, the 31-year-old set a Blue Nose record with a time of two hours and 28 minutes. This time he was a little slower, finishing in two hours and 39 minutes. Jen Nicholson of P.E.I., won the women’s race with a time just over three hours.

Omwenga and Njuri take titles in Vancouver - 2013-05-06

		VANCOUVER SUN — By way of Canadian norms, little holds in comparison to the climactic conditioning that raises a marathoner under the searing rays of the east African sun. Growing up in the small town of Kisii in southeast Kenya, the rural roads that gave ground to Thomas Omwenga’s start as an elite runner scarcely entertained the chilly conditions the now 33-year-old has grown accustomed to in Canada. It would be almost like home then when Vancouver’s rendition of a well-weathered race would see the three-time BMO Vancouver Marathon champion break away from his competition in the final 1,500 metres to grab his fourth title — and under the sun. Some 60,000 spectators looked on as Omwenga sprinted to the finish line, pulling away from fellow Kenyan Benard Onsare to win the marathon in two hours, 24 minutes and nine seconds. "I feel great. I feel honoured to be a part of this in Vancouver," said Omwenga, who’s been living in Hamilton since last May. Omwenga collected $3,500 for the win. Organizers expected the day’s high of 24 C to break the 21-C record set in 1972. "This is the best weather. I have run in Vancouver in the past competitions (and) it was raining a lot and sometimes, in 2010, it was freezing," said Omwenga, having won the race in 2010, 2008 and 2007. The sentiment also held true for Onsare — who finished the race two seconds behind Omwenga at 2:24.11 — and 2012 champion Gezahgn Eshetu of Ethiopia, who finished third at 2:23.23. Omwenga and Onsare broke away from the pack at the 39-kilometre mark, taking turns pulling into the lead. "The last two [kilometres] we didn’t know who was going to win. In the last km, I knew Thomas was going to go," said Onsare, who won the race in 2011. "The last one kilometre," said Omwenga, "I knew I’ve got it now." Taking kindly to the day’s conditions, Lucy Njeri took the lead comfortably throughout the 42.2-km race of the women’s marathon. She won the race with 2:40.34. "This is the best weather in Canada right now … I was so happy this morning when I saw that it’s warm," said Njeri, a native of Kenya who has lived in Toronto for two years. Alice Ndirangu Waraguru finished second in 2:47.20. First Canadian finisher Catrin Jones of Victoria took third in 2:48.19. In the half-marathon, 2013 Sun Run winner Paul Kimaiyo Kimugui created a gap in the last 50 seconds to take the title from 2012 defender and fellow Kenyan Kip Kangogo, with a time of 1:04.18. Kimugui beat second-place finisher Kangogo’s record by half a second. Following up on her own 2013 Sun Run win, Vancouverite Natasha Wodak-Fraser also defended her title in the women’s half with a comfortable win in 1:15.19. Ontario native Dayna Pidhoresky followed minutes later, taking second in 1:17.45. About 17,000 runners took part in marathon, half-marathon and this year’s eight-kilometre event. Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/Thomas+Omwenga+Kenya+wins+Vancouver+Marathon+fourth+time/8340077/story.html#ixzz2SWhUNK4f

Terry Gehl and Mylene Soucy take top titles at Goodlife Toronto Marathon - 2013-04-18

Source: CBC On-Line A young woman has died at the Toronto GoodLife Marathon, police said Sunday. Police said an 18-year-old runner suffered an unspecified medical problem while taking part in the race, but would not release other details. Emergency medical personnel told CBC they responded to a call at about 11:08 a.m. near Lakeshore Boulevard and Dowling Avenue, where they found an 18-year-old woman without any vital signs. People on the scene were performing CPR and she was rushed to hospital, they said. The Cape Breton Post identified the runner as Emma von Nostrand, and said her parents, Steve and Katherine van Nostrand of Coxheath, N.S., were also in Toronto competing. Steve von Nostrand had recently returned from the Boston Marathon, where he had completed the race for the seventh time in a row. Van Nostrand was a Grade 12 honour student at Riverview High School, where principal Joe Chisolm said a crisis intervention team would help students deal with her death, the Post reported. The marathon steered thousands of runners through the city’s downtown core, though not everyone was running the full 42-kilometre course. More than 1,600 people finished the full marathon on Sunday, with runners from Quebec winning both the men’s and women’s races. Mylene Sansoucy of Montreal finished the marathon in two hours and 58 minutes. Sansoucy told CBC News that she was "very happy" with her result. "I won the marathon and I’ve done my best time," she said Sunday. Terry Gehl of St Charles-Sur-Richelieu, Que., was the first man to cross the finish line. He finished in about two hours and 37 minutes. Gehl, who was coincidentally wearing bib No. 1, said he was coming back from an injury that prevented him from running the marathon last year. Results posted online showed that another 4,400 people ran the half-marathon and more than 1,400 did a five-kilometre run. The people participating in the full marathon started their run at Mel Lastman Square in North York and followed a course that took them along Yonge Street, through part of mid-town Toronto, along Rosedale Valley Road, down Bayview Avenue, through the downtown and along Lake Shore Boulevard looping back to Exhibition Place.

The Half and Full Marathon Rankings are now comprehensive!! - 2012-12-28

		Our #1 age group athletes are for marathon: Lanni Marchant (F20-29), Krista DuChene (F30-39), Marilyn Arsenault (F40-49), Linda Desmeules (F50-59), Florence Gillis (F60-69), Gwen McFarlan (F70-79), Dylan Wykes (M20-29), Eric Gillis (M30-39), Pepi Peterson (M40-49), Michel Lavoie (M50-59), Les Disher (M60-69), John Zawada (M70-79). Our #1 age group athletes are for half marathon: Lanni Marchant (F20-29), Lucy Njeri (F30-39), Lioudmila Kortvhaguina (F40-49), Elizabeth Primrose (F50-59), Verna Conrad (F60-69), Liz Borrett (F70-79), Dylan Wykes (M20-29), Reid Coolsaet (M30-39), Jim Finlayson (M40-49), Mark Bennett (M50-59), John Tranter (M60-69), Keijo Taivassalo (M70-79).

Message of Gratitude for Assistance with the 2012 KV Challenge Marathon - 2012-10-17

		I would like to extend my gratitude to the following people for assistance in organizing the Kennebecasis Valley Challenge Marathon Event. John Kelley is the original race director and I am very lucky to help keep the dream alive. John’s second in command this year was Brent Sherwood who along with his wife Leanne were an amazing help again. We had many sign sponsors so please visit the race website www.kvchallengemarathon.com for the full list. Vitos subsidized our lasagna dinner. We were pleased to have Rorrie Currie as a guest speaker this year. Frank Roberts allowed us to use his building for the start. Jeremy Fry and the Hampton River Runners were in charge of the volunteers right up to the golf course. Doug Scott and Mr. Rice’s group of students from Kennebecasis Valley High School were in charge of the marshaling up to Meehan’s Cove Road. Maureen O’Hara and her Priorities in Focus group were at the finish line. Denise Dow and Patricia Gallagher provided shelter at the half marathon finish on behalf of Strong & Free. Major Sponsor Java Moose provided hot coffee and water at the half marathon finish. Bruce Rosval coordinated the Gondola Point Arterial Intersection. Ed Lutes and Barb O’Brien marshaled at the Gondola Point Ferry Landing. Mike Robinson coordinated the Gondola Point Road water stop. The Kennebecasis Valley Fire Department was in charge of the water stop at the bottom of Clark Road. Major Sponsor Culligan’s provided all of the water on the course. Mr Vienneau and his group of students from Rothesay Netherwood School were in charge of the water stop at the Riverside Golf Course. Carolyn Prebble, Katie Rogers and Christian Gallant coordinated the marathon finish line. The Town of Rothesay provided use of the Bill McGuire Centre. Major Sponsor SubWay subsidized our post race subs. The Potting Shed provided the half marathon finish area. Doug Guthrie is our bus driver for transportation. The Rothesay Regional Police provided coverage for the lead runner and a stationed car at the Gondola Point Arterial Intersection. Finally, my daughter Lily made this year’s package pickup the easiest ever and provided assistance at both the half marathon finish and at the awards ceremony. Thank you for supporting this event and I hope you consider next year even if it rains again and we finally admit that we have the toughest marathon course in New Brunswick!

Lunty surprises himself with victory at Queen City Marathon - 2012-09-11

		By Craig Slater, Leader Post Despite straying from his usual course of action, Brendan Lunty still put his best foot forward. The product of Camrose, Alta., captured his second consecutive Queen City Marathon full-marathon title on Sunday. The 34-year old, who crossed the finish line in two hours 38 minutes 39 seconds, won his fifth QCM race in the past eight years. However, winning it this year came as a slight surprise. "I have always won on odd-numbered years, so I really wasn’t supposed to win this year," Lunty said jokingly. That and Sunday’s weather forecast could have psyched out Lunty before he donned his race bib. "I was having nightmares (Saturday) night after I saw it was supposed to be 30-above today," he said. "I wasn’t a big fan of that temperature at all. But it wasn’t too bad. "What really hit me was that second loop and you were running into the stiff wind for the final stretch. That made it a little tougher on you toward the end." But Lunty pushed through and finished first, nearly a full 14 minutes ahead of Regina’s Ted Jaleta, who crossed the line in 2: 52.02. Saskatoon’s Neal Zalusky was a minute later (2: 53.01) and placed third. It has been a solid year for Lunty . He has competed in several marathons, including runs in Vancouver, Edmonton and San Francisco. He placed in the top 10 in each of those races, but admitted he always looks forward to competing in Regina. "I ran in Vancouver and most of that course was right next to the seawall, so you’re beside the ocean with the mountains in the background," he explained. "The scenery was absolutely beautiful. Same with the race in San Fran. "But I always circle the QCM on my calendar. I always love coming to this race. There’s something about the organizing, the people, the buzz and the excitement. People are cheering you on all throughout the race ... you meet some great people during the race and see some old friends here, too. This is one of my favourites, for sure." Despite adding more entrants to the half-and full-marathons this year, the QCM sold out for the fourth straight year. Registration applications were first accepted in late February. Nearly one month later, the team relay was full. The half-marathon sold out in early April, and by the middle of that month the mini-marathon had been filled. Approximately 4,300 participants were expected to run on Sunday. Some 4.709 people registered. "We were lucky to have started this race right when the boom in marathons started," said volunteer race director Doug Russell. "As that boom continued, we just kind of grew along with it." cslater @leaderpost.com Read more: http://www.leaderpost.com/Latest+news+updates+homepage/960812/story.html#ixzz26ADgCwcT

Interview with women's marathon record holder Sylvia Ruegger - 2012-08-25

(Source: Athletics via Runner's Web) By Paul Gains As an impressionable fourteen year old Silvia Ruegger was so inspired by the athleticism at the Montreal Olympics that she secretly wrote down her dream of becoming an Olympian herself, then slipped the piece of paper beneath the floor boards of her bedroom. Not only did she achieve her objective - she finished 8th in the 1984 Olympic marathon with a Canadian record of 2:29:08 - she set the still standing record of 2:28:36 at the 1985 Houston Marathon Now she believes that her twenty-seven year old record might finally be beaten - possibly at this year's Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. A keen observer of the sport she watched the results from the 2011 Rotterdam marathon where Canadians Lanni Marchant (2:31:51) and Krista DuChene (2:32:06) edged closer. Both are aiming to beat the 2:30 barrier in Toronto, which is an IAAF Silver Label race, and view Ruegger's standard as a conceivable target. Ruegger met DuChene at a recent banquet where she offered encouragement "I don't need a record," Ruegger declares with a smile. "t's not my identity. I am grateful for it and that it has withstood time because it means something to our society. It has allowed me to be a voice for children in the nation who don't have a voice. It has given me a platform and has allowed me to do things on behalf of the children in Canada who live in poverty Ruegger is the National Director of Start2Finish Running and Reading Clubs and will be once again running for the charity at this year's Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Though she is proud of the record her career was shortened before she reached her full potential. "I believed I had more in me and I would run faster than that," the 51 year old reveals. " had a car accident and a number of things that changed the direction of my career. I believed I could go faster so I thought that other women would come along and say 'if Silvia Ruegger ran that I can run that.'" "We were running over 200 kilometres a week in training. We were running over the marathon distance in training so that when we came to the race itself we would be prepared mentally and physically for everything." The accident of which she speaks was an horrific ordeal. It happened in January 1985, two weeks following her Canadian record run. After hitting an icy patch on a rural road outside Guelph, Ontario she spun out of control and was hit head on by a car travelling the opposite direction. The impact was enough to eject her through the driver side window and sent her soaring through the air and into a snow covered ditch. According to a witness her body bounced twice on the pavement before coming to a stop. It was a miracle that she lived. She was living and studying in Guelph, Ontario at the time and was returning from a workout with her coach, Hugh Cameron, in Toronto. Besides a concussion and soft tissue injuries she did untold damage to muscles in her thigh which limited her running for the next two years. Not for the first time in her life, she persevered. When she was unable to run she continued cardiovascular training on a bicycle or in a pool. In 1987 Ruegger ran the Pittsburgh Marathon finishing in a time of 2:31:53. Although it was the slowest of her four marathons, and qualified her for the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, injuries again prevented her from advancing any further. She traces the injuries back to the accident. "In retrospect you never fully understand the extent of the accident. I had a major haematoma, I had a concussion and a lot of stitches, just soft tissue things, from the impact," she recounts. "The major injury was to the rectus femoris, which is your major quad muscle it was either torn or severely impacted. That's what kept me out of running. "When I tried to come back, it was a struggle to get back to that level of intensity without breaking down. There were just a lot of injuries after that. I was able to train but would often get ready to compete then break down with injuries." Ruegger grew up in rural Newtonville, Ontario just east of Toronto and began her Olympic pursuit running high school cross country and track. With her mother driving behind with the car headlights on Ruegger would train after school, always keeping in mind her secret goal. She ran well enough to earn U.S. university scholarship offers but chose the University of Guelph for its academic programs. In 1980 she won the Canadian cross country championships. Then she heard that the International Olympic Committee had approved the first ever women's marathon at the Olympics and thought it was her best chance to become an Olympian. "I heard about Hugh Cameron," she recalls, " saw his name in a magazine. I called him up in January 1984 never having met him and said â€˜share my dream I want to try and make the Olympic team in the marathon in May - four months away.' "Hugh was very gracious. He said â€˜Silvia it's going to be hard.' Not once did he discount that it could be a reality even though I was coming back from two and a half years of injury. He had a group in the Etobicoke Huskies it was fantastic: Dave Edge, Dave Reid, Mike Dyon and thirty others. He thought it was important for me to come to Toronto." In preparation for the 1984 Ottawa Marathon, which served as the Olympic trials, twice a week she would catch a Greyhound bus outside the Guelph campus, which dropped her in downtown Toronto. From there she rode the subway and a bus to join Cameron and the group for workouts. "After the workout I would do the same thing," she recalls, laughing. "t was a ten hour round trip (back to Guelph). But you know what, I had such a passion to realise my dream to be an Olympian. As a woman I was so excited that the doors opened up (with the marathon) so I never considered it a sacrifice. Never thought it was a sacrifice." Today Ruegger delights in getting out for a run. As often as possible she joins the kids in the Start2Finish program at locations throughout the Greater Toronto Area and in Guelph or Waterloo running and playing games with them. Perhaps there is a future Olympian amongst them, she muses "When I wrote that dream I never thought about the cost," she declares. " never thought whether I had the ability. I really hadn't shown any unusual talent. I thought the only thing that would keep me from achieving the dream would be my own unwillingness to work hard enough and give enough. So that was always my mindset. If I work hard enough and am willing to make those sacrifices I would see that dream realised. "I have a strong faith in God too and I believe that He gives dreams. That for me that was the root of my pursuit. When people would say what did you give I would say, what did I not give?"

Canadian runners in good spirits after tough Olympic Marathon - 2012-08-13

		Source: National Post Photo: Reuters (Warmuth) LONDON — One by one they walked through the interview area, looking drawn and haggard and beaten and a little like they’d seen something truly wretched much more closely than they’d have liked. The physical demands of the Olympic men’s marathon will do that to the fittest runners even in perfect conditions. But Sunday morning into early afternoon was hardly ideal for marathoning. Under a relentless sun with temperatures in the mid-20s and humidity nearly 80%, 105 runners set off down The Mall, their backs to Buckingham Palace. Only 85 returned on foot, others ferried back aboard the harshly named meat wagon that claims marathoners who decide discretion is the better part of collapse. One competitor who did finish was taken away in a wheelchair, barely conscious. Then there was finisher No. 85, Tsepo Ramonene of Lesotho, who stopped several times en route, finally buoyed by an urging crowd to the clock, where he slumped to The Mall and was very slowly revived by medics. He was timed in two hours, 55.54 seconds. That was 47:53 behind the gold-medal time of shocking upset winner Stephen Kiprotich, the Ugandan who barely worked up a good sweat over 2:08.01. The winner was well clear of the pre-race favourites: 26 seconds on Kenya’s Abel Kirui, the two-time world champion, and 1:36 ahead of another Kenyan, Wilson Kipsang, whose triumphant 2:04.44 London Marathon in April is regarded as one of the legendary performances in the event. Nowhere in the London Games previews will you find the name of Kiprotich. The winner practically breezed around a magnificent — if at times treacherously narrow — cobblestoned course, a three-lap layout that took runners past some of the world’s most historic buildings and venues, cheered on by hundreds of thousands of roaring spectators. Kiprotich was never farther back than seventh and surged into the lead only around the 40th kilometre. The new champion will be hailed back home, having won Uganda’s first Olympic gold since John Akii-Bua captured the men’s 400-metre hurdles at Munich in 1972. It is Uganda’s first Olympic medal of any colour since Atlanta in 1996. “The pace was too fast and I knew I could run away from [the Kenyans], so I just had to keep up with them,” said Kiprotich, whose saved energy gave him the boost for his late pass. Canada hadn’t had a participant in this Olympic race since Sydney a dozen years ago. But on Sunday, three competitors not only covered the full distance of 42.2 kilometres, they ran smart, strong races in gruesome conditions to earn strong finishes of 20th, 22nd and 27th. “It was brutal,” said 29-year-old Dylan Wykes of Kingston, Ont., whose 2:15.26 made him the quickest Canadian. “I tried to run conservatively because I didn’t think other people would respect the weather. “But I didn’t end up running conservatively and I blew up a lot myself. I think only one or two guys passed me in the last half, where I probably passed a good 15 and another five or 10 dropped out. “Nineteenth would have been nice, to get in the teens, but I put every ounce into it. I tried to kick in the last 400 metres but it was like I was going in slow motion. I had nothing from about 22 miles (of 26 miles, 385 yards). I just couldn’t move at all.” Eric Gillis of Antigonish, N.S., was Canada’s next quickest at 2:16. He stopped to talk with his wet singlet falling off his left shoulder, the strap snapped. “At 25 miles, I was just running so fast,” he joked. Gillis was aiming for a top 16 but could well live with his placement. “I was happy with how I moved up through the field in the second half,” he said. “I was significantly slower in the second but I picked off a lot of bodies.” The 32-year-old took on plenty of fluid to ward off dehydration — he figured he drank most of the contents of nine 200mL bottles of his own replenishment cocktail and more straight water. But a better gauge of his race, he said, was how the field was coming back to him. “They were hurting and slowing down or dropping out, so I kept telling myself, ‘They’re hurting worse than you are,” said Gillis, who had enough to sprint the final 500 metres and pull away from a Russian for 22nd place. And enough, he expected, to walk in Sunday’s closing ceremony. It was a messier race for Reid Coolsaet of Hamilton, Ont., who said an inability to ingest all of his carbs and perhaps a hard early pace upset his digestion at the 23-mile mark. “I’ve never bonked before,” the 33-year-old creatively said. “Once it starts coming up, it’s hard to put it down. If I could have taken the drinks I wanted to, maybe it would have been better. But I don’t regret going out as fast as I did, and the race was an amazing experience.” There was talk coming to London that, finally, Jerome Drayton’s Canadian marathon record of 2:10.09 set in 1975 would be toppled. This Olympic trio had a good shot, had the weather been friendlier, and with a growing elite marathon depth in Canada it’s going down sooner than later. “I think it’s in jeopardy,” Gillis said of Drayton’s nearly 37-year-old record. “It’s fun that we have that to chase as an extra bonus.” He and Coolsaet and Wykes will cherish their London experience and build on it. “It was unbelievable, the most amazing experience in terms of spectators I’ve ever had,” Wykes said. “It was incredible. Just awesome.” That would be the sites, the crowd and a strong performance that gave Canadian marathoning a huge boost. And not one elite runner to cheer on, but a team.

How Did You Celebrate Your Birthday? - 2012-06-21

Toronto, ON – Peter Donato and David Hiddleston enjoy racing so much they didn’t know how to stop. The duo from MyNextRace.com just finished completing a year-long birthday celebration in a rather unique, but fitting manner. Peter Donato, owner of MyNextRace.com and David Hiddleston, Brand Manager, raced collectively over 1400 km’s covering running, cycling, triathlons and adventure races from June, 2011 to June, 2012. The birthday milestone challenge has inspired other runners and endurance athletes to consider the same accomplishment when they share a milestone birthday. “Our advantage was living in a market area second-to-none in North America for access to races, plus we ended up only paying for less than 15% of our entries”…says Donato, who actually ended up “officially” finishing 48 events. The fun part became seeing who could find the most unique races, so the duo ended up at events in Miami, New York, Montreal, London and Newcastle England, Edinburgh, Scotland, Paris, and small towns in their own Ontario backyard they had never heard of like Apsley, Bayfield and Kilbride. David even won his first race, a Church to Church 9 mile off-road race in a small village called Heriots, Scotland (appropriately he won wooly socks for the effort). Peter completed two adventure races, two triathlons, two Century bike rides and 14 races with the MyNextRace.com famous mascot, Jefferson, the collie mix dog. Says David, "Having been running for over 10 years and rarely having run more than 10 races a year the idea of running 45 in a year was a unique challenge and one that I ended up really enjoying." Quotes Peter Donato, “Since turning 30 I never really looked forward to a birthday so at least this time I have a long-lasting memory. And a sore knee, aching back and worn out mini van”. The two athletes also enjoyed a few races on teams such as the Surf and Turf Relay at the Military Base in Trenton, Ontario and David on a 2nd place team at the scenic and historic Cabot Relay in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Both David and Peter are also Guinness World Record holders, taking turns wearing the MyNextRace mascot outfit (Jefferson) in marathons and half-marathons. David is now pondering the next challenge, qualifying for the prestigious Boston Marathon wearing the 15-lb furry outfit! You can read several blogs on the web-site highlighting specific adventures. http://www.mynextrace.com/blogs/ MyNextRace.com started in Canada but has since grown and expanded internationally. The website and member communication informs athletes about races in key markets around the world. It has recently undergone a major revamp and relaunch including the addition of a unique Banana Review feature. The primarily North American audience is facilitated through the MyNextRace.com website, providing information about markets such as Florida, Chicago, New York, Boston and all of Canada.

Manitoba Marathon gets more than 13,000 runners!! - 2012-06-21

		Courtesy of CBC News (photo by Kiran Dhillon) More than 13,000 runners in Winnipeg are recovering after they ran in the 34th annual Manitoba Marathon on Sunday. Thomas Omwenga of Kenya was the first to cross the finish line in the men’s full marathon, with a time of two hours, 25 minutes and 13 seconds. "I was excited and happy, [it] being the first time to come to Winnipeg," Omwenga told reporters. "I’ve enjoyed staying here, I’ve enjoyed running the race and hanging around with people." Anna Kibor, also from Kenya, won the women’s full marathon with a time of two hours, 49 minutes and 45 seconds. Kibor, 38, said her victory was especially special because a knee injury had kept her from running in marathons for the past two years. "I feel so good, I feel great, yeah, to be a champion," she said. Corey Gallagher of Winnipeg won the men’s half-marathon, completing the race in one hour, 10 minutes and 14 seconds, while Kate Gustafson of Toronto won the women’s half-marathon with a time of one hour, 23 minutes and 22 seconds. The marathon relay was won by a team from Stride Ahead Sports in Winnipeg, which had a time of two hours, 33 minutes and two seconds. More than 13,000 runners took part this year in the Manitoba Marathon, which raises money to support those who live with intellectual disabilities. The marathon participants received vocal support by thousands of spectators who cheered from the sidelines along the marathon route. Among those who took part in Sunday’s marathon was a group of high school students from Garden Hill First Nation, located 475 kilometres north of Winnipeg. The 18 students, who are between 12 and 20 years old, had been training for the half-marathon since February, said gym teacher Wayne McLeod. McLeod said the students had also raised money to cover the costs of their flights to Winnipeg, hotel accommodations, transportation and marathon registration fees. "This might be the only time that they could actually do this," McLeod said before the race. "I’m trying to show them that if they work hard and if they are committed … they could succeed in doing this."

Kenyan runner sets new Ottawa marathon record - 2012-05-29

		Kenya’s Laban Moiben set a new record Sunday for the Ottawa race weekend marathon with a time of 2:09:12. "I was very happy because community was very, very strong, cheering me," the 28-year-old told reporters after the race. His result shaved 19 seconds off the previous record set in 2009. In 2011, Moiben’s time was 2:10:17. In 2010, he placed second with 2:09:43. Two other Kenyans took the second and third spots, and about 10 minutes later Canada’s first runner passed the finish line in 12th place. Rejean Chiasson, 28, from Toronto, told CBC News he had hoped to finish the race a lot faster, but added he was happy to be the first Canadian to finish. Ethiopian women, meanwhile, finished first and second. Yeshi Esayias, 26, and Biruktrawit Degefa, 21, finished in 2:28:45 and 2:33:12, respectively. Fifteen minutes later, and in sixth place, 35-year-old Lisa Avery of Orillia, Ont., crossed the line with a strong personal best time of 2:42:52. Michel Filteau of St-Jean Baptiste, Que., won Sunday’s wheelchair marathon in 1:37:16.

Gillis and Bazeley Win National Championship at Banque Scotia 21K - 2012-04-30

		Montreal, QC — (04/29/2012) — For the third year, the Banque Scotia 21k de Montréal served as the Athletics Canada National Half-Marathon Championships and helped kick off the 2012 Canadian Championship Series. The 4,700 runners who took to the scenic route of Parc-Jean Drapeau today raised over $525,000 for 31 local charities. While the beautiful sunny skies were perfect for today’s Banque Scotia 21K and 5K de Montréal, the cool temperatures and brisk northerly winds made for a tactical race. London Olympic Marathon bound Eric Gillis of Guelph surged away from Athletic Toronto’s Matt Loiselle over the final 800m to take the 2012 Athletics Canada National Half-Marathon Championships for a time of 64:38. Loiselle was eight seconds back and a valiant Rejean Chiasson of New Brunswick hung on for 3rd at 64:54. Newfoundland’s Kate Bazeley ran a strong solo effort, leading from start to finish taking the women’s title in 1:16:34. London Ontario’s Leslie Sexton was 2nd at 1:16:54 and Nova Scotia’s Erin Maclean was 3rd at 1:17:02. “It was tough out there on my own in the wind,” said Bazeley. “But I’m really happy, this is my first major victory.” Gillis will take a break for the next two weeks before beginning his training for the London Olympic Marathon which takes place on August 12th. “We had some of Canada’s elite runners vying for the Athletics Canada National Half-Marathon Championships this year, and today’s race was an inspiration for marathon enthusiasts across the board,” said Francois Lecot, Race Director, Banque Scotia 21k de Montréal et 5k. “All participants today should be extremely proud of their achievements, both through the sport of running and for raising much-needed funds for worthy causes in the community.” The Scotiabank Charity Challenge raised more than $525,000 as of press time, surpassing its $450,000 target goal. This remarkable achievement exceeds last year’s total of $395,000. Today’s race was truly a success as runners and supporters alike demonstrated an outstanding combination of athleticism and community spirit, while raising $525,000 through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge,” said Carole Chapdelaine, Scotiabank Senior Vice-President, Quebec and Eastern Ontario Region. “Participants in this year’s Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal share Scotiabank’s commitment to supporting charitable organizations in the community, and it’s inspiring to see that more than $1.3 million has been raised through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge since it was introduced to the race four years ago.”

What a weekend for Canadian marathoning!! - 2012-04-18

		First of all, Dylan Wykes performance in Rotterdam was absolutely incredible. After a couple of failed attempts at making standard, Dylan made a last attempt at Rotterdam along with Rob Watson, Krista DuChene and Lanni Marchant. He grabbed an Olympic berth with a 2:10:47. Rob made a valiant attempt with a 2:13:37.Krista and Lanni ran 2:32:06 and 2:31:51. It doesn’t look like the girls made Canada’s standard but I hope they both receive spots regardless. We currently do not have any women qualified for the Olympic marathon. I have pasted their splits below. At Boston, Canadian Josh Cassidy won the men’s wheelchair division in a new record time of 1:18:25!! Diane Roy was third in the women’s wheelchair in 1:42:37. Four women finished in the top 10 for 40+ with Paula Keating, Jen Nicholson, Denise Robson and Suzanne Evans finishing 4,5,7 and 8. Louis Voghel was third in 50-59. Barbara Freedman and Christine Dirks were 3rd and 6th in 60+. Guy Dorval was 7th in 50-59 men. Andy Hayes was 7th in 60+.

Three more Canadians going for standard at Rotterdam - 2012-04-11

Three more Canadians set their sights on Olympic marathon standard April 3rd, 2012 Three more Canadians will be chasing the Olympic Standard at the Rotterdam Marathon. Coming off of her 1:47:03 win at Around the Bay, Krista DuChene announced on her blog that she was able to secure a space in the April 15 race and will be making a run at the 2:29:55 needed to hit the A-Standard. In that same blog post, DuChene stated that Lanni Marchant will also be running for the standard, so we got in touch with her to confirm. Marchant said,“Yes, I am running Rotterdam and hope to be in the mix to run the Canadian standard. Fingers crossed Krista and I can make some magic happen!” Rob Watson also announced on his blog that he will be attempting to hit the men’s A-Standard of 2:11:29 the Rotterdam Marathon, saying, “Some people are going to criticize and call me stupid and delusional. And I agree, I am stupid and somewhat delusional, but s— man, I’ve always been told to dream big, and it doesn’t get any bigger that the Olympics.” The race takes place at 10:30 am local time, so most of us here in Canada will be able to find results by the time we’re getting up for our own long run.

Graydon Snider looks at trending in running distances!! - 2012-02-26

The link is http://gsnider.blogspot.com/2012/02/worldwide-trends-for-various-racing.html

Great new website from Athletics Canada for Road Racers!! - 2012-01-18

The website address is http://www.road.athletics.ca/

Valiant Effort at Chevron Houston Marathon by Simon Bairu - 2012-01-16

From the Halifax Chronicle Herald Halifax’s Greg Wieczorek placed 11th overall and was the second Canadian across the finish line at the 40th annual Chevron Houston Marathon. The reigning two-time Blue Nose Marathon champion ran a personal-best 2:25:56. He was fourth for men 30-34. It beats his previous best of 2:26:33 set last October in Chicago. Regina’s Simon Bairu was the top Canadian in 2:19:52. He was sixth overall. Halifax’s Rodney MacIntosh ran a 3:00:05 and Dartmouth’s Dave Nevitt a 3:04:48. MacIntosh was 39th for men 40-44 and Nevitt 18th for men 50-54. Ethiopia’s Tariku Jufar won in 2:06:51. Bairu’s time failed to meet the Olympic qualifying standard of 2:11:30. It leaves Antigonish’s Eric Gillis as the second of as many as three Canadian marathoners for the London Olympics this summer. Halifax’s Leah Jabbour, another former Blue Nose champion, was the top Canadian female in 2:56:24. She ranked 16th among the women and third in her 35-39 age class. Maura Wieczorek, Greg’s wife, was second among the Canadian women in 2:58:49. She was 21st overall in the women’s division. Dartmouth’s Stacey Juckett Chesnutt placed directly behind Maura Wieczorek in 2:59:05. She was second among women aged 40-44. Ethiopia’s Abera Alemitu won the women’s event in 2:23:14. Nova Scotia’s Doug Hayami (1:14:22) and Caroline McInnes (1:17:53) competed in the half marathon. Hayami was 47th among the men and McInnes 274th among the women.

Scotiabank Toronto is catching up to Ottawa..... - 2011-12-24

Early stats are finished for total number of half marathon and above finishers in an event for 2011 and the top 10 is.....Ottawa Race Weekend 13863 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront 12676 BMO Vancouver 9761 Marathon Oasis de Montreal 9632 Goodlife Royal Victoria 6761 Ottawa Army Run 6423 Around the Bay 5814 Goodlife Toronto 5510 Canon Mississauga 4634 Manitoba Lotteries 4518...

Toronto to host Midnite New Year's Eve Run - 2011-11-24

Toronto to host Midnite New Year’s Eve Run

Toronto, Canada – All Sports Marketing Inc. and MyNextRace.com have announced another fun sports property for runners and athletes. Save the date, and BOOK your trip to Toronto, North America’s fastest-growing running market.

The inaugural New Year’s Eve Midnite Run and Party will take place in Hip, Cool Liberty Village, a vibrant and growing community adjacent to Lake Ontario and steps from Queen West, King Street and the Entertainment District. Currently home to several thousand condo dwellers, Liberty Village has more Cranes and Construction sites than anywhere else in Great Toronto, which is still North America’s hottest Real Estate market. Peter Donato, owner of MyNextRace.com, is excited to bring the first organized run to the community. “I used to have an office 100 yards from the Start and Finish line, and always wanted to bring a race to this funky, film-savvy collection of entrepreneurs, artists and independent creative minds. With over 30 restaurants and bars within a 3 square mile radius, a run that served alcohol at the finish line was a no brainer”.

The run is also supporting a good cause, the Fort York Food Bank, which Peter also raised money for years earlier running on behalf of Liberty Village in the 2007 Scotia Bank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. The inaugural 5km run, walk and party will also have live music, entertainment, a video review of the year’s running highlights and of course fireworks at Midnite when the gun goes off. The first run is capped at1,000 runners and for the party1,000 revelers.

MyNextRace.com / All Sports Marketing Inc. started in Canada but has since grown and expanded internationally. The website and member communication informs athletes about races in key markets around the world. The web-site has just re-launched this fall. The primarily North American audience is facilitated through the MyNextRace.com website, providing information for members of Generation Active, including runners, cyclists, adventure racers and triathletes.

The company currently organizes the 11^th Annual Boston Tea Party, Team Canada Brunch held at the Boston Marathon. The only Brunch in the world with a web-site, an annual tradition for Canadians running Boston. www.bostonteaparty.ca

~~-30-~~

MEDIA CONTACT:

Chelsea Vanderkamp Merritt

416-441-1492 c 647-927-4255 info@allsportsmarketing.ca

Peter Donato

901-297-9264 (USA) or 416-707-5944 (Canada)

peter@mynextrace.com

Check the Rankings for me!! - 2011-10-21

I have help with the rankings but sometimes we make mistakes so please help me check the rankings. I hope everyone exceeds their expectations in 2012!!

Coolsaet and Gillis going to the Olympics!! - 2011-10-18

		Source: www.tsn.ca The Canadian Press TORONTO -- Reid Coolsaet and Eric Gillis are London bound. The Canadian duo booked their tickets to the 2012 Summer Games after bettering the Olympic standard of two hours 11 minutes 29 seconds Sunday at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Coolsaet finished third in the race with a personal-best time of 2:10.55 while Gillis was fourth, just finishing under the qualification mark with a time of 2:11.28. Canada hasn’t had a participant in an Olympic marathon since Bruce Deacon in Sydney in 2000. "I can’t believe it was by a second," Gillis said afterwards. "A marathon and one second? "I could’ve just as easily been one second over. I feel really, really lucky to get that standard. I couldn’t have done it this time last year, I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind to go after that. Things are working out well now, things are clicking." Coolsaet posted his time despite having to take a washroom break at about the 25-kilometre mark. "It didn’t take too much time but obviously I lost contact with the front pack," he said. "Luckily I had a pacer and clawed my way up the next three kilometres and got myself up with that front pack again." Kenya’s Kenneth Mungara won the race for the fourth straight year, posting a time of 2:09.51. Ethiopia’s Shami Abdulahi Dawit was second. "This was a very good day for me but it was very tough because it was very windy and cold," Mungara said. Ethiopia’s Koren Yal was the top female finisher in 2:22.43, with compatriot Mare Dibaba second in 2:23.25. Vancouver’s Katherine Moore was eighth in 2:48.48. Meanwhile, police said a 27-year-old man died after collapsing while running in the event. He was taken to St. Michael’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Coolsaet narrowly missed the Canadian record en route to finishing third. The 32-year-old from Hamilton’s time was just off the mark of 2:10.09 set by Jerome Drayton in 1975. Drayton’s 36-year-old record is the oldest on the Canadian track and field record books. "I’m really happy to have run a PB in these conditions," Coolsaet said. "I was fortunate enough to have a good pack that I was able to use to block the wind and that really helped me for the first 35-36 kilometres and then I lost it. "I didn’t think I was running fast anymore and was just happy to be in third overall at that point. Then I came around the corner and saw the clock and was pleasantly surprised to have run a PB." Gillis said achieving the Olympic standard was foremost in his mind Sunday, but admitted the cool, blustery conditions created doubt in his pre-race thoughts. "Yeah, there were so I had to work on those and get them out as soon as they came in," said Gillis, of Antigonish, N.S. "I kept pushing them out. "I had roomed with Reid the last couple of days and he’s a real positive guy to be around and always looks to the bright side ... it wasn’t an ideal anything out there and it’s just a good feeling to get that under my belt." Gillis said despite the weather conditions, he felt very good physically through the first 34 kilometres of the race and was on pace to qualify for London comfortably. But that all changed near the end. "With 300 metres to go, I wasn’t sure," he said. "I just knew I had to put my head down and get up on my toes as much as I could. "I saw 27 (2:11.27) when I went under the clock but I don’t trust that clock at all and I waited to hear the official time. It took about 10-15 minutes before anyone was able to say it definitively and that was a nice feeling when I did finally hear that." Coolsaet said also having Reid qualify for London will prove beneficial to both runners. "Just the fact that now we can work together for the same marathon again is a huge benefit for both of us," he said. "It works both ways and we’re really excited to be able to focus on London from here on in."

Report from the Cape Breton Roadrunners on the Fiddler's Marathon!! - 2011-09-22

Under sunny skies, 15 degree temperatures with a light breeze, 631 runners and walkers took part in this years Fiddlers Race Weekend. Leo McCosham of Charlottetown, P.E.I. was the first of 46 runners to cross the finish line in the Boston Marathon-qualifying full marathon, in a time of two hours, 43 minutes and 20 seconds, setting a personal best and a course record in the process. I spoke to Leo after the race and he was so impressed with the day, course, the fans and volunteers, he'll definitely be back next year to do it all over again. McCosham also won last years marathon with a time of 2:47:39. Can he do it a third time...we shall see!! Scott Clark of Summerside, P.E.I. finished in second with a time of 2:48:43, while Sydney’s own Donald Macintyre grabbed 3rd place with a 2:53:31, missing a PB by only 13 seconds.Although happy with his time Donnie was hoping for something a few minutes quicker and intends to run the PEI marathon in mid-October. Top spot in the ladies division went to Sydney’s Erin Forsey finishing in a time of 3:19:13 which was also a personal best. In the half, Glace Bay’s Daniel McNeil ran an amazing 1:10:56, while Sydney’s Ian James Doyle grabbed second place with a 1:18:20 and Glenn Myers took third place in 1:21:34.. The top female in the half was Brenda Benson of Summerside, P.E.I. with a time of 1:34:34, close on her heels was Florence Gillis of Mira with a 1:35:23 which was also a personal best. In the 10 K, Chris Milburn, A.K.A.Bighead, set a course record with a time of 35:44,hot on Chris's heels was James Forsey with a 36:09 A PB for James . Third place went to Ian Henman of Dartmouth in a time of 36:15. In the ladies division top spot went to Julie Curwin with a smokin time of 41:19. Will Allan of Sydney finished first in the 5K in a time of 17:43 , followed by Justin Lalanne of Coxheath in 18:06 and running sensation "Rachyl MacPhail" of Sydney River grabbed 3rd place overall and 1st in the ladies division, with an impressive time of 19:20. Kudos going out to Glen Smith, a native of Sydney now living in Ottawa, Glen completed the marathon on Sunday in a time of 4:23:55. A great effort and even more impressive is that Glen has not missed a Fiddlers marathon since the late Lydia Dickson started the whole thing way back in 2005. Good to see Karen MacDonald back at running marathons, Karen ran the first Fiddlers in a time of 3:42:09 and this year completed the classic distance in a time of 3:47:01. And last but not least, a big salute to one of the most enthusiastic runners out there.Ryan "The deerman"MacDonald completed the marathon with a PB of 3:24:34, last year he ran a solid 3:44:24, close to a 20 minute improvement way to go Ryan!!!

Eric Gillis approaching Olympic Trial cautiously!! - 2011-09-19

Methodical is perhaps the best way to describe Eric Gillis’s approach to the 2011 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. The 31 year old from Antigonish, Nova Scotia is not one to take risks especially with a place on Canada’s 2012 Olympic team within reach. Three years ago Gillis represented his country at the Beijing Olympics after running a personal best 10,000m time of 28:07.19. The experience of lining up in front of 90,000 spectators alongside Ethiopian superstar Kenenisa Bekele contributed to his wanting to make the team for London. But it also gave him a lesson in what is important to him in his remaining years as a competitive distance runner. “It took me a while to figure this out but the year after the Olympics I continued on the same path I was on for the weeks leading up to the Oympics,” he reveals, “and I wasn’t really running for myself and enjoying it as much as I could be. “So I took a step back after the 2009 season and re-evaluated my running and what I wanted from it. I realised that the Olympics is very important but it’s not the most important thing. It only comes around every four years and I have to enjoy the other three years. And good things will come from that.” A year ago he made his marathon debut with an 8th place finish at the Houston marathon in a fine time of 2:13:52. Nine months later he improved upon that at the STWM with a time of 2:12:08. Now he has one goal in mind. “The Olympic ‘A’ standard which is 2:11:29,” he declares without hesitation. “That will be my main focus. I will put all my energies into running under that standard. Anything faster than that is bonus. At the end of the day I will be shooting for that standard no matter what. “My training going is well. I am getting my mileage up and my workouts are better than last year. That’s encouraging, My highest week so far has been 208 kilometres. I have this kind of mileage before all three marathons so there’s nothing new there. My first marathon I wasn’t sure how the body was going to respond to that high mileage but, after doing it a couple of times, and now going into my third one, I am comfortable I can handle that kind of mileage and still do a quality workout.” Gillis studied at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia and started spending summers in Guelph. He moved permanently to “The Royal City” five years ago to join the expanding group of distance runners tutored by Dave Scott-Thomas. Among his current training partners are Reid Coolsaet, who has achieved the Olympic ‘A’ standard a year ago in Toronto with 2:11:23, Rob Watson, the former Canadian international steeplechaser (4th at the 2011 Houston marathon in 2:16:17) and John Mason. The fact he is competing against his teammates for an Olympic spot is not lost in his mind. “Reid comes down on mondays and thursdays when we do workouts and meets Rob Watson, John and I,” Coolsaet says. “The four of us are pounding the pavements on the back roads of Guelph. “But my training partners aren’t the only guys I am competing against for a spot to go to the Olympics. I will get more I will enjoy the process more, which inevitably is what it’s all about, if I am training with the guys like Reid and Rob, than if I was training on my own. It’s going to lead to better results down the road. It really works on a number of fronts to benefit me. I am not worried about side effects of helping them out. I am quite happy to do that.” Although the Toronto race is very much a ‘do or die’ event for those Canadians wanting to race in London next summer Gillis is adamant that he has concerns for his teammates’ welfare. “There's three spots so I would definitely want those other spots to be filled by my training partners,” he declares. Unlike his rivals Gillis has a young family. He and his wife, Emily, are the parents of a seventeen month old daughter, Heidi and the runner has had to learn to balance parenthood with his professional approach to marathoning. Two training sessions a day and an afternoon nap are fit around Heidi’s needs. “Since Emily went back to work, five months ago, that was the biggest adjustment having to take on more responsibility,” Gillis admits. “I was getting off the hook easy when Emily was on maternity leave. “Our first nanny wasn’t working out that well. She was maybe a little young for the job and she wasn’t showing up. So that was tough and there were few times I had to miss a run because we didn't have child care. It was a learning experience. We thought we had put sufficient time into planning that but it was more work than we thought. So now things are better on that front.” Gillis has often benefited from Athletics Canada funding but because of the constant requirements to meet standards has occasionally lost the support he has needed. Because of his 2:12:08 performance a year ago he is currently carded. But he has also been working part time at a group home in the Guelph area. “Yes it’s the Community Living Group Home,” he says. “I am still doing that as relief staff so I work a few sleepover shifts. That’s on the back burner now since I got back from the road racing season in May. Since June I have been 95% focused on training for the marathon. “Every year we have to run times to qualify for Athletics Canada funding over the past seven years I have been carded every other year on average. So it goes from having support, to not having support, to having support and not having support. But I am at a position with road racing and marathoning I am not as concerned about that. It’s a huge help when I do get support but if it’s not there it’s not the be all and end all. Maybe it was when I was running track when I wasn’t getting money for racing on the track. Now I can get a little bit of money marathoning and road racing.” While the marathon training volume remains high Gillis looks forward to competing two, perhaps three times, prior to Toronto. The Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Viriginia Beach, Virginia is confirmed on September 4th. He is also contemplating racing the Canadian Championships 10km in Toronto September 24th. Its all step by step in this runner’s methodical preparation for that coveted Olympic place.

Coolsaet Close to Olympic Berth by Paul Gains - 2011-08-24

Reid Coolsaet never imagined he’d be on the brink of an Olympic Games berth when he ran cross country for Hamilton’s Westdale Secondary School back two decades ago.

A mediocre athlete, whose goal was nothing more than joining his girlfriend in qualifying for the provincial high school cross country championships, Coolsaet finished 18th in the 1997 race. In the absence of scholarship offers he joined coach Dave Scott-Thomas at the University of Guelph. The partnership has certainly paid off.

A year ago he dipped under Athletics Canada’s Olympic qualifying standard with a time of 2:11:23 to finish 10th in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. At this point he is the only Canadian to have achieved the standard but there’s a catch. The IAAF announced after the race the qualifying period wouldn’t start to January 2011.

Now all he needs is a strong effort at this year’s Toronto race October 16th - anything under the IAAF standard of 2:15 will do - to earn his place at the London 2012 Olympics. And, he must ensure he is amongst the first three Canadians capable of achieving the standard. The competition for the three Olympic spots with Simon Bairu, Dylan Wykes and his Speed River Track Club teammates Eric Gillis and Rob Watson is something he welcomes.

“It definitely motivates me and keeps me on top of it because I have goals to run faster this fall,” he reveals, “I want to improve upon 2:11:23 like anybody would want to get a p.b. But having guys to keep me in check definitely raises the bar a little bit and gives me incentive and motivation.”

With the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfrot Marathon scheduled three weeks later than in previous years Coolsaet is in the midst of a fourteen week block of training which has seen him put in 210 kilometres a week. It hasn’t all been smooth sailing though.

In July as he began the buildup for Toronto he caught a cold, experienced a flare up in a shin problem then had to have a broken tooth extracted. A course of antibiotics also wore him down. Now he says training is going well. He drives up to Guelph twice a week to run with Gillis and Watson. The remainder of the time he runs alone near his parents’ home in Hamilton or with Kenyans Josephat Ongeri and David Karanja who are also Hamilton residents.

Despite Coolsaet’s success last year he admits his decision to run in Toronto was by no means automatic. He was expecting to go for a faster time at the London marathon last spring but he stepped on a rock during a training run last fall and the resulting injury caused a lengthy interruption. Last March he went through with a month of high altitude training in Kenya although he spent the first weeks running alone until he could get fit enough to join the Kenyans. Nevertheless the experience was enough for him to plan a return trip.

Coolsaet also considered running at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, Korea (the men’s marathon is scheduled for September 4th) but decided against it because of the expected heat and humidity. He does have experience in hot weather championships having represented Canada in the 2009 IAAF World Championships in Berlin where he ran a then personal best of 2:16:53 for 25th place. All things considered he believes the decision to run in Toronto was his best option.

“Its really nice to run a marathon where people are cheering for you and you hear your name and you don’t have to travel far,” he explains. “The big advantage for us in Toronto is that (race director) Alan (Brookes) will cater to our pace and he’ll listen to how fast we want to run and provide rabbits at that pace. If we went to another North American marathon we probably wouldn’t get that sort of attention from that marathon.

“If we went to New York or Chicago we would probably be asking other people what they were doing and trying to figure out what pacemakers to go with versus here where, if you want to run 2:09:45, you can get someone running that.”

Coolsaet is not one who is easily distracted from his goals. Minor injuries that would send other straight to the tipping point are glossed over. He cycles or swims when necessary and gets his physiotherapy between workouts. Indeed, his good nature has come in handy during a career that has seen him win nine Canadian titles from 5,000m to the marathon - including, most impressively, the 2009 marathon and 10000m championships with six weeks between them. Sometimes he has been involved in practical jokes.

As a student he walked in to the University of Guelph athletics centre to discover a Hall of Fame portrait of him had been doctored to enhance the size of his ears, lips and nose then hung back on the wall. Hundreds of students writing exams in the centre enjoyed a laugh at his expense. But Coolsaet says it goes with the territory.

“It was actually in retaliation for a joke I had played,” he says laughing. “ A girl had left her number on my roommate’s desk. I called her and pretended to be him. So she approached him in class the next day thinking she had talked to him. It was a really awkward conversation. At that point he got me back.”

On another occasion he passed through customs with an electronic device which gave unwitting victims a shock when they shook hands with him. Fortunately the customs agent had a sense of humour and he wasn’t arrested.

When he lines up in Toronto the Olympic qualifying will be first and foremost in his mind. Achieving a personal best is also a goal. And he is fully aware that Scotiabank and Alan Brookes, in their unlimited attempts to raise the standard of Canadian marathoning, have put up $36,000 in bonus money ($1,000 for every year) for any Canadian who can break Jerome Drayton’s longstanding national record of 2:10:09.

“Obviously we are trying to make a living out of the sport and that would be a huge pay day for a Canadian marathon,” he admits, “But it’s not something I think about. As much as I want to run fast you can’t focus on it. So it’s definitely an added bonus but it’s not a day to day thing I think about.

“I actually don’t have a time goal this time. Last time I trained for a marathon I had a time goal in my head but as my training progressed it kept on changing. I don’t think you can force your thresholds to get down there so much. I am going to try and maximise my training. Last year I went into marathon training thinking sub 2:13 then on race day I wanted to run 2:10. I really thought I was going to run 2:10 high. Obviously I missed it. So I would like to say I can run a 2:10 flat. Maybe it goes down. Maybe I feel like going for a 2:10 high again.”

On his schedule is the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach, Virginia on September 4th. A victory in the Acura Toronto 10 mile race (August 14th) in 48:34 is a good indication he is ready. These two races will give him a better idea of his fitness level. Then he will advise Alan Brookes of the pace he’d like a pacemaker to take him along the streets of Toronto.

Coolsaet is in the enviable position of having satisfied Athletics Canada’s high performance standard. But he can’t afford to run a mediocre race on October 16th. With an Olympic Games place on the line the stakes are just too high.

Confident Bairu Chasing Olympic Standard by Paul Gains - 2011-08-24

Despite collapsing three miles from the finish in his debut marathon Simon Bairu is approaching the 2011 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon October 16th with tremendous optimism.

The 28 year old went into the 2010 ING New York Marathon intent on racing the world class field rather than with a time in mind but found that the erratic pace was not to his liking. An ambulance ride to hospital was the last thing expected for the Canadian distance running star, who had finished an incredible 12th in the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships then smashed the national 10,000m record with a time of 27:23.63.

Along with the humiliation, he spent the next three months dealing with nagging injuries which might well be traced to the marathon. Of particular concern was an inflammation of a sciatic nerve. But those are a distant memory now. With a solid block of training behind him Bairu and his coach Jerry Schumacher come to Toronto with one objective - to make the Olympic standard of 2:11:29.

“Jerry always talks about ‘defining moments,’” Bairu says shortly after receiving his weekly massage. “A lot of people kind of thought that maybe the marathon just wasn’t my event. Our motivation is that Toronto is a ‘defining moment’ which is my chance to come back stronger and better because of New York.

“There’s a lot of motivation. I know if I can get fired up and do all the right things in training there's no other Canadian who can stop me from making the team.”

Bairu’s confidence could be mistaken for arrogance but he has nothing but respect for a trio of Canadian runners who are also in contention for an Olympic place - Reid Coolsaet (10th in 2010 STWM 2:11:23), Eric Gillis (11th 2:12:07) and Dylan Wykes (2:12:39 at Sacramento). Only three can run in London.

“Honestly, look at it on paper,” he declares. “Those guys are, above and beyond, more accomplished than me in the marathon. They have all done some great things in the marathon. The only thing I have next to my name right now is a DNF. I am confident that if I can put in my training and bring my ‘A ‘game I am going to make the team no matter how well those guys run.”

Bairu spent eight weeks of the summer at high altitude training camps in Flagstaff, Arizona and then St. Moritz, Switzerland recording 130 miles (210km) a week. A year ago the most he reached was 120 a couple of times (190km). The plan is to slowly reduce the mileage and increase the quality of his workouts. A final test will be September 5th when he races the New Haven 20km.

Bairu was born in Ryadh, Saudi Arabia to Ethiopian-Eritrean parents who had fled the war in the East African region. Being Christians they sought refuge, first in Greece, before finally settling in Regina, Saskatchewan. A trouble maker who seemed headed down the wrong path Bairu was led to track and field by a caring teacher in his early teens. He went on to win the provincial high school cross country championships earning a scholarship to the University of Wisconsin. He would win two NCAA cross country titles for the Badgers and a record seven - so far - Canadian cross country championships.

Based in Portland, Oregon the world headquarters of his sponsor Nike Bairu has the benefits of a training group which includes Olympic bronze medalist Shalane Flanagan and former Wisconsin Badger Chris Solinsky, the US 10,000m record holder. With his track credentials and connections to Nike he could surely have chosen any number of fall marathons in which to attack the Olympic standard. Why then did he choose Toronto?

“I have been in contact with (race director) Alan (Brookes) for a while now,” he explains. “I think Toronto gives me and other Canadians the best opportunity to qualify for the Olympics. I know he is going to do everything he can to help us out in terms of rabbits and things.

“The course itself is nice and fast and, just being in Canada, it gives me that extra incentive having my family there watching. And the crowds have always been great watching in Canada. I think all that put together makes for a real special day and hopefully I can do some special things.”

As a full time athlete Bairu can afford little distraction. Each day begins at 8:00 a.m. with a drive out to the Nike campus where he runs with the group. Ninety minutes of strength conditioning, under the direction of former US Olympic steeplechaser Pascal Dobert, follows. Then it’s a healthy lunch either at the Nike cafeteria or at home before an afternoon nap. A second run precedes dinner and an early night.

One thing that Bairu makes time for is an association with the Portland Big Brothers organisation spending time with an 11 year old boy named Marcus.

“We usually hang out once a week,” says Bairu. “We will go watch movies to watch, There’s a lot of good kid movies out there. We might eat pizza and watch a movie at my place. Sometimes we go to arcades. He is really big into video games and he helps polish up on my skills on video games.”

He also reads when he has a spare moment admittedly jumping from book to book. On his coffee table currently are "Our Kind Of People" a history of elite African Americans by Otis Graham and “Night” a story on a holocaust survivor.

“It was a gift from an ex-girlfriend,” he says of the latter. ”It is heavy reading and very dark but what I like about it is that it's a story of overcoming great odds. This man has experienced unspeakable horrors in his early life and yet he stands in triumph having beaten the odds. It kind of puts life and running into perspective for me.”

Although the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon has put up a Canadian Record bonus of $36,000 - $1,000 for every year that Jerome Drayton’s formidable time of 2:10:09 has stood - Bairu doesn’t see this as a motivator.

“My attitude with the record has always been the same- you can’t force the issue. It just comes to you,” he declares. “My goal right now is to make the Olympics. Nobody cares if I am on Canadian Record pace with a mile to go and then blow up and don’t make the team. My number one priority, not to sound cliche, is to make the team. But If I am feeling good in the race I am going to go after that record.”

Bairu is likely to ask for a pacemaker capable of taking him through the half way point in 65 minutes even. Then he will keep an eye on the clock as he chases the Olympic standard.

“I had a lot of problems after New York,” he admits, and I wanted to refresh mentally and physically and kind of put my eggs all in one basket and honestly if I can’t do it in Toronto well it wasn’t going to happen this year.”

Brake wins Marathon by the Sea - 2011-08-15

SAINT JOHN - A little more than two-and-a-half hours into the Ben’s Smart Marathon By Sea, the crowd gathered around the start/finish line erupted as just over the hill a bright orange visor came bobbing into view.

The rest of Chris Brake appeared in an instant as he finished the race with a quickened pace - less out of strength than sheer force of will.

He was the first of the 75 runners to finish the 26.2 miles, and he did it in 2:37:19.

"I feel horrible. It beat me up a little bit more than I thought it would," he said, pausing every few syllables to catch a breath.

He stood crooked, clutching his side.

"It feels the same way as it always feels, it always feels good when I finish the marathon," he said. "I’m used to winning."

Sunday’s marathon was his 30th and his 17th win. The 29-year-old Saint John man ran his first marathon when he was 17, the Harvest Valley Marathon in Nova Scotia.

He trains, he said, "too much."

"It seems to do something for my self-esteem - it gives me something to live for," he said.

Brake still holds the record he set in 2010 in the Fredericton Marathon with a time of 02:34:46.

But the 24-degree day took its toll on him throughout the race.

"It’s impossible," he said. "It doesn’t matter how hard I train, it’s impossible to prepare for a warm weather marathon. I would have done horrible if I only trained half as hard as I did, I would have done really horrible. It’s really tough to prepare for a marathon in warm weather."

Thirteen minutes later Alex Coffin of Saint John crossed the finish line in second place with a time of 2:50:29 followed closely by Leo McCosham of Charlottetown in third with a time of 2:50:38.

"It feels great," said Coffin. "It really does. I mean, Chris, I tried to give him a race and he busted me pretty early...it meant a lot to hang on to second."

Coffin has won the Ben’s Smart Marathon By the Sea seven times. McCosham has also taken the race’s title.

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SAINT JOHN - Confetti flew into the air and spectators cheered as Cara Allaway ran through the blowup archway marking the end of the 26.2-mile run through Saint John.

With a time of 3:27:14, Allaway was the first female to cross the line at the Ben’s Smart Marathon By the Sea at the Lily Lake Pavilion Sunday and 14th overall.

"I’m exhausted, it was good," she said, although she showed little sign of fatigue.

The 35-year-old Halifax native living in Toronto made a special trip to the Port City to visit friends and family and to run the marathon.

Her mother and father went with her part of the way - both ran the 5-mile race finishing 107th and 263rd, respectively. They greeted her at the finish line with hugs and praises.

"It was a really difficult course," Allaway said between breaths.

"The hills, a lot of hills right at the end."

She started running seriously about six years ago and in the time since, she’s run six marathons, including the Ben’s Smart Marathon By the Sea, which was her first win.

To take the title, she ran at a pace of less than five minutes per kilometre, of which there were 42.

"I started training for my first marathon and I kind of got hooked after that," she said. "I’d finish one and then I just kept wanting to get better and better."

To do that, she’s dedicated serious time to the sport.

"I run about five days a week and I run all year, but before a race like this I’ll train about four months. I’ll do one or two (marathons) a year," she said.

Although it was a difficult morning, Allaway said she enjoyed the race.

"It’s a really nice marathon, it’s a good size," she said. "Nice scenery."

Maggie Johnson of Quispamsis came in after Allaway in second place at 3:33:56 while Sarah MacKinnon of St. Peters Bay, P.E.I., took third with a time of 3:45:25.

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Cara Allaway, Toronto,Ont., 3:27:14
Maggie Johnson Quispamsis, 3:33:56
Sarah MacKinnon, St. Peters Bay, P.E.I., 3:45:25
Dawn Price, Hampton, 3:57:17
Bev Walsh, Charlottetown, P.E.I, 3:58:26
Claire Cram, Toronto, Ont., 3:59:13
Marlene Henry, Moncton, 3:59:13
Lin Ivany, Moncton, 3:59:12
Brenda Guitard, Saint John, 4:04:36
Elaine Cook, Mohrsville, Pn., 4:04:48
Jenny Murphy, Saint John, 4:06:08

Chris Brake, Saint John, 2:37:19
Alex Coffin, Saint John, 2:50:29
Leo McCosham, Charlottetown, P.E.I., 2:50:38
Tyler Welch, Fort Collins, Co., 3:07:06
Lauchie McKinnon, Sydney, N.S., 3:09:42
Kelvin Marshall, Australia, 3:11:09
George Daniel, Quispamsis, 3:18:14
Brad Kirkpatrick, Saint John, 3:19:57
Jeff Queen, Saint John, 3:20:04
Brent McCumber, Rothesay, 3:19:55

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Matthew McNeil, Saint John,, 1:16:11
Dean Strowbridge, Willow Grove, 1:17:44
Bill Steinburg, Barrie, Ont., 1:23:38
Ronald Blanchard, Oromocto, 1:25:04
Nathan Johnson, Saint John, 1:26:14
Dean Mercer, Rothesay, 1:26:54
Don Murray, Saint John, 1:30:22
Paul Travis, Moncton, 1:31:03
Gary Ogden, Quispamsis, 1:34:42
Michael Breen, Saint John, 1:34:42

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Ali Kilis, Saint John, 29:29
Paul Nozicka, Newbridge, 31:10
Andrew Vail, Saint John, 31:47
Elita Rahn, Carter’s Point, 32:08
Randy Davis, Saint John, 32:52
Michael Zimmerman, Fredericton, 36:15
Cindy Scott, Ottawa, 36:27
Andrew Johnston, Saint John, 37:05
Meddley Deschenes, Quispamsis, 36:07
Bruce Collin, Dieppe, 37:36

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Paula Keating, Miramichi, 1:21:37
Celine Best, Oromocto, 1:36:42
Jessica Steed, Fredericton, 1:37:41
Hannah Arseneault, West Quaco, 1:38:06
Keely Campbell, Fredericton, 1:40:50
Suzanne Doucet, Quispamsis, 1:41:47
Florence Gillis, Sydney, N.S., 1:43:00
Joy Dionne, Quispamsis, 1:44:52
Lucia Marchelli, Italy, 1:45:21
Jacquelyn Levangie, Halifax, 1:45:22

----

Bruce Savoie Saint John, 2:30:31
Cassandra O’Neill, Saint John, 2:43:14
Dave Morris, Rothesay, 2:44:20
John O’Neill, Saint John, 2:50:56
Judy O’Neill, Saint John, 2:52:23
Diana Fowler, Saint John, 2:59:48
Sherry Bagnell, Old Road, 3:02:03
Kathy Dumouchel, Saint John, 3:06:36
Selena Fournier, Saint John, 3:07:26
Chelsey Cleghorn, McAdam, 3:08:53

Marathon Interest Story from www.mynextrace.com - 2011-08-03

Source: Monterey Herald

Referred by www.mynextrace.com

By LANE WALLACE
Herald Staff Writer

Sur International Marathon participants brought the family and opened their wallets when they came to Monterey County in May, spending more than $10 million.

More than 9,000 people participated in this year's race, stayed an average of nearly three nights in a hotel, and brought 1.36 non-participants with them, said an economic impact report prepared for the marathon by Scott Minto, who heads the sports MBA program at San Diego State University.

Organizers were pleased, but not surprised, by the figures, said Julie Armstrong, a spokeswoman for the marathon.

"We really draw a lot of people who make a destination of the marathon. It's a 'bucket list' item for many," she said.

It was the first such report done on the Big Sur event.

The report found 85 percent of participants have a bachelor's degree and their average household income is $156,000.

Minto prepared his report from surveys of 28 percent of race participants. That is a high percentage that makes the report "extraordinarily accurate," he said. A response of 15 percent is considered comfortable, he said.

When Minto adds what he calls "indirect economic impact" to the $10.2 million in direct spending, the total impact is $18.1 million. That includes the value of goods and services that support tourism-related businesses, and labor income generated by event-related spending.

Race visitors spent an average of $142 person on food, shopping and transportation, and that doesn't include spending at the marathon's Health and Fitness Expo, held in downtown Monterey before the race. Spending at that event was $481,000, but Minto doesn't count a lot of that as local impact.
Most of the vendors were from out of the county — local vendors brought in $120,000.

Local governments are the beneficiaries of sales taxes and hotel taxes generated by the marathon. Minto estimated $603,000 from sales tax, including the expo, and $259,000 in hotel taxes.

Some participants flew in — 20 percent each to San Jose and San Francisco, 8 percent to Monterey — and 49 percent drove.

Jenna Palacio, spokeswoman for the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said events such as the marathon "bring a passionate group" and help promote the county.

"It supports our brand," she said.

Armstrong said there was consideration of not having the report done this year, because the marathon route had to be changed because of a slide on Highway 1, but the decision was made to go ahead.

Minto prepared a report on the Big Sur Half Marathon, held every November. The report calculated $5.1 million in direct spending and $422,000 in taxes generated.

Both are about half what the full marathon brings in.

Lane Wallace can be reached at 646-4478 or mhbusiness@montereyherald.com.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Marathon's million-dollar impact

$10.2M — Direct spending

12,146 — Hotel room nights

$142 — Average daily spent per person (excluding lodging)

$156K — Average household income

Start thinking about the North American Caribbean Track and Field Championships!! - 2011-07-31

NCCWMA Masters Track & Field Champs Date: August 9-12, 2012 Location: Saint John, NB, Canada Event Web site: www.NCCWMA2012.com Contact person: Bill MacMackin, Phone: 506-647-4931 Email: SaintJohnTrack@Yahoo.ca

Kangogo, Perkins take Scotia Vancouver Half marathon titles with canny performances. - 2011-07-12

		Source: www.canadarunningseries.com Alan Brookes June 26th. Lethbridge’s resident Kenyan, Kip Kangogo, and Washington State’s Ruth Perkins both ran canny, intelligent races this morning to claim victory at the 13th annual Scotiabank Vancouver Half marathon in front of a record field of 4,815 . Another 1,396 ran the companion 5K for a grand total of over 6,200 participants. Equally impressive, more than $600,000 was raised for some 40 — mostly local — charities in the Scotiabank Group Charity Challenge. Weather conditions were also ideal for the runners, as they took off at 7am from UBC on one of the world’s most-scenic courses down to Stanley Park: 12 degrees, a little cloud, and hardly a breath of wind. For Kangogo, it was his third win in a row at SVHM; and he displayed a lot of his racing experience and familiarity with the course, as good competition pushed him to his best time in the 3 victories, of 63:22. From the start, Kanagogo was at the front of a pack of 8 who went through 1km in 3 minutes even, and began to open up an appreciable gap over the rest of the runners. (see VIDEO clip). They settled into a rhythm and passed 2k in 6:03 and 3k in 9:00, around the UBC Campus. By the time they reached 5k in a very even 14:58, then 6k in 18:00, attrition had whittled the pack down to the 5 main contenders: Kanagogo, Athletics Toronto’s Matt Loiselle, Speed River TFCs Rob Watson, Vancouver’s Dylan Wykes, and Lethbridge’s Kenyan student, Willy Kimosop. With the exception of Kimosop, all four are planning to begin training in the next two weeks for Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 16th, when they’ll be racing for the Olympic qualifying standard of 2:11:30 and a trip to London 2012 — so today’s race was a great opportunity to see where current fitness levels are, and to kick-start their Olympic bids. Just after 7k [21:03] Loiselle started to push the pace and in fairly short order the group was down to three. Despite his internationally competitive 62:14 PR at the New York City Half on March 20th, Wykes is coming off a month’s vacation back home with family in Kingston, and he and young Kimosop could not hold on. Loiselle continued to boss the pace down the major hill from UBC onto Spanish Banks, and he, Kanagogo and Watson cruised through 10K in 29:37. Then, as Loiselle kept the pressure on with two more sub 3-minute kilometres [11k in 32:33 & 12k in 35:31] Watson gradually slipped back. As Loiselle and Kangogo continued to turn the screw up the first major rise from Jericho Beach to 4th Avenve, the break became complete and the race was down to two (13k in 38:38 with hill). “I wanted to come here and give it my best shot,” said a satisfied Watson after the race. “There was no point in coming here to run for 3rd or 4th, so I wanted to get up there and give it a shot.” Kangogo strategically tucked in behind Loiselle through Point Grey, allowing his younger adversary to do the lifting until the pace began to slip between 14k & 15k [41:46 & 44:55]. He moved out to take charge. After softening up Loiselle through Kits Beach, Kangogo dropped the hammer going up the kilometre-long rise on Burrard Bridge between 18k and 19k. The move was swift and decisive. Kangogo then covered the 20th kilometre coming down off the bridge in a spritely 2:34 and it was all over. Matt Loiselle hung on for a strong 2nd place in 63:47 [a new PR], and Rob Watson stayed tough to hold off a late move from Dylan Wykes for 3rd and 4th places [64:20 and 64:35]. As @robbiedxc tweeted, “that bridge sucked. I wanted to jump off”. Kimosop took 5th in 66:04, and Loiselle’s improving training partner, Rejean Chiasson, was 6th in 66:15. The Women’s race was no less intriguing in it’s outcome, featuring some veterans and some exciting new, up-and-coming talent. As I asked in yesterday’s Preview Blog, would this be Keddi-Anne Sherbino’s “Coming out party or her come-uppance?” The 21 year-old student from Tsawwassen has burst onto the scene with two marathon runs and two victories: 2:53 in Okanagan last Fall and then a 10-minute improvement to 2:43 in Vancouver on May 1st. In the end it was neither. Keddi -Anne showed there is definitely a talent to be developed with some more-structured training, clocking a solid 1:18:09 for 6th, and less than 2 minutes back of winner Ruth Perkins (1:16:14). Like Kip Kangogo, the 32 year-old mother of two, Perkins, showed her guiles in getting today’s victory. Two other new Canadian talents on the road — Port Moody’s Natasha Wodak and St. John’s, Newfoundland’s Kate Vaughan — pushed the early pace and created some considerable excitement. Both ran the 5,000m on the track at the Canadian Nationals in Calgary on Friday night, where the rivals from opposite ends of the country actually roomed together. Much more of a 5,000m and 10,000m track runner, Wodak said she went out “much too fast. I was 34:34 at 10k. I was faster for my 5k split this morning than I was on the track for 5,0000m Friday night! The last 5k were painful, but I’m glad I hung on and finished strong. My 1:17:14 today was 5 minutes faster than the only other half marathon I’ve run, about 4 years ago. I enjoyed the roads this morning much more than the track on Friday! But I’m going to have to do more training if I’m going to race this far again.” The more-experienced American, who is working on her speed in early build up to the US Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston in January, bided her time. Perkins ran behind Vaughan and Wodak until Natasha injudiciously surged ahead after 5k. The American then ran with Vaughan until around 10k, when she moved out in pursuit of the speedy Wodak. “Around 13 or 14k I just went BAM and everything just seized up,” said Wodak. Perkins caught her at that key point around 18k going onto the uphill of the Burrard Bridge. “I tried to fight her off,” said Wodak, “but she just went by me. All I could do was watch her!” A very satisfied Perkins said that she also wanted to “practice racing today, not just going for a time. I wanted to race the other girls.” The 26-year-old Vaughan then passed Wodak to take 2nd in 1:16:24 — just 10 seconds behind Perkins and closing. “I was pleased with today. It was ok,” said the Newfoundlander. “I would have liked to run a bit faster, but the legs just weren’t as peppy as I’d like after Friday night.” She will go onto defend her title and shoot for a course record (55:47) at her hometown “Telly Ten” next month, arguably the best race in Atlantic Canada. Last year she ran 56:36 there, the 3rd fastest women’s time at the race, and the fastest time there in almost 20 years. After the Telly Ten, Vaughan will aim for a breakthrough performance at the Scotia Toronto Waterfront Half. We’ll see Natasha Wodak next in the CRS’ OASIS ZooRun 10K on September 24th — again the Athletics Canada National 10K Road Championships. Vancouver’s Gillian Gook had a quietly impressive run for 4th in 1:17:33, and Calgary’s Emily Kroshus, who was crowned National Marathon Champion after her win in Ottawa a month ago, began her comeback with a 1:18:58 for 7th, one place behind Keddi-Anne Sherbino. Fellow Calgarian and defending Champion, Lisa Harvey, had a tough day with some new orthotics and struggled home 9th in 1:20:11. Toronto’s Jane Cullis perhaps had the toughest day, clocking a disappointing 1:20:18 for 10th — 4 minutes off the breakthrough time she ran in Toronto 5 weeks ago. Harvey’s run was still good enough to earn her top Women’s Masters Honours. The Men’s Masters crown went to Vancouver’s Kevin O’Connor who came home in an impressive 70:18, 8th overall. Stanley Park, with the snow-capped North Shore Mountains and the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop, provided an appropriately inspirational Finish Line for an exciting morning of racing, running and fundrasing. Runner’s World’s Coach Jenny Hadfield gave the event “Two thumbs up! Beautiful course. Great crowd support. And a very cool finisher’s medal.” And David Porte closed out the day for me with an enormous smile. He personally raised $44,000 for Juvenile Arthritis, as the captain of “Cassie and Friends” team, AND was kind enough to share the team’s celebratory chocolate cake with us!

Weekly bulletin from www.alexcoffin.com - 2011-06-27

Inspiration for this week!! The Sea Dogs getting drafted to the NHL of course! A big thanks to Yvon Vautour for bringing the “cups” to work!! “Snookie” won the recent waist measurement challenge with the Weight Loss Group. This employee lost 1.5 inches!! Real names are kept secret for the challenge but this is still very inspirational for the rest of our employees!! E-mail me if you are interested in taking part in our summer challenge!! Coach Maureen, who helps coordinate the weight loss group, is offering a free boot camp on Thursdays at 12:10pm from the Golden Ball. Each participant receives a gift certificate from Alex!! Important News THE HEART AND STROKE FOUNDATION 2011 STROKE MONTH REPORT WARNS: Low stroke awareness puts women at risk of cutting their lives short Read the HSF Stroke Month Report 2011, watch the video, and learn the stroke warning signs here: http://smr.newswire.ca/en/heart-and-stroke-foundation/stroke-is-urgent Strength Tip Don’t forget about your legs and knee stability!! A great addition to squats is side steps on to a step. As you get stronger, you can start holding weights. A nice routine is 10 reps each leg. This is a fantastic way to enhance your lateral stability!! Swimming/ Water Running Tip Wetsuits last forever so they are a great investment. Not only do they help you swim with proper form but they also act like a life jacket if you start to struggle. The buoyancy of the suit keeps your hips and legs high so you don’t drag your body through the water. Most wetsuits are so buoyant that you can sit in the water with your head above the surface without using your arms or legs to scull!! A big tip for open water is to always wear a bright swim cap so that you are visible to boats!! Flexibility/ Stretching/ Core Tip Before I did “bam stretching”. This week is isometric stretching and two crucial stretches for runners and walkers are featured. Isometric stretching involves adding resistance to a stretch without the changing the muscle length. This is a very aggressive technique and is often done in a partner situation. However, there are two fairly easy stretches that can help walkers/runners in two major trouble areas; the hamstrings and the ilio-tibial band. For the hamstrings, you situate yourself by a door so that one leg is on the floor through the door and the other leg rests straight up against the wall frame beside the door. Once you get yourself in a position where you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, you apply gentle pressure against the wall frame with your leg. It is great to do this in grades where you slide yourself three times further through the door increasing the angle of your leg up pausing for a full minute each time for the stretch! For the IT band stretch, you merely lay on your back and cross one leg over your body. With your opposite arm’s hand on the side of your upper leg above the knee, apply gentle pressure downwards as you attempt to lift your leg upwards. Do the 3 grades for each side and you have just done an incredible stretching session. The caution here is this is meant as a session on it’s own so you warm up first with a jog or a walk, do this stretching session which takes about 10 minutes and then warm down with a jog or a walk. This is the perfect workout to support your other walk/runs!!! And you can still say “bam” after each stretch!! Walking Tip These are the longest days of the summer so try an early morning walk to start your day off right!! It is bright like the middle of the day but you don’t have to worry about the traffic as much. When you walk in the morning, try to split your breakfast in two so that you have a something before for energy but not so much that you feel uncomfortable. My choice this morning was a yogurt and fruit beforehand. Then I had a bowl of cereal afterwards!! Running Tip I talked about tempo runs last week. This week, I’ll mention a great option for ensuring you get an effective tempo run which is using a race!! If you enter some races as training, this takes a lot of pressure off and helps you gain experience for your goal event later. Most events are fundraisers so you are helping out a cause and it is a nice way to push the pace a little bit. The effort will feel a lot easier with other people than it will when by yourself individually!! Two excellent options coming up are the Lacrosse Fundraiser 5K Run this Sunday at 10am from Barnhill School and then on Canada Day, there is an event in Grand Bay- Westfield that includes a 10 miler, 10K and a 5K!! Article of the Week This is a very interesting article on the possible effects of exercising too much. This study was specific to cyclists… http://runningmagazine.ca/2011/06/sections/training/blogs/how-much-exercise-is-too-much/ Healthy BBQ Ideas- Prepared by Registered Dietitian Karen Simon It is barbeque season. Why not pick up fresh whole wheat hamburger and hot dog buns at the bakery. Sobeys also carries gluten free hamburger and hot dog buns in the natural source department. Topping for that burger? Did you know Heinz now makes low sodium ketchup? It has 60 mg of sodium per tablespoon, compared to 140 mg per tablespoon in regular ketchup. Contest of the Week Last week’s answer was Jamie McSkimming - Toronto, ON - 25:33 (1981) and Michelle Cormier - Fredericton, NB - 29:59 (1999). Carolyn Prebble wins!! This week’s contest is a real eye opener. Vegetables can help hydrate you but I was shocked at how much water is found in vegetables that I would have considered “dry”. What % of broccoli is usually made up of water and what is the main anti-oxidant that you find in broccoli?

New champion dedicates Manitoba Marathon win to people with disabilities - 2011-06-24

CTV News

A new champion took the Manitoba Marathon crown Sunday morning, finishing almost nine minutes ahead of his closest competitor as last year's winner fell back to 4th place.

"I'm so excited…I'm so happy" said Philip Samoei shortly after crossing the finish line in first place. "It was tough for me. I wanted to run in front so that if someone caught up it would be ok, so I really pushed myself the whole race."

Samoei finished with a time of 2:35:45.6, followed by Adam Aleshka at 2:44:09.8. Last year's winner, Mike Booth, finished in 4th place with a time of 2:44:54.3.

"I didn't run for money, I ran for support of those with disabilities," said Samoei who is native to Kenya. "It's good to support them."

He wasn't the only runner hitting the pavement for a cause.

"I work with adults and children with physical and intellectual disabilities," said the top female, Gina Tessman. "So what better race to run than the Manitoba Marathon?"

Tessman finished with a time of 2:58:04.4, improving vastly on her 19th place finish last year.

"It's a long three hours," said the 25-year-old who just returned to Winnipeg after her honeymoon in Cuba. "Just making sure you don't start off too hard, I think that's everybody's goal. Just keeping the pace and then trying to pick it up the last mile, if that's possible. I'm pretty excited and I couldn't have done it without my team."

The Manitoba Marathon is a fundraiser for people with disabilities. Since the race began in 1979, runners have raised more than $4 million and helped kick start more than 300 projects across the province. As a result, hundreds of Manitobans have been moved from institutionalized care and welcomed back into their communities.

MacLennan, Brown capture Miles Marathon titles - 2011-06-24

Chronicle Herald

NEW GLASGOW — David MacLennan crossed the finish line and entered the record books at the 36th annual Johnny Miles Marathon in New Glasgow on Sunday.

The Scotsburn resident won for the eighth time, breaking the tape at 2:48:23. The win ties him with Bob Russell for the all-time lead.

"It’s great to have done it, now I can forget about doing it," the four-time Blue Nose Marathon winner said with a smile moments after crossing the finish line.

Scott Clark of Summerside, P.E.I. (2:53:46) and Sydney’s Donald Macintyre (2:55:30) rounded out the top three.

The weather on Sunday was ideal for distance running. Mainly overcast skies gave way to the occasional patch of sun with a light breeze. Rain started to fall just as the marathoners started crossing the finish line.

MacLennan said that although he hoped to be a little faster, he was thrilled with the win and tying the record. He admitted his legs were heavy the whole way but his main focus was on being first to the line. Being able to race at home and do well is important to MacLennan, he said.

"This is my marathon," said MacLennan. "You really want to do well. Your family is here and stuff so it’s great to do well."

Beth Ellen Brown also did well on Sunday, perhaps starting a streak of her own.

The Charlottetown resident, running in just her second marathon and her first Johnny Miles, came away with the win, crossing the line in 3:30:08. It was a best time by eight minutes and Brown said she couldn’t be happier.

"It was a great result," she said. "For me it’s pretty good."

Brown made the trip to New Glasgow last year to run in the half marathon before taking on her first marathon last October. She said the quality of the event makes the trip well worth it.

"The race is excellent. It’s flat and it’s just beautiful."

Alexandra Maher of St. John’s (3:40:01) and Lyse Leblanc of Belle Cote (3:40:30) completed the women’s podium.

Almost 2,000 people participated in Sunday’s event, which included the marathon, a half marathon, 10k and 5k races.

Besides Brown and MacLennan, other winners on Sunday included Matthew White of Dartmouth (1:20:36) and Manda Watt of Truro (1:35:27) in the half marathon, Brent Addison of Hammonds Plains (33:10) and Emily Hamilton of Dartmouth (39:32) in the 10k and South River’s Patrick Marlow (17:35) and Rayleen Hill of Dartmouth (18:05) in the 5k.

As for whether or not MacLennan will take a stab at win No. 9 next year, he said it’s a little early to think about but he’ll likely be at the start line.

"We’ll be here next year, that’s all I can tell you for sure."

Saskatchewan Marathon runners feed off competition - 2011-06-19

By Taylor Lambert, The StarPhoenix

After finishing second last year, Saskatoon’s Brian Michasiw was hoping for — but not expecting — a better result this time around at the Saskatchewan Marathon.

And while the five-time winner finished as the runner-up once again to Brendan Lunty of Camrose, Alta., the day was a victory nonetheless.

Michasiw’s time of two hours, 36 minutes and 55 seconds was a personal best, edging his previous top time by nearly three minutes.

“I’m 42 and I’ve been running marathons for 20 years,” said Michasiw, the owner of Brainsport running shop.

“I owe a lot to Brendan for that because he just pushed me along.”

Lunty’s time of 2:35:08 shaved two minutes and 34 seconds off his winning time last year.

“I feel fantastic. I feel great,” said Lunty. “I feel like I could run five more (kilometres).”

Lunty lingered after crossing the finish line along Pinehouse Drive, waiting for Michasiw to cross. The two runners embraced and congratulated each other after running nearly the entire 42 km race side by side and ahead of the pack.

“If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have been nearly as fast as I was,” said Lunty. “We were pushing each other for 34 km. If he wasn’t there, maybe I still win, but I wouldn’t have had nearly the time that I did.”

Michasiw also enjoyed the competitive companionship along the route.

“I feel so lucky to have had him to run with for so far,” Michasiw said. “It just makes the kilometres melt away like nothing.

“It was obvious that I wasn’t able to keep his tempo up and he just slowly pulled away from me. I don’t think I slowed down very much, he just sped up.”

Jamesy Patrick of Saskatoon was the top women’s finisher in the marathon with a time of 3:20:25. The men’s half-marathon was won by Jamie Epp of Saskatoon in 1:16:57, while Erin Humphreys and Marcia Richards of Saskatoon tied for the victory in the women’s half-marathon in 1:27:57.

The day also featured a 10 km race, and a two km Marafun event featuring 390 elementary school students.

The sky threatened rain and the slight wind made things a bit nippy for the organizers and spectators, but gave the participants a perfect running day.

“It’s cool, there’s a breeze, it’s perfect,” said Lunty.

Added Michasiw: “I don’t know how many times I’ve run this race and it’s a little cold or a little snowy. But today was just unbelievable.”

The win is Lunty’s first back-to-back victory in any marathon. Asked what is next on his to-do list, he didn’t hesitate.

“A shower and a beer.”

Patrick gets first top finish

As Jamesy Patrick crossed the finish line at the Saskatchewan Marathon Sunday morning, she followed the ritual of pretty much every other runner.

She accepted her medal from a volunteer. She took the cup of water and plastic shawl offered. She caught her breath and high-fived whomever was in close proximity.

Then she pulled out her phone.

The Saskatoon resident grew up on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast, where her parents live, and she had to call them to tell them she had just won the women’s marathon — her first victory ever.

“It felt pretty good,” said Patrick. “I have to say, it’s like the most organized race. The people on the course are amazing and it makes a huge difference.”

Patrick ran the 42-kilometre course in three hours, 20 minutes and 25 seconds, a significant improvement over her time of 3:34:42 from last year’s event, when she finished fourth in the women’s class.

A University of Saskatchewan law student, she joined other runners in praising the cool and cloudy conditions as helpful for endurance.

“This is perfect,” said Patrick, 27. “No one wants hot sun on a marathon day.”

Celeste Crosschild placed second in 3:21:21, while Kristy Husulak, in 3:30:30, rounded out the all-Saskatoon podium with a third-place finish.

All three of the women had significant improvements over their times from last year: Crosschild shaved nearly six minutes off her second-place time from 2010, while Husulak improved by 39 minutes after an eighth-place finish last time.

As hometown athletes, all three women received cheers from the crowd at the start/finish line along Pinehouse Drive.

For Patrick, running is something she took up early in her undergraduate career, and she has come a long way since then.

“(My first marathon) was awful,” she said. “It took me four hours and 17 minutes. But I just got hooked.”

For this, her sixth marathon, Patrick continued her usual training, though she made it sound like no big deal, saying she runs only “for fun.”

That fun includes running about 10 to 15 km per day, as well as a biweekly excursion of 20 to 30 km.

While the average person might balk at such impressive dedication, it paid off for Patrick as she accepted a gold medal in her hometown race.

“It’s an honour."

Humidity was tough at the National Capital Marathon - 2011-05-31

Source: Ottawa Citizen

If Laban Moiben of Kenya and Kebebush Haile Lema of Ethiopia had a chance to sit down over a cup of coffee after the wet and warm 37th Ottawa Marathon, they would have discovered they had a lot in common when it comes to Canada's most successful race over 42.195 kilometres.

They could open the conversation by talking about their past Ottawa Race Weekend experiences, where neither of them had reached the top step of the medal podium, but had come extremely close in their previous two attempts over the past four years. In 2007, Lema was second in two hours 35 minutes 41 seconds and third in 2008 in 2: 33: 48, while Moiben also was a runner-up in 2010 in 2: 09: 43 and fourth in 2009 in 2: 14: 17.

But all of that changed Sunday, when Moiben and Lema discovered what it felt like to be crowned the Ottawa Marathon champion and they're $20,000 U.S. richer each for it. Their fast times also earned them bonuses of $5,000 for Moiben and $1,500 for Lema.

Moiben, who ran strongly in a dwindling pack for most of the race before asserting himself over the final 400 metres, took the men's title in 2: 10: 17.9, while Lema was the women's champion in 2: 32: 14.0

If they talked about their races, they would have learned the humidity affected both of their performances, slowed their times and seriously prevented them from challenging the race records.

"The rain was the difference, the humidity. I tried my best," said Laban, who felt cooler temperatures and no rain would have allowed him to beat Arata Fujiwara's race record of 2: 09: 34. "The humidity was very high.

"The time is nice as I was under 2: 11. But my goal was to run 2: 08 to 2: 09. It was the humidity I didn't like."

When Lema, 25, stood at the start line, she wasn't confident she would have a memorable race, even though she was the top-ranked runner in the field based on a oneyear-old personal best time of 2: 25: 31.

"I didn't think I would do well," she said through a translator. "The air was not good. It was difficult. It was very difficult to breathe."

Manny Rodrigues, the Ottawa Race Weekend elite athletes' co-ordinator, agreed with Moiben and Lema.

"If we didn't have the humidity, we would have seen a 2: 08. The pacesetters (six for men, two for women) did a great job," he said.

As their conversation moved along, Lema and Moiben would discover that they both were coming off injuries that interrupted their training schedules. Lema had to deal with a hip issue, while Moiben pulled a muscle in his right leg two weeks ago.

"I am much better now," Lema said.

Moiben wasn't 100 per cent healthy for his run on the new marathon course, which snaked through Chinatown, Little Italy, Westboro, Gatineau and downtown Ottawa, and attracted a record entry of 5,024 runners.

"I'm not in good shape," he said. "I'm in average shape, about 80 to 90 per cent."

While Moiben was happy overall with the final result, runner-up Dereje Abera Ali of Ethiopia would have been happier if he hadn't miscalculated the location of the finish line. He was running with Moiben and countryman Dino Sefir Kemal, when he pulled up with 100 metres remaining, thinking he had reached the finish.

OTTAWA MARATHON RESULTS

See the Top 10 list of finishers for both the men's and women's marathon and half-marathon on the scoreboard page, B4.

Ali eventually crossed the finish line in 2: 10: 18.8 and earned $12,000 for second place and a $5,000 time bonus. Kemal, competing in his marathon debut, was third in 2: 10: 32.4 for $10,000 and a $5,000 time bonus.

Ethiopia's Biruktawit Eshetu Degefa was second in the women's marathon in 2: 33: 14.7 for $12,000 and a $1,500 time bonus. Radiya Adilo Roba completed the Ethiopian medal sweep with a third-place finish in 2: 36: 58.1 for a $10,000 pay cheque and a $750 time bonus.

A little further back in each of the men's and women's fields were Canadian champions Lucas McAneney of Toronto and Calgary-born Emily Kroshus, who lives in Boston while pursuing her doctoral studies in public health at Harvard University.

McAneney, who was hit by cramps at the 35-kilometre mark but worked his way through it, won his first national men's championship and $5,000 in 2: 19: 51.8. He finished 11th overall.

"The crowds were a major help over the last five to six kilometres," he said"It's great to be the Canadian champion. My goal was to win the championship. I did what I had to do."

Kroshus, who was thrilled to see her husband Matt Hawrilenko finish his first marathon in 4: 14: 01.3, had trained to run a faster time and wasn't pleased with her winning performance of 2: 42: 26.2, which was a personal-best time.

"I went for it early, but the pace was too aggressive for the day. I backed off," said Kroshus, who was hoping to run about 2: 38.

"Today was not necessarily my best day, but I stayed tough. I kept telling myself not to give up."

Quebec City runners dominated the half-marathons, winning both the men's and women's titles and taking four of the six medals.

Stanislas Papadimitiou won the men's race in 1: 12: 49.1, while Johann Salazar was second in 1: 13: 59.1.

Third place went to Charles Nedeau of Ottawa in 1: 14: 32.8.

In the women's race, Melissa Chenard of Quebec placed first in 1: 22: 54.4, while Kerri Cook of Ottawa was second in 1: 25: 34.2, and Marianne Pelchat of Quebec was third in 1: 27: 24.2.

The only major health incident in Sunday's races involved a man who suffered a heart attack Sunday morning near the starting line for the half-marathon, said race director John Halvorsen.

Runners nearby administered CPR before medics arrived, and the man was later taken to hospital.

Marlene Orton, a spokeswoman for the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, declined to provide any details on the man's status, citing patient confidentiality.

Wieczorek continues hot streak from Boston - 2011-05-23

Source: Chronicle Herald

Greg Wieczorek was widely expected to win Sunday’s Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon, but not necessarily in a romp.

The Halifax resident originally from Ontario won his second straight Blue Nose title, smashing the course record by more than seven minutes in 2:28:53. He broke the standard of 2:35:35 set by Scotsburn’s David MacLennan in the inaugural Blue Nose in 2004.

He won by more than half an hour over Summerside’s Scott Clark, who placed second in 2:59:14. Clark, now with three second-place finishes and three thirds in the last six years, and two runners along side him took a wrong turn at the 22-kilometre mark and ran at least four additional kilometres.

Under grey skies with a cool breeze and occasional mist, Wieczorek ran even splits of 1:14, saving fuel early for the second half and the hills of Dartmouth. The 29-year-old chartered accountant for the Homburg Group said running conditions were ideal.

"You couldn’t ask for a better day," said Wieczorek, wrapped in a thermal blanket near the finish line in the moments after the race. "The temperature was perfect and there was a negligible breeze. All in all the marathon gods were smiling down upon us today."

All Blue Nose events on the weekend combined attracted more than 10,400 registered runners, up from 9,500 last year. Saturday’s youth run drew 3,100.

Wieczorek nearly matched his career-best of 2:28:08 from a marathon in Washington, D.C., in March. He was second overall in that event and top Canadian.

Last October in New York, he ran a 2:30:43 and was also top Canadian. He’ll run the Chicago Marathon in October.

Wieczorek and MacLennan, a four-time Blue Nose winner, are the only back-to-back champions. MacLennan opted out of the full marathon this year and placed second in the half-marathon.

"Two in a row — it’s nice to keep the streak going," said Wieczorek, whose wife Maura was second in the women’s marathon in 3:18:21. "I hope to be a fixture at this race for years to come. We’ll see if I’ve got more in me in future years."

Wieczorek and his wife only moved to Halifax three weeks before last year’s marathon.

He knew of MacLennan by reputation before embarking on his first Blue Nose run.

He tipped his cap to MacLennan Sunday as he took the course record.

"To eclipse the mark set by a Nova Scotia marathon legend like David is a real honour," said Wieczorek, who ran a 2:39:03 to win in 2010. "It’s very humbling. He’s got an amazing track record and I feel very fortunate to have followed in his shoes."

It was a solitary jaunt through Halifax and Dartmouth for the champion.

A training partner paced him for the first 45 minutes, but he didn’t see anybody after that. He came through the midway mark a full four minutes ahead of Mike MacKinnon of Miscouche, P.E.I.

Clark decided to complete the race despite his disappointment at the events on the course. He was nearly six minutes behind Wieczorek at the half.

He stopped short of blaming organizers for the miscue, but said there was ample confusion on the course, which has plagued the Blue Nose in the past, with so many runners in various events on the roads.

He added it’s not the first time he’s taken a wrong turn in Halifax and that’s it’s deflating after spending so much time in training.

"Three of us got misdirected …right after the half and we ended up running an extra four to four and a half kilometres before we got back on course. So it was hard to keep my heart in it after that.

"It’s confusing out there," he added. "There are so many people out and so many different directions. It’s unfortunate. I’m not complaining about it. It’s our responsibility to know the way and we got lost. It happens. I tried to make a positive out of it."

Clark said Wieczorek’s time is extraordinary given the roller-coaster ride that is the Blue Nose layout.

"I’ve run a lot of courses in North America and this is by far one of the toughest. Good for Greg. He deserves the course record here. On this course, that’s unbelievable."

New Glasgow’s Kevin Tulloch was third in 2:59:31. Ryan Nutbrown of London, Ont., was fourth in 3:00:01 and MacKinnon fifth in 3:01:15.

A month after an ailing Mylene Sansoucy trudged through the Boston Marathon, the Halifax resident ran the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon healthier and in near record time.

Competing in her first Blue Nose marathon, the 29-year-old — originally from Montreal but now living in Halifax — crossed the finish in three hours 56 seconds, less than a minute off the record pace of 3:00:07.8 set by 2009 women’s champion Jen Nicholson.

It was the second straight victory in the women’s full marathon for a Montreal-raised runner. Kinue Taga won the 2010 Blue Nose event.

The victory helped ease the raw memories of last month’s Boston Marathon. Battling a nasty cold and flu-like symptoms, Sansoucy was 44 minutes slower in Boston than she was on Sunday.

"I was very sick," recalled Sansoucy, who’s been living in Nova Scotia since October.

"That marathon would have been really easy but I was in bad shape. I did 3:44 because I was so sick. I was just happy to finish it. I was completely dehydrated and sick for days after it. I certainly didn’t perform as I wanted so now I am very satisfied to post a really good one.

"I was looking for 3:10, my best time before was 3:11 in Montreal, so I am completely satisfied."

Maura Wieczorek of Halifax was second with a time of 3:18:21.

Sansoucy said the cool, overcast conditions were "perfect for running."

Once she put Giv’er Hill, the steep incline on Maple Street in Dartmouth, behind her, it was smooth sailing for Sansoucy.

"The hills in Dartmouth were quite rough with the wind," Sansoucy said. "But I’m used to hills, having run in Quebec City.

"But after those hills, it was really nice around the lake (Lake Micmac and Lake Banook)."

All was not lost for Wieczorek, whose husband Greg captured the men’s marathon in record time.

Still, her pace was well off the 3:05:44 she posted at the Washington SunTrust Marathon in Washington, D.C., in late March. Wieczorek was sixth among the women in the U.S. capital.

With that result, excitement had built leading up to Sunday’s races that the Wieczoreks could be joining each other in the winner’s circle in Halifax.

"It would have been nice to join Greg," said Wieczorek, who was otherwise pleased with her performance.

"Last year, I had to walk quite a bit so what I wanted to do this year was improve on my time. I worked hard out there and I got sick three times so I’m happy I finished. It was a solid effort."

Margot Doucet of St. John’s, N.L. (3:21:36) was third followed by Halifax’s Suzanne Ferrier (3:26:57) and Kim MacAskill of Kanata, Ont. (3:29:28).

Check out race photos at:
http://thechronicleherald.ca/ch_includes/newslideshow.php?gallery=230363

Mississauga Marathoners battle the rain!! - 2011-05-16

Source: The Toronto Star Despite rainy conditions, thousands of runners trekked onward to the finish line at Lakefront Promenade Park in Port Credit during the eighth annual Mississauga Marathon this morning. The 42-kilometre race began just east of Square One at City Centre Dr. and Robert Speck Pkwy before concluding in front of hundreds of cheering fans greeting the runners at the finish line. Josphat Nzinga of Toronto took this year’s title completing course in 2 hours, 27 minutes and 50 seconds. Jacob Mengich of Brampton was second at 2:31.44 while John Dow of Barrie was the bronze medalist, finishing at 2:47.25 The top Mississauga finisher was Sean Kriby, who finished sixth in 2:50.57. Tracy Wollschlager of Novi, Michigan was the top female with a mark of 3:01.15 to finish 27th overall. The top female from Mississauga was Kerry Walker, who finished 43rd overall (fifth among women) at 3:09.55. Lionel Sanders of Windsor won the half-marathon with a time of 1:07.41, 12 seconds ahead of the closest competitor, last year’s winner Jhon Quispe-Sanchez of Milton. Kevin Smith was the first Mississaugan to cross the line at 1:14.51 to finish fourth overall while Toronto’s Lucy Njeri was the top woman in the race, finishing sixth with a mark of 1:16.06. "We’re very happy with the turnout," said Ben McCarty of Landmark Sport Group’s event division, who organized this year’s marathon. "It hasn’t been spectacular with sunshine but the rain has held off for both starts on Saturday night and Sunday morning." This year’s Marathon featured over 10,000 runners competing in seven different events over two days. It fell below last year’s record setting 14,000 mark partly because of the Good Life Fitness Toronto Marathon, also taking place today. "With Toronto unfortunately being on our date, it looks like our numbers are going down," Mississauga run spokeswoman Sharon Podatt told the Toronto Star earlier this week. "And they should be going up. The number (of runners) typically has increased year over year." Despite the decrease in participants, it didn’t deter many international competitors from attending the Marathon, now a certified Boston Marathon qualifier. "I have some elite athletes that have applied for visas and they’ve come from Kenya and Ethiopia," said McCarty. "There’s a couple from Brazil as well so a really strong international field this year." Aside from the full and half marathon, the day also featured a Corporate/Team Relay race and a 2K Family Fun Run. Campbell & Lee Investment Management from Oakville were the top dogs in their first year running the Corporate/Team Relay race. "It was nice to win because its good sort of team building for the firm," said president Bruce Campbell. "(The Marathon) is well organized and there was a lot of support. I was running the anchor leg so I got the benefit of everybody cheering." This year’s Mississauga Marathon helped raise funds for numerous charities including the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada, Trillium Health Centre oncology Unit, Credit Valley Hospital Foundation, United Way of Peel Region, MS Society Mississauga Chapter, Jerry Love Children’s Fund and the YMCA.

Goodlife Toronto was wet too!! - 2011-05-16

Source: Globe and Mail

There was no word more fitting to describe the day of the 2011 GoodLife Toronto Marathon than “raw”.

It was a chill spring Sunday morning, with a drizzle that turned to icy snow showers from time to time. A blustery wind whipped in from everywhere.

And so did 25-year-old Brendan Kenny of Dundas, Ont., who won the 35th running of the GoodLife Toronto marathon race. It was not a world-beating time -- 2 hours 27 minutes 20 seconds -- but it was a foul-weather wonder, nonetheless.

The time qualified Kenny for next April’s Boston Marathon classic. And it beat back the long font-running lead of Kenyan-born Josphat Ongeri, a stablemate of London Olympic prospect Reid Coolsaet. Ongeri, who now lives in Hamilton, Ont., led from the fifth kilometre to the 40th of the 42.2 km race. But Ongeri is basically a half-manathoner and he faded in the stretch. He was timed almost a minute slower at 2:29.19.

Kenny, a 25-year-old high school teacher who trains on his own, was second in the last Toronto Marathon.

He was pulling for his 50-year-old mother Sally to make the Boston qualifying standard with him (she was 190th in 4:10, missing out by 5 minutes).

“It’s only the second time I’ve run this marathon,” he said. “The first half of the course is definitely faster than the second. It was definitely good, tough conditions with the rain and the wind... And you’ve always got to respect the distance, 42 kilometres. In the end, the leader came back to me.”

Nashville, Ontario’s’s Melissa Begin posted the fastest time among women in the marathon, finishing in 2:54:51, the 34 year-old’s first ever marathon win. Second was Nathalie Goyer of St. Bruno, Que.., at 2:58:20.

Eliud Lagat, from the running hotbed of Eldoret, Kenya, won the half-marathon at 1:10:39 with former Olympic silver medalist and world champ Douglas Wakihuri a respectful distance behind at 1:14:09. Toronto’s Jane Cullis won the women’s half-marathon in 1:16.44.

With the race moved to a spring slot for the first time this season, after Toronto motorists whined about two fall marathons clogging Sunday streets, the field for the GoodLife Toronto marathon fell just short of the 10,000 who participated in the past. Some 2,00 participated in the full marathon event, which started at Mel Lastman Square on Yonge Street in North York.

The race couldn’t offer the prize money to attract big name runners but took on the air of a social-cause rallying point. Big-time charities took up the slack, with the Japan Relief Fund -- still billions of dollars shy for reconstruction after the earthquake and tsunami -- being prominent. So also were Princess Margaret Hospital, pancreatic and other cancers, diabetes treatment and bone-marrow registration sponsored by Air Canada pilots.

“It’s rough out there,” said race director Jay Glassman referring to more than race conditions. “People are running for all kinds of causes.”

“Running is always more than running,” said track road legend Roger Robinson, who has represented both Britain and New Zealand in international races. “It’s a sport that has causes.”

Atsushi Kawazu, the event coordinator in Canada for the Japanese charitable body, said there were about 150 runners coming to the tape in “Canada runs for Japan” tee-shirts, worth between $30 and $60. Some 300 were sold for the relief effort.

“It’s helpful, of course,”said Kawazu. “It’s small compared to what people must do in Japan, but it’s our opportunity to do something for the people. We can raise awareness.”

When race Glassman heard that at least 150 Japanese charity workers were either being recruited from Japan or coming from recent immigrants, he dropped the entry registration fee by about 30 per cent.

On March 11, when the magnitude 9 earthquake hit, almost 25,000 people went missing or lost. More than 83,000 households were destroyed. Less than $2-billion in donations have been given; some 99 per cent still needs to be found.

Another major change in the race has come with the strong influx of women runners. About 52 per cent of yesterday’s running field was made up of women.

“When I was starting the lead in the push for women’s running, I saw the difference,” says women’s running pioneer Kathrine Switzer.

“In 1967, a race director tried to get me out of his race just because I’m a woman. Now, who’d have believed the change that has happened in my time?”

Actor gets the press at Vancouver Marathon - 2011-05-16

Source: Vancouver Sun

VANCOUVER -- Actor Charlie Bewley, who raised $20,000 by running in the Bank of Montreal Vancouver marathon Sunday morning, had tears in his eyes as he crossed the finish line, a marathon spokeswoman said.

Deirdre Rowland said the funds raised by Bewley will go to the hospital that helped care for his friend Jocelyn Clarke, a local stunt double, who died of cancer in February.

The money raised by Bewley, who plays the vampire Demetri in the Twilight movie series, will go to the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation.

The marathon raises an estimated $40,000 a year for five different charities.

Organizers say the event drew an estimated 15,000 runners this year; when it began in 1972, there were only 46.

The Vancouver marathon is a scenic course that takes runners along a 42.2-kilometre route through False Creek, Gastown, Stanley Park, English Bay, over the Burrard Bridge, through Point Grey and ending at Concord Place.

This year’s winner was Benard Onsare of Calgary, who came in at 2:19, with Gilbert Kiptoo of Kenya a close second at 2:23.

Last year’s winner, Thomas Omwenga of Kenya, did not return to defend his 2010 title.

Keddi-Anne Sherbino of Kelowna was the first woman to cross the finish line at 2:43, followed by Allison Macsas of Austin, Texas at 2:44.

Sherbino is a member of BC Athletics and last raced the BMO Okanagan marathon in October.

She placed first overall female with a time of 2:53.

The record for the Vancouver marathon was set by Garry Henry of Australia in 1980 with a time of 2:13.

The fastest female time was set by Claudia Camargo in 2007 at 2:35.

ticrawford@vancouversun.com

Top Results included from Boston and Montreal Half!! - 2011-04-19

It's a great start to the year!!

Canadian Half Marathon Championships in Montreal - 2011-04-18

Source: Canadian Runner Magazine On-Line

by Robert Kitz

It was a cold, rainy morning in Montreal for the Canadian half-marathon championships on April 17. But the weather couldn’t dampen the excitement surrounding the highly anticipated match-ups in both the men’s and women’s races.

With an aggressive early pace, Reid Coolsaet and Matt Loiselle quickly broke away from the rest of the field to turn the men’s race into a two-man duel. Loiselle, the underdog, boldly pushed the pace early on. But by halfway, Coolsaet’s pedigree showed as Canada’s top marathoner pulled away to add an eighth Canadian title to his resume. Fighting the wind and rain, Coolsaet crossed the line in 1:04:54, with Loiselle following in 1:05:28.

The women’s race featured established talent Megan Brown, facing off against rising star Dayna Pidhoresky. As in the men’s race, the top two women wasted no time in separating themselves from the rest of the field. After a fast start, Pidhoresky cracked around the half way mark, falling off of the pace and leaving Brown to power home to a 1:14:08 win. Pidhoresky was second in 1:15:03.

Along with the championships, the race featured a field of 3,500 runners, who raised $355,000 for local charities. Full results link is below:

http://www.sportstats.ca/display-results.php?lang=eng&racecode=47812

Ed Whitlock breaks 80+ record!! - 2011-04-11

M80 Ed Whitlock ON finished Sunday’s Rotterdam Marathon in 3:25:43 – breaking Robert Horman’s (AUS) World Record of 3:39:18 (1998) by over 13 minutes! Ed was suffering from the flu in the weeks before the race, so he may lower the record even further at this Fall’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon – which is hosting the Ontario Masters Championship.

Comox and First Half Results are in!! - 2011-04-02

The recent top half results from BC are now in! We'll scan for the Ontario results next:)

Two 1:02 finishes at the NYC Half!! - 2011-03-20

Be sure to check out the latest update in the rankings as Dylan Wykes and Reid Coolsaet both run under 1:03 in New York!

Canada's top marathoners will announce their fall marathon plans this evening at the Feet and Fuel event!! - 2011-03-01

Canada's top marathoners Reid Coolsaet, Eric Gillis and Rob Watson will announce their fall 
marathon plans this evening at the Feet and Fuel event in Guelph, Ontario.  Gillis and Watson 
will be using the competition in the hopes of achieving the Olympic Standard of 2:11:30. While 
Coolsaet, the only Canadian to have achieved the standard thus far will look to improve on his 
personal best time of 2:11:23 and has designs of taking aim at Jerome Drayton's Canadian Record 
of 2:10:09.  The Feet and Fuel event, will include presentations by renowned coach Dave Scott-Thomas, 
who coaches the trio and the team's exercise physiologist Dr. Trent Stellingwerff. Scott-Thomas 
and Stellingwerff will discuss training and nutrition for athletes of all abilities. The event will 
take place at the Best Western Royal Brock Hotel in Guelph and will begin at 7 pm.

Dylan Wykes takes First Half - 2011-02-15

		Check out the updated rankings for the top finishers! Congratulations to Dylan Wykes for a new course record and Ellie Greenwood for winning the women's race. This race featured an unusually fast field of 50-59 men and 40-49 women??

Top 20 Marathons of 2010 - 2011-02-14

1. Ottawa Race Weekend (May) Full Run/Walk 4055 Half Run/Walk 9757

2. Scotia Bank Toronto Waterfront (Sep) Full 2718 Half 7893

3. BMO Vancouver Marathon (May) Full 3546 Half 6592

4. Goodlife Royal Victoria Marathon (Oct) Full 2640 Half 5713

5. Marathon Oasis de Montreal (Sep) Full 2116 Half 5956

6. Goodlife Toronto Marathon (Oct) Full 1994 Half 5480

7. Canon Mississauga Marathon (May) Full 1711 Half 5210

8. Manitoba Lotteries Marathon (Jun) Full 682 Half 3889

9. Scotiabank Calgary (May) Full 858 Half 2786

10. Niagara Falls International Marathon (Oct) Full 1067 Half 2398

11. Marathon des Deux-Rives Levis/Quebec (Aug) Full 974 Half 2345

12.     Road2Hope Hamilton (Nov)     Full 1120 Half 1419

13.    Halifax Scotia Bank Bluenose Marathon    (May)            Full 288        Half 1824

14.    Okanagan Marathon (Oct)    Full 482 Half 1515

15.    Regina Credit Union Queen City Marathon   (Sep)        Full 494        Half 1364

16.    Canadian Derby Edmonton Marathon    (Aug)        Full 543        Half 1302

17.    Saskatchewan Marathon (May)                                                       Full 197   Half 1070

18.    Woody’s RV Red Deer Marathon (May)    Full 178     Half 933

19.    PEC The Country Marathon    (Oct)                Full 232        Half 688

20.    Wolfville Valley Harvest Marathon (Oct)                Full 123        Half 671

20.    PEI Marathon Charletown (Oct)            Full 265
        Half 528

Karen Harvey runs 2:43:33 to win Tallahassee - 2011-02-10

		Source: Trouble Afoot Coming from behind, master runner Esteban Vanegas blew by Jerome Recker in the closing miles of the 37th annual Tallahassee Marathon, winning the event in 2:28:38. In her first marathon, Florida State University track coach Karen Harvey debuted with a 2:43:33 win in the women’s division, the fastest time ever run by a woman in the Tallahassee Marathon. The first master woman was women’s runner up Nina Kraft of Braunschweig, Germany, the 2009 Tallahassee Marathon women’s champ who finished seventh overall in 2:51:43. Karen Harvey, after successes as an athlete in the middle distances and cross-country at both the collegiate and international levels, had decided to try the marathon. As the race left the Florida State campus, Harvey slipped by Nina Craft and to the front of the women’s field. Harvey would never relinquish that lead. Even though she was fading in the closing miles, Harvey had opened such a wide gap on her competition that she finished nearly two kilometers ahead of the runner-up, Craft. Karen is the wife of Olympian 1500 meter runner Kevin Sullivan.

Rob Watson gets a 2:16 - 2011-01-30

Source: Canadian Runner Magazine On-Line

January 30, 2011
By Robert Kitz

Canadian steeplechase champion Rob Watson made his debut at the marathon on Sunday morning in Houston. Watson set a fearless early pace, attacking the first half in a blazing 1:05:28. This ambitious start made for a tough second half, as Watson struggled over the final 10km. But he hung on bravely to finish fourth in 2:16:17 — still an impressive time for his first crack at the distance.

(Photo is from Suza20TOs blog and is from Rob running with Eric Gillis in the Toronto Marathon)

Emily Kroshus runs two early fast half marathons - 2011-01-19

		Emily Kroshus who trains out of Boston just won the half marathon title at an event in Irvine, California and then proceeded to run a faster time to finish 3rd at the PF Chang Rock’nRoll Event in Arizona!

Canadian's marathon victory is a wire-to-wire upset! - 2010-12-05

		Debbie Arrington, Sacramento Bee In a stunning wire-to-wire upset, Canadian Dylan Wykes won the 28th California International Marathon on Sunday. Overlooked by his opposition, the 27-year-old runner from Vancouver led virtually the entire 26.2-mile course from Folsom to the state Capitol to finish in 2:12:39, 11 seconds ahead of Audriy Toptun of the Ukraine. Tesfaye Alemayehu of Ethiopia was third, more than a minute behind the top two at 2:13.59. "I just put my head down and kept going," Wykes said shortly after crossing the finish line at 9th Street and Capitol Mall. "The course was unbelievable. The weather was great. I just had to stay within myself. I just stayed focused." This was only Wykes’ fourth marathon - his first in Sacramento and his first victory. His previous personal record was 2:15:15. "They didn’t expect anything of me," said Wykes, who led by more than 300 yards through most of the race. "But this was exactly what I was looking for." A former cross country runner at Providence College in Rhode Island, he hopes to represent Canada in the 2012 London Olympics. On the women’s side, defending champion Buzunesh Deba, 23, of Ethiopia won easily in 2:32:13. She finished 5 minutes 20 seconds ahead of runner-up Erin Moeller, 33, of Mt. Vernon, Iowa. Poland’s Wioletta Kryza, the 2007 CIM women’s champion, finished third in 2:38.19. "It’s a good course," said Deba, who now makes her home in the Bronx borough of New York City. "It was a little wet, but not bad. ... I like Sacramento." Despite the weekend’s rainy forecast, race conditions for the 8,000 runners were ideal with sunny, clear skies and temperatures hovering in the low 50s. Patchy fog on Capitol Mall greeted the pack that finished after the 3-hour mark, but the expected storms held off. Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/12/05/3234545/cim-race-begins-in-folsom.html#ixzz17HKaxCnG

Chris Brake completes rare sweep!! - 2009-10-26

		Chris Brake of Saint John completed a rare sweep of the three major fall marathons in New Brunswick. Chris first won the Marathon by the Sea in late September in 2:40. Then 3 weeks later, he ran a course record 2:32 at the KV Challenge Marathon. Just a week after that, Chris ran another course record at the Legs for Literacy Marathon in Moncton finishing in 2:42. Chris's time at the KV Challenge Marathon presently ranks him as the #2 marathoner in Atlantic Canada behind Rami Bardeesy of Halifax and in the top 30 nationally!!

4000 runners took on Edmonton marathon - 2009-09-03

By Chris O'Leary, Edmonton Journal

Photograph by: Walter Tychnowicz, Edmonton Journal

EDMONTON - Under perfect racing conditions, the Intact Insurance Edmonton Marathon housed a handful of new records on Sunday morning.

More than 4,000 runners participated in Saturday’s men’s and women’s 10-kilometre races and today’s half- and full-marathons.

Kenyan-born Calgarian runner Hilary Cheruiyot set a new record in the 42.2-kilometre men’s marathon, crossing the line in 2:23:37. Philip Kipchum Samoei, also of Calgary, finished second at 2:25:35. Winnipeg’s Mike Booth placed third at 2:29:56.

Edmonton’s Karine Betts surprised in the women’s full-marathon, leading the pack with a 3:09:05 finish. Tara Risling (3:13:17) of Calgary and Wendi Campbell of Vancouver (3:13:24) were just seconds apart to claim second and third place, respectively.

Mohamed Trafeh made the trip from Flagstaff, Ariz., worth his while by winning the men’s 21.2-kilometere half-marathon, finishing in 1:02:51. Waterloo’s Kibet Rutto (1:02:56), Lethbridge runners Kip Kangogo (1:04:52) and Willy Kimosop (1:05:26) followed. All four competitors broke the course record of 1:05:41, which was held previously by Kangogo.

New York City’s Alemtsehay Misganaw took the women’s half-marathon with a scorching 1:17:19 finish. Lisa Harvey of Calgary was second at 1:21:26 and Brandi Pozniak of Saskatoon placed third, running at 1:23:47.

“It’s been five years since we’ve taken (this event) over in its new format,” said event director Tom Keogh. “It’s grown considerably from 2,000 (participants) to almost 4,000 this year.”

Champions return to face strong competition at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon ?09 - 2009-09-01

		TORONTO. September 1^st. Both defending champions, Ethiopia’s Mulu Seboka and Kenya’s Kenneth Mungara, are confirmed to return to the 20^th Anniversary Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on September 27^th. Seboka had a particularly strong performance last Fall when she ran a new PR and set a course record with her convincing 2:29:06 victory. Mungara triumphed in a much closer sprint to the line over fellow countryman Peter Kiprotich, 2:11:01 to 2:11:03. “We’re very pleased to have both Mulu and Kenneth back,” said Race Director Alan Brookes. To have both champions return is a reflection on our event, and will definitely add to the excitement.” Since Toronto Waterfront ’08, Seboka has continued to show consistent form, with a 2:30:10 in Dubai in January and a 2:30:39, good for 2^nd in Prague in May. Mungara continued his winning ways with a victory in the heat of Mumbai in January [2:11:51] and then took 3^rd in Prague in 2:10:29. Both champions can expect to face strong competition, however, in their attempts to defend their crowns. “Both the Men’s and Women’s fields are the best we’ve had,” said Brookes. “Over the past 5 years, our event has improved dramatically -- in both quantity and quality. And this year’s fields are our deepest and best yet.” Seboka’s strongest challenge is likely to come from Kenyan Lydia Cheromei and fellow-Ethiopian Amane Gobena. A winner of the World Junior Cross Country back in 1991, the 32 year old Cheromei made her marathon debut in Amsterdam last October, where she won in 2:25:57. She followed that up with a sizzling 68:14 at the Ras Al Khaimah Half in February, a 2^nd place finish in the prestigious Rotterdam Marathon in April [2:28:09], and another victory at the Bogota Half [72:29] at altitude on August 2nd. Gobena is a great example of the exciting, young, new talent that Toronto Waterfront has built a reputation for attracting. The 23 year-old began 2009 with a learning experience in Houston in January. After sticking with eventual winner Teyba Erkesso until almost 30k she faded to finish 5^th in 2:32:07, while Erkesso raced onto victory in 2:24:18. Amane then came back with a cracking 68:16 half in Ras Al Khaimah in February [2 seconds back of Cheromei], followed by a strong, 2^nd place marathon finish in Los Angeles in late May in 2:26:53, where she held onto winner Tatiana Petrova until the closing stages. Cognizant of the fact that the fastest women’s time ever run on Canadian soil is Lidia Simon’s 2:26:01 from the 2001 IAAF World Championships in Edmonton, Scotiabank is again offering an additional C$25,000 bonus if this year’s winner can better that mark and set a new All-Comers record. Mungara’s challenge will also come from a combination of experience and youth. Ethiopian Gashaw Melese Asfaw and Kenyans Philip Manyim and Daniel Kiprugut Too, provide the experience. Melese, who turns 31 years old on the Friday of Race Weekend, was 6^th at Boston this year and 4^th last year. Inbetween, he placed 7^th in the Beijing Olympic Marathon, won Shanghai in a Course Record 2:09:28, and was 4^th in Dubai in 2:10:59. His best is a 2:08:03 that he recorded in winning Paris in 2006. Similarly, Manyim knows what it’s like to run in and win big races. His PR of 2:07:41 comes from his Berlin victory in 2005. More recently, the 31 year old Manyim was 2^nd in Eindhoven last Fall in 2”09:31 and 9^th in Rome in 2:11 this Spring, after sticking with the 2:07 winner, Benjamin Kiptoo, until 35km. After several seasons of running in the 2:13/2:15 range, the 31-year-old Too took his PR down to 2:10 last Fall in Koln, and then to an impressive 2:08:38 in Paris in April. Surrounding Mungara, Melese, Manyim and Too on this year’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Start Line will be a pack of hungry new marathoners and debutants, led by Joseph Maregu and Sammy Mwangi. After running 6 sub-61 minute half marathons, Maregu made his 42km debut in Vienna in April -- a 2:09:25, good for third. On debut in Toronto, the 26-year-old Mwangi showed what he’s capable of with an impressive 59:55 at the Berlin Half on April 5th. Together, veterans and debutants will be chasing John Kelai’s Canadian All-comers mark of 2:09:30 from Waterfront ‘07; a new mark and a sub 2:09:00 will earn the Men’s winner an additional $25,000 bonus from Scotiabank. The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront will be celebrating it’s 20^th year as an event on September 27^th . It began as a Half marathon in 1990, with Joan Benoit Samuelson as women’s winner of the first edition. The full marathon is 10 years old, beginning in the year 2000. Since then it has grown rapidly. A total of 20,000 participants, who will raise more than $1.5 million for 99 local charities, are expected in the event as a whole this year; a record entry of almost 4,000 are expected in the marathon, an IAAF Silver Label event for the second year. “We’re just hoping for a good day,” said Brookes. “The prospect of new Course and All-comers records for both men and women is very real. It would make the anniversary extra special, and when you put together athletes of the caliber we have this year, a lot of good things can happen!” Complete Start Lists will be announced September 8^th. Further information and last-minute registration still available at www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com

Marathon Results from the World Championships in Berlin - 2009-08-25

2009 IAAF World Championships Women's Marathon 36, Tara Quinn-Smith, 2:39:19 Men's Marathon 25, Reid Coolsaet, 2:16:53 33, Dylan Wykes, 2:18:00 53, Andrew Smith, 2:24:48 56, Giitah MacHaria, 2:25:40

Saint John Half Marathon Results - 2009-08-23

The Saint John Half Marathon

August 23, 2009

Top 10 Overall

1, Denise Robson, Dartmouth, 1:20:17

2, Justin Young, Saint John, 1:24:00

3, Evan Arsenault, Saint John, 1:25:32

4, Bruce Rosvall, Rothesay, 1:27:01

5, Glenn Trites, Rothesay, 1:29:48

6, Don Murray. Saint John, 1:30:39

7, Geoff Matthews, Quispamsis, 1:31:22

8, Kelly Burke, Summerville, 1:32:22

9, Steve Lohnes, Hampton, 1:32:56

10, Tony Wright, Saint John, 1:33:21

Top 10 Women

1, Denise Robson, Dartmouth (Nova Scotia), 1:20:17

2, Suzanne Doucet, Quispamsis, 1:39:02

3, Alexis Juurlink, Oakfield (Nova Scotia), 1:40:49

4, Lisa Little, St Thomas (Ontario), 1:42:27

5, Michelle Roy, Frenchville (Maine), 1:46:05

6, Tracey Price-Emerson, Quispamsis, 1:47:14

7, Vicki Woods, Quispamsis, 1:48:57

8, Leah Smith, Long Reach, 1:49:32

9, Sharon Manson, Saint John, 1:51:02

10, Marta Kelly, Saint John, 1:56:08

1, Denise Robson, 41, F, Dartmouth (Nova Scotia), 1:20:17

2, Justin Young, 27, M, Saint John, 1:24:00

3, Evan Arsenault, 20, M, Saint John, 1:25:32

4, Bruce Rosvall, 46, M, Rothesay, 1:27:01

5, Glenn Trites, 43, M, Rothesay, 1:29:48

6, Don Murray, 54, M, Saint John, 1:30:39

7, Geoff Matthews, 41, M, Quispamsis, 1:31:22

8, Kelly Burke, 42, M, Summerville, 1:32:22

9, Steve Lohnes, 49, M, Hampton, 1:32:56

10, Tony Wright, 50, M, Saint John, 1:33:21

11, Tom McLellan, 31, M, Halifax, 1:33:35

12, Joe Burke, 67, M, Saint John, 1:36:21

13, Dean Mercer, 37, M, Rothesay, 1:37:43

14, Mike Juurlink, 31, M, Oakfield (Nova Scotia), 1:38:16

15, Shawn Beaton, 32, M, Oromocto, 1:38:41

16, Suzanne Doucet, 47, F, Quispamsis, 1:39:02

17, Jim Miller, 49, M, Saint John, 1:39:24

18, Bradley Wood, 45, M, Ludlow, 1:39:35

19, Jeremy Fry, 53, M, Bloomfield, 1:39:58

20, Jason Thorne, 35, M, Rothesay, 1:40:29

21, Alexis Juurlink, 30, F, Oakfield (Nova Scotia), 1:40:49

22, Darrell Wilkins, 52, M, Moncton, 1:41:05

23, Lisa Little, 40, M, St Thomas (Ontario), 1:42:27

24, Dave Horgan, 41, M, Saint John, 1:42:58

25, Vince Vautour, 52, M, Saint John, 1:43:19

26, Bill MacMackin, 45, M, Quispamsis, 1:43:35

27, Kevin Sears, 46, M, Quispamsis, 1:44:45

28, Jeremy Steeves, 32, M, Rothesay, 1:45:56

29, Blair Northcott, 40, M, Quispamsis, 1:46:03

30, Michelle Roy, 34, F, Frenchville (Maine), 1:46:05

31, Tracey Price-Emerson, 34, F, Quispamsis, 1:47:14

32, Sean Kelley, 37, M, Rothesay, 1:47:33

33, Mark Magleave, 52, Grand Bay Westfield, 1:47:35

34, John Woods, 45, M, Quispamsis, 1:47:36

35, Chris Creamer, 52, M, Saint John, 1:47:56

36, Peter Coakley, 53, M, Minto, 1:48:05

37, Bruce Webb, 42, New Maryland, 1:48:27

38, Boon Kek, 31, M, Saint John, 1:48:43

39, Vicki Woods, 43, F, Quispamsis, 1:48:57

40, Leah Smith, 28, F, Long Reach, 1:49:32

41, Shane Tremblay, 34, M, Quispamsis, 1:49:42

42, David Barter, 35, M, Nauwigewauk, 1:49:54

43, Al Reardon, 61, M, Saint John, 1:50:31

44, Sharon Manson, 36, M, Saint John, 1:51:02

45, Tony Wright, 50, M, Saint John, 1:52:12

46, Stephane Dupont, 30, M, Saint John, 1:52:57

47, Lloyd English, 56, M, Hampton, 1:53:10

48, John Kelley, 62, M, Quispamsis, 1:53:26

49, Brent Bethune, 45, M, Hampton, 1:53:43

50, Leslie Connolly, 51, M, Fredericton, 1:53:55

51, Andrew Vail, 15, M, Saint John, 1:53:58

52, Gary Keating, 48, M, Saint John, 1:54:06

53, Brock Reid, 49, M, Hampton, 1:54:36

54, Patrick Grannan, 45, M, Saint John, 1:55:16

55, Frank Kelly, 70, M, Saint John, 1:55:50

56, Peter Peters, 53, M, Saint John, 1:56:07

57, Marta Kelly, 41, F, Saint John, 1:56:08

58, Connie Coffin, 41, F, Saint John, 1:56:09

59, Scott Crossan, 45, M, Riverview, 1:56:32

60, Robert Harrison, 51, M, New Maryland, 1:57:16

61, Aisha Khedheri, 44, F, Saint John, 1:57:30

62, Michael Lynch, 43, M, Saint John, 1:58:05

63, Mark Magennis, 33, M, Saint John, 1:58:42

64, Tony Hayes, 43, M, Hampton, 1:58:51

65, Ivon Leblanc, 53, M, Saint John, 1:59:26

66, Tim Lowery, 50, M, Quispamsis, 1:59:46

67, Nathan Davis, 35, M, Rothesay, 1:59:54

68, Carolyn St Pierre, 40, F, Fredericton, 2:00:43

69, Steve Jadoo, 54, M, Quispamsis, 2:00:56

70, Theresa Koppert, 48, F, Saint John, 2:01:20

71, Kari Pettinger, 24, F, Saint John, 2:01:21

72, Gina Hyslop, 36, F, Kingston, 2:01:34

73, Don Jones, 49, M, Saint John, 2:01:36

74, Al Clarke, 50, M, Saint John, 2:02:16

75, Mark Leblanc, 55, M, Moncton, 2:02:22

76, Carson Marcoux, 17, M, Balmoral, 2:02:34

77, Jonathan Roy, 34, M, Frenchville (Maine), 2:02:42

78, Al Pineau, 41, M, Utopia, 2:02:54

79, Eric Peterson, 29, M, Saint John, 2:03:24

80, Rosemary Boyle, 51, F, Quispamsis, 2:03:32

81, Sharon Turnell, 43, F, Quispamsis, 2:03:34

82, Sara Young, 27, F, Saint John, 2:04:01

83, John Braam, 51, M, Saint John, 2:04:30

84, Patrick McDade, 27, M, Saint John, 2:05:16

85, Angela MacNeil, 26, F, Saint John, 2:05:17

86, Tanya Lawlor, 42, F, Saint John, 2:05:18

87, Carol Egan, 43, F, Quispamsis, 2:06:39

88, Jasmine Verge, 29, F, Fredericton, 2:07:22

89, Gail Duncan, 49, F, Yoho, 2:07:35

90, Lorrie Johnston, 41, F, Saint John, 2:11:21

90, Hope Lavin-MacDougall, 43, F, Quispamsis, 2:11:21

92, Roy Geldart, 51, M, Salisbury, 2:12:19

93, Curtis O’Blenis, 24, M, Salisbury, 2:12:19

94, David Baxter, 49, M, Quispamsis, 2:12:55

94, John Dornan, 50, M, Saint John, 2:12:55

96, Brad Mitchell, 50, M, Rothesay, 2:13:51

97, Charles Teed, 32, M, Saint John, 2:14:20

97, Amy Grant, 25, F, Riverview (Newfoundland), 2:14:20

99, Claudio Krickler, 61, M, Rothesay, 2:14:44

100, Meredith Whitney, 28, F, Halifax (Nova Scotia), 2:17:53

101, Robert Pitre, 44, M, Moncton, 2:18:35

102, Beth Sears, 48, F, Quispamsis, 2:18:45

103, Janet Thompson, 34, F, St George, 2:19:28

104, Chris Grannan, 32, M, Saint John, 2:20:46

104, Josh Middleton, 29, M, Saint John, 2:20:46

106, Pete Belliveau, 39, M, Charters Settlement, 2:23:14

107, Warren Giesbrecht, 33, M, St George, 2:23:23

108, Sonia Pineau, 39, F, Lake Utopia, 2:28:03

109, Brent Sherwood, 46, M, Quispamsis, 2:28:04

110, Megan Totten, 24, F, Saint John, 2:28:50

111, Lisa Bowron, 27, F, Saint John, 2:29:28

112, Amy Buckley-Ellis, 27, F, Saint John, 2:31:53

113, Kourtney Ward, 25, F, Willow Grove, 2:37:58

114, Denis Leblanc, 35, M, Paesekaeg, 2:43:03

115, Kari Irvine, 53, F, Nerepis, 2:43:41

116, Kate MacNeill, 24, F, Saint John, 2:45:24

117, Krista Hartery, 40, F, Grand Bay Westfield, 2:45:36

118, Adrienne Cameron, 61, F, Saint John, 2:45:41

119, Joanne Turbide, 42, F, Rothesay, 2:47:23

119, Susan Campbell, 58, F, Quispamsis, 2:47:23

121, Karen Gallant, 43, F, Saint John, 2:49:35

122, Sophie Cameron, 29, F, Saint John, 2:50:52

123, Dianna Payne, 38, F, Saint John, 2:55:08

124, Starr Hersey, 43, F, Saint John, 2:59:52

124, Cynthia Sheehan, 40, F, Saint John, 2:59:52

Saint John Half Marathon Update - 2009-08-12

		Hi everyone, I hope you are getting excited! When the Marathon by the Sea moved to September two years ago, I wanted to make sure that we kept a high profile event in August as a lead-in and this year will be the biggest event yet. The last two years were held in St Martins and while the scenery won't be as majestic this year, it's pretty close off Kennebecasis Drive! The trail section in Rockwood Park is truly inspiring! I have two important notes: -The banquet the night before is held at the Rockwood Golf Course at 6pm. The chicken dinner is $25 and the Pizza dinner for the kids is $10. There will be some great stories, recognition of local pioneer Walter Ellis, pro tips, and some inspiring awards to our local youth. As well, this is the only opportunity to pick up your race kit early. I need to send estimated numbers to the golf course so please confirm if you think you are coming to marathoncanada@live.com. -Food again:) There will be a post race lunch at Grannan's Restaurant at 1pm. This will give you a chance to use your $20 ASICS coupon at my store and your $10 coupon at Grannan's Seafood Restaurant. We again need an idea of numbers so please confirm you intend to come to marathoncanada@live.com. At least one more update will follow before the race. Don't forget that there are still rooms available at the Hilton or the Holiday Inn at the race's group rate. Alex

Royal Victoria Marathon Registration Numbers up by 65% - 2009-07-29

MEDIA RELEASE

Royal Victoria Marathon Registration Numbers up by 65%

All Races Are Capped for 2009

(Victoria, BC – July 16, 2009) Just one day after the early bird deadline for the Royal Victoria Marathon registration numbers are up by 65% compared to this time last year. Over 5,900 registrations have been received for all four events – the Marathon, Half Marathon, 8K Road Race and the THRIFTY FOODS Kids Marathon – Kids Run – which takes place on Sunday October 11. For the first time in the history of the RVM all the races will be capped.

This phenomenal increase in numbers is attributed to several factors, according to Cathy Noel, General Manager of the RVM. “The early bird pricing always sees a spike in registrations, but this year with the uncertain economy participants are taking advantage of the cheaper entry fee. The fact that it is our 30^th Anniversary and we are capping registration numbers is an added incentive, particularly for those who participate every year.”

Currently there are 1,858 registered for the Marathon with a cap of 4,000; 3,246 for the Half Marathon with a cap of 5,000; 745 for the 8K Road Race with a cap of 2,500, and over 100 for the THRIFTY FOODS Kids Marathon – Kids Run with a cap of 1,000. It is expected that the Half Marathon and 8K Road Race will reach their caps by the next registration deadline of September 15.

“Races are selling out earlier this year than ever before,” says Noel. “People don’t want to miss out and are choosing their destination races way in advance around their travel plans. We have over 1,600 more registrations from British Columbians which is an indication that people are staying closer to home and choosing Victoria as the one to run. We also have over 300 more from Alberta and our numbers from the Pacific Northwest are up.”

The marathon is a certified Boston Marathon qualifier and was earlier this year chosen by BC Athletics to host the 2009 Provincial Marathon Championships for junior, senior and master runners, for both men and women. There is $26,000 available in prize money with $3,000 each going to the top male and female and a $5,000 bonus for a new men’s or women’s course record. In 2006, Steve Osaduik broke a 25-year record by winning the Marathon in 2:16:49.

To register for the Royal Victoria Marathon, Half Marathon, 8K Road Race or THRIFTY FOODS Kids Marathon – Kids Run, visit www.royalvictoriamarathon.com.

Saint John Half Marathon Update - 2009-07-29

July 29, 2009 Press Release Alex Coffin’s Fitness Shop is pleased to announce that the following updates have been confirmed for the Saint John Half Marathon: -The event is now officially the best "bang for the buck" in the maritimes with a $30 entry getting you a $20 Irving Gas Card, a $20 ASICS Certificate, a $20 Ritchie's Discount Warehouse Certificate, a $10 Grannans Group Restaurant certificate, a Fuel Belt Visibility Vest and a Running Cap!! The entry fee goes up to $40 on August 1 but the title is secure at that price as well. -Hotel Rates for the weekend are available of $129.99 at the uptown Hilton, $109.99 at the Hampton Inn near the shopping district and $109.99 at the Holiday Inn near Main Street - Nova Scotia Athlete Eric Gillis who represented Canada in the 10,000 meters at the Beijing Olympics will be running with the kids in the 4K. Eric’s hometown is Antigonish and he has also represented Canada at the World Cross Country Championships. -Nova Scotia runner Denise Robson will be our featured runner on the women’s side. Denise finished as the 5th overall Masters Division woman at the 2009 Boston Marathon and finished 11th overall for women at the 2008 Boston Marathon. She is also the current Master's Female Record Holder for the marathon. Information on the August 23rd event are as follows: -The half marathon is the feature event -There will be a 4k Brent Kelly Memorial Walk/Run which will be run at the same time as the half marathon with each child receiving a special event finisher’s ribbon -A fun track meet featuring shot put, long jump and high jump will take place after the 4K -All events start and finish at Fisher Lakes -All participants will receive an event cap -All half marathon participants will receive a complimentary high visibility vest -A Saint John Track Club Awards Banquet will take place the night before at the Rockwood Golf Course -Registration is $30 for the half marathon (goes to $40 after Aug 1) and $15 for the 4K/Fun Meet -Registration is available on-line at www.atlanticchip.ca

Pride and perseverance - 2009-07-01

Winnipeg Free Press

By: Ashley Prest and Daniel Falloon

He knew he wasn't going to win, and he was in physical pain from pushing himself too hard late in the race, but Winnipeg's Michael Booth would accept nothing less than crossing the finish line at the 2009 Manitoba Marathon.The 29-year-old Booth collapsed just after finishing, placing third in the 26.2-mile marathon with a time of 2:35.26.

"I was really struggling out there and it was a matter of just trying to get to the finish line. Most of my long runs aren't done at the pace I was doing the last three, four miles so it was just a matter of pride," said Booth, who was only down for a few minutes. Medical attendants rushed over to him but after a few sips of water, he was up and came straight over to speak with media.

"I'm happy I toughed it out today. I really wanted to, in front of the home crowd, finish it up and not quit out there."

Hillary Cheruiyot of Kenya won the men's division with a time of 2:27.29, the fastest time in nine years. Philip Samoei, formerly of Kenya and now living in Calgary, was second in 2:27.43. Booth is the only Manitoba man to win three titles (2005, 2006 and 2007) and was hoping to win a fourth. Cheruiyot and Samoei ran together and ran fast in blistering heat that reached a high of 30 C.

"In a marathon at my level, you sometimes have to make that hard decision to pull off the course to save yourself. It might have been wise today to pull off but I wasn't going to quit in front of the home town," said Booth.

He believed for about 16 miles he could catch the leaders but then felt his pace fall off with about four miles to go.

"At that point I realized I had absolutely no chance at catching the guys in front of me. That's what it really comes down to, for me. I want to come out here and try and win the race. So coming third is great but it is a little bit disappointing to finish third."

Booth had raced in the Canadian Marathon Championships in Ottawa on May 24. He ran into difficulty and withdrew at about the 21-mile mark with the hopes of being recovered enough for the Manitoba Marathon.

"It's tough to regroup and try to do a marathon three weeks later," he said. "Today, I didn't feel I was at my best."

Cheruiyot said he came to Canada to compete in marathons and enjoyed his experience.

"I'm very happy...I have a problem with my knee so I was thinking I would just have a fun run," said Cheruiyot, who wore a band on his right knee. "It turned out pretty well. It's so fun (when you win)!"

In the women's marathon, Cindy Sondag of Grand Forks, N.D., hung on to win her first competitive marathon.

"The first half, I probably took it a little hard considering the conditions," said Sondag, who finished in 3:12.09. "I think I faded quite a bit in the second half, so I was pretty happy just to hang on."

The 33-year-old medical student has one year of classes left and two children at home. She figured that she may as well run some marathons while she still has some time.

"Life's going to get a whole lot busier," said Sondag. "So I figured I'd better get the training in before I don't really have the time."

Clayton Gerein of Pilot Mound, Sask., who thrilled Manitoba observers last year when his time in the marathon's wheelchair event qualified him for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, wasn't happy with his time this year of 2:09.35 but wasn't blaming the heat.

"It was pretty warm but my start was so slow, I just felt sluggish off the start. The last half was good, but then I'm out there all by myself," said Gerein, 45,

Gerein said the 2008 Paralympics was his seventh and final Games but is still competing internationally. "For our funding we have to get a certain time standard (2:00.32) and I still don't have it (this year)."

Gina Tessmann, a 23-year-old University of Manitoba Bisons athlete, ended her competitive track season by winning the women's half-marathon with a time of 1:26.27.

"It's pretty exciting, it's my first time (winning the half-marathon)," said Tessmann, a U of M student.

Fellow Bison Desire Budigoma, 20, won the men's half-marathon for the second straight year in 1:14.19. Budigoma said he didn't like his chances to defend his title.

"I wasn't expecting to win because I was injured," said Budigoma, adding his left leg didn't bother him on Sunday. "It was good all along."

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca daniel.falloon@freepress.mb.ca

Jason Loutitt sets new PB at Seattle Rock'n'Roll - 2009-07-01

		Be sure to check out Jason's website www.runningthroughmountains.com Jason just ran a PB of 2:24:37 at the Seattle Rock'n'Roll Marathon!

Roulier wins Lake Placid Marathon - 2009-06-19

The Lake Placid Marathon was held on June 14. The event attracted over 2000 runners for all of the different events. Sebastien Roulier of Sherbrooke won the marathon in 2:36:17. Second place was almost a mile behind!!

Run for the Romaine Info Nights - 2009-06-17

Alliance Romaine is looking for committed runners to participate in a chain of marathons connecting the Rupert River, near James Bay, to the Romaine River, on the North Shore. The purpose of this campaign is to draw attention to the challenges facing Quebec’s wild rivers, and to press the Quebec government to halt construction of the hydroelectric complex on the Romaine. The event will begin in early September, making publicity stops in towns and urban centres. As a runner, you get to choose which leg of the marathon you run. You can decide according to dates you are available or which part of our beautiful province you'd like to run in. Participants will work in affinity groups, and should be willing to undergo a rigorous training programme, involving practise three times a week. We will be hosting two info nights in the coming weeks and invite anyone interested in running or helping with the organization of this exciting event to come out. Each info night will include an introduction to Alliance Romaine and the goals of the marathon, a slideshow of Alliance Romaine's trip on the Romaine River last summer, and a presentation by a running coach who will answer any questions you might have about training for a marathon. For more information, please contact Steve at steve@allianceromaine.org or 514-457-7795. Info Night #1 This Wednesday June 17 at 7pm QPIRG McGill (3647 University St.) Info Night #2 Monday June 29 at 7pm QPIRG McGill (3647 University St.) www.allianceromaine.org

Saint John Half Marathon Press Release - 2009-06-16

June 16, 2009 Press Release

Alex Coffin’s Fitness Shop is pleased to announce that the inaugural Saint John Half Marathon has secured two major sponsors and two invited athletes for the August 23^rd event.

Irving Oil Ltd. has come on board with a $20 gas card to be given out to each half marathon participant. ASICS Canada has come on board with a $20 gift certificate to be used on any ASICS product. Further announcements will be made as additional sponsors are added to regain the Saint John title for the “Best Bang for your Buck!!” running event in . This new event will be promoted as an ideal event to prepare for the Marathon by the Sea or the KV Challenge Marathon in the fall. As well, a 4K and mini track meet will be offered to encourage fitness and fun in sport.

Two prominent athletes have already been confirmed to participate in the event. Nova Scotia Athlete Eric Gillis who represented in the 10,000 meters at the Beijing Olympics will be competing in his first ever half marathon in New Brunswick. Eric’s hometown is Antigonish and he has also represented at the World Cross Country Championships. As well, another Nova Scotia runner Denise Robson will be our featured runner on the women’s side. Denise finished as the 5^th overall Masters Division woman at the 2009 Boston Marathon and finished 11^th overall for women at the 2008 Boston Marathon. She is also holds the Canadian Masters Women’s Record for the Marathon

Information on the August 23^rd event are as follows:

-There will also be a 4k Brent Kelly Memorial Walk/Run which will be run at the same time as the half marathon with each child receiving a special event finisher’s ribbon

-A fun track meet featuring shot put, standing high jump and standing long jump will take place after the 4K

-All events start and finish at Fisher Lakes, Rockwood Park

-All participants will receive an autographed event cap

-All half marathon participants will receive a complimentary high visibility vest

-A Saint John Track Club Sponsored Pre-Race Dinner will take place the night before at the Rockwood Golf Course

-Registration is $30 for the half marathon and $15 for the 4K/Fun Meet. The half marathon fee moves to $40 after August 1.

-Hotel rates are available uptown at the Saint John Hilton $129.99 and in the east end shopping district at the Hampton Inn Saint John $109.99

-Registration is available on-line at www.atlanticchip.ca and in person at Alex Coffin’s Fitness Shop

Torontonian defies altitude to win Calgary Marathon - 2009-06-01

By Kristen Odland, Calgary Herald

CALGARY - The altitude hit Predrag Mladenovic quicker than he thought.

Only two kilometres into Sunday’s 45th annual HSBC Calgary Marathon, the Serbian-born professional runner felt the elevation change from Toronto, his home for the past seven years.

It was the 37-year-old’s first time racing in Calgary, 1,048 metres above sea level, and he knew the rest of the race was going to hurt.

“I couldn’t believe it,” said Mladenovic, who, regardless, was the first to finish the 42.2-kilometre circuit Sunday. “I really felt it from the start. After two-K, my legs worked well, but I couldn’t breathe.

“I was tired after 10-Ks and I had 32-K more,” said Mladenovic, who motored through a new course to top the field of about 1,350.

The fresh circuit design was one of several changes this year, the biggest of which was switching the race to Sunday from the event’s traditional time during the Calgary Stampede in July.

He crossed the finish line at Bridgeland’s Murdoch Park in two hours, 30 minutes and 15 seconds — significantly slower than his personal best, which was a 2:23:16 he clocked in the 2007 Mississauga Marathon.

“I was surprised,” said Mladenovic, who was cheered at the finish by a handful of his friends from Europe now living in Calgary.

“I couldn’t believe how I feel here . . . it feels like it’s 2,000 or 3,000 metres.”

Not only was the altitude change a challenge for Mladenovic and many other out-of-town runners, the race route led them to Shaganappi hill — an addition to the course this year in place of a flat loop into Shouldice Park.

The incline was a doozy according to Graeme Wilson, who finished second behind Mladenovic in 2:31:19.

“That giant hill took me off guard,” said the 38-year-old resident of East Vancouver, who came to Calgary with his wife Heidi and sons Emon, 3, and Noah, 1, to run the race for the first time.

“My strategy is to stay at a consistent pace and see who burns off at the back, rather than actually attacking and increasing the pace.”

Wilson, Calgarian Chad Kozak, and former two-time winner Jason Loutitt (2005 and 2006) were duking it out for second, third and fourth place while Mladenovic inched further and further ahead before breaking away entirely at the 35-km mark.

When Loutitt, formerly of Canmore, and of Vancouver Island, dropped out with a sore calf at the 30-km mark, Wilson and Kozak were left to fight for second and third.

Kozak, a 33-year-old Calgary engineer in his first HSBC marathon, managed third behind Wilson at 2:32:29, despite running on fumes. He was happy with Sunday’s performance, which bettered the 2:37:58 he posted at the Houston Marathon in January.

“It was a pretty good day,” he said. “I just ran out of gas in the last six K, Graeme dropped me with five or six K to go and I ended up third.

“The downhill on Shaganappi was worse than the uphill because the downhill rips the quad (muscles). And it hurts.”

Mladenovic, Wilson and Kozak earned $1,000, $750 and $500 cheques respectively. They also received $500, $300 and $200 for being the first-, second- and third-placed Canadians and landed immigrant runners — prize money which was new to this year’s race and given out in the men’s and women’s marathon, half-marathon and 10-km races.

Calgarian Melissa Kalyn cashed in big for claiming her first — and, perhaps, last — HSBC Calgary Marathon women’s title.

“I wanted to run it until I won it,” said Kalyn. “So, I was like, ‘Please, let this be the last time.’ “That was the goal.”

Having specialized in the 1,500 and 3,000 metres on the track and the five-km cross-country with the University of Calgary’s varsity track team, Kalyn ran the 2007 HSBC Calgary marathon in 3:04:52, but opted to run the 10-km last year and completed it in 39:50.

This year, the 25-year-old managed to squeeze in a few more three-hour training runs while she was finishing up her biological science degree at the U of C this spring.

It paid off and Kalyn finished in 3:02:39 — well ahead of No. 2 women’s marathoner Karen Kozak, wife of the third-placed finisher on the men’s side, who finished in 3:13:03.

“Shaganappi hill — not nice,” said Kalyn, grinning. “I heard a rumour that (local competitive runner and elite athlete co-ordinator of the race) Jeremy Deere put the hill in the course to make it more difficult.

“But it was a good course. It felt pretty good until 30 K, which is typical.”

Kalyn is putting her running plans on hold until after her wedding in August to Nathan Kendrick, a former Dino and local competitive runner.

Calgary’s Shannyn Clancey was third in 3:13:26.

kodland@theherald.canwest.com

Michasiw and Byers win in Saskatoon - 2009-05-27

By Kathryn Willms, The StarPhoenix

It was a perfect day for a marathon and Brian Michasiw ran the perfect race.

Michasiw, 39, from Saskatoon, sprinted to his third consecutive Saskatchewan marathon victory on a cool, grey Sunday morning. He thinks his finishing time of two hours, 42 minutes, 30 seconds is the best he has ever run in Saskatoon. He beat last year's winning time by nearly two minutes.

He got faster as the race progressed.

"This is the best Saskatoon marathon I've ever had," he said with a characteristic big grin.

Michasiw, who owns Brainsport The Running Store, was mobbed by well-wishers as he crossed the finish line at Diefenbaker Park.

He has been running marathons since he was 22 and this is his fifth victory in Saskatoon; he also won in 1992, 2000, 2007 and 2008. Like Pheidippides during the fabled run from the battle of Marathon to Athens, Michasiw carries a message. Unlike Pheidippides, who collapsed and died and upon the delivery of his message, Michasiw looked a little too chipper for early on a Sunday morning.

"I'm at the point now where I try not to worry what other people think," he said. "I run to stay healthy. I run these crazy races because it gives me a goal to shoot for, a time when I don't drink beer as often. That's why I do it."

His first comments across the line were about his closest competition, Brendan Lunty of Camrose, Alta. The two ran together from the 15-km mark until their final pass by the Bessborough Hotel, where Michasiw made his move.

Lunty finished second in 2:42:49. He is on a masochistic quest to run three marathons in three weeks.

"He's amazing," said Micashiw.

Lunty, who won the Saskatchewan marathon in 2006, was quick to return the compliment.

"He pulled me along the way and I hope I did the same for him," he said. "I wouldn't have been as fast without him. Definitely not. No way."

Lunty was worried about his legs coming into the competition. He ran a 2:45 last weekend in Red Deer and is heading to Calgary to do it all again this weekend. ("Just love doin' it," he said by way of an explanation).

It turned out Lunty felt great all morning, even when he crossed the finish line in second.

"Lose to him?" he said of Michasiw. "There's nothing to be ashamed of there."

Chris Schwarz of Saskatoon was third in 2:52:06.

Another running entrepreneur, Lindsay Byers of Saskatoon, cruised to her first marathon victory in her seventh time running the distance.

A personal trainer and owner of Performance Training and Fitness, Byers finished second last year. Her strategy Sunday was to focus on her time, not her position.

When Byers hit the wall at the 30-km mark, she caught a glimpse of another competitor, Lori Soderberg of Saskatoon, just ahead. That was all the motivation she needed.

She said her time of 3:21:18 is slower than she planned.

"But first place is a good tradeoff," said Byers, 26.

Byers dedicated her win to the 25 clients who were also competing in the event at various distances.

"I wanted to show that I kick my butt as much as I kick their butts," she said.

Soderberg finished second in 3:24:41 and Jamie Myers of Saskatoon finished third in 3:28:23.

Jody Draube denies he is starting his own mini-dynasty in the men's half-marathon. For three years, he has returned to his home town from Calgary to compete and he has won it every time.

"I'm pretty lucky," he said. "It's more fun than anything. I've got a few sisters that run it every year. We meet back here and it's a bit of reunion."

Draube, who started running only five years ago, finished the half in 1:16:28. His companion on the court, James Funk, was second in 1:17:49 and Matt Mazurik of Saskatoon third in 1:18:58.

Brandi Pozniak of Saskatoon repeated as the women's champion in half-marathon in 1:23:55. Kelly Davey of Saskatoon was second 1:31:47 and Donna Olsen of Saskatoon was third in 1:39:35.

Julian Deciutiis of Saskatoon won the men's 10 km in 39:01 and Grandora's Paule Bertholet took the women's 10 km in 42:52.

Titles Defended in Ottawa!! - 2009-05-25

By Darren Desaulniers, The Ottawa Citizen

The wind prohibited David Cheruiyot of Kenya from setting a new course record at the Ottawa Marathon Sunday, but it didn’t stop him from becoming the first man to win the race four times.

The only other person to win four titles is Lioudmila Kortchaguina, originally from Russia but now a Canadian citizen living in Toronto, who finished second on the women’s side Sunday.

It was the third straight title for Cheruiyot, who holds the course record of two hours 10 minutes 33 seconds, set in 2007. He was third in 2006 and won the event in his first attempt in 2005.

Yesterday, and for the third straight year, he took over the lead in a sprint of the final kilometre to capture the title. He overtook Wegayehu Girma of Ethiopia and Ahmed Baday of Morocco right at the end to finish in a time of 2:13:23.

“I thought I was going to be No. 3. But when I reached the first one I saw that they were going slow so I increased my pace and I caught them,” Cheruiyot said, adding that he had a cramp in the second half of the race that was slowing him down as well.

“The two guys were very far from me, but when I reached about 40K I saw them getting closer to me and they were going slow. I tried to push as hard as I could because around there I thought I could catch them. I caught them at 41 (kilometres).

“I thought we would run under 2:10, but the course was too windy so I knew there would be no record. My time was not good, though.”

It was good enough for the win, however. Girma was second at 2:13:29, while Baday’s run of 2:13:56 placed him third.

“I had to back off because my feet hurt and they were bleeding,” said Girma, who was breaking in a new pair of shoes, apparently not at the ideal time.

“I was happy with the race and it was my first full marathon. I ran a 10K one week ago in New York and finished in 28:12. But I loved this race and I love the country.”

There were seven runners within four seconds of each other at the halfway point of the race. They were all within three seconds of each other at the 30K mark before they broke off into smaller packs.

“I want to run for another five years,” Cheruiyot said.

He plans to take his $15,000 prize and invest it in his automotive parts business in Kenya, where he lives with his wife and two children. He also owns a tour company. “Of course I’ll come back next year. I’ll keep defending (the title) until they beat me,” he laughed.

Reid Coolsaet was the top Canadian with a time of 2:17:10. That was good enough for eighth overall for the Hamilton native, who was participating in his first full marathon.

The Canadian title should be good enough to get him on the world championship team that will compete at the world track and field championships this August in Berlin. “It qualifies me for Berlin as long as Canada sends a full team,” Coolsaet said.

“My legs didn’t hold up towards the end but otherwise I felt really comfortable. I wanted to be about a minute and 15 seconds faster, but it was my first one and I’m coming back from an injury (broken foot last November) so I can’t complain. I’m happy with it.”

Canada placed three other runners in the top-15: Jason Warick of Saskatoon was 12th, Christian Mercier of Quebec City was 14th, and Baie St. Paul, Que. resident David Savard-Gagnon 15th.

On the women's side,

OTTAWA — On Friday, Asmae Leghzaoui of Morocco said she was nervous about the Ottawa Marathon because she was the defending champion, having won the 2008 event in her full marathon debut.

Adding to her nervousness was the fact the Toronto’s Lioudmila Kortchaguina was back this year after dropping out of last year’s race at the last minute because of an injury. Kortchaguina had won the race in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2007, and she was second in 2005.

Leghzaoui also said that, even though she set a course record last year, completing the 42.195-kilometre course in 2:28:44, she felt had a better race inside her, so she was looking towards another course record.

It wasn’t really close.

Leghzaoui, 32, got her second consecutive course record and set a personal-best time by crossing the finish line in 2:27:41. Kortchaguina, the top Canadian, was again second, but she was more than four minutes back with her time of 2:32:10.

“The race was very good, but, (over) the last half of the marathon, there was a lot of wind,” Leghzaoui said. “Because of that, I wasn’t able to put up a faster time, but I was very happy.

“After the start of the race, after 5K, I felt more confident. All the nerves were gone, so, at that point, I was just able to concentrate on the time. If not for the wind, I could have gone faster … 100 per cent.”

It didn’t hurt that Leghzaoui had all kinds of support along the course. Last year, as a relative unknown, she was just a runner. This year she was a name.

“All through the race I heard, ‘Go Asmae. Go Morocco,’ so the people were cheering for me and I was very happy with that.”

Second-place finisher Kortchaguina said she started out too fast in the first 10 kilometres, “and I was going really fast in the first 5K. I tried to keep my pace, but it’s a marathon and it is what it is.”

“I wanted to be first, but (Leghzaoui) ran too fast for me. She did her job and I did mine, but she was just faster,” said Kortchaguina, a Canadian citizen who is originally from Ekaterinburg, Russia.

Leghzaoui’s time for 10 kilometres was 34:43, a full 30 seconds ahead of Kortchaguina, but just two seconds ahead of Kenya’s Irene Jerotich Kosgei and just one second up on Ethiopian Salomie Getnet.

Both those runners tailed off, however, and finished third and fourth, respectively.

Myriam Grenon of Longueuil, Que., was the second Canadian woman and 10th woman overall with her time of 2:51:05.8.

She was followed across the line by Caroline McIlroy (2:53.56.3) of St. Philip’s, N.L., and Heather Gallagher of Ottawa (2:56:16).

Military Man # 1 in Ottawa Half - 2009-05-25

By Darren Desaulniers , The Ottawa Citizen

If Master Warrant Officer Steve McNabb had run the half marathon Sunday with all the hardware around his neck that he sported after the run, he would have been too weighed down to finish the race at the Ottawa Race Weekend.

McNabb won four medals with his half marathon time of one hour 13 minutes and 13 seconds. He collected the open and masters men’s titles as well as the Canadian Forces open and masters titles.

McNabb, who is stationed in Ottawa, finished 19 seconds ahead of Montreal’s Nicholas Chadi, while Richard Tessier of La Perade, Que. was third with a race time of 1:15:09. “You do your homework and your training and this is the day you do the test and see how you perform.

“I’ve got an A+ if you want to say that, and I’m happy with my performance,” McNabb said.

“It’s great to compete as a master (40-44 year olds) and run against the 20-year olds and outrun them.”

Marie Danais spent seven years in Ottawa before her job had her relocate to Quebec City last year. She was in town Sunday to defend her half marathon title and says now she’ll have to come back next year as a two-time defending champion.

“The race was really good. It was windy so it was a couple minutes slower than I was hoping for, like a couple of minutes,” Danais said following her run of 1:22:30.

Despite the slower time, Danais loved the event.

“Everything is so nice, and the roads are all cleared and there are so many people.

“One of the really rewarding things is that when you’re running down the street everybody knows you and everyone is yelling your name and cheering and they clap; I smiled the whole way.

“I was in pain but I was smiling the whole way and it was really a lot of fun.”

The next three finishers on the women’s side were all from Ottawa, as Leslie Sanderson (1:26:49), Susan Durrell (1:27:08) and Lisa Balerna (1:27:19) finished second, third and fourth respectively.

Oakville’s Josh Cassidy won the wheelchair marathon in a time of 1:35:27. Michel Filteau of Ste. Jean Baptiste, Que., finished second while Clayton Gerein of Pilot Butte, Sask. was third.

Cook and Coll win at Woody's RV Marathon in Red Deer - 2009-05-21

By Danny Rode - Red Deer Advocate

Jack Cook had to smile when asked why he didn’t compete in the 2008 Red Deer Woody’s RV World Marathon and Half Marathon despite being on the entry list.

“I slept in and didn’t make it,” he said with a laugh.

But there was nothing sleepy about the 2006 champion’s performance during the 11th annual event Sunday.

Cook out-sprinted defending champion David Corbett of Sherwood Park to win the marathon in an unofficial time of two hours, 43 minutes, 48 seconds. Corbett came in at 2:44:04 with Brendan Lunty of Camrose third at 2:45:47.

Neasa Coll of Calgary, who was running her first marathon, took the women’s title in 3:30:53 with Diane Williams of Calgary at 3:31:40.

Cook ran an uneventful race while Corbett was fighting intestinal problems, which forced him to stop three times.

“It seemed every time I’d run fast it would bother me,” explained Corbett. “But it’s part of running at times. You can’t do anything about it.”

“Without the problems he would have beaten me,” said Cook without hesitation.

“I was leading for the first 20k then David took over, but with his problems he was forced to stop, then had to push it to catch up.

“Each time he stopped I didn’t try to push it extra hard, but just kept going. After the last time I didn’t expect him to catch me, but he came back and when I saw him I knew it was time to sprint.”

Corbett said he lost at least two minutes when he stopped.

“The one time it took me 27 kilometres to catch up and when I stopped the last time it was at 38k and I knew it would be tough to get that back,” said Corbett, who went into the race worried about his sore foot.

“It was bothering me, but it was good,” he said.

Cook didn’t have any physical problems.

“No issues at all,” said the 42-year-old, who is a three-time winner of the Death Race in Grande Cache.

Cook was using the marathon to prepare for the world 100km championship in Belgium, which is four weeks away.

“This is a great marathon and there’s no way I could get this quality of a race by running by myself,” he said.

Cook will run a 50km race in two weeks, then head to Belgium.

“I’ve never has success in the world championship, I’ve always crashed and burned,” he said.

“This is my sixth time and I hope to get it right this time.”

Coll never dreamed of winning when she decided to enter the marathon.

“I didn’t think of winning I just wanted to finish strong,” said the 26-year-old, who got into serious running last summer.

“I felt it was a fun way to be out in nature, in the mountains and on the trails and a good way to keep fit and to socialize,” she said.

“I trained all winter and spring with the Calgary Road Runners and I enjoyed it.”

She did run a “couple of” half marathons before she started thinking of a marathon.

“Even thinking about running, especially this distance a few years ago seemed like a crazy idea. But the more I was out (with the Road Runners) it seemed like something I could do.”

Coll found herself in third place for much of the race, but slipped into second at the three-quarter mark.

“After that I didn’t see anyone. In fact I thought I might be on the wrong right trail, but the leader (Williams) came into sight at the 40km mark and I was able to catcher her with about a kilometre to go. At first I thought I overtook her too soon, especially when I got to that last hill. I really didn’t think I could make it up there, but I wanted to finish strong.”

Once she finished she wasn’t even breathing hard.

“It’s so great . . . I’m on fire and so excited,” she said.

• Brian Torrance of Edmonton won the half marathon for the second straight year, winning in 1:13:06 with Robert Renman of Camrose at 1:14:57 and Matthew Norminton third at 1:16:39 . . . Dulcie Timmons of Lacombe took the women’s half marathon in 1:33:05 with Red Deer’s Janet Spafford at 1:34:09 and Barb Edgar at 1:36:59 . . . Official results were unavailable because of technical problems . . . The top three finishers in each category will be in the Advocate when available.

McFarlan sets new world record! - 2009-05-20

BC’s Gwen McFarlan finished the BMO Vancouver Marathon on May 3^rd in 3:57:30. Gwen is in the W75 age group – and that’s a WORLD RECORD! Gwen broke the record set by Betty Jean McHugh. Betty Jean was at the same event running the half marathon now in the 80+ category. Betty Jean set approved Canadian records for W80 half marathon at Vancouver 2:04:19 and marathon at Victoria 4:36:52 last year.

Great call by MacLennan - 2009-05-18

By MONTY MOSHER Sports Reporter, Chronicle Herald

IN A RUN THAT NEARLY didn’t happen, Scotsburn’s David MacLennan has his fourth Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon victory.

After a difficult winter for training, MacLennan, 45, initially planned to skip the 42-kilometre run in Halifax/Dartmouth to focus on next month’s Johnny Miles Marathon in New Glasgow, where he is a six-time champion and local legend.

But MacLennan felt so good over the last two months he registered for the sixth annual Blue Nose this past Tuesday. It was a good call.

MacLennan tore up the first half in just over an hour and 15 minutes on his way to a 2:36:05, narrowly missing his own record for the event set in the inaugural running in 2004 at 2:35:35.

"It’s great to be back," said MacLennan, who disappointed himself with a 3:11 in the Blue Nose last year, a race won by Bridgewater’s Terry Melloy in 2:48. "I didn’t expect to go under 2:40, so I’m ecstatic with 2:36."

A field of 280 marathon runners helped bring the total number of competitors in the Blue Nose weekend to more than 8,000, including 2,500 in Saturday’s youth run.

MacLennan, a notorious fast starter, dominated from the opening strides on Sunday, steaming away from Alex Coffin of Saint John, N.B., in the early kilometres in Point Pleasant Park and running untouched from there.

"I pulled away from him and the footsteps were getting farther behind," said MacLennan, who credited better training this year for his success. "I just felt good the whole way."

All racers seemed to enjoy the cool, misty conditions. "The weather was awesome," he said. "This was a perfect day for running, except for a little wind in spots."

Dartmouth’s Ray Moorehead, who beat MacLennan by 10 seconds for the Johnny Miles crown last year, held on for second place at 2:43:09, but it was a rough run to the line for Moorehead. He slumped at the finish line due to hypothermia and dehydration and was taken to hospital as a precaution.

Moorehead, who was fine in the hours after the race, had nothing but praise for MacLennan, his good friend.

"Dave ran a spectacular race," said Moorehead. "I give him a lot of credit. He ran strong and fast right from the start."

Moorehead expected MacLennan to succumb to the wicked early pace, but he never did.

"I did the half in 1:19 and thought that was aggressive in itself," said Moorehead. "But I never saw him. He had that race solidified right from the first 5K."

Summerside’s Scott Clark placed third in 2:49:24. A veteran of all six Blue Nose runs, he has been on the podium for the past three runs after placing second in 2007 and 2008.

Clark said there was no catching MacLennan.

"We saw him for the first 12 kilometres," Clark said. "He always goes out fast and we didn’t really know what kind of shape he was in today. When he took off, he didn’t fail. He was in shape, he was ready."

Coffin came fourth in 2:50:25 after Clark passed him on the home stretch at the Macdonald Bridge. Coffin was trying to pull off an impressive double after winning a marathon in Fredericton last weekend in 2:47.

Rounding out the top 10 were Anthony Landry of Victoria (2:57:09), Bruno Kerhoas of St-Pierre-Miquelon (2:58:48), Philippe Venot of St-Pierre-Miquelon (2:59:24), women’s champion Jen Nicholson of Cornwall, P.E.I. (3:00:07), Tim Keith of Kingston (3:02:58) and Marco Albright of Yarmouth (3:06:30).

MacLennan set himself a goal of 2:40, thinking if he could get there he would give himself a chance to win. He was embarrassed by his effort from a year ago and knew he had something better to give.

His time in 2008 was also hurt by a wrong turn on the course, something that plagued many runners and led to route changes this year.

"Last year was disappointing," he said. "I definitely didn’t have the training going into last year. So it’s great to win. It’s all about time. If somebody ran faster today, good for them. But 2:36 took it today, so I was happy with that."

Age division winners on the men’s side were Lower Sackville’s Jeremy Chabot (19-and-under), Charlottetown’s David Gallant (20-29), Landry (30-39), MacLennan (40-49), Halifax’s Frank MacGillivray (50-59) and Bayport’s Chris Anderson (60-and-over).

Nicholson smashes record - 2009-05-18

By MONTY MOSHER Sports Reporter, Chronicle Herald

The women’s division of the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon may have started as a no-name event, but it didn’t end that way.

Jen Nicholson, a Halifax native living in Cornwall, P.E.I., saw to that.

The Acadia graduate and mother of three children under the age of 10 flirted with the three-hour mark, settling for a course-record 3:00:07 (chip time) in her first Blue Nose event and fourth career marathon.“I’m thrilled," said Nicholson, who plans to be back.

The 40-year-old teacher by trade, eighth overall in the entire marathon field, won her division by nearly 16 minutes over Toronto’s Jacquie Steele in 3:16:02. Susan Carbyn of New Minas ran a 3:18:36 for third.

Nicholson crushed the previous women’s record of 3:16:02 for Halifax. That mark was set by Vancouver’s Celine LeBlanc in the first Blue Nose event in 2004. “It was great, lots of fun," said Nicholson. “When I got to Point Pleasant Park I got flashbacks to being a kid and running crosscountry races. It was a nice course. I’m thrilled."

She ran the front half in 1:25, leading a women’s field of 109 by a full 10 minutes.

The women’s division was viewed as an open contest with many of the region’s betterknown runners taking a pass, including two-time defending champion Leah Jabbour of Halifax.

But Nicholson’s success Sunday was no fluke. She’s been under the three-hour barrier, turning a 2:56 on a flat P.E.I. course, and had a 3:06 in the 2008 Boston Marathon.

“I had an idea I was winning, but you never know who is behind you," she said. “I hoped I was, but I didn’t look behind me. But people told me along the course I was the first female.

“I didn’t really have a time goal, I just wanted to do it. The conditions were perfect. It was a wonderful experience."

She said 40 appears to be a great age for women running marathons. Dartmouth’s Denise Robson, also 40, owns the Canadian record for a woman 40 and over and recently led all Canadian women in the Boston Marathon.“It’s wonderful and very encouraging," she said. “We’re just getting started."

Dartmouth’s Erica Bowie (3:22:44), Halifax’s Penny Hart (3:27:19), Kim MacAskill of Kanata, Ont.

(3:28:02), Halifax’s MarieClaude Gregoire (3:31:31), Hatchet Lake’s Tonya Huck (3:31:27), Charlottetown’s Nancy Morris (3:31:57) and Halifax’s Erin McDiarmid (3:35:04) finished the top 10.

Age divisions went to Shyanne Dollivar (19-and-under), Steele (20-29), Gregoire (30-39), Nicholson (40-49), Halifax’s Marlene Henry (50-59) and Halifax’s Diane Tingley (60-and-over).

Waterlow takes #1 spot in 70-79 at Eugene - 2009-05-15

There seemed to be an unusually large contingent of Canadians at the Eugene Marathon this year. Rod Waterlow of Vancouver led the way by winning the 70-79 category and shooting to the top of the age group rankings in Canada. Nigel Deacon won the 60-64 category and moves into the #3 ranking for the 60-69 category in Canada. Other results include a solid 2:33:20 by Ian Druce and an impressive 3:08:36 by Laurie Sorensen. There were quite a few prairie runners in the event from Canada so you should see some Eugene results in there now as well!

Coffin captures 31st annual Fredericton Marathon - 2009-05-11

By CHRISTOPHER CAMERON
For the Daily Gleaner

Despite the inclement weather conditions, there was a record turnout for the 31st annual Scotiabank Fredericton Marathon put on by the Capital City Roadrunners Sunday in the city.

Paul Lavoie, co-ordinator for the event, said the total number of runners, 1,050, marked a 20 per cent increase over last year's field. "It was our biggest year,'' said Lavoie. The full marathon attracted 136 runners although last year's winner, Travis Saunders, and multiple winner, Chris Brake of Saint John, weren't in the field.

That left the way for Alex Coffin of Saint John to cross the finish line first with a time of 2:47:34, winning the marathon for the first time.

"I had a great time, I love the course, and the weather was perfect for running," said Coffin, who has won marathons in St. Andrews and Moncton previously. "I'm also looking to win the Blue Nose Marathon in Halifax. Hopefully I can carry this win over to next Sunday and win two in a row."

Following Coffin at the finish line were Vladimir Suchan from Fort Kent, Me. in second at 2:55:08 and Mark McCosham of Charlottetown finishing in 2:55:11. The first female runner to cross the finish line in the full Marathon was Hazel Caldwell of Stewiacke, N.S. She is originally from Southern Scotland.

This marked her second ever marathon, finishing with a time of 3:17:31. "I wanted to achieve a new personal best and I accomplished that today. The course was excellent. I loved the trail. It was nice and flat which is perfect if you are looking for a personal best," said Caldwell after her first experience at the Fredericton Marathon.

"I expect to be back next year to hopefully set another personal best.''

Full and half marathoners started at 8 a.m. while 5km and 10km participants started at 8:30 a.m. Runners came from all over Canada and the U.S.

The Good Life Half Marathon including 384 participants saw Fredericton's Ryan O'Shea finishing with the top time of 1:19:36.

A former participant in the full marathon two years ago, this was O'Shea's first time running the Half. "I train with the Running Room, following their program. We're travelling to the Ottawa Marathon in a few weeks and hope for another strong performance."

Other notables in the Half Marathon included second place Gautreau Jacques of Dieppe with a time of 1:23:58. Todd Lambert of Saint John finished in third place with a time of 1:24:11 with Jim Breen from Ireland finishing fourth with a time of 1:24.49.

New Maryland's Chris Brannon captured the Valley Graphics 10K event ahead of Dean Strowbridge of Willow Grove with a time of 33:20.

In the 5km event, Ian Forbes of Fredericton powered down the homestretch to capture the event with a time of 16:29, finishing just ahead of Saint John's Matthew McNeil posting a time of 16:30.

For the most part, Lavoie was pleased with how smoothly everything went. "The runners loved the course. Some said it was the safest course they had ever run," said Lavoie. "Overall this year's marathon was another wonderful success even with the weather conditions not being the best."

Mom sets record to win Mississauga Marathon - 2009-05-11

		By: John Bkila The Mississauga News May 10, 2009 02:31 PM - Running a marathon as a mom for the first time, this year's Mississauga Marathon record-breaking winner says having children made her go faster. "I knocked nine minutes off my time," said Krista Duchene from Brantford, who won with a record time of 2:51.40. "I was completely surprised. I'm thrilled with my time, it's faster than I anticipated. Duchene hasn't participated in a marathon since 2005, when she ran the Boston Marathon, and then became a mom. She now has a toddler and a baby. In her first time running the Mississauga Marathon, Duchene broke the women's record,2:51.28, set by Nathalie Goyer of St. Bruno, Que. in 2007. Goyer came in second place this year, finishing in 2:52.39. Jennifer Eberman of Toronto came in third with a time of 2:54.13. Starting at 7:30 a.m. from Square One and ending at Lakefront Promenade Park, nearly 2,000 runners participated in the 42-kilometre Canon-sponsored race held today (May 10). Mississauga's own Tammy Purdy placed fifth with a time of 3:03.59. In the men's side of competition, Kenyan runner Antony Gitau came in first with a time of2:38.46, while Bevin Stevenson from Hanover came in second (2:41.14) and Kitchener's Solomon Tsewamesk finished third just a second behind (2:41.15). Winners of the marathon receive $1,000, with $500 to those placing second and $250 awarded to third-place finishers. More than 5,000 half-marathon runners set off at the same time as the marathon runners to take part in the Sure-Gro event. Toronto's Predrag Mladenovi came in first with a time of 1:06.12. Mladenovi holds the men's record for the Mississauga Marathon (2:22.16) set in 2007. Close behind Mladenovi at this year's race was Asamenew Yeshanew from Milton (1:06.17), while Toronto's Daniel Mburu Njen came in third (1:09:28). Mississauga landed in the top-10 with runner Scott McDonell who finished with a time of 1:15.40. Lioudmila Kortcha from Thornhill broke her own women's record for the Mississauga Half-Marathon, set in 2007 (1:15.36), by coming in first at 1:14.45.. Finishing second was Firehiwot Gebreye from Ethiopia (1:15.13) and Toronto's Josiane Aboungono was third (1:17.05). Elliott Kerr, the man behind the Mississauga Marathon, said he wanted to bring the race to the city to engage people and children and promote a healthy lifestyle. "Being a longtime resident, I'm proud to be from Mississauaga. It's one of the finest cities and it didn't have a marathon. So I talked to the Mayor and she supported the idea immediately," said Kerr. "Now Mississauga's on the international stage."

Athletes pound pavement in Vancouver marathon - 2009-05-04

		May 4 Vancouver Sun Photo by Ward Perrin (Photo is of Bernard Onsare) VANCOUVER — The 38th annual BMO Vancouver Marathon attracted almost 14,000 athletes from 38 countries Sunday, but it was westerners from Canada and the U.S. who dominated the tarmac. Bernard Onsare of Calgary, Adam Campbell of Victoria and Duncan Marsden, also of Calgary, were the top three in the full marathon, a 42.2-km route. Onsare won with a time of 2:28:26, with Campbell following seven seconds later, with a time of 2:33:33. Two California women took top spots among female full-marathon participants. Mary Akor of Hawthorne, Calif. was the full marathon’s fastest woman, placing 14th overall with a time of 2:46:24. Akor ran in the women’s 30-34 age category. Oakland’s Bridget Duffy, in the women’s 20-24 age range, came in second among women with a time of 2:52:52, placing 28th overall. New Westminster’s Joan McGrath, in the 40-49 age range, kept up with her younger counterparts with a third-place women’s finish of 2:55:59. The event raised more than $30,000 for the B.C. Cancer Foundation, Canuck Place Children's Hospice, The Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society, Heart & Stroke Foundation and Ronald McDonald House B.C. That’s a big increase over the 2008 tally of $12,000, said Daryl Doyle, chairman of the board of the Vancouver International Marathon. Doyle credited the increase partly to the 1,000 more runners who took part over last year, and to Bank of Montreal employees’ aggressive fundraising campaigns. The event also included an eight-km run, a kids’ 1.6 km “marafun” run around BC Place, and a friendship run, a free three-km route for runners and walkers. The oldest participant in the event was Peter Marsden, 90, from Burnaby, who walked the half-marathon of 21.1 kms in almost four hours. Organizers tried to attract more elite athletes from Metro Vancouver and across Canada for this year’s race, said Brian Torrance, elite athletes coordinator for the BMO Vancouver Marathon. “But though we work with elite athletes, everyone has a story out there, whether you’re finishing in five hours or in two-and-a-half.” © Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

Overall winners win big at the Demi-Marathon International de Quebec!! - 2009-05-04

Francois Menard-Kilpane of Sherbrooke won the overall title at the Demi-Marathon International de Quebec in 1:08:16 to win by almost 8 minutes!! Women's winner Marie Danais finished in 1:20:01 with 2nd place by nearly the same exact margin!!

Maurice Tarrant wins Age Group Challenge at Times Colonist in Victoria - 2009-04-28

The two major 10Ks out west are now completed with the huge Vancouver Sun Run and the little sister Garden City 10K in Victoria. The Victoria race featured some neat age graded results with 70-79 age grouper Maurice Tarrant taking the title. It was also very neat to see ex-Canadian Kathy Butler compete in a Canadian race! Check the age graded results at http://www.raceheadquarters.com/results/2009/run/TC10K2009AgeGraded.html

Tara Quinn-Smith sets new record!! - 2009-04-24

MONTRÉAL, April 19, 2009 — Over 2,800 runners took Parc Jean-Drapeau by storm today for the annual Banque Scotia 21K de Montréal et 5K and helped raised a record amount of $87,000 in the Scotiabank Group Charity Challenge, with all proceeds going to five local charities. Top male runner Asamenew Yeshanew of Ethiopia finished in 1:03:55 while Canadian Tara Quinn Smith set a new Canadian record as well as a new course record for women, with a time of 1:12:08. This event also serves as the official selection trials for the 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships.

This is the second year in a row that the Banque Scotia 21K de Montréal is the venue for the official selection trials for the 2009 IAAF World Half-Marathon Championships, to be held in Birmingham, UK this October. The Canadian athletes who finished in the top three positions at the 2009 Canadian Half Marathon Championships are eligible for selection.

"Once again, Montreal sets the bar high with solid performances from top athletes from the running world. Not only did we see the course record broken, but the top female runner also broke the Canadian record! With over 2,800 participants in both 21K and 5K races, this event is an outstanding success," said François Lecot, Race Director for Canada Running Series.

In the men’s 21K race, it was a tight race between Ethiopian Asamenew Yeshanew and Canadian Matt Loiselle almost until the end, where Yeshanew took the lead to win. Loiselle finished the race in 1:04:09, winning the Canadian Championship, followed by Josephat Ongeri of United States in 1:05.04. In addition to Matt Loiselle, Andrew Smith (1:05:07) and Steve Osaduik (1:05:52) finished the top three for the Canadian Championship.

Canadian top winner in last year’s event, Tara Quinn Smith of Toronto dominated throughout the entire race and took the title by setting a new course record as well as breaking the Canadian record of 1995. Respectively in second and third positions overall, female runners Lioudmila Kortchaguina (Canada) registered a time of 1:15:49 and Firehiwot Gebreyesus of Ethiopia finished in 1:16:16. Paula Wiltse joined Quinn Smith and Kortchaguina as the third best Canadian time at 1:19:46.

Note from Alex: Magali Tisseyre was actually the third place Canadian for the women. She is a top triathlete as well.

Half-Marathon Male

1. Asamenew Yeshanew      1:03:55
2. Matt Loiselle          1:04:09
3. Josephat Ongeri        1:05:04

Half-Marathon Female

1. Tara Quinn Smith       1:12:08
2. Lioudmila Kortchaguina 1:15:49
3. Firehiwot Gebreyesus   1:16:16

The Banque Scotia 21K de Montréal & 5K is part of the prestigious Canada Running Series. Growing in popularity every year, this world-class race is also a successful fundraising event. This year it helped raise a significant amount of money, $87,000, for five local charities that have a huge impact on their local community: Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation, The Cummings Jewish Centre for Seniors, La Maison de la famille Pierre Bienvenu Noailles, Share the Warmth and West Island Women’s Shelter.

"What a great way to combine business and fun: running on a wonderful course on such a great day, and helping local organizations that truly make a difference. At Banque Scotia, we are committed to being a contributor in our community, and today acting as a catalyst in helping to raise money for local charities is very rewarding," said Pierre Michaud, District Vice-President, Montreal, Scotiabank.

For complete race results, please visit www.canadarunningseries.com/monthalf.

Boston Results are now in the rankings!! - 2009-04-22

		Diane Roy had the top finish of the day finishing second in the women’s wheelchair marathon at Boston but there were lots of excellent running results as well. Only Andrew Smith and Lioudmila Kortchaguina retained their top rankings in the age groups after the Boston results were included. Most impressive was probably Denise Robson’s 2:48:15 in the 40-49 women’s category. She finished #4 for overall masters women at Boston. A good argument can be made for Jean Marmoreo though as she finished #1 in the 65-69 age category. Helen Sabourin was #5 and Joyce White was #7 in that same category. Stephen Beasley was #3 in 50-54 men with Robert Julian #9 and Rejean Bourgouin #10. Willma Lang was #4 and Violet Holmes was #8 in 70-74 women. Shirley Myers was #5 and Mary Goodacre was #10 in 55-59 women. Susan Petch was #5 and Roslyn Smith was #6 in 60-69 women. Jacques Gagnon was #5 and Joe Burke was #7 in 65-69 men. Rami Bardeesy was #6 in 40-44 men. Agathe Nicholson was #6, Louise Chercuitte was #7 and Josephine Mori-Stoodley was #9 in 45-49 women. Gerald Miller was #8 in 70-74 men. Louise Voghel was #10 in 50-54 women. Overall leaders were Stephen Drew of Waterloo and Jennifer Feenstra who lives in Duluth.

Omwenga wins the Around the Bay - 2009-03-30

		John Kernaghan The Hamilton Spectator (Mar 30, 2009) Thomas Omwenga happily endured yesterday's double lashings of wind and rain in winning the 102nd running of the Around the Bay Road Race. He'd even submit again to the draining four days it took him to get to Hamilton from Nairobi. See, that was all a walk in the park compared to last March when he was literally running for his life. "I went into the forest for a month," he recalled of his escape from vicious tribal conflict in Kenya. "We lived in tents in camps until it was safe again." That meant he missed his first date with Around the Bay. And, with more time in airports than Tom Hanks in The Terminal, it looked like he'd miss yesterday's, too. But a protracted pilgrimage got him here and "I wasn't going to come and finish second after that." Omwenga, all legs and lungs, did more than win and pick up $4,000 in prize money, he demoralized the field, finishing in 1:35:29, 3 1/2 minutes ahead of Edward Tabat and 5 1/2 in front of Gitah Macharia. Meantime, fellow Kenyan Lucy Njeri destroyed the women's field with a near ten-minute margin over the rain-soaked course. If Omwenga was slow in arriving due to a star-crossed journey beginning Wednesday, he was fast in embracing the 30-kilometre Bay course. "It's mostly flat," he understated, noting he made his final break from the pack in the 23rd kilometre, where the Aldershot hills begin to sap strength. The 29-year-old should have been fresh for high-altitude hill training in Kenya. But an airline overbooking and confusion over a visa required for a stopover conspired to turn 16 hours of travel into 72. "I slept in Nairobi Airport the first night, then had to get another ticket." As his epic journey was unfolding, a Canadian friend in Milton was getting frustrated e-mails from Omwenga. "After all he went through, there was no way he was going to finish second," Steve Ward said. He finally landed at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Omwenga pulsed ahead of the lead pack several times, but that knot of swifties kept reeling him in. Then it was he and 2008 winner Alene Reta, of New York, from the 20-kilometre point. By then, the cold was getting to him and he was vigorously shaking his arms to get feeling back into them. But his feet were hot and he must have broken Reta's spirit as he pulled away for good. The defending champion walked off the course some time later. Njeri, 30, led all the way as she built leads of 4:36, 6:08 and 7:40 over second-place finisher Liz Maguire, 42, at the 10-, 15- and 20-kilometre marks to finish in 1:50:27. That's two minutes slower than her 2008 time. "It was terrible, so cold and wet," she said, shivering under a coat and blanket. "I wasn't expecting this." Njeri has been training at high-altitude in Mexico. In the five-kilometre Bay and Back race, Rob Watson, of Mississauga, clocked 14:16.9 and Lanni Marchant, of London, recorded an 18:41.1 to take the men's and women's brackets, respectively. Sunday was the 115th anniversary of the first race, but the 102nd running due to wars and other interruptions. jkernaghan@thespec.com 905-526-3422

Simon Bairu takes over half marathon lead!! - 2009-03-25

		Simon Bairu now has the fastest half marathon time in 2009 with a 1:03:09 in Uitslagen at the Fortis City-Pier-City half Marathon held on March 14. Simon grew up in Regina and has steadily progressed to the top of Canada’s long distance running community.

Cryderman and Withey duke it out! - 2009-03-25

		At the Comox Valley Half Marathon, Mark "Crunch" Cryderman wanted to turn his 5th place finish in 2008 to a #1 placing but Jonathan Withey turned back the local star 1:11:48 to 1:12:06. Stefan Jakobsen dropped back from the chase but held on to third place with a 1:13:23. Top Master was Hugh Trenchard in 1:14:58. On the women’s side, Zoots shoe athlete Sara Gross had a comfortable lead over Nancy Baxendale and Catrin Jones. All 3 women were under 1:25 with Sara timed in with a 1:22:04. Nancy was the top masters woman! The Comox course is a climb to the halfway point and then a fast second half back to the finish. Other top age groupers were 50-59 Wayne Crowe in 1:20:08, 60-69 Brian Connon in 1:26:52, 70-79 Garfield Saunders in 1:40:46, 50-59 Jackie Eddy in 1:41:44 and 60-69 Roslyn Smith in 1:38:23.

Historical results posted for Scotiabank Toronto Half Marathon - 2009-03-25

Check http://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/en/results.htm for the historical Coors Light/GMC/ Scotiabank half marathon results. Very interesting all time top 10 had Peter Maher and Danuta Bartoskek at the top for Canadians at the Toronto Half!!

2009 Johnny Miles Format Announced - 2009-03-16

New Glasgow N.S., March 9, 2009...... After a record year in 2008, the details are set for the 2009 running of the Johnny Miles event. According to Race Director Terry Curley the format for this year’s event weekend will stay much the same, building on the great success of last year’s event with just a few adjustments that will fine tune the weekend of activities even more.

The weekend gets under way on Saturday, June 20, 2009 with the ``Johnny Walk`` at 9:00 am, followed by the Tim Horton’s / Subway Kids Fun Run at 10:30am. Both events take place at the Scott Weeks Sports Complex in Parkdale. Registration and Race Kit Pick Up will start at 2:00 pm at the John Brother MacDonald Stadium. The Carbo Loading Dinner will start at 4:00 pm with the Opening Ceremonies taking place at 5:00 pm.

The Opening Ceremonies will feature key note speaker Mark Black. Mark is a double lung & heart transplant survivor. He is also a published author, marathon runner & motivational speaker. Mark will speak to the crowd about Living Life from the Heart, the title of his book. Following the key note address will be the presentation of the ``Johnny Miles Williston Award`` and the ``Danny MacLeod Inspirational Awards``.

The main running events will take place on Sunday, June 21^st starting at 8:30 am directly in front of Carmichael Park on Terrace Street. The running events will feature the marquee events: The S. Allen & Sons Disaster Kleenup Marathon and the Advocate Half Marathon and Walk. Other events are the CIBC Wood Gundy 5km Fun Run, the Empire Theatres 5km Student Challenge, the Disability Challenge and the ProSport/New Balance 10km Classic.

One of the most noticeable changes will be the introduction of a new state of the art “Single Use Timing Chip”. The new timing chip will be a single use chip with the Johnny Miles Logo on it that participants will be able to keep as yet another souvenir of their accomplishment. The single use chip will eliminate the ankle strap and the need to have volunteers at the finish line to remove them from the participant’s ankles, a task that was never popular among volunteers.

The change in venue for the Sobey’s Carbo Loading Social and Meal is the result of the growing success and popularity of the event. The event has outgrown the Bluenose Curling Club therefore the Sobeys Social and Carbo Loading Meal will move to the more spacious setting of the John Brother MacDonald Stadium. The move will allow for more floor space for seating for the expected increase in numbers and will allow for more registration tables and additional display area explains Race Director Curley

One other change that will be made will be with the Empire Theatres Student Challenge. This year the event will be used to bring awareness to the Anti Bullying Campaign that is currently running in most schools. “We see this as a natural fit for our event,” says Curley, “The 5Km Student Challenge was created to challenge students to be the best that they can be and obviously helping to eliminate bulling fits into that profile of being a positive leader.” The students will wear pink bib numbers and will have the Anti Bullying logo on the back of their shirts. The event is free for students and students will receive free pre-race breakfast, official race shirts, completion medal, and a post race meal and are eligible for draw prizes.

“As a committee we continue to be motivated and inspired by the growing number of participants and the stories they tell us about their reasons for taking part”, says Curley.

New Glasgow Marketing & Communications Director Kim Dickson describes the Johnny Miles Running Weekend has one that has become a classic for the region that generates much appreciated tourism revenues into the community during the shoulder season. “In these challenging times, the Johnny Miles Running Event Weekend brings visitors to the community while also providing an event that is supported and applauded by the citizens and businesses of Pictou County. It has multi-generational appeal and opportunities for all levels of abilities to participate and be proud of their achievement,” says Dickson.

For complete details please visit www.johnnymiles.ca

Green Sock Half Marathon Results - 2009-03-16

On a cold and wet day, Darbykai Standrick took a swing at the men by placing third overall when she took the women's title at the Green Sock Half Marathon in Abbotsford. Full results can be seen at http://www.raceheadquarters.com/results/2009/run/GreenSockHalfMarathon2009.html

Brendan Kenny wins big again!! - 2009-03-02

		Brendan Kenny is on a tear!!! Soon after winning the Grimsby Half Marathon, Brendan won the Chilly Half Marathon in Burlington by over 4 minutes!! Two local women duked it out for the women’s title. Marie Elliot took out Jennifer Eberman 1:24:41 to 1:25:22. (Photo from the Hamilton Spectator)

Brendan Kenny wins big in Grimsby - 2009-02-24

Brendan Kenny broke from Kenyan runners Josephat Ongeri and David Karanja to win the Grimsby Half Marathon title. Brendan has been top 5 many times here but I believe this is his first win at Grimsby. Wendy Gualtieri used her experience to win by a minute over a three woman pack of Anaydis Badada, Krista Duchene and Tahari Dosani.

Local Runner In the Front Pack at Peterborough - 2009-02-24

A local runner didn't win it but still enjoyed a personal best and gave the winner a good run for his money.

Peterborough's Jamie Switzer reached his goal of finishing under an hour and 20 minutes and ended up a solid fourth overall in the half-marathon segment of the 31st annual Peterborough Family YMCA Vascular Health Network HalfMarathon, AccuPed 5K and Wildrock Kids 1K in the region yesterday.

Posted By DALE CLIFFORD, EXAMINER STAFF WRITER

The Peterborough Examiner

With the start and finish at the corner of Park and Brioux streets, the 20-year-old Switzer completed his third half in 1:18:40.0, right on the heels of first-time winner Mike Strano of Barrie, who won in 1:16:59.0.

Huntsville's Troy Cox was second in 1:17:02.2 while Toronto's Lawrence Warriner placed third in 1:17:58.1. It left Switzer in fine company with a respectable finish, not bad considering there were 884 registered runners overall, including 573 in the half alone.

There was a local connection to the top woman finisher in the half. Trent University grad Jutta Merilainen, a Finnish native who lives in Batawa, near Trenton, finished ninth overall in 1:23:05.1 to earn such an honour for the third-straight year.

The runners enjoyed a variety of weather conditions, from a snow squall to flurries, mild to cool temperatures, sun to cloud and little wind to blustery. Throughout the roads were constant, snow covered and wet.

Switzer actually enjoyed a lead for a while before settling back.

"I stuck to my game plan and didn't push too hard," said Switzer, a first-year recreation and leisure student at Fleming College. "I tried to keep stride. The weather was all right. It is February. The roads were packed with snow and they were wet and slippery. I was happy with how I ran. And I was happy to reach my goal. I finished under 20 minutes and it was my personal best."

It was the third half-marathon for Switzer, all here, and he was happy to represent the area. He got into the sport when he was 10.

"I trained all winter for this and I just hadn't taken it seriously before," he said. "It's the only sport I do now. I love the challenge, the competition and being outside. It's good for my health."

For the 35-year-old Strano, it was his first win after finishing second last year.

First Winterman held!! - 2009-02-24

		The 2009 Winterman Marathon, Marathon Relays, Half Marathon, 10Km, 5Km, and 2.5Km took place on Sunday February 22, 2009,at the Canadian War Museum. The War Museum provided a stunning backdrop to the premiere of this prestigious annual event. Winterman was held during Canada's winter festival - and is an official Winterlude event. Rejean Bourgouin and Sylvie Phillips won the inaugral titles in the marathon. Rejean is over 50 oyears old!! Ryan Grant and Mathilde Batailler took the titles in the half marathon. It looked like a very successful event!!

First Half Results In! - 2009-02-17

Richard Mosley won comfortably for the men’s race while Cheryl Murphy won by about the same margin in the women’s division. Mark Bomba ran 1:10:38 to take the master’s men’s division while Nancy Tinari ran 1:21:30 to take the master’s women’s division. Terry Fox’s driver Doug Alward continues to impress by taking the 50-59 division over former LA Marathon Winner Art Boileau. NBer Eunice Phillips travelled west to win 55-59 and 2nd for 50-59 behind Rhonda Gallant. Herb Phillips narrowly edged Iain Fisher in the 60-69 Men’s while Marcia Boulanger took the women’s 60-69 title. It was another tight battle in 70+ with Rod Waterlow barely edging Garfield Saunders. Gwen McFarlan took the women’s 70+ title. Results are at http://www.winningtime.ca/index.php?content=09fhhm Photos are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/knepomuk/sets/72157613848442254/

Royal Victoria Marathon to host Provincial Marathon Championships - 2009-02-17

Royal Victoria Marathon to host Provincial Marathon Championships

(Victoria, BC – February 16, 2009). The 30^th Annual Royal Victoria Marathon (RVM) has been chosen by BC Athletics to host the 2009 Provincial Marathon Championships for junior, senior and master runners, for both men and women. The Marathon will be held on Sunday, October 11, 2009.

“Throughout its history, the Royal Victoria Marathon has consistently staged a first class event, attracting many of BC’s finest marathon runners,” said Maurice Wilson, Technical Manager of BC Athletics’ Road and Cross Country Running Division. “After an absence of many years, BC Athletics is pleased to award the 2009 BC Marathon Championships to Victoria, to be held in conjunction with their 30^th anniversary.”

The Royal Victoria Marathon has consistently attracted an elite field of runners including former winners Cheryl Murphy and Olympian Jon Brown, both 2008 BCA Road Runners of the Year, reigning and three-time Marathon winner Steve Osaduik, five-time winner Kelvin Broad, six-time winner Cindy Rhodes and Olympians Bruce Deacon and Peter Butler.

“For 2009 I will be inviting about 50 elite BC runners to participate,” said Bob Reid, President of the Victoria Marathon Society. “There is $26,000 available in prize money with $3,000 each going to the top male and female and a $5,000 bonus for a new men’s or women’s course record. We are very proud – this is the first time in 30 years that RVM has hosted the provincial marathon championships.”

Current course records are held by Langley’s Steve Osaduik, 2:16:49 set in 2006, and Val Chowaniec, from Edmonton, 2:42:32 set in 1989.

The 30^th Annual Royal Victoria Marathon takes place Sunday, October 11, 2009; in addition to the Marathon there is a Half Marathon, 8K Road Race and Thrifty Foods Kids Run. For more details, visit www.royalvictoriamarathon.com.

- 30 -

For more information contact:

Louise Hodgson-Jones                                                       Bob Reid

Media Liaison                                                                     President

Royal Victoria Marathon                                                    Victoria Marathon Society

250-812-2518 250-384-1520

media@royalvictoriamarathon.com breid@islandnet.com

Iceland Marathon Trip - 2009-02-04

		Flights. The direct flight from Halifax departs on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Thursday 20 August dep Halifax 10.00pm arrive Reykjavik 5.15am on 21 August Saturday 22 August – Race Day Sunday 23 August – Day at Leisure Monday 24 August dep Reykjavik 6.40pm arr Halifax 8.15pm on the same day Flight Price - $651.00* per person taxes in. As an alternative the fare for the direct flight on Monday 17 August and returning on Monday 24 August is $651.00 per person. Hotels Based on the flights above this would be a 3 night duration and there would be a wait between arriving in Iceland and being able to check into the hotel. Leifur Eriksson Hotel A 3 star family run hotel located in the centre of the city. $293.00 per person based on 2 people sharing a room for the 3 nights based on Bed & Breakfast. Park Island Inn A 3 star hotel at $306.75 with Buffet Breakfast included. A 20 minute walk from the City Centre but the hotel offers complimentary access to the Geo Thermal Swimming Pool close by. Fron Hotel $308.28 per person for 3 nights B&B for this 3 star hotel located on the main shopping street but may have noise on weekends from nightclubs. Grand Hotel A 4 star hotel for 3 nights B&B is $408.37 and is a 15 minute walk from the City centre. Airport Transfers These can be pre-booked at a rate of roughly $80.00 return per person as a private transfer direct to the hotel based on 4 people. *prices are subject to change at any time If people are interested we would be happy to co-ordinate the bookings. For flight only reservations we make a $40.00 per booking service fee but for reservations including the hotels above and transfers there would be no service fee. We would also recommend Travel Insurance which would be priced at between $88.00 - $92.00 per person based on clients under 55. Prices will vary dependant on the value of the hotel and flight booked. Thanks and best wishes, Helena & Garth – Travel Counsellors – (506) 214 1085 Helena.millar@travelcounsellors.ca

Mattina and Warrendorf sweep titles at Neway's Maui Paradise Marathon - 2009-01-30

KIHEI - In conditions that felt more like they belonged in the Pacific Northwest than Hawaii, it was fitting that the top two finishers at Sunday morning’s Neways Maui Paradise Marathon were from Vancouver, British Columbia.

Steve Mattina, 38, took home the men’s title, running through the soaked streets of South Maui to finish the 26.2-mile course in 3 hours, 4 minutes, 20 seconds, while his girlfriend, Karen Warrendorf, 35, won the women’s title in 3:12:55 at the inaugural event, which began and ended at Kalama Beach Park.

The day started as a clear Maui morning before giving way - almost as soon as the race began - to heavy showers, with occasional thunder and lightning.

The rain seemed to suit Warrendorf, who finished nearly an hour ahead of the next woman, 22-year-old Karen Johnson (4:11:57), of Greeley, Colo.

’’It was good - I was very happy for the rain,’’ Warrendorf said. ’’It was wonderful.

’’Running a marathon in the heat and sun is not so fun so it (the rain) was welcome.’’

While many of the approximately 200 runners who participated in the full and half marathons welcomed the weather, it played havoc on the organizers, who decided to cancel this year’s 5-kilometer race as the rain left huge puddles around the start/finish line.

Race manager Jerry Levey said he wasn’t offering refunds to the runners who paid $20-30, but those who paid this year can have their fee applied toward next year’s race. The planned keiki races were also canceled because puddles covered the baseball diamond at Kalama.

The rain let up by the time Mattina completed the race, although he did have to run around a huge puddle just in front of the chute leading to the finish line.

Mattina, who works for shoe retailer Running Room and reviews races as part of his job, called the event a ’’destination marathon’’ and said he wouldn’t hesitate recommending it to fellow runners.

’’I think this race will take off, people need a break (during winter), people need to escape,’’ said Mattina, who said he’s completed 20-25 marathons, including the New York City Marathon last year.

Tony Phillippi (3:14:03), 47, of Tacoma, Wash., was third overall - second among the men.

Johnny Landeza, 45, of Aiea, Oahu, was fourth overall and the top Hawaii finisher.

’’It was a really good course,’’said Landeza, who came to Maui along with five other members of Runners HI on Oahu. ’’We were excited when we heard about a new Maui marathon in January.’’

Landeza said he enjoyed the run and planned to return.

’’We’ll be here next year,’’ he said.

The second Maui Paradise Marathon is scheduled for Jan. 10, 2010.

Jerome Ross, of Anchorage, Alaska, won the half marathon in 1:15:35. Lindsey Wilbur of Kihei was the top women’s finisher, in 1:35:13.

Hana’s Billy Conner, 59, a veteran of 113 marathons, gave his approval to the course.

Conner ran the half marathon, in 2:34:39, because his girlfriend, Jill Davis of Wenatchee, Wash., was on Maui to celebrate her 50th birthday. She crossed the finish line 1 second before Conner, a personal best time.

’’I loved the course today, conditions were ideal,’’ said Conner, who has run the last 32 Maui Marathons. ’’I’d rather be cold and wet than hot and dry.’’

$99.99 Men's Shoe Inventory - 2009-01-23

		Men's Size 7 Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 Men's Size 7.5 Puma Trailfox Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 Men's Size 8 ASICS Gel Sidewinder (4E) ASICS GT 2120 ASICS Gel 1120 (4E) Reebok Premier Road Cushion Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 Brooks Glycerin 5 Adidas Supernova Cushion 7 Mizuno Wave Inspire 2 Men's Size 8.5 ASICS GT 2120 Brooks Glycerin 5 Reebok Premier Road Cushion Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 Nike Air Structure Triax 10 Nike Air Structure Triax 10 (Gortex) Nike Air Structure Triax 11 ASICS GT 2120 ASICS Gel 1120 (4E) Men's Size 9 Nike Air Structure Triax 10 Nike Air Structure Triax 11 Nike Air Pegasus Reebok Premier Road Cushion Puma Trailfox Men's Size 9.5 Brooks Glycerin 4 Brooks Trance Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 Nike Air Max 190 II Reebok Premier Road Cushion Men's Size 10 Reebok Premier Road Cushion Brooks Maximus XT 3 Puma Trailfox Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 Brooks Adrenaline GTS 6 Brooks Glycerin 6 Nike Air Pegasus Mizuno Inspire 2 Men's Size 10.5 Brooks Adrenaline ASR NIke Air Pegasus 2007 Reebok Premier Road Cushion Mizuno Inspire 2 Men's Size 11 Brooks Adrenaline GTS 6 Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 ASICS Gel Sidewinder (4E) Nike Air Pegasus 2007 Men's Size 11.5 Brooks Glycerin 5 Brooks Glycerin 6 ASICS Gel 1120 (4E) Nike Air Structure Triax 10 (Gortex) Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 Men's Size 12 Nike Air Structure Triax 10 Nike Air Structure Triax 11 Nike Air Pegasus Brooks Glycerin 5 Brooks Glycerin 6 Adidas Supernova Cushion 6 Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 Men's Size 13 Brooks Adrenaline GTS 6 Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 Brooks Glycerin 5 Brooks Glycerin 6 Nike Air Pegasus Men's Size 15 Mizuno Wave Inspire 2

$99.99 Women's Shoe Inventory - 2009-01-23

		Women's Size 6 Nike Air Pegasus 2006 ASICS GT 2110 Mizuno Wave NIrvana 2 Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 Brooks Glycerin 4 Women's Size 6.5 Brooks Glycerin 5 Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 Nike Air Pegasus 2006 Brooks Glycerin 6 Women's Size 7 Brooks Glycerin 7 Nike Air Structure Triax 10 (Gortex) Brooks Glycerin 5 Brooks Glycerin 4 Adidas Orbed Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 ASICS GT 2120 (2A) Mizuno Wave Nirvana 2 Women's Size 7.5 Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 Nike Air Assail IV NIke Air Perseus iii Nike Air Structure Triax 10 Women's Size 8 Adidas Orbed Women's Size 8.5 Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 Puma Complete Prevail IV Reebok Premier Hatana Reebok Swara Women's Size 9 Mizuno Wave Inspire 3 Nike Air Structure Triax 10 (Gortex) Reebok Swara Brooks Adrenaline GTS 6 Reebok Pump Paris Women's Size 9.5 Adidas Supernova Cushion 7 Nike Air Pegasus 2006 Mizuno Wave Inspire 2 Brooks Glycerin 5 Women's Size 10 Adidas Supernova Cushion 7 Adidas Orbed ASICS GT 2120 ASICS GT 2120 (2A) Nike Air Pegasus 2006 Nike Air Structure Triax 10 Women's Size 10.5 ASICS GT 2120 Adidas Supernova Cushion 7 NIke Air Structure Triax 10 Nike Air Pegasus 2006 Brooks Glycerin 6 Adidas Orbed Brooks Glycerin 5 Women's Size 11 Brooks Adrenaline GTS 6 Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 ASICS Gel 1120 (D) Women's Size 12 Nike Air Trail Pegasus

Canucks run strong in Houston - 2009-01-20

HOUSTON, TX. January 19^th. While the Ethiopians stole the headlines, Canadians continued a strong tradition of excellence at yesterday’s Chevron Houston Marathon.

Up front, Ethiopia’s Deriba Merga and Teyba Erkesso set blistering paces to set new men’s and women’s course records of 2:07:52 and 2:24:23, respectively -- propelling Houston to a status usually reserved for the Marathon Majors of Chicago, Boston and New York.

Not too far behind them, Andrew Smith of the Brooks Canada Marathon Project took 3 minutes off his previous best to run 2:16:18 for 5^th place male, and Thornhill’s Lioudmila Kortchaguina came back from 2 years’ of frustrating injuries that forced her out of the Beijing Olympics and her dream of running for Canada, to record an impressive 2:30:43 clocking, good for 3^rd place female and US$7,000. A third Canadian, Giitah Macharia of Oakville had a disappointing day, fading badly in the final stages to finish in 2:21. He had run 2:16 in his marathon debut at Ottawa last May and was hoping for a sub-2:15. Ottawa ’08 was also Smith’s marathon debut.

In quietly finishing 3^rd and 5^th, as first North Americans, Kortchaguina and Smith continued a fine national tradition of top Canuck performances and close ties with Houston. In January 1985, Silvia Ruegger ran 2:28:36 to take 1^st place, and set a new Canadian women’s marathon record that still stands today, 24 years later. Current Ontario Minister of Labour, Peter Fonseca, was overall Houston Men’s champion in 1995, going on to compete for his country in the Atlanta Olympic marathon in ’96 where he placed 21^st.

With their performances yesterday, Kortchaguina and Smith hope to stake claims to one of the 5 men’s and 5 women’s marathon teams going to the Word Championships in Berlin in August.

Alan Brookes,

Race Director,

Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon,

From Houston, TX.

Canucks run strong in Arizona too - 2009-01-20

		Cheryl Murphy ran sub 2:49 to take the top performance of the day by a Canadian at the PF Chang Arizona Rock and Roll Marathon. She finished 8th overall for the women. On the age group side, Tammy Purdy of Mississauga finished 2nd in women's 40-44 while Julie Bonner and Kathy Johnson of Calgary finished 1st and 3rd in women's 50-54. On the men's side, Phil Nicholls finished 2nd in the 45-49 category.

2008 Half Marathons Check - 2009-01-19

		Hi everyone, I think I have the 2008 Half Marathon Rankings finally confirmed. The major correction actually involves 2007 as I had Paula Keating from Miramichi in the 50-59 age category when she was 40-49. Louise Voghel now takes the 2007 50-59 age category win. For 2008, I was actually surprised that there wasn't a performance spike like there was in the marathon but it just goes to show that most road runners will run a half but to run a fast marathon is still as challenging as it has ever been. For the overall men, the big newcomer is Kip Kangogo who should be a big force in the future. At the top, Dylan Wykes and Jon Brown duked it out again but it was sad to see that Ryan Hayden did not build from his momentum in 2007. Hopefully, a marathon is still in Hayden's future. On the age group side, it was a BC-Ontario showdown with BC taking the crown. Steve Boyd, Bruce Deacon and Bruce Raymer were all sub 1:10 for the 40-49 category. Doug Alward, Terry Fox's friend and supporter, won the 50-59 category with BC residents taking the full top 4. Jim Swadling continued the BC dominance by taking the 60-69 category and the top 4 in 70-79 were all BC again with Garfield Saunders leading the way. For both men and women, it was new winners at the top as the competition is stiff every year for the titles. A special mention on the regional side to Terry Gehl who ran the top 2 times for Quebec. For the overall women, Cheryl Murphy, Tara Quinn-Smith and Nicole Stevenson made a huge push to the top with Cheryl taking the overall title. Lioudmila Kortchaguina once again had several top performances to make it very interesting. Kirsty Smith, Lauren King, Emily Tallen and Beth Wightman are all under 30 so the future looks very good. A big name missing in 2008 was Aster Demisse so hopefully I wasn't missing a result by her. On the age group side, we had Ontario strike back at BC and the winners were Quinn-Smith 20-29 (Ontario), Murphy 30-39 (BC), Paula Wiltse 40-49 (Ontario), Carolyn Silvey 50-59 (Ontario), Nancy Wells 60-69 (Ontario), and BJ McHugh 70-79 (BC). On the regional side, special mentions go to Denise Robson for setting up her marathon record with a top Atlantic ranking and Lisa Harvey for continuing her dominance of the Prairie scene. If you have any questions or input, please e-mail me at marathoncanada@live.com. Full rankings can be seen at www.marathoncanada.com. Alex

Taking a run at $100,000 - 2009-01-16

(Note from Alex: You can check out Norma's blog on http://mexicanrunningwild.blogspot.com/2008/10/freedom-means-opportunity-to-be-what-we.html

Norma will be running 7 ultramarathons in 7 months in 7 continents!!

Calgary Sun

January 16, 2009

Bill Kaufmann

It's a vision to help the blind that'll span all seven continents.

Inspired by a teenage son suffering from a rare eye disease, Calgarian Norma Bastidas is preparing to both sweat it out and freeze -- running some of the world's most gruelling marathons from the deserts of Africa's Namibia to the icy wastes of Antarctica.

Her goal: To raise $100,000 for eye disease research and treatment but to do so, she'll have to survive the more than 1,400 km of Earth's most inhospitable reaches.

"I do love it -- you have to love it," said Bastidas, a 41-year-old single mother of two whose seven-month odyssey is being underwritten by a local business, the Bolt Supply House.

After tackling 217 km of searing Brazilian heat and tropical rain a week from now, Bastidas immediately sets off for the frozen Antarctica, hosted by the Russian military at their Novo Base.

There, she'll run a 100-km route by herself -- a challenge aided by recent frostbitten conditions in Calgary.

"I was out training with sleds in the -35 Celsius weather ... I'll dress in layers to pull the sweat away from me to prevent hypothermia," said Bastidas, who'll also take another lonely trek through the Yukon and Alaska, where her main source of calories will be butter.

And she'll pull a sled through the snow weighed down with 20 kg of provisions.

The petite marketing director will also run races in Switzerland, Australia and the Gobi desert.

For some of them, Bastidas says she'll be going for the win -- "others, it's just to survive them."

A year of training peaked last October when she embarked on a 250-km trek across the Sahara desert.

"I wanted to see if my body could handle running it," she said.

"Not only did I survive, I placed fifth for females in my age group."

When it's not the competition driving her, Bastidas is motivated by her 14-year-old son Karl and others suffering from genetic eye diseases.

"It's watching my son struggle ... I'd like to think of myself as an athletic ambassador for the blind," she said.

Those wishing to make donations can do so at normabastidas.com or give through the Calgary Foundation.

Natasha Yaremczuk has top performance at Disney! - 2009-01-13

		Canadian Triathlete Natasha Yaremczuk finishes fifth at Disney with a time of 2:57:24 and also won her age group of 25-29 years of age! Richard Cartier was the top Canadian Male in 13th place with a time of 2:39:36 and also won his age group of 45-49 years of age. Other age group winners in the marathon included Manfred Haese of Welland in 75-79, Marilyn Huot of St Lambert in women's 55-59, and Wilma Gonsalves of St Albert in women's 70-74 . David Prentice of London finished 2nd in 55-59 and Luanne Branch of Burlington finished 2nd in Women's 65-69. Aldo Bellon of Laval finished 3rd in 60-64. The top performances as gauged by comparing to 2008 results have been included in the 2009 rankings on www.marathoncanada.com.

Kelsall interviews Nicole Stevenson - 2009-01-13

Source: www.flotrack.org

Special thanks to Christopher Kelsall

With a Commonwealth Games appearance and a 2:32 marathon personal best, Nicole Stevenson has been one of Canada’s elite marathon runners since 2002.

Coached by Hugh Cameron, Nicole transitioned from a middle distance runner to a marathoner smoothly, able to maintain fairly low-mileage training while working full time for a Pharmaceutical company in marketing.

Coach Hugh is the head coach with the Brooks Canada Marathon Project in Ontario, which enables Canada’s best runners to maintain their focus on their training and he is doing so with good success.

Martin Goulet, Chief High Performance Officer for Athletics
Canada says:

"As a long time national team and Olympic distance running
coach I was thrilled to learn about this new privately
sponsored Brooks Canada Marathon Project when briefed about
it. Our sport certainly needs new innovative ways to
attract support for our Canadian athletes. We
enthusiastically endorse the concept and approach especially
knowing that under the strong leadership of coach Cameron,
this initiative will harmoniously complement what Athletics
Canada is doing in the global area of distance running."

The time left for qualifying for the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Track and Field Championships, (August 15 to 23, 2009) is coming up for the marathon, that final date is Sunday, May 24th 2009 at the Ottawa Marathon. The question is, will Nicole continue to hold onto one of the last spots that remain and keep her place on the team.

At the 2008 ING Ottawa Marathon, I had an opportunity to ask Nicole just that, but a serious case of food poisoning kept me on a lobby couch in the Hyatt, head-in-hands looking up as the CBC and everyone else interviewed her instead. Now, finally here follows my Q and A with Ms. Stevenson.

CK: So are we going to see you in Ottawa in May 2009 attempting one of the spots for the marathon team to race the Worlds in Berlin?

NS: I've actually already made a qualifying time with my 2:41 in Ottawa in 2008, so unless I get "bumped" by some faster women, I am on the team.

CK: Are you going to wait to see if you get bumped? Ottawa is a last chance and I think 3 women have qualified already. I believe Cheryl Murphy has a time that is very close to yours and will be racing shortly to try to improve on that. Additionally, Loudmila hasn’t raced as far as I know.

NS: Wouldn’t it be great to say that a woman with a 2:32 marathon PB didn’t make the Canadian national team? Ok, I know that’s misleading since I didn’t run the PB during the qualifying period. However, it’s great to see more Canadian women breaking the 2:43 mark. What’s interesting is the age range of this group: with a couple women under 30 and some nearing or even over the 40-year mark. I suppose to make the really fast times of under 2:30, we need more of the younger women in the event, but it’s still good to see a full team forming for Berlin.

My guess is that Loudmila will return in 2009, though she and I are both battling some unavoidable challenges like aging and being females who have raced a lot of marathons in the last 10 years. I’d love to re-ignite our rivalry (I think my record with her is 1-100). Notice how I haven’t answered the original question? I have to wait and see how the next few weeks go with training before I commit to any races. As much as I want to be at the top of my game in 2009 and run as fast as I did just three years ago, I am fighting some physiological demons, so I’ll see how the winter goes and maybe test myself at Around the Bay 30km at the end of March.

CK: Again regarding Ottawa being a last chance event to qualify. A few years ago when you ran in the Commonwealth Games Marathon, you considered it your toughest marathon ever, partly because you ran it two months after a personal best in Houston. What are you doing to prepare for racing with minimal recovery this time for World’s?

NS: I've encountered a number of setbacks since the Commonwealth marathon. I thought my body would bounce back after some downtime, but I'm still looking for that bounce! I partially tore my achilles towards the end of the 2008 Scotiabank Toronto marathon in September and had to take ten weeks off. I decided to take a real break and I hardly did any exercise during that time. Needless to say, I am starting 2009 completely rested but also completely out of shape. I have started to include some cross training in my program, something I did more of back in 2001-2002 when I dipped my toe in triathlons. So I bike 1-2 times per week and I am doing lots of yoga and core work to see if I can stave off future injuries.

CK: You told Bill Lankoff of Slam Sports: "To me it's better to have someone there and be proud of them than to say: 'Sorry but if you're not going to get a medal we don't want you wearing our colours.' I felt ripped off to be honest. I don't want to sound full of sour grapes because I'm grateful for many things, but it is certainly an opportunity missed."

Do you feel that if an athlete qualifies, even minimally, that given solid training, anything may happen on the day – so why not be there at the Olympics?

NS: The IAAF sets qualifying times for each event already, so countries should follow those criteria and not duplicate the effort locally. I am starting to coach in 2009 and I think my experience from 2004 may help our future Olympians. I will steal Coach Hugh Cameron's motto and suggest athletes control what they can and focus on themselves and not the politics surrounding them. Athletes have enough pressure that they put on themselves and I want to shield them from further stress.

CK: Why do you think Athletics Canada sets standards that are different than the IAAF?

NS: I could be corrected on this, but I believe AC has to negotiate standards for each event with the Canadian Olympic Committee. I don’t think the blame all falls on AC. As for the COC, I don’t know everything about the group, but I definitely do not agree with the ‘Own the Podium’ program. It doesn’t follow my interpretation of the Olympic Charter, instead it is obsessed with medals, which are significant, but there are so many other benefits of the Olympics that are neglected during the Games. I’ll never forget this past summer where for the first week the media were all complaining about Canada’s lack of medals so far in Beijing. I felt completely ashamed of the bad press. All I can say is – we’re all athletes and we all want to win. Get more people involved, build the necessary infrastructures, promote clean sport and let the athletes take care of training and competing under proper guidance. Lastly, I’d like to see more focus on and support for more accessible and popular sports in which Canadian kids participate.

CK: Whose training methodology do you practise?

NS: I’ve tried to read about 10 running books and I can’t say I’ve finished any of them. I have a short attention span for non-fiction and think most things can be explained in an essay, not a whole book! All kidding aside, I’ve been blessed with knowledgeable coaches throughout my career and I’m very grateful for all the learnings I have gained from them.

I’m not sure who coined it, but I have always favoured the 1 day hard / 1-2 days easy concept, which includes two workouts per week, and most people I know follow this plan. One of the work outs is geared towards longer tempo repeats with only a bit of quality and the other work out includes shorter intervals at a quicker pace, of course things vary depending on time of year, race plans, etc. The other days of the week are easy mileage and one long run on the weekend, which is anywhere from 1hr 20min to 3hr. I have experimented a bit with my marathon training; for example, I once tried a phase where I did a long run the day following a hard workout to practice running on tired legs. After 6 weeks I learned that I was just getting more run down and both the workout and the long run were suffering. Lesson learned!

The biggest learning I attribute to Coach Hugh is the “execution run” concept. I would do a 25-42km run every 6 weeks or so leading up to a marathon. The goal of this run would be to help prep my mind and body for the marathon race. I was supposed to average 4:00/km, though often I went faster, then the last 2-3km would be “execution” time, running faster than marathon pace, sometimes below 3:20/km, when I was really fit. Coach Hugh would follow in the van behind me, calling out splits every kilometre for the whole run. These runs definitely helped my fitness and my confidence in my marathon career.

CK: Interesting you say that about an essay containing all the training information required to run a marathon and the over-complication of training in recent history. Frank Shorter once said that he tried to write a book on training but he didn’t because it would just end up being two pages. (or something to that effect).

NS: One thing I have really noticed over the last ten years is that runners concentrate on too many things these days – and these things don’t directly involve putting one foot in front of the other! Instead it’s all about the extras, like supplements, equipment, etc, etc. Back when Sylvia Ruegger and Mike Dyon raced marathons, they barely even drank water through marathons! Running involves some basic knowledge on rest, nutrition, shoes, etc but with the running boom, we’ve been bombarded by promotions on products instead of good, old-fashioned hard training. Details can be learned through experience and through coaches, but to really get the most of out yourself, you’ve got to be smart about your program and put in the miles of hard work and there’s no pill or special clothing that will do that for you!

CK: Did you grow up playing a lot of sports? Where you a runner early on?

NS: I started running after a victory in gym class during our track week at school. I won the 400m event back in grade six. In high school I played volleyball for 3 years and I rowed crew for one season. Running was always my strongest sport, although I loved the team aspect of volleyball. In grade 11, my brother's coach encouraged me to stick with my strength and lose the other sports, so that's what I did. It worked out really well for me, and my running times improved dramatically.

CK: While you work full time, what quantity of mileage do you manage to get in on a weekly basis?

NS: Back in 2002, when I raced my first marathon, I was only running 60-65 miles a week and clocked 2:36. After that I increased my mileage every season so that for Houston 2006 I was averaging 80-85 miles per week, which I would consider to be pretty low for most marathon runners. I have tried running higher mileage but I've found that the quality of my work-outs suffers and I get super tired, which I can't afford to feel during the day with a demanding job.

For 2009 I will go back to lower mileage of 60-70 miles per week and see how that works out, though I'll add in some cross training as well since I might hop in a triathlon in the spring. For the last two years I've been traveling a ton with my job so it's always a juggle to fit in the necessary training, especially the quality aspect. And this year I'm throwing a coaching business into the mix, so we'll see how that life balance thing goes!

Quickfire questions:

CK: Steak and beer or soy and smoothie?

NS: How about steak and beer and smoothie and forget the soy?

CK: Sounds good to me! Top three songs on your iPod right now?

NS: Head On by Jesus and the Mary Chain, Today by Smashing Pumpkins and Too Legit to Quit by MC Hammer, a true 80’s child.

CK: Post 20 mile run indulgence?

NS: Almond butter, honey and banana on a fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip bagel.

CK: Did Oprah ruin the marathon?

NS: No but I question why so many people want to run a marathon in over 4 hours instead of improving their 5k and 10k times. The training is more fun and less time-consuming and the gratification is even better.

CK: Come on she ruined it, Chocolate or Vanilla?

NS: Chocolate / vanilla swirl.

CK: Brad Pitt or Steve Yzerman?

NS: Robert Buckley from Lipstick Jungle – I love, love him!

CK: Let’s Run or runnersweb?

NS: Runnersweb for results and track and field north for gossip!

CK’s note: And I know you have read Flotrack!!

CK: Ok coach, here is your opportunity: early you said that you cycle and do yoga specifically, how do these forms of cross training help your marathon training?

NS: I’ll start with the yoga. I’ve been told by a whole crew of therapists that as strong as I look (I’m built more like a brick wall than a marathoner!) my core is super weak and I will continue hitting road blocks until I build more core strength. Recently, my friend pointed me to some on-line yoga, which I have followed diligently over the holiday break. Now that the New Year has started, I just need to fit this in with training, working and all the other stuff I do. I choose classes that are specific to my weaknesses and I just have to hope they work! In the past, when my therapists have given me exercises, I would do them a few times then totally fall off the wagon. Having on-line classes has (so far) kept me consistent, even though I often only do 30-40 of the 60 minutes. Another reason for the yoga is to improve my focus on specific muscles and focus on the present, I’m always multi-tasking and need to learn to concentrate on one thing at a time.

Cycling adds some aerobic activity without taxing my tender joints from more running and it’s an easy way to burn calories since I eat way too many sweets all the time! I spin at an easy gear because my leg muscles aren’t strong enough to do real workouts. Also, I am friends with some triathletes and it’s fun to dabble in one of their disciplines. I would say that the benefits from cycling are more psychological than physical for me since my heart rate is really low on the bike and my power output is minimal. However, I have the hopes of doing a triathlon in the spring so this keeps that possibility alive. Just don’t ask me to swim until race day because I hate pools!

CK: Yes…the New Year…this year is the Year of the Ox, Gung Hei Fat Choy! Speaking of Oxen, have you gained a lot of weight since being off from running?

NS: Ha ha! So that is why I’ve put on some pounds! I can blame the year of the ox!!! Yes, I have put on an extra layer, but losing the weight will be a good way to integrate discipline back into my life after my break from exercise and consuming copious amounts of chocolate.

CK: Will you have a Nicole Stevenson coaching website? If so what is the URL?

NS: Yes, thanks for the opportunity to put in a plug! The website is very clever: www.nicolestevenson.ca. Also, I will be a volunteer coach with the University of Toronto Track Club a couple of times per week to work with developmental athletes. I’m really excited about this new phase of my running career. I’ve been asked many times to take on a coaching role and I can hardly wait to start helping people improve their times.

Richard Mosley edges Jon Brown at Pioneer 8K - 2009-01-10

		Update: Richard Mosley edged Jon Brown 23:35 to 23:38. Lucy Smith won another close duel with Cheryl Murphy for the women's title 28:01 to 28:05. Full results can be found at http://pih.bc.ca/results/Series.php (Victoria, BC - Thursday, January 8, 2009 - 10:30pm) The Prairie Inn Harriers Running Club staged the first Pioneer 8K and the first Royal Victoria Marathon in 1980. This Sunday, January 11, the Pioneer 8K celebrates its 30th Anniversary and on October 11, the RVM also celebrates 30 successful years. As an added attraction in 2009, the Prairie Inn Pioneer 8K has been designated as the Provincial 8K Road Race Championships, and is sanctioned by BC Athletics. The high performance component of the Pioneer 8K is second to none and may bring together the highest calibre of elite road runners ever to compete in the same championship event. The Pioneer 8K features a "who’s who" of Canadian runners. Elite Athlete Director, Bob Reid, sent over 150 personal invitations offering complimentary entries and travel grants to high performance athletes from around the province in all age categories. More than 80 responded and they will be on the starting line at the 30th annual Pioneer celebration. The men’s race boasts Canada’s most brilliant marathoner, Victorian Jon Brown, who last month ran 2:12:26 in Fukuoka, Japan to qualify for Team Canada to participate at the World Marathon Championships this August in Berlin. Brown is a former Pioneer 8K winner and a former Royal Victoria Marathon winner. He also won the BC Cross Country Championships in October 2008. At the Berlin Marathon he will be attempting to break the all-time Canadian Marathon Record currently held by Jerome Drayton established 34 years ago. Drayton ran 2:10:08 in 1975 at Fukuoka. Brown’s personal best of 2:09:31 was set at the London Marathon in 2005 and puts him in good standing to win the Pioneer 8K in Victoria and lower the Canadian marathon record in Berlin. Richard Mosley, from Coquitlam, and Victoria’s Ryan McKenzie are the second and third ranked runners in the Senior Men’s Division. Strong performances are also expected from former Pioneer Champions Trevor O’Brien and Todd Howard. A young threesome of Matt Clout, 27, Kris Swanson, 27, and Scott Simpson, 29, will post strong efforts. The top junior male, under-20, is Jeff Phillips, BC Athletics Junior Road Runner of the Year. The Master Men’s Division is loaded with world-class athletes led by Mark Bomba, from Coquitlam, running his first race as a master since turning 40 on January 3. Bomba has represented Team Canada at several cross country and road running world championships and has notched top-5 finishes at both the TC10K and the Vancouver Sun Run, and has a second place finish at the Royal Victoria Half Marathon in 2007. Paul McCloy, of Calgary, will provide stiff competition in the M45 division along with Norm Tinkham, from Maple Ridge. McCloy, a former 1988 Pioneer winner in 23:19, finished 9th overall at the 1986 World Cross Country Championships in Belfast. It is the highest finish ever by a Canadian at this IAAF international championship event. Tinkham, 45, was the top BC finisher at the Canadian Cross Country Championships in Guelph in November, third overall, and has recently been named as the BC Athletics Master Cross Country Runner of the Year. Paul O’Callaghan, Kevin O’Connor, Kevin Searle, Paddy McCluskey, Gord Christie and three-time RVM winner, Phil Nicholls, round out the strong master men’s division. On the open women’s side, 2008 TC10K champion Lisa Harvey, from Calgary, is the race favourite, but only by a whisker. Last year’s Pioneer Champion, Cheryl Murphy, will be running her first race as a master at Pioneer and last year she finished only one half of a second behind Harvey in the closest women’s finish in the 20-year history of the TC10K. She has been selected as the BC Athletics Senior Road Runner of the Year for 2008. Former Pioneer winner and Beijing Olympian, Carolyn Murray, is a threat as is Australian new-comer Sarah Bouchard. Rachel Ruus and Kristina Rody, from Vancouver and Whistler, are ranked third and fourth. Professional triathletes, Bree Wee, from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, Lisa Mensink, from The Netherlands, and Katya Meyers, of Florida, bring a top-level international aspect to the Pioneer field. Wee holds the all-time amateur course record for the Hawaii Ironman World Championships and Mensink was a member of the Dutch Olympic Team at Beijing in 2008. The master women’s race promises strong accomplishments from outstanding local and lower mainland runners Lucy Smith, Cheryl Murphy, Nancy Tinari, Catherine Irons, Juliette Christie, Joanne Rosen and RVM champion Joan McGrath. In the Pioneer "Legends" Team of Champions division, comprised of all 60 past winners, Race Director Randy Jones is thrilled to welcome back to Victoria, Randy Cox, Dave Campbell, Gary Barber, Paul McCloy, Carey Nelson, Richard Lee, Steve Bachop, Debbie Scott (Bowker), Ulla Hansen (Marquette), Angela Chalmers and Liz Jones. The Prairie Inn Pioneer 8K will host the most competitive and rewarding field ever assembled in the 30-year history of the event. There is $7,000 in prize money available, with $1,000 going to the top male and female and another $1,000 offered to any runner capable of breaking the 24-year old course records of 22:58 and 26:08 held by Carey Nelson and Debbie Scott. Prize money goes 4-deep for men and women in both the senior and master divisions. At the Pioneer awards ceremony, a cheque for $10,000 will be presented from donations by PIH members to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of BC and Yukon in memory of Harrier Dave Reed who died unexpectedly of a stroke two months ago. Reed was an outstanding master’s runner who won the M50 division of the 2008 Prairie Inn Pioneer 8K race. He set many age class records while racing on Vancouver Island and in Vancouver.

New Sales Items - 2009-01-09

		Please check our store section for 4 new winter sales. They are the Sugoi Zap Visibility Jacket for $62.99, the Sugoi Flare Tight for $48.99, the Sugoi Midzero Tight for $62.99 and the Brooks Energy Flare Pant for $52.49. There is a $10 shipping fee but I will provide a 3 month training plan for free.

Sugoi Partner looking for athletes! - 2009-01-09

		SUGOI is a partner of NATHAN: a company that is committed to supporting people who have goals and the will to achieve them, no matter how impossible they may seem, and to helping them in redefining their own notion of humanly possible. From January 1st to March 31st 2009, NATHAN will look for 10 Canadian individual amateur athletes across Canada, men and women, in sports such as road running, trail running, duathlon or triathlon to join the 2009 NATHAN CANADA TEAM. Who is NATHAN looking to recruit? People who have a personal goal (it can be running a first 10K, beating a half-marathon PB, running a marathon under 4 hours or qualifying for Boston, moving from road to trail running, trying a tri, completing an Olympic distance duathlon or doing an Ironman), a character, a dedication, a conviction, a story, a message to share and a unique approach to the sport or to the objective they want to reach; inspired people who can inspire others are invited to apply. Even if having won a race or having personal records are great accomplishments it won’t be of first importance in the selection process. In 2009, candidates selected as members of the NATHAN CANADA TEAM will: * get free NATHAN products and accessories * get a free SUGOI running or triathlon technical outfit * get a free pair of END road or trail running shoes and sandals * get free GU energy gels and sport drinks * get a free one year subscription to Canadian Running and/or Triathlon Magazine Canada * have up to $250 of training clinics costs and sporting events registration fees paid * have the chance to be part of a great team with local and national recognition * feel the satisfaction of challenging themselves during the season and hopefully achieve their goal Candidates can find detailed information on the NATHAN CANADA TEAM recruitment campaign on http://www.NathanSports.ca/Team

10 Miler Results from Boxing Day - 2009-01-05

I spotted the following results on race results weekly. This is a great service if you are a 
racing fan like me and the subscription info can be found at the bottom. The full results are on
http://www.boxingdayrun.ca/ This event has a lot of history and both Andrew Smith and Megan Brown
ran very impressive times. Megan finished 10th overall.

Harold Webster Memorial Boxing Day 10-Miler (88th)
Hamilton, ON, CAN; Friday, December 26
Distance: 10 mi.
Finishers: 753 of 840 entrants
Course Records: Men, 48:29.2, Roger Martindill, 1984; Women, 57:07, May Allison, 1995
   NOTE: This is Canada’s third-oldest race --Ed.
 
MEN (gun times) - 
 1. Andrew Smith, Toronto        50:48
 2. David Karanja, KEN           51:55
 3. Brendan Kenny, Dundas        52:08
40+ David Brooks, Guelph         58:58
 
WOMEN (gun times) - 
 1. Megan Brown, Toronto         59:01
 2. Lauren King, Toronto       1:01:37
 3. Kristina Rody, Burnaby     1:04:23
40+ Brenda Dolderman, Elora    1:04:46
 
For subscription info visit the RRW(tm) website at http://www.raceresultsweekly.com

Info on World Masters Track Championships this summer - 2009-01-05

Join us as a member of Team Canada at the World Masters Championships in Finland this summer !

There are no qualification performance marks for a World Championships

– guys like me compete, come in last sometimes, and have a great time! J

I’ve been to seven World’s and they seem to get better all the time. There were 6000 athletes at the last one in Italy.

You’re a Road Runner? …..they have a Marathon.

You run cross country? ….. they have a Cross Country championship – with separate races for the age groups.

CMAA President Brian Keaveney is handling the Canadian entries. You must enter through the CMAA – you cannot mail your entry directly to Finland. Brian can be reached for any inquries at masters@sympatico.ca

Entry information is now posted at http://www.ontariomasters.ca/competition_schedule.php - listed at July 28th

The entry forms are there. Click on ‘Entry Forms’.

Specific information on the entry process, including the additional Canadian Team Members fee, is under ‘ Team Canada Info’

(this is the second version of the procedure. It has been slightly corrected)

All Canadian entries have to be members of the CMAA. (Ontario Masters membership includes membership in the CMAA)

Complete meet information is at http://english.wma2009.org/athletes/ including the Entry Book

If you have a slow internet connection, then look under the title ENTRY PROCEDURE

Click on OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM. This is a pdf file as well. It is not large. Save it and print it.

All information and updates will be on the CMAA web site shortly http://www.canadianmastersathletics.com/

Goway Travel has special deals for travel and accommodation. Click on ‘Goway Travel Package’

Brown and Quinn-Smith take overall titles - 2008-12-29

		Results are being combed over but it looks like Jon Brown and Tara Quinn-Smith will be taking the titles as fastest Canadian marathoners of 2008. Huge questions will pop up in 2009 as we wonder if Dylan Wykes will challenge Jon for the crown and if Danny Kassap can recover his health to push them both. Will Lioudmila Kortchaguina rebound in 2009 or can Stephanie Hood and Tara Quinn-Smith stay at the front of the pack? 2008 was a bit of a recovery year due to the Olympics with 7 men breaking 2:20 as opposed to 3 in 2007. Lioudmila Kortchaguina was one of only 2 Canadian women under 2:45 in 2007 but 6 women pulled the trick in 2008 with 3 women doing multiple times and a 4th just missing a second sub 2:45. Further analysis of the men’s results shows that another recent citizen, Giitah MacHaria, shows great promise breaking 2:17 along with steady performer Matthew McInnes. Charles Bedley and Jerry Ziak failed to improve on their fast times from 2007 but still handed in two solid 2:20 pace runs. The future looks very bright as Dylan, Danny, Giitah and Andrew Smith are all under 30 years of age and were all sub 2:20 in 2008. For the senior categories, Bruce Deacon dominated with the same pace he showed in 2007. Bruce finished in 2:23:56 at the Boston Marathon in April. Whistler’s Kevin Titus failed to pass in a performance to defend his 50-59 title but it would have been tough to match Clyde Van Caeyzeele’s 2:43:35 in Regina. Nigel Deacon took advantage of a shakeup in the 60-69 category with a completely different top 3 from 2007. George Pothier celebrated his entry into the 70+ category by travelling all the way to Victoria from Halifax to run the top time there. I hope Ed Whitlock has a speedy recovery to challenge George in 2009. Further analysis of the women’s results shows that Cheryl Murphy, Nicole Stevenson and Denise Robson should all be under 2:40 in 2009. Once you’re that close to breaking 2:40, you have to think the confidence of all 3 women must be pretty high. I hope I’m not missing a result of Lioudmila’s but you can be sure that she will be back in the mix. Tara Quinn-Smith and Stephanie Hood are both under 30 but there was a big gap to the rest of that category. The strength of the 30-39 category bodes well however as a lot of women seem to really hit their potential in the marathon in their 40s. Denise Robson can certainly attest to that as she broke the Canadian Masters record this year with her 2:41:12 PB in Sacramento. I hope Louise Voghel has a healthy return to form in 2009 as she absolutely dominated the 50-59 category in 2007 with 3 top performances. This year, Cindy Rhodes took the #1 position with a 3:09:27 in Victoria where she had defended her overall title so many times in the past. Patti Wilson defended her 60-69 title with her 3:40:51 in her home turf of Saskatoon. Gwen McFarlan probably thought she had another 70+ category win wrapped up but Georgena Evans just nipped her with her 3:59:04 in Victoria. Regionally, Rami Bardeesy stayed steady and grabbed another Atlantic title with his 2:28:01 in Sacramento, Jon Brown and Danny Kassap took the running hotbeds of British Columbia and Ontario, Jason Warick sped back up to a 2:22:41 in Ottawa to win the Prairie Region, and Terry Gehl stayed steady like Rami and jumped up to #1 in Quebec with a 2:28:02 in Mississauga. Denise Robson was the class of the field in the Atlantic region, Cheryl Murphy and Tara Quinn-Smith were the #1s in British Columbia and Ontario, marathon newcomer Brandi Pozniak took the Prairie title with a 2:51:59 in Chicago, and Nathalie Goyer came through with her 3rd top performance of the year to take # 1 for Quebec. Nathalie then ran a 4th top 10 performance in New York!! I hope everyone enjoys the rankings. Full rankings can be found at www.marathoncanada.com. If you have any corrections, please e-mail marathoncanada@live.com.

Doug Smith Interviews Denise Robson - 2008-12-17

Denise Robson, from Dartmouth NS won the Masters division at the recent California International Marathon

I (Doug Smith) chatted with Denise…..

Denise, your 2:41:12 broke the CAN W40 record of 2:44:33 (the old record was Laura Lynn’s mark set in Toronto in 1991). Is that your W40 PB ?
Wow, I didn't realize that, very cool! Yes, this is my W40 PB I just turned 40 Nov 19th this year. This is my marathon PB as well as I just started running 4 years ago. Now I look even more forward to going sub 2:40 next year.

You started running four years ago?? You must have been doing other sports to be in that kind of shape?
Nope no sports. Kept active as a mom with three girls.
I ran in Junior High, High School & one year University quit cold turkey as I didn't like the University training (every session was a race in itself). Married my High School sweetheart had three beautiful girls (who are now 12, 10 & 8) and unfortunately went through a separation 4 years ago and started running with a co-worker for some stress relief and she asked if I wanted to do a marathon. I thought she was crazy as I had only been running two mths. I agreed as a lark and 4 months later ran my 1st marathon heck 1st race in 15+ years in 3:13 and was the 1st female to cross the line and have been passionately addicted ever since. lol and that's my story. So needless to say I was in awe when I rec'd your email.

Why did you pick Sacramento? Was it the closest to your 40^th birthday?
No, not because it was closest to my 40th b-day, never really thought of that. I picked it because of it's website which said it was one of the fastest, if not the fastest course in the country, top ten as a fall marathon destination, and one of the world's best small marathons. The weather conditions have been ideal at this event for the last 26 yrs. So it all added up to a perfect marathon choice and it did not disappoint. The organization was GREAT. The volunteers plenty. Crowd support was awesome. The course was perfect. Would definitely recommend and do this one again.

The course is about 400ft overall downhill, so I guess they’ll list it with a ‘dh’ in the Record Book. Was it noticeable ?
Downhill was not noticeable at all. The elevation start is 366 ft and you finish at 26 ft; however, it was quite rolly the first ½ (I was surprised; however, the hills in Halifax helped with that) and the second half felt more like a flat course then a net downhill. I would say Chicago and Berlin are much faster courses then this as they are entirely flat. Now Boston that's a net downhill. Recovery for me is worse following Boston, in Sacramento I had no issues with my quads following this marathon like I do every year that I run boston. Recovery has been perfect. J

What kind of training/mileage are you putting a 40 year old body through to be able to run 2:41 ?
Ha Ha You will be surprised. Prior to this marathon and before Boston 08 my highest mileage was typically 84k/week, I did do one week at 92k. This marathon I tried to up my mileage a bit and typically did 90k/week, with little less mileage every 2nd week, but did get up to two weeks that my mileage was 102k. Compared to my male training partners this was low mileage. So will likely try to gradually increase my weekly mileage leading up to my next marathon. I wanted to be cautious, as I think I've asked a lot already of my body in only 4 short years from no running to racing marathons. It will be interesting to see what increased mileage will do for me. In getting ready for the marathon. I run 6 days a week with two days as speed workouts and one long run day, alternate days are easy running with one temp run day . I do stability ball during the winter months and have spent some time in the pool doing pool running while my girls swim/play around me.

So which race have got in mind for next year? I believe your time would have placed you 2^nd at New York and 1^st at Boston.
I work for Manulife Financial and John Hancock (our sister company in Boston) as i'm sure you are aware is the title sponsor of the Boston marathon, so I hope I will be able to be part of again the JH team of elite runners.
*OH*, I was well aware of the master runners this Boston 08, I passed the Russian woman Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova at mile 22 (who was the top masters woman finisher) in 2:47:17 and I finished in 2:45:54. Never seen a 39 year old woman wanting to be 40 so badly.....lol. The American woman for the most part were missing from this years Boston due to the Olympic trials; however, my goal for next year is still a top finish as a masters woman in Boston 09.
I have not decided on a fall marathon destination yet; however, my goal will be to break 2:40, at whatever marathon I decide on.

Thanks a lot Denise. We’ll be watching for your results. Good luck!

Terry Fox Contest - 2008-12-12

The plan at this time is to have two teams of twelve runners start in St. Johns and Victoria on April 12th. Each participant will attempt to run 3,339 miles in 143 days, matching Terry's daily mileage, meeting in Thunder Bay on Labour Day weekend.

There will be a one hour casting special to air in April in CBC primetime where the participants will be introduced, the stakes will be set for the run and Terry's enduring and building legacy will be highlighted. This will be followed by a feature that would appear weekly on the National or CBC News Sunday that would provide an update on the runners and their fundraising efforts. There would also be a one hour (or more) special on Labour Day.

A website will be created that would present the diaries of the runners, offer up to date features and allow a click through to our website for online donations.

Do You Have What It Takes to Go the Distance?

The participants will be chosen based on the following:

You have been inspired by Terry's story and have a history of supporting Terry's vision and principles

You are willing and able to undertake fundraising for the Foundation

You believe in your ability to physically complete the challenge - and can prove it!

You are willing and able to put aside work/other commitments for 4.5 or more months

Now Is Your Time to Convince Us!

If you would like to participate as a runner in this historic event, please reply to marathonofhope2009@gmail.com, sending us your contact information and telling us why you are the ideal candidate for the show. We want to get a sense of who you are and what motivates you to apply for this kind of challenge.

In addition, we ask that you please create a 3-5 minute video so we can see you in action. Your video should include: Your name, age, hometown and why you want to be a participant in the Marathon of Hope 2009. Please upload your video to YouTube.

Please notify us immediately by sending the URL when you've uploaded your video. We look forward to hearing from you!

Deadline for applications: January 8, 2009

Need extra help uploading your video?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFyIT7rVZ0Q

Jon Brown hits A+ Standard - 2008-12-11

Below is an article of Chris Kelsall’s posted on Flotrack. Jon Brown ended up running 2:12:27 and David Jackson ran 2:27:28.

C) - Copyright - Christopher Kelsall - 2008

62nd Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship

Sunday, December 7, 2008 David Jackson and Jon Brown both of Victoria, British Columbia will be competing in the 62nd Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship in Japan.

Three-time Olympian Jon Brown will likely be looking to achieve the Athletics Canada A+ qualification standard in this race, which is 2:12:38. Jon Brown owns a personal best of 2:09:32. He currently holds the UK 10, 000m record of 27:18 and has finished fourth in two Olympic Marathons both at Sydney and Athens. Brown’s second half split in both marathons was faster than any other runner’s first or second half split in each event.

Jon Brown currently is coaching David Jackson. Run By Common Sense, Jon Brown’s coaching company now has several runners under his tutelage including 40-year-old varsity runner, the opera singing, Marilyn Arsenault.

David Jackson will be looking to qualify for the IAAF World Track and Field Championships Marathon for Canada, which will require a new personal best and a sub 2:18 performance (See standards at bottom).

Jackson has spent the previous two years on a marathon hiatus while running for the University of Victoria, earning his Masters degree in Education, majoring in sport psychology.

Dylan Wykes second on both Saturday and Sunday - 2008-12-09

by JUSTIN MARVILLE

Barbados Nation News

(Alex's notes: Full results are at http://www.chiptimeresults.com/)

NOT EVEN THE absence of one of Kenya’s best was enough to prevent the African state’s domination of Run Barbados’ fastest event.

Following in the footsteps of his countrymen, Robert Kiprotich Letting torched a 300-man strong field on his way to an impressive victory in the 2008 Run Barbados Nature Valley 10K yesterday evening.

A first-time competitor in the event, the wiry Kenyan separated himself from the main pack as early as the four-kilometre mark before coming home in a respectable time of 29.57 minutes.

Running in ideal conditions, with the notable absence of last year’s champion Philip Lagat, Letting actually appeared to be on record-setting pace at the halfway mark, making the turnaround in front of Weisers Beach in 14.14 minutes.

But with no real competition to push him, the 24-year-old distance runner drastically tailed off to miss out on countryman’s Joseph Kariuki’s course record of 28.40 minutes set in 2002.

Canadian Dylan Wykes (30.41) was a distant second, Daniel Cheruiyot (31.08) of the United States finished third.

Paraplegic athlete Dean Cook was actually the first one to break the tape, but he and the other wheelchair competitor started some three minutes before the rest of the pack.

Another first-time 10K athlete, British runner Wendy Nicholls, was the first female competitor to cross the line, finishing 14th overall in a time of 35.57, well ahead of her husband Justin Nicholls (25th, 39.41).

The 39-year-old Nicholls, who finished third in last year’s half-marathon, made her move in the early goings of the event, leaving compatriot Birhane Dagne behind some three kilometres into the race before cruising to the Bay Street finish-line.

Cleveland Forde, a former CARIFTA Games 5 000 metres gold medallist, was the first Caribbean man and fourth overall runner to finish the race (31.14), nipping two-time defending half-marathon champ Zepherinus Joseph of St Lucia at the line.

CARIFTA gold medallist in the 3 000 metres, Matthew Wright, (12th, 34.39), beat out Mark Greenidge (13th, 35.35) and long-time training partner Jason Wilson (15th, 36.25) as the first Bajan male home.

National record holder in the 800 and 1 500, Sheena Gooding (41st, 42.47) was Barbados’ fastest female on the day.

Another first-timer in the event, Gooding eased across the line ahead of Sandra Jones, a physical education teacher at Springer Memorial (46th, 43.34), who was the first Bajan female finisher last year.

Under slightly overcast skies, hundreds of Barbadians gathered at the Bay Street start and lined the new Bridgetown route which took the runners north onto Highway 7, eliminating the uphill climb of Bush Hill and Culloden Road.

However, although the new course did not produce faster times, the runners enjoyed the absence of the original upwards pull at the start of the race.

So too did Letting, who never ran the course before yesterday.

"It was good although it was hot," said Letting, who was pleased with his time despite running well off his personal best. "It was really flat and easy going, so I enjoyed it."

HONOUR ROLL:

Top 10 Men

1. Robert Kiprotich Letting (Kenya) 29.57 minutes

2. Dylan Wykes (Canada) 30.41

3. Daniel Cheruiyot (United States) 31.08

4. Cleveland Forde (Guyana) 31.14

5. Zepherinus Joseph (St Lucia) 31.17

6. Sean Wade (United States) 31.23

7. Curtis Cox (Trinidad & amp; Tobago) 32.13

8. Steve Boyd (Canada) 32.56

9. Louis Darly (Guadeloupe) 33.14

10. Kelvin Johnson (Guyana) 34.08

Top 10 Women

1. Wendy Nicholls (England) 35.57 minutes

2. Birhane Dagne (England) 37.38

3. Alika Morgan (Guyana) 39.33

4. Kenryea Francis (Antigua & amp; Barbuda) 41.11

5. Sarah Williams (England) 41.24

6. Caswell Lewis (St Vincent & amp; The Grenadines) 41.28

7. Sheena Gooding (Barbados) 42.47

8. Sandra Jones (Barbados) 43.34

9. Mary Fraser (Barbados) 44.20

10. Jewel Lewis (Antigua & amp; Barbuda) 45.04

by SHERRYLYN A. TOPPIN

Barabados Nation News

LIKE A MASTER SURGEON, Pamenos Ballantyne carried out the perfect operation, coming from behind to win his fourth title at the 2008 Run Barbados Scotiabank iN Fo’ Life Marathon yesterday morning.

Trailing by more than 200 metres at the start of the race, the Vincentian completed the 26.2-mile course from Bay Street, St Michael, to Speightstown, St Peter, and back in 2 hours 25.15 seconds. It was the fastest time since 2000 when Ballantyne completed his hattrick of titles in 2:27.40.

He was fifth last year, but led home Kenya’s Samuel Nuriithi who moved up one spot to second, while defending champion Victor Ledger of St Lucia fell to third in 2:29.58. Trinidad’s Richard Jones fell from second to fourth in 2:32.06 and Marinus Stephen of St Lucia was fifth in 2:42.25.

In top form

Ballantyne, 35, said he prepared well, was confident in his ability and also knew the opponents. "Basically, I said I am not going out too hard because it is 26 miles. I can run long. I can run fast. I was in Trinidad preparing for a lot of 5Ks, 10Ks, 15Ks and half marathons. This is my first marathon for the year," he said at the end of the race.

"I am still young. I am probably ten years younger than Ledger so definitely my kick is the main factor. And I have great endurance. I won the Trinidad marathon seven times, in 2:15 and this race was about 2:25. I am still ten minutes outside, so I can run ten minutes faster. If I had a bit more competition in the last half, a bit more push, I could’ve run under 2:24," he added.

But at the start of the race, only a betting man would’ve picked Ballantyne. Ledger, Nuriithi and Canadian Alex Coffin set the early pace. When they reached the Holbourne junction, Ballantyne was nowhere to be seen in the pre-dawn light.

Through Prospect and Fitts Village they stayed together, with Coffin falling off the pace by Glitter Bay. Into Weston, Nuriithi stepped into a puddle of water and fell, but was quickly back up, urged on by Ledger. Ballantyne, running alone for most of the race, appeared in the distance and passed Coffin.

By the time the leaders reached Speightstown, Ballantyne had them in his sights and all three made the turn to the finish in 1:13 to the sweet sounds of steel pan music; passing Coffin; Andrew Greenidge, the first Barbadian who finished seventh overall in 2:52.02; women’s winner Amy Chalk; her German rival Birgit Bartels; veteran runner Adelbert Browne and race walker Emmerson "Horse" Waldron, among others.

And so the three remained on the return journey with the sun steadily rising in the east.

At 7 a.m., a decisive break came in Fitts Village, near Jordan’s Supermarket where Ledger was left behind. The St Lucian told NATIONSPORT his right hamstring and calf muscles tightened up and he decided to ease off. Ballantyne took full control, and made his move on the Spring Garden Highway, winning comfortably.

Chalk finished ninth overall in 3:02.11, slightly faster than last year (3:02.15) and up one place, with Bartels 10th overall in 3:07.52

"I find it very, very hard work. The German girl went off at a good pace so I had some company this year. I passed her about 18K and decided to put in a bit of hard patch," she said, while resting with her two-year-old daughter Amelia at the end of the race.

"I got to about 32K and it started to hurt, so it was a case of getting through every 2K and clocking off the Ks, surviving and getting back. I just crossed the line in sheer relief," Chalk said.

RUN BARBADOS RESULTS:

Marathon

1. Pamenos Ballantyne (St Vincent & amp; the Grenadines) 2 hours 25:15 minutes

2. Samuel Nuriithi (Kenya) 2:27.40

3. Victor Ledger (St Lucia) 2:29.58

4. Richard Jones (Trinidad & amp; Tobago) 2:32.06

5. Marinus Stephen (St Lucia) 2:42.25

6. Alex Coffin (Canada) 2:49.23

7. Andrew Greenidge (Barbados) 2:52.02

8. Andy Sly (England) 3:00.13

9. Amy Chalk (Britain) 3:02.11

10. Birgit Bartels (Germany) 3:07.52

11. Adelbert Browne (Barbados) 3:08.27

12. Richard Lewis (Barbados) 3:10.52

13. Emerson Waldron (Barbados) 3:11.56

14. Rodney Blackman (Barbados) 3:15.21

15. Jon Mansfield (England) 3:17.52

Half-Marathon

1. Robert Kiprotich Letting (Kenya) 1 hour 08.07 seconds

2. Dylan Wykes (Canada) 1:08.49

3. Zepherinus Joseph (St Lucia) 1:09.20

4. Daniel Cheruiyot (United States) 1:10.37

5. Curtis Cox (Trinidad & amp; Tobago) 1:12.30

6. Louis Darly (Guadeloupe) 1:13.24

7. Kelvin Johnson (Guyana) 1:13.56

8. Neil Stewart (Trinidad & amp; Tobago) 1:17.47

9. Mark Greenidge (Barbados) 1:20.22

10. Wendy Nicholls (Egland) 1:20.57

11. Mark Thorne (Barbados) 1:22.15

12. Winston Mascoll (Barbados) 1:22.24

13. Matthew Greenidge (Barbados) 1:22.47

14. Winston Padmore (Barbados) 1:23.47

15. Jean-Guy Joseph-Angeli (Martinique) 1:25.12

29. Dominique Marshall (Barbados) 1:41.31

Half-Marathon Schools’ Relay

Boys

1. Ellerslie (Anthonio Mascoll, Jandolph St Clair, Hakeem Newton, Christopher Davis) 1:21.02

2. Coleridge and Parry 1:21.36

3. The Lodge School 1:25.08

Girls

1. Springer Memorial B (Vanessa Hyman, Shakera Gill, Kerry Clarke, Xicca Jemmott) 4:54.

2. The Lodge School 5:04

3. Springer Memorial A 5:14

Pre-Race Story before Sacramento - 2008-12-09

By MONTY MOSHER Sports Reporter

Chronicle Herald

(Alex’s notes: Denise was 4th woman in Sacramento with a time of 2:41:12, Rami Bardeesy was 17th overall in 2:28:04, Ray Moorehead was 3rd Canadian in 2:43:41)

Denise Robson is a little tired and sore at the end of a long road-racing season. But the lure of one of the fastest marathon tracks in North America has her in California in search of a personal record this weekend.

One of Nova Scotia’s top distance runners is part of a group of eight Bluenoses lacing up for Sunday’s 26th annual California International Marathon. Nearly 5,000 runners took part in last year’s race.

Robson will be joined by Rami Bardeesy, Micheline McWhirter, Janice Fiander, Ray Moorehead, Gavin Timberlake, Brenda MacDonald and Vance Kruszewski.

There’s plenty to like about a December visit to California, and she’ll have a vacation next week, but the race is "all business" for Robson. Since she just turned 40, she’ll compete in the masters’ age category and is looking for strong result.

Vancouver’s Rita Ivanauskas won the masters’ bracket last year in 2:48.58. Robson has a career-best 2:44.28 set last September in Berlin (she also has 2:44:36 in Chicago) and is looking to crowd 2:40 on Sunday.

"Typically this is late in the season and really extended our season, but what drew us to this one is it is deemed one of the fastest race courses in the country," she said. "It’s a flat, fast course. And the weather conditions are perfect. Out of the last 25 years it’s only had two bad weather days and it’s usually ideal conditions.

"In looking at past results, I think I have a good shot at one of the top masters’ positions at this marathon. That’s what I’m excited about."

The 26-mile, 385-yard course follows a historic gold-mining route from Folsom to Sacramento, finishing in front of the California State Capitol. It begins at 366 feet of elevation and ends at 26 feet.

It is considered a prime location to make the standard for the Boston Marathon in the spring, but all of the Nova Scotians entered, except for Fiander, have met the Boston requirement.

"My goal plan is two hours and 41 minutes," said Robson, a single mother who only returned to running a few years ago after a 15-year break. "That will be a personal best by three minutes for me if I can pull it off."

One of the major issues for Robson has been remaining motivated to run when most of her provincial counterparts have put their sneakers on the shelf.

"I’m tired of running and need a break," she said with a laugh. "Usually we use November and December as time away from running. Maybe you do some swimming or cycling. Generally we do Boston in April, race all spring and summer and do a fall marathon in September or October. So I’m ready to get this marathon over with, but I want to do well. I think I’m still peaking."

Robson finished 11th among all women, and second among Canadians, in this year’s Boston Marathon in 2:45.54. She was second in her age group in the 10-kilometre nationals in Ottawa in October in 35:56.

( mmosher@herald.ca)

Time to Register!! - 2008-11-27

		ORONTO. November 17^th, 2008. Online Registration is now open for all Canada Running Series ’09 events, including Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, at www.canadarunningseries.com . Registration for ’09 includes the popular COMBO PACKS, that offer runners major savings and the chance to build their own personal “pack” of major, “goal” races for next year, available only until February 28^th. The Series is “a selection of Canada’s best runs” that provide international-class running “experiences” in 5 events in Toronto, 2 in Vancouver and one in Montreal. The 8 runs are all unique in their own way. Favourites like Harry’s Spring Run Off 8K Toronto in High Park and the Vancouver version in Stanley Park are signature indicators of Spring for fitness enthusiasts in East and West, in two of Canada’s finest urban parks. Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal marks the same change of season in Quebec, and is Canada’s National Half Marathon Championships in beautiful Parc Jean Drapeau. The Toronto Ten Miler at The Distillery Historic District and the Oasis ZooRun 10K & 5K at Toronto Zoo also offer unique venues as well as different distances. The Sporting Life 10K allows more than 10,000 fitness folks to “run down Yonge Street without getting run down” on the first Sunday in May. Participants plunge down Canada’s most-famous street from above Eglinton to Roundhouse Park by the CN Tower to raise more than $500,000 for Camp Oochigeas, a summer camp for kids with cancer -- and give proof that Toronto is "a city for people, not just cars”. The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Half & 5K, a recipient of an IAAF Silver Label in ’08 [the Michelin 4-stars of running!], offers a truly world-class running experience from Nathan Phillips Square in the heart of the country’s #1 metropolis. All of the races include an elite component that brings excitement and some of the world’s best runners to Canada’s streets -- like World Champion and Olympic Silver Medalist Catherine Ndereba who was the women’s winner at the ’08 Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal in April, as part of her Beijing preparations. 2009 will mark the 20^th anniversary for the Series, which began in 1990 as the “Coors Light Running Series” with a six-pack of runs in downtown Toronto. From the outset, the Series has always been about building excitement, about promoting running and healthy lifestyles, and about “giving back to the communities we run through”. In both 1990 and ’91, the Series Grand Finale, the Coors Light Toronto Half Marathon [the forerunner of the Toronto Waterfront Marathon and Half], was won by legend Joan Benoit Samauelson. At the time, the girl-from-next door in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, was still at the height of her career -- a career that saw her win the first-ever Olympic marathon for women in Los Angeles in 1984. The first season, the Series raised much needed funds for the YMCA Community Fund in Toronto. Twenty years later, the record number of Series ‘08 runners raised a record of $2.58 million for 75 local charities in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. Expectations are that participation will hit 50,000 for ’09, with more than $3 million raised for charity. “We’ve always strived hard to create a balance between ‘competers’ and completes’ in the runs since day-one, and to be an important part of the community,” says CRS Race Director Alan Brookes. “We want to offer 8 of the best, big-city, ‘big-experience’ running events anywhere in the world, whether you’re fleet of foot, a slower, weekend warrior or a power walker.” From the unique courses, world-class organization, great ‘swag’ in technical t-shirts, caps and medals, great photos of memories, post-run pancake breakfasts or brunches at The Distillery, Canada Running Series is all about “the running experience.” In 2008, 5 of the events completely sold out in advance, and the other three almost reached their capacities. Fitness enthusiasts of all abilities from coast-to-coast are encouraged to check the new Canada Running Series ’09 Calendar today at http://www.canadarunningseries.com/crs/index.htm ; sign up for your own COMBO PACK, guarantee your spot in Canada’s favourite runs now, and enjoy major savings until February 28^th.

Order your shoes and support the website - 2008-11-17

		I have lots in stock!! Just phone 1-866-440-4322 or e-mail me at marathoncanada@live.com. I'm offering a special 6 week training program to anyone who orders shoes from me. Just think of it as a nice way to get a deal and to support the work I do on the rankings at the same time. I am a 2 time All Canadian in Cross Country while attending the University of Victoria. I have a Masters of Arts in Physical Education and am a level 3 coach. I have managed 2 Running Room stores and presently have my own 2 stores in Saint John, New Brunswick. I have been operating this website for almost 9 years now. Presently, I have just turned 40 and am turning the juice back up. I ran a 2:41 marathon in October and am presently training hard for the Barbados Marathon in December. Just let me know what you usually wear and I'll see what I have. Alex

New York Results Included - 2008-11-17

		I have just finished adding results from New York. Elisabeth Ruel and Nathalie Goyer both had solid sub 3 hour marathons. Please check for your 2008 results in the marathon rankings to make sure that I haven't missed your performance if it ranks. Half Marathon Rankings will be finished soon!

1,372 runners take part in Legs for Literacy Marathon events - 2008-11-03

		By Cole Hobson Times & Transcript Staff With more runners than ever before, the continued support of hundreds of volunteers and a record amount of money raised, this weekend's eighth annual Legs for Literacy race day was a huge success for Metro Moncton. Marie Wilson, race director, said final numbers and late registration fees still must be tallied, but all early indications are that they have set a new money record, surpassing last year's event which raised $30,000 for local literacy programs. "I know we would have surpassed last year, but beyond that I'm not really sure. I'm hoping around $32,000," she said. The annual event, which began in 2000, features the 42.2 kilometre (26.2 miles) marathon, the 21.2 kilometre (13.2 miles) half-marathon, as well as a 10- kilometre (6.2 miles) and a five-kilometre (3.1 miles) run or walk. All funds raised go towards supporting literacy in the community, with District 1 and District 2 schools being the major recipients. Of course, on top of being a first-class charity event, the event is also a top-notch athletic competition that sees runners come from all over Atlantic Canada and as far as Texas and Yellowknife to compete. This year, a total of 1,372 runners were registered for all four races, an improvement of over 100 competitors over last year's event. "Next year, we'll aim for 1,500 registrations and a $35,000 donation to literacy," Wilson said. The full-marathon course is a sanctioned qualifying event for the prestigious Boston Marathon and 31 runners posted good enough times for their division to qualify, including Hans Laltoo (third overall, 3:08:51) and Micheline Drisdelle (16th overall, 3:23:11), both from Moncton. As the top male and female finishers from New Brunswick, Laltoo and Drisdelle were both also crowned provincial champions. Other top local performances in the marathon were run by Charles Dixon of Moncton (sixth overall, 3:18:25) and Michel Frenette of Dieppe (12th overall, 3:20:36). The winner of the marathon, which had 162 finishers, was Leo McCosham of Charlottetown, who ran the event in 2:56:58. The winner of the half-marathon, which was finished by 513 competitors, was Rami Bardeesy of Halifax, who posted a time of 1:12:34. Bardeesy's time represented a new course record for the event. Other top New Brunswick finishers in the half marathon were Jean-Guy Gautreau (Dieppe, third overall, 1:23:42), Bernie Doucet (fifth overall, 1:25:45), Justin Young (Saint John, sixth overall, 1:25:56), Marc Doucette (Rogersville, seventh overall, 1:26:01) and Paula Keating (Miramichi, eight overall, 1:26:03). In the 10-kilometre event the winner was Alex Coffin of Saint John, who finished in 33:41. Coffin, who set the record for the course's marathon event in 2006, bested 346 finishers to take the top spot. Other top New Brunswick finishers were Jeremie Pellerin (Cocagne, second overall, 35:24), Tony Robinson-Smith (Fredericton, third overall, 38:00), Douglas Jamer (Fredericton, fourth overall, 38:13) and Graham Ereaux (Moncton, sixth overall, 41:35). In the five-kilometre event the winner in a field of 247 finishers was Tyler Reddy of Dartmouth, with a time of 18:09. Fredericton's Michael Bone finished second with a time of 18:21. Jocelyn Lockhart (fourth overall, 19:54) and Theophile Theriault (ninth overall, 23:42), both of Moncton, were other top local finishers. As the event continues to grow, Wilson said she is optimistic about the future of Legs for Literacy. "The feedback I got was that the volunteers out there were fantastic. The wind was a little cold but, otherwise, people loved the event. They thought it was very well organized," she said. "And I'm not taking the credit for myself, this is from a volunteers' perspective. There are 400 volunteers out there helping people and I think the success of the event is because of them." With a picturesque course that winds its way all across Metro Moncton, there were also a number of street closures, which Wilson said went off without any major incident. "We also want to let the public know how much we appreciated their patience with the traffic issues and the support out there along the route," she said. "We know it's not fun to have some of the streets in your neighbourhood closed down, we really appreciated people's patience with that." Wilson said for next year they will examine the possibility of moving the course route, so as to not disrupt Sunday church services.

Ongari, Grenon win wind-slowed marathon at Hamilton - 2008-11-03

		What a drop in elevation provided yesterday in the Road2Hope Marathon, the wind took back. The opposing forces of gravity and a stiff breeze off the lake eliminated any natural advantage in the hunt for the best marathon time ever in Canada. So the $25,000 prize that came with it was unclaimed. “Maybe next year,” said Hamilton’s Josephat Ongari, the men’s winner in 2:15:51, more than six minutes off the men’s mark on Canadian soil, 2:09.30. The Road2Hope course was set up to give contenders for the records their best shot, with a generally level course that also enjoyed the drop down Red Hill Valley Parkway. But Ongari said the lake wind was in his face for half the race, all the way down the escarpment and got worse on a final seven-kilometre leg east along the Beach Strip Trail to a finish at Confederation Park. “That 2:15 is a very good time with that wind,” said the second man in, Toronto’s Andrew Smith. “It was tough and persistent,” said Smith, who treated the event as a training run for his Brooks Marathon Project plan and finished in 2:27:35. But the course won general approval after a 2007 route that also went up the east Mountain. “It’s a great parcours,” said women’s winner, Myriam Grenon of Longueuil, Que. She finished in 2:58:43, 16th overall, but well off the best time ever in Canada, too. “Perhaps” it will produce records without that wind, she added. As well as terrain, the men’s attempt at a record was set up with 10-kilometre specialist Reid Coolsaet of Hamilton pacing Ongari and Moses Macharia, a rising Kenyan runner, over the first half of the race. “I thought it went well,” said Coolsaet. “I went ahead and got water for them to save them time, then went out ahead again.” But the plan fell apart when Ongari, whose job was to push Macharia to take a shot at the record, then perhaps stop, proved the stronger on the day as Macharia, in his first marathon, faded at the midway point and dropped out later. “I was on my own for the last 20 kilometres,” Ongari pointed out. He said he’s OK with a much smaller payday than that $25,000 reward and was pleased he held up well despite a draining job that requires lots of lifting. Both he and half-marathon winner David Karanja (1:06:40) are living in Hamilton as they try to qualify for Canadian citizenship. They went through an uneasy period last spring during severe civil strife in their Kenyan homeland as they worried about family, but could not return for fear of derailing the citizenship process. “It’s much better now,” said Karanja, who has a young daughter in Kenya. Lioudmila Kortchaguina of Thornhill was top woman in the half-marathon in 1:15:20 and in Saturday’s races, Cleve Thorson of Guelph won the men’s side of the 10-kilometre race in 33:34 while Toronto’s Tereza Macel finished in 38:26 to lead all women. In the five-kilometre event Pascal Renard of Hamilton blazed to a 16:30 finish and the women’s winner was Laura Moulton of Dundas in 18:25. Race organizer Dan Pauls said a late surge of registrants for the half marathon meant the event ran out of bib numbers and the effort to get everyone bused to the start area delayed the start by 15 minutes. Just shy of 3,000 people participated under sunny skies over two days, slightly more than last year. Pauls said it was too early to know the bottom line but he was hopeful Road2Hope would beat it’s 2007 number of $250,000 for its charities, Joy and Hope of Haiti and City Kidz. jkernaghan@thespec.com 905-526-3422

Kassap lucky to be alive and ready to run - 2008-10-30

Randy Starkman

The Toronto Sun

Toronto marathoner Danny Kassap remembers nothing of the day he almost died.

Kassap, running his first marathon as a Canadian after a long struggle to get citizenship, suffered a heart attack while competing in the Berlin Marathon on Sept.28. Paramedics worked on him for 45 minutes, giving him between 15 to 19 shocks from a defibrillator before his condition stabilized.

Kassap, 26, who was in a medically induced coma for several days and in a German hospital for more than two weeks, has no recall of the incident. "I cannot remember that day. I can only remember the day before," he said. "I’ve never been in a hospital before, so when I woke up there I was so surprised. I thought I was in a hotel. I saw the race organizer and I said, `The race is tomorrow.’ He said, `The race was two days ago. You collapsed.’"

It’s believed Kassap suffered a ventricular fibrillation caused by myocarditis (inflammation of the heart), the result of a virus. He had no history of heart trouble. He’s expected to make a full recovery in order to pursue his goal of representing Canada at next year’s world championships and the 2012 London Olympics, but has been advised not to run for three months.

His biggest hardship is an $18,000 medical bill from Germany. "I’m worried about that," said Kassap, who works as an assistant manager at the Running Room. "Those guys did a great job. I was out for 45 minutes. They deserve that money, but for me I’m worried because I can’t afford that money."

His friends from the University of Toronto Track Club, where he trains under coach Ross Ristuccia, have set up the Danny Kassap Fund (dannykassapfund.com) to help him out.

"Danny has a great, positive disposition," said Jay Brecher, a Toronto lawyer and member of the U of T Track Club. "He’s had to overcome some real hardship in his life, yet he’s the kind of person who always has a smile on his face and is joking around. It isn’t a matter of him being an elite runner. He’s someone who his fellow club members care about and that’s why we want to help him."

Kassap, who grew up in the Democratic Republic of Congo, left his team during the 2001 Francophone Games in Ottawa and sought refugee status on the basis of political persecution. He left behind a family of seven brothers and sisters.

He held down a number of jobs in Toronto, including working in a fish and chips shop, while training full-time and working to get his high school equivalency. His bid for landed immigrant status was rejected numerous times before he was finally successful last April and he became a Canadian citizen in August.

Kassap finished 15th in the London Marathon in April, just three spots behind Stefano Baldini, the 2004 Athens Olympics gold medallist. He’s looking forward to running again and isn’t concerned about future health issues.

"I trust my body, I trust myself," he said. "I won’t be afraid. This career is very important to me. I really love to run. That’s my dream, to be on the Canadian team."

Don't forget November 3 - 2008-10-29

		This is a competitive half marathon at the front and lots of fun through the pack! Be sure to register on November 3 to guarantee yourself a spot!

Primrose and Loiselle win big at Niagara Falls!! - 2008-10-27

Posted By DAN DAKINREVIEW STAFF WRITER

Niagara Falls Review

It has been 25 years since Elizabeth Primrose last ran a marathon.

But clearly the Brockville native hasn't lost her touch.

Primrose beat a field of 307 women to capture the Niagara Falls International Marathon Sunday.

The 47-year-old had raced in many 5 and 10km races, half marathons and triathlons over the years, but she decided to give a full 42.2km marathon a shot Sunday.

"I've had a really great year. I didn't overtrain and I raced smart," Primrose said. "I thought if I was going to try to run Boston, this was my chance to qualify."

With her winning time of two hours, 55 minutes and 26 seconds, she beat the Boston Marathon qualifying standard by three and a half minutes.

Though she beat Guelph's Christina Clark by more than two minutes, the race looked like it would have a closer finish than it did.

"I've raced enough to know the race starts in the last 10km. We were all within 10- 15 seconds and anyone could have taken it," Primrose said.

The overall winner of the full marathon was a far-less experienced runner.

Matt Loiselle was a 3,000m steeplechase runner at Eastern Michigan University and he finished sixth at the Canadian 10km Championships last weekend, but Sunday marked his first-ever marathon.

Prior to Sunday, the 24-year-old had never even had a training run longer than 35km.

But the Windsor native is part of the Brooks Canada Marathon Project, a Brooks Canada-funded training endeavour with the end goal of getting Canadian runners into the Olympics and World Championships.

As part of the $1.5-million, two-year-old project, a group of runners including Loiselle are living together in a house in Toronto and receive medical and travel support and are paid based on their results.

"It's the best program in Canada, by far," said Loiselle, who won the marathon Sunday with a time of 2:27.33. "It has been far too long someone has finally stepped up. We haven't had a marathoner in the Olympics since 1996."

Since July, Loiselle's daily focus has been nothing but training for Sunday's race. His next goal is the Canadian Championship Marathon in the spring.

He said the Niagara Falls win is motivation to keep training.

"I think it definitely helps. Next time I'm hoping to go a lot faster," he said.

Finishing second behind Loiselle was his Canada Marathon Project teammate Charles Bedley, who finished in a time of 2:31.32. Bedley was the 2006 Canadian Marathon Champion, but was using the Niagara Falls International as a warm up for the Memphis Marathon Dec. 6. He's aiming for a sub 2:18 finish there, which should land him a spot at the 2009 World Cup Marathon in Berlin.

Finishing third in the marathon was Sarnicki Janusz, of Poland.

In the 10km race, Stephen Hosier, of Lindsay, was the overall winner with Evan Mann, of Niagara Falls, second. The first woman across the line was Jodi Kamendy, of St. Catharines.

For Pius Korir, like many of his countrymen, winning races is all about being able to help his family back home. The 28-year-old Kenyan won his second-straight Niagara Falls Half Marathon Sunday after a sprint to the line with 2006 champion Joseph Ongeri. The six-tenths of a second margin of victory meant the difference between $750 and $1,000 in prize money for Korir. That means more food for his family in the Kenyan town of El Doret, the same town where a mob attacked and set fire to a church in January, killing 40 people. Korir left El Doret in 2006 and spent time training and racing in the United States. He came to Canada in 2007 and returned again this year.

He lives and trains out of Milton along with other runners from Kenya.

Every November he heads home to El Doret for the winter, using his race winnings to feed his family, which includes five brothers and five sisters.

"We're farmers, so with the money I'll buy some food for my family and seeds for planting," he said after the race. "It's important for my family."

Korir won the 2007 Niagara Falls Half Marathon with a time of one hour, five minutes, 29 seconds.

He beat that time by nearly seven seconds Sunday, which was likely a result of his sprint to the line with Ongeri in the final 200 metres.

Winning the 5km race was Darren Neldrick, of Niagara Falls, and the women's winner was Indra Winters, of Aurora.

Inaugaral Trapline Marathon a success! - 2008-10-21

Paul Fewer and Laura Pomeroy, both from St. John’s, Newfoundland win the inaugural Trapline Marathon with times of 3:30:12 and 3:41:12 respectively. Peter Soucy and Emily Osmond win the half marathon with times of 1:25:08 and 1:59:55 respectively. Peter Soucy ran a personal best and stated, “I’ll be back for the full marathon next year for sure.” Keith Dort and Birte Steuerberg take the 10k event in times of 46:08 and 53:55.

The Trapline Marathon is named in commemoration of the trapping heritage in central Labrador, the first ever Destination Labrador Trapline Marathon was held on Oct 11, 2008 and attracted a total of 110 runners from central and eastern Canada.

Participants gathered on Friday evening for a pre-race pasta supper and motivational talk from Canadian Olympian Maxime Boilard. The next morning, bright sunshine, minimal wind and slightly cool temperatures combined to provide ideal conditions for the runners.

The scenic marathon route took runners from the Trappers’ Monument in North West River past an array of fall colours along route 520 to Happy Valley-Goose Bay, with nine water stops along the way providing support. Staggered starts brought the half-marathon and 10 km participants onto the same route and provided additional encouragement to runners doing the full distance. All participants crossed the finish line at Kinsmen Park in Happy Valley-Goose Bay where a crowd of supporters and a selection of traditional Labrador foods and entertainment supplied by the Labrador Metis Nation met them.

The runners were very satisfied, many of whom posted personal best times in the marathon, half marathon and 10 km events. The post-race awards presentation and barbeque steak dinner with entertainment by East Coast Music Award winners, the Flummies, rounded off this very successful inaugural event and had participants making plans for next year.

Jamie Snook, Chairperson of the organizing committee, stated, “the organizing committee are excited about the success of this event and the level of corporate, community and volunteer support that came together to make it happen. The success of the inaugural Destination Labrador Trapline Marathon marks Happy Valley-Goose Bay as a unique marathon destination. Planning is already underway for the October 10^th, 2009 Destination Labrador Trapline Marathon.”

Toronto Marathon 2008 - 2008-10-20

Toronto Star

It was a marathon of milestones.

For Rick Rayman, 62, the Toronto Marathon yesterday was his 200th and, at 4:22:58, one of the fastest he’s run this year.

Though he wasn’t first by far – winner Daniel Njenga, of Kenya, finished in 2:29 – Rayman was the star of the show, drawing good wishes and cheers from other runners from the moment the gun went off.

"What a day," the Toronto dentist said, metres past the finish line, smiling despite the 42.2-kilometre effort and the leg cramps that hit just before the end.

Rayman shuffled towards his wife, children and grandchildren, who waited in the sidelines, eager to celebrate his achievement. But the dentist insisted he won’t rest on his laurels: he has three marathons to go before the end of race season.

"I’ll be ready by Wednesday," he said with a grin and swagger.

Roughly 12,000 people from more than 50 countries participated in the events – a 5-kilometre race, half-marathon, marathon and relay – stretching from Mel Lastman Square to the waterfront and downtown.

Some 2,400 signed up for the full distance, according to race officials. The events raised more than $1 million for various charities.

Njenga won, but didn’t top the course record of 2:19:17.

Dawn Richardson of England was the first woman to finish. She crossed the finish line at 2:57:47, her first race under three hours in four years, she said.

"I thought those years were long gone," the tired but radiant 36-year-old runner told reporters.

Though the elite runners get the glory, the bulk of race participants aren’t in it to compete, said race director Jay Glassman.

"Ninety-nine per cent of runners are running just for themselves, to complete," he said.

As the runners rounded the last curve of Queen’s Park, they were greeted by the deafening cheers. Family and friends waited by the finish line for those who soared or stumbled across.

There were high-fives for Ken Morris, a lanky Torontonian who finished 69th among the men.

In only his second marathon, the 31-year-old accomplished what many struggle for years to attain: a qualifying time for the Boston Marathon, a challenging race open only to the cream of the running crop. "I can’t believe it," he said, wiping his forehead. "I really didn’t think it was going to happen."

Morris, who is also training for the Ironman triathlon in Lake Placid, N.Y., will have to face a ruthless opponent at Boston next year: his wife, Vanessa Morris, a regular top finisher in her age group.

Yesterday’s race only increased the newlyweds’ playful competition.

He ran a 3:08:59, two minutes faster than the cutoff to qualify in his age group. She ran Boston in 3:01:37 in April. He beat her by a minute in a 10-kilometre race this summer.

"I’m going to kick your ass at Boston, baby," Morris taunted his wife from the massage table during a post-race rubdown.

Vanessa Morris handed her husband Gatorade, granola bars and bagels to refuel.

"He was going to come with me. Now he can register and run," she teased back.

Toronto Star

MacKinnon wins Island Marathon - 2008-10-20

		Stephen Brun Journal Pioneer Mike Mac-Kinnon was so happy to win Sunday's Prince Edward Island Marathon that he crossed the finish line twice. The Miscouche native was announced as a half-marathon runner as he hit the home stretch of the run on University Avenue, and no one was holding the tape at the finish line. "That was OK, I just had to go back and run through the tape again," laughed MacKinnon, who finished in a personal best time of 2:39:28. "Today was another personal best. There's been a lot of people here today having PBs, there are perfect conditions." MacKinnon came in ahead of Charlottetown's Stanley Chiasson, who ran the 42.2-kilometre course in 2:44:11, and Linkletter's Scott Clark (2:45:53). Second time It was MacKinnon's second time in the BMO Nesbitt Burns P.E.I. Marathon, and he said the conditions for the run from Brackley to Charlottetown were perfect. "You couldn't get any better - the wind wasn't strong, it was cool the whole way," he said. "There was a point where I wasn't sweating and I was wondering if I wasn't hydrated or it was cool enough." Jen Nicholson, 39, of Cornwall, was the top female finisher for the full marathon in 2:56:35. Her goal was to finish in three hours or less, and Nicholson let out a scream at the finish line after her mother told her she met the goal. "Last year, my goal was to qualify for Boston," she said. "I found the trail really tough and I was way off my time. "Then I re-evaluated my goal, and it was to try and do it in three hours. So that was my initial goal and the people (on the course) kept saying, 'You're the first female,' and I thought, 'OK, I can live with that.'" Both winners posted times to qualify them for the Boston Marathon. While Nicholson said she would likely compete south of the border, MacKinnon said he would focus on qualifying for the New York Marathon. Sunday also featured a half-marathon, a 10-kilometre walk or run and a corporate team race. Half marathon Keaghan Rilling of Charlottetown won the half marathon in 1:23:59, followed by Summerside's Edwin Gillis and Dakota Cameron. The top female finisher in the half marathon was Jennifer Perry of Tignish in 1:35:08. Kris Taylor of New Glasgow, P.E.I., finished the 10-km run in 34:22. The top female for the event was Olympian Kara Grant of Mermaid in 42:12. The team from Crossfit P.E.I. won the corporate team marathon in 3:13:00, beating out the Water Dogs by almost 10 minutes. The Island marathon course always offers up its share of challenges. Despite posting the day's best time, MacKinnon said the Confederation Trail portion of the race always takes its toll. "You don't get any up and down hills to change the way your muscles are working, so that's tough," he said. "This year, I said, 'The trails aren't getting me this time,' so I focused on training on the trails when I was tired. "I think it helped a bit. When I hit the road this time I still had a bit of a step."

Brake and MacDonald win at KV Challenge - 2008-10-20

Scott Briggs
Telegraph Journal

ROTHESAY - Running 26.2-miles is an outstanding individual feat.

But the top runners of the Coast Tire Kennebecasis Valley Challenge Marathon were quick to credit others after crossing the finish line on Sunday.

Saint John's Chris Brake was the overall winner, completing the rugged route in two hours, 38 minutes and 26 seconds. Fredericton's Allyson MacDonald was the top female finisher, posting a time of 3:25:58.

Brake attributed his success to taking training advice from Saint John's Kelly Burke, who finished third overall Sunday and second in the 40-49 age division (3:07:36). Hampton's Steve Lohnes was second overall (3:03:54) and first in the 40-49 age division.

"He's kind of been helping me out the past year,'' Brake said about Burke. "He's a friend of mine and he's been giving me pointers on how to train right.''

With four wins in five tries, Brake seems made for the K.V. Challenge. He struggled last year, though, posting a time of 3:13:58.

"I'm 15 pounds lighter this year,'' Brake said. "I did more mileage, but I didn't do all my training at full tilt.''

Burke had a humble reaction when told he'd been praised by Brake.

"I give him whatever advice I can with the limited amount of knowledge I have so far,'' Burke said. "The main thing is to slow him down.

"He has a tendency to overdo things, and that can hurt the best athletes more than helping them. It can help them to a degree and then they can start going backwards, but he did really well.''

Brake believes the hills make the K.V. Challenge difficult, noting it might be the most demanding marathon he's ever run.

"It's hard on the head, very hard on the head,'' the 26-year-old said of the course. "I was kind of fighting through the middle because it gets really rough though the middle. There are steep hills.

"My lungs were there, but my legs weren't. I enjoyed it when I got down to the last three or four kilometres, but I wasn't really happy until I got close to the end.''

Seconds after MacDonald reached the end, she hugged her husband Doug.

"He's always with me at the end of my marathons,'' MacDonald said. "He's usually home with the kids when I'm out training. I love my family, they're great support.''

MacDonald said her overall family support enables her to focus on training. She generally gets up around 4 a.m., and runs before work. Sunday marked her 16th full marathon. She completed the Boston Marathon in April and then focused her energy on the K.V. Challenge.

"I did a bunch of half-marathons and 10ks along the way,'' the 41-year-old said. "There weren't many races that I missed this year.

"What makes this fun is all the relay runners. There's lots of support along the way. They're cheering everybody on.''

John Herron and Todd Price won the two-runner relay (2:40:50), followed by Jamie Gamble and Darrell Travis (2:55:55) and Gary Ogden and Dean Mercer (2:57:25).

"Each of us ran our individual races,'' Price said about the key to finishing first. "You just sort of get into your zone and away you go. This is probably my favourite course of anywhere I've run. It takes a lot out of you, especially the second half of the course.''

Herron also complimented the course.

"I don't think there's a better designed course that's any more scenic than the K.V. Challenge Marathon,'' he said. "I've seen most of the better marathons in Atlantic Canada over the last number of years.''

The four-runner relay winning team included Graham Taylor, Joe Culligan, Steve Drummond and Karen Pinnette. Their overall time was 3:20.

The second-place team was Brent Bethune (who did two legs), Alex Coffin and Gina Hyslop (3:20:14), followed by the third-place team of Linda Morais, Aisha Khedheri, Connie Coffin and Al Reardon (3:24:16).

Race director John Kelley said relay runners are crucial to the event's overall success.

"They're a big part of the package,'' said Kelley, adding the event attracted nearly 150 runners, a slight drop from the 2007 K.V. Challenge, but not enough to cause concern.

"The response from people is that this is the best bang for your buck, without a doubt,'' organizer Bill McGuire said. "There's a pasta meal the night before, the home-cooked food inside (after the race) and the dry-fit shirts. It's just $45 to enter this and a lot of people become friends.''

McGuire added that a small event like the K.V. Challenge offers advantages.

"You can't go to a run like this anywhere,'' he said. "At the Boston Marathon, you get your chip (timing device attached to the ankle or shoe) chopped off and get out of the way or you get run over. Here, we bring you in for a hot bowl of chilly.

"We really lucked out with the weather this year. The one time I didn't run it was sunny with the wind at your back. We're really happy with the way things worked out.''

Valley Harvest Win - 2008-10-14

		BY JOHN DECOSTE Kings County Register When he registered for this year’s Valley Harvest Marathon, Alex Coffin of Saint John boldly predicted he would not only win the race, but do so in a new course record. As it turned out, he was half right. Coffin was first across the finish line October 12 in a time of 2:41:18.9. Technically, Coffin’s time is a course record, given this year’s event was held on a totally different course, starting and finishing in Wolfville instead of Kentville. David MacLennan’s course record of 2:34.52 is still safe. MacLennan, of Scotsburn, in his first Valley Harvest Marathon in several years, was second overall in a time of 2:46:44.9. Michael Green of Stephenville, NL was third in a time of 2:54:56, and Tim Keith of Kingston fourth (and the top local runner) in 2:59:47.7. Tammy Mercier-Hackett of Halifax was the first woman across the finish line, completing the race in a time of 3:11:12.8, good for 14th place overall. Hazel Caldwell of Middle Stewiacke was second among the women in a time of 3:27:10.2. Carla Braganza of Halifax was third among the women in 3:34:36. Other local runners among the top finishers in the full marathon included Dave Hiscock of Kingston, 17th overall in 3:12:41.8, Richard Richard of Windsor, 22nd overall in 3:17:28.7, and Jason Furlong of Kingston, 42nd overall in 3:34:33.5. Laura Peters of Kingston was the top local female in the full marathon, placing fifth among the women and 50th overall in a time of 3:38:18.4. In the half marathon, Peter Vail of Boulder, CO was first across the finish line in a time of 1:10:55.7. Doug Vincent of Dartmouth was second in 1:19:49.2, Doug Hayami of Halifax third in 1:21:00.1, and last year’s winner, New Minas native John Herron, now of Bloomfield, N.B., fourth overall at 1:22:17.9. There were three local runners in the top 10 in the half marathon. Greg Wagner of Kingston was the top local, sixth overall in 1:24:20.7; Mike Hillis of Port Williams was seventh in 1:24:32.8 and Scott Messom of Kentville was ninth in 1:25:49.3. The top woman in the half marathon was Paula Keating of Miramichi, N.B. in a time of 1:24:43.1, eighth overall. Cynthia Moulin of Halifax was second among the women (13th overall) in 1:27:19.7. M. Gabrielle Riley of Halifax was third (15th overall) in 1:27:27.1. The top local woman was Paula James of Sheffield Mills, who finished the 21.1 kilometre distance in 1:30:19.1, fifth among the women and 26th overall. As for the Blomidon Country Fitness Connection runners, some of whose training experiences this summer were outlined on our website, novanewsnow.com, all three women completed the half marathon. Emma Crowson-Mooy was 234th overall, 22nd among 112 women aged 40-49, in a time of 1:53:54.3. Pauline Leyte placed 307th overall, 38th among women 40-49, in 1:59:13. Jill Keddy was 328th overall, 56th among 120 women aged 30-39, in a time of 2:00:50.7. A total of 725 runners completed the event on a beautiful day for running, 142 in the full marathon and 583 in the half marathon.

Marathon draws record number of racers - 2008-10-14

Cleve Dheensaw, Victoria Times Colonist

Published: Sunday, October 12, 2008

Maybe it was the special pre-race screening of the acclaimed documentary Spirit of the Marathon that inspired them. Or perhaps it was the rather fitting 1960s tune, Keep on Running by the Spencer Davis Group, that greeted the finishers at the line at one point during yesterday's 29th Royal Victoria Marathon. More likely, it was the quiet sense of achievement one gets in setting a goal and then realizing it.

Whatever their spur, a record number of 10,395 runners registered for the 2008 Royal Victoria marathon, half-marathon, 8K and kid's races under ideal fall conditions. This year's total was up 9.5 per cent from last year and gives the B.C. capital two road races - along with the Times Colonist 10K each spring - which draw in excess of 10,000 registered participants.

Of those registered, 9,176 crossed the finish line.

At the head of the surging pack of 2,474 runners who contested body and soul over the classic 42.2K full marathon distance yesterday was Steve Osaduik of Nanaimo, who won his third consecutive RVM men's title in two hours, 25 minutes, 31 seconds.

Osaduik, the two-time Canadian half-marathon champion who is gunning to represent Canada next year at the 2009 world marathon championships in Berlin, was more than three minutes clear of second place Todd Howard of Victoria (2:28:43).

"It was lonely out there," said Osaduik, of his position far ahead of the maddening crowd he left in his wake.
"But I'm happy with the threepeat and would like to go for the record [Kelvin Broad's standard of five Royal Victoria Marathon titles] but I'll take that one year at a time," said the Dover Bay Secondary grad, who has also won the Times Colonist 10K three times.

Cheryl Murphy of Victoria, fifth last year at Ironman Canada and sixth this year at the world duathlon championships in Belgium, may want to ditch her Speedo and bike. Competing in just her second stand-alone marathon (outside an Ironman race), she won the RVM women's title yesterday in 2:43:01.

That follows up her first stand-alone marathon, in which she finished second at the Snickers Marathon in March at Albany, Ga., to qualify for the 2009 world championships in Berlin.

"I gave it my all today and it feels so good to win," said the 39-year-old physiotherapist and mother of two.
"The weather was gorgeous and the fans along the route were so tremendously supportive and lifted you with their cheering. It was really positive out there along the course."

Wendy Terris of Portland was second in 2:48:04.
The largest number of participants, 4,801, registered to contest the half-marathon with the men's winner Ryan Day of Vancouver across in 1:08:50 and the women's champion Lindsay McLaren of Calgary in 1:21:38.

The numbers running the 8K were 2,140, with Ryan McKenzie of Victoria the men's champion in 23:56 and Rachael Ruus of Richmond the women's winner in 28:39.

The biggest hit among the spectators were the more than 900 youngsters who took part in the kids' 1.2K run, in which 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics triathlon silver-medallist Simon Whitfield of Victoria joined the pack as official honourary kids' runner.

"I said: 'Whoa kids, slow down, you're going to run me over,'" chuckled Whitfield, who earlier clocked 24:30 to place third in the 8K.

"They are so enthusiastic that they go out hard, then hit a bit of a wall midway through, and then they see the finish line and get excited again and go all out at the end."

Among the throng were two second-place finishers from the Boston Marathon - American Dick Beardsley from 1982 and Vancouver's Art Boileau from 1986.

"You couldn't have asked for a better morning," said the 52-year-old Beardsley, who ran together with wife Jill - an organizer of the Austin Marathon in Texas - in the 8K with the pair finishing in 47:16.

"What a way to showcase the city," added Beardsley, among the famous past marathoners featured in Spirit of the Marathon.

"So many times, you just drive through cities. Getting out and running through them gives you a whole different perspective."

Boileau, 51, went the distance in clocking a highly-respectable 2:55:05 in the marathon, which wound its way over a picturesque course from Menzies Street through downtown into James Bay and Beacon Hill Park, along Dallas Road to Gonzales Bay and through the neighbourhoods of Fairfield, Oak Bay and Uplands before the turnaround and retracing of the route.

"The people cheering you along the course were great," said Boileau.
"That really keeps your mind in the game. This is truly a great event. And getting ready for it keeps me out of the bar," he quipped.

Not that it stopped Michal Kapral of Toronto, the 'joggler' whose feat of keeping three balls aloft while running marathons has landed him in Guinness World Records. Kapral stopped many times along the route to entertain and amuse the crowd and even popped into the Hash House Harriers tent to quaff a beer en route. Hardly surprisingly, his time of 3:12:05 was well off his Guinness world record clocking of 2:15:12.

"The scenery was very distracting," smiled Kapral.
"This one was for pure fun. The crowd support was amazing. I had a blast."
Betty-Jean McHugh, an 80-year-old retired nurse from North Vancouver, set the world record for the fastest marathon completed by a woman in the 80-plus class by going 4:36:52 to knock 13 minutes off the previous record.

In terms of quantity, Janet Green of Courtenay and Jon Mahoney of Vernon are hard to top. Do you think these two are hooked on marathoning? Green completed her 200th marathon yesterday in 3:54:02 and Mahoney his 300th in 3:44:46. Mahoney, a retired pilot originally from the Yukon, wore bib No. 300 to commemorate his special moment and Green, a doctor, wore No. 200 in honour of her accomplishment.

Then there was the Man of Steel, aka Duncan letter carrier Justin Point, who completed the marathon dressed as Superman with cape and all.

"This suit weighs three pounds but was 10 pounds by the end of the race because off all the sweat it soaked up," said Point, who ran as Elvis last spring in the Vancouver Marathon.

The sweat even ran into his sneakers and Point said he twice had to stop and change his squishy socks.
But it was all in a day's work at a colourful and vibrant 29th Royal Victoria Marathon.
"For our 30th edition next year, we're going to top this year's record number of participants," vowed race director Rob Reid, who as per his custom of 15 years again greeted every finisher with a handshake - gloved donned, of course - as they crossed the line.

"It says a lot for this event that with the economy the way it is, we could still attract so many runners to come here from outside the city [only about 2,500 of the competitors yesterday were from Victoria]."

cdheensaw@tc.canwest.com

© Victoria Times Colonist 2008

Moody breezes way to title - 2008-10-14

		By Chris Stanford Tuesday, October 14, 2008 Kelowna Daily Courier (Photo from prior event of Gillian) For Gillian Moody, it wasn‘t so much a case of first time charmed, as it was first time champion. The Kelowna runner, competing in her first marathon race, simply ran away from the women‘s field and cruised to victory by a margin of more than five minutes in the 14th annual BMO Okanagan Marathon on Sunday in Kelowna. With cool temperatures providing perfect conditions for the race, Moody was the only female to break the three hour barrier, completing the two-loop, 42.2-kilometre course in a stunning 2:55:50. Her time was good enough for fifth overall in the field of 389 runners. As she caught her breath in the finish area after breaking the tape, the 31-year-old was surprised by the magnitude of her effort. “I was hoping for anywhere around three (hours), and then when the possibility of under three started materializing, I really went for it,” she said. “I‘m pretty happy . . . I had so much help out there from all the people lining the course and my family was out there. “A couple of guys let me draft for a good portion, so I‘d like to thank them for that,” she joked. Although she had more than a minute lead over second place finisher Krissy Dooling of Edmonton at the halfway point, with some runners only completing one loop in their simultaneous half-marathon event, it was sometimes hard for Moody to know where she was in relation to the other competitors. “I was trying to ask a lot of questions,” she said. A successful bicycle racer, Moody‘s longest running race before this was a half-marathon “quite a few years ago in Hawaii.” Of the possibility of turning more attention to running, she admitted “I don‘t know. I guess I‘ve got some decisions to make.” Dooling lost time over the second half of the race and came home in a time of 3:01:13, while Paige Howat of Prince George was third in 3:10:13. Kelowna‘s Danielle Weil sewed up the seventh spot overall with a time of 3:27:31, and Danita Schreiber, also of Kelowna, rounded out the top 10 with her 3:29:42 result. In the men‘s side, the 2:39:56 by Edmonton‘s Brian Torrance earned him first place over Niall McGrath, also of Edmonton, who trailed with a 2:43:25 showing. Curtis Sampson of Calgary completed the podium with a 2:48:28 clocking. Torrance, a 10-kilometre competitor, said he took a piecemeal approach to his run. “I tried to break it up into quarters,” he said. “I really wanted to get under 2:40, and I did that. It was a little jump out of my comfort zone.” Torrance chased down eventual fourth-place finisher Michael Labelle of Victoria at mid-race, and passed him for the lead, but he wasn‘t going to assume victory was his. “You can feel great at 27 (km), but crappy at 35,” Torrance said. “That‘s a long seven kilometers. “This is an awesome event, and just getting bigger. You‘re out at 20 km in the middle of a vineyard and there‘s people cheering for you, so that‘s exciting.” The top Kelowna finisher in the men‘s full-distance event was Sean Lawrence, who came in 30th overall with a 3:19:30 clocking. Kelowna‘s Doug Elmore finished well after the elite runners had come in and cooled down, but he was just as satisfied. “I used to smoke five cigars a day,” he said in the finish corral, “but my kids inspired me.” Although he has done triathlons before, this was the first marathon for the 59-year-old. “I‘ve wanted to do one ever since I ran track as a 17-year-old,” he said with a smile. “It‘s also nice my wife let me train for this.” The “kids” he was referring to just happen to be his triathlete daughter Jeannette, other daughter Malindi Elmore, a 1,500-metre track star and Athens Olympian, and son-in law Graham Hood, a two-time Olympic runner in the 1,500 as well. Tom Michie led the Kelowna contingent to the podium in the half-marathon, which was run alongside the full-length race. His 1:15:31 was good for first, while in the women‘s division Kathleen Wood was second with her 1:26:15 (behind winner Amy Barnett of Calgary‘s 1:26:15) and Shannon Thompson earned third with a time of 1:27:46.

Record de participation au Marathon de Rimouski - 2008-10-07

		Par René Alary L'Avantage (Alex's Notes: Two great races up front. Do you think Audrey was pumped??) Le Marathon de Rimouski grandit vite et très bien. À sa 7e édition, dimanche, il a atteint le cap des 961 inscriptions ce qui battait la marque de 726 établie en 2007. Ils sont 870 à avoir complété les quatre distances présentées par rapport à 644, l’an dernier. Le président de l’événement, Clément Pelletier, était ravi. «On est très content. 961 inscrits, c’est excellent si on considère notre population bien que l’on accueille plusieurs coureurs de l’extérieur». Lui et ses collègues du comité organisateur reçoivent leur récompense par les commentaires des participants. «Les gens sont tellement contents. Ils trouvent qu’il y a beaucoup de chaleur dans l’organisation de notre marathon. Tout ce qu’on entend, c’est qu’ils veulent revenir, l’an prochain». C’est Richard Tessier, de Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, qui a remporté le Marathon, un troisième de suite pour lui puisqu’il avait aussi gagné en 2006 et 2007. Il a complété en 2h38m,04.7s. Louis-Philippe Garnier, de Montréal, (2h40m02s) et David Durocher, de Mont-Saint-Hilaire (2h57m09s) ont suivi. Ce Garnier avait couru le Marathon de Toronto, une semaine auparavant, ce qui lui a donné très peu de temps de récupération. «Les conditions ne se comparaient pas du tout. En plus, j’ai une blessure au pied qui me cause encore des problèmes. On avait le vent dans la figure pour revenir et les sept ou huit derniers kilomètres ont été très durs. J’avais hâte que ça finisse», a commenté le champion qui a confirmé qu’il défendra son titre en 2009. De la région, Justin Roy, de Rimouski, a fait une très belle 8e place en 3h8m31s alors que Gaétan Langlois terminait 18e en 3h19m12s. «La performance de Louis-Philippe Garnier est remarquable. Courir deux marathons en une semaine, c’est quelque chose. Lui et Richard Tessier sont parmi les meilleurs marathoniens de la province», a souligné Clément Pelletier. Chez les femmes, c’est une jeune athlète de 23 ans de Montréal, Audrey Longval, qui a été la plus rapide avec un temps de 3h11m17.4s. Elle a devancé la championne défendante, Suzanne Munger, d’Alma, qui a fait 3h13m33.7s. Isabelle Rodrigue, de Québec, termine 3e en 3h25m53s. «C’est mon premier marathon à vie, si bien que je ne savais pas trop à quoi m’attendre, sauf que j’avais dans la mire un temps de 3h15. Je me spécialise plutôt dans le duathlon et le vélo», a expliqué celle qui sera de retour pour la 8e édition en 2009. «Bravo à la nouvelle championne et chapeau à Suzanne Munger qui est une grande gagnante», souligne M. Pelletier. Au demi-marathon, François Marchand, de Boischatel, a terminé premier en 1h15m34s devançant Emmanuel Joncas, de Rimouski, (1h16m30s) et Étienne Méthot, de Val Bélair (1h19m30s). Chez les femmes, Annie D’Anjou, originaire de Rimouski et maintenant installée à Matane, a été la meilleure en 1h31m3s devant Lucie Roy, de Gaspé (1h39m25s) et Josée Aubin, de Québec (1h40m37s). Daniel Lepage, de Saint-André, (38,51,9s) a été le plus rapide au 10km. Il a devancé Joé Verreault, de Rimouski (39m21,1s) et Pierre-Luc Morin, de Laval (39,25,2s). Chez les femmes, les trois premières à franchir la ligne d’arrivée ont été Julie Moreau, de Québec (42m08,2s), Louise Martineau, de Rimouski (42m49,7s) et Hélène Goulet, aussi de Rimouski (43m39,5s). Enfin, au 4,2 km, Olivier Melanson, d’Edmundston (17m06,1s) termine 1er devant les Rimouskois, Pierre Sirois (17m31m4s) et Maxandre Perron-Deschênes (17,43,3s). Côté féminin, Daphnée Langlois (18m35,8s), Jessie Thibault (19m37,7s) et Geneviève Arcand-Lebel (20m39,1s) ont composé un podium à 100% de Rimouski.

Africans unbeatable at Toronto Waterfront Marathon - 2008-09-29

Morgan Campbell
Sports Reporter
The Toronto Star, September 29

In the minutes before leaving their hotel to start the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, a group of elite Ethiopian runners watched online as their compatriot, legendary distance runner Haile Gebreselassie, sliced 27 seconds off his marathon world record in Berlin.

A few hours later Mulu Seboka had a record of her own, finishing yesterday’s race in two hours, 29 minutes, 5.9 seconds, eclipsing by more than four minutes the course record set last year by Asha Gigi, a fellow Ethiopian and yesterday’s bronze medallist.

The time was also nearly a minute faster than Seboka’s previous best race.

Though it happened the same day Gebreselassie became the first runner to run a sub-2:04 marathon, Seboka’s confident her triumph in Toronto will cause a ripple back home.

"This is my personal best," the 22-year-old said through an interpreter. "It will be big news in Ethiopia for sure."

Organizers had hoped for another record in the men’s race, where last year Kenya’s John Kelai ran 2:09:30, the fastest marathon ever run in Canada.

But any chance for a world class time blew away with the wind in the last quarter of the race.

Kenyan Kenneth Mungara finished first in 2:11.00, just two seconds ahead of Peter Kiprotich.

The pair were two of eight Kenyans among the top 10 finishers in the men’s race, while 11th-place finisher Dylan Wykes was the top Canadian.

And they all said the weather bothered them as the race progressed.

Wykes and other Canadian runners said the warm weather and humidity sapped some of their strength, while a stiff wind slowed down the elite runners up ahead, who had been on pace for another course record.

"At around 30 kilometres the wind was so strong we couldn’t keep the time," Kiprotich said.

Top Canadian woman was Suzanne Evans in ninth, more than 15 minutes behind the winner, and 35 seconds ahead of Canada’s Nicole Stevenson, who placed 10th.

Race organizers said nearly 15,000 runners participated in marathon events, including a half-marathon and 5K run.

Race director Alan Brookes said roughly 3,100 people registered for the main race, which covered 42.2 kilometres along Toronto’s waterfront.

Though Mungara finished in the slowest winning time since 2005, organizers are pleased with the event’s progress over the years.

From 2003 to last year the winning time of the men’s race had improved by an average of two minutes each year, and the 2007 race was one of only three in North America that featured three sub-2:10 finishers.

The reason for the steep increase in the quality of the Waterfront Marathon’s top runners?

Brookes says it’s money.

Three years ago Scotiabank signed on as the title sponsor, which led to more prize money, which in turn made the Waterfront Marathon a destination for runners with world class aspirations.

This year organizers budgeted $350,000 for prize money, including $20,000 to the two winners and cash prizes to the top eight finishers.

The payouts don’t match the New York Marathon, which spends more than $2 million (U.S.) on appearance fees and prize money, but Brookes says a strong performance in Toronto can vault a runner on to the sport’s biggest stages.

"People are starting to come to our race, where they can get a fast time," Brookes said. "And maybe they’ll get a start place in London next spring."

To buttress his point, Brookes pointed to Daniel Rono, who parlayed a silver medal in last year’s race into spots in elite European marathons.

In April, Rono ran 2:06:58 to finish second in the Rotterdam marathon.

mcampbell@thestar.ca

Marathon Magic in Saint John - 2008-09-29

Scott Briggs
Telegraph Journal
(Photo of Leo McCosham)

SAINT JOHN - Every second counts in running, but Alex Coffin had a few to spare when he completed the half-marathon portion of Marathon By the Sea on Sunday.

The Saint John native finished the 21.1-kilometre course in one hour, 13 minutes and 25 seconds, breaking Paul Morrison’s record of 1:14:28 by 1:03.

"It would have been nice to have someone with me,’’ said Coffin, who’ll turn 40 in November. "My best running was always cross-country, so I’m very used to running in a pack.’’

Coffin already holds the course record for the full-marathon portion of Marathon by the Sea, posting a time of 2:35:02 back in 1998.

"I want to set the record in the 10-k next year,’’ he said. "I think time goals are important. When my wife Connie wanted to try to qualify for the Boston Marathon, she just got so motivated.

"I’m not saying everybody has to try to qualify for Boston, but it’s important to set a goal and then it feels so good when you make it. I think the thing that hurts people is that a lot of the time their goal moves, and as soon as they get into better shape, sometimes they’re harder on themselves.

Sometimes they forget what their original goal was.’’

Maggie Johnson of Quispamsis was the first female to cross the finish line in the full marathon, recording a time of 3:27:52 and winning the tough women’s 30-39 age division in the process

"I didn’t really have a plan because I thought the weather was going to be worse,’’ Johnson said. "There are a lot of hills out there.’’

Sunday marked Johnson’s 10th full marathon, but she’d never done the full marathon at the Marathon by the Sea.

"This one is tough,’’ she said. "There are a lot of ups and downs and when the wind is (against) you, it’s hard. But it’s OK, and I would do it again for sure.’’

Leo McCosham was the overall winner of the full marathon, posting a personal best of 2:50:59. The 44-year-old from Charlottetown plans to run another 26.2 miles next month.

"This is a warm-up for the P.E.I. Marathon coming up in three weeks,’’ McCosham said. "I just wanted to see where I was at. I knew this course was tough and I just wanted to see what condition I was in, and I’m pretty happy.’’

Sunday was the latest evidence that McCosham was born to run. He ran a half-marathon just two weeks ago in Montreal and his running resumÃ© includes two trips to the Boston Marathon.

"I only started running about two-and-a-half years ago,’’ McCosham said. "I think there’s a bit of genetics involved and a lot of training. I’ve been running around 80 miles a week.’’

Suzanne Doucet of Quispamsis was the top female finisher in the half-marathon, clocking a personal best time of 1:32:06. That was an improvement over the 1:34:32 she posted at the half-marathon portion of the Fredericton Marathon back in May.

"I’ve been working a little bit harder and hopefully a little bit smarter,’’ said Doucet, who’ll turn 46 in November. "I did other runs this season.

"When this one came around, I was less nervous because I’ve done shorter races this year and they all went well.’’

Meanwhile, there was lots of local flavour in the rest of the races. Saint John’s Evan Arsenault won the 10-km run with a time of 37:31, while Rothesay’s Allison Smith won the women’s division in 45:37. Saint John’s Matthew McNeil won the 5-km race in 18:06, while another Port City runner, Katie Robinson, was the first female finisher at 21:19. Bob Bardsley of Rothesay finished first in the Nordic walk half-marathon (2:37:16), while Jennifer Palk of Saint John was the first female to cross the finish line in the event (2:53:39).

Women's Field in Toronto - 2008-09-19

TORONTO, September 17^th. Defending champion and course record holder, Asha Gigi of , is confirmed to head up the strongest women’s field to date at the 9^th annual Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on September 28^th. She’ll be joined on the start line by fellow Ethiopians Atsede Bayisa and Mulu Seboka. Together, they will face a tough Kenyan challenge from Irene Mogaka, Caroline Cheptonui and Winifredah Kwamboka. Ukrainian Olena Shurkhno is expected to round out the lead pack, which is likely to give the event its first sub-2:30 women’s finish. The 34 year old Gigi ran a solo 2:33:16 last September in Toronto for a new course record.

“This is the best, deepest women’s field we’ve had so far,” said Race Director Alan Brookes. “It’s shaping up to be the first time we’ve really had a women’s race, with a pack. Asha has been very consistent lately around 2:28/2:29, and her experience, pitted against some exciting, young talent promises a gripping contest.” For the first time, the women’s prize purse is identical to the men’s at $61,000 plus time bonuses, with money down to 8^th place.

When Gigi recorded her 2:33:16 at Waterfront ’07, she did so running entirely on her own. Despite a highly injudicious start that saw her go through 10K in 33:35 and half way in 1:12:13, she hung on to hold off a charging Malgorzata Sobanska by a minute. Since then, she has run 2:28:24 for 6^th in Dubai in January, then 2:29:28 for 3^rd in Hamburg in April. Her career best of 2:26:05 came 4 years ago in Paris.

As the IAAF Silver Label Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon has lowered it’s men’s finishing time from 2:17 to 2:09:30 over the past 5 years, it has gained a growing international reputation for providing talented, young up-and-comers with the opportunity to secure a fast time on the flat, Lakeshore course. This year, this is carrying over into the women’s race also. At just 21 years old, Atsede Bayisa won a hilly Istanbul Marathon last October in 2:29:05. Coached by Hussein Shibo, the head coach of the Ethiopian Federation who coached the 5000m/10,000m athletes in Beijing, she is hoping for a major improvement. Similarly, 24 year old Mulu Seboka defended her title with a 2:30:04 PR clocking in hot, humid conditions in Mumbai in January, and is expected to improve that time in Toronto. Kenyan Irene Mogaka, 2^nd to Seboka in Mumbai in 2:32:51, is just 22 years old; Kwamboka is 26, and Cheptonui 27 years. Shurkhno, coming off a PR of 2:33:37 and 2^nd place at hilly Country Music Marathon in April, is a relative veteran at age 30.

Behind this lead pack, the International Team Challenge between Team , Team and Team promises a highly competitive second group of 10 women between 2:36 and 2:48, led by ’s Judith Ramirez and Alicia Rodruigez, and ’s Nicole Stevenson. The Canadians will be battling to get at least the B standard of 2:43, to claim one of the 5 places on the Canadian team to the World Championships marathon in Berlin next August.

GIGI, Asha [ETH]                                       2:26:05 (2004)                 F1

BAYISA, Atsede Tesema [ETH]                 2:29:05 (2007)                  F4

SEBOKA, Mulu [ETH]                                2:30:04 (2008)                 F5

CHEPTONUI, Caroline [KEN]                   2:31:10 (2006)                   F6

MOGAKA, Irene [KEN]                              2:32:51 (2008)                  F7

SHURKHNO, Olena [UKR]                         2:33:37 (2008)                  F9

STEVENSON, Nicole [CAN]                      2:32:56 (2004)                 F10

EVANS, Suzanne [CAN]                           2:45:38 (2007)                 F11

HARVEY, Lisa [CAN]                                2:48:48 (2007)                 F12

KWAMBOKA, Winifridah [KEN]                2:36:30 2007)                  F13

FAWKE, Kim [ENG]                                 2:42:08 (2008)                   F14

HAZLITT, Karen [ENG]                             2:43:30 (2006)                   F15

DECKER, Helen [ENG]                             2:47:43 (2008)                   F16

WOODVINE, Andrea [ENG]                      2:45:49 (2008)                   F17

NATOLI, Karen [AUS]                              2:45:15 (2007)                   F18

RODRUIGEZ, Alicia [MEX]                       2:36:16 (2004)                    F19

RAMIREZ, Judith [MEX]                           2:36:43 (2007)                   F20

Montreal hits the big time with their marathon!! - 2008-09-15

Alex’s notes: The field was very international with the top 10 all from outside Canada. Makono from Kenya gradually pulled away from his two compatriots Moiben and Teklu for the win with all 3 finishing under 2:20 in wet conditions. Defending women's champ Kryza of Poland came through the halfway with Ethopian Esayyas but the challenger ended up 4 minutes ahead at the finish line with a steady second half. Canadian Myriam Grenon was third for the women. I think the standout performances in the other races was Nicole Stevenson and Josiane Aboungono finishing 3rd and 4th overall in the 10K. Check out the results on sportstats!!

Photo: The Montreal Marathon took place in Montreal Sunday, September 14, 2008. Lamech Makono (far right), from Kenya, won the men’s race with a time of 2:17:07. THE GAZETTE/Dave Sidaway

ANNE SUTHERLAND, The Gazette

Published: Friday, September 12

Did you know that Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay ran marathons? Three, to be precise.

"I was in the Montreal Marathon in 1984, 1993 and 1994. I wanted to beat 3 1/2 hours but my best time was four hours and nine minutes in 1984," Tremblay said. "I don’t run any more because of my knees."

These tidbits emerged yesterday at a launch of Sunday’s Marathon Oasis de Montréal, the 18th time this city has hosted a premiere road race.

Organizers are ecstatic that 9,500 people have signed up for the full marathon, many of them international elite runners.

"Running is back," crowed Bernard Arsenault, president of the marathon.

"We have runners from 28 countries, 30 of the United States and every province in Canada. Montreal is back on the international map for running."

Sunday’s events cater to the whole family and not just diehards who can tough out a 42.1-kilometre race.

More than 17,000 people will be participating in the marathon, half-marathon, 10-kilometre run, 40-kilometre cycling course, 10- kilometre wheelchair circuit, five-kilometre student challenge and a one-kilometre race for children.

The marathon, half-marathon and bike race will start on the Jacques Cartier Bridge. The shorter events will be staggered along the route and all participants will finish inside the Olympic Stadium.

It costs $1.4 million and requires 2,000 volunteers to stage Sunday’s events including street closings and security.

Wioletta Kryza of Poland was the fastest woman in Montreal in 2006 and 2007, running in two hours, 43 minutes and five seconds and 2:43.25, respectively.

Kryza is back, trying for three wins in a row, and Sunday’s forecast of showers doesn’t faze her.

"Light showers are okay but I don’t like heavy rain," Kryza said over a buffet lunch .

10th Anniversary of the Edge to Edge Marathon - 2008-09-12

		Sunday, June 14th, 2009 marks the date for the 10th Anniversary of the Edge to Edge Marathon in Tofino & Ucluelet! Come celebrate this annual event on the beautiful West Coast of Vancouver Island. Online & mail-in registration to open in early September with limited registration available for the Marathon, Half Marathon & Team Relay events. We are anticipating 2009 to be the largest participation on record. In 2008 we were featured in Marathon & Beyond Magazine with a near perfect event score. Edge to Edge runners enjoy the ultimate scenic route starting in beautiful Tofino, down to pristine Chesterman’s Beach with Pacific Ocean views across the horizon, through the untouched rainforest of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, finishing in the quiet harbour of downtown Ucluelet with locals cheering you on the entire way. The Half Marathon features the famous Wild Pacific Trail also with fabulous ocean views and giant old growth trees. The Edge to Edge is currently featured on the Runner’s World Greenteam website as a featured "green race". We will be introducing more eco-friendly initiatives for this coming year. In our recent participant survey 100% of participants said they would return to the Edge to Edge in the future and almost 80% of runners voted the E2E as their favourite marathon race! More info at: www.edgetoedgemarathon.com Contact us at: info@edgetoedgemarathon.com

Dylan Wykes leads the pack! - 2008-09-11

		TORONTO. September 10^th, 2008. At only 25 years of age, Kingston’s Dylan Wykes will lead the strongest group of Canadian marathoners we’ve seen in years, when more than 13,000 runners toe the line for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on September 28^th. While Canadian marathoning has lagged behind the USA and much of the world for a decade or more, multiple developments seem to be converging to create a “buzz” of excitement about the marathon distance as “the pinnacle of road running”, and give us lots to cheer about at home. Dylan, with a 2:15:13 debut in Rotterdam in April, threatens to lead the charge out of Canada’s distance doldrums. The growth of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront over the past 5 years into a signature, big-city marathon culminated last year with a 2:09:30 winning time by Kenya’s John Kelai. That shattered a 31-year old record that had stood since the 1976 Olympics in Montreal as the fastest marathon ever run on Canadian soil [7 years before Dylan Wykes was born]. It made the Waterfront one of only four sub 2:10 marathons in North America in 2007, and helped it earn an IAAF Silver Label for ’08--one of only 5 marathons in the Americas to receive Label recognition. “Throughout the country and at various events the buzz around Toronto Waterfront is increasing dramatically this year,” says John Stanton, President of the Running Room, now with more than 90 stores across Canada. For more than 20 years, Canadian marathoners have had to read American magazines like Runner’s World, Running Times, Michigan Runner or New England Runner; this year, not one but two new publications have appeared on the newsstands with Canadian Running and iRun magazine. For the first time in a generation, we have magazines that are profiling Canadian events and Canadian heroes. Ten years after the Americans, Canadians are also setting up new, focused, funded, professional training centres like the Brooks Canada Marathon Project under Coach Hugh Cameron in Toronto, and the Speed River group in Guelph with Dave Scott-Thomas, to produce some marathon heroes. The Brooks Project, modeled on the Brooks-Hansen’s project in Michigan that got Brian Sell onto the US marathon team in Beijing, has a 5-year plan, targeting London 2012. Scott-Thomas went to Beijing with athlete Eric Gillis who ran the Olympic 10,000. Another Speed River star, Reid Coolsaet, would also likely have gone in the 10k but for injury. Both are looking to move up to the marathon in 2009, along with Regina’s Simon Bairu, now training full-time at the Nike distance project in Oregon. A final, vital component is the unique private sector-Federation partnership, set up this year between the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront and Ottawa Marathons and Athletics Canada to give up-and-coming Canadian marathon stars something to run for-- fully-funded places for 5 men and 5 women to represent Canada at the World Championships Marathon in Berlin next August. The World Championships are second only to the Olympics in prestige, and it’s been a long time since Canada was represented there with a full team in the marathon. "Our goal is to reestablish marathon running in Canada and partnering with the organizers of both Ottawa and Toronto Waterfront marathons was a logical step in that direction," says Martin Goulet, Athletics Canada's Chief High Performance Officer. "They have invested significant efforts in recent years to support the development of elite distance runners in this country and this is only another example of their stellar contribution to the sport." Though the selection process is complex, Ottawa ’08 and ’09, and Scotia Toronto Waterfront ‘08 are the de facto “Trials” races for the Berlin team. The winners in Ottawa and Toronto Waterfront, under 2:15 [men] and 2:34 [women], will get first selection; then 1^st placers under 2:18 and 2:43; then Athletics Canada designated “rising stars” (no more than 1 man, 1 woman); then 2^nd and 3^rd placers under 2:18 and 2:43, will be considered for selection, in that order. Given the incentives, and Waterfront’s faster course, September 28^th’s Scotia Toronto Waterfront has attracted a stellar Canadian line-up, led by newcomer Dylan Wykes of Kingston and veteran Nicole Stevenson from Toronto. They’ll be joined by Ottawa’s Matt McInnes and Vancouver’s Suzanne Evans on the 4-person “Team Canada” in the Scotiabank International Team Challenge against Team England and Team Mexico. Dylan represents a lot of the new hope and promise for Canadian marathoning. A recent graduate of Providence College, he’s now back home in Kingston, studying for a Masters in Community Health at Queen’s and training hard, under long-time coach Steve Boyd. As such, he’s at the forefront of a wave of fine young Canadian talent “moving up” to the marathon this year and next. He tried his first marathon in April in Rotterdam, and notched an encouraging 2:15:13, despite going out too fast. He was 12^th in a very strong international field at the NYC Half Marathon in July in 64:30. You can read a great journal account of Dylan’s Rotterdam experience, from his arrival, to his rookie race mistakes, at http://www.time-to-run.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98. I was really disappointed when I finished [in 2:15:13]… It is definitely a hard result to swallow. This was a race where, when I was done, I didn’t want there to be any ‘what if’s’. Unfortunately, I did not execute the race properly-- my lack of experience with the marathon really showed through. Other people are trying to tell me I should be satisfied with that as a debut marathon. But, I am finding it hard to. I am obviously disappointed the dream of being an Olympian will have to wait another 4 years… On a good day at Toronto Waterfront, Dylan can be well inside the 2:15 needed to guarantee him a spot on the Canadian team to Berlin; and beyond that London 2012 is not so far away: “My goals for the Toronto Waterfront are to improve my current marathon personal best, be competitive in the top-class international field, help Canada win the International Team Challenge, and qualify for the 2009 Berlin World Cup Marathon. I am really looking forward to the race. Training has been going well. I think I’m ready for a big improvement if all the factors come together.” Behind Dylan Wykes, the Canadian men are lining up, with stronger depth and more-determined, “winning” attitudes than we’ve seen in a long while. Matt McInnes was second-place Canadian in Ottawa in May in 2:16:59, a PR. “In ideal conditions, I want to run 2:14:59 at Toronto Waterfront. I already have a sub 2:18 from Ottawa, so doing it again doesn't do me too much good,” said McInnes. Charles Bedley, from the Brooks Canada Marathon Project, had a major breakthrough with his 2:16:27 at the California International Marathon in Sacramento last December, a five-minute PR. Waterloo’s Stephen Drew debuted at Ottawa in May in 2:18:11, and is hoping the fast Waterfront course and more experience will give him the extra minute or two he needs to get a place at the World Cup. The more experienced Jim Findlayson of Victoria and Jason Warick of Saskatoon have run 2:18 and 2:19, respectively, and have a very real chance at a sub 2:18 qualifying time. BCMPs James Nielson, James “Goose” Gosselin and Mike Booth, together with Victoria’s Todd Howard, are all the other side of 2:20 --so far-- but in with an outside chance on a good day. It promises to be a fine battle amongst the men for the five Berlin places on the Toronto Waterfront! On the women’s side, Berlin qualification is perhaps a last chance to don a Canadian vest at a major Championship for Toronto’s Nicole Stevenson. Disappointed, she was at the centre of considerable controversy over her non-selection for the Athens Games, despite having run a 2:33:37 in Houston in January ’04. She’s since lowered her PR to 2:32:56 in Houston ’06. Missing ’07 with injuries, the 35-year old Hamilton native returned to Ottawa this Spring to run a 2:41:04, for 2^nd Canadian. She’s a former winner of Scotia Toronto Waterfront in 2002, and definitely a local favourite. Behind Stevenson, the women’s depth is not nearly as strong as the men’s, but it will be exciting to see if consistent performer, Suzanne Evans, can lower her PR of 2:45:38 by a couple of minutes, and get closer to securing a World Cup place. Behind her, veteran Canadian Olympian, Lisa Harvey [38 years ] will also be trying to get her current marathon best [2:48] much more in line with her 1:15:38 half and 32:40 10,000m PRs. Lisa ran for Team Canada at Waterfront ‘07, placing 9th in 2:48:48. Win or lose in the International Team Challenge at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon ‘08, the race promises the best Canadian showing in years. Now there’s something to run for, and some prospects to go for it. We may look back and see 2008-2009 as a watershed, a turning point for the marathon in Canada, when Canada started to catch “marathon mania” and to catch up to the rest of the world. For online registration [until September23rd] and spectator information, www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com For a complete Men's Start List see http://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/en/spectators.htm#elites

Runners smash records - 2008-09-09

Chris Jaster, The Leader-Post

Published: Monday, September 08, 2008

For the second consecutive year, Amanda Froehlich set a Queen City Marathon record.

Froehlich, in only the third marathon of her life, smashed the record she set last year by more than five minutes Sunday. She ran the 42.2-kilometre course in three hours two minutes 51 seconds.

"It was a good running day," said Froehlich, who is from Marquis.

The reigning champion felt the pressure of wearing the No. 2 bib -- awarded to the defending women’s champion -- before the race. She surprised herself by exceeding her target of running one minute faster than last year.

"Last night, before I went to bed, I set out where I need to be to finish a minute faster and I guess I just beat my plans," she said.

Although she was able to reach her goal of running seven-minute miles, Froehlich was worried when she pulled away from the pack after the two-mile mark.

"I said to the lead biker, ’I don’t want to be here right now’ because I knew I had to hold it for that long," she said. "There was a guy in front of me who had a good pace and I just kept up to him."

Froehlich wasn’t the only person to set a record. Robert Ritchot of Brandon lowered the men’s marathon mark by 1:26, posting a time of 2:42.12.

"Really, I couldn’t ask for much more," he said. "I broke the course record, got a personal best and won the race. I’m pretty lucky today."

Ritchot, who beat Dale Kirk’s mark of 2:43:38, gives credit for his time to Brendan Lunty (the defending champion, who finished second in 2:43:32) and Clyde Van Caeyzeele (who finished third in 2:43:38).

Ritchot played cat and mouse with the two runners, which helped slow him down early in the race. This helped him stick to his plan of running the second half of the race faster than the first half.

Lunty gave the group credit for his run as well.

"If I wasn’t chasing Robert and Clyde there’s no way I’d have been in that good of time," said the Camrose, Alta., runner. "It’s great, they pull you along and you pull them. It works for both guys. It’s just awesome."

Although he also beat the course record but isn’t the new record-holder, Lunty is happy with his performance.

"This is my best time and I would rather have this time and be second than win with a slower time," he said. "I’m just happy to do the best I ever have."

While Ritchot is proud of his accomplishment, he is also impressed with the rest of the approximately 3,300 runners who competed in various events at the marathon.

"A marathon is just so difficult to finish," he said. "Anyone who gets through that finish line deserves a congratulations. We all deserve one."

© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008

SCOTIABANK TORONTO WATERFRONT MARATHON CELEBRATES 100 YEARS - 2008-08-30

SCOTIABANK TORONTO WATERFRONT MARATHON CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF ‘GOING THE DISTANCE’

Canadian connection to ‘marathon mania’ to be showcased at this year’s race

(TORONTO, August 27, 2008) One hundred years ago, through a twist of historical fate, the official distance of the marathon was set at 42.195 kilometres and the world’s first ‘marathon mania’ was born. Toronto, alongside major cities like London and New York, was at the epicenter of this mania and at its heart was Native Canadian Tom Longboat, a marathoner hailed as one of the greatest distance runners in the world.

A century later, as Toronto prepares for this year’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on September 28, Torontonians are invited to learn more about the fascinating history of the distance and Toronto’s place in early marathon fever. In advance of the marathon, a pre-race Expo (the only one of its kind in North America) will feature a display of historical photos and artifacts. Special guests John Bryant, author of ‘Marathon Makers’, and Prof. Bruce Kidd, will also capture the public’s attention with the drama of the 1908 race, the birth of the distance and the characters of ‘marathon mania’, including ‘Longboat’.

“One hundred years ago, through the great Tom Longboat, Toronto and were consumed in the excitement that set the distance of the marathon at precisely 42.195 km”, said Race Director, Alan Brookes. “We’re proud to be dedicating the 2008 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon to the ‘celebration of the distance.”

Canadian Legend, Tom Longboat

Tom Longboat, a relatively unknown 18-year old from the Six Nations Reserve near Brantford won the Boston marathon in 1907, smashing the previous record time by almost five minutes and turning himself into an international celebrity. The Boston Globe said that he was “the most marvelous runner to have sped over our roads”. Returning home, Longboat was engulfed by fans when he arrived at Union Station. As the champion he was taken to City Hall in a torchlight parade where the Mayor pinned a gold medal to his chest and awarded him a gift of $500 from the City.

Longboat went on to win the Toronto “Ward” marathon in 1908 and represented at the London Olympics games. It was this 1908 Olympic marathon and its twist of events that led to the creation of the unique distance that is run by all marathoners in the world today.

The distance: Why 26.2 miles? (42. 195km)

Prior to 1908, a marathon could be any distance from 15 to 25 miles. However, at the 1908 London Olympics, the course was laid out as 26 miles 385 yards [42.195km]. The additional one mile, 385 yards ensured the marathon could begin at Windsor Castle East Terrace, and conclude at the White City Stadium, directly in front of the Royal family’s viewing box. John Bryant, author of the Marathon Makers said of the events of 1908, “this is an important, perhaps the most important, moment in the history of the marathon. The drama and the characters of a hundred years ago guaranteed the distance a place in the hearts of runners and spectators everywhere.”

The Drama of the 1908 Marathon

Besides the birth of the distance, it was the unprecedented drama that unfolded in the London race that captured the world’s imagination. Longboat was centre stage, along with the “little Italian” Dorando Pietri (from Carpi, ) and New Yorker, Johnny Hayes. On a sweltering July 24^th, and over the next year, these three men became the “kings of the marathon”, and their “near-death” duels created a “marathon mania”.

“I will win or I will die!” Dorando was heard to whisper at the Start line at Windsor Castle. Longboat held the lead in the early miles but was eventually forced to drop out at 20 miles with cries that he was “got at”. Dorando entered the Great Stadium first, to almost 100,000 spectators. He collapsed five times before being helped across the line by officials-- captured in perhaps the most famous historical marathon photo of all time -- to be disqualified for being assisted. American Johnny Hayes who’d paced himself well, crossed the line 2^nd and was subsequently awarded the gold medal. Dorando was such a huge crowd favourite that Queen Alexandra awarded him a special cup and called him the “de facto winner”. Back home in New York, Bloomingdales decorated their entire Manhattan store in honour of their most-famous employee, Johnny Hayes, and promoted him to Manager of the Sporting Goods department. Longboat came home to Toronto and turned professional.

The world was in awe, and wanted more. And they wanted more over the exact distance of 26 miles 385 yards. It was the high drama of London, and the 15 “match” races over the next 15 months that set the magic distance, consistently at 42.195 km.

Event Details

What: The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Expo-

Visit the Expo display – the only chance in North America to see photos of the race; Dorando’s Queen’s Cup, Longboat’s 1907 Boston trophy, Hayes’ original 1908 gold medal

Listen to John Bryant re-tell the drama of the 1908 race that set the world on fire and set the distance, on the stage at the Expo on Friday and Saturday!

Run in the Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon, along with 9 “Longboats”, 2 Dorandos” and 3 “Hayes’” (on September 28^th) to celebrate the distance!

When: Friday September 26, 2008 (11am-8pm) and Saturday September 27, 2008 (10am-6pm)

Where: The Metro Toronto Convention Centre

The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

The marathon attracts participants from over thirty-five countries and aims to raise $1 million for over sixty small but significant neighbourhood charities. Participants first and last kilometer will be between Old City Hall and Union Station, where Longboat was paraded and celebrated a century ago. Visit www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com for further event information, including a special section “Celebrating 100 Years of the Distance”, with historical photos.

For further information on the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon please contact: Narrative Advocacy Media - Julia Wall-Clarke 416-922-2211, ext.: 3281 Julia.clarke@narrativeadvocacy.com

Wanjiru shatters Olympic Record in Marathon - 2008-08-25

From CBC website:

With a smile on his face and enough strength in his legs to sprint to the finish, Sammy Wanjiru won Kenya's first gold medal in the men's Olympic marathon in record time.

Wanjiru, 21, set a searing pace in the final athletic competition at the Beijing Games, obliterating the Olympic record with a time of two hours 6.32 minutes on Sunday morning.

The previous record of 2:09.21, owned by Portugal's Carlos Lopes, had stood since 1984.

"It feels good to make history here," said Wanjiru, who informed officials afterward that his name was misspelled as 'Wansiru' on the official results sheet.

"It feels good to make history for Kenya and win the gold." Wanjiru pulled away from Moroccan contender Jaouad Gharib with 15 minutes remaining, and entered the National Stadium unchallenged and to a standing ovation.

The jubiliant Kenyan raised his arms in triumph, and, with the crowd cheering him on, proceeded to sprint around the track and break the tape in record time.

"I had to push the pace to tire the other runners," Wanjiru said. "I had to push the pace because my body gets tired in the heat when I slow down."

It was just the third full marathon run by Wanjiru, the world half-marathon champion, and the first Olympic gold in the event for Kenya — a nation defined in the sports world by its excellence in distance running.

"In Kenya, we have many medals," he said. "But I'm glad I have this one."

Gharib, a two-time world champion, took the silver medal in 2:07.16, and Tsegay Kebede streaked past a spent Deriba Merga, his elder Ethiopian teammate, with 200 metres left to claim the bronze in 2:10.00.

No Canadians competed in the event.

Defending champion Stefano Baldini of Italy placed 12th in 2:13.25, despite nursing a tender thigh that doctors ordered him to rest for three days just prior to the Games.

"In the last 10 kilometres, it was unbelievable what the Africans were able to do under these conditions," Baldini said.

Pleasant conditions at outset

Runners were treated to pleasant, less humid conditions and a soft breeze at the outset, but the temperature rose from 21 C to 30 C by the time it concluded.

Most importantly, Beijing's notorious air quality was surprisingly good, leaving observers to wonder whether world record holder Haile Gebrselassie should have competed after all.

Gebrselassie, who set the world mark of 2:04:26 last September in Berlin, competed in the 10,000 metres at Beijing, but the legendary Ethiopian withdrew from the marathon because he feared the city's poor air quality would harm his health over the long haul.

Ninety-eight runners lined up at Tiananmen Square for the start of the race, which meandered through the streets of Beijing, past the fabled Forbidden City and historic Temple of Heaven before looping back to the square and through the city's financial district toward the stadium.

The 42-kilometre route was exposed but relatively flat, with a gradual incline of four kilometres over the first half and a gentle downward slope the rest of the way.

As the marathoners competed outside the Bird's Nest, the performers inside rehearsed for the closing ceremonies (CBC, 6 a.m. ET), much to the delight of fans eagerly awaiting the arrival of the marathoners.

Martin Lel of Kenya set a brisk pace over the initial 15 kilometres of the marathon, covering the distance in 44:36.

Lel posted the swiftest time this season in winning the London Marathon in 2:05.15.

Reigning world champion Luke Kibet, Lel's teammate and a late replacement for injured Robert Cheruiyot, stuck with the chase group before being forced off the course with stomach cramps at 1:25.46.

Lel began to wilt by the halfway mark and relinquished the lead to Wanjiru and Merga, who ran side-by-side with Gharib trailing by 0.04 seconds.

Wanjiru pulled ahead of Merga by two strides at the 1:45.00 mark, with Gharib trailing by 0.01 and Eritrea's Yonas Kifle lurking just 1.28 back.

With files from the Associated Press

Marathon des Deux Rives : Suzanne, la Reine Soleil - 2008-08-25

Editor's note: Time to practice your french. It looks like it was hot and three time defending champ Nathalie Goyer dropped out with less than 10K left. Alma's Suzanne Munger ran a fairly even split in the heat to win with only a minute and a half to spare on Valerie St-Martin who ran almost the same exact pace as Suzanne over the second half. Kenyan Michael Njordge was able to cruise in for the overall title as Amor Dehbi and Fethi Oukid let him go in the second half. This is a great event!! I have never heard a bad comment from anyone who has made the trip!!

Alexandre Noël

Le Soleil

Québec

Après trois sacres consécutifs au Marathon des Deux Rives, Nathalie Goyer n’a eu d’autre choix que de céder son trône. Poussant la machine à fond sous un soleil de plomb, elle s’est évanouie avec moins de 10 kilomètres à faire. La table était mise pour la première victoire de Suzanne Munger, d’Alma.

«À sept ou huit kilomètres de l’arrivée, une femme m’a dit que la meneuse s’était effondrée et que j’étais en tête», a expliqué la gagnante, qui en était à son cinquième marathon à Québec. Et lorsqu’interrogée sur l’émotion qui l’a envahie à ce moment, le visage de la coureuse de 47 ans s’est illuminé d’un large sourire malgré les 3 h 10 min 7 s d’effort : «J’étais contente!»

«C’est le plus dur, mais le meilleur (de mes 12 marathons)», a-t-elle continué après avoir reçu les félicitations de son mari et de sa sœur, émue aux larmes. «C’était assez difficile avec la chaleur. J’ai couru tout le temps toute seule. Mais il y a tellement de monde qui nous encourage, c’est formidable! C’est au-delà de mes espérances», s’est exclamée celle qui a terminée quatrième en 2006 et en 2007.

Un peu moins de deux minutes plus tard, Valérie St-Martin, de Québec, franchissait la ligne d’arrivée, améliorant d’un rang son résultat de l’an dernier. «Ça a très bien été. Comme il faisait très chaud, je suis partie lentement, deux minutes plus lent que l’an dernier. À la fin, il me manquait deux kilomètres pour aller chercher Suzanne», a raconté la mère de deux enfants, qui, à 39 ans, en était à sa quatrième participation au Marathon des Deux Rives. Quand à Goyer, elle a terminé l’épreuve loin derrière.

Njordge chez les hommes

Suivant l’exemple de son compatriote Samuel Wansiru, vainqueur du marathon aux Jeux de Pékin, le Kenyan d’origine Michael Njordge a survolé l’épreuve en 2 h 23 min 46 s. À l’instar du premier, qui a abaissé le record olympique, le second aurait bien voulu améliorer le meilleur temps de l’épreuve québécoise (2 h 23 min 5 s), mais le soleil de plomb et l’humidité l’ont ralenti.

«Quand je l’ai vu (Wansiru) à la télé, malgré la distance, il m’a donné le moral. Je me suis déjà entraîné avec lui dans mon pays, à Nairobi», a-t-il expliqué après avoir relégué le tenant du titre, le Montréalais Amor Dehbi, à près de huit minutes.

«Laissez-moi vous dire que c’était ardu parce que c’était très humide. La température était très chaude, s’il avait fait plus frais, j’aurais pu faire sous les 2 h 20. L’organisation a bien réagi à la température avec les douches sur le parcours», a dit celui qui réside maintenant à Hamilton (Ontario) et qui compte bien venir défendre son titre l’an prochain.

Détenteur du titre 2006, Fethi Oukid a complété le podium, qui regroupait les vainqueurs des trois dernières présentations du Marathon des Deux Rives. «Ce n’était pas facile, c’est très chaud et j’ai mal aux jambes», a déploré l’Algérien d’origine. Il a d’ailleurs dû abandonner le Championnat canadien, en mai, à Ottawa, à cause du même mal.

Le président du Marathon des Deux Rives, Denis Therrien, parle d’un succès sur toute la ligne pour cette 11e course. «On a eu plus de 6700 inscrits comparativement à 4500 l’an dernier. Il y a définitivement l’effet 400e pour expliquer cette hausse, il serait malhonnête de ne pas le reconnaître.»

Whitfield wins silver in the Olympic Triathlon - 2008-08-19

Note from Alex: I know this is triathlon but I just had to include the story. We all cross-train right?? And he finished with a sub 31 10K!!!

Vicki Hall, Canwest News Service

Published: Tuesday, August 19, 2008
(Photo: John Mahoney, CanWest)

BEIJING - In the sweltering heat, Simon Whitfield roared from fourth place to the front of the pack on the final lap of the men’s triathlon on a stunning day in the mountains just outside Beijing.

Germany’s Jan Frodeno overtook the Victoria-based Canadian triathlete in the final 100 metres to whip through the tape and capture gold in 148:43.

Whitfield, the Olympic gold medallist in 2000, raced across the finish line just five seconds back of the winner to capture silver.

"I’m having trouble remembering," Whitfield said, sunglasses perched on his head and the medal around his neck. "I kind of fought my way back in there, and I thought there was no time like the present.

"I tried to make it a battle of pure will power. I gave that everything I had, and Jan just kept coming. That was a spectacular performance by him."

Whitfield, who lives in Victoria, punched the air on the podium and pointed at his teammate, Colin Jenkins, who finished dead last in the 50-man field.

"Simon has done a lot for the sport, and a lot for the country," Jenkins said. "A medal for the country? Come on, what more can you ask for?"

The sport of triathlon - a gruelling combination of a 1.5-km swim, 40-km bike ride and 10-km run - is traditionally considered an individual pursuit. But Whitfield, 33, and Jenkins, 25, worked together to bust through the pack.

In fact, Jenkins, of Hamilton, Ont., made the Canadian team with the sole purpose of serving as domestique - similar to a blocker in football - for Whitfield in his quest to hit the podium.

With his superior speed on the bike, Jenkins jumped out of the water in the middle of the lead pack and then roared to the front, taking Whitfield with him.

Does Jenkins deserve part of the medal?

"Maybe just 1/100th of it," he said. "Simon put in so much work over the last four years. You could see with his swim, he improved it tremendously. I came to train with him three years ago. And the work we did together? It just shows, team work, works.

"Everyone who says it doesn’t, they’re in denial, for sure."

Javier Gomez, the defending world champion, finished in fourth. Edmonton’s Paul Tichelaar finished eighth.

"I tried," said Whitfield. "I tried hard. I’m very happy with the silver . . . I have a sense of ever so close.

"For a moment there, I thought I had it. But I’m very proud."

Vicki Hall is in Beijing as part of the Canwest News Service Olympic Team

- - -

Germany’s Frodeno wins gold in Olympic triathlon

Catherine Bremer

BEIJING, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Germany’s Jan Frodeno, who took up triathlon because a girl he fancied did it, won the Olympic gold medal on Tuesday in a dramatic sprint to the finish.

Close behind him, Sydney gold medallist Simon Whitfield of Canada won the silver in the baking hot Beijing swim-bike-run event, and New Zealand’s Bevan Docherty the bronze.

Frodeno, a former swimmer and surf-lifeguard who took up triathlon eight years ago while living in South Africa, battled

with Docherty and 2008 world champion Javier Gomez of Spain, both heavily tipped for gold, for front position in the last two laps.

But the German, whose nickname is "Frodo", strode ahead at the final bend, overtaking all of them and leaving Gomez in fourth place, a full 20 seconds behind his finish time of one hour, 48 minutes and 53 seconds.

"It was a moment I had dreamed of so many times in my head. During the race I told myself: ’Boy, be greedy - it’s champagne or fizzy water’," an overwhelmed Frodeno said afterwards.

"I tried not to think that the others behind me were the fastest guys and the most famous triathletes. he said, adding he had learned his lesson from losing a lot of sprints this year.

The all-round fitness event came down to a running race, as the best sprinters held back and then surged past the winners of the swim and bike sections in the four-lap final section.

Frodeno, whose gold medal surprise came a day after his 27th birthday, punched the air triumphantly after breaking through the ribbon at the Ming Tombs reservoir course north of Beijing.

EXASPERATED RIVALS

Gomez has dominated his sport this year despite an abnormal heart valve that kept him out of competitions for several years.

The 11-times world cup winner, who prefers racing in cooler weather, said he tired himself out when he bolted ahead and ran the first two laps in a spectacular 14 minutes 10 seconds to make up for lagging badly coming out of the bike transition.

"I just had a not very good day on the run," said Gomez, adding that it had been hard to run fast in the 31 degree Celsius (88 degree Fahrenheit) heat and 84 percent humidity.

"I got tired. I did train well but today there were three athletes better than me," he told Reuters.

Whitfield said Gomez’s exasperated rivals decided ahead of the Games that the way to beat him was to join forces and all run against him. "We all raced today watching him. Everywhere he went in the pack, we all knew where he was and paid attention."

For Docherty, beating Gomez was not quite enough, however.

The mop-haired New Zealander has gained a tiresome reputation for always coming second or third.

"I’m super happy to get another medal. I’m slowly building up a collection. Unfortunately I’ll have to go to London to get the gold," he said.

(Additional reporting by Erik Kirschbaum and Annika Breidthardt; Editing by Nick Macfie and Alex Richardson)

Tomescu took a chance and hung on!! - 2008-08-19

		Note from Alex: Great move by Tomescu!! Tough to see the cameras linger on Radcliffe and Tosa as they struggled emotionally. The fight for silver was just awesome between Ndereba and Chunxi. My own personal opinion is that it’s an absolute disgrace that Canada did not have a competitor. This is a marquee event and we had at least one runner that had made standard (just not Canada’s ludicrous sub 2:30 standard!!). Beijing (dpa) - Constantina Tomescu of Romania won the gold medal in the Beijing Olympics marathon as world record holder Paula Radcliffe flopped again on the big stage. Tomescu, 36, raced away from her rivals at the halfway mark and never looked back en route to victory in comfortably cool conditions and light drizzle at times in 2 hours 26 minutes 44 seconds. The reigning world champion Catherine Ndereba of Kenya took silver as in 2004, clocking 2:27:06. The bronze went to China’s Zhou Chunxi in 2:27.07. Tomescu is the first European woman to win the Olympic marathon since Valentina Yegorova’s success 1992 in Barcelona. Her biggest claim to fame until Sunday was victory in the 2004 Chicago marathon, two podium finishes each in London and Chicago and third place at the 2005 worlds. The 2005 world champion Radcliffe, who was coming into the race off a stress fracture, flopped again at the Olympics after failing to finish in Athens 2004. Radcliffe had to step aside for a quick "pit stop" just as Tomescu made her move halfway through the race from Tiananmen Square through Beijing to the National Stadium. She cramped late in the race far behind the leader but gritted her teeth and hobbled across the finish line in 23rd place, almost six minutes behind the winner in 2:32:38 hours. The 2006 London winner Deena Kastor had to retire early on with a foot injury and Japanese ace Reiko Tosa, the world championship bronze medallist, also failed to live up to expectations.

David Corbett wins Edmonton Marathon - 2008-08-19

Alex’s notes: David won the Calgary Marathon the month before in 2:32 and change. I don't believe this Alberta Big City Marathon Double has been achieved before. Congratulations to David!!

Emily Senger, Edmonton Journal Staff Writer

Photo Edmonton Journal/Walter Tychnowicz

Published: Sunday, August 17

EDMONTON - David Corbett, 38, of Sherwood Park won the ING Edmonton Marathon for the third year in a row this morning, with a time of 2:35:27.

Corbett was the favourite to win the 42.2-kilometre race, which began and ended in Sir Winston Churchill Square and wound its way down Groat Road south to 51st Avenue, before looping back through downtown.

After the race, Corbett said the hometown fans helped him along the course, especially in the final seven-km push to the finish line. "There was a lot of cheering. I heard my name everywhere. It was very inspiring and kept me focused," Corbett said.

The next fastest man, Tom McGrath of Edmonton, was almost 20 minutes behind Corbett with a time of 2:52:18. Ian Blockland of Camrose, Alta. took the bronze with a time of 2:52:23.

On the women’s side Joylin Nodwell, 38, from Calgary, Alta., took the gold for the second year in a row with a time of 3:11:02. The 38-year-old mother of three said she has completed more than 15 marathons, but this marathon was dedicated to her father, who died earlier this year.

"He was here with me, he was," Nodwell said after the race, as she placed her hand on her heart. "I know he is up above, watching me." Carmen Thiessen of Drayton Valley, Alta. finished in second place with a time of 3:27:12 and Jill Stein from New Territories, Ont. came in third with a time of 3:31:12.

In the 22.1-km half marathon, Kip Kangogo from Lethbridge, Alta. won gold with a time of 1:05:52. On the women’s side, Lisa Harvey of Calgary took won with a time of 1:19:42.

esenger@thejournal.canwest.com

© Edmonton Journal 2008

Tammy Mercier-Hackett wins Nova Scotia Marathon!!! - 2008-08-04

		Halifax’s Tammy Mercier-Hackett beats all the men at the Nova Scotia Marathon with a great time of 3:08:22 which was a half hour ahead of the 2nd place woman!! Lexi Juurlink of Grand Digue was 2nd for the women with a very respectable 3:38:51 and Haley Cruse was 3rd with a 3:42:49. Marco Albright and Michael St Hilaire had a very tight battle for 2nd and 3rd overall finishing in 3:12:47 and 3:13:41. The age group result of the day belonged to 60-69 age grouper George Pothier who finished in 3:48:01. It was a hot day so the half marathoners were probably more comfortable. Rami Bardeesy ran a very quick 1:12:52 to win the half by 10 minutes. The women's half was a very tight battle with Gabrielle Riley winning over Sheri Goodwin and Leah Jabbour. All 3 were under 1:35.

Closest finishes ever at Friendly Massey??? - 2008-07-22

		Reports are not in yet but it sure looked like some incredible finishes for the top positions at the Friendly Massey Marathon. Simon Fectau of Timmins won the event in 2:52:34 followed by US runner Rich Power in 2:53:22 and Mark Ott in 2:55:49. For the women, Diane Carriere of Sudbury won in essentially the same time as Maureen Marshall of Lively with both runners having gun times of 3:49:39 and 3:49:40. Is it possible they were old friends, newly formed friends or was it a fight to the finish?? I am hoping for the newly formed friends option. Kelly Cascone Brown was 34 seconds behind for 3rd place. This marathon has a beer garden the day before the marathon. How great is that!!!!!!

Corbett and Gill take Calgary Marathon titles - 2008-07-06

Heather McIntyre, For the Calgary Herald

Published: Monday, July 07, 2008

Kip Kangogo knew that if he could run the first 10 kilometres of the half marathon at the HSBC Calgary Marathon in 30 minutes, he could shatter a record that has stood since 2006.

And in a sport where shaving even one second off your run can mean a win, Kangogo sped through the tape at the finish line more than two seconds faster than Abel Ondeyo did two years ago.

Kangogo completed the 21.1 kilometre run in 1:05:08, defeating Ondeyo’s record of 1:07:10.

"It feels good," says the 28-year-old Lethbridge resident. "It’s a good feeling to win with a lot of people running."

Success is not something Kangogo is a stranger to. He won the HBC 10K July 1 and the Mother’s Day 10K in Calgary, and also ran both the 1,500 and 5,000 metres in Victoria in June.

Sunday morning was his first time competing in the Calgary Marathon, though, and only his fourth half marathon ever.

Kangogo, a native of Kenya, is the assistant coach of the cross-country team at Lethbridge College, but continues to compete. Road races throughout the United States as well as competing internationally in Europe next summer are the next things to check off his to do list.

While Sunday’s half marathon was Kangogo’s first in Calgary, it was the very first event for others.

Calgary’s Maggie Finlayson is one for one after placing first in the women’s division of the half marathon, crossing the finish line in 1:24:31.

"This is my second race since high school," says Finlayson, who is 15 years past her high school graduation. "It was really good though, I didn’t know what to expect."

Just over 6,000 people came out to participate in the 44th Annual HSBC Calgary Marathon -- a 10 per cent increase from last year’s crowd.

The half marathon was the biggest event, followed by the 10K and then the full marathon. A 4X10K was showcased, as well as a kid’s marathon.

Lisa Harvey is someone who runs the 10K quite frequently and has definitely won her share of titles. She didn’t disappoint on Sunday, running away with the top women’s 10K spot in 35:05.

"I was in second until halfway through," says the 38-year-old. "I haven’t won this race in about five years so I’m pretty happy about that."

Harvey, a former Olympian, has had an outstanding 2008, placing first in the Vancouver Half Marathon as well as the Harry Spring Run-Off 8K.

She placed first at the Times Colonist 10K in Victoria before coming to Calgary to compete in the 10K on Mother’s Day.

Harvey and Edmonton’s Aster Demissie are always battling for top spot during 10K competitions and Sunday was no different, as Demissie placed second behind Harvey with a time of 35:44.

The main attraction of the day was the full marathon.

A course 42.2 kilometres long was run by many and fastest by Sherwood Park’s David Corbett.

"I went out at a comfortable pace and as everyone spread out I started picking them off," he says of his 2:32:37 finish.

Corbett won a marathon in Edmonton last August and in Red Deer in May.

"I was expecting to come in fifth . . . . About five kilometres in, I was lasting and keeping up with everyone until 22 (kilometres). That’s when I picked off the last people."

Calgary’s Bernard Onsare was ahead of the pack at the split, but was walking by the 22 kilometre mark.

"His calves were cramping," says Corbett. "By that time people were complaining . . . their stomachs hurt and they were tired."

Corbett placed second in the Calgary Marathon a couple of years ago and definitely intends to build on his win this weekend as he has his eye on Berlin for the 2009 World Championships.

David Corbett from Sherwood Park celebrates as he wins the HSBC Calgary Marathon...

More of the story coming tomorrow.......

Will running ruin my knees? - 2008-06-29

ALEX HUTCHINSON

From Friday's Globe and Mail

June 27, 2008 at 9:24 AM EDT

Alex Hutchinson draws on the latest research to answer your fitness and workout questions in this biweekly column on the science of sport.

The question

Will running ruin my knees?

The answer

This is a fear that stops many would-be runners in their tracks and lurks in the back of the mind of even the most experienced runners. Running and injuries go together like shin splints and ice, so it's entirely reasonable to wonder about the prospects of long-term damage.

These fears should be put to rest by a pair of long-term studies due to be published this year.

In next month's Skeletal Radiology, a team of Austrian radiologists presents knee MRIs of seven runners who had taken part in a previous MRI study before running the Vienna marathon in 1997. The use of MRIs offers a significant diagnostic advantage compared to earlier studies that relied on X-rays.

The results were clear: no new damage in the knee joints of the six subjects who had continued running in the intervening decade. "In contrast, the only person who had given up long-distance running showed severe deterioration in the intra-articular structures of his knee," the authors note.

An even more long-term study at Stanford University has been following 45 runners and 53 non-runners since 1984. All had been taking regular X-rays. The latest results, which will appear in a future edition of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, show that after 18 years, 20 per cent of the runners had developed osteoarthritis in the knee, compared with 32 per cent of non-runners.

These studies raise a possibility that several earlier studies have proposed: Running may help preserve the joints. But that's not a conclusion that can be drawn at this point, says Eliza Chakravarty, lead author of the Stanford study.

"I don't think I would strongly recommend running for the purpose of protecting the knees."

One drawback with both studies is selection bias. The runners in both cases were committed recreational runners who had a history of being able to run without serious problems.

Data for non-runners who are considering taking up running are harder to come by - a gap that was partly addressed by a large-scale study that appeared last year in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism, involving 1,279 subjects from the famously long-running Framingham Heart Study.

Rather than studying "runners" versus "non-runners" the researchers examined the general study population, looking for associations between exercise (including running) and the development of knee osteoarthritis over a nine-year period. They found no link, suggesting even overweight non-runners can start exercising without putting their knees at risk.

In sharp contrast, though, the American College of Sports Medicine recently reported that each additional pound of body mass puts four extra pounds of stress on the knee, so packing on a pound a year for about a decade increases your chances of developing arthritis by 50 per cent - a fairly powerful argument for running to keep off weight and protect your knees.

Of course, the decision doesn't have to be strictly utilitarian. As one of the Vienna study participants (who was preparing to run his 37th marathon) put it in a recent e-mail to lead author Wolfgang Krampla, "Even if minor aches and pains occur over the years, the gain in joie de vivre far outweighs them."

Alex Hutchinson is a former member of Canada's long-distance running team, and has a PhD in physics.

*****

Go the extra mile

A long-term Austrian study of long-distance runners revealed that runners were less likely to develop osteoarthritis of the knee than non-runners were.

jockology@globeandmail.com

Moses Macharia cruised to a comfortable victory. - 2008-06-24

Moses Macharia cruised to a comfortable victory ahead of compatriot Josephat Ongeri, while 24-year old Florence Jepkosgei had an even easier time of things in taking the women's title more than 3 minutes ahead of Calgary's Lisa Harvey. Conditions were good for running, with overcast skies and a temperature of 12C at the 07.00 start although some stiff breezes and humidity mitigated against really-fast times. A record 4,220 participants took part in this 10th Anniversary edition, from 7 Canadian provinces, 38 American states, and 24 different countries. Another 500 took part in the accompanying 5km fun run, helping to raise $200,000 for 10 local charities.

Macharia and Ongeri took charge from the start, going through the first kilometre in 3:04, with Toronto's Danny Kassap being the only Canadian to hang onto them. Ongeri made a move between 4-5km, and from there Macharia and Ongeri matched strides through 9k. Turning onto Marine Drive for the precipitous downhill to Spanish Banks, Ongeri threw in a 2:44 kilometre, to pass 10k in 30:24 at the bottom of the hill. Macharia stayed close, looking very comfortable, and then pressed his case on the short, sharp rise from Jericho Beach up to West 4th. Ongeri struggled on the incline, and by 12km he was 20m down - a gap he was never able to close. Macharia passed 15km in 45:51, taking the occasional glance back, as he cruised passed Kits Beach, over the Burrard Bridge, and down Pacific Avenue to the finish line in Vancouver's world-famous Stanley Park. Ongeri finished 25 seconds back, and Danny Kassap held onto third, and first Canadian, in a disappointing 67:26 - well off the 64:03 he ran for second last year.

Florence Jepkosgei was never challenged in the women's race, leading from start to finish. The second-youngest of 9 children from Eldoret, she was pleased to have an easy win for her 10th and final outing of her Spring season in North America, before returning home on Wednesday. The $1500 she takes with her from Vancouver, will go towards school fees for her sisters' children.

Behind Lisa Harvey Milton in second, Ontario's Josiane Aboungono and Whistler's Kristina Rody had a great see-saw battle with Aboungono finally prevailing. British Columbia has always had a very strong Master's running scene. Coquitlam's Nancy Tinari, at 49 years of age, placed fifth overall while on the men's side Louis Philippe Garnier of Montreal, fought off a West coast pack for the victory in 1:13:08.

McEvoy and Brault turn heads at Manitoba Marathon - 2008-06-16

Ken Wiebe, Winnipeg Sun

John McEvoy picked a fine time to win his first marathon and found the perfect way to erase bitter disappointment.

Truth be told, if McEvoy hadn’t run so poorly four weeks earlier at the Fargo Marathon, he might not have been in the field yesterday.

But since he was, the Irishman who moved to Fargo, N.D., to teach microbiology at North Dakota State University made his presence felt by breaking the tape in 2:36:31 to win the 30th edition of the Manitoba Marathon.

"After having a bad race in Fargo, I tried to get myself together again and give it a shot (in the Manitoba Marathon) because I had heard good things about it," said McEvoy. "It was really fantastic. This is my first win. I’m pretty happy. It’s a beautiful feeling. It don’t think it’s sunk in yet."

McEvoy was involved in essentially a three-horse race for the first 17 miles, which became a 1-on-1 showdown with Greg Penner of Steinbach for the next five miles or so.

At Mile 22, McEvoy took control and never looked back.

"Greg ran a great race and I never knew how far he was behind me," said McEvoy, who shaved several minutes off his personal best. "I was always concerned."

McEvoy, who started running seven years ago, completed his fifth full marathon.

"I love running long distances and the marathon run is a real trial because you can feel great at Mile 20 and then it can all fall apart," said McEvoy, 33. "It’s as much a psychological aspect as it is physical. On a day like today it feels great, but it can also go pretty badly."

Penner, who finished third in last year’s marathon, was second (2:37:43).

"Being the top Manitoban was a big goal of mine and I’m really happy with that," said Penner, 30. "This will keep me motivated for another year, that’s for sure. I’ll probably be back, but give me a couple of days (to recover)."

There was some wind but no rain as conditions were close to ideal.

"All week all the people running watched the weather every day and with it being Manitoba, you never know what you’re going to get," said Penner, an office manager at a flight school in Steinbach. "I’m just happy it was dry."

Penner also took a chance on Father’s Day to give credit to his father Harv.

"My dad is a very good worker and he really gave me that (work) ethic," he said. "Running a marathon keeps me motivated to stay in shape every day. I need that goal and the marathon becomes that goal for me."

Bill Rettie, a Winnipegger who now lives in Japan, finished third in 2:42:46.

(Alex's note: For the women, Winnipeg's Meredith Kennedy ran a sub 3:20 to take the title. Nancy Chong edged Karin Nowak-Bailey by only 18 seconds for second place)

Derek Jory, Winnipeg Sun

For someone who’d never competed in a race more than file miles, Sarah-Anne Brault turned a few heads at the 2008 Manitoba Marathon.

The St. Boniface product won the women’s half marathon yesterday in 1:20:16.

"I didn’t take it that seriously, just like go out there and see what you can do," said an elated Brault. "I started out too fast, then I just sort of kept running pretty fast so those last few miles were hard. I had no idea what to expect so I didn’t think too much about it."

The 18-year-old College Louis Riel graduate was over a minute and a half quicker than Winnipegger Darolyn Trembath, who had Brault looking over her shoulder.

"I started out too fast and then Darolyn caught up to me at the first relay exchange, that’s like six miles, so there I was like ’she’s going to beat me, she’s too fast.’

"She has a kick so I couldn’t let her come close, she’s really fast," said Brault.

The two were went stride for stride for a short time before Brault, who is headed to West Virginia University this fall, broke away for good.

"I was with her between five and six miles, and then she surged ahead after six and I just couldn’t keep up after that," said Trembath, a masters student in Exercise Physiology at the University of Manitoba.

The last few miles were a challenge for the 26-year-old Trembath, who figures holding on for a career best time was well worth the cramps.

"It was hard, it was more than what I expected. I was good up until about six or seven miles and then I just hit it hard, so I didn’t expect that time whatsoever."

Trembath had fiance and U of M alumni Brian Walker, the 2007 half marathon winner, with her at various points in the race. Erickson’s Georgette Mink was third in 1:22:07.

In the men’s half marathon, Desire Budigoma won in his first try at the distance.

Budigoma, a member of the Manitoba Bisons track and field team, was born in Burundi, and moved to Winnipeg two years ago.

"Last year I ran in the relay and we won," said the middle distance runner who usually focuses on the 1,500 or 5 km.

Budigoma came in at 1:12:22 to clip Winnipeg’s Greg Miller.

Moorehead wins the battle! - 2008-06-15

		It was a great field at Johnny Miles this year!! Ray Moorehead and hometown hero David MacLennan broke from the pack with Ray barely edging David at the finish by 10 seconds. Three provinces were represented in the front pack with Brendon Chrus hanging in for 3rd by only 16 seconds over Harry Neynens. 50-50 age grouper Karen MacDonald won the women’s title by 10 minutes over Heather Hynes of Calgary. Clair Barber was third. I hope to get some scoop from Ray soon on how things developed in the top pack.

Chris Barth and Colleen Buchwitz win at Edge to Edge - 2008-06-09

		The Islander Sweep was broken up by mainlander Colleen Buchwitz from Chilliwack. Her time of 3:33:54 narrowly edged Courtenay’s Cathy Livsey who ran a 3:35:14. This is a very challenging course along the west coast of Vancouver Island. Campbell River’s Chris Barth took the men’s title in 2:44:02. Results can be found at new race results website, www.raceday.ca.

Atlantic Rankings up for 5K - 2008-06-09

		The 5K rankings on www.marathoncanada.com have now been updated. This year, I'm sticking to Atlantic runners for the 5K and the 10K only due to the large volume of nationwide results and my emphasis on longer distance rankings for national rankings. I hope everyone understands. There isn't any funding for this endeavour other than my own and the 5K results especially are very tough to sift through. Saying that though, I very much enjoy doing rankings and it feels great to have an Atlantic focused section. I hope this serves as the carrot for other runners to aspire to the #1 rankings that Colin Fewer and Denise Robson hold. There are some tight races already in the age groups with the men's 40-49 looking the most interesting so far. The top 50 looks a little strange at the moment with age groupers still in there but I am trying to set standards so people have to work a bit to get in. Right now for the open top 50, you need to be 17 minutes or under for the men and 21 minutes or under for the women. If those standards were too fast by the end of the year, I'll search for the results I passed by. For Saint John area runners, Chris Brake presently stands at #3 overall and April Lambert stands at #6 for the women. In the age groups, Chris is #2 in 20-29, Bruce Grant is #2 in the 30-39, Dean Strowbridge is #3 in the 30-39, Gilles Gautreau is #3 in the 40-49, Don Murray is #4 in the 50-59, Frank Kelly is #8 in 60-69, and April Lambert is #3 in the 30-39. Top results are the only ones that count unlike the longer distances where I was allowing multiple times per person. As well, these rankings are based on the top 10 times so you can have a tie at a time and the next person is 1 place behind not two. Please send any feedback to marathoncanada@live.com.

Tara Quinn-Smith takes over #1 - 2008-06-04

		The National Capital Marathon results are now in the rankings. Tara Quinn-Smith takes over #1 for the women and Giitah MacHaria takes over #2 for the men. The overall and age rankings are now flooded with National Capital results like usual. Congratulations to everyone and please check the rankings to see if I missed any top results.

Nathalie Goyer runs 2 sub 3s in 2 weeks!! - 2008-05-29

		Nathalie Goyer runs 2 sub 3s in 2 weeks!! Nathalie ran a 2:53:20 in Mississauga winning the race and then ran a 2:52:05 in Vermont City two weeks later winning her age category and finishing top 5 for the women!!

Hometown Hero Michasiw Defends Title - 2008-05-29

		Brainsport Owner Brian Michasiw defended his marathon title at the Saskatchewan Marathon. Brian’s store is a big fixture in Saskatoon and he showed he can back up the talk. He did need a gut check though as he finished less than a minute in front of Kevin Morgans of Calgary. Barrie’s Kevin O’Neill was third. Midhurst’s (Ontario) Nancy Chong had a comfortable lead over the 2nd and 3rd women. Nancy ran a 3:18:32 while Tobi Rempel and Lindsay Byers both ran 3:24:23. The top Masters performances were Norman Zepp who ran 3:14:03 for 50-59 and Patti Wilson who ran 3:40:51 to win the 60+ category for both sexes.

Maine-iacs kick butt at Cabot Trail - 2008-05-25

		It was a Maine sweep at the Cabot Trail Relay as the Maine-iacs took the men’s title and the Maine Hags took the women’s title. Cardio Arrest from Ontario took the women’s title. There were some incredible results and lots of double legs including Laura McIntyre winning leg 11 outright (!!) and then continuing on to run leg 12 as well. Judson Cake of Maine crushed the first leg for Maine for a new record and Steve McArthy of Maine set a new record for leg 16. Check out the results at www.atlanticchip.ca.

Cheruiyot wins Ottawa marathon - again - 2008-05-25

		Darren Desaulniers , The Ottawa Citizen Published: Sunday, May 25, 2008 OTTAWA - For about the first 30 kilometres of Sunday's 42.2-kilometre marathon of Ottawa Race Weekend, a group of nine elite runners stuck together like glue, handed off cups of water to each other at the water stations and looked like an inseparable band of brothers. With about five kilometres to go, they disbanded into a lead pack of three and, with about three kilometres left, they were down to two - defending champions David Cheruiyot of Kenya and Molla Solomon of Ethiopia. "My strategy was to stay behind that guy. Then when I got close to the finish line, start to sprint," said Cheruiyot. And sprint he did, with about 150 metres to go, and won his third Ottawa Marathon in four years, in two hours 11 minutes, five seconds better than Solomon. Cheruiyot set a course record last year at 2:10:33 and was hoping to better that this year but fell short. "I'm happy with the win but not for the course record. Our time at 30K wasn't very good. We should have been at 1:31 but instead we were at 1:33 so it wasn't a very good time," he said. So while the veteran Cheruiyot was adding another jewel to his crown, the women's winner, along with the top Canadian male and female, were all competing in their first marathons. It wasn't beginner's luck. Asmae Leghazoui of Morocco was the first woman to complete the race, finishing with a course record of 2:28:44. She was followed by Russian Elza Kireeva in 2:33:46. "It was a big surprise for me, but I'm very happy," said Leghazoui, who holds the eight-kilometre world record. Canadian Lioudmila Kortchaguina, who had won the past two races and three of the past four, and also held the old course record of 2:29:42 set in 2006, pulled herself out of the race yesterday morning with a stress fracture in her hip area. The top Canadian woman was Tara Quinn-Smith of Toronto, who placed fourth with a time of 2:33:59 that qualifies her to be on the Canadian World Cup team that will compete in Berlin, but not for the Beijing Olympics. "I'm a little tired and my legs definitely feel the pounding, but I'm definitely happy with my debut," said Quinn-Smith. "I went in with the ambition of just seeing how I could do and see if I could get somewhere close to the B standard but, this being my first race, I'm very happy." Giitah Macharia, who is from the Congo but now lives in Burlington after receiving his Canadian citizenship in January, was the top Canadian with a time of 2:16:55. Matt McInnes, a radiologist with the Ottawa Hospital was the second Canadian four seconds later. Both needed a time of better than 2:14 in order to qualify for the Summer Olympics in Beijing. "I was trying to get the standard but that was kind of hard," said Macharia. "It was my first marathon and I know I can get it down to 2:10 probably next year, so I'm happy about it." McInnes was really looking forward to Beijing, but the fact that he shattered his personal best of 2:17:39 had him smiling. "2:14 was kind of a dream scenario, but I ran a personal best and I really laid it out there and ran as hard as I could and I couldn't ask for much more than that," said McInnes, who also took advantage of the event to raise $3,000 for the Ottawa Hospital. "I took about 40 seconds off my personal best so it feels great. It was a nice day, the crowd support was amazing and the race director put together an amazing field." In the half-marathon, Terry Gehl of St. Charles, Que. was the top male with a time of 1:11: 23. Gatineau's Marie Danais was the top woman, finishing in 1:19:51. © The Ottawa Citizen 2008

Marathon Effort - 2008-05-19

By Laura Tester - Red Deer Advocate - March 10, 2008

(Alex's note: This was before the marathon. The event winners were David Corbett with a 2:44:18 and Claudette Augert with a 3:15:08. Both runners are from the Edmonton area. There were 301 finishers in the marathon.)

While many people are sleeping in on Sunday, others are running 32 kilometres straight.

They are long-distance runners training for the Woody’s RV World Marathon and Half-Marathon on May 18. Among those is Mike Znak and Gary Moe, the only runners to have competed in the event since it began 10 years ago.

Znak, 56, and Moe, 58, are passionate about Red Deer’s marathon and the sport itself.

Several times a week they train with dozens of other die-hard runners.

And on Sunday, despite losing an hour’s worth of sleep due to the time change, dozens of runners meet at the Collicutt Centre at 8 a.m. for another training clinic.

The runners are eight weeks into a 16-week training program.

Znak gives the group a motivational speech, one that stresses making long-term goals, mental toughness and physical commitment. Some of the participants will run in their first 18 km half-marathon or 42-km marathon.

His talk is upbeat.

As he shares later, he loves the sport. It shows in his smile, which never stops throughout the interview.

Znak always liked soccer and tennis. Then the sport of long-distance running grabbed a hold of him.

In 1997, he moved with his family to Red Deer.

“When I moved here, I noticed there was a beautiful trail system,” said Znak, construction manager for Alberta Transportation's Central Alberta region. “So I joined the running club.”

He now trains year-round. Sometimes it’s been an uphill battle, like when he injured his Achilles tendon.

He still ran the Victoria marathon and then underwent six months of physiotherapy, massage treatments and water running.

Znak later qualified for the Boston Marathon.

So far, his favourite marathon has been the New York City Marathon. He loved every step of the way on Nov. 4, 2004.

“The world comes together there,” he said. “There are 39,000 runners from 140 countries.”

Znak is also a great ambassador for Woody’s RV event of which he is co-chair. He said it’s one of the top races in Canada because it’s “not too big” in scale and still is challenging at the same time.

Znak is so proud of his Woody’s RV placings, he’s placed each of his nine medals on a board for everyone to see.

Moe is looking forward to placing another medal over his head soon.

After Sunday’s training run, he is tired and his face is beet red.

It’s been another personal triumph for the dedicated runner.

Before he leaves to have a shower, Moe talks of why he loves this arduous pastime.

“When you are 60, you are going to feel like 40,” he said. “It’s part of your health wellness.”

Moe likes hanging out with such a wide range of people. They include Bill Nielsen, a 67-year-old who will be running his 100th marathon in Red Deer. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2000, Nielsen is using this race to raise funds for Parkinson’s research.

In Kenya, Violence Shakes Running Community - 2008-05-18

Photo by Sarah Elliott

by JERÉ LONGMAN

Published: May 13, 2008
NY Times

ELDORET, Kenya — When Luke Kibet won the world marathon championship last August, he became a favorite to achieve what no Kenyan has despite this country’s distance-running brilliance — an Olympic gold medal in the 26.2-mile race.

With the Summer Games in Beijing approaching in August, though, Kibet’s Olympic hopes have grown remote. He and many of Kenya’s majestic runners — including dozens of Olympic contenders — had their lives disrupted by the ethnic violence that followed a disputed presidential election last December. About 1,200 people were killed, and several hundred thousand fled their homes.

Among those killed were Lucas Sang, a quarter-miler who competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics, and Wesley Ngetich, an elite marathon runner. On Dec. 31, during rioting here in the Rift Valley, Kibet was hit in the head with a stone and knocked unconscious. He sustained a concussion and stopped training for two weeks. In February, he pulled out a pistol to extricate himself from another potential attack.

Kibet said these events left him traumatized, unable to focus on his training. Then he pulled a hamstring, the direct result, he says, of interrupted training. Last month, Kibet finished a disappointing 11th at the London Marathon — seven minutes off the pace.

He has been named an alternate to the Kenyan Olympic marathon team, but his chance of competing in Beijing will now depend on whether another runner drops out.

“When you see people die, it stays in your mind,” Kibet, 25, said at his home.

The workout regimens of many of Kenya’s elite runners were disrupted in January and February. Some runners received death threats. Many remained indoors for a week or more, afraid to leave their homes. Others left the country to train in more hospitable environments.

Meanwhile, the reputation of the country’s runners as peaceful ambassadors was also dealt a blow. An international monitoring agency reported in February that some Kenyan runners, many with military backgrounds, might have participated in the violence, and could have lent financial aid and transportation assistance to tribal militias.

The chaos has since abated. In mid-April, the government formed a national unity cabinet. Yet it is too soon to know whether the ethnic strife and training disruptions will affect Kenya’s medal chances at the Beijing Olympics.

Kenya won no gold medals, and only a pair of bronzes, at the world indoor track championships in March, while its distance-running rival, Ethiopia, won three golds and six medals over all. Ethiopia also swept all four individual races at the world cross-country championships in March. Kenya won team titles in the men’s senior and junior divisions, but it failed to win an individual event for the first time in more than 20 years.

The news has been far more encouraging on the marathon front. Although Kibet has struggled, his fellow Kenyans won the top three international spring marathons in Boston, London and Rotterdam. And David Rudisha, a teenage sensation, ran the world’s fastest time of the year — 1 minute 44.20 seconds — in winning the 800 meters at the African championships this month in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Such accomplishments indicate that the violence ended early enough for Kenya’s runners to prepare for Beijing, Kenyan Olympic and track officials said.

“A super performance will let the world know we are still a powerhouse in athletics,” said David Okeyo, secretary general of the Kenyan track and field federation.

Most of Kenya’s elite runners belong to the Kalenjin tribe and live in and around this regional center in the Rift Valley, with its moderate climate and altitude of nearly 7,000 feet. This was also the site of some of the most incendiary post-election violence.

Kenya’s president, Mwai Kibaki, a member of the Kikuyu tribe, which has long held political and economic dominance, won re-election last December amid charges of ballot-rigging. The Kalenjins backed the opposition candidate, Raila Odinga, a member of the Luo tribe, who later became prime minister in a power-sharing agreement. When Odinga lost, this normally tranquil country exploded.

A church was burned in a village outside Eldoret on New Year’s Day. As many as 50 people died after being trapped inside. Distance running, which along with safari tourism gives Kenya much of its international recognition, became for a time frivolous and dangerous.

Magdaline Chemjor, who won the 2007 Amsterdam Marathon, told an often-repeated story of how roadblocks interrupted her running routes. She tried to continue training by hiding in the forests, then stopped altogether for two weeks in January.

“People would say, ‘Why are you running when others are being killed?’ ” Chemjor said. “I was just praying that everything would go away. This is my job.”

Lucia Kimani, a Kikuyu, needed a police escort to the airport here from nearby Iten so that she could fly out to compete in the Dubai Marathon in January. Catherine Ndereba, the 2004 Olympic silver medalist in the women’s marathon, holed up in her house outside Nairobi, the capital, for a week in January while her sister brought her food.

Extra security was provided in March as the Kenyan team gathered in the central town of Embu to train for the world cross-country championships. Embu is a Kikuyu area, and some Kalenjin runners, fearful of being attacked, accepted psychological counseling, said Elias Makori, sports editor of The Daily Nation, Kenya’s largest newspaper.

“They had to be talked to to make sure everything was O.K. with their lives,” Makori said.

Two of the world’s best marathoners, Robert Cheruiyot and Martin Lel, were among a group of runners whose manager received a threatening e-mail message: “We know where they live and what cars they drive.”

Cheruiyot and Lel left Kenya in late January and trained for weeks in Namibia before returning home after the violence subsided.

Last month, Cheruiyot won the Boston Marathon for the fourth time, and Lel won his third London Marathon. Both were named to Kenya’s Olympic team.

“After the election, they couldn’t train properly,” said Federico Rosa, an Italian who manages the two. “There was daily killing. It was almost a civil war. So we made a plan to train outside, to avoid any problems.”

Moses Kiptanui, a 1996 Olympic silver medalist and former world-record holder in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, said he was threatened by police officers here who accused him of transporting fuel to be used for burning houses. He was only transporting the fuel for use on his farm, Kiptanui said, adding that the threats made him wary enough to “make sure I’m always in the right place at the right time.”

The suggestion that some Kenyan runners were enablers of the violence emerged publicly in February in a report by the International Crisis Group, an independent, nongovernment organization that seeks to prevent and resolve conflict.

The crisis group noted that athletes had become community leaders and had grown wealthy with their earnings from international races, buying farmland and other real estate. Their motivation for providing cash and transportation to tribal militias was partly economic, the report said.

“They allegedly want the Kikuyus evicted so they can take their farms and property,” the report said.

Many athletes are also members of the armed forces or are prison officers and are sponsored by these groups. Most accounts of the death of Sang, the 1988 Olympian and a former army corporal, “suggest he met his death on the outskirts of Eldoret while commanding part of a Kalenjin raiding party,” the report said.

François Grignon, the director of African operations for the crisis group, said influential leaders like athletes would have faced tremendous pressure to become involved when ethnic conflict threatened Kenyan society.

“Athletes, like doctors and lawyers, were asked to contribute and help in the defense of their community,” Grignon said. “They would have been perceived as traitors if they didn’t participate.”

The report infuriated Kenyan sports officials and athletes, who are demanding proof of the accusations. Sang’s friends said he was stoned to death and burned after stopping his car to observe a building fire.

“Those are nonsense,” Kipchoge Keino, president of Kenya’s Olympic committee and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, said of the crisis group’s accusations. “We want the evidence now. It’s not true. It’s hurting the names of the athletes who have dedicated themselves to bettering their lives and running for the glory of the country.”

Luke Kibet basked in that glory after winning the marathon at the 2007 world track and field championships in Osaka, Japan. The race was run in hot, humid conditions, similar to those expected in Beijing. He became an early Olympic favorite. When Kibet returned to Eldoret, he was given a welcoming ceremony from the airport to his father’s house.

By late December, that embrace had vanished. When post-election violence broke out, Kibet was hit in the back of the head with a stone. At the time, he said he was flagging down an ambulance to assist a man who had been shot in the back. Kibet was taken to a hospital, where he received five stitches. He said he saw numerous bodies at the hospital, some of which had been beheaded.

“I saw many things,” Kibet, a Kalenjin, said. “I was afraid to train. I was afraid for my life.”

Kibet said he slept outside for a week in January to protect his house while 15 women and children crowded inside, including his wife and young son and daughter. An inspector in the national prison system, Kibet said he and fellow runners who helped him guard his house were armed with two machine guns.

In February, as Kibet and four other runners drove to Nairobi, armed with pistols, he said they were stopped by Kikuyus who blocked the road with sheep. As a group of men approached his car with machetes, Kibet said he fired his pistol into the air. The crowd dispersed.

Months later, Kibet said he harbored no ill will toward Kikuyus, and said he counted many Kikuyu runners among his friends. He echoed a sentiment held by many runners and officials — that success in Beijing, whether he is there or not — may prove instructive to a country trying to heal itself.

“If people can see Kalenjin and Kikuyus running together, talking together, they might say they can do like that, too,” Kibet said.

Jabbour defends title - 2008-05-18

By GLENN MACDONALD Sports Reporter
The Chronicle Herald

There were some red faces at the Blue Nose International Marathon.

And it didn’t have anything to do with a cool biting wind but a runner who ostensibly finished first in the women’s full marathon only to be disqualified.

Emilie Caron of Sainte-Julie, Que. crossed the line in approximately three hours and 11 minutes, nearly six minutes ahead of her closest competitor.

But unbeknownst to Caron, she missed a checkpoint and failed to do a second loop around Citadel Hill before following the race route across the Macdonald Bridge to Dartmouth.

Nearly an hour after Caron crossed the line, defending champion Leah Jabbour of Halifax was declared the winner of the women’s marathon.

“(Caron) didn’t pass through the transition area for the full marathon so her chip time could not be accurately recorded and she has been disqualified,” said Suzanne Fougere, a spokesperson with the Blue Nose communication committee. “Leah Jabbour is the official winner of the full marathon.”

A dejected Caron said she was embarrassed by the turn of the events.

“I was really surprised I had won it,” said the 26-year-old who was competing in her first Blue Nose marathon and third marathon overall. “My best time was 3:40 on a really flat course. I had felt good. At the best I was thinking 3:30. It came as a real surprise.”

Caron, who admitted power-walking parts of Giv’er Hill, the steep incline on Maple Street in Dartmouth, did complete the route after being notified of her miscue. But it was too late; she had already taken off her timing chip after crossing the finish.

Jabbour came in at 3:17:12.5, nearly four minutes off her time in last year’s event. She was astonished that Caron didn’t realize her faux pas.

“I think because I have done it for a few years, I got to know the route and I know where I’m going,” Jabbour said. “But if you do marathons you know where you are kilometre-wise. I find it hard to believe you can run a marathon, have no idea where you are and then say ‘holy s--- I just knocked 35 minutes off my time.’

“But mistakes happen. Coming across at the half, people were telling me I was first and I didn’t see her pass me. And when I got over to the Dartmouth side, I still didn’t see her pass me but I didn’t know what was going on at the time.”

Jabbour, who started marathon running in 2000 but took five years off to have children, said the breezy conditions along the 42.2-kilometre trek through Halifax and Dartmouth made the race challenging.

She said the conditions weren’t ideal for setting any personal records. Her best time of 3:11 established in New York last year remains intact.

“I was happy with my run today; I felt strong,” said the 31-year-old Jabbour, a mother of two who wore multi-coloured bracelets designed by her daughters Sophia, 5, and Mya, 3.

“I was off my time last year but I felt great. I don’t know if it was the wind but I felt it was more inclined this year. It just wasn’t my day as far as beating my time from last year. Halifax is a tough course to get a personal best time, especially with the wind and going through Shubie Park (where) the sun was beating down on us. But when it clouded over and it got cooler, it was nicer to run in.

“I guess coming in first is icing on the cake. It was just a little belated.”

Next up for Jabbour is the New York City Marathon on Nov. 2. She would like to compete in the Boston Marathon next year but that event is held only a month prior to the Blue Nose. That may mean Jabbour won’t be back to defend her title next season.

“I’m not sure if I’ll be back to do the full next year, just four weeks after Boston,” said the Clayton Park resident. “Maybe I’ll do the half, we’ll see.”

(Alex's notes: Terry Melloy ran even splits to win the overall title in what must have been a challenging day in 2:48:46. There were some high profile dropouts including Chris Gairns and Harry Neynens)

Ex-Frederictonian celebrates Mothers Day with Marathon win - 2008-05-12

By Chris Fox
The Daily Gleaner

Former Frederictonian Travis Saunders had just the perfect gift for his mother, Anita, on Sunday.

The student at Queens University came home for Mother’s day and won the 30th annual Fredericton Marathon with both of his parents watching.

His dad is former senior baseball player Dave Saunders.

Travis crossed the finish line in two hours, 43 minutes and 34 seconds, a full 10 minutes ahead of runner up Len Falkenstein of Fredericton and just under two minutes off the course record.

“It feels great to be able to come home and win this,” Saunders, who now resides in Kingtson, Ont. said. “I ran two marathons before in Calgary and Winnipeg but I really wanted to be able to run one where my mother and father could see it and it being Mothers Day. it was a good excuse to come home and do this.”

Saunders led most of the race, passing early leader Falkenstein at the 5km mark and never looked back.

“There were four or five of us for the first 5 K and after that, I just sped up and got ahead,” he said. “Everyone keeps a pretty consistent pace in marathons so it’s not too tough to get ahead. It just takes a change of pace and all of a sudden you’re floating to the head of the pack.”

Falkenstein, the winner of the 2006 marathon, said he was happy finishing second.

“Coming in, I was going to be happy if I broke three hours so to do 2:53, a personal best, is great,” he said. “I felt good all the way through today which is unusual. I kept waiting for a point where I would start hurting but it never happened.”

Rothesay’s Bruce Rosvall rounded out the top three, posting a time of 2:55.53.

None of the top three finishers from last year ran this time around including six-time champion Chris Brake of Saint John who opted to run the half marathon this time around. He won that in a time of 1:15.42.

“It would have been nice to run against Chris,” said Saunders, a good friend of Brake’s.

“It gets kind of boring when everyone spreads out and Chris would have been someone I could have talked with, run with and competed with.”

Falkenstein, twice a runner up to Brake said he was surprised not to see his long time rival at the start line.

“I heard last night that Chris wouldn’t be in it and it kind of changed things for me,’’ said Falkenstein. “I actually got to lead for once but in only lasted for about 15 minutes.”

In the women’s division, the first time proved to be the charm for Halifax’s Janice Ashworth who, competing in her first marathon, crossed the linefirst in 3:06.27.

“This means I’ll have to run another one, just not right away,” said Ashworth. “I didn’t really have any goals or anything today. I just wanted to finish it and feel good about it.”

There was some confusion when Ashworth crossed the line. She was announced as the winner, but the announcer immediately backpedaled saying he wasn’t sure if another woman had come before her or not.

Even as she picked up her medal for completing the race.

she still didn’t know where she finished.

“There was a lot of confusion.

People were telling me that I was the first woman across but then someone else said there was someone else ahead of me.” she said. “I didn’t really know or care. This was my first marathon so I just wanted to finish.”

Halifax’s Daun Lynch and Quispamsis’s Maggie Johnson rounded out the top three for women with times of 3:14.14 and 3:21.03 respectively. Top Fredericton female finisher was Silvy Moleman in 3:31.31, which put her 6th among females and 22nd overall.

Race director Paul Lavoie called the marathon an overwhelming success with 877 runners registered.

“That’s huge,” he said “That makes this the second largest marathon in New Brunswick.”

The conditions helped too, he said. It was a cool 12 degrees C with sunny skies at race time.

“The weather was ideal,” Lavoie said. Runners once they are committed to run they will come out in almost any weather but I think it certainly made it more enjoyable for them.”

The course was originally planned to run along Riverfront Drive but last week’s flood forced organizers to revert to the 2005 course which started at Queens Square Park, followed the city’s walking trails across the walking bridge and then went to Penniac and back.

Lavoie said it was a no-brainer to make the changes.

“When we looked at the height of the river it was a pretty easy decision to move the course,” he said. “We moved really quickly and the committee implemented it smoothly.

It turned out pretty well, too.

People seemed to really enjoy this course today.”

Finishing second to Brake in the half marathon was John Lyons of Doaktown in a time of 1:21.24. Wade Minaker of Moncton was third in 1:24.17.

Cynthia Moulin of Halifax was the top female in the half-marathon with a time of 1:27.00, fourth overall. April Lambert of Saint John was second in 1:29.41, seventh overall. Allyson MacDonald was the top Frederictonian in 1:36.56, 19th overall. Some 450 people ran the half marathon.

New Maryland’s Chris Brannon won the J.D. Irving 10K event in 33:29. Jill Seymour from Fredericton was the top female in 42:50 which placed her 14th overall.

Bob Bardsley from Rothesay won the half-marathon walk in 2:38.02 while Nicola Cassidy from Fredericton won the 10km walk in 1:16.55.

Fredericton’s Ian Forbes won the 5km run in 18:13. Rebecca Barton, also from Fredericton was the top female with a time of 22:13, good enough for seventh overall.

Quebecers take home top honours in Mississauga Marathon - 2008-05-12

		By: Amit Gossai The Mississauga News May 11, 2008 02:44 PM - In a few weeks Denis Bazinet will be turning 39, however his birthday is the last thought on his mind. Three weeks ago, his sister Helen Plouffe was diagonsed with cancer and his best friend Kurt Schafer, who has been in intensive care for the past six months, was recently discharged. Deciding to run in this year’s 5th annual Mississauga Marathon, the Heartland resident said they were his inspiration for the 42k run. "Kurt was my inspiration during my training," said Bazinet, who started running three years ago. "My sister gave me the added inspiration I needed." Bazinet, who had his sister’s and best friend’s initials on his left arm, also dedicated his run to his deceased parents and wife’s (Michelle) grandfather, who recently passed away, with their initials on the right. "They came across the finish line with me," said Bazinet, who had a heart-shaped ’o’ in mom. "It was a good finish. "This race was definitely dedicated to them." Bazinet crossed the finish line at 4:06.49, reaching his goal of under 4:15. "This was my first marathon," said Bazinet, who placed 794th overall. "The strong wind at the end made me lose a bit of time." Bazinet’s wife, also a marathon runner but not this year, guided him through the race, cheering at every possible section. "I’m very proud of him, he did an awesome job," said Bazinet, who ran the very first Mississauga Marathon. "He’s my hero." With more than 2,000 runners participating in the Marathon, which started across Square One and ended at Lakefront Promenade Park, Terry Gehl of St. Charles, Quebec, was the first to cross the finish line at 2:28.28. "It’s finally good to get the victory," said 39-year-old Gehl, who finished second the previous two years. "It’s getting better with age." In the women’s open, Nathalie Goyer of St. Bruno, Quebec won her third straight Mississauga Marathon coming in at 2:53.20. Goyer, 40, said she was very happy with her time. "It was more windy this year," said Goyer, who competed in her 27th marathon. "I’m hoping to come back next year." Yvan Gagnon was the top Mississaugan, placing 32nd and first in his age group with a time of 3:06.39. "I feel great," said Gagnon, who completed his 66th marathon. "I’ve been running marathons for the past 20 years, so I guess you can call me a vet." The Erin Mills resident, who recently celebrated his 50th birthday, said he runs for the pure enjoyment. "I love running," said Gagnon, who also competed in the Toronto Marathon. "This was a late birthday present to myself." Mississaugans Frank Nicholson, 68, and Les Turner, 60, were also first in their respective age groups. In the half-marathon, Brian Brand placed 11th overall while Wendy Gualtieri finished third overall in the women’s open. "It was a rough and windy course," said Brand, 41, who placed seventh last year. "But I’m happy with my run. I’m just trying to stay fit as I get older." Gualtieri said running was like an addiction because you’re always trying to beat your time. "I also enjoy it because it’s stress-free," said the Meadowvale resident who will be turning 41 in July. "The outcome is good both physically and mentally." The Marathon kicked off Saturday with Biovail’s "The Hazel" 5k run and concluded Sunday afternoon with The Mississauga News 2k Family Fun Run/Walk and MaraFun. Alex's notes: Danny Kassap ran a 1:07:35 to win the half while Christina Clark won the women's title in 1:23:17.

Popma makes mom proud by qualifying for Boston - 2008-05-12

By Ryan Pyette

London Free Press

Some mothers received breakfast in bed, flowers or a phone call yesterday.

Nick Popma’s gift? His mom Jan gets another trip to Beantown.

The 17-year-old Londoner completed his first marathon in two hours, 54 minutes, 56 seconds at the 26th Forest City Road Races, finished eighth overall, won his 19 and under division and qualified for the Boston event next April.

"We’re going to go home and book the trip for Boston in ’09," Jan Popma said. "That was his goal. He worked so hard in training and achieved it. Of course, I’m proud of him."

Nick Popma is in Grade 12 at Laurier and has a cross-country background. But there aren’t many kids his age interested in running for as far and as long as he just did.

"Mostly everyone I know plays football or hockey," he said. "I wanted to do something different. This is different."

Popma has talent. His performance was so impressive, London masters standout Jim Burrows crossed the line in 2:52.59 and waited to congratulate the youngster he noticed had hung right behind him for almost the entire race.

"I ran my first marathon at 17 and Nick was a half-hour faster than I was at the same age," Burrows said. "You look at his splits. He ran the half (1:27.19) and then nearly duplicated it (with a 1:27.39).

"Not even the guys who win marathons have splits like that. What he did was amazing -- a great first marathon. It’s all about patience and he showed a lot out there."

Popma had a race strategy and stuck to the plan. He wore a wristband with target times on it to chart his progress.

He also has a stellar support crew.

Popma’s father Ted, who hoped to re-kindle his son’s love of running, rode a bike around the course to check on him. Jan, who had a big weekend with Mother’s Day and her birthday on Saturday, ran the 10 kilometre race, then waited to cheer on her son at the finish line.

When Nick crossed wobbly-legged and exhausted, his mom handed him a water bottle, put her arm around his waist and guided him to a bench to recuperate.

"We’re going to The Keg for supper," Nick said with a smile. "I think I’m going to have a big steak."

Kenyan David Ndirangu, who runs out of Hamilton, won the race in 2:24.49. Burrows was top local and fourth overall while Londoner Sean Cross, who has trained with Popma, was seventh.

Just over a year ago, Nick Popma was standing on Boylston Street in Boston waiting to see his dad finish the marathon.

"I saw this one guy fall about 400 metres from the finish line," he said. "It had been loud before but when he went down, everything just went silent. He was struggling. People went to help him and when he got up, everyone went crazy cheering. It was so loud again. He ended up finishing. Right there, it hit me that this was something I wanted to do."

When he returned to London, he almost immediately enrolled with John Ferguson’s Runner’s Choice marathon group.

"The goal is to prepare you to run a marathon and I’ve learned a lot," he said. "I train with a lot of adults because there aren’t a lot of people my age in it. It’s not an easy thing to do."

Yesterday, he did it.

He wants to stick with it.

(Alex’s notes: Thomas Omwenga and Henry Githuka were 2nd and 3rd. Karen Carvel-Cowling ran a solid 3:03:53 to win the women’s event. Grace Bakker and Julie Roberts were 2nd and 3rd. All three top women were from London. There were 210 finishers in the marathon. Josephat Ongeri ran a 1:06:04 in the half!! Deborah Buhlers from London won the women’s title in the half with a 1:23:29.)

First time the charm - 2008-05-10

		Photo by Wayne Eastburn By Chris Hansen The Register-Guard www.registerguard.com Matthew Norminton came to Eugene looking for the marathoner’s hat trick — course record, personal record and victory. He accomplished just one of those three feats, though it was the big one. The 31-year-old Canadian won the second annual Eugene Marathon Sunday morning, coming across the finish line at Autzen Stadium in 2 hours, 22 minutes and 4 seconds. “This is my first time down here ever, so I really enjoyed it,” Norminton said. Approximately 6,000 runners combined to take part in the marathon, half-marathon or 5K run/walk on a cool but sunny morning, up from the 4,500 who participated last year in the first year of the event, said meet director Richard Maher. A total of 964 men completed the marathon. Jim Rucker of Spokane finished second in 2:28.10, while Jeff Drouet of Eugene and Team XO, in his first marathon, took third in 2:28.29. Norminton, Rucker and Drouet were the only three to finish under 2:30 this season, down from 12 who broke that mark last year. Running a mostly uncontested 26.2-mile race, Norminton was more than a minute off the course record of 2:21.01 set by James Nielsen, and he didn’t come close to breaking his PR of 2:20.49. Still, Norminton’s only complaint was the wind he had to go up against while running west on the bike path along the Willamette River. “I think the wind was a little too tough in a few of the miles there,” Norminton said. “I was losing 10 seconds a mile. It was just too tough today. When it was in the 10-16 miles, the wind was really in our face, it was quite tough. But coming back it wasn’t too bad, I just didn’t have enough juice left in the tank. I was hoping to get under 2:20. I’ve been close a few times. Like I said, it just didn’t happen today, but I’m pleased with the effort.” Rucker said the wind was an issue for him as well. “Especially on some of the river sections,” said Rucker, 29, a former University of Washington runner. “It was pretty windy.” Norminton switched to marathons three years ago after spending the previous three years competing in Europe as a distance runner. Last season he finished second in the Canadian national marathon, setting his PR in the process. On Sunday, Norminton helped set a quick pace with the half-marathoners before he ditched them early on and went off on his own. “(The) half-marathoners were kind of with me until about four, five miles, and then I just kind of pulled away, and then it was just me and the police escorts,” Norminton said. “I expected that coming in. It would’ve been nice to have somebody a little longer.” Drouet wasn’t sure what to expect, so a third-place finish in his first marathon was a result he was rather pleased with. “I’ve always know that the marathon would be my best event,” Drouet said. “I’m more suited towards the long distance stuff.” Drouet, 35, had an injury-plagued distance running career at LSU in the early 1990s. He said he moved to Eugene six years ago and soon after began competing for Team XO in 10Ks and on the track and “just getting my life organized around running so I can train properly.” The chance to begin his marathoning career in Eugene seemed to be a no-brainer. “I live three blocks from the start,” Drouet said. “So I figured for my first one, why not here? Just wake up and jog to the start.” He was also able to train on the marathon’s course. “That was a big help,” Drouet said. “It was really nice to be out there on familiar territory and have a lot of familiar faces.” Marcell McArthur of Springfield finished fifth in the marathon, while Steve Dekoker won the half-marathon in 1:10.10 and Thomas Kreuzpeintner of Eugene won the 5K in 16:03.

Speed River Steps It Up!! - 2008-05-09

New Balance is pleased to announce it has signed on as the official performance footwear and apparel supplier to the Speed River Track & Field Club and the National Endurance Centre. Based in Guelph, Ontario, the competitive club is one of ’s premier distance training groups for post-collegiate athletes and has been designated by Athletics Canada as one of only two ‘National Endurance Centres.’

The Club and the Centre provide Olympic-level development to students and athletes by providing resources to train and compete both nationally and internationally. Headed by National Team Track and Field and Cross-country Coach Dave Scott-Thomas, Speed River Track & Field Club counts among its members some of ’s brightest middle distance running stars including Hilary Stellingwerff, Reid Coolsaet, Eric Gillis, Rob Watson and Taylor Milne. Speed River and NEC athletes have combined for a total of 13 individual medals at Canadian national championships in the past year.

“New Balance is thrilled to be partnering with Dave Scott-Thomas and his group. Speed River has shown tremendous leadership in in its pursuit of putting Canadian athletes on the podiums of major national and international competitions” says Mark Rosenthal, Sponsorship Coordinator for New Balance .

Adds Lorrie Owen-Turner, General Manager for New Balance , "We feel very fortunate to be able to associate our brand with such a talented group of runners and we are excited about our role in helping to support and nurture the development of world class runners."

New Balance will also partner with the University of Guelph and Speed River to host the New Balance Gryphon Open, perennially one of the most competitive inter-university and inter-club cross-country races in Ontario.

Dave Scott-Thomas says: “What was important to us was finding a sponsor who not only understood Canadian athletics, but also our personal training group culture. New Balance “gets it”, and we couldn’t be more pleased with their support and passion. The significant financial and product support they’re providing is a huge injection to our resource base, but equally as important is the injection of confidence and profile. With New Balance on board, our athletes will have access to world-class apparel and footwear, and the freedom to get to world-class meets to use them. We’re looking forward to continuing to push our boundaries, and are ready to welcome in new athletes who can benefit from this support.”

For more information on Speed River and the Guelph National Endurance Centre, please visit www.guelphrunning.ca

About New Balance: New Balance, headquartered in Boston, Mass., is the leading manufacturer of technologically innovative width-sized performance footwear and athletic apparel for women, men and children. The range of product categories includes running, walking, training, basketball, tennis, cleated and kids. New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. employs more than 2,800 people around the globe, and in 2006 reported worldwide sales of $1.55 billion. For more information, please visit www.newbalance.com.

Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5k celebrates tenth anniversary - 2008-05-07

VANCOUVER, April 30, 2008 – The countdown is on for The Tenth Annual Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5k (SVHM), which takes place Sunday, June 22, 2008. Thousands of runners and walkers, including many Scotiabank employees, will join forces to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for ten local charities through the Scotiabank Group Charity Challenge.

In its nine year history, the SVHM has raised $746,000 for local health-care related charities. In an exciting development to celebrate the event’s tenth anniversary the SVHM has expanded the Scotiabank Group Charity Challenge to include ten local charities. Increasing the scope of this unique fundraising and awareness opportunity will boost event participation and fundraising dollars to support the following charities whose programs and services assist hundreds of thousands of clients across the province each year:

· The Alzheimer’s Society of B.C.

· The Arthritis Society, B.C. & Yukon Division

· BC Children’s Hospital Foundation

· Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver

· Big Sisters of B.C. Lower Mainland

· CKNW Orphan’s Fund

· The Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. & Yukon

· The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada

· Rick Hansen Foundation

· VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation

“We’re proud of what we’ve been able to give back to the community over the past ten years,” said Rob Wilkins, Scotiabank’s Vice-President, Downtown Vancouver and Northern B.C. District. “To continue this great legacy, and to support our charitable partners, Scotiabank will offer reduced entry fees for all runners and walkers who fundraise for one of the ten charities.”

The Bank will offer the early bird registration fee of $25 to 5k participants and $50 to half-marathoners who commit to fundraising, regardless of when they register for the event. Scotiabank is also sponsoring three team prizes, each worth $5,000. The charities that raise the most money, raise the most money per runner and have the most runners participating (with a minimum of $10 raised per runner) will each win $5,000.

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The Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5k is part of the prestigious Canada Running Series. As one of Vancouver’s premier running events, the SVHM attracts more than 4,500 runners and walkers of all levels, including many elite athletes and visitors to the city.

“The event’s tenth anniversary is a testament to its stature in the running community,” said Clifton Cunningham, Race Director, Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5k. “As one of the most scenic half-marathons in the Pacific Northwest, the run attracts participants from all across Canada, the U.S. and around the world.”

Scotiabank is one of North America’s premier financial institutions and Canada’s most international bank. In 2007 the Bank provided more than $43 million in sponsorships and donations to a variety of projects and initiatives, primarily in the areas of healthcare, education, social services and arts and culture. To learn more about how Scotiabank supports the communities where its employees live and work please visit www.scotiabank.com.

Brian Breedon wins age group challenge!! - 2008-05-07

Alymer's Brian Breedon withstood the challenge of two elite Kenyan runners to win the age group challenge at the Sudbury Rocks Marathon. Brian's actual time was 3:02:10 which equated to a 2:35:11 for a 50-59 age group runner. Anthony Gitau was the closest to Brian with an actual 2:41:42 which equated to a 2:39:50. Another 50-59 age group runner, John Cybulski, was third and Kenyan David Karanja was fourth. "A staggered start by age and gender with prizing and finishing based on the adjusted times ensures that any age – male or female - can win!"

Kenyan Omwenga wins second consecutive Vancouver marathon - 2008-05-04

Vancouver Sun

Published: Sunday, May 04, 2008

VANCOUVER - Far from the rural red-clay highways, high altitude and impoverished conditions of their homeland, Kenyans Thomas Omwenga and Erick Yator romped along the paved streets of a city of incredible contrast on Sunday.

Not that such elite runners have the time or even the inclination to be gazing around at the landscape. Not when you’re focussed on running a 5:20-mile pace as Omwenga did in winning his second consecutive BMO Vancouver Marathon in two hours, 15 minutes, 59 seconds - just 19 seconds off the course record, and four minutes ahead of Yator, who began to fade into the distance in the final kilometres.

But if the Twin Cities Marathon in Minneapolis-St. Paul can be billed as the Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America, then Vancouver’s 42.2-kilometre course is surely the most representative urban marathon in North America. That realization took hold about the 16-kilometre mark of the early morning race as the shiny new Lincoln Navigator media car led the pace-setters past the oblivious, still-asleep homeless people tucked under their soiled blankets in the doorways of closed-up storefronts on Cordova St.

From its start outside B.C. Place, the course skirts the edge of Chinatown and the downtrodden East Side before passing the striking convention centre addition and tony Coal Harbor condos before sliding into the city’s iconic Stanley Park. After leaving the park and crossing Burrard Bridge, the course snakes past the trendy cafes in Kitsilano and then the multi-million dollar homes on West Point Grey Road.

Omwenga will never, of course, realize such ostentatious wealth, but the $13,000 he earned Sunday - $3,000 from organizers and a $10,000 first-place bonus from presenting-sponsor adidas, with whom he is affiliated - will go a long way back home where the per capita income of the average Kenyan is $1,200 a year.

Predrag Mladenovic of Toronto led early with Omwenga, Yator and Habtamu Negassa of Ethiopia in a pack 50 metres back. The Africans caught Mladenovic at about eight kilometres and a couple of kilometres later, the Kenyans, who met for the first time in Vancouver, made a break. Inside the park, Omwenga stepped up the pace.

"I just pulled away at halfway because I saw the pace was too slow and I was aiming to run under 2:13," said the lithe Omwenga, who is barely over five feet and 100 pounds. "If I [stay] with him, we are going to do 2:20. I started to pull away and move to see if I could make under 2:13, but unfortunately I didn’t make it. We went too slow the first half."

Omwenga was disappointed in his 2:25.23 last year in a race run in cool, drizzly conditions and with little competition. Temperatures were 10 degrees warmer this year and with sun early and then high overcast later, "it was nice weather for running . . . not so warm, not so cold," Omwenga said.

"[After last year], I want to come back to Vancouver to prove to myself that I’m a good marathoner."

Omwenga, who shared a cup of water with Yator at one point in the race, also grabbed a quick couple of bites of an energy bar as he was running.

"I don’t often do that, but it was a Power cherry," he said with a grin. "It gives a boost because it’s instant energy. It can boost me at least a few kilometres ahead."

Serene and soft-spoken, Kenyans have dominated marathon running the last couple of decades, many driven by the chance to escape poverty’s grip. Last year, 68 Kenyans were ranked in the world’s top 100, including 13 of the top 20. Omwenga, 28, said the $13,000 he earned in winning last year’s Vancouver Marathon was his biggest career payday. In his fractured, but passable English, he explained his financial philosophy.

"Initially, I don’t keep the money in my account . . . because if you keep using the money, at long last, you find you have invested nothing. So you have to buy something that’s keeping the money not in a liquid form, but in a solid form. So in the future, when you have a chance to relax or try to quit running, you start developing what you have been investing on."

Yator earned $1,000 for finishing second in 2:19.55.

One of the most impressive efforts was that of Dan McLean, 26, of Tacoma, Wash. Running just his second marathon, the former University of Puget Sound track team member was fourth in 2:23.27, his personal best by eight-and-a-half minutes.

Gary Kingston, Vancouver Sun

Published: Sunday, May 04, 2008

VANCOUVER - Mary Akor hardly seemed like the quitting type. But after a discouraging 19th place at the U.S. women’s Olympic marathon trials in Boston two weeks ago, the Nigerian-born, Hawthorne, Calif., resident said it crossed her mind.

"I said let me see how I’m going to do in Vancouver . . . I came to this race just to boost my morale," Akor said.

Consider it boosted after the 31-year-old captured her second Vancouver title on Sunday in two hours, 37 minutes, 54 seconds. That was nearly seven minutes faster than her 2004 win and her ’06 and ’07 efforts when she was second in 2:45.33 and 2:44.22, respectively.

Akor, who easily led the 145-woman field at Boston with 11 qualifying marathons over the previous two years, ran 2:39.34 in that race, nearly 10 minutes behind winner Deena Kastor.

"Oh, my God, time of the month," said Akor in delicately explaining her sub-par effort. "I was really, really off."

Claudia Camargo of Argentina, who set a women’s course record of 2:35.46 in winning last year’s Vancouver Marathon, was second Sunday in 2:54.53. She was clearly struggling over the last few kilometres.

"I have some minor shin splints and for the last three weeks I didn’t train well," Camargo said through an interpreter. "But I like the atmosphere here and the race director, so I came here for that."

Ellie Greenwood of Vancouver was top Canadian in third in 2:55.28.

(Alex's notes: Only 2 Canadians finished in the top 10 this year with Pedrag Mladenovic leading the way in 6th in 2:27:31. Ellie was just over 30 seconds behind 2nd place for the women. In the Half, Jim Finalyson won a tight race over Todd Howard with both runners under 1:08. Cheryl Murphy had a comfortable win for the women in 1:15:56.)

Pack Gives Up On Baghdad Rachem - 2008-05-04

Baghdad Rachem won by over a mile at Demi Marathon International de Quebec. He had a solid time of 1:06:58. Daniel Blouin and Jean-Nicolas Duval finished second and third over 7 minutes back. Masters runner Marie-Helebe Vandersmissen was the only woman to breaK 1:30. Results are on Sportstats (check our links).

Woman nearly takes first place at Hartwell Challenge! - 2008-05-01

Aurora’s Paulina Allan finished 36 seconds behind first place overall in the half marathon. Christopher Graham won the event in 1:25:17. 50-54 Age Grouper Paul Chenery of Toronto finished 5th. There were 260 finishers in the half at this event in Aurora.

"The Bob Hartwell Runner’s Challenge is organized by the Aurora running community to celebrate the spirit and life of the late Bob Hartwell. Bob was a well-known Aurora, Ontario businessman, civic leader and veteran marathon runner. Bob died October 14, 2001 while running a marathon.

It had always been Bob’s dream to organize an event in Aurora that would appeal to competitive and recreational runners alike. His friends have joined together to make Bob’s dream a reality and to honour his memory. "

Kiauka strides toward Beijing - 2008-04-28

Cleve Dheensaw, Times Colonist

Published: Monday, April 28, 2008

Photo from Debra Brash

Eric Kiauka is seven seconds from Beijing.

But the Victoria runner was five seconds ahead of runner-up Jim Finlayson yesterday, in 30:31, and that was good enough to be the fastest finisher among the record mob of 8,818 participants in the 19th annual Times Colonist 10K. The seven seconds is what Kiauka, who used the Times Colonist 10K as a training run, needs to bridge between his personal best time and the Olympic qualifying standard in the 3,000-metre steeplechase for the 2008 Summer Games.

Meanwhile, on a windless day, the only breeze was provided by Cheryl Murphy breathing down Lisa Harvey’s neck at the finish line. Harvey was the top woman in 34:13.1, but only by less than a footstep over the charging Murphy, Canada’s top-ranked female marathoner, who was across in 34:13.7.

"I could feel [Murphy] on my shoulder and had to keep going, there was no room for error," said Harvey, second recently in the massive Vancouver Sun Run, and who represented Canada at the 2008 IAAF world cross-country championships in Scotland.

"I knew I had to keep pushing and that I couldn’t give up," added the 38-year-old Calgary teacher.

Murphy, a Victoria physiotherapist, was fifth last year in Ironman Canada and 28th in the Ironman Hawaii world championships, so she obviously has stamina and staying power.

"I was third the whole race [yesterday] and thought Lisa was too far ahead, but I made the decision to go after her and got closer and closer. I just ran out of room," said Murphy, who was fourth in the Sun Run.

The two have been competing against each other since their CIS days, when Murphy ran for the University of Manitoba Bisons and Harvey for the University of Calgary Dinos.

Men’s winner Kiauka will continue his Beijing Olympic qualifying quest at a meet next week in Los Angeles. If being pushed is what Kiauka wanted, he got that in spades yesterday on the streets of Victoria as only 18 seconds separated the top eight racers.

Kiauka was across in 30:31 to runner-up Finlayson’s 30:36 and third-place finisher and Burnaby native Oliver Utting’s 30:39. Ryan Day of Richmond at 30:41 and David Jackson of Victoria at 30:42 rounded out the top five.

"I’m trying to make the Olympic team in the steeplechase and I was using this race to help build up my strength," said Kiauka.

"It’s nice not having to worry about the barrier and the water [of the steeplechase] and just being able to run a straight road race. I almost tripped over one [a barrier] last week during the Mt. Sac Relays [in Walnut, Calif.]."

The only thing Kiauka was in danger of tripping over yesterday was the ample goodwill and encouragement as thousands of spectators lined the course to cheer on the runners.

The conditions -- overcast but still -- were ideal for running.

"There was absolutely no wind and it was just about perfect," said Kiauka, who moved from Ontario four years ago to train at PacificSport in Victoria.

Kiauka, who stubbornly held off fellow Canadian international Finlayson down the stretch, said the near-blanket finish in this year’s Times Colonist 10K didn’t surprise him.

"We have a very close running community here in Victoria among the [elite] racers . . . and Jim [Finlayson] is a great runner and a good friend," he said.

In this race, even the masters are fast with Steve Boyd of Kingston, Ont., winning that category in 30:46.

In the women’s race, Kirsty Smith of Victoria matched her third-place finish in the Sun Run by also placing third in the TC 10K in 34:33. Kristina Rody of Whistler was fourth in 35:22. Marilyn Arsenault of Victoria, the running opera singer, was fifth overall and also the women’s masters champion in 35:50.

"There’s so much depth here in Victoria in running ... so much more than in Calgary," said women’s victor Harvey.

Harvey and runner-up

Murphy are both in their late 30s, and there must be a message in that somewhere.

"I feel I’m getting better with age," said Harvey.

"I love keeping fit and I just love running. It’s exciting to be on the streets and in a race like this. I’m going to keep doing it for as long as I can."

Harvey and Kiauka added their names to the list of Times Colonist 10K winners, which includes the likes of Olympians Bruce Deacon and Paul Williams on the men’s side and Debbie Bowker, Angela Chalmers and Leah Pells on the women’s.

"I love coming to Victoria," said Harvey.

"It’s a beautiful race. The course is gorgeous along the ocean. And there were so many people out watching and lining the course and cheering you on. It’s really inspiring and helps you out a lot."

Also helping was the kind of morning that runners love -- overcast but dry, cool and without wind.

"I think everybody was expecting rain, so the race morning was a bit of a bonus," noted Murphy.

"It was a nice temperature for what we do," added Harvey.

And what the likes of Harvey, Murphy, Kiauka and Finlayson do is race well.

Further back in the panting pack, the goals weren’t Olympian in nature, as Kiauka’s were, but more personal. The emotions were etched on the faces of young and old as they crossed the finish line in a flowing ribbon of humanity under the unyielding gaze of Queen Victoria’s statue in front of the legislature.

The impressive John Woodall, running in his fifth Times Colonist 10K in the 75 to 79 age category, finished in under 49 minutes. At the other end of the age spectrum, 10-year-old St. Andrew’s Elementary student Seamus Ryan-Lloyd was across in 58 minutes after running the 10K with his mom Kate.

"I enjoyed it . . . especially the bands playing and the people cheering you on . . . but I was waiting for the finish line the whole time," said Ryan-Lloyd.

So were a lot of other participants.

cdheensaw@tc.canwest.com

Thousands brave cold for Sun Run - 2008-04-24

		Allison Cross and Catherine Rolfsen, Vancouver Sun Published: Sunday, April 20, 2008 Alex’s Note: Steve Boyd ran a word class master's time of 31:04 and Rob Lonergan was less than a minute behind!! VANCOUVER - A record number of athletes -- upwards of 59,000 -- braved chilly temperatures Sunday morning to run, walk or ride in the 24th annual Vancouver Sun Run. Prior to the race, participants gathered on Georgia Street, clutching cups of coffee, rubbing their hands together and stretching to stay warm as the temperature hovered around 3 C, one of the chilliest temperatures in Sun Run history. The fastest runner completed the 10 kilometres in 29 minutes and 26 seconds, but for most it was more about recreation than competition. Thousands of participants gather beneath the colourful balloon arches at the start of the 2008 Sun Run on Sunday. The event may have been one of the coldest in the run’s 24-year history, but that didn’t stop a record crowd of more than 59,000 from taking part.View Larger Image View Larger Image Thousands of participants gather beneath the colourful balloon arches at the start of the 2008 Sun Run on Sunday. The event may have been one of the coldest in the run’s 24-year history, but that didn’t stop a record crowd of more than 59,000 from taking part. Richmond’s Ron Dojack wrapped a garbage bag around his bare legs to keep warm, while waiting for the 10-kilometre race to start. "I originally brought it for the rain, but it’s so cold," said Dojack, 57, who has run the race four times. Streams of people filed onto the road from every direction, creating a sea of faces in the downtown core. Some ran alone, and some in large groups. Others pushed baby carriages or carried children on their shoulders as they made their way through Stanley Park, over the Burrard and Cambie bridges to the finish line in front of BC Place. Bill Burrell, 67, set a goal to finish the race in no more than 58 minutes. "I’m not going to follow the crowd," he said. "Some people start out too fast. I’ll pace myself." Spectators lined the route, whooping and hollering and cheering on their friends or family members as the participants passed by. Lindsey Kippan, 28, and John Bogunovic, 33, hooted when they saw their friend race by on Beach Avenue, before sitting down on a bench with coffee and pastries in hand. "It sure is a fun atmosphere," said Kippan, 28. "It makes me feel a bit guilty." Girls from Vancouver’s York House School handed out cups of water to runners as they sped by and were frequently splashed when runners hit the cups without managing to grab them. The sides of the road quickly became littered with discarded paper cups. "Holding water cups is a tricky business," said Ariana Saatchi, 13. "But it’s fun." Shawna Whitlock and Derek MacDonald stood on an embankment beside the road, drinking coffee and waiting to spot their cousin. "It’s her first 10-K," MacDonald said. "We came out from Calgary to cheer her on. We’re going to scream when we see her." Whitlock, 30, said she was starting to feel dizzy watching all the runners go by. "It’s crazy out there," she said. "You have to put your signal light on and merge if you want to tie your shoe." Shortly after most had begun running, the wheelchair athletes were already cruising over the Cambie Bridge towards BC Place Stadium. Scott Patterson of Vancouver was the first over the finish line, followed seconds later by Kelowna’s Paul Clark. Minutes later, came the top male runners, then the elite women. Those who’d been racing neck and neck took time to shake hands and congratulate each other. Then came all the rest, sweating and high-fiving and doubling over in droves. After turning in their timing chips, thousands of runners stretched out on the grass or filed into BC Place to enjoy the live music, the mini-bagels and the awards ceremony. Kenya’s Festus Langat was the first to reach the end, with an official time of 29 minutes, 26 seconds, easily beating second-place finisher Philiph Keoch, also of Kenya, at 29:36. Third-place finisher, White Rock’s Ryan Hayden, claimed the spot of top Canadian male, with a time of 29:38. Langat keeps alive the tradition of African winners of the Sun Run. In the last 10 years, Michael Power of Australia has been the only non-African champion, winning in 2005. The first woman to cross the finish line was Genet Gebregiorgis of Ethiopia, with a time of 33 minutes, 35 seconds. Calgary’s Lisa Harvey was second, crossing the finish line at 33:58, and earning the title of top Canadian female. Kirsty Smith of Victoria, came in third place with a time of 34:12. across@png.canwest.com Overall Winners Name City/Country Time Prize Men 1. Festus Langat Kenya 29:26 $3,000 2. Phillip Koech Kenya 29:36 $1,000 3. Ryan Hayden Surrey, BC 29:38 $500 Name City/Country Time Prize Women 1. Genet Gebregiorgis Ethiopia 33:35 $3,000 2. Lisa Harvey Calgary, AB 33:58 $1,000 3. Kirsty Smith Victoria, BC 34:12 $500 Top Canadians Name City/Country Time Prize Men 1. Ryan Hayden Surrey, BC 29:38 $2,000 2. Steve MacIntyre High Level, AB 30:09 $1,000 3. Mark Bomba Coquitlam, BC 30:10 $750 4. Derek Nakluski Kitchener, ON 30:12 $500 5. Jeremy Deere Calgary, AB 30:16 $250 Name City/Country Time Prize Women 1. Lisa Harvey Calgary, AB 33:58 $2,000 2. Kirsty Smith Victoria, BC 34:12 $1,000 3. Cheryl Murphy Victoria, BC 34:14 $750 4. Marilyn Arsenault Victoria, BC 35:14 $500 5. Suzanne Evans New Westminster, BC 35:25 $250 Masters (40+) Name City/Country Time Prize Men 1. Steve Boyd Kingston, ON 31:04 $750 2. Rob Lonergan North Vancouver, BC 31:44 $500 3. Paul McCloy Calgary, AB 33:02 $250 Name City/Country Time Prize Women 1. Marilyn Arsenault Victoria, BC 35:14 $750 2. Paula Wiltse Kingston, ON 35:29 $500 3. Nancy Tinari Coquitlam, BC 36:36 $250 Wheelchairs Name City/Country Time Men - Quad Division 1. James Hustvedt North Vancouver, BC 43:56 2. Robert Mabey Kelowna, BC 56:21 Men - Open Division 1. Scott Patterson Vancouver, BC 32:17 2. Paul Clark Kelowna, BC 32:35 3. Tre Trefethen Richmond, BC 40:44 Women - Open Division 1. Jessica Des Mazes Burnaby, BC 46:06

Dylan Wykes blogs about his marathon debut - 2008-04-24

		Check out http://www.time-to-run.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98 Dylan was disappointed in his 2:15:13 but it was certainly a valiant effort!! This is now the top Canadian time of 2008.

Danny Kassap ran 2:15:20 in London - 2008-04-24

		Congratulations to Danny Kassap for his finish in the London Marathon. I apologize for not noticing his result earlier. Danny is from Congo but is seeking citizenship in Canada and runs out of Ontario. He finished 15th overall in one of the most competitive marathons in the world!!

Nderebas and Smiths make it an 'all in the family' affair - 2008-04-22

		From Canada Running Series: April 20/08: Catherine Ndereba, in her Olympic tune-up, and her brother Samuel, took home the first overall prizes at the 6th Banque Scotia 21k de Montréal, in front of a record field. Catherine was just one second ahead of second place in 1:13:11 while Samuel was well clear in 1:03:45. Meanwhile the husband and wife team of Andrew Smith and Tara Quinn-Smith captured the Canadian Half-Marathon Championships titles with times of 1:05:19 and 1:13:40, respectively. Alex’s notes: Three Ontario runners made it under 1:06 (Andrew Smith, Matt McInnes and Taylor Murphy). 8 women finished under 1:20. 13 men finished under 1:10. Alan Moore and Jean Gauthier won the 40-49 and 50-59 age categories while being in the upper half age bracket. Laurent Bouchard barely missed a sub 1:30 in the 60-69 category! Isabelle Ledroit was the top female master and 10th overall woman in 1:20:49. Marilyn Huot just crushed the 50-59 women’s category with a 1:33:51 and she is actually 55-59!! Yelza Laszlo had a very convincing win in the 60-69 women’s category as well.

Diane Roy finishes second - 2008-04-22

Diane Roy of Canada, who finished fourth in 2:04:13 in 2007 was one of the favourites before this year’s Boston Marathon..

Two Time Champion American Cheri Blauwet was quoted beforehand by the Boston Globe, "I want to win - that’s pretty much it. Basically, whatever it takes to win," she said. "Wakako is a good coaster, Diane is good all-around and strong. They will be very formidable competition. I have my plan and I’ll go out to execute it. It’s a very special race to be back."

Japan’s Wakako Tsuchida ended up winning her second straight, beating her closest competitor, Diane Roy, by nearly 8 minutes.

Notes from her Boston Marathon Profile:

Diane Roy comes to Boston after a solid year of racing in 2007. She won the Canadian title in Ottawa and set a personal best by breaking her own Canadian record at the Oensingen Marathon in 1:40:10. She won the IPC World Championships marathon in 2006, edging out runner-up Sandra Graf at the finish line. Roy has been working her way through the rankings at the Boston Marathon the last few years, but has not yet emerged as the champion. She finished sixth in 2004, second in 2005 and 2006, and fourth in 2007. Roy’s additional accomplishments include victories at the Oita Marathon, Montreal Marathon, and Las Vegas Marathon. She competed in the 1996 and 2000 Paralympic Games, before winning two bronze medals in the 400m and 1500m at the 2004 Athens Paralympics. She has worked with her coach Jean Laroche for 16 years.

Roy grew up on a farm in a large family with five brothers and two sisters. She developed a love of sports and passion for adventure at a young age. At 17, an accident left her confined to a wheelchair without the use of her legs. Tenacity led her to wheelchair athletics, where she joined the Canadian National Team in 1994. Roy currently resides in Hatley, Quebec, and works as an executive assistant in a real estate office.

Deacon 2nd Master in Boston!! - 2008-04-21

		Former West Coaster Stephanie Hood who now lives in Illinois was the top Canadian female finisher in 2:44:44 in 10th place but not by much. Denise Robson of Dartmouth was behind by only 1 place in the standings with a time of 2:45:54. Denise was ahead of Stephanie at the halfway but Stephanie was stronger through Newton. Bruce Deacon had arguably the best result of the day finishing the day as 2nd master in a time of 2:23:56. He lost by only 20 seconds to Belgian runner Gino Van Geyte. Louis-Philippe Garnier was also a top 10 master with a time of 2:30:53. Stephen Beasley just missed a top 10 position in 50-59 with a great time of 2:49:32. Jill Kearney and Lynn Kobayashi had a close battle in 50-59 for the women finishing 6th and 7th. Jill’s time of 3:21:13 beat Lynn’s by 1 minute. The 60-69 women’s category was packed with Canadians as Norma Fujikawa finished 5th, Patricia Dudar finished 9th and Jean Marmoreo finished 10th. Canadian men filled up the bottom of the top 10 in 70-79. Lou Orazietti finished 8th, George Pothier was 9th and Albert Miclette was 10th. Mary Boon finished 10th for 70-79 women. Congratulations to everyone who competed in Boston!!

Stephanie Hodge wins in New York!! - 2008-04-11

		Ex-Newfoundlander now New Yorker Stephanie Hodge won the More Magazine Marathon in Central Park on April 6. Her time was 3:01:50. Over 7,000 women participated in the MORE Marathon and Half-Marathon.

Grenon Won SunTrust National Marathon in DC - 2008-04-11

By Steve Nearman, Running USA wire

WASHINGTON, D.C. - (March 29, 2008) - Michael Wardian quickly dispatched a decent field at the 3rd SunTrust National Marathon on Saturday at RFK Stadium.

That gave him more time to think about getting to the airport by noon, flying to Knoxville and preparing for a marathon in that city the next morning.

"I just went out hard and I kept going," said Wardian, who had nearly a minute on his closest pursuer by the midpoint and nearly four minutes by the finish in 2 hours, 24 minutes, 59 seconds.

Prior to the race, the 6-foot, 145-pound ultra-marathoner expressed concern about two competitors, especially since he had suffered from flu-like symptoms and a sore throat while moving into a new home during the week of the race.

His health was not a factor, nor was Kenyan Charles Kamindo (best time 2:15) who dropped out the race. His other concern was Samuel Gebremichael, an Ethiopian training in Hyattsville, Md., who had outrun Wardian for the win at Shamrock just two weeks before. After the opening mile, Wardian never saw Gebremichael until the finish chute.

The win, in an event record, was no surprise to anybody, including Wardian. The 33-year-old Arlington resident had been triumphant in the other two editions of the National Marathon.

The surprised victor was Myriam Grenon in the women’s marathon. She, too, ran solo for most of the race, except that because the half-marathon participants ran the first 13.1 miles with the marathoners, she didn’t realize she was leading the marathon until after 22 miles.

The 39-year-old mother of four from Longueuil near Montreal who had never placed better than fifth in six previous marathons won in 2:54:51, nearly seven minutes out in front and good for 26th overall in her first 26.2-mile race in the United States.

It was by sheer coincidence that Grenon and her husband were entered in the marathon, coming to the Washington area to watch their 15-year-old daughter Steffi play in a soccer tournament in Richmond hours after the race.

"I had expected to run 2:52," Grenon said in French while her husband, Serge St-Antoine, interpreted for her after he completed the tour of the neighborhoods of the nation’s capital about six minutes quicker. "I thought there’d be more competition."

The competition was in the accompanying half-marathons, where 19-year-old Ezkyas Sisay, an Ethiopian training in Washington, dashed any plans Christopher Raabe of Washington had of repeating his 2007 triumph here. The 2006 Ethiopian steeplechase champion ran 1:06:17, an event record, to edge Raabe by seven seconds.

The women’s half-marathon field was loaded with half a dozen athletes sharpening for the Olympic Marathon Trials in Boston in three weeks. Samia Akbar of Herndon, Va. controlled the race as expected, yielding the lead only briefly after five miles to Ethiopian and frequent area racer Teyba Naser. Akbar cruised in 1:16:31, another event record, with Naser following in 1:17:00.

"This was a great confidence builder," said Akbar, a 2:34 marathoner who has a legitimate shot for a spot on the Beijing Olympic team. "I haven’t raced much in the past few months. Training has been going very well and I’m healthy. I think I can PR in Boston."

Other Trials qualifiers, from third through seventh, were Abby Dean of Philadelphia (1:17:34), Briana Whaley of Culpeper, Va. (1:18:17), 2006 National Marathon champ Susan Graham-Gray of Greencastle, Pa. (1:19:07), Emily LeVan of Wiscasset, Maine (1:19:47) and Phebe Ko of Baltimore (1:19:58).

A total of 4,090 starters - 1,387 marathon finishers and 2,640 half-marathon finishers - were treated to spectacular views of the Capitol from several different vantage points along the course. Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty enjoyed the marathon course and the cool temps, sporting Bib #1 and nailing a personal record 3:40:10.

POSTSCRIPT - Wardian said he "was really pleased with the effort" in Knoxville the next day but he was disappointed that he couldn’t improve on his runner-up status from last year’s Knoxville Marathon. He said he led from mile 2 to 24 before falling to third Sunday in 2:29:50. "I guess my legs weren’t as fresh as they could have been," he offered.

3rd SunTrust National Marathon
Washington, DC, Saturday, March 29, 2008

MEN
1) Michael Wardian (VA), 2:24:59*, $2000
2) Samuel Gebremichael (ETH), 2:28:53, $800
3) Brendon Moody (OH), 2:29:42, $700
4) Philippe Rolly (VA), 2:32:39, $500
5) David Hryvniak (VA), 2:33:27, $300
*Event record (previous record, 2:26:35, Michael Wardian, 2007)

WOMEN
1) Myriam Grenon (CAN), 2:54:51, $2000
2) Denise Knickman (MD), 3:01:39, $800
3) Nicole Hugie (WA), 3:09:53, $700
4) Amanda Starr (PA), 3:11:05, $500
5) Karen Grabowski (IL), 3:12:28, $300

Don't forget the Spirit of the Marathon Preview!! - 2008-04-08

Spirit of the Marathon on April 9 at 7pm at the Scotiabank Theatre on Burrard!!

Spirit of the Marathon is the first ever non-fiction feature film to capture the drama and essence of the famed 26.2 mile running event. Filmed on four continents, the movie brings together a diverse cast of amateur athletes and marathon luminaries.

As six unique stories unfold, each runner prepares for and ultimately faces the challenge of the Chicago Marathon. More than a sports movie, Spirit of the Marathon is an inspirational journey of perseverance and personal triumph; a spectacle that will be embraced by runners and non-runners alike.

April Fools Another Big Success!! - 2008-04-07

		It was another great race organized by Larry and Teresa Nightingale. Finishers received a souvenir jacket. 2008 Overall Winners: Ryan Day (1:06:23); Suzanne Evans (1:18:30) — both new event records! 2008 Masters winners: Mark Bennett (1:17:15) and Joan McGrath (1:22:10) Winners of the 2008 George Matthews Memorial Award (first local finishers): Owen Coombes of Sechelt (1:23:46) and Crystal Spence of Roberts Creek (1:35:09). Gleukos Mile winners: Ryan Day and Suzanne Evans. Check out the results on http://www.raceheadquarters.com/results/2008/run/FoolsRun2008.html

Winner raises doubts at Around the Bay - 2008-04-07

		Stories by Larry Moko The Hamilton Spectator (Mar 31, 2008) The Around the Bay Road Race winner of 2008 is still being chased by his past. Alene Reta, who was suspended in 2002 and 2003 by the International Association of Athletics Federations for doping, raced to victory in Hamilton yesterday. That rapid tour of the Steel City earned the Ethiopian $4,000. Reta, 26, had been banned for two years from competition for testing positive for EPO, (erythropoietin), a red blood cell enhancer. Since his return, however, the New York City-based athlete has won numerous races in the United States. After Reta's latest victory in the 30K event from Burlington to Hamilton and back, there was some grumbling among the Kenyans in the field about whether Reta was abiding by all the regulations. Tim Forrester, a manager for some of the Kenyans, said: "Everybody is skeptical because since he's come back, he doesn't really run the big races ... just the ones where he knows there's not going to be any testing." There has also been some controversy in the U.S. about Reta registering under different names, but his race manager has been quoted in other media as saying that has more to do with cultural reasons. "I feel happy to win this race, but I wanted the course record," said Reta, whose time was 1:33:06. Kenya's Simon Njoroge, who set the course record (1:32:50) in 2007, placed second. He was 14 seconds back. Josephat Ongerei of Hamilton came third in 1:34:09. Reta insists he's clean. "I needed asthma medication," Reta said of his checkered background. "The doctor gave me tablets. It was banned, that was the problem. "It was hard. I don't have any experience with drugs. I'm sick, I go to the doctor and he gives me medicine ... I didn't know. After that, I don't take nothing." It was at about the 25-kilometre mark where Reta broke away from Njoroge and Valentine Orare of Kenya. "My body was OK so I just pushed," Reta said of his powerful surge up Valley Inn Road. A confident-looking Orare had only a few minutes before that turned to the other leaders in the pack, stuck out his tongue and smiled. Njoroge,27, won $2,000 for his efforts at North America's oldest race -- as organizer's shirts proudly state 'Older than Boston.' "I didn't think I would be coming to this race," said Njoroge, who flew in from Africa on Friday. "I was training for a marathon in Germany in May. But when my cousin (Paul Wachira) was denied a visa to run here, I decided to come (since the tickets were already paid for)." That German marathon, incidentally, was offering Njoroge $9,000 just to appear. Forrester said the best performance of them all might have been by third-place finisher Josephat Ongerei. He's the 29-year-old Kenyan who has been training in Hamilton all winter. "To run that time in the conditions he's had to train in ..." Ongerei finished fourth at Around the Bay last year in 1:36:20. "It was a tough race because people were coming from Kenya where there's altitude," said Ongerei, who works for a hospital supplies company in Oakville. "I will be staying in Hamilton." He picked up $1,000 for finishing third . Race director Mike Zajczenko said it took the 7,000 entrants in the 30K events between five and six minutes to cross the start line. "Everything went great," Zajczenko said of the event,which originated in Hamilton in 1894. "We'll probably let a few more people in next year (registration was capped). But we'll try to keep it a quality product for all the runners." lmoko@thespec.com 905-526-2458

Top female finisher has sights set on Olympics - 2008-04-07

		March 31, 2008 The Hamilton Spectator (Mar 31, 2008) (Editor's Note: The photo is from Njeri's performance at a race in York, Pennsylvania) Lucy Njeri kept up the Kenyan tradition of excellence at the Around the Bay Road Race . She was the top female finisher over the 30 kilometre course, crossing the line at Copps Coliseum in 1:48:28. That was almost four minutes faster than runner-up Lioudmilia Kortchaguina of Toronto. Last year's male and female winners in Hamilton were also Kenyans. "My strategy was to run fast in the first 15K," said 29-year-old Njeri, who trains out of Scarborough. "In the next three 5Ks, I wanted to maintain, slow down and then push. "My goal is to run in the next Olympics." Kortchaguina, a three-time former Bay winner, said Njeri ran away from the start. "Today was really cold and windy weather," said Kortchaguina, who also finished second in 2007. "But this was good preparation for the Ottawa marathon in May. That's my main goal." Former Hamilton high school student Nicole Stevenson placed third in 1:55.25. In the 5K, Rob Watson of Guelph (14:12) nipped Hamilton's Moses Macharia by less than a second at the wire. Ryan McKenzie of Windsor was third (14:37). Tara Johnson of Toronto (18:48), April Boultbee of Toronto (18:54) and Britney Allard of Timmins (19:02) were 1-2-3 in the women's 5K.

Shay's Autopsy Result Released - 2008-03-22

Source: New York Times, Aimee Berg, March 19
(Photo: Suzy Allman, NY Times)

More than four months after Ryan Shay collapsed in Central Park during the United States Olympic marathon trials, the New York City medical examiner determined that his death was caused by an irregular heartbeat that stemmed from an enlarged and scarred heart.

Shay, who was 28 when he died Nov. 3 in pursuit of a berth in the Beijing Olympics, was found to have an enlarged heart at age 14, according to his father, Joe Shay. The medical examiner could not determine the origin of the patchy scars, called fibrosis.

Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner, said she could not comment on the specific results of the toxicology tests as a matter of policy, nor could she reveal what chemicals were tested for. Joe Shay said none of the toxicology tests were positive, although he did not know what tests were conducted.

“I believe it was a fair and accurate assessment,” Joe Shay said Tuesday in a telephone interview from the family’s home in Central Lake, Mich. He was informed of the results by telephone and e-mail messages from the medical examiner’s office and was awaiting a copy of the full report.

“Everything that could be done was done,” he said, “and it’s great that they devoted so much time to this.”

Shay arrived in New York last fall with aspirations of making his first Olympic team, but about five and a half miles into the race he collapsed. He was taken to Lenox Hill Hospital and was pronounced dead at 8:46 a.m., while the 26.2-mile race was still under way.

The 2003 United States marathon champion, Shay was seemingly as fit as any elite endurance athlete, leading to speculation after his death that he may have had a condition known as athlete’s heart, an enlarged heart developed from training. Dr. Paul Thompson, a cardiologist in Hartford who specializes in heart disease in athletes, said the scars detected in the autopsy probably ruled that out.

“With athlete’s heart, you shouldn’t have fibrosis,” Dr. Thompson said.

“Patchy fibrosis means something in the past injured the heart. Usually a viral infection leads to the death of some cells, and when heart cells die, they’re replaced by fibrotic tissue, which is tough, stringy stuff. These tough scars can set up abnormal electrical currents. If normal conductivity gets blocked, it can result in fast abnormal rhythms and a person can die.”

Joe Shay said the medical examiner’s office told him the scars suggested “old damage.”

“But I don’t know what old is,” he said. “Could go back to when he was 14 years old, because that’s when he had the pneumonia. I think they’re going to archive some of the samples, because in 10 years they may be able to test. Right now, they don’t.”

As the medical examiner investigated Shay’s death, the Shay family became concerned that a genetic disease called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, known as HCM, was the cause. HCM is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young people in the United States.

“I have a son that runs 80-100 miles a week,” Joe Shay said, referring to Stephan, the youngest of his eight children and an athlete at Brigham Young University. “I wanted to know, ‘Are we going to have the same problems here?’ ”

Signs of HCM include the thickening of the heart’s walls and a disarray of muscle cells that would normally appear aligned as bricks in a wall. But a group of cardiologists determined that Shay’s heart did not reveal that condition, so they chose not to conduct three types of genetic tests.

Shay was found to have an enlarged heart when he was a teenager. Three years after having a chest X-ray when he had pneumonia, Shay was in a minor car accident and had another chest X-ray at the same hospital. “They compared the two X-rays and said his heart was getting bigger,” Joe Shay said.

The condition never seemed to hamper Shay. He won 11 state high school titles, an N.C.A.A. championship at 10,000 meters while at Notre Dame, and the marathon national championship in 2003. He ran a personal best of 2 hours 14 minutes 8 seconds and placed ninth at the 2004 New York City Marathon.

Shay’s younger brother Nathan said he was found to have a heart arrhythmia during his own running career at Notre Dame and quit the sport after a doctor said he might risk a heart attack while competing.

Shay’s wife, Alicia Craig, also a world-class runner, has resumed training in Flagstaff, Ariz.

She said in a telephone interview Tuesday that she planned to compete for an Olympic berth in the 10,000 meters at the United States track and field trials this summer in Eugene, Ore.

Ryan Hall, the winner of the men’s marathon trials, has said he will dedicate his Olympic marathon to Shay.

On Nov. 2, several months after the Beijing Games, Shay’s parents plan to attend the New York City Marathon for a tribute to their son and the running community. They will stand near the Central Park boathouse, where Shay took his final steps.

Ledroit and Raymer shake it up at Virginia Beach! - 2008-03-22

		Isabelle Ledroit started off her half marathon season on a great note winning the 40+ title at the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon and Half Marathon at Virginia Beach. Her time was 1:21:15. Bruce ran a sub 1:10 to finish 2nd in the men’s 40+ division. Windsor’s Shelly Loiselle finished 3rd for 50-54 in 1:45:59. According to Isabelle "The race was really well organized but times were slower than usual due to the 50km/h wind that was blowing on that day."

Ryan Day now has blog!! - 2008-03-20

		Kitimat’s Ryan Day has started a blog to detail his training for the National Marathon Championship in Ottawa. Ryan made a tough decision to return to British Columbia after training with the Brooks Marathon Project in Toronto. However, he is off to a good start after running a 1:07:59 at the Comox Valley Half Marathon. His blog can be found at http://redroadrunning.blogspot.com/

Marathoner won't go distance - 2008-03-18

MADRID–Haile Gebrselassie expects more athletes to follow his lead and drop out of some events at the Beijing Olympics because of the air pollution.

The two-time Olympic 10,000-metre champion said yesterday he was disappointed about not competing in the marathon, but that there was no way he would run the race at the Games in August.

"My decision not to run (the marathon) in Beijing is definite. Now I have to decide whether to run the 10,000 metres," Gebrselassie told the Efe news agency. "I was in the city in August and I know what the extreme conditions of pollution, heat and humidity are. It’s going to be the hardest marathon in history."

Gebrselassie’s comments came after the release of an independent study requested by the IOC that said Beijing’s air quality is better than expected and that humidity might present a greater threat to athletes than the city’s noxious air.

"They can say what they like but the reality is different," Gebrselassie said.

Justine Henin has already said she won’t defend her tennis gold medal. The four-time French Open champion blamed the pollution for aggravating her asthma.

The 34-year-old Gebrselassie, who holds the world marathon record of two hours four minutes 26 seconds, sees the 10,000 as a viable option.

"The 10,000 presents a lot less problems. It’s four times shorter, it’s being run in the afternoon, it’ll be less hot with less humidity," the Ethiopian said.

Associated Press

Ziak defends turf!! - 2008-03-18

Below was the setup article for the Comox Valley Half Marathon from the Comox Valley Record. Jerry ran a very fast 1:07:07 to stay ahead of top runner Ryan Day who ran 1:07:59. Jason Terauchi-Loutitt was third in 1:09:00. Kristina Rody ran a solid 1:19:58 building a big gap over Catrin Jones and Rachel Joyce. There were a ton of very impressive age group results!! Check out pih.bc.ca for the results.

(Pasted from Comox Velley Record)

Team Canada member and G.P. Vanier grad Jerry Ziak has confirmed he will attend this Sunday’s Comox Valley Half Marathon.

In 2007, Ziak had a stellar debut in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, with his 11th place time of 2:17:23 making him the fastest marathoner in Canada.

Jon Brown, last year’s half marathon winner in a blistering 1:04:55, was unsure if he would be attending this year. Fast times are also expected from local runners Terry Neilson and Royd Burkhart.

Each year the host Comox Valley Road Runners donate a portion of the Frontrunners Island Race Series event proceeds to local charity. This year’s recipients are the Comox Valley Hospice Society and the Comox Valley chapter of Kidsport.

The race starts at the Filberg Centre with walkers leaving at 10 a.m. and runners at 11 a.m. The race may result in minor traffic delays, and residents in the area and skiers heading to the mountain are encouraged to choose alternate routes or plan their day around the event to ease congestion and ensure the safety of all the participants.

Solid times posted in February! - 2008-03-09

From McKinzey Crossland

AUSTIN, Texas - (Feb. 17, 2008) - The clear blue skies and near-perfect temperatures at the 2008 AT&T Austin Marathon and Half Marathon on Sunday made this year’s race an enjoyable one for the race record 11,250 starters and approximately 30,000 spectators.

It was a mild 40 degrees at the start line near Cesar Chavez and Congress Avenue, providing excellent, cool temperatures for runners. Following an enthusiastic welcome from Texas Governor Rick Perry - a participant in the half-marathon - runners took off at 7:00am as the sun began to rise and a 10-minute fireworks display lit up the sky as they crossed the Congress Avenue Bridge.

The ideal weather conditions were all the more surprising after severe weather warnings, thunderstorms and a 47-degree high on Saturday. During a particularly intense downpour on Saturday afternoon, it was hard to foresee such a favorable turnaround.

Meanwhile, things like bib numbers turned out to be a bit more telling. Jacob Frey and Mike Sayenko, runners on the United States team participating in the inaugural International Marathon Challenge, were given bib numbers 1 and 2, respectively. As it happened, Frey and Sayenko finished the marathon in places 1 and 2 after breaking away in the final stretch to edge out Kenya’s Joseph Mutinda, the third-place finisher.

Trusting their strategy, Frey and Sayenko paced themselves throughout the race, letting Kenyans Wesley Ochoro and then Mutinda lead the pack. Near Mile 19, the Americans began to make their move. By mile 26, Frey and Sayenko had taken the lead and sprinted to a thrilling finish down Congress Avenue just ahead of the Kenyans.

Hugging at the finish line, it was clear the Americans had won the race together on behalf of their team and their country. As Frey, 26, said in an interview to FOX’s Austin affiliate, "There’s really no other option than to run your best when you’re wearing red, white and blue."

Frey finished in 2 hours, 20 minutes, 38 seconds with Sayenko close behind at 2:20:42, followed by Mutinda at 2:20:44.

One the women’s side, Lucy Hassell, 29, from the Great Britain team won with a personal best time of 2:36:28. She was all smiles even before crossing the finish line and seemed to grin as soon as she passed the Capitol on Congress Avenue and 11th Street.

Hassell was followed by American Becki Michael, who in her marathon debut ran 2:43:43 - a time that qualified her for the Olympic Trials in Boston on April 20. Close behind Michael was Canada’s top female marathoner, Nicole Stevenson who finished at 2:44:46.

17th AT&T Austin Marathon
Austin, TX, Sunday, February 17, 2008

MEN
1) Jacob Frey (USA), 2:20:38
2) Mike Sayenko (USA), 2:20:42
3) Joseph Mutinda (KEN), 2:20:44
4) Ruben Garcia Gomez (MEX), 2:23:57
5) Wesley Ochoro (KEN), 2:24:06

WOMEN
1) Lucy Hassell (GBR), 2:36:28
2) Becki Michael (USA), 2:43:43
3) Nicole Stevenson (CAN), 2:44:46
4) Suzanne Evans (CAN), 2:46:16
5) Patti Rogers (USA), 2:47:15

Five teams - the USA, Canada, Kenya, Malawi and Great Britain - participated in the AT&T Austin Marathon’s first International Marathon Challenge. Teams of two men and two women competed in national uniforms and scored points according to their marathon finishing position (1st, 2nd, 3rd place, etc). The three best places per team were scored.

Inaugural International Marathon Challenge
Champion: USA - 8 points, $15,000
Jacob Frey, winner
Mike Sayenko, 2nd
Patti Rogers, 5th
Wendy Terris, 7th

Runner-up: Kenya - 14, $10,000
Joseph Mutinda, 3rd
Wesley Ochoro, 5th
Margaret Chirchir, 6th
Lillian Chelimo, 14th

Third: Great Britain - 17, $5000
Brad Poore, 7th
Matt Norminton, 9th
Lucy Hassell, winner
Jenny Clague, 17th

Fourth: Canada - 25, $3000
Todd Howard, 8th
Peter Vail, 14th
Nicole Stevenson, 3rd
Suzanne Evans, 25th

Fifth: Malawi - 44, $2000
Francis Khanje, 11th
Henry Moyo, 15th
Nancy Matanda, 18th
Tereza Master, 19th

The winning team also received the David Doolittle Cup, a Tiffany trophy named after David Doolittle, a founder of the Austin Marathon who passed away in the summer of 2007.

Cheryl and Phil kick butt in Albany! - 2008-03-07

		From the Prairie Inn Harriers Website: Both Cheryl (Murphy) and Phil (Nicholls) had outstanding performances ... in the deep south of USA at the Snickers Marathon Bar Marathon in Albany, Georgia. Cheryl ran a brilliant debut marathon, at the age of 38, to place 8th overall in 2:40:12. She was second female to Kenyan Janet Cherobon who finished 5th overall in 2:37:27. Cherobon, training in Lawrenceville, GA, shattered the women’s course record by an astonishing 55 minutes, 10 seconds. Cheryl’s time was the fastest marathon recorded this year, and in fact it was the fastest by any BC female within the last five years. This 2:40:12 performance qualified her for the IAAF World Marathon Championships in Berlin next year as part of Team Canada. Phil was 6th overall and top master in 2:38:29, his fastest marathon and his first sub-2:40 in 8 years of running as a master since he turned 40 on April 22, 1959. Second place master Phil Shires, of Charlotte, NC, was a mere 10 seconds behind in 2:38:39. The race was won by Kenyan Simon Sawe in 2:27:44, breaking the course record by 3 minutes, 10 seconds. Sawe trains in Sante Fe, NM. There were 371 finishers in the Snickers Marathon and another 386 finishers in the accompanying half marathon. They offered over $12,000 in prize money with $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 going to each of the top three male and female runners. All in all, it was an excellent day for the only two Canadians in the race, Cheryl and Phil.

Check out the new Run Canada Website!! - 2008-03-07

		I've added the link in our links area. It looks great so be sure to send them updates to keep it current. Congratulations to committee chair John Halvorsen for giving back to his adopted country. For those of you who don't remember John, he was one of the top road racers of the 80s and early 90s regularly taking top honours at major events in the US. He was only slightly faster than fellow committee member and Oregon Duck Jerry Tighe!!

Spirit of the Marathon to be released in Canada soon! - 2008-03-07

The film SPIRIT OF THE MARATHON will be released in Canada for one day on April 9. Here is a link to a 7 minute video clip.
http://www.marathonmovie.com/home.html

Frank Stebner with the Vancouver Marathon has also been negotiating with the
film's distributor and director Jon Durham to re-release the film during  Vancouver
Marathon on May 4.  Chances look good that this will happen.

No Kortchaguina, McNamara glides to win in Burlington - 2008-03-04

		Kate McNamara didn't stew too long about her narrow loss to Lioudmila at Grimsby. She powered her way to a first place finish time of 1:22:16. Seanna Rishor was just over 4 minutes back . Katrina Cripps was third. 2:16 marathoner Charles Bedley had a similar lead over Stephen Koziarski and Stephen Miller. Charles muse be getting ready for a spring marathon (or two knowing him). Top age group results included Laszlo Orosz edging Jim Burrows and Rod Henning in the 40-49 category where all 3 were under 1:15. Dawn Hamel ran a very impressive early time with a 1:34:48 to win the 50-59 category.

Paul Reimer takes the "Historic Half" - 2008-02-28

		Paul Reimer took the overall title at the HIstoric Half in Langley. Paul competes in the 50-59 age category! His time of 1:19:43 puts him in an early battle with Guy Smith of Vancouver for the national 50-59 title!!

Lioudmila barely edges Kate MacNamara at Grimsby - 2008-02-28

		It was a very tight race between national marathon champ Liodmila Kortchaguina and Kate MacNamara at the Grimsby Half Marathon. Their gun times were 1:23 and 1:26 respectively. Jospehat’s time for the men was 1:07:02. The sprint for 2nd between David Karanja and Derek Nakluski was only seperated by 0.2 seconds at the finish line. Seanna Robinson was 3rd for the women. William Clewes of Mississauga may have had the best age group result by winning the 60-69 category in 1:29:19.

Hartery back in the mix!! - 2008-02-20

		Newfoundlander Joan Hartery returns with a bang in the marathon for 2008. After not recording a time in 2007, Joan ran a very fast 3:33:58 to win the 50-59 category at the Bi-Lo Myrtle Beach Marathon. She may need to run a little faster to stay in the national top 10 for the year but this assures her of a year-end top ranking in the atlantic region. Frances Connelly of Mount Albert, Ontario also won the 45-49 age category with a time of 3:32:00. Frank Nicholson of Mississauga won the 65-69 age category over Rosaire Gagne of Montreal with a time of 3:56:24. Other great results include Juanita Keel-Ryan who finished 6th in the same category. From Will Small on the half marathon: "Five competed in the half Marathon with Christianne Martin having the best placing of 2nd in her 45 to 49 age group in a time of 1:37:46. Others and their chip times were G. Vaughan Paul 1:31:51(45-49) Will Small 1:41:20 (55-59) Sherry Grewal 1:45:35 (45-45F) and Rob Gamberg 1:47:23 (50-54). The link to results is http://www.rmssports.com/results/08mb.txt" (Photo from ANE site)

Half Marathon Championships all set for Montreal!! - 2008-02-14


Athletics Canada announced that the 2008 Canadian Half-Marathon 
Championships will take place in Montreal on April 20, 2008 as part of the fifth 
annual Scotiabank 21k & 5k at Parc Jean-Drapeau.
 
Event technical and/or registration packages are now available. If you have any questions, 
please contact Nicole Clarke, Events Coordinator at
nclarke@athletics.ca or 613.260.5580 ext.3309

 

**************

 

À noter que les trousses d’informations et / ou d’enregistrements pour les
événements suivants sont maintenant disponibles :

 

·         Championnats canadien de semi-marathon - Montréal, QC

Si vous avez des questions, s’il vous plait les diriger à Nicole Clarke,
Coordinatrice d’événements, nclarke@athletics.ca ou par téléphone au 613-260-5580
poste 3309.

Hayden and Smith take the "First Half" - 2008-02-13

		Ryan Hayden and Kirsty Smith took the overall titles. The top masters were Bruce Deacon and Joan McGrath who both finished very close to the top 3. However, using the age-graded formula, both Jim Swadling and Herb Phillips "outperformed" Bruce!! 2016 participants finished the half.

Goodfellow seventh in Miami - 2008-02-03

		There were 2682 finishers in the full marathon in Miami. Congratulations to Heather Goodfellow of Halifax who finished seventh amongst the women!

Brooks Project hits Naples - 2008-02-03

Source: Brooks Canada, Lauren King

Naples, Florida (Monday, January 21, 2008) – Canadian distance runner Tara Quinn-Smith launched her 2008 Olympic campaign with a first-place finish and a personal-best time in windy conditions at the Naples Daily News Half-Marathon in Florida yesterday. Leading a team of 10 athletes from the Toronto-based Brooks Canada Marathon Project who travelled south for the race, Quinn-Smith earned $1,500 for her victory over an international field in a time of one hour, 13 minutes and 52 seconds.

“My goal was to go under 1:13, but considering the conditions, I’m happy with the race,” said Quinn-Smith, 28, who pulled away from 2006 champion Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova of Russia about five kilometres into the 21.1-kilometre race. “The hardest part was pushing those last three miles into a headwind.”

Sultanova-Zhdanova was pursued to the line by the Marathon Project’s Beth Wightman, 26, of Toronto, who earned $750 for her third-place finish in a time of 1:17:57, also a personal best. “I started off conservatively and picked people off the entire race,” Wightman said.

A large lead pack in the men’s race broke up only in the final kilometres, with Kenyan George Towett emerging triumphant in a time of 1:04:47. Twenty-nine-year-old Andrew Smith of Toronto, Quinn-Smith’s husband, was the top Canadian performer in third, with a new personal best time of 1:05:13. Coquitlam, B.C. native Richard Mosley, a 25-year-old middle-distance specialist who joined the Marathon Project in September, made his debut at the half-marathon distance, finishing fifth in 1:05:59.

“Running 1:05 on a less than ideal day gives me the confidence to aim for 1:04 at the Montreal half-marathon in April,” Smith said. The Montreal race will serve as the Canadian half-marathon championships this year, and will be the next major goal for the Marathon Project athletes prior to Olympic qualifying attempts at the full marathon distance in Ottawa and London, England later in the spring.

The team will be in action again in two weeks, running a 5,000-metre race on the indoor track at the Dome in Ottawa.

About the Brooks Canada Marathon Project: Now entering its second year, the Brooks Canada Marathon Project provides distance runners with the opportunity to train with the goal of qualifying for the Olympic Games and World Championships. Thanks to a $1.5-million commitment from Brooks Canada founders Mike and Paul Dyon, the athletes train and live together in a house in Toronto’s west end provided by the Project. They also receive medical and travel support, and performance-based financial incentives. For more information, see http://www.brooksrunning.ca/runners_resource/marathon_project.html

For more information on the Naples Daily News Half Marathon race, see http://www.napleshalfmarathon.net/index.html

Jon Brown has been cleared to run for Canada! - 2008-01-26

		TSN - The Sports Network 1/22/2008 Jon Brown has been cleared to run for Canada. The Olympic marathoner from Victoria had his switch of allegiance from Great Britain to Canada approved Tuesday by the IAAF, the world governing body for track and field. The addition of Brown, who was Great Britain's top marathoner and finished fourth in both the 2000 Sydney Olympics and 2004 Athens Olympics, is a big boost to the Canadian track program, said Martin Goulet, the chief high performance officer for Athletics Canada. "It's very good news to Canada to have an athlete like him, with his experience and with the results he's had," Goulet said from Montreal. "It's a huge asset." The 36-year-old from Wales has lived in Canada since 1996, deciding to settle on the West Coast with his wife after racing in the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria. Brown was battling complacency and a handful of nagging injuries, and considered retiring from competitive marathoning. He decided to cut his competitive ties to Great Britain this past fall and run for Canada, the country he's called home for more than a decade. Injuries kept Brown out of the world championships in 2005 and last summer's world meet in Osaka, Japan. He also recently lost his funding from the UK government. Brown's next obstacle for a berth at the 2008 Beijing Olympics is Athletics Canada's qualifying standard of two hours 12 minutes 38 seconds. "He's a professional, so he knows what he needs to do and when he needs to do it," Goulet said. Brown, who holds the British record for the 10,000 metres, has a personal best in the marathon of 2:09.31, better than the Canadian record of 2:10.08 set by Jerome Drayton in 1975. Brown ran a 2:11 in his one marathon last season. Canada hasn't had a runner in the Olympic men's marathon since Bruce Deacon finished 44th in Sydney in 2000. Brown plans to try to qualify in a race this spring, and if he doesn't succeed, will have one last chance at qualifying for Beijing at the Canadian marathon championships May 25.

Who you calling Fat Ass? - 2008-01-26

PATRICK WHITE From Friday’s Globe and Mail January 25, 2008 at 8:42 AM EST VANCOUVER — Tales of hikers lost in Lynn Valley after nightfall saturate the logs of North Shore Search and Rescue. Every winter, without fail, a few veer off course and spend a winter night flirting with hypothermia on the cliff-strewn mountainsides that flank Vancouver to the north. This time of year there’s an extra wrinkle: "Hazardous winter conditions," warns the ranger’s stern voice on the park information line. "Expect snow and ice on all of our trails." Such were the conditions on Wednesday when an accountant, a contractor and a computer programmer, among others, suited up in running tights, sneakers and headlamps at 9 p.m. to trot the trail. "Is this dangerous?" they are asked of jogging the eight-kilometre circuit in a -2 C chill. "Depends what you call dangerous," says the programmer, Colin Freeland, 38, who totes a cellphone and a space blanket just in case. "Lots of spots for banging toes and twisting ankles," says the contractor, John Machray, 55, who has already run 10 kilometres from home just to get to the trailhead. "It’s sloppy and slippery, rocky and rooty." With that, they’re off, crunching up the dark, frost-hardened trail, each puffing columns of vapour, each assured in the company of their fellow maniacs. Call them fat asses. The term has become a badge of honour in Vancouver’s running community, where members of a burgeoning group called Club Fat Ass have garnered a reputation for their hijinks off the beaten trail. "We’re known for excessive running followed by excessive beer drinking," Mr. Machray says. Their events, or "informal endurance sports parties," have become legend for reasons the race names alone explain: New Year’s Day Fat Ass 50 Run and Freeze Your Fat Ass Swim, Ann’s Get Your Fat Ass Off The Couch Run, Pure Foolishness 72K. The fat ass concept started in California during the late seventies. An ultra-marathoner named Joe Oakes organized an informal 50-mile run and figured the name Fat Ass 50 would make it less intimidating. The no-frills concept spread to Vancouver in 1993, when Ean Jackson inaugurated the New Year’s Day Fat Ass 50 as a torturous hangover antidote for friends. "I wanted it to be no frills and no charge," says Mr. Jackson, 50. "It was my gift to my buddies on New Year’s Day." The fat asses soon took to the Web, using it to organize runs without the hassles of registration, fees and formal prizes. "If you just put it on the Web, you can keep it small and keep it simple," Mr. Jackson says. "You don’t need $150, you’re not going to get a T-shirt." Fat asses don’t get rewarded for best times either. Instead, prizes might go to the runner who ventured farthest off course, suffered the worst injury or picked up the most garbage. Club members now hold more than 50 free oddball events a year. Some runs are less structured than others. In 2003, four fat asses set out to conquer the 180-kilometre stretch of rock and salal between Desolation Sound and Saltery Bay along the Sunshine Coast. "We almost got killed the first year," says Mr. Jackson, one member of the foursome. "We got lost. Real lost. The local community told us it couldn’t be run." The next year they returned, and Mr. Jackson completed the course in two days. "I ran the whole thing on rice pudding and beef jerky," he says. Tonight’s run is a short affair leading up to next week’s seven-hour Run For the Haggis (kilts, scotch and fake Scottish accents encouraged at the after party) and the Capilano Canyon Night Run - Mardi Gras on Feb. 16, for which costumes are optional. Back in the Lynn Valley, the five runners keep a tight formation, hemmed in by trickling brooks and towering second-growth evergreens that block out the waning moon. At the top, the path gets slippery. They carefully pick their way down a set of ice-covered stairs. Mr. Freeland normally runs the loop in about 55 minutes. Tonight the time will be longer. But that’s okay. "Part of the beauty of CFA is that nobody really cares how fast you are," says Karl Jensen, 58, still sore after completing the Pure Foolishness 72K last weekend in about 14 hours. This March he plans to run a 100-miler with Mr. Machray. "The times are on the honour system. There’s nobody waiting at the finish line with a stopwatch, so you can run as slow as you want for as far as you want. We call it the roll-your-own model." It’s that informality that attracted Penny Jakobsen, 43, a Vancouver mother of four, to the club last August. She joined up the first time she saw the club’s bright red T-shirts with the slogan, "I may be a fat ass but I’m in front of you" emblazoned across the back. "I thought it would be intimidating at first with all these serious athletes, but they’re just as serious about having a good time," Ms. Jakobsen says. With many of the most active members ranging into their 50s and 60s, she saw her fellow club members more as inspiration than intimidation. When the Lynn Valley runners finally make it back to the trailhead, Mr. Machray pulls out a Caramilk bar and explains the age range. "Age doesn’t matter in ultra running," he says. "We have women in their 60s and guys in their 20s." The accountant, Ron Adams, 59, adds that the combination of slow speeds and spongy trails strengthens connective tissues in ways that road running does not. "It’s extreme sports for old folks," says Mr. Machray, before finishing his Caramilk and padding quickly into the night. "Only another 10 kilometres to go."

#9 is the luckey number!! - 2008-01-19

		Dylan Wykes finished ninth in the Aramco Half Marathon in Houston with a time of 1:03:54 (a new Personal Best). Jerry Ziak finished ninth in the Chevron Houston Marathon in 2:21:14. Jason Warick also ran in the half marathon finishing in 1:07:42. This is a very flat course!!

Brophy leads the pack! - 2008-01-14

		Sharon Brophy, who recently ran for the Memorial University cross country team, won the masters division at the Walt Disney Marathon in Orlando. Sharon’s time was 3:23. Other top Canadian finishers included Louise Chercutte from Breakeyville who finished 2nd in the same category and Marilyn Preece who finished 3rd in the 55-59 age category. (photo from Trackie shows Sharon in red uniform from CIS Cross-Country)

This will make you feel warmer!! - 2008-01-06

		PATRICK WHITE From Friday’s Globe and Mail January 4, 2008 at 1:21 AM EST YELLOWKNIFE — As any top athlete knows, the best training regimens incorporate an element of brutality. Swiss tennis ace Roger Federer prepares for big matches in the searing desert heat of Dubai. Sumo wrestlers wallop one another with baseball bats or bamboo swords to get fighting fit. Ex-NHL sharpshooter Pavel Bure was known for skating lap after lap trailing a parachute. And then there’s Lore-ann Krysko. The 44-year-old government worker may not aspire to such lofty athletic heights, but that doesn’t mean her training is any less severe. Ms. Krysko is a marathoner living in Yellowknife, where the mere act of stepping outside in running tights this time of year is a test of will. “Those first couple minutes where you’re thinking you aren’t going to be warm enough are the worst,” says Ms. Krysko, who has won both the Yellowknife and Hay River, NWT, half-marathons. “But if you actually go through with it, it does make you psychologically tougher.” Yellowknife’s average January temperature hovers between lows around -30 C and highs around -20. Hypothermia can set in instantly. Exposed skin can freeze in a matter of minutes. And yet Yellowknife has become a city of runners. Through a combination of sheer resolve and specialized attire such as wind briefs and shoes studded like snow tires, joggers in the capital city have formed what must be one of the world’s hardiest running communities. “It really gets the blood pumping for the few daylight hours that we have,” says Francis Chang, 51, who has helped train several hundred Yellowknifers over the years through programs at the gym he owns. Mr. Chang says 80 to 120 aspiring runners, aged from teens to early 60s, sign up for his groups every year, though not all of them stick to it through the frigid winter months. Like most people here, Mr. Chang had no desire to run in -35 wind chill when he first arrived in town more than 30 years ago. “I hated running,” he says. He wasn’t keen on the whole town seeing him sweat either. “I was too embarrassed to run in the open like that, so I ran on a treadmill instead.” On a -38 day in December, his brother finally convinced him he should try it. He overdressed in a heavy jacket and thick mittens, but by the time he’d shed down to an undershirt, he was hooked. Today, he heads into the cold for a run three times a week and sometimes brings upward of 18 people with him. The hardest part about northern running is overcoming the initial shock of opening the front door. “It’s like jumping into a cold pool,” says Corey McLachlan, 30, another avid runner. “Your first impression is to jump right back out.” But eventually, most runners decide that the benefits outmatch the discomforts. “Because the winters are so long, you need to be outside and active and doing things,” Mr. McLachlan says. “If you don’t, the winters feel longer and darker and colder.” The right clothes go a long way in easing into an arctic running routine. For men, wind-resistant briefs are a must. “As a guy, you only forget to wear those once,” Mr. McLachlan says. Other sartorial standards include several different weights of thermal underwear, mitts, hiking socks and balaclavas, which dampen the burning sensation of breathing frosty air. Footwear often depends on the weather. Mr. Chang prefers a special Swedish shoe that comes with small cleats. “You can run on ice and turn on a dime,” he says. Others use Yaktrax, webs of rubber and metal bands that pull over the bottom of any normal shoe for added traction. As for food and water, the trick is to carry everything as close to the skin as possible. Even a poorly insulated CamelBak – a back-mounted water carrier – won’t freeze until about -25 as long as it’s worn underneath a jacket. Energy bars need to be warmed up in an armpit before they’re soft enough to chew. And you can pretty much forget about wearing an iPod. The batteries barely last an hour unless kept warm against the skin. Armed with the right attire, Yellowknifers run a number of unique events over the winter months. In one loosely organized event, runners strike out across Great Slave Lake for the village of Detah, about 13 kilometres away. And last year marked the inauguration of the Rock and Ice Ultra. This ultra-marathon features two running events: a one-day, 75-kilometre race and a three-day, 135-kilometre race. The temperature plummeted to -40 for last year’s event, prompting half of the more than 100 participants – who come from as far away as Taiwan, South Africa and France – to drop out. “After -40, nothing works,” says Scott Smith, the race director, who’s anticipating a much larger international field this year. “That’s about when you have to pull the plug.” But that hasn’t stopped Ms. Krysko from signing up for this year’s event, which starts March 22. She started training specifically for the ultra on Boxing Day with a four-hour run in -27 weather. “I mainly wanted to make sure that my food wouldn’t freeze,” she says. Ms. Krysko is also training for the Ironman triathlon in August in Penticton, B.C., where she hopes her extreme training will give her an edge. “Every time that cold wind hits, you think ‘other people aren’t doing this,’ ” she says. “Psychologically, that makes you tougher. And plus, lugging all that extra clothing around has got to make you stronger.”

Top Runners Are Caught in Kenya?s Rising Violence - 2008-01-05

Source: NY Times

By JOSHUA ROBINSON

Published: January 5, 2008

Lornah Kiplagat’s afternoon run is out of the question. Even though her training center in Iten, Kenya, is only a mile from her house, the short trip is more daunting than any race.

Daily life in her village 18 miles outside the city of Eldoret, which has been battered by bloody violence in the past week, is punctuated by the sound of gunfire. Every day brings more roadblocks of blazing tires soaked in gasoline. Vigilante groups, wielding knives and automatic weapons, are constantly on patrol.

“It’s very tough to go running,” said Toby Tanser, a member of the New York Road Runners board of directors who is training with Kiplagat, the half-marathon world record holder. “Because if one of the vigilantes catch you, they want to know what you’re doing just running when the country is at war. And the mobs are always trying to recruit anyone who is healthy.”

The violence that has torn across Kenya since the disputed presidential election last Sunday has reached some of the nation’s top athletes.

With communications worsening on a daily basis — people are unable to purchase mobile phone credit — some of running’s biggest names remain unaccounted for.

Several calls to the home of the former marathon world record holder Paul Tergat went unanswered, and Lisa Buster, the agent for the marathon world champion Catherine Ndereba, said that a text message on Friday was the first time she had heard from Ndereba in several days. Ndereba’s message to Buster said that she was safe.

Still, many athletes have committed themselves to continue training. Tanser said that one marathoner he knows completes his daily hour-and-a-half runs by staying within a five-minute radius of his house.

Kiplagat, who is preparing for the Dubai marathon Jan. 18, has had to limit herself to a single run around 5:30 a.m. Afterward, she spends the rest of the day indoors at the High Altitude Training Center, which she operates with her husband and coach, Pieter Langerhorst.

This week, she also took responsibility for the safety of 15 visiting athletes from Ireland and the Netherlands. In cooperation with the Dutch embassy in Nairobi, she orchestrated an evacuation Wednesday.

“We got heavily armed police escorts to take them to the Eldoret airport, which is about 25 miles from here,” Langerhorst said in a telephone interview from the couple’s home Thursday.

“From there we had a charter flight to Nairobi. They slept in Nairobi and this morning took a KLM flight to Amsterdam.”

The next day the camp was in danger of being torched. “There was a house next door that the mob wanted to burn,” Tanser said. “And we were taking things out of one side of the camp to another because the flames climbed so high. They’ll burn any house that happens to belong to someone of the wrong tribe.”

The only people left at the training center and Langerhorst’s home are Langerhorst; Kiplagat; Tanser; Hilda Kibet, the New York City half-marathon champion; and a dozen or so refugees. Five girls ages 3 to 12 are also staying in the house. It is because of them that Tanser has decided to stay in Kenya.

“They witnessed people being sliced to death and they need people here to cheer them up and take care of them,” he said. “For children to see people cut up with knives, it’s a horrible situation. So we stay up with them, playing the guitar and singing.”

Athletes have not been spared from the violence. Last Saturday, the marathon world champion Luke Kibet walked to downtown Eldoret from his home about two miles away. He was trying to buy food. “But when I arrived with two of my friends,” he said, “there were people shooting in the air.”

In the Rift Valley in the far west of Kenya, the conflict has largely broken down along tribal lines. The Kikuyu support President Mwai Kibaki, who was declared the winner of last week’s election by a narrow margin despite evidence of ballot rigging. The Kalenjin, of which Kibet is a member, and Luo back Raila Odinga, the opposition candidate who has said he was robbed of the presidency.

So when Kibet headed into town, he knew that any run-ins with the Kikuyu would be incendiary.

“I saw a big group of Kikuyu coming towards us on the street,” he said. “And suddenly I was on the floor, trying to stay awake.”

Kibet had been struck in the back of the head with a stone. His friends rushed him to a hospital, where he was treated for a deep flesh wound and a concussion. Doctors told him he would be unable to train for three weeks.

Three hours later, Lucas Sang, a middle-distance runner who competed in the 1988 and 1992 Olympics as part of Kenya’s 4x400-meter relay team, was hacked to death. Kibet said he believed it was the same group that assaulted him. Reliable information is sparse, and Kibet said it took two days of searching before he discovered Sang’s fate. Sang’s funeral will be in Eldoret on Saturday.

But Kibet says he has no plans to leave. “Some days it’s not dangerous and some days it is,” he said. “But I’m staying here to recover and I want to start training again.”

Other athletes who had made plans to compete abroad long before the election barely managed to escape. The marathoners Simon Wangai and Peter Muthuma, who are competing this weekend at a marathon in Xiamen, China, traveled to Nairobi separately from the Ngong region in central Kenya. Rioting has been especially intense on the outskirts of Nairobi. Now the police have blocked all traffic into the city.

“I had to walk the last five kilometers into Nairobi,” Wangai said in a telephone interview from Xiamen. “I was very frightened that I would be robbed or hurt by the mob because I was carrying my bags.”

Muthuma had to do the same, but he and Wangai said they still planned to return to Kenya on Tuesday.

Despite the violence, Kiplagat and Tanser still make their way to the training camp through the bush. Members of militia groups line the main roads. “It’s a waiting game,” Tanser said. “We just watch news all the time, but there’s no information around.”

For the time being, the afternoon runs are staying off the schedule.

Bernard Lagat and Lornah Kiplagat Recognized for Championship Performances - 2007-12-24

Website: http://www.raceresultsweekly.com

RACE RESULTS WEEKLY ANNOUNCES 2007 RUNNERS OF THE YEAR

Bernard Lagat and Lornah Kiplagat Recognized for Championship Performances

NEW YORK (December 21) -- Race Results Weekly, the wire service of distance running, announced today that Bernard Lagat of the United States and Lornah Kiplagat of the Netherlands have been selected the Race Results Weekly 2007 Runners of the Year. RRW, the most comprehensive global source of middle and long distance running results and news, selected Lagat and Kiplagat for their thrilling gold medal and record-setting performances at the IAAF World Athletics, Cross Country and Road Running Championships this year.

"We debated these choices more than usual because athletes like Kenenisa Bekele and Meseret Defar --the RRW runners of the year last year-- Haile Gebrselassie, Martin Lel and Zersenay Tadese had such spectacular years," said Editor and Publisher, David Monti. "But in the end, it was how Lagat and Kiplagat performed at the major championships which won us over. They didn’t just win; they took big risks and dominated.”

Lagat, 33, became the first man ever to win the 1500 and 5000 meters at the same World Championship. He ran five races over nine days, taking his titles in sprint finishes and breaking a 99-year middle distance gold medal drought for his adopted nation. Not since Mel Sheppard won the Olympic title in London in 1908 has an American man won a world or Olympic 1500m title.

“So many doubted that he could win this double, because his performances leading up to the World Championships were only so-so,” said Assistant Editor Bob Ramsak, pointing out that he only finished third at his own national championship in the 1500 meters, barely making the USA team. “But he and coach James Li had a master plan to peak at Worlds, and they executed it perfectly. He put on an amazing show in Osaka we won’t soon forget.”

Kiplagat’s achievements were altogether different than Lagat’s, but were just as compelling. The 33 year-old athlete returned to the country of her birth last March to contest the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in the brutal heat and humidity of Mombassa, and handily defeated the likes of Tirunesh Dibaba and Meselech Melkamu. Taking the lead from the gun, she won by an improbable 24 seconds.

The Dutchwoman solidified her selection as Runner of the Year with an electrifying performance at the IAAF World Road Running Championships in Udine, Italy, last October. Never content just to win a race, Kiplagat overwhelmed her rivals, setting world records for 20 km (en route,1:02:57) and the half-marathon (1:06:25), gapping the field at the finish line by nearly the same margin as at World Cross Country.

“For me, she sealed the deal with her fantastic performance in Udine, running from the front, and taking down a venerable world record, sans pacesetters,” commented Ramsak. Kiplagat slashed 19 seconds off of Elana Meyer’s previous half-marathon world standard which had stood since 1999.

Kiplagat also won several important invitational road races, including the World’s Best 10-K (where she defeated Defar by over a minute), and the NYRR New York Mini 10-K (where she recorded her fourth title). A calf strain kept her out of the IAAF World Championships in Osaka where she had planned to run the 10,000m.

In determining the Race Results Weekly 2007 Runners of the Year, the editors considered each candidate’s entire competitive record for the year, but ultimately gave the greatest weight to their best and most inspiring performances, especially at major championships when the stakes were highest.

# # # # # #

ABOUT RACE RESULTS WEEKLY: Founded in 1994, Race Results Weekly is the professional distance running results and news service relied upon by running industry professionals. RRW covers over 2000 middle and long distance races each year; no source is more comprehensive or respected. Subscription information is available at http://www.raceresultsweekly.com.

Marathon Project Grows!! - 2007-12-24

		Check out http://www.brooksrunning.ca/runners_resource/marathon_project_athletes.html to see the current lineup for the Brooks Canada Marathon Project Group.

80-year-old on top of Canada!! - 2007-12-22

		(Pasted from Honolulu Advertiser) By Michael Tsai Honolulu Advertiser Staff Writer (Note from Alex: There was a faster time from another American earlier but Betty's time is still a pending national record) If the march of time couldn’t stop Betty Jean McHugh from making a historical impact on the Honolulu Marathon, what chance did an unaware pooch have? McHugh, an 80-year-old retired nurse from Northern Vancouver, set a world record for her age group (80-84) after finishing yesterday’s Honolulu Marathon in an impressive 5 hours, 6 minutes and 34 seconds. The previous record of 5:10:04 was set by Ida Mintz at the 1985 Chicago Marathon. But McHugh almost passed on the race. Two months ago, McHugh collided with a dog and suffered a fractured tibia and torn cartilage. McHugh thought she’d have to sit on the sidelines and watch, but a rigorous regimen of water running and elliptical training, as well as her own considerable willpower, delivered her to the start line as scheduled. A little over five hours later, she was the holder of a world record. "I was planning to run-walk if I didn’t feel right," McHugh said. "I was very careful. If my knee was sore, I would not have continued. It wouldn’t have been worth it." Defying expectations isn’t anything new to McHugh. She didn’t take up running until she was in her 50s and, with the help of her running group, the Capilano Eagles, and another group of close running friends, McHugh has developed into a force on the course. McHugh has run "17 or 18" marathons, including three in Honolulu, and said she has no plans to stop anytime soon. In 2002, she set a world record for runners age 75 to 79 with a 4:10:58 finish. She broke that record by 20 seconds three years later at the Royal Victoria Marathon. McHugh’s accomplishment is all the more remarkable given that the Honolulu Marathon course doesn’t lend itself to record-setting marks. With its deceptively long hills and typically hot, humid weather, Honolulu is considered a "slow" course by most experienced marathoners. Still, neither the course nor the inclement weather bothered McHugh. "The rain during the race didn’t bother me nearly as much as waking up at 2:15 a.m. to rain crashing down all around outside," she said.

New sites to check out! - 2007-12-12

		(Photo is Sylvan presenting award to former national cross country runner Paddy McCluskey) Check out our new Science of Sport link. Running Tech Guru Sylvan Smyth of Victoria gave me that link. If you have any links that you think we should offer as well, please contact me at alex.coffin@marathoncanada.com. We're also starting to finalize the 2008 half and full marathon schedule so let me know if you have any inside scoop or advice for people planning their schedule.

Age Group Rankers Hit Gold in Sacramento - 2007-12-06

		Charles Bedley lead the way with the #1 ranked Canadian marathon time this year. However, there were some very notable age group performaces behind him. Rita Ivanauskas won the 40-49 category handily and her 2:48:56 placed her #9 overall and #2 in 40-49 national rankings. #1 spot was just taken by Lucy Smith in November in New York. Tara Struyk was just ahead of Rita in Sacramento but finished 5th in the highly competitive 25-29 category. However, her 2:46:33 gives her a #5 ranking and a #1 ranking in the 20-29 category. Carla Dunn was #2 in the 35-39 category in Sacramento and her time of 2:51:01gives her a #12 national ranking. Neil Holm was #1 in the 40-44 category in Sacramento which gives him a #4 ranking in national 40-49. Other strong performaces in Sacramento included Bonnie Skov (#2 in 60-69), Mark Bomba (#3 in 35-39) and Per Ekegerd (#4 in 35-39).

Charles Bedley #1!! - 2007-12-06

Posted on http://coachjoeenglish.wordpress.com/ Third-place finisher Charles Bedley (2:16:26) of Toronto added, “The weather was perfect. The course was great.” Bedley won the Toronto Marathon on October 14th in 2:21:58, which was his previous marathon PR. “I’m really happy with this time,” he exclaimed.

National Cross Country Results In! - 2007-12-02

		AGSI Master's Canadian National Cross Country Championship 8.0 KM Race University of Guelph Arboretum Dec 1st, 2007 10:45am. Weather: -7' and snow covered Place Name No. Age S Club Province Sexdi Agedi Time Pace ===== =================== ===== === = ========== ========== ===== ===== ======= ===== 1 Alain Boucher 1307 44 M Ottawa Lio ON 27:26 3:26 2 Gary Westgate 1356 41 M Toronto Ol ON m 45 27:34 3:27 3 James Loaring 1339 30 M Speed Rive ON 27:52 3:29 4 Derek Hackshaw 1294 38 M Newmarket ON m 35 28:02 3:31 5 Jerry Kooymans 1345 52 M Toronto Ol ON m 45 28:08 3:31 6 Dave Tepper 1303 32 M Newmarket ON m 35 28:13 3:32 7 Dan Fiorini 1293 45 M Newmarket ON m 45 28:14 3:32 8 Michael Hay 1306 40 M Nickel Cit ON 28:14 3:32 9 Shawn Muldrew 1225 42 M Edmonton T AB m 45 28:21 3:33 10 Neil Gowan 1324 30 M Saugeen Tr ON m 35 28:24 3:33 AGSI Junior Women's Canadian National Cross Country Championship 5.0 KM Race University of Guelph Arboretum Dec 1st, 2007 12:00pm. Weather: -7' AND SNOW COVERED Place TmPl No. Name Club Yr. Time Pace ===== ==== ==== ========================================= ==================== ===== ======= ===== 1 204 Kendra Schaaf Queen City Striders 1990 16:53.7 3:23 2 243 Lindsay Carson Tri-City Track Club 1989 17:07.6 3:26 3 1 196 Danelle Woods Ottawa Lions 1989 17:29.0 3:30 4 101 Geneviève Lalonde Athletisme Sud-Est 1991 17:29.4 3:30 5 120 Paula Findlay Edmonton Thunder 1989 17:38.8 3:32 6 2 180 Sheila Reid Newmarket Huskies 1989 17:43.9 3:33 7 3 266 Rachel Cliff Vancouver Thunderbir 1988 17:48.5 3:34 8 4 257 Tamara Jewett University of Toront 1990 17:53.9 3:35 9 5 121 Keesha Danso-Dapaah Etobicoke Track and 1990 17:55.9 3:36 10 131 Sarah MacPherson Fredericton Fast Tra 1991 17:57.5 3:36 AGSI Junior Men's Canadian National Cross Country Championship 8.0 KM Race University of Guelph Arboretum Dec 1st, 2007 12:45pm. Weather: -7' AND SNOW COVERED Place TmPl No. Name Club Yr. Time Pace ===== ==== ==== ========================================= ==================== ===== ======= ===== 1 281 Matt Leeder Brockville Legion 1989 25:09.3 3:09 2 446 Kyle Boorsma Speed River TFC 1988 25:16.3 3:10 3 1 458 Matthew Hughes Toronto Olympic 1989 25:51.2 3:14 4 2 392 Mohammed Ahmed Niagara Olympic Club 1991 25:53.2 3:15 5 3 460 Alek Kuternin Toronto Olympic 1990 25:55.9 3:15 6 286 Peter Corrigan Calgary Spartans 1989 25:56.9 3:15 7 4 408 Allan Brett Ottawa Lions 1988 26:00.5 3:16 8 289 Nyial Majock* CALTAF 1990 26:01.0 3:16 9 428 Barry Britt Saint John Track Clu 1990 26:02.5 3:16 10 5 377 Justin Duncan Mississauga Track an 1988 26:12.9 3:17 AGSI Senior Women's Canadian National Cross Country Championship 7.0 KM Race University of Guelph Arboretum Dec 1st, 2007 1:30pm. Weather: -7' AND SNOW COVERED Place TmPl No. Name Club Yr. Time Pace ===== ==== ==== ========================================= ==================== ===== ======= ===== 1 514 Carmen Douma Hussar Guelph Track and Fie 1977 23:46.8 3:24 2 1 509 Megan Metcalfe Edmonton Thunder 1982 23:55.1 3:26 3 513 Alexandra Becker Guelph Track and Fie 1987 23:58.1 3:26 4 554 Marie-Louise Asselin 1988 24:18.5 3:29 5 2 507 Aster Demissie* Edmonton Thunder 1983 24:24.5 3:30 6 501 Beth Wightman Brooks Canada Marath 1981 24:28.5 3:30 7 537 Danette Doetzel Queen City Striders 1986 24:31.1 3:31 8 567 Anita Campbell Valley Royals 1987 24:49.1 3:33 9 522 Andrea Grove-McDonough Mountain West Track 1973 24:51.6 3:34 10 555 Dana Buchanan 1984 24:56.3 3:34 AGSI Senior Men's Canadian National Cross Country Championship 10.0 KM Race University of Guelph Arboretum Dec 1st, 2007 2:15pm. Weather: -7' AND SNOW COVERED Place TmPl No. Name Club Yr. Time Pace ===== ==== ==== ========================================= ==================== ===== ======= ===== 1 1 630 Reid Coolsaet Speed River TFC 1979 29:55.7 3:00 2 2 631 Eric Gillis Speed River TFC 1980 29:56.2 3:00 3 621 Dylan Wykes Physi-Kult 1983 30:12.7 3:02 4 3 635 Rob Watson Speed River TFC 1984 30:27.0 3:03 5 4 634 Taylor Murphy Speed River TFC 1979 30:29.4 3:03 6 638 Derek Nakluski Toronto Olympic 1982 30:37.3 3:04 7 5 659 Trevor Caldwell University of Toront 1979 30:45.2 3:05 8 652 Chris Winter 1986 30:47.1 3:05 9 647 Joël Bourgeois 1971 30:56.9 3:06 10 579 James Gosselin Brooks Canada Marath 1977 30:57.7 3:06

FloTrack on board for National X-Country - 2007-11-26

		Guelphrunning is pleased to announce that the popular Internet running site, Flotrack.com, will be on hand Thursday Nov. 29th through Saturday Dec. 1st to cover the AGSI National Cross Country Championships. Flotrack.com will be putting race footage up on their site as well as interviews from the race weekend. Flotrack.com has become very popular among runners as they provide great coverage of track and cross country meets around the world. Locally, they also covered the Mercedes Benz Classic Cambridge Mile this past June. (Note from Alex: This is an amazing website. You'll get hooked quick)

Jon Brown to run for Canada - 2007-11-20

Randy Boswell, CanWest News Service

Published: Saturday, November 17, 2007
Vancouver Sun

(Photo: Mark Shearman)

Britain's top marathon runner, apparently upset about being cut off from U.K. government training funds last week, has announced plans to run for Canada instead -- a surprise decision being slammed as "selfish" in Jon Brown's home country but welcomed by Canadian officials as a boon to our Olympic chances.

The 36-year-old marathoner's sudden switch of allegiance is made possible because he obtained dual citizenship in 2005 after choosing Victoria as his training base several years earlier.

And now Brown -- who finished fourth at both the Athens and Sydney Games, and whose best time is nearly 10 minutes faster than that of any current Canadian marathoner -- gives Canada a potential medal contender at the Beijing Olympics next year.

"It's good news," Athletics Canada spokesman Mathieu Gentes said Friday. "We were contacted a little while ago about his intention to do this ... We just need to get the paperwork done."

Brown announced his decision earlier this week in an e-mail statement: "I no longer will be representing Great Britain in athletic competition. Instead I will now be running for Canada."

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

Philly Marathon on Nov 18! - 2007-11-19

By WAYNE FISH
Bucks County Courier Times

The women's portion of the Philadelphia Marathon has been dominated in recent years by European and African runners.

Sunday, the foreign presence was nowhere to be found, opening the door for a Pittsburgh-born woman to win it and a Philadelphia native to finish second.

Kristin Price, raised in the Steel City and currently living in Raleigh, N.C., upped her pace around the 20-mile mark and pulled away from Paige Miller, a Philly running prodigy, for the victory.

Price completed the 26.2-mile course in two hours, 42 minutes, five seconds. Miller arrived in 2:43.59.

In the men's race, a pair of Kenyans battled for the final 16 miles before Timothy Psitet outlasted training partner Solomon Too. Psitet made a break at the 25-mile mark and won in 2:25.01, with Too crossing 62 seconds later.

American women took all top 10 places for a change, and Price and Miller acknowledged the “home'' crowd provided some extra energy on a difficult weather day.

“This race seems to be mostly Pennsylvanians and more local runners,'' said Miller, 24, a former Duke University runner who now resides in State College in connection with a graduate degree at Penn State.

“I'm from Philadelphia, so it's a lot more fun. It's great, everyone's cheering for you.''

Price, 25, said the gusty wind and low temperature (mid-40s) played into the times for the race. She was biding her time until the final turnaround point in Manayunk.

“Right after the turnaround at 20 (miles) I realized I didn't have much of a lead so I decided to pick it up for a few miles,'' said Price, who formerly ran track and cross country at North Carolina State University.

“The winds were the worst part,'' she said. “I guess I really wasn't prepared for that.

Price said she entered the race because she was involved in an automobile accident last week and “needed the money.''

Her first prize was $3,500.

“Enough for a fender,'' she laughed.

Price has qualified for the U.S. Olympic women's marathon trials at Boston next April.

The men's race had a similar plot, a two-runner battle. Psitet and Too broke together from the lead pack at mile 10 and tried to work together against the elements. At mile 25, Too began to weaken and gestured for Psitet to take over.

“I told him to go ahead,'' Too, 23, said. “I started to have a headache and felt like I could fall down.''

The two runners belong to the Westchester Track Club, just north of New York City.

Psitet wasn't sure what he would have left due to the conditions, so he held back a bit until the end.

“The weather wasn't good and the pace was moderate,'' said Psitet, 27. “When the weather is not good, you can not make a good time. I decided to wait until 23 miles and then push.''

In the half-marathon competition, Kenya's Hillary Kipchumba won the men's title in 1:05.40, and Molly Taver of Somerville, Mass. took women's honors in 1:18.38.

In the Rothman Institute 8K, Dagne Alemu of Silver Spring, Md. was first in 24.18. Kenya's Caroline Chepkorir was the women's winner in 26.18.

(Alex's note: Jean Nicolas Duval of Montreal was 3rd in 2:28:41, Christian Mercier was 11th in 2:33:51, Boris Lanctot of Longueil was 23rd in 2:37:26, Christina Clark was 32nd for the women in 2:59:02, Joanne Bink of Waterloo was 33rd in 2:59:25)

Wayne Fish can be reached at 215-949-4215 or wfish@phillyBurbs.com.

Help Support the Website - 2007-11-16

		I just noticed our national competitor’s ad in the paper. It’s our policy to match the Running Room's prices so I hope you continue to support the website. Not only will we match but the following deals will remain in place until stock is sold out. There is a $5 charge for freight. Our toll free phone number is 1-866-440-4322 and my e-mail is alex.coffin@marathoncanada.com. Stay tuned for future details on our customer loyalty program based on your 2007 purchases. Check out the following deals: ASICS 2120 $114.99 Mizuno Wave Rider $119.99 (RR is $124.99) Mizuno Wave Elixir $114.99 Saucony Progrid Triumph $124.99 Nike Air Structure $124.99 Brooks Adrenaline $114.99 Alex

Marathon kids: Too young to run? - 2007-11-10

Source: Globe and Mail

Hayley Mick

There was something different about the lanky, fresh-faced racer who completed the Cape Breton Fiddlers Run marathon in three hours, 28 minutes and six seconds two weeks ago.

Maybe it was that he embraced his mother at the finish. Maybe it was the Eminem on his iPod.

For Nicholas Burke, completing his second marathon proved he could "pretty much accomplish anything" - especially considering he’s only a teenager.

But others say his young age means he shouldn’t be running marathons at all.

Mr. Burke, 17, is among a small but growing number of Canadian youth - some as young as 9 - that race officials report are completing marathons and 21-kilometre half marathons at major races.

Their participation highlights one of the most controversial questions in the running world: How young is too young to run 42.2 kilometres?

Marathons can permanently injure growing bodies, say some sports doctors, who warn that the road race may be the newest sports arena where children’s bodies are being pushed too hard.

"As more and more children are running longer and longer and harder and harder, we’re seeing ever-increasing numbers of injuries from overuse," said Stephen Rice, a pediatric sports doctor from New Jersey who has researched the sport’s health

impacts.

Concerned by the number of young entrants, race officials are now adding parental consent forms to their registration policies to protect themselves from liability. Some running enthusiasts also warn that young athletes are being pushed to dangerous extremes by zealous adults, and are

advocating a ban on racers younger than 18.

The controversy comes at a time when children’s running programs are being promoted more than ever before. Fuelled by anxiety over childhood obesity and sedentary lifestyles, kids’ races have been added to marathon events in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver and dozens of U.S. cities in the past five years, attracting thousands of children and school groups

annually.

About 400 children crossed the finish line at the Niagara Falls International Marathon on Oct. 28. The kids’ marathon program, which mirrors others across the country, requires elementary school children to run 40 kilometres, broken into smaller distances, over a six-week period. Then, on race day, they run the final 2.2 kilometres and cross the same finish line as world-class athletes.

"It feels really good," said

10-year-old Alexander Foster McCullough, a Grade 5 student who completed the program for the third year.

Programs such as the Niagara Falls Schools Marathon Challenge are almost universally praised because they encourage children to become active and will, it is hoped, instill a lifelong love of running.

"They get the real marathon experience with all the timing chips," said teacher Christina Jackson, who coached Alexander and 16 other students from St. Ann elementary school in Fenwick, Ont. "They get really jazzed up about it."

But when a youngster is inspired to run 42.2 kilometres all at once, many draw a different line. Running enthusiasts spar over the question in online forums, magazines and medical journals, as more children want to run longer distances and adults wonder whether they should.

The issue hit the international stage last year when India’s so-called marathon boy tried to run about 70 kilometres before doctors stopped him near the 65-km mark. His coach was charged with torture in August after his mother reported signs of abuse. China had its own 8-year-old marathon girl, who reportedly ran 3,500 kilometres this summer at the urging of her father, sparking protests from children’s rights activists.

Much of the controversy comes from the confusion over whether running a marathon helps or harms growing bodies.

In its 2007 guide for clinicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics said there was no compelling evidence suggesting that children should be banned from marathons, as long as they train properly and aren’t being forced to take part.

But other medical bodies - including the one advising the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) - recommend that runners under 18 should be banned. Their arguments are based on anecdotal evidence and studies looking at youth competing in other endurance sports, such as triathlons.

Dr. Rice authored a position statement that was published in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine in 2003 on behalf of AIMS.

He cited a long list of health risks, including stress fractures, reduction in bone mass, decreased flexibility, adult-onset arthritis and other degenerative conditions. Children are also more likely than adults to overheat during exercise, he wrote, because they heat up faster and are less able to get rid of heat through sweat.

"Running is wonderful," Dr. Rice says. "But 26 miles? Is it really necessary to run that far?"

Yes, Mr. Burke says.

He was inspired to run the marathon at 10, when he flipped the television channel and saw runners pouring over the finish line at the Boston Marathon. By 12, he was running two kilometres a night after dinner. At 15, he completed his first five-kilometre competitive race.

"I got the bug from there," Mr. Burke said.

Six months after that race, he finished the Blue Nose International Marathon in Halifax in a respectable three hours and 50 minutes. He was the third male under 19 across the finish line.

Mr. Burke couldn’t find a running coach in Victoria Mines, N.S., the village of 1,000 people where he lives with his parents and 10-year-old brother. So he followed a six-month marathon training program he found online. He checked regularly with Internet forums, seeking advice and encouragement from other runners. He also got a green light from his doctor.

"He’s always been so active and so healthy that I don’t see it as a problem," said his mother, Sandra Burke, whose concerns were alleviated by the medical checkup.

Race organizers can’t ensure anyone has trained properly. But while many say they don’t want teenagers competing in their races, they put the onus on parents to stop them.

"If a parent comes along and really wants their 17-year-old to run the marathon, we’re not going to tell them that they can’t," said Laurie Davison, spokeswoman for the Ottawa Marathon. "But they have to sign the waiver."

Parental consent is also required by the Toronto Marathon and Vancouver Marathon, which gets about 50 runners under age 19 in the full and

half marathon races each

year. Smaller races, such as the

Calgary Marathon and Cape Breton Fiddlers Run, don’t have official policies for young

entrants.

Mr. Burke knows that many people don’t support his passion. He’s debated with those who have the "gall" to challenge what he’s doing.

His goal is to qualify for the race that first inspired him: the Boston Marathon. When he attempts to make the three-hour, 10-minute qualifying time in Halifax in May, he’ll be able to meet Boston’s 18-year old age requirement.

"I feel like nobody can stop me," he said. "I get this feeling that comes over me [when I run]. That it’s my own time and everything, just for me."

Radcliffe and Lel win in New York - 2007-11-04

		Sourced from the New York Roadrunners Paula Radcliffe of England made a stunning comeback at the ING New York City Marathon leading wire-to-wire to win in 2:23:09. Paula gave birth to her first child in January. Gete Wami of Ethiopia was second, good enough to take the first World Marathon Majors title. On the men’s side, Martin Lel of Kenya outkicked Abderrahim Goumri of Morrocco to win in 2:09:04. The 2004 champion Hendrick Ramaala finished third. Canadian Bruce Deacon was the top masters runner in 2:24:19. Former Canadian 1500 meter champion Graham Hood finished 51st with a 2:34:52. The top Canadian woman was Lucy Smith who finished 22nd for the women in 2:48:35. Lucy finished 2nd in the masters division while Elisabeth Ruel was 3rd. Chantal Petitclerc was 4th for the women in the wheelchair division in 1:57:44 while Diane Roy was 6th. There was still a lot of shock over Ryan Shay’s death the day before. Autopsy results are expected in a week. Ryan Shay had been diagnosed with an enlarged heart but had been cleared to run. Other runners on Sunday included Lance Armstrong who ran a very respectable 2:46:34. As well, amputee Alex Zanardi, who raced cars in the CART Circuit before a horrific accident, competed in a handcycle.

High Winds in Moncton! - 2007-11-04

		(Photo is Bruce Rosvall who ran both KV Marathon and Moncton 2 weeks later; taken by Frank Loomer) It was a crazy day at the Legs for Literacy Marathon in Moncton. Winds gusted up to 100 km/hour with the marathoners finishing the final 12K against the wind. Nova Scotia’s Ray Moorehead won comfortably in front of local runner David Lemaire. Ultra Man Seth Bitting from BC was in 3rd. Natalie Arsenault won the women’s title by just over 2 minutes. Nova Scotia’s Michelle Mountain finished 2nd and Pace Rabbit Maggie Johnson finished 3rd. For the age group categories, local runners Hans Laltoo and Jean Barry ran very fast with a 3:12:39 and a 4:07:26 to win the 50-59 age categories. In the half, Alex Coffin took the provincial title with Dean Strowbridge barely edging Gilles Gautreau for 2nd. Paula Keating is the new provincial champion for the women in the half with Michelline Drisdale taking 2nd and Nova Scotia’s Kari Ellen Graham in 3rd. The top move in the Series points was Malcolm Boyd edging Robert Jackson in the 50-59 age category in the last race!! The big scoop in the 5K and the 10K was girl power as junior runner Sarah MacPherson from Keswick Ridge finished 4th overall in the 10K and junior runner Sarah Myatt from Fredericton finished 4th overall in the 5K. Talk about doubles.... Bruce Rosvall and Jerry Power run both the KV Challenge and the Legs for Literacy Marathon within a 2 week period. Maybe they were inspired by David McLennan who finished 2nd at KV and then proceeded to win the Cape Breton Fiddlers Marathon a week later!!

Ryan Hall wins US Olympic Qualifier - 2007-11-03

(Alex’s note: Brian Sell passed Dan Browne in the late stages and then cruised to the third and final spot on the US team. Sell was not in the front pack at about 15 miles with Browne, Hall, Ritzenhein, Keflezighi and Abdirahman ahead. Khannouchi also tried to bridge the gap along with Sell but could not. Culpepper dropped out at 16. Hall started throwing down the gauntlet at about 17-20. Everyone except Ritzenheim imploded with the effort. It is simply shocking news about Ryan Shay. He died after collapsing at about the 5.5 mile mark. I'm sure there will be more news related to this horrible news.)

unofficial results (posted by USATF)

Place	Bib	Name	Age	Hometown	Affiliation	Finish
1	2	Ryan Hall	25	Mammoth Lakes, CA		2:09:02
2	9	Dathan Ritzenhein	24	Eugene, OR		2:11:07
3	5	Brian Sell	29	Rochester Hills, MI	Hansons-Brooks Distance Project	2:11:40
4	1	Khalid Khannouchi	36	Ossining, NY		2:12:34
5	47	Jason Lehmkuhle	30	Minneapolis, MN	Team USA Minnesota	2:12:54
6	127	Daniel Browne	32	Beaverton, OR	Nike	2:13:23
7	20	Nathaniel Jenkins	27	Lowell, MA		2:14:56
8	4	Meb Keflezighi	32	San Diego, CA		2:15:09
9	126	Josh Rohatinsky	25	Portland, OR	Nike	2:15:22
10	24	Jason Hartmann	26	Boulder, CO		2:15:27
11	128	Matthew Gonzales	26	Albuquerque, NM	Nike	2:16:14
12	15	Mike Morgan	27	Rochester Hills, MI	Hansons-Brooks Distance Project	2:16:28
13	38	Fasil Bizuneh	27	Flagstaff, AZ		2:16:47
14	125	James Carney	29	Boulder, CO	New Balance	2:16:54
15	92	Steve Sundell	25	Redwood City, CA		2:16:54
16	87	Christopher Raabe	28	Washington, DC		2:17:01
17	28	Nick Arciniaga	24	Rochester Hills, MI	Hansons-Brooks Distance Project	2:17:08
18	11	Clint Verran	32	Rochester Hills, MI	Hansons-Brooks Distance Project	2:17:10
19	46	Matt Pelletier	28	Warwick, RI	Running Heritage	2:17:17
20	14	Chad Johnson	31	Rochester Hills, MI	Hansons-Brooks Distance Project	2:17:58
21	23	Joshua Ordway	27	Dublin, OH	Columbus Running Company	2:18:10
22	27	Jacob Frey	26	Oakton, VA		2:18:19
23	42	Joe Driscoll	28	Blowing Rock, NC	ZAP Fitness	2:18:22
24	53	John Mentzer	31	Monterey, CA	U.S. Navy	2:18:23
25	99	Allen Wagner	27	San Diego, CA		2:18:25
26	65	Patrick Rizzo	24	Rochester Hills, MI	Hansons-Brooks Distance Project	2:18:30
27	132	Sergio Reyes	26	Los Osos, CA	Asics Aggie Running Club	2:18:31
28	22	Patrick Moulton	25	Rochester Hills, MI	Hansons-Brooks Distance Project	2:18:35
29	58	Mikhail Sayenko	23	Bellevue, WA		2:18:35
30	49	Donovan Fellows	28	Woodbury, MN		2:18:45
31	21	Miguel Nuci	28	Turlock, CA	Transports Adidas Racing Team	2:18:47
32	32	Michael Reneau	29	Rochester Hills, MI	Hansons-Brooks Distance Project	2:18:51
33	109	Macharia Yuot	25	Chester, PA		2:18:56
34	34	Dan Sutton	27	Madison, WI	Wisconsin Runner Racing Team	2:18:59
35	102	Nicholas Cordes	28	Ashland, OH	Brooks	2:19:01
36	52	Teren Jameson	30	Taylorsville, UT		2:19:05
37	31	Chris Lundstrom	31	Minneapolis, MN	Team USA Minnesota	2:19:21
38	88	Eric Post	28	Centreville, VA		2:19:25
39	77	Matthew Folk	31	Canfield, OH	Team Good River	2:19:47
40	41	James Lander	28	La Habra, CA		2:20:09
41	108	Michael Cox	32	Princeton, WV		2:20:12
42	95	Greg Costello	26	Chicago, IL	Nike Central Elite Racing Team	2:20:28
43	18	Luke Humphrey	26	Rochester, MI	Hansons-Brooks Distance Project	2:20:34
44	43	John Lucas	27	Eugene, OR	Team XO	2:20:48
45	103	John Service	27	San Jose, CA	Asics Aggie Running Club	2:21:12
46	123	Adam Tribble	27	Fayetteville, AR		2:21:21
47	89	Todd Snyder	30	Shelby Township, MI	Hansons-Brooks Distance Project	2:21:30
48	26	Nick Schuetze	25	Portland, OR	Team XO	2:21:36
49	121	Alan Horton	27	Knoxville, TN		2:22:03
50	90	James Nielsen	28	Palo Alto, CA	Transports Adidas Racing Team	2:22:11
51	100	Robert Cannon	24	Toms River, NJ		2:22:23
52	117	Daniel Ellis	24	Birmingham, AL		2:22:26
53	36	Paul Petersen	28	Logan, UT		2:22:34
54	39	Steve Meinelt	24	Winchester, MA		2:22:40
55	83	Christopher Zieman	35	Chapel Hill, NC	West Valley Track Club Inc.	2:23:04
56	50	Justin Young	28	Superior, CO		2:23:06
57	116	Nathan Wadsworth	25	Andover, KS	Kansas City Smoke	2:23:08
58	124	Konrad Knutsen	31	Carmichael, CA	Transports Adidas Racing Team	2:23:31
59	51	Steven Moreno	30	Oakland, CA	Transports Adidas Racing Team	2:23:34
60	35	Ryan Meissen	29	Mukwonago, WI	Wisconsin Runner Racing Team	2:23:38
61	82	Terrance Shea	33	Cambridge, MA	Boston Athletic Association	2:23:44
62	66	Matt Levassiur	26	Alamosa, CO		2:23:58
63	75	Zachary Schendel	29	Minneapolis, MN	Team Ortho	2:24:10
64	70	Aaron Sharp	27	Port Hueneme, CA	Nike Team Run LA	2:24:15
65	72	Corey Stelljes	26	Madison, WI	Wisconsin Runner Racing Team	2:24:19
66	133	David Williams	36	Milwaukee, WI	Wisconsin Runner Racing Team	2:24:57
67	37	Cecil Franke	39	Dublin, IN		2:25:01
68	94	Eric Heins	30	Cape Girardeau, MO	Kansas City Smoke	2:25:01
69	122	James McGown	33	Sidney, NE	Team Nebraska Brooks	2:25:10
70	64	Marzuki Stevens	33	San Francisco, CA	Transports Adidas Racing Team	2:25:18
71	56	Lance Parker	26	Austin, TX		2:25:32
72	57	Jason Delaney	27	Golden, CO	Boulder Running Company/adidas	2:25:57
73	33	Michael McKeeman	31	Ardmore, PA		2:26:15
74	67	Andy Martin	32	Los Osos, CA	Asics Aggie Running Club	2:26:23
75	63	Trent Briney	29	Rochester Hills, MI	Hansons-Brooks Distance Project	2:26:29
76	93	Thomas Kutter	27	Loganville, GA	Atlanta Track Club	2:26:34
77	104	Edward Baker	28	Palo Alto, CA		2:26:37
78	76	Nick Stanko	26	Haslett, MI		2:27:23
79	84	Chris Wehrman	31	Chicago, IL	Nike Central Elite Racing Team	2:27:33
80	12	James Jurcevich	31	Columbus, OH	Columbus Running Company	2:27:33
81	96	Thomas Greenless	25	Walnut Creek, CA		2:27:44
82	86	Pete Gilman	32	Rochester, MN	Gear Running Store	2:28:09
83	19	Casey Moulton	25	Pelham, NH	Greater Lowell Road Runners	2:28:29
84	114	Matthew Byrne	32	Philadelphia, PA	Philadelphia Runner Track Club / PUMA	2:28:40
85	106	Danny Mackey	27	Portland, OR		2:28:45
86	115	Brad Poore	29	Davis, CA	West Valley Track Club Inc.	2:29:14
87	74	Karl Dusen	25	New York, NY		2:29:31
88	54	David Danley	27	Roosevelt, UT		2:29:32
89	111	Christopher Banks	29	Albuquerque, NM		2:30:22
90	44	Sean Sundwall	34	Snoqualmie, WA	Club Northwest	2:30:41
91	79	Jeff Jonaitis	26	Tinley Park, IL	Universal Sole-Reebok	2:30:45
92	105	Michael Wardian	33	Arlington, VA	Pacers/Brooks	2:30:54
93	73	Marc Jeuland	28	Carrboro, NC	Carrboro Athletics Club	2:31:31
94	91	Kyle Baker	31	Grand Rapids, MI		2:31:37
95	80	Donnie Franzen	28	Chicago, IL	Fleet Feet -Nike Racing Team	2:31:53
96	55	Jason Ryf	36	Oshksoh, WI		2:32:26
97	113	Jonathan Little	26	Kansas City, KS	Kansas City Smoke	2:33:03
98	29	Martin Rosendahl	29	Rochester, MI	Hansons-Brooks Distance Project	2:33:58
99	81	Nicholas McCombs	26	Toquerville, UT		2:34:56
100	78	Ben Rosario	27	St. Louis, MO	Big River Running Company	2:36:09
101	69	Justin Patananan	27	Palmdale, CA	Nike Team Run LA	2:38:36
102	71	Antonio Arce	30	Santa Clarita, CA		2:39:20
103	119	Steven Frisone	36	Placentia, CA		2:39:32
104	101	Thomas McGlynn	35	Burlingame, CA		2:42:41

Omwenga and Voghel take Niagara titles! - 2007-10-29

Posted By DAN DAKIN

Niagara Falls Review

Thomas Omwenga made a last-minute decision to race the full 42.2-kilometre Niagara Falls International Marathon instead of the half-distance option.

It was a wise move for the Kenyan runner as he easily won Sunday’s 10th anniversary race along the Niagara Parkway to record his second marathon victory this season.

"I was supposed to do the half-marathon, but I just decided (Saturday) to change and do the marathon because this is the last race for this season," he said. "So, now I can go home to rest and start training for next year."

Omwenga trains during the season with a group of runners in Burlington, but he returns each winter to his home country.

After winning the Vancouver Marathon in May, he focused on shorter races before racing the Twin Cities Marathon in Minneapolis Oct. 7. That left just three weeks between that and the Niagara Falls event. "I’ve never done two marathons this close together. Now, I have to slow down completely and start training from zero," said Omwenga, who took home $1,500 for his winning time of slightly more than two hours, 33 minutes.

While the Kenyan pulled away from the field around the 11km mark as the race was leaving Fort Erie, the fight for second place was just getting started.

Quebecer David Savard-Gagnon stayed with Omwenga until just after the field crossed the Peace Bridge into Canada and he had a lead of more than a minute on third-place runner Michel Lavoie.

But Lavoie, from Laval, Que., slowly chipped away at Savard-Gagnon’s lead and finally overtook him around the 25km point.

"I wanted to stay second, so I kept the pace and watched over my shoulder once or twice. It was a very good race," said Lavoie, who was the first masters-aged runner across the line.

In the final 10 kilometres of the race, Savard-Gagnon struggled and ended up finishing 10th overall.

He was visibly upset after coming through the finish.

"It’s difficult because I’ve run a 2:30 before, but I’ve had mononucleosis the last three months and I’ve been very tired. It’s tough for me to run a long time," he said.

For Omwenga, having to run alone for the last 31 kilometres of the race was not ideal.

"I just wanted to keep with him, but I saw he was tired, so I decided to go it alone. I was feeling strong," he said. "The wind was terrible. My neck is sore from the cold and the wind."

Americans Brandon Newbould and Jeremy Labuff ended up finishing third and fourth, respectively, with Mississauga’s Scott McDonnell in fifth.

In the women’s division, it looked like Renfrew’s Colleen Berry was going to hold off Quebec’s Louise Voghel for the win, but the older and more experienced Voghel passed her with more than a kilometre to go take the win in 3:02.36.

"I caught her in the last mile. In the middle of the race I caught her, but she pushed a little bit and took a 50 or 100m lead. I just tried to keep that distance and then in the last mile I knew it was my last chance," said the 52-year-old Voghel, who has raced in 35 marathons, including eight in Niagara Falls.

Berry said she knew the pass was coming. "I was aware of her and I expected she would catch me," said Berry, who was racing in her third marathon. "I really hoped to just finish today because I woke up (Saturday) with a pinched nerve, so I didn’t know if I would finish it."

The 42-year-old said she also has to run somewhat cautiously because she was recently diagnosed with osteoarthritis.

The rest of the women’s Top 5 were Canadian with Michelle Schuler and Tina Pippy, both of Ottawa, finishing third and fourth, respectively, and Anne Lamontagne, Timmins, finishing fifth.

It was a more international and a tighter field in the Niagara Falls half- marathon with Kenya’s Pius Kipsang Korir beating three-time Olympian Mark Carroll, of Ireland by just two seconds. Third-place finish Giitah Macharia was just four seconds behind them.

On the women’s side of the 21.1km half marathon, Russia’s Nadezda Trilinskaya beat Milton’s Pauline Githuka by two minutes.

ddakin@nfreview.com

Running with the Best - 2007-10-29

		Mary Caton, Windsor Star Published: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 Imagine heading to the local golf course and Tiger Woods shows up out of nowhere and joins you for nine holes. That's basically what happened to University of Windsor student Mario Iozzo Sunday at the Detroit Free Press/ Flagstar Marathon. By keeping pace with world record holder and distance superstar Haile Gebrselassie, Iozzo won the men's half marathon in 1:09.48. A few minutes later, it became a double dip of success for the university when former Lancer Andrea LaMantia took the women's half marathon in 1:26.10. Iozzo, a York grad here for a year of teacher's college, was clipping along the streets of downtown Detroit with another runner "when this little guy all dressed in fluorescent green" pulls up alongside them. They instantly recognized him as Gebrselassie, the man who broke the marathon world record two weeks earlier in Berlin with a time of 2:04.26. Gebrselassie was in Detroit for a promotional appearance and only ran the course to help pace several Kenyans in the field. Iozzo decided to see how long he could stay with them. 'ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY' "If I ended up passing out in front of Casino Windsor, I didn't care," the 31-year-old said. "This was a once in a lifetime opportunity." Iozzo and Gebrselassie ran together in silence for almost eight miles. "There I was, running shoulder to shoulder with him. His sweat was on me and we were bumping arms and I'm thinking this is unbelievable. As a runner, it's always more efficient to follow and stay in the pack but it was a sacrifice I was ready to make. I was ready to crawl home if I had to." Iozzo was wearing a Newmarket Huskies uniform and his old running club has already asked to include it in their Hall of Fame. Nothing quite that exciting happened to LaMantia, who was actually unaware of her placement in a sometimes chaotic field that has marathoners, half-marathoners and relay teams all sharing elbow space. "I had no idea (I was leading) until a police officer told me about 600 metres before the finish," the 25-year-old said. "I had a time in mind but I didn't know what that would get me." FORMER LANCER LaMantia ran cross-country for the Lancers prior to graduating last spring from teacher's college. A Windsor native, she was actually practice teaching in Australia when she registered for Detroit's half marathon. She ran the half marathon three years ago and wanted to share the experience with her sister, Jenna, who wound up third among women 19 and under. "I tried to talk her into it before," Andrea said. "It's a great race. I really like the border crossing where you're coming home and you see a lot of people you know." mcaton@thestar.canwest.com or 519-255-5777 ext. 414 © The Windsor Star 2007

Exercise and death: Am I safer on the couch? - 2007-10-25

CBC News (October, 2006, not credited)

(CP Photo of Jim Fixx)

Yes, it happens.

A couple of times a year, we hear stories of people dropping dead while pushing their bodies to the limit - usually running road races.

Most of the world's major marathons - including New York City, Chicago, London, Paris and Beijing - have experienced death. Boston - the world's oldest continuous marathon - has recorded two deaths in its 110-year history.

On Sunday, Oct. 16, 2005, a 36-year-old man from Oakville, Ont., collapsed and died minutes after he completed a half marathon in Toronto. It was the third death in five years at the event.

A year earlier, a 42-year-old man from Guelph, Ont., died a couple of kilometres before the finish. The cause of his death was never released, but a heart attack is suspected.

Two years earlier, an experienced marathoner died running the Toronto marathon. An autopsy showed a congenital heart defect that had previously gone undetected.

"To complete a half marathon demands regular exercise and discipline to get out there and train. More so for the full marathon distance," Jay Glassman, race director for the Toronto Marathon, told CBC News. "There are obvious stresses on your heart but in all the cases that we've experienced over the past five years, we know those gentlemen were in good shape and had regularly exercised."

However, being in top physical shape won't necessarily protect you from heart disease.

Perhaps the highest profile running death was that of Jim Fixx, the journalist-turned-fitness guru who was credited with giving birth to the first running boom in the 1970s.

Fixx was an overweight smoker before he took up running. His blood cholesterol levels were elevated. He had also experienced several warning symptoms, which he chose to ignore and had refused the option of undergoing an exercise stress test

As well, Fixx's father had died of a heart attack at the age of 43. Fixx was 52 when he dropped dead of a heart attack while on a seven-kilometre run in July 1984.

An autopsy showed Fixx had severe coronary artery disease. One artery was 95 per cent blocked, a second was 80 per cent blocked and a third was 50 per cent blocked.

In Sudden Death and Exercise, Dr. Timothy Noakes says on the day Fixx died of his heart attack, "1,000 other Americans would also have died of heart attacks. Few if any would have received nationwide coverage. Yet almost all of those deaths would have occurred in persons who were sedentary, or were smokers, or who had uncontrolled high blood pressure and elevated blood cholesterol concentrations. If only those sudden deaths occurring in athletes are reported in the press, it is understandable why the public acquire a distorted impression of the relationship between exercise and heart disease."

Noakes warns that runners should not get the impression that their elevated fitness levels mean they don't have to worry about heart disease.

"Regular exercise reduces the overall risk of sudden death in persons with latent coronary artery disease," he writes. "[But it] acutely increases the risk of sudden death during exercise for those with heart disease that predisposes to sudden death."

Runners are more at risk while they are out running - especially if they're running a marathon. But for the rest of the day, their risk of keeling over is much lower than the general population.

Another study followed the London marathon for 23 years. Over that time, there were seven cardiac deaths. In addition, five people who suffered heart attacks at the race were revived. All five were found to have suffered from coronary heart disease. The study found that the risk of death in the London marathon was one in 67,414 - "a risk which is comparable to many daily activities."

A November 2004 study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found people who were regularly active in their 50s and early 60s were about 35 per cent less likely to die in the next eight years than those who were sedentary. For those who had a higher risk of heart disease, the reduction was 45 per cent.

And you don't have to run a marathon to be considered fit. People who walked, gardened or even went dancing a few times a week benefited - as well as those who took on more vigorous activities.

The study concluded there are definite benefits to getting off the couch.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada concurs. It suggests that people who enjoy good health should be able to begin some kind of exercise program without checking with their doctor first. But consult a physician if you:

Have a heart condition.
Are 45 or older.
Are between 35 and 45 and have risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, obesity, diabetes or a family history of heart disease.

"We had one death, but we also had 7,000 finishers," the Toronto Marathon's Jay Glassman said. "And 7,000 people who had a great day out there and enjoyed themselves and set their personal goals in a 5K or a half marathon or a full marathon."

Time to Rehash - 2007-10-25

		By Josh Noel, Andrew L. Wang and Carlos Sadovi \|Tribune staff reporter Chicago Tribune The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon was cut short for the first time in its history Sunday as hundreds of runners laboring across ovenlike streets were treated for heat-related illness. The stoppage happened about 3 1/2 hours after the start gun on an abnormally sweltering autumn day, amid complaints of insufficient water for more than 35,000 runners who had come from around the world to compete in one of its pre-eminent marathons. One runner, a 35-year-old Michigan police officer, died after collapsing in the race's 19th mile, but it was not clear whether the death was heat-related.Chad Schieber of Midland, Mich., collapsed about 12 p.m. at 1500 S. Ashland Ave. and was pronounced dead on arrival at a West Side hospital at 12:50 p.m., the medical examiner's office said. An autopsy will be performed Monday. Despite the heat, executive race director Carey Pinkowski said race officials never considered canceling the race before it began because they believed the number of people running was manageable and that they could be cared for. "In most cases they have trained for 25 weeks," he said. "Marathon runners are tough people. They train in difficult conditions." Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said about 315 runners were taken from the course by ambulance with what he described as heat-related conditions. He said city and suburban ambulances took 146 people to hospitals, most in good condition, and the rest were taken to hospitals or medical aid stations along the route by private ambulances. Five people remained hospitalized in serious or critical condition Sunday night, Langford said. Runners described chaotic scenes of racers throwing up, passing out or being carted away on stretchers. "There were people falling all over the place," said Rob Smith, 40, of Naperville, who was running his first marathon. Though Schieber's death was not the first fatality in the race's 30-year history—the last was in 2003—it was the first time the event was cut short. Of 35,867 runners who started the race, just 24,933 finished, and by Sunday evening, the marathon's message board, along with Chicago hotels and restaurants, was buzzing with dissatisfaction. "It was poorly done," said Mike Katz, 61, who has run 31 marathons, as he sat in the lounge of the Congress Plaza Hotel. Chicago officials "just didn't have it together," he said. With temperatures heading toward an Oct. 7 record 88 degrees, officials enacted a contingency plan about 11:30 a.m. to end the race early, Pinkowski said. He said there was precedent for such action. In April, officials at the Rotterdam marathon in the Netherlands cut that event short, also because of warm weather. Runners who had not reached the halfway point were diverted back to the start at Grant Park while the rest were told by police and firefighters that they should walk to the finish. Some racers simply went home and others caught rides, but the majority walked on, some with bags of ice on their heads or dousing each other with the contents of their water bottles. A few stubborn competitors kept lumbering along. Some runners chalked up the aborted race to bad luck, but many others seethed about a lack of fluids along the way. "I had no water until Mile 8," said Blayne Rickles, 57, of Denver. The most welcome relief came in the form of spectators buying bottles of water near Mile 13 and handing them to exhausted runners, she said. "The city was fabulous, but the race was horrible," Rickles said.Those complaints were echoed again and again, especially from the slower racers. They also said that on such a hot day, drinks should have been made available every mile along the 26.2-mile route, instead of only at the 15 stations sprinkled in every mile or two. "The water stations were really depleted," said Nestor Benanidez, 40, of Maryland. "As much as they might have planned, it wasn't enough." Erin Johnson, 24, of Kansas City, Mo., said the first several water stations "were out or really low" and that she ran with her wax cup because competition for fluids was so fierce. "You're running thinking, 'Oh my God, I really need this water to get through this,' " she said. Runners also said stations were not ready when runners came through; even if there was water or Gatorade, runners had to serve themselves. "I had to open a bottle and pour my own," said Karen Orner, 42, of Minneapolis. But race officials said they found no such problems. Each of the aid stations was outfitted with 50,000 to 70,000 servings of water and 37,000 servings of Gatorade, said Shawn Platt, a senior vice president of LaSalle Bank. "We checked with all the aid stations and the amount of water was adequate," Platt said. "We had thousands of thousands of gallons of water." He said there might have been distribution problems as runners created a bottleneck at the tables dispensing water and Gatorade, with runners taking two or three cups at a time, faster than volunteers could fill new ones. Many runners learned of the race's stoppage about noon, near Mile 20 at Halsted Street and Cermak Avenue. As firefighters sprayed runners, a paramedic repeated through the speaker in his ambulance, "Attention runners, the marathon has been canceled. You can stop running, now." Most competitors heeded the advice amid streets flowing with water from open hydrants and littered with cups, sponges, bottles and discarded T-shirts.Stephen Blight, 43, of Ware, England, costumed head to toe as the "Star Wars" character Yoda, said he had raised $22,000 for children back home with leukemia. He had also learned the previous night that his father had died of lung cancer. "It's been a very emotional experience," he said. "I'm so very disappointed, but they have to look out for the safety of the runner. That's most important." George Chiampas, the race's medical director, said Schieber was apparently unresponsive after falling. "It sounds like he lost his pulse very fast and died on the racecourse," he said. Schieber's father-in-law, Ken Dodge, said by phone from Midland that Schieber had been a police officer there for about 10 years and was named officer of the year this year. He and his wife, Sarah, had three children and led a marriage ministry in their church, Dodge said. "Just a wonderful man," Dodge said, his voice wavering. "He was more of a friend to me than a son-in-law." Schieber had trained with his wife for six months, following a strict program. Sunday marked his first marathon, which he ran with his wife, brother and sister-in-law. "Shocking is not the word," Dodge said. "I just cannot imagine this." (Editor's note: Officials are now looking into information that Schiebler's ambulance got lost on the way to the hospital) jbnoel@tribune.com alwang@tribune.com csadovi@tribune.com

Coffin wins marathon with sprint to finish line - 2007-10-22

		The good weather was a big surprise. The close finish was not. Telegraph-Journal Kevin Barrett Published Monday October 22nd, 2007 Saint John’s Alex Coffin captured the 2007 Coast Tire KV Challenge Marathon Sunday with a narrow 16-second victory over David MacLennan of Scotsburn, Nova Scotia in a battle of two pre-race favourites on an unusually warm October morning in the Kennebecasis Valley. "It was probably the toughest marathon I have ever run," said Coffin, who finished in 2:44.12. "Usually you like to relax at some point but we were duking it out the whole way." Coffin, who also won the Marathon By The Sea last month, was slotted as an early candidate to run to the top spot along with MacLennan and Chris Brake, the three-time defending champion. Coffin and MacLennan were stride for stride throughout and it was not decided until the final sprint for home with 300 metres remaining. "It was a dogfight, that is for sure," said Coffin. Dean Strowbridge of Willow Grove was third followed by Bruce Rosvallo of Rothesay and Glenn Trites, also of Rothesay, Elita Rhan of Pictou, N.S., claimed the women’s title. She finished 21st overall in 3:33.25. Kim Bailey of Cornwall. Prince Edward Island was second in 3:43.54 and Lisa Bettle of Hampton was third in 3:45.14. Brake finished ninth overall. He was more than seven minutes off the pace at the halfway mark and finished in a time of 3:13.58. The event also featured a relay component. The Jerry’s Joggers squad of Stacey Norwood, Jerry MacLennan, Andrew Oland and Patrick Bonner claimed the four-person relay team in 3:15.26. In the two-person team event, Rami Bardeesy and Denise Robson posted a winning time of 2:35.59.

Educators were top runners in PEC Marathon - 2007-10-19

		Bruce Bell County Sports - Thursday, October 18, 2007 (Photo by Bruce Bell) Day after day in the classroom, then countless hours on the road training and finally a morning’s run to the winner’s podium. That’s the route a pair of educational assistants took to winning the Prince Edward County Marathon here Sunday as Darl Sutherland of Peterborough and Janet Adams of Combermere collected $1,500 each after capturing first place in the men’s and women’s classes of the fourth running of the marathon. Sutherland, who works at Lindsay’s I.E Weldon High School said it was perhaps the strongest race of his young career. “It’s definitely the best I’’ve ever felt after a marathon,” he said moments after collapsing at the finish line. “I went through the first half a little slow but the marathon kicked in during the second half and the last few kilometres I felt really strong.” “I knew I was still quite a way behind him still at the 25-kilometre mark, but I noticed at 30 kilometres his pace had dropped considerably and I was able to catch him at 32.” For Adams, who is an EA at Palmer Rapids Elementary School, the win marked her first trip to the podium and earned her a trip to the Boston Marathon next spring. “I’m so delighted to run a personal best here,” she said following the race. “This is my fourth marathon and I’ll be going to Boston April 21 for my fifth marathon. “While the race marked Sutherland’s first appearance at the PEC Marathon, Adams previously ran the half marathon. “It’s a wonderful event here, not only is it a beautiful course but the people are fantastic as well,” she said. “People are all along the course cheering you on and I’ve run in Toronto before and you hardly see anyone. It’s very special here.” Race coordinator Lisa Lindsay said this year’s race far exceeded organizer’s expectations. “We are thrilled with the number of runners we have because we thought we would be down quite a bit with our decision to go green and eliminate all of our paper advertising,” she said. “We are also competing against the International Marathon in Toronto today, so to have this many people is unbelievable.” This year’s run was forced back almost two full weeks because of Thanksgiving and Lindsay said more than 40,000 pieces of advertising literature were eliminated. The race drew 1,028 runners with 331 running the full marathon and 37 teams competing in the OPP Team Challenge. More then 500 participated in the half marathon. Local team, County United with Grant Alyea, Sanjay Dhebar, Chad Gilbert, Neil Purves and Robert Juricevic took first place in the OPP Team Challenge with the Prince Edward Detachment team placing second. In the half-marathon, 2005 women’s champion Jutta Merilainen of Batawa took top honours.

Bedley and Black in Toronto - 2007-10-15

Mon, October 15, 2007
By DEAN MCNULTY, SUN MEDIA

TORONTO -- There were 9,244 runners, walkers and joggers -- the young and not so young, the fast and not so fast -- snaking their way from Mel Lastman Square to Queen's Park yesterday in the 13th running of the Toronto Marathon.

Most came for the gruelling 40-kilometre full marathon, while others chose the half marathon or five-kilometre relay. All, however, were cheered on by thousands of friends and family along the route.

The winner was Charles Bedley, 34, of Toronto, who finished in 2:21:59, well off the record of 2:15:17.

"I took the first half a little too fast," Bedley said. "The course appeared to be tougher than normal, even though there was no wind."

The atmosphere of this marathon was much different than at the Waterfront Marathon two weeks ago, where world-class athletes were competing for big cash prizes and a spot in the 2008 Summer Olympics in China.

But Bedley was as happy with the $1,000 prize.

"I did get my personal best. That is what I aimed for and that is what I got," he said.

Plus his time qualifies him to run in the renowned Boston Marathon.

(Editor's note: Edmonton's Matthew Norminton ran a very solid 2:23:55 to finish 2nd. Toronto's Leslie Black ran sub 3 to take the women's title. Callendar's Angela Batsford ran 3:06:17 for 2nd. Toronto's Frances Lamb possibly ran the best age group result winning the 50-59 age category in 3:31:32.

Marathoners turn capital into a beehive of activity - 2007-10-15

		TERESA WRIGHT CONSTABLE The Guardian An autumn Sunday in downtown Charlottetown is usually tranquil and still — most businesses sleepily opening their doors no earlier than noon as the capital takes a break before starting another busy week. But yesterday was not a quiet October Sunday. On this day, Charlottetown was abuzz with activity and energy at the P.E.I. Marathon finish line. Barricades lined the streets, leading runners to the race’s end. Large tents housing lively bands allowed for cheerful music to pour into every corner of the city. And hundreds of people came out to hail marathon participants huffing their way to the finish line. As each contestant rounded the final curve of University Avenue to the finish line banner, the energetic crowd of supporters lined the barricades and greeted each finisher with loud claps and cheers through the day. For Mark Smallwood, feeling this energy from the crowd’s hurrahs as he made his way to the end of the half-marathon kept him going. “I was ready to give up a couple of times,’’ he said. “But I felt rejuvenated coming down the finishing stretch.’’ Some people used bright green thunder sticks to clap support for their friends or family members in the marathon. Others just stood along the metal barricades, waiting to catch a glimpse of their loved ones as they arrived at the end. Heather Bowlan stood quietly on University Avenue as she waited for her son Mark to make it to the finish line. Her look of pride was unmistakable. “I know how much he’s been working and training over the years, and he bikes, too.’’ This was his fourth year running in the P.E.I. Marathon, so she’s witnessed the marathon’s popularity grow ever year. She said it was fantastic to see how many people came out to cheer on the participants. “It takes a lot of work to run in this, and I think it’s great that every year more people come out to support them.’’ The crowd’s size and spirit also excited Kim Doyle of Charlottetown. Doyle said it was energizing to see so many people in the downtown at this normally slower time of year. “There are thousands of people around - it’s such a great day,’’ she said. “I was down in Brighton and people around the community and in the neighbourhood had signs up for their friends to cheer them on.’’ These signs, scrawled with messages of support, could be seen scattered throughout the crowd, raised above people’s heads to mark their presence and support for the racers. Two young girls ran alongside their father as he paced his way through the final stretch. They each held big brightly coloured signs - one that read, ‘Go Dad!’ and the other agreeing with a big ‘Yeah!’ Then as the runners finally came across the finish line, they were met by volunteers who draped an aluminum blanket around their shoulders and patted them on the back with a bright smile and a warm “Congratulations. You made it!’’ The participants were then guided around the corner to Grafton Street, where more volunteers presented them with drinks, fruit and cookies. A warm feeling of celebration hung in the air around the successful marathoners, who wore their aluminum blankets and contestant numbers like badges of honour. A woman holding a small child on her hip beamed with pride at her husband as he jogged into the finish line area. “We’re so proud of you,’’ she said, handing him a towel to wipe the sweat from his face. “I knew you could do it.’’ DON MORRISON The Guardian Scott Clark has his marathon victory. With a host of second-place finishes to his credit, the 44-year-old Summerside native moved to the top of the podium by winning the BMO Nesbitt Burns Prince Edward Island Marathon Sunday in Charlottetown. “I set a personal best, too,” said Clark, who covered the 42.195-kilometre course in two hours, 49 minutes and 16 minutes. “I’m more happy about that than the win.” Besides the full-marathon, sponsored by The Guardian, the event also included a half-marathon run and walk, a 10-kilometre run and walk, a corporate relay and the Kids Spud Run. Clark, coming off two consecutive runner-up finishes in the Island marathon, used the ideal weather conditions to open a lead on the field of 191 runners at 18 kilometres. It was the second time in three years an Islander has won the provincial marathon after Rob MacKenzie of Cornwall took the 2005 event. Peter Sullivan, a medical student at Dalhousie University in Halifax, was second in 2:50:09 while Donald MacIntyre of Sydney was third, another six minutes back. Paul Baglole of Meadow Bank was fourth in 2:57:25 while the remainder of the top 10 included Timothy Tunney of Ellsworth, Maine (2:59:16), Kendall MacDonald of Stratford (3:01:10), Ian Holdway of Beechville, N.S. (3:01:46), Bryn Kowalchuk of Entwistle, Alta. (3:01:56), Tim Murphy of Montague (3:05:06), and Jeff Boswell of Charlottetown (3:08:54). Jennifer Vandongen of Bath, Maine, was the first female finisher, placing 14th overall in 3:10:56. Jennifer Nicholson of Cornwall was second, 16th overall, in 3:13:24. Penny Hart of Halifax was third among the women, placing 31st overall in 3:24:16 while Nancy Morris of Charlottetown was fourth (32nd overall) in 3:24:57. The race produced 48 qualifiers for the 112th Boston Marathon April 21. For Clark, it was almost a textbook finish, following his pre-race expectation. “I planned on running a 2:50 marathon and I got in around 2:49,” said Clark, the runner-up at the Blue Nose Marathon at Halifax in May where he set his previous best of 2:49:22. “I was right on my pace the whole way.” Clark, the top Islander at the 2007 Boston Marathon placing 401st in 2:51:25, admitted his legs were getting tight over the last kilometre but he fed off the crowd at the end. “Fortunately, there is a bit of a downhill, but the crowd really brings you in the last little bit. The crowd pulls you through to the finish and you kind of pick the pace up. You just ignore the pain at that time and when you see them pulling the ribbon up it’s a pretty good feeling.” Sullivan, a shorter distance runner competing in his first marathon, was delighted with his performance. “Totally happy with it,” said the Ontario native. “I said before I don’t want to make a habit of running these marathons because I would like to keep some legs to run some 1,500s on the track and that kind of stuff which is more where I’m at. I wanted to run an interesting marathon for my first one and decided to come here.” The intent was to start slowly but Sullivan said that changed quickly. “I didn’t want to go out too hard and kind of got sucked in a little bit,” he said. “I caught (Scott) about 3K and stayed with him for the next 15. That was great . . . I felt good the whole time (but) he put in a surge in just before the half and I knew I didn’t have the legs to go with him so I let him go.” Vandongen recorded her second-best marathon time to claim the women’s division. “I kind of just went out to have a good day,” said the American. “I came through the half at 1:35 which is about usual when I run marathons. I was on pace there.” The top female said the change from road to the Confederation Trail just past the midway point, was different. “Running on the trail was a little hard,” said Vandongen. “It was the change of surface, you have to change it up a little bit and then you hit the road again and it feels a lot better.” Nicholson entered with a specific target. “My goal for my first marathon was to qualify for Boston and I’ve done that,” said Nicholson. “It was lots of fun. I’m ecstatic.” Runners were greeted with almost perfect conditions with temperatures around 12C and predominately sunny.

Runners' mental hurts massaged - 2007-10-15

Isabel Teotonio
Staff reporter

Toronto SUN

Ian Wineberg limped, dejected, into the medical tent, wincing from the pain shooting from his left knee.

The agonizing ache forced the 34-year-old to pull out halfway through the 42-kilometre Toronto Marathon yesterday. Soon he was hobbling into the makeshift tent set up in Queen’s Park, just metres from the finish line that he had hoped to reach in triumph.

After 10 months of intense training for his first full marathon, the disappointment was clearly etched in Wineberg’s face.

Luckily, it’s a look that the 30-member "Psyching Team" is trained to spot. The volunteer corps of sports psychologists is at both the start and finish lines, ready to give pre- and post-race counselling to help runners achieve their goals and grapple with feelings of failure.

Two Torontonians were winners of the full marathon, which had 8,350 entrants. Among the men, Charles Bedley was quickest in two hours, 21 minutes. Leslie Black came first on the women’s side in two hours, 58 minutes.

For the hurting Wineberg, meanwhile, a sports psychologist was by his side within minutes of his arrival at the medical tent.

"It was fantastic," the runner said later of their 30-minute discussion (or "intervention," as team members put it). "Otherwise, you’ve got people sitting around feeling like failures. It’s easy to get stuck in that head space because we (runners) are so goal-oriented."

The Psyching Team’s success has surprised even race director Jay Glassman, who was lukewarm to the idea when Toronto psychologist Dr. Kate Hays approached him with the idea nine years ago. The Toronto event remains the only Canadian marathon with a Psyching Team.

"A lot of runners were skeptical about it at first," said Glassman of the team’s use of such techniques as visualization exercises. "But people eventually bought into it and realized how much it can help them."

Now, Glassman routinely spots runners at the finish line touching the swatch of orange ribbon given to them by a Psyching Team member. The ribbon is meant as a reminder of the advice they received and symbolize the finish line they’re striving to reach.

"We want people who’ve completed the half-marathon and full-marathon to come away with the most constructive experience," said Hays, who proposed the idea after participating on a team at the New York City marathon.

"We talk to people about their goals, how realistic they are, help them with strategies, help calm them down and help them remember how they’ve overcome things in the past."

Dr. Dan Egli, a clinical psychologist from Williamsport, Penn., drove up to Toronto to volunteer. He said after running 10 marathons himself, he understands the mental duress a runner can experience.

"To have someone to talk to, to have that external ear, is huge," said Egli, who cycled alongside runners looking for non-verbal signs of distress to alleviate with words of encouragement as one of the team’s "Pyschs on Bikes."

"What percentage of this difficult physical challenge is mental? Many would say most of it is," said Egli, adding runners often find the mental hurdles more difficult.

In recent years the Psyching Team has become a key component of the medical team, said Dr. Christopher Woollam, the race’s medical director and another former skeptic.

"At first I thought they’d be rubbing the backs of runners," he joked. "But they’ve really been extremely useful when we’ve had to deal with some of our own crises," he said, referring to the event’s three deaths in five years.

"When there are situations of major physical duress, the Psyching Team is there to explain to family members what’s going on."

Wykes and Metcalfe win 10 kilometre national titles - 2007-10-15

Press Release from Athletics Canada

OTTAWA- Dylan Wykes of Kingston, Ont., and Megan Metcalfe of Edmonton were crowned the men’s and women’s champions on Saturday at the TransCanada Canadian 10 kilometre running championships held in rainy weather in the Nation’s Capital.

In the men’s race, Wykes won the race in 29 minutes and 49.5 seconds. Milne followed in second place in 29:52.9 while Andrew Smith of Toronto was third in 30:00.06. Richard Mosley of Toronto was fourth in 30:02.0.

‘’Feels good to be the Canadian Champion, I'm ecstatic,’’ said Wykes. ‘’The conditions were tough, just wanted to stick with the pack and go hard the last kilometre.’’

In the women’s race, Metcalfe was first in 33:26.0 with Megan Brown of Puslinch, Ont., second in 33:40.7 and Tara Quinn-Smith of Toronto third in 33:50.0.

‘’It felt good, its really nice to get lots of people out to support Canadian distance running,’’ said Metcalfe. ‘’It was really cold but it went well and I'm really excited for the year to come.’’

In the wheelchair race, Michel Filteau of St-Jean-Baptiste, Que., took the title in 22:47.0 with Josh Cassidy of Oakville, Ont., second in 22:50.1 and Alexandre Dupont of Saskatoon third in 26:55.3.

‘’It went well,’’ said Filteau. ‘’Josh and I stayed at the front and we battled for the lead. It was a big challenge to race Josh.’’

Quintuple Paralympic Games champion Chantal Petitclerc of Montreal won the women’s wheelchair race in 26:11.9. Tracey Ferguson of Toronto was second in 30:47.0 and Keira Frie of Saskatoon was third in 33:13.6.

The course is really, really nice,’’ said Petitclerc. ‘’The pavement is smooth. The rain did make it difficult for the wheelchair racers but I was feeling very strong and I'm happy with the time in these conditions. I feel good getting ready for the New York marathon in a couple weeks.’’

Awards were also handed out to the top male and female finishers in 11 different age categories as well as to the top male and female finishers in the High School Challenge.

Full results available at:
10K Run with the Champions and Canadian Championship
http://www.sportstats.ca/display-results.php?lang=eng&racecode=41810

Wheelchair 10K
http://www.sportstats.ca/display-results.php?lang=eng&racecode=42719

NY Times Article on Running Efficiency - 2007-10-11

		Running Efficiency: It’s Good, but How Do You Get It? By GINA KOLATA Published: October 11, 2007 NY Times IN her prime, Joan Benoit Samuelson, one of the best female distance runners, should have been faster than Alberto Salazar, one of the best male distance runners. Ms. Samuelson’s running was beautifully smooth. Mr. Salazar’s was not. “He looked terrible,” said Jack Daniels, an exercise physiologist at the Center for High Altitude Training at Northern Arizona University, who studied both runners in the 1980’s. “She looked great.” Not only that but Ms. Samuelson also had an amazing ability to use oxygen to fuel her body, Dr. Daniels said. Even though women’s maximum oxygen consumption, or VO2 max, is typically lower than that of men, hers was as high as Mr. Salazar’s. Maximum oxygen consumption was often considered one of the best predictors of performance in distance events. But Mr. Salazar always ran faster than Ms. Samuelson. The difference between them turned out to be one of the least understood and most mythologized aspects of performance: economy of motion. It’s the relationship between how much energy you expend and how fast you go. “How much is it costing you to run 10 miles an hour?” Dr. Daniels asked. “If it costs you less than it costs someone else, you are more economical.” Mr. Salazar, despite his less than classic running style, expended less energy when he ran. So when he and Ms. Samuelson put out the same effort, he ran faster. Economy can make the difference between being fast and being slow, between winning and losing in swimming to skiing, cycling to speed skating, running to rowing. But economy is baffling. It seems to be physiological, but it is not clear what exactly is involved. Is it an ability of muscles to use energy, an ability to use a variety of muscles in concert, an ability of nerves to activate certain muscles for a task while allowing other muscles to relax, an ability of nerves to fire in near-perfect patterns? Or is it all of these things in combination? While many exercise physiologists believe, or hope, that economy improves with training, they confess that it’s not clear what kind of training or how much it takes to make a difference. They know that standard training programs, which emphasize speed and distance, improve the other key factors in performance: VO2 max and the anaerobic, or lactate, threshold, an indicator of how intensely a person can exercise. But economy is more of a mystery. In fact, there are only a few documented cases of athletes whose economy improved. One was Paula Radcliffe, the British marathoner. Every year for 11 years, starting in 1992, she increased her running economy by about 1 to 3 percent. In the end, she ran 40 seconds to a minute faster per mile, without changing how much oxygen she took in. Then there was Lance Armstrong, studied by Edward Coyle, an exercise physiologist at the University of Texas, Austin. Over seven years from age 21 to 28, Mr. Armstrong gained about 1 percent a year in efficiency. And there was Steve Scott, a runner who broke the American record for the mile in 1982. In just 18 weeks of intense training, he improved his running economy by 5 percent, said Gary S. Krahenbuhl, an exercise physiologist at Arizona State University. Mr. Scott’s improved economy allowed him to run faster than the previous mile record holder, Jim Ryun — the two runners were essentially equal in all other physiological measures, Dr. Krahenbuhl said. But, Dr. Coyle said, “whether an average person running an hour a day would experience the same benefit is the million-dollar question.” Researchers are finding that easy assumptions about exercise economy just don’t hold up under rigorous study. Take the idea that you can tell who is an economical runner or cyclist by watching the person perform. Not true, researchers say. The only way to know is with tests in a lab. Dr. Daniels showed this in a study in which he videotaped runners. Then he sent the videos to coaches and biomechanics experts, and asked which were the more economical runners. “They couldn’t tell, no way at all,” he said. But can runners become more economical if they change their form? The surprising answer seems to be no, said Dr. Krahenbuhl. In fact, he said, every study that asked what happened after runners changed their natural form found that running economy declined. It may take a long time for a change of form to result in better economy, Dr. Daniels suggested. But it also may be that changing your form will never help you. Coaches often tell athletes to work on their form to become more economical, Dr. Daniels said. “But what they are really saying is, ‘We will work on your technique to make you look more like I think you should look,’” he added. Maybe economical runners or cyclists or swimmers are simply gifted in general, researchers speculated. Perhaps whatever these athletes turn to, they will be economical. That, Dr. Daniels discovered, is not true. He recently studied runners and measured their economy when they ran. Then he measured it when they cycled, when they walked uphill at three different inclines on a treadmill, when they stepped up and down on a step, and when they cranked an ergometer with their arms. There was no relationship between being economical at one activity and being economical at another. Still, there are a few tricks for novices, said Dr. Daniels. Most runners, he said, naturally fall into their most economical stride. But some bound along or, at the other extreme, take too many little steps. After studying hundreds of runners, Dr. Daniels discovered that taking 180 steps a minute made the most of energy expended. Dr. Coyle finds that the most economical cyclists have an abundance of a particular type of muscle fiber, so-called slow twitch. It is not known whether other types of muscle can convert to slow twitch with training. But, he said, it may be that after years of training, nerves are directed to allow more leg muscles to participate in pedaling. The result might be greater riding economy. “You might wind up changing the way your neuromuscular system is wired,” Dr. Coyle said. “It is a controversial area, but it makes sense.” With swimmers, Dr. Coyle said, speed depends a great deal on technique, which can improve to a certain extent with coaching and training. Swimmers must overcome the drag of the water, and anything that interrupts the fluid dynamics of their motion will cause them to decelerate. But physiological economy can also have a huge effect in swimming. Dr. Daniels studied a woman who won an Olympic gold medal even though her VO2 max was only average for a recreational athlete and was very low for an elite athlete. Her gift? She wasted little energy, and that skill more than compensated. No one has rigorously studied swimmers and documented that training improves economy. But exercise physiologists note that competitive swimmers practice for hours a day, even though their races last just minutes. “Some physiologists say, ‘Look you don’t need to do that,’” Dr. Coyle said. “But the athletes think it is beneficial.” The reason, he suspects, is that all that training is needed to improve economy.

Chicago too hot!! - 2007-10-08

(Copied from Race Website)
Patrick Ivuti of Kenya and Berhane Adere of Ethiopia emerged victorious in dramatic fashion on Sunday at The 30^th LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

Ivuti edged Jaouad Gharib of Morocco at the finishing tape after the two had staged an all-out sprint over the final 400 meters. Ivuti won in 2:11:11.00 to Gharib’s 2:11:11.05. The two had broken away from Kenyan Daniel Njenga and defending champion Robert K. Cheruiyot, also of Kenya, on the 23^rd mile of the tactical race run in oppressive heat. Ivuti and Gharib then ran elbow to elbow unable to break each other the rest of the way. Njenga finished third in 2:12:45 and Cheruiyot fourth in 2:16:13.

In the women’s race, Adriana Pirtea of Romania, making her marathon debut, had a 30-second lead on defending champion Adere with two kilometers to go. Adere, seemingly coming out of nowhere, made it all up in less than 600 meters, sprinting down the right side of the final straightaway and going by Pirtea, who was unaware Adere was coming. Adere ended up so far to the right side of Columbus Drive, shielded from Pirtea by male runners, she missed the finish tape but won over the startled Romanian, 2:33:49 to 2:33:52. American Kate O’Neill, also making her marathon debut, finished third in 2:26:15, while Great Britain’s Liz Yelling was fourth in 2:37:14.

Ivuti and Adere each won $125,000 out of a total prize purse of $579,000.

Two of the top Canadian finishers were Jason Warick in 2:27:01 and Steve Beasley (50-59) in 2:48:51. Former Canadian Kathy Butler who now races for Great Britain finished in 2:48:21.

Top American male finisher was Michael Cox of Princeton, W.Va., who finished eighth in 2:21:44.

Kurt Feamley of Australia won the men’s wheelchair race in 1:28:06, and Amanda McGrory of Champaign, Ill., won the women’s race in 1:45:27.

The race had nearly 36,000 starters from all 50 states and 120 countries. Temperatures were in the low 70s when the race began, but already had climbed into the 80s when the top runners were finishing. It was the hottest weather ever for the Chicago Marathon.

Below was the official notice:
Due to the rising heat index and higher than expected temperatures, LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski and Medical Director Dr. George Chiampas, in cooperation with city officials, have implemented a contingency plan, as a precautionary measure, to effectively close the Marathon course at the halfway point. Runners who have not reached the halfway point by approximately 11:30 a.m. will be diverted back to Grant Park via Halsted and Jackson. Jackson will be closed to automobile traffic and the participants will be provided with additional support along this route. Participants who crossed the halfway point prior to the shut-down will continue to be fully supported along the standard course to the finish line. Participants are asked to take advantage of medical personnel, cooling buses, runner drop out buses, water, Gatorade and other means of support en route back to Grant Park.

Two-Peat and Three-Peat - 2007-10-08

Cleve Dheensaw, Times Colonist

Published: Sunday, October 07, 2007

Victoria lifted her gray and glowering weekend canopy for an enticing and ravishing few hours Sunday morning to allow for a surprisingly pleasant start for the thousands of people running in the 28th annual Royal Victoria Marathon.

But it was back to pounding rain as defending-champion and Olympic hopeful Steve Osaduik of Nanaimo scored another popular home-Island victory, completing the 42.2K course in two hours, 20 minutes and 14 seconds.

Suzanne Evans of New Westminster did one better by scoring a threepeat to take her third successive Royal Victoria women's title in a personal best 2:45:38 to better her 2005 and 2006 winning times of 2:50:24 and 2:47:05.

Osaduik, Canada's top marathoner, had a time slower than his 2006 winning clocking of 2:16:49, which had shattered the 25-year-old event record. The Dover Bay Secondary grad also missed the international and Canadian qualifying standards for the 2008 Beijing Summer Games of 2:15 and 2:12, respectively, but said he believes he can achieve those in December at the elite Fukuoka Marathon in Japan.

"It was nice to be a winner again in Victoria and this was a great tune-up for Fukuoka," said the Prairie Inn Harriers runner, who was well clear of second-place Graeme Wilson of Vancouver (2:29:45) and third-place Anthony Skuce (2:32:50).

"I never felt I hit the wall. I had tons of support and there were so many people cheering me on along the course and everyone was saying my name and that was definitely inspiring and got me through it. I really appreciated it. Now I'll see what I can do in Japan. Beijing is coming up quick but I can only do it one step at a time."

Final numbers were being tabulated but organizers estimated between 9,000 and 9,500 participants contested the Royal marathon, half-marathon, 8K and kids run events.

Bruce Deacon of Victoria, who represented Canada at the 1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, is now a masters-age runner and showed he still has the legs by winning the men's Royal Victoria half marathon in 1:08:02.

Another former international runner from Victoria, Lucy Smith, geared up for next month's massive New York City Marathon by winning the women's half marathon in 1:16:11. Both Deacon's and Smith's times were good enough to break the men's and women's national records.

"I usually wave to the supporters when I'm coming down the stretch but this time I put my head down when I saw the finish line and just went for it [the record]," said Smith.

Simon Whitfield, 2000 Sydney Olympic triathlon champion, won the Royal Victoria 8K in 24:23 while Marilyn Arsenault of Victoria took the women's 8K in 28:15.

The weather held nicely for the half marathon and 8K races but finally gave way during the latter part of the marathon. But Osaduik said getting wet over just the final few kilometres sure beats being drenched from wire to wire.

"We were extremely lucky because the forecast was terrible. The weather was actually a lot better than last year when I won," said the 123-pound wisp of a runner.

Women's champion Evans donned a T-shirt commemorating the Terry Fox Run following her strides across the finish line and then the 35-year-old Lower Mainland stay-at-home mom clutched the hands of her seven-year-old daughter Zoa and five-year-old son Kai.

"It was an awesome race. Everything about this race and this city is great - the scenery and the tons of spectators who cheer you on," said Evans, who now trails only six-time winner Cindy Rhodes in the number of Royal Victoria women's marathon victories.

"I guess there's a little bit of pressure now [to keep her Royal Victoria winning streak alive]," said Evans, with a smile.

Second-place Wendy Terris of Portland, who has been invited to race the U.S. Olympic trials for Beijing in April at Boston, led for much of the women's race and pushed Evans to her personal best time.

"I'm glad the weather held off until it did," said Terris, who clocked 2:49:56 and will run the New York City Marathon next month.

"It was challenging but this is a beautifully-organized race in a beautiful city."

Perhaps as a harbinger of the graying of the baby boom population, masters-age athletes were dominant. Three of the top-five men's finishers were masters runners, including 50-year-old fifth-place finisher Kevin Titus. The Whistler Secondary teacher and counselor, the 1993 Royal Victoria champion, ran his first marathon in 10 years and clocked a more-than-respectable 2:37:58.

"I don't have the speed I once had but this feels great and I'm really happy," said Titus.

The average age for those running the Royal Victoria full marathon was 41.6 years old, perhaps indicating that running as a lifestyle trend has not yet crested and is still growing among those in their 30s, 40s and 50s.

Busy Weekend! - 2007-10-08

		Scott Tremblay won a tight contest over Trevor Haaheim (2:38:21 to 2:39:39) to win the Okanagan event. Edmonton's Chrissy Lovig won the women's event in 3:13:44. Neither the Kelowna or Penticton newspapers carried mentions of the event on-line on Monday but they both had articles on the deceased runner at the Chicago Marathon. Montreal's Patrick Allaire won the Ottawa event in 2:42:55. 50-59 age class runners finished 2nd and 4th. Nova Scotia runner Linda MacDonald won the women's event in 3:30:28. Masters runner Terry Melloy of Bridgewater won the Kentville event in 2:45:51 while Sidney's Carol Dakai took the women's title in 3:25:41. Former Top Ironman Steve Irvine placed fifth overall. Terry Melloy had also won the Nova Scotia Marathon in Barrington in July.

2:09:30!! - 2007-10-01

Press Release from Alan Brookes:

John Kelai runs fastest marathon ever on Canadian soil at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront.

Kenya's John Kelai won a thrilling see-saw battle with fellow countryman and former course record holder Daniel Rono to cross the line in 2:09:30, the fastest time ever run on Canadian soil. Rono came in a close second in 2:09:36, a new PR and his first time under the magic 2:10 mark.

Ethiopia's Asha Gigi led the women's race from start to finish, passing halfway in 1:12:04 before fading in the final stages. She still crossed the line in 2:33:16, a new women's course record.

'The Joggler', a.k.a. Michal Kapral, rounded out a day of superlatives and new records with a new Guinness World Record of 2:50:13 for joggling 3 balls around the 42km lakeshore course.

(Editor's notes: "Soon to be Canadian?? Danny Kassap ran a very impressive 2:17:20.2 with Vancouver's Jerry Ziak a couple of footsteps behind in 2:17:23.9. Ryan Day of Kitimat may be a little disappointed but he hung in admirably for a 2:24:52.6. Lisa Harvey was our top woman in 2:48:46 with Janelle Morrison less than a minute behind. Major age groupers include 55-59 Michael Coyne 2:51:38.4 and 60-64 Helga Rinneard 3:50:35.8)

Le 6e Marathon sera couru ce dimanche - 2007-10-01

par René Alary
L'Avantage

C’est dimanche que sera couru le 6e Marathon de Rimouski, le troisième en importance au Québec.

C’est le recteur de l’UQAR et président d’honneur de l’événement, Michel Ringuet, qui donnera le signal de départ à 8 h 30 sur la Promenade de la Mer, à la hauteur de l’avenue de la Cathédrale. Certifié par Athlétisme Canada, le parcours de 42,2 km amènera les participants jusqu’à Sainte-Luce, lesquels reviendront ensuite vers le point de départ.

En plus du marathon, il y a trois épreuves complémentaires qui rejoignent les adeptes de la course à pied de tous les niveaux : le demi-marathon, le 10 km et le 4,2 km. Les deux dernières épreuves seront lancées à 8 h 40 et 8 h 45. Les automobilistes sont priés de faire preuve de prudence. Dans tous les cas, il sera possible de s’inscrire samedi après-midi (12 h à 18 h), à l’Institut maritime.

L’an dernier, 610 coureurs se sont inscrits, dont 155 pour le marathon. 570 avaient franchi la ligne d’arrivée. Des chiffres du même ordre sont anticipés pour dimanche.

Richard Tessier, de Sainte-Anne-de-Pérade, sera présent pour défendre son titre. Il est l’un des meilleurs marathoniens au Québec. Son temps de 2006 a été de 2h31m56s. Le Rimouskois, Emmanuel Joncas, 2e l’an dernier à son premier marathon, sera à surveiller. Chez les femmes, Valérie Nolet, blessée, n’y sera pas. Elle avait gagné en 3h08m12s. Une ancienne championne, Suzanne Munger, fait figure de favorite.

Le coordonnateur du marathon, Clément Pelletier, ne sera pas du départ. « C’est beaucoup d’organisation et, faire partir 600 coureurs, ça demande beaucoup. Pour la première fois en six ans, je ne participerai pas », explique-t-il. Un qui sera là pour une 6e année et dont la participation est à souligner est Roger Goulet, 60 ans de Lévis, qui en sera à un 201e marathon.

Betting $1.5-million to build a winner - 2007-10-01

ALEX HUTCHINSON

Special to The Globe and Mail

September 29, 2007

On a blustery Friday afternoon, 28-year-old Andrew Smith is sprinting as hard as he can up Mount Garbage, the grassed-over former landfill site that overlooks Etobicoke’s Centennial Park. As he reaches the top, he pauses briefly, before turning to encourage the runners struggling up the hill in his wake - some of Canada’s top young distance runners who arrived in Toronto earlier this month to join a quixotic quest for marathon greatness.

More than 13,000 runners from around the globe will take over downtown streets tomorrow morning as part of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon and its associated half-marathon and five-kilometre races.

But if you happen to be strolling along the lakeshore when the marathon leaders whiz by, you’ll find you have some time on your hands before the Canadians come into view. The front pack will probably be dominated by runners from distance-running powerhouses such as Kenya and Ethiopia: At last year’s race, the top Canadian man struggled in more than 25 minutes behind the winner; the top Canadian woman was 10 minutes off the pace.

Closing that gap will be no simple task, but two Toronto businessmen have an idea about how to do it. Instead of having the country’s top long-distance runners scattered across the country training by themselves, end their proverbial loneliness by bringing them together in one lean, hungry pack. Have them live together, train together and push each other to new heights, and turn Toronto’s sprawling network of parks and ravines into a giant urban-marathon haven.

The businessmen, Brooks Canada founders Mike and Paul Dyon, know the group approach will work because it propelled Mike Dyon to four Canadian marathon titles in the 1970s and 1980s. The brothers think that approach will work again - and they’re willing to bet $1.5-million on it.

HATCHING A PLAN

The Dyon brothers’ brainchild, dubbed the Brooks Canada Marathon Project, was officially launched in January. But it’s only in the past month that the training group has reached a critical mass, with an influx of runners from across the country bringing the total to seven men and two women.

The workout at Centennial Park marks the first time the new group will train together, but the conditions are hardly auspicious. Wheeled windsurfers tack up and down a nearby parking lot in the blustery 50-km/h winds, and the 33 C heat and humidity are oppressive.

Two runners fresh off the plane from Vancouver, recent Simon Fraser University grads Richard Mosley and Ryan Day, eye the hazy sky dubiously as they stretch in the grass. "Personally, I’d prefer 15 Celsius and rainy," Mr. Mosley says.

"It’s good preparation for Beijing," counters a smiling Hugh Cameron, a veteran coach.

Mr. Cameron’s pedigree as a marathon coach is unrivalled in the country. In the 1980s, his training group included the Dyons, Commonwealth Games silver medalist Dave Edge and Sylvia Ruegger, whose Canadian marathon record has stood since 1985. Recent years have produced fewer successes.

"Hugh and I would chat at meets, and we’d chat at workouts," Mike Dyon says, "and we’d say, ’It’s not like the old days.’ " The plan they hatched was simple: provide athletes with free housing, top-notch coaching, flexible jobs at the Brooks Canada headquarters in Mississauga, physiotherapy and massage, strength training, shoes, clothing and a generous bonus structure for fast times and high placings at key races.

Still, it’s unlikely that any of the runners here today will be running the marathon in the Beijing Olympics - a reflection of how far the top Canadians are from world-class (no marathoners qualified to represent Canada at the last Olympics), and how long it takes to develop a good marathoner.

"As far as the marathon is concerned, 2008 is already here," Paul Dyon explains. "We’re looking at the longer term, to London in 2012."

The plan came one step closer to fruition with the purchase earlier this month of a million-dollar house on High Park Avenue, a few minutes’ jog from the soft trails and rolling hills of High Park. With four units and 11 bedrooms, the house has plenty of extra space for a planned indoor-exercise room when the group takes possession in November, as well as an algae-filled pond in the back that the runners are eyeing half-jokingly for use as an ice bath in which to soak their legs after hard training.

Mr. Cameron has devised an inaugural workout that highlights Centennial Park’s very diverse training options. After a five-kilometre warm-up run and a series of drills, stretches and sprints, the runners tackle the heart of the workout: 10 km of hard runs around grass loops, along gravel roads and around the rubberized track, punctuated by short periods of jogging to allow partial recovery, and capped by the grand finale: a gut-wrenching 400-metre sprint up the hill.

The women start each interval 30 seconds ahead of the men, allowing the two groups to finish at roughly the same time. After a few kilometres, the pack has already begun to split up. Mr. Smith, a Scarborough native, pulls away from his teammates. Mr. Day and Mr. Mosley, suffering from jet lag and the unaccustomed heat, drift to the back.

Watching his charges from the top of Mount Garbage, Mr. Cameron records their times in a notebook as they finish each interval - but he’s not concerned about the stragglers. "Right now, we’re just getting everyone on the same page," he says. "We need to get used to pack running, and promote the synergy of the group." The times will become important later, but for now he’s looking for more subtle cues. "I want to see who’s got fire in their eyes."

THE LEAD PACK

The Dyon brothers seem like unlikely champions of the idea that runners need to be pampered to succeed. Mike Dyon was in his last year at the University of Toronto in 1977 when he first tried a pair of Brooks Villanova shoes during a training camp in Florida. He liked them so much that he and his brother drove back to the U.S. to buy 50 more pairs - mostly in size 8.5 and 9.

"We figured at worst, we’d have shoes to run in for a couple of years," he says.

Selling from the trunk of their car at local races, they found the shoes were a hit, and before long they became Brooks’ distributors in Eastern Canada. As Mike’s running career blossomed, the brothers were building what is now a $100-million business.

Fitting in two training sessions a day around the demands of a busy work and travel schedule took iron discipline. Their most memorable performance: a 10-kilometre run during a 50-minute layover in Detroit en route from Grand Rapids. "We changed in the washroom of the plane and ran out of the gate," Mike Dyon recalls. "We figure we have a world record, and we don’t think it’ll ever be broken, given security these days."

But the context now is different for two reasons, the brothers say. There are far fewer Canadian runners now than there were 30 years ago, simply because there are more sports and hobbies siphoning away potential stars. And the influx of East African runners whose high-altitude birthplaces have trained them to use oxygen efficiently, and who view running as a rare chance to escape from poverty, has raised standards - witness the field in tomorrow’s marathon, which includes six Kenyans who have run two hours and 10 minutes or better since last year. Only two Canadians have broken 2:11, the last one in 1985.

With this new reality, says the marathon’s race director, Alan Brookes, "you’re not going to put anyone in the lead pack if they have a day job."

Mike Dyon agrees: "Sure, there are some easy days where you might only run 15 miles in an hour and a half, and you can go to work after that. But you can’t be working full-time."

That proved to be true for one of the project’s most promising recruits, 23-year-old Joe Campanelli. After graduating with a commerce degree from U of T in the spring, he struggled to balance the group’s training plan with the structured hours of his job as a fund accountant with CIBC Mellon. Earlier this month, he left the Marathon Project in order to continue training on his own.

"It would definitely help my running if I could concentrate on it full-time," he says. "But this early in my career, I’m not ready to take that risk."

Mr. Smith, the veteran of the group, supply teaches, allowing him to choose when to accept work. Rest is crucial, with a training load of 140 to 170 km each week, often running twice a day, plus strength and flexibility work. His wife, Tara Quinn-Smith, is the most accomplished runner in the group, and has qualified for the government "carding" that pays a monthly stipend to top Olympic hopefuls. But the Marathon Project has been crucial in allowing the couple to remain focused on running.

"With carding, there’s never a guarantee," Ms. Quinn-Smith says. "With Brooks we have more stability - and the house will be great."

DON’T TALK, RUN

A few weeks after the first workout, the group is doing a 27-km Sunday-morning run along the Humber River. The recent arrivals from B.C., Winnipeg and Timmins have settled in, and the pack is now tight and cohesive, rolling amoeba-like past the occasional befuddled cyclist at just over 3½ minutes per kilometre.

Despite the brisk pace, the runners appear relaxed, the collective energy of their teammates drawing them forward with little apparent effort.

Reflecting on the pack’s new coherence, Mr. Cameron is pleased. "The Internet has got blog after blog on what’s the problem with our marathoners, and they’ve completely missed it," he says. "Stop talking about it and do it."

Alex Hutchinson

Time Penalty for Sporting Life?? - 2007-09-30

		I have just finished trying to phase out results from the Sporting Life 10K but some of the categories are full of individuals where they only have the Sporting Life 10K as their result (ie: Ontario 50-59). It might be reasonable to attach a penalty adjustment to reward the runners who would have no trouble getting a ranked time at another course but have not had the opportunity to do so. Please send your feedback to alex.coffin@marathoncanada.com or visit our website forum.

Marathon Man on a Mission - 2007-09-28

Randy starkman
SPORTS REPORTER
Toronto Star

As a marathoner, Ryan Day knows well the loneliness of the long distance runner.

But the days of running by himself – and for himself – are over for the 25-year-old from Kitimat, B.C.

Day, who will race for Team Canada in Sunday's Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, had a transformative experience last May.

The member of the Secwepemc Nation, Bonaparte Band, was one of the leaders in a Prayer Run for World Peace, a relay by indigenous youth from Vancouver to Anchorage that changed his reasons for running.

"We did a lot of ceremony, we would pray in the hope that the suffering we were enduring as runners was taking away from the suffering of people who can't help themselves elsewhere in the world in their own communities," said Day.

"It's become more of a spiritual endeavour, running, more than a competitive one or individual. It suits my personality and my life view better."

Day said he's forged his aboriginal identity only in the last three years, having grown up in the "dominant culture" with a Caucasian father and aboriginal mother.

He's been shaped by his work with high-risk aboriginal youth in east Vancouver and is fuelled by a mission – to be a strong role model for aboriginal youth and spread the word about their plight.

Day realizes his goals can best be reached by becoming that rarest of species these days, a Canadian Olympic marathoner.

He is aiming for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and wants to be a contender by the 2012 London Games. His best time of two hours 19 minutes 55 seconds is five minutes off the qualifying standard, but he's never had a proper training environment.

That's changed in the last three weeks after he uprooted himself from Vancouver to move to Toronto to be part of the new Brooks Canada Marathon Project.

The unique $1.5 million program started in January and aims to develop top-class marathoners in Canada over the next six years.

The project is being backed by a couple of marathon zealots, brothers Mike and Paul Dyon, former runners who own Brooks Canada.

Scotiabank Marathon organizer Alan Brookes describes the '90s and beyond as a "black hole" for Canadian marathon running.

"It's been part-time amateur stuff and, no disrespect to the people who were doing it, but there hasn't been any infrastructure or system," said Brookes. "Maybe this is the sort of light at the end of the tunnel."

Cameron could see some of that light while coaching a recent 27-kilometre workout at the Holland Marsh. The synergy between the runners was evident as they went shoulder to shoulder, each taking turns pushing the pace.

"The guys who are having a better day can drag the guys having a tough one along," Day said. "We've got guys from both ends of the spectrum and everywhere in between. We're a pretty motley crew. But that's the way marathoners are. You get every body type, every type of runner, so we can all help each other in different types of workouts."

Goodfellow and Coffin Repeat - 2007-09-24

John Mazerolle
Telegraph-Journal

Published Monday September 24th, 2007

Appeared on page B10

SAINT JOHN - The course was new, the time of year was different, but there was a familiar winner at this year's Marathon by the Sea.

Saint John's Alex Coffin won his sixth Port City marathon Sunday, finishing with a time of 2:50:41, about six and a half minutes faster than another local stalwart of the running scene, Chris Brake. Coffin said he would like to win the event seven times.

"Seven's a lucky number," he said, shortly after crossing the finish line on Water Street, where a healthy crowd cheered him on and organizers threw streamers and confetti.

This year's event was held about a month later than its usual mid-August date, and organizers abandoned the old route, which stretched down Manawagonish Road and toward Coleson Cove. The new route had the 168 full-marathon participants start and finish in the uptown and pass through the south, east, west, and north neighbourhoods.

"I have to admit, I enjoyed not having to go all the way out to Coleson Cove," said Coffin, breathing normally just seconds after the race. "It gets a little lonely out there. I'm from the West Side, so it was neat still being able to go to Manchester [Avenue] on the West Side."

Coffin, who holds the event record with a time of 2:35:02 in 1998, said Brake started quickly.

"I tried to let other runners dictate the pace, so Chris took it out real hard [the] first five miles. After that, I thought the best strategic move was to get some space on him and then just watch my back."

The temperature at the beginning of the race was cool, but by the time Coffin finished it was around 20 degrees. Coffin said that worked to his advantage.

"If it's a hard pace early, it's hard to catch someone when it's hot," he said.

Brake, meanwhile, said he did little training in preparation for the race but ran the full marathon because there was no money to be won in the half. He said he hit the wall after that first five-mile sprint. "I thought I was going to die if I didn't let him go."

Brake said the new course is difficult because of the number of hills toward the end. The course even has what event chair David Baxter dubbed a Boston Marathon-like 'Heartbreak Hill' on Samuel Davis Drive near UNBSJ and the Regional Hospital.

The woman's winner, Heather Goodfellow of Halifax, said the hills were "pretty brutal. When I got to mile 22, I didn't think I was going to make it. But there were a couple of guys around me that we're really encouraging and all the volunteers and stuff we're still yelling to go, and all the spectators. So I didn't stop, but I definitely slowed down."

The three-time women's winner ended up in eighth place overall with a time of 3:05:08, well ahead of her nearest female competitor.

"I didn't know how far back they were though, so I was kind of worried the whole time because I got so tired by mile 22 that, if anybody had came up on me and they were feeling strong, I wasn't in any shape to give them any competition at that point."

Goodfellow, who has spent time here working with the law firm Stewart McKelvey and with the Coast Guard on the St. John River, said her original goal was to break three hours. But she had to reevaluate her goals because of the hills, she said, adding that she'll do more hill training for next time.

Baxter said he was pleased that the number of marathoners had risen to 168 this year from 122 last year.

He said the event's approximately 400 volunteers and 1,200 participants had handled the changes well, and that there had been no major problems. (One 73-year-old woman participating in the event was struck by a car on the Courtenay Bay causeway, but Sgt. Don Cooper with the Saint John Police Force said the car had been moving slowly and her injuries were not severe.)

In the half-marathon, the winners were William Fitzgerald of Saint John, with a time of 1:14:33, and Suzanne Doucet, who was the top woman with a 35th-place finish of 1:37:40.

In the Nordic walk half-marathon, Daryl Steeves of Rothesay finished first with a time of 2:52:02, while Sherry Bagnell of Nauwigewauk was the top female with a time of 3:02:13.

Top finishers in the 10 km event were Benoit Thisdel of Saint John (37:58) and Susan MacDonald of Kingston, N.S. (42:02). The 5-km event went to Alex Ferguson of Saint John (20:44) and Merina Farrell of Lower Greenwich (22:08).

Hobeika Takes It All!! - 2007-09-18

		Allison Hobeika won the overall crown at the September 16 Newfoundland Provincial Marathon Championship in a time of 3:04:21. First male overall and first masters runner was Bill Pomeroy in a time of 3:09:24. There were 67 finishers altogether and 3 women finished in the top 10 with Marie Decker and Julianna Lagin-Nasse joining Allison. The other top performance of the day was 60-69 winner William Alyward.

Blowout on Mizuno, Brooks and Adidas - 2007-09-18

		We’ve just posted major sales on the Mizuno Wave Inspire, Mizuno Wave Rider, MIzuno Wave Nirvana, Brooks Trance, and the Adidas Adistar Cushion. All are being sold for $99.99 (not including taxes and shipping). Please check our store link and then click on the specific shoe company. Thank you for supporting this website!! Alex

Two in a row for Kryza - 2007-09-10

JOHN MEAGHER, The Gazette

Wioletta Kryza is becoming an expert at winning marathons in Montreal.

Yesterday, the 38-year-old Polish runner captured her second consecutive women's crown, and third of her career, at the 17th annual Montreal Oasis Marathon.

"It feels great," Kryza said moments after crossing the finish line inside the Olympic Stadium.

She covered the 42.2-kilometre race, which began on Jacques Cartier Bridge and wound its way through downtown Montreal, in two hours, 43 minutes and 25 seconds, 20 seconds off her winning pace a year ago.

Yesterday's victory came with $10,000 in prize money, but it was made even sweeter because it marked the 25th marathon win of Kryza's career.

"I also won the marathon here in 1991. I now have three wins in Montreal, 25 in all, and they are all very special," she said.

Asahssah Malika of Morocco was second in 2:47.38. Véronique Decoste of Vaudreuil-Dorion was the top Canadian, finishing fourth in 3:08.33.

On the men's side, Laban Moiben of Kenya was first in 2:15.29, followed by Essemlali Elhoussine of Morocco (2:18.28).

The top Canadian was Jean-Nicholas Duval of Montreal in 2:32.59.

Moiben said he was slowed by the windy conditions on the course, but tried to stay ahead of the pack the entire race.

"There were a lot of runners on the streets, so I wanted to get ahead and stay ahead."

David-Laurent Blanchard of Longueuil won the 21K half- marathon race in 1:02.46

Danny Kassap of Toronto, the men's 2006 marathon champ, placed second in the half-marathon in 1:05.30. Kassap said he opted for half the distance to conserve his energy for the Toronto marathon in two weeks.

"I hope to qualify for the Olympics at the Toronto marathon," Kassap said.

Paulina Githuka of Kenya won the women's half-marathon (1:18.35), finishing ahead of Montreal's Isabelle Ledroit (1:18.59).

Race president Bernard Arsenault was pleased with the turnout of 17,000 participants, who walked, ran, rode bikes or raced wheelchairs through a series of courses designed for recreational and competitive athletes.

He said the future of the marathon looks bright because of the number of youngsters participating in shorter recreational races.

"We expected maybe 200 or 300 kids to run the one-K Petit Marathon, but we ended up with 1,000 entries. That's amazing," Arsenault said.

Arsenault said the Montreal Oasis Marathon also serves to put the city on the map.

"There are runners from 25 countries competing here, making it a truly international event."

jmeagher@thegazette.canwest.com

U of S student wins Regina marathon - 2007-09-10

		The StarPhoenix Published: Monday, September 10, 2007 Amanda Froehlich shattered the women’s course record at the seventh annual SaskCentral Queen City Marathon in Regina on Sunday. Froehlich, 21, won in three hours, eight minutes, eight seconds. Froehlich broke the record of 3:14:19 set in 2006 by Annie Rogoschewsky of Red Deer. Sunday’s marathon was the first 42.2-kilometre race that Froehlich has run. "I just run out on the farm on the gravel roads,’’ said Froehlich, who hails from Marquis and is a fourth-year psychology and kinesiology major at the University of Saskatchewan. Brendan Lunty of Camrose, Alta., won the men’s marathon in 2:45:59. Donna Olsen of Saskatoon was the women’s half-marathon winner in 1:37:20. Bruce Klassen won the men’s half in 1:20:18. © The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2007

Goyer wins third in a row - 2007-08-27

Ian Bussières

Le Soleil

Québec

(English comments below by Alex Coffin)

Jamais deux sans trois. Nathalie Goyer, de Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, a fait honneur au célèbre dicton, hier, quand elle a signé une troisième victoire consécutive au Marathon des Deux Rives, qu’elle a terminé en 2 h 55 min 37 s, un sommet personnel.

« Même avec des vents décidément défavorables, j’ai réussi à retrancher quatre minutes de mon meilleur temps ! Je me sens plus vivante que jamais, et je suis soulagée aussi, puisqu’il peut toujours arriver quelque chose, même dans les 500 derniers mètres », a confié l’athlète de 39 ans, après la course.

La gagnante a avoué que son troisième Marathon des Deux Rives avait été beaucoup plus facile que le premier. « C’est ça, le secret pour en gagner trois d’affilée : on connaît mieux le parcours, on l’apprivoise et on sait davantage à quoi s’attendre », poursuit celle qui a franchi le fil d’arrivée un peu plus de sept minutes devant Louise Voghel, deuxième chez les femmes.

Enseignante à la maternelle, Goyer profite de la saison estivale pour s’entraîner en courant de 130 à 150 km par semaine. « Je ne pourrais pas m’entraîner comme ça si je travaillais tous les mois de l’année », insiste-t-elle.

Dehbi chez les hommes

Chez les hommes, le Montréalais d’origine algérienne Amor Dehbi a parcouru la majorité du trajet Lévis-Québec fin seul devant le peloton pour boucler les 42,2 km en 2 h 24 min 7 s, à une minute et des poussières du record établi par le Kenyan Joseph Maina en 2001.

Le 10e Marathon des Deux Rives était le premier pour Dehbi, un habitué du Marathon de Montréal. « Comme je manquais un peu de préparation pour Montréal, j’ai décidé de courir celui de Québec avant », a dit l’homme de 35 ans.

Dehbi a trouvé particulièrement difficile le fait de franchir la majorité du parcours sans aucune opposition. « Je préfère avoir un autre athlète devant moi, ça aide à trouver la motivation », a-t-il poursuivi.

Richard Tessier, de Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, a terminé sept minutes plus tard. « Dehbi est fort, plus fort que moi ! Il aurait été très difficile de le rejoindre. Je l’ai laissé aller, car il était trop rapide en espérant qu’il casse à la fin, mais il n’a pas cassé ! » a expliqué celui qui a dédié sa course à la famille de la petite Cédrika Provencher, dont la disparition a ému sa région.

Plus de 4800 coureurs ont pris le départ, hier, un record qui réjouit grandement le pdg de l’événement, Denis Therrien. « On en avait eu un peu plus de 4000 l’an passé. C’est de plus en plus populaire, et on profite grandement de la reconnaissance du réseau américain ESPN et de la revue Runner’s World », a-t-il commenté en soulignant que 30 pays étaient présentés et que 25 % des coureurs provenaient de l’extérieur du Québec.

NOTES : La meilleure performance par un coureur de la région de Québec a été celle du Fidéen Alain Guimont, sixième avec un temps de 2 h 44 min 53 s... Chez les femmes, Valérie Saint-Martin, de Québec, a pris le troisième rang avec 3 h 11 min 15 s... Le chef du Parti libéral du Canada, Stéphane Dion, a pris part aux 5 km de la santé, qu’il a complétés en 39 minutes en serrant des mains... Guy Benoît, de Québec, a bouclé en 4 h 12 min 14 s son 12e marathon en un an pour souligner ses 50 ans... Roger Goulet, de Saint-Jean-Chrysostome, dont c’était le 200e marathon à vie, a franchi le fil d’arrivée après 4 h 7 min 1 s.

Alex’s notes: Nathalie Goyer should obviously be pleased as she won her third in a row but second place Louise Voghel can’t be too disappointed as she once again turned in a world ranking 50-59 age category performance. Nathalie had a comfortable lead on Louise and Louise had a comfortable lead on third place Valerie St-Martin. On the men’s side, potential new citizen (?) Amor Dehbi outclassed tough runners Richard Tessier and Louise Philippe Garnier. In the half marathon, Ontario based runners Giitah MacHaria and Josianne Aboungono won the top honours but Montrealer Isabelle Ledroit made Josianne work hard right until the end losing by only about 100 meters.

Tough Course a Winner!! - 2007-08-27

The Fundy Rocks Half Marathon starts with a mile long climb and doesn’t ease up until the finishing downhill. Todd Power of Moncton took charge early and the race was soon about 2^nd place. Todd finished in 1:19:31 while Jacques Gautreau of Moncton held off Nova Scotia’s David Holder and Glenn Trites of Rothesay for 2^nd. It was another strong charge to the front by Jolicure’s Nancy Burkhardt who won in 1:36:57. Josette Day of Moncton edged Lisa Flewelling of Saint John for 2^nd place. In the 10K, 3 out of province runners were turned back by Saint John’s Justin Young while Vicki Woods of Quispamsis missed the turnaround point allowing Fredericton’s Catherine Dandie to take the women’s title. The Nordic Walking Champion in the 10K was Sherry Bagnell of Nauwigewauk. In the 5K, Marianne Levesque of Charlo was the overall champion while the top local performance was turned in by Hannah Arsenault of St Martins who finished 2^nd. The event was held at the Fundy Trail Parkway and featured some incredible scenery while torturing the participants with challenging climbs. New Brunswick Provincial Marathon Record-Holder Joe McGuire assisted at the awards ceremony and spoke for a dinner on Friday night. Joe was the Boston Marathon Masters Champion in 1985 after only starting to run seriously in his mid 30s and quitting smoking. He has a 10K named after him in his hometown of Woodstock. Results can be found at www.anb.ca.

Closest Edmonton Marathon Ever?? - 2007-08-17

		David Corbett, of Edmonton AB, who was runner-up in 2005, won the 2007 Edmonton Centennial Marathon in 2:40:59. 2005 Champion Dallas Raudebaugh, of Edmonton AB, finished second in 2:41:08. 2004 Champion Dennis Colburn, of Edmonton AB, who finished third at the 2007 Calgary Marathon, was third in 2:42:23. Joylin Nodwell, of Calgary AB, who won the 2007 Red Deer Marathon, was the first female finisher in 3:19:16. Nadine Mueller, of Spruce Grove AB, finished second in 3:22:59. Heather Moholitny, of Edmonton AB, was third in 3:24:05. (from MarathonGuide.com) Thomas Omwenga edged top Canadian Marathoner Jim Finlayson 1:06:51 to 1:07:50 in the Half Marathon. Aster Demissie played the same trick but with more force winning big over top Canadian Marathoner Lioudmila Kortchaguina 1:15:14 to 1:18:59. (The photo is Dallas Raudebaugh in front of Ian Manyfingers at XC Nationals)

Dylan Wykes finishes top 10 in NYC. - 2007-08-06

		Women's results are at http://web5.nyrrc.org/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/65313.1.693861659019770202 Men's results are at http://web5.nyrrc.org/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/69329.1.646101072618055627 Dylan runs out of Providence and was only 30 seconds behind Alan Culpepper. Paula Keating is one of New Brunswick's top masters runners!! Great races against great competition!!

Canadians competing at USA Masters - 2007-08-06

		Ed Whitlock, Patty Blanchard, Earl Fee and Shawn Muldrew were amongst our top ranked runners who made the trip. Ed, Patty and Earl all claimed top honours while Shawn finished a close second in both the M40 800 and the M40 1500. Results can be found at http://www.usatf.org/events/2007/USAMastersOutdoorTFChampionships/schedule.asp

Great Competition at Canadian Masters! - 2007-08-02

		Thank you very much to everyone who made the trip to New Brunsick. Event director Bill MacMackin did a great job! Results and photos can be found at http://anb.ca/sjtc/2007canadianmasters/

Goyer Triumphs Again! - 2007-07-16

		Mississauga Marathon Champion Nathalie Goyer narrowly edged Catherine Dumont of Quebec City 1:24:49 to 1:25:10 at the Half Marathon in Yamachiche, Quebec. 50-59 phenom Louise Voghel ran 1:27:45 to place third for the women at the event. For the overall title, Amor Dehbi of Montreal ran an impressive 1:07:12 to win handily over Daniel Blouin of Quebec City who was also under 1:10 by 10 seconds. Richard Tessier was third in 1:12:12. For full results, please see http://www.milpat.ca/yamachiche/resultats2007.html

Runner wins second Calgary marathon - 2007-07-09

By DAVE DORMER, SUN MEDIA

Even though Ken Myers was competing in his second marathon in just over a month, the 27-year-old Calgary Spartans runner still had a little jump left for the finish.

"I tried to sprint the last 100 metres," he said with a sheepish grin after winning his second HSBC Calgary Marathon at Millennium Park yesterday.

"With all the people there, I just got excited."

Myers, who also won in 2004, finished the event in 2:33:45, 43 seconds slower than the time he posted at the ING Ottawa Marathon at the end of May, where he was 21st overall.

"I felt pretty comfortable the whole way, but the last five kilometres it starts to get a little tight."

Myers added he wasn't expecting to win, especially with such a quick turnaround between the races.

"You never know in a marathon what's going to happen."

A PhD student in biomechanical engineering at the University of Calgary, Myers pocketed $1,000 for yesterday's effort, but that will likely go toward his wardrobe.

"I'll probably get some new clothes," he said, noting he's set to enter medical school at the U of C in August.

Fellow Spartan Amanda McLeod topped the women's field, finishing in a time of 2:58:46 -- a personal best for the 29-year-old -- earning her a $1,000 cheque, which will likely go toward paying off student loans.

"I wanted to break three (hours)," she said.

"The last one I did was 3:06."

A member of the cross-country running team for four years while studying graphic art and design at SAIT/ACAD, McLeod made the switch to marathons after graduating three years ago.

"It's a bit a of a leap," she admitted.

"I just wanted to take it to the next level and see how far I could go."

Registrations are starting to come in for the Canadian Masters Championships in Saint John, N.B. this July. To date about 1/3 of the registrations coming from the USA with representation from 11 states in addition to 7 Canadian provinces. “We hope this is a good indicator that the tie into the USA Masters champs in Orono are working for us and will pay off as registrations hit their peak in the next few weeks”, say meet organizers.

“Hopefully we will have a great representation of Atlantic Canadian athletes, especially from New Brunswick”, says meet organizer, Bill MacMackin. “We are looking for things to pick up now that we are down to the final 45 days or so.”

The 2007 Canadian Masters Athletics Association (CMAA) Championships are being held at the Canada Games Stadium on July 27-29th, 2007. This event will be the first national track and field event held in the city and at the stadium in over 15 years. The CMAA provides competitions for people over age 30. The CMAA wanted to have a New Brunswick venue this year because it would coincide with the equivalent USA championships happening in Orono, Maine the following weekend. Masters championships are open to participants from other countries and the close proximity of these two events makes it possible for masters’ participants to travel into the region and take in two championship events.

Registration and event information is available on the event web site at www.2007CanadianMasters.ca

Lily Lake Event in Saint John - 2007-06-25

I’m always pushing the cross-training and I try to back it up with a short
Triathlon/Duathlon that I organize in Saint John. The Lily Lake event was
held this past Sunday, June 24.
 
The picture has champion Troy Allaby on the left beside 
defending champion Steve Morris. Third place finisher Stephen Flynn of 
Fredericton was the first swimmer out of Lily Lake. Maggie Johnson is a 
first time champion on the women’s side after passing Lisa Flewelling on the 
run. High Schooler Brent McCullum won the Duathlon over Ironman competitor 
Earle Burrows. Christy Bourque narrowly edged Shelly Crossman for the 
women’s title in the Duathlon. The bike ride is a very demanding course 
which includes Foster Thurston Drive.  The event this year serves as a 
warmup to the new Rockwood By the Bay Triathlon which will be held in 
August. Special thanks to the volunteers which included lifeguard supervisor 
Doug Trentowsky and the park staff. This year’s events donated 8 modified 
bike racks to the park.

Lily Triathlon, Duathlon 
> June 24, 2007
>  
> 
> 1, Troy Allaby, 30-39 (1), 47:56, Triathlon
> 2, Steve Morris, 30-39, 48:34, Triathlon
> 3, Stephen Flynn, 30-39, 50:20, Triathlon
> 4, Todd Lambert, 30-39, 50:23, Triathlon
> 5, Andre Charlebois, 30-39, 50:47, Triathlon
> 6, Garth Millar, 40-49 (1), 51:34, Triathlon
> 7, Gerald Demers, 20-29 (1), 53:00, Triathlon
> 8, Mike Eagles, 40-49, 55:01, Triathlon
> 9, James McMillin, 40-49, 57:03, Triathlon
> 10, Jerome Dick, 30-39, 58:07, Triathlon
> 11, (1F), Maggie Johnson, 20-29 (1), 58:12, Triathlon
> 12, (1D), Brent McCullum, 19 and Under (1), 58:31, Duathlon
> 13, (2F), Lisa Flewelling, 20-29, 58:57, Triathlon
> 14, Boon Kek, 20-29, 59:13, Triathlon
> 15, (2D), Earle Burrows, 40-49, 59:21, Triathlon
> 16, (3D), Terry Urquhart, 40-49 (1), 59:33, Duathlon
> 17, Jeff Clark, 40-49, 59:39, Triathlon
> 18, Mark McGraw, 30-39, 59:41, Triathlon
> 19, John Parks, 50-59 (1), 59:44, Triathlon
> 20, Peter Milne, 40-49, 61:04, Triathlon
> 21, (3F), April Lambert, 30-39 (1), 61:37, Triathlon
> 22, (4F), Merina Farrell, 40-49 (1), 61:47, Triathlon
> 23, Malcolm Boyd, 50-59, 62:01, Triathlon
> 24, (4D), Jason Thorne, 30-39 (1), 63:13, Duathlon
> 25, Rob Scott, 40-49, 63:15, Triathlon
> 26, Sean Foster, 30-39, 63:35, Triathlon
> 27, (5F), May Collin-Beaulieu, 40-49, 64:02, Triathlon
> 28, Charles Smith, 20-29, 64:34, Triathlon
> 29, Jerry Power, 40-49, 65:23, Triathlon
> 30, John Simson, 60-69 (1), 65:50, Triathlon
> 31, Dave Rowe, 19 and under (1), 66:57, Triathlon
> 32, (5D), Joe Kennedy, 40-49, 67:04, Duathlon
> 33, (6F), Nicola Robichaud, 40-49, 67:40, Triathlon
> 34, (7F), Amy Palmer, 20-29, 68:09, Triathlon
> 35, (6D), Warren Gerow, 50-59 (1), 68:39, Duathlon
> 36, Brent Bethune, 40-49, 68:53, Triathlon
> 37, Alex Holder, 30-39, 69:17, Triathlon
> 38, (8F), Amy Buckley, 20-29, 69:41, Triathlon
> 39, Marc Carey, 30-39, 70:51, Triathlon
> 40, Ed Hawkins, 30-39, 71:11, Triathlon
> 41, Tom Peiser, 40-49, 71:18, Triathlon
> 42, (9F), Carla Harris, 40-49, 71:20, Triathlon
> 43, Dennis Legere, 30-39, 72:37, Triathlon
> 44, (10F), Stephanie Pierce, 30-39, 74:19, Triathlon
> 45, (7D), Craig McCullum, Grade 6!!!!, 75:18, Duathlon
> 46, (11F), Elizabeth Underwood, 50-59 (1), 77:09, Triathlon
> 47, Phil Nelson, 40-49, 77:10, Triathlon
> 48, (12F), Erin Holtz, 20-29, 77:17, Triathlon
> 49, (13F), Marlo Rose, 20-29, 77:21, Triathlon
> 50, (1DF), Christy Bourque, 30-39 (1), 78:13, Duathlon
> 51, (2DF), Shelly Crossman, 30-39, 78:32, Duathlon
> 52, Rick Stephen, 50-59, 79:27, Triathlon
> 53, (3DF), Janet Irvine, 40-49 (1), 79:32, Duathlon
> 54, (14F), Sheila Burns, 50-59, 80:22, Triathlon
> 55, (15F), Alison Howell, 20-29, 80:45, Triathlon
> 56, (4DF), Tanya Bonham, 30-39, 82:03, Duathlon
> 57, Norman Fanjoy, 50-59, 86:33, Triathlon
> 58, (16F), Angela Hardy, 20-29, 86:39, Triathlon
> 59, Troy Nelson, 20-29, 89:32, Triathlon
> 60, Tyson Nelson, 20-29, 89:36, Triathlon
> 61, (17F), Kora Hanrahan, 30-39, 90:07, Triathlon
> 62, (18F), Barbara Clarke, 50-59, 93:18, Triathlon
> 62, (18F), Dorothy Glabraith, 50-59, 93:18, Triathlon
> 64, (5DF), Janice MacPherson, 30-39, 93:31, Duathlon
> 65, (20F), Charlene Guimond, 20-29, 95:19, Triathlon
> 66, (6DF), Jennifer Perry, 30-39, 95:51, Duathlon
> 67, (8D), Shawn Peterson, 20-29, 97:06, Duathlon
> 67, (8D), Patrick Driscoll, 19 and under, 97:06, Duathlon
> 69, Shawn Laveque, 19 and under, 112:40, Triathlon

Another Fast Scotiabank Vancouver - 2007-06-25

On a remarkable, wet Vancouver summer morning, Kenyan Patrick Nthiwa missed the start of the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon, then stormed his way past a record field of over 4,000 to set a new course record of 63:10, eclipsing Moroccan Mustapha Bennacer’s 2003 mark by a mere four seconds.

Fellow Kenyan Magdalene Mukunzi had a less-dramatic come-from-behind win as she made it three-for-three in head-to-head competition over Toronto’s Lioudmila Kortchaguina this year, blowing past Canada’s #1 ranked women’s marathoner and Calgary’s Lisa Harvey around 12k, then cruising to a comfortable victory in 1:14:02. Harvey was delighted with her second place finish [1:15:45], almost a minute and a half ahead of Kortchaguina who had a miserable day in the rain [1:17:11], after the Calgarian had been an ignominious 17 minutes behind Kortchaguina at the Ottawa Marathon just 4 weeks ago.

The men started out with a fast, downhill 2:42 first kilometre on the University of British Columbia campus roads, before a group of 5 — Kenyan Joshua Kemei, Toronto’s Danny Kassap and Giitah Macharia, Ottawa’s Joseph Nsengiyumva and Nanaimo’s Steve Osaduik — settled in to a steady pace around 3 minutes per kilometre. They passed 5km in 14:50, by which time Osaduik had slipped off the back. Nsengiyumva was next to drop, by 6km, as Kemei and Kassap maintained the pace. A 2:55 ninth kilometre put paid to Macharia; Kassap continued to push things along nicely passing 10k in 29:24 after a 2:38 on the big downhill to Spanish Banks, with Kemei tucked in behind.

Nthiwa then emerged on the radar screen, running hard along the long flat stretch of Spanish Banks, right alongside the Pacific Ocean with the snowcapped North Shore Mountains in the background, from 10k to 13k. Dramatically, he caught the two leaders at the end of this stretch on the stiff uphill slope to West 4th Avenue, just before 14k. Continuing his relentless pursuit-pace, he ran 2:59 and 2:58 for the next 2 kilometres as Kemei dropped fast; Kassap held on only until 16k. By this time, the drizzle had turned to light rain, and then to a deluge. Alone, in a pouring rain that only those familiar with the Pacific Northwest can appreciate, Nthiwa battled the elements and the clock, chasing the extra $1,000 course record bonus. Coming down off the majestic Burrard Bridge, he had to hammer out 2:56 and 2:54 kilometres from 19k to 21k, in order to cross the line in world-famous Stanley park with the barest of margins — four seconds — to spare. Kassap continued strong to record a new PR of 64:03 on his birthday, signalling a welcome return to form. A tired, rain-sodden Kemei jogged in a distant third.

Despite the quintessential British Columbia day with the rain, the mist and new snow on the peaks of the coastal mountains, there were lots of smiles: a record sized field, the new course record, and a new fundraising record in excess of a quarter of a million dollars for 6 local charities. The sun even appeared as astonishingly as the downpour, to brighten up the awards proceedings and the bedraggled volunteer crews.

Full results available at www.canadarunningseries.com/svhm.

Nik does it again. - 2007-06-19

		Nik Southwell wins again in Ucluelet-Tofino. On a very demanding course, Nik once again ran an impressive time to win the Edge to Edge Marathon on June 10. His time of 2:29:28 wasn't as fast as his 2:27:47 2005 win but Nik had some closer competition with visiting runner Helge Hansen placing second in 2:39:19. Kirstin Schnurr of Vistoria won the women's race in 3:33:02.

Booth 3-Peat - 2007-06-19

		The weather was just about perfect for the nearly 13,000 runners who woke up to a cool, cloudy day for the 29th running of the Manitoba Marathon, and a cooling 20 minute drizzle for the post-three hour marathoners and relay runners. Congratulations to Mike Booth from Winnipeg who captured his third straight men's title in the Manitoba Lotteries Full Marathon with a time of 2:36:13. The woman's marathon was also won by a Winnipegger, as Cathy Cullen (winner of last year's Intrepid Dezine Half Marathon) made a successful jump up to the full distance, with a time of 3:07:51. To all participants, our sincerest congratulations on your commitment to train and join us this year. And a super special thank you to the 2,000 volunteers who make the event happen every Father's Day. And as well, to the hidden thousands who rarely get counted or noticed -- the teachers and parents behind the school running clubs, the family cheerleaders and official family photographers, the spectators on the course, and to the community as a whole that has embraced the spirit of the Manitoba Marathon. (Copied from the Manitoba Marathon Website)

Glycerin 4's On Sale - 2007-06-19

		Free shipping with in Canada for the incredible price of $119.99. E-mail me at alex.coffin@marathoncanada.com if you would like a pair.

The volunteers make the event - 2007-06-11

Kristi Patton

Cochrane Times

Wednesday June 06, 2007

Shirley Jeffries is a self-proclaimed outgoing, gab-a-lot and at 72-years-old she may not run Footstock but the avid volunteer sure doesn’t miss a thing.
“My son calls me Mrs. Gab-a-lot. I like to go out and meet people and chat with them. By nature I am fairly outgoing is the truth of it,” says Jeffries. I love to volunteer at Footstock because it is a good chance to meet new people.”
One of the driving forces behind the success of Footstock is not the 1,500 or so participants that hit the trails each year, it’s the volunteers.
“I became part of a women’s walking group and things just escalated from there. I also have a standing agreement with Sandy (Johnson from the Town of Cochrane Arts and Recreation) that if I am available I will help out with any event,” says Jeffries.
Each year hundreds of people volunteer to make Footstock the premier running event, whether that means helping set up distance markers to handing out water. Every year they are also depending on Cochranites to lend a hand.
“I would just tell people get out there and do it. It is fun,” says 16-year-old Ross Brawner who has volunteered the past two years.

The first year he volunteered he was awarded volunteer of the event.
“The first-year I had to do 20 hours of community service for school but it was really fun so I went back the next year,” says Brawner.
From working the water stations, directing traffic and being named the un-official co-race director Brawner also has met people from all over.
“Well, it is good to know that people are coming from everywhere. I met a few people from Boston so I guess the word is getting out,” he says.
The Lions Club hosts 1,500 people for a free breakfast of pancakes and sausages every Footstock weekend for the last five years.
“We cook a lot of pancakes,” says Reg Parker from the Lions Club. “We have to buy mix that comes in 50 pound bags and then mix it using a big monster drill like they use for mixing concrete.”
Then there are the local businesses like Tumbleweedz Clothing and Bow River Dental Centre who have been with Footstock since its original days when it was known as the Cochrane Challenge.
“We just wanted to put something into the community,” says Bill Gurel of Bow River Dental Centre. “They have been a really first class group to work with every year.”
Gurel, who has ran the event a few times, says the race itself is nice because you aren’t packed into a field “like a hoard of lemmings with 10,000 other people.”
“You just can’t do this without volunteers. You see them out there on race day doing the little things like running across the bridge on Bow River sweeping the gravel off to make sure it is good for the runners. Everything seems to flow effortlessly but there is a lot of logistics to getting this all lined up from the kids switching from run to bike to the water and aid stations,” says Gurel.

Alex's note: Results can be found at http://www.footstock.ca/results.php

Roy sets Canadian wheelchair marathon record - 2007-06-10

OENSINGEN, Switzerland — Diane Roy of Sherbrooke, Que., broke her Canadian record in the marathon for women wheelchair racers on Saturday in a bronze-medal performance at the Oensingen Marathon.

Amanda McGrory of the U.S., won the gold medal in one hour 39 minutes 20.4 seconds with Sandra Graf of Switzerland second in 1:40:07.08. Roy finished the 42-kilometre race in 1:40:09.1, almost three and half minutes faster than her previous best.

"It was a tough race," said Roy. "It took me awhile to get into it. But after the first lap, I knew it was going to be a fast race.

"At times I wasn't sure I'd be able to hold on but I worked hard and to beat my previous best by three minutes is very satisfying.n the men's marathon, Michel Filteau of St-Jean-Baptiste, Que., did not finish. Dave Weir of Britain won the gold.

In the men's 14-kilometre race, Alexandre Dupont of Montreal, and now based in Saskatoon, won the bronze in 32:53, less than a minute off the gold medal-winning time belonging to Pierre Fairbanks of Switzerland.

"It went very well, I surprised myself," said Dupont, 21. "It's the longest race of my career but I've done a few 10 kilometres.

"I just tried to stay with the lead pack and keep a good pace. And that's what pretty much happened."

In the women's 14-kilometre race, Simone Buess of Switzerland was the winner in 35:47.8 with Manuela Schar of Switzerland second in 37:45.5. Keira-Lyn Frie of Saskatoon was third in 40:38.9 and Ilana Duff of Saskatoon placed fourth in 41:36 in the longest race of her career.

"I'm a sprinter so this was a pretty big challenge for me," said Duff. "I was really excited about doing the race and when I finished it felt really good. I didn't really have a strategy I just wanted to make sure that I finished. My plan is to do more long-distance races."

Clayton Gerein of Pilot Butte, Sask., was fourth in the men's quadriplegic marathon.

Lioudmila defends her crown! - 2007-05-29

Darren Desaulniers, The Ottawa Citizen

Published: Monday, May 28, 2007

The course record at the ING Ottawa Marathon was broken yesterday and five more times after that.

David Cheruiyot of Kenya won the race in a time of two hours 10 minutes 35.4 seconds, exactly five seconds ahead of Abderrahime Bouramdane of Morocco, who was the 2006 champion.

The next seven runners to cross the finish line all hailed from Kenya, with four of them bettering the old course record of 2:11:47 set in 2004 by Elly Rono, also of Kenya.

"I knew that I could run a good time, maybe 2:11 or 2:10," said Cheruiyot, who recorded an unofficial time in the race last year after he and 13 other runners inadvertently took a wrong turn and ran approximately 500 metres less than the course length of 42.195 kilometres. "The other guys were strong, and, with just a few metres left, I kicked. There were still four people up until about 4K."

Toronto’s Lioudmila Kortchaguina defended her women’s marathon title, crossing the finish line in 2:29:42, more than two seconds better than last year’s winning time.

"It’s very nice to be here to run this race again. I’m happy that I won," said Kortchaguina, who was met at the finish line by her nine-year old daughter, Polina.

"She ran really good. It felt good. I was thinking I could be on TV or in the newspaper, so it was fun," Polina said.

Kortchaguina, who moved to Canada from Russia in 2001, was running her first marathon since last year’s race in Ottawa. She broke a kneecap last summer and was out for the season.

She ran the second half of yesterday’s race alone after breaking away from the pack.

"If you run in a pack it’s a little easier to run with somebody," she said. "I saw a couple of girls on a couple of turns, so I knew where they were. It’s a nice city and very supportive. During the race everyone was, ’Go, go, go,’ so it’s one of my favourite races."

The feedback about Ottawa Race Weekend was extraordinarily positive following the marquee event, but there were some points of contention with Athletics Canada policies.

Internationally, the B standard set for qualifying for the men’s marathon in the 2008 Olympic Games at Beijing is two hours 18 minutes, while the A standard is 2:15. Countries can send up to three runners who have qualified under the A standard, but only one who has qualified under the B standard. They are not allowed to send a B qualifier along with any A qualifiers.

More than a year after that international standard was released, Athletics Canada only unofficially released its standards this past weekend. The Canadian B standard is 2:14, which is below the international A standard, while this country’s A standard is 2:12:38.

"Two Canadian athletes have done (the international B standard), myself and Steve Osaduik out west," said Toronto’s Matthew McInnes, who placed 10th overall yesterday in 2:18:06.9.

McInnes had a particular bone to pick with Athletics Canada’s decision not to adopt the international standards.

"I don’t think we’re being realistic," he said. "I don’t understand why we decide we need to make our qualifications faster than Kenya’s or Ethiopia’s or the United States.’ All the marathon powerhouses go by the international standards, and for some reason we decide we have to make ours faster. The logic doesn’t make a lot of sense."

The fact that Athletics Canada waited more than a year to announce its standards, which are expected to be released officially early this week, is also of concern to McInnes.

"Once again they’re lagging in releasing the standards even a year after the qualifying period is open, which is not respecting athletes and is ridiculous to be honest," he said.

That aside, McInnes did win the Canadian marathon championship yesterday, finishing nearly three minutes ahead of Edmonton’s Matthew Normington.

"I was on pace until after 30K and then the wheels just sort of came off," McInnes said. "My legs weren’t feeling that good the last stretch and I had to battle home.

"I was happy to win the Canadian championship, but I was a little disappointed with my time."

Rejean Chiasson of Ottawa won the half-marathon in a time of 1:12:25.2, 41 seconds ahead of Richard Tessier of Ste-Anne-de-la-Perade, Que.

Saskatoon’s Brandi Pozniak won the women’s half-marathon in 1:19:58.6, 4.5 seconds ahead of Kingston’s Megan Lord.

Michel Filteau of St-Jean Baptiste, Que. won the Pfizer Wheelchair Marathon in 1:38.30. Schabort Krige, a South African native now living in Atlanta, was three seconds back.

Overall, the Ottawa Race Weekend didn’t draw the anticipated 30,000 participants, but it was close, at 29,641.

"It was a fantastic weekend," organizing co-chair Susan Longbottom said. "The numbers are great, the fundraising numbers are great, the crowds are great the finishing times are great, the weather. Everything just turned out the way we were hoping.

"We haven’t quite made it to 30 (thousand) but we’re close. You can’t be disappointed with way over 29,000 people, it’s phenomenal. When you look how far we’ve come and look at how many people are putting on a pair of running shoes and coming out, setting a goal for themselves and working towards it is a fantastic feeling."

Overall the event grew by three per cent over last year.

Rankers in Ottawa - 2007-05-23

		I'll be at the Ottawa Marathon this weekend and I'm hoping to recruit some new contributers for the website. The budget is tight but I am able to offer a staff discount for running product. If you are interested, e-mail me at alex77@nb.sympatico. If you would like to hear further details in Ottawa, just let me know and I can set up a meeting place. Alex

Jabbour improves time by ten minutes! - 2007-05-22

		BY MATTHEW WUEST The Daily News For the past couple of weeks, Leah Jabbour has shied away from her guilty pleasures to train for the Blue Nose International Marathon. She'll be the first to tell you that turning down cake on Mother's Day was hard to do. But now that she's the Blue Nose women's champ? "I'm looking forward to eating whatever I want and drinking some wine," the Clayton Park resident said with a laugh, after running the 42.2-kilometre full marathon in 3:13:08.6 yesterday in Halifax. Jabbour, 30, certainly earned a reward. She posted the fifth-best time overall in the Blue Nose and beat second-place finisher Tammy Mercier-Hackett of Halifax by three minutes. All of this after having two children - four-year-old Sophia in 2002 and two-year-old Mya in 2004 - and taking five years off full marathons from 2001 to 2006 as she focused on family. She finished second in last year's Blue Nose, when it took her 10 minutes longer to finish. "Taking 10 minutes off, on a hilly course like this, is definitely something to be proud of," Jabbour said. "Coming in first is just icing on the cake." Jabbour has called her family her inspiration, and she was greeted at the finish line by her daughters. They tugged shyly at her arm as she spoke to a small gathering of reporters. The two girls and her husband, Tony, cheered her on from the sidelines, meeting her at four different points throughout the race route. "They were with me twice in Halifax, twice in Dartmouth - they gave me a refresher in my water bottle and cheered me on," said Jabbour, a lobster biologist at Bedford's Clearwater Seafoods. She said Mya "was there, holding the umbrella, cheering as best she could," while Sophia had made her a beaded bracelet for inspiration. "Every time I looked down at my watch and checked my time, I'd look at my bracelet and think of her," she said. "It was incentive to keep going." Jabbour just missed her personal best of 3:11:55, set last year at the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. She said Dartmouth's Maple Street - not so fondly known as Give 'er Hill - was the hardest. "You could feel Maple," said Jabbour, who will run the New York Marathon in the fall. "When you're coming up, you can feel it in your legs, but I think it's just a mental game. You've got to stay in it mentally and you can make it through." Halifax's Penny Hart was the third woman to finish in 3:30:32.2. Mercier-Hackett ran the Boston Marathon last month and went against the advice of friends to run yesterday. She said she struggled with a sore back this week and wasn't at her best, but didn't mind coming in second to Jabbour. "You did amazing," she told Jabbour. "You pushed me the whole time," Jabbour answered. Mercier-Hackett, a seasoned runner with two children of her own, said Jabbour's mental approach to the race was the key to her success. "She's great, and she's very strong," Mercier-Hackett said. "From the beginning, she was determined, and when you want to win a race, that's how you've got to be. You've got to say, 'I want it so bad,' and that's what she did."

Over 1500 participants at the Banque Scotia Half this year!! - 2007-05-19

2007 Harry's Spring Run Off 8k Champion Thomas Omwenga of Kenya made it 2 for 2 this weekend winning the Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal under sunny skies at Parc Jean Drapeau. Thomas had just enough left to outsprint 2007 Canada Running Series Champion Giitah Marcharia and 2007 Harry's Spring Run Off 8k runner-up Joseph Nsengiyumva in the final 100 metres of a flat, fast "new" 21k course.

At the gun through 10k, the elite lead pack consisted of Omwenga, Macharia, Nsengiyumva, Danny Kassap, Matt McInnes, Joel Bourgeois and Bagdad Rachem with a brisk 10k split of 30:36 but just after the 10k mark the break was made and only Omwenga, Macharia and Nsengiyumva were left to contest the final 11k. The three leaders took turns leading as they wound their way through Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and along the basin Olympique. At 15k, the three continued on their strong pace with a split of 45:55 and jockeyed for position as they made their way back along Chemin MacDonald to La Ronde and the finish line. With 100 metres to go the sprint was on with Omwenga and Macharia breaking from Nsengiyumva. Omwenga showed his foot speed over the final 50 metres to take home another victory finishing strongly in 1:05:03 with Macharia a close second in 1:05:08 and Nsengiyumva in third with a 1:05:10.

The weather was picture perfect this year after a 2006 event that saw heavy rain from early morning though mid afternoon. The weather contributed to a strong turnout of 2,084 in the half marathon and another 350 participants in the 5k. Light winds were gusty at times but most runners agreed that the winds created a cooling effect for the temperatures of 14°C at the start and 17°C at the finish.

In the women's race, Canadian Women's Marathon Champion Lioudmila Kortchaguina led from the gun uncontested to win handily in 1:14:41. She was followed by Pauline Githuka (runner up at Harry's Spring Run Off 8k) in 1:16:53 and in third by Josiane Aboungono in 1:19:21.

The Top Masters male was Louis-Phillipe Garnier of Montreal who looked surprisingly fresh coming off his 2:33 at the Boston Marathon only 6 days prior — his win in 1:11:56 demonstrated his strong fitness as he now continues training for the upcoming ING Ottawa Marathon at the end of May. Liz Maguire of Osgoode, ON was the top Masters female in 1:22.

The new course designed by Race Director Francois Lecot of Montreal had the runners do a loop of Ile St. Helene, cross the Cosmos bridge and then run on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (where the Formula One Montreal Grand Prix takes place) and then return to Ile St. Helene through Six Flags La Ronde and finish on a long very flat straightaway that showcased some great finishing kicks!

The event welcomed a new title sponsor in 2007 — Banque Scotia and a new athletic sponsor "Asics Canada" helping to keep the Montreal Half Marathon & 5k firmly entrenched as the biggest spring Half Marathon on the Montreal running calendar. An impressive number of spectators lined the course in key locations (Cosmos Bridge) and the finish line area to support all the participants who ran for the competition, the fun and to raise money for the new Official charity "Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation".

Brake cartwheels way to another triumph - 2007-05-18

BILL HUNT
Canadaeast News Service
Published Monday May 14th, 2007
Appeared on page B6

FREDERICTON -Chris Brake certainly knows how to make an entrance.

The 25-year-old Saint John runner did a cartwheel across the finish line - seven of them, in fact, "one for each one I've won," to win the 29th annual Scotiabank Fredericton Marathon in a time of two hours, 46 minutes, 49 seconds Sunday.

Technically, Brake is correct. He was first across the finish line last year too, but was stripped of his crown when it was ruled he was assisted across the finish line and the title awarded to Fredericton's Len Falkenstein instead.

This year though, Brake crossed the line under his own power and 77 seconds ahead of second place Harry Neyens of Enfield, N.S. who finished in 2:48:06. UNB student Mihret Muzey, originally from Ethiopia and entering third year chemistry in the fall, was third in 2:49:00, after making the decision to run his first full marathon just the day before.

"I just wanted to try something new," he said. "I had the endurance to run. I've run 10k and 5k so many times and I've run half marathons. But a full marathon, I never tried to run. At 30k, I found it hard to keep at the same pace. I dropped off a little bit. But it was fine."

Falkenstein, last year's winner, was fourth overall in 2:54:53, 21 seconds better than last year's personal best time.

Margaret Johnson of Quispamsis was the top female finisher for the second year in a row, celebrating her Mother's Day with a personal best time of 3:22:55, six minutes faster than her previous personal best.

"I was first last year, but that wasn't my goal...I was hoping to do my best time," she said as she accepted congratulatory hugs from her support group, her mother Gail, oldest son Tristan and sister Sheila.

"This is perfect," she said. "This is exactly how I'd spend my Mother's Day."

That time put her eighth overall in the field of 92 runners who took on the challenge of the new course which both started and wrapped up at Officer's Square and ran through the "rails to trails" system.

For Brake, who admitted he was "devastated" to lose last year's race - it would have been his sixth Fredericton Marathon win in a row and thus this would have been his seventh.

Last year, he said he attempted to "put on a big sprint with a kilometre to go, which I believe was a big mistake," he said. "This year, I didn't do that."

He also ate four PowerGel bars after not taking any last year.

Brake, who suffers from Asperger Syndrome, an autustic disorder, said he hopes to one day run from Saint John to Fredericton to raise awareness of autism. He was diagnosed three years ago, at age 22.

"I'm just learning how to cope with it, how to stay ahead of it," he said. "It's a lot like running a marathon. You don't know how you're going to feel the next kilometer."

He said winning the race is more significant than just another medal.

"It's a lot more than that," he said. "It's kind of like I'm doing it for other people out there who have autism."

He also draws inspiration from his late sister Patrina, who committed suicide six years ago.

"It kind of makes me push myself harder in a way," he said. "Whenever I'm hurting really bad late in a marathon, I think about her and I want to stay strong for her."

The Marathon had several other components, including the McDonald's Half Marathon - Todd Price of Quispamsis was the top male in 1:16.48, with Paula Keating of Miramichi finishing as the top female, eighth overall in 1:26:44. There were 307 entrants in the half marathon.

Byron Wood of Fredericton won the JD Irving 10k event in 33 minutes 13 seconds, first across the line among 275 competitors in that class. The top female was Jocelyn Lockhart of Bath in 41:49. Frank Henderson of Saint John won the half walk in 2:35:10 with Paula Ryan of Bedford, N.S. finishing second in 2:49:44. A total of 16 walkers completed the trek.

The 10 kilometre walk was the closest event of the day, with Nicola Cassidy of Fredericton finishing in one hour, 49 seconds, one second faster than second place Louis Cecile. Eighteen entrants competed.

Scott Davis won the Downtown Fredericton 5k run in 19 minutes, 19 seconds. Jessica Steed, who also plays basketball for the Varsity Reds women's team, was the top female, finishing in 22:48. There were 66 competitors in that race.

Course records fall over marathon weekend - 2007-05-18

		The Mississauga News May 14, 2007 Over 40,000 spectators lined the city's streets to watch a record-setting field compete in yesterday's Canon Mississauga Marathon. Serbian born Predrag Mladenovic, who from Toronto, set a new course record in winning his first ever marathon. In ideal weather conditions, he covered the 42-kilomeytre route in a time of 2:23:16, finishing ahead of Terry Gehl and Darl Sutherland. Meanwhile, 2006 Canon Marathon women's champion Nathalie Goyer of St. Bruno, Quebec won again yesterday with a finish time 2:51:48, shaving almost four minutes off the record she set last year. Second place finisher Jutta Merilainen also surpassed the 2006 record. The Rbk Half Marathon was won by Henry Githuka of Milton (1:11:05) and Mississauga's Lioudmila Kortchaguina, who beat her own course record with a time of 1:15:36. Githuka and his sister, Pauline, ran two race events on the weekend. Meanwhile, two new course records were set in Saturtday night's Canadian Tire 10-kilometre event. The winners were Josephat Ongari (29:05 ) and Pauline Githuka (34:56). Winners of Biovail's "The Hazel" 5-kilometre run were Darren Weldrick in 16:18 and Indra Winters, who set a new race record for women at 19:58. A one-hour broadcast featuring race highlights and stories airs June 23 on TSN. Next year's fifth annual Canon Mississauga Marathon runs May 11-12, 2008. Over the last four years, the Mississauga Marathon has raised $150,000 for various charities.

Sudbury Rocked!! - 2007-05-09

		Lara Bradley, The Sudbury Star With $5,000 in prize money, the race (Sudbury Rocks Marathon) did attract a number of out-of-town runners, including Joseph Nditeru, the record holder and winner of the Philadelphia Marathon. Nditeru, of South Africa, completed the first half of the marathon in 80 minutes and then managed to shave another 10 minutes off the next 21 km for a total time of two hours and 30 minutes. "You're suppose to shorten the time for your second half, but it's really hard to do," said Jennifer Mackinnon, Regional Director of the Canadian Diabetes Association. "And to take 10 minutes off is pretty incredible." Mackinnon added it looks like the event will raise about $50,000 for the Canadian Diabetes Association, which will be spent on research and local services. That's about $10,000 more than last year. "We're really very pleased," she said. "Our numbers are up as well, with 1,300 participating compared to 1,000." With that many people taking part, organizers relied on more than 250 volunteers on race day, including an organizing committee of 25 to do everything from unfurl the starting tape to stop motorists at intersections to handing out water bottles. In its second year, a couple of changes were made to the race. It was shifted from Science North to a Durham Street base to "make it more of a city-type event and also it's a flatter course," MacKinnon said. Organizers also decided to make it an "age-graded chase marathon" - the only one taking place in Canada this year. This meant there was a staggered start based on age and gender. However, whoever crossed the finish line first was the winner. "We did this basically to get more people out running and to generate excitement in the running community outside of Sudbury," MacKinnon said. (Editor's note: Maryann Kocioleck, who is in the 50-59 age category, won both the handicaped and open events. Brian Breedon, in the 50-59 age category, finished only 1:25 behind Joseph in the handicap category)

The 36th annual running of the BMO Bank of Montreal Vancouver Marathon. - 2007-05-08

VANCOUVER (CNW) - Claudia Camargo of Argentina, now living in the United States, broke the women's record at the 2007 BMO Bank of Montreal Vancouver Marathon today with a time of 2:35:46. She placed an amazing third overall in the BMO Vancouver Marathon, another record and a rarity in marathons. With her first place women's finish plus a sub time course record under 2:39, Claudia wins $5500US from Mosaik MasterCard.

The men's full marathon was won by Thomas Omwenga, from Kenya, with a time of 2:25:23. He beat out two-time BMO Vancouver Marathon male champion, from 2005 and 2006, Kassahun Kabiso, who placed second this year.

This marks the 36th annual running of the BMO Bank of Montreal Vancouver Marathon. There were 12,636 triumphant runners and walkers in the full and half marathons today from 35 countries.

In 1972, with just 72 runners, the original course was comprised of just five loops around Stanley Park. Today, the BMO Bank of Montreal Vancouver Marathon took participants along a scenic 42 km route that included False Creek, the Seawall, Stanley Park, and across the Burrard Street Bridge, through Kitsilano and Point Grey to the finish line at BC Place Stadium.

Cash prizes totalling more than $25,000 were awarded to top finishers from Mosaik MasterCard. BMO Bank of Montreal Vancouver Marathon 2007 Results: FULL MARATHON MALE 1. Thomas Omwenga, Nairobi, Kenya - 2:25:23 2. Kassahun Kabiso, Peekskill, NY - 2:32:11 3. Stephen Clarke, Cedar Crest, NM - 2:37:58 FULL MARATHON FEMALE 1. Claudia Camargo, Danbury, CT - 2:35:46 2. Mary Akor, Gardena, CA - 2:44:22 3. Sheila Mullins, Vancouver, BC - 3:00:49 TOP CANADIANS - FULL MARATHON MALE 1. Craig McMillan, Vancouver, BC - 2:38:18 2. Per Ekegered, Pierrefonds, PQ - 2:38:27 3. Aaron Heidt, Vancouver, BC - 2:39:43 TOP CANADIANS - FULL MARATHON FEMALE 1. Sheila Mullins, Vancouver, BC - 3:00:49 2. Elena Eberlein, Richmond, BC - 3:01:05 3. Sandra Foweraker, West Vancouver, BC - 3:01:05 HALF MARATHON MALE 1. Todd Howard, Victoria, BC - 1:09:04 2. Nick Hastie, Victoria, BC - 1:09:28 3. Jonas Holmberg, Falun, Sweden - 1:10:49 HALF MARATHON FEMALE 1. Suzanne Evans, New Westminster, BC - 1:18:30 2. Rita Ivanauskas, Vancouver, BC - 1:25:16 3. Cheryl Choy, Seattle, WA - 1:26:01

Brett Larner on Tokyo - 2007-05-06

Tokyo Marathon 2007 Through Foreign Runners’ Eyes

Runners Magazine, May 2007,

By Mika Tokairin

originally published in Japanese

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Among 30,000 runners, 1200 foreigners ran through the streets of Tokyo. What did the first Tokyo Marathon look like through their eyes? How did it compare to marathons overseas? What is the running culture like in their countries? We interviewed three foreign runners to find the answers.

Brett Larner is originally from Winnipeg, . He is a professional musician who plays the Japanese koto. He has raced in , , and and for the last 2 years has consistently run marathons at the 2:30 level. His best time of 2:34:43 was achieved at last year’s Beppu-Oita Marathon.

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To start off with, how were your performances this time?

Brett Larner: I ran 2:37:57 and was 78th overall. I wanted to run 2:29 but given the conditions I’m happy.

Having run the Tokyo Marathon, what were your overall impressions?

Larner: I’ve run two marathons in , nine in the including three Bostons and one New York, and seven in including Tokyo. I also volunteered as part of the start crew in the 1997 Boston Marathon. Overall I had a very favorable impression of Tokyo. The organization was much better than I expected. Races like Boston and New York started off as small events and have built up to having tens of thousands of people running, and they’ve been able to make adjustments to their organization along the way. With Tokyo trying to jump right in to doing 30,000 people from nothing I was prepared for a lot more problems than actually popped up.

What did you think of the course design?

Larner: Before the race my biggest feeling about the Tokyo course relative to Boston and New York was that in both of those races you start in a fairly remote location and run into the heart of the city, physically and metaphysically. You’re running into huge crowds of people and being welcomed by tens of thousands of people at the finish. Tokyo seemed the opposite. You were starting off in the heart of the city with great fanfare and then it was “Goodbye!” as you run out into an ugly, desolate wasteland by the bay. I thought the design was a bit cold, like it was saying “Go away!” instead of “Welcome to our city.”

Larner: I ran the second half of the course twice in practice before the actual race. When I saw the finish in practice I thought there would be no spectators out there and that the last three km would be soul-crushing. Right when you need the crowd support you are in the middle of nowhere. But in the race I was surprised and really impressed and happy that there were big crowds in the last six km, even with the terrible weather.

Larner: I think London has a short stretch like that, but Boston and New York don’t have any turnarounds.

What were your favorite points along the course?

Larner: The start in Shinjuku was excellent. Having the start line in the center of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building complex’s circular overhead walkway was world class. Compared to running it twice in practice, the last six km after Tsukiji were one of the highlights of the course for me, too. I thought all those hills would be terrible, especially that highway overpass in the last km, but when I actually ran it they were fun. If they keep this course I think that’s going to become one of the signature parts of the Tokyo course, the same way that the hills in Boston and the Midtown bridge in New York are famous spots. For the elite race, I think the Tsukuda Bridge hill at 36 km is going to be a major race point, like the way Sato Tomoyuki dropped Irifune Satoshi there this time. There’s going to be a lot of great racing there.

How did you feel about the availability of English-language support?

Larner: People coming from overseas would have had no idea how to make the train connections to get back into Tokyo.

Larner: I thought the expo was pretty English-friendly.

Larner: When you got your starting package they had pretty good English-language materials prepared, like English versions of the course map and directions.

We’ve heard a bit about your impressions of Tokyo, but we’d like to hear about the running situation in your countries.

Larner: In there’s a lot of interest in running at the fun-run level, everything from short road races to full marathons, but almost everything is at an amateur level. Few of the big races have any kind of real elite field, Canadian or foreign, and there is very little support available for Canadian elite runners. Jeff Schiebler, who was ’s best distance runner in at least 10 years, had to come to to run as a jitsugyodan corporate runner for NEC in order to be able to train at a world-class level. Even though had marathoners who met the IOC’s qualifying standards for Athens, the Canadian Olympic Committee changed their standards to be far more strict, actually at the national record level, and so did not send marathoners to Athens. It’s sad that for such a popular civic sport they seem to want to keep it at a low level. The shoe company Brooks is trying to launch a 5-year jitsugyodan-type program to give Canadian distance runners the opportunity to compete on the international level but they’re going up against a brick wall.

Larner: One of the things I like about living in is that from fall until spring we can watch marathons and ekidens on TV almost every weekend. People respect running here; the average person knows about distance running and cares. It’s like heaven.

In conclusion, do you think the Tokyo Marathon will become a world-class event like Boston and New York?

Larner: The Tokyo Marathon was successful enough that the people who did come from overseas are going to go back home and tell people, “This is a good event.” I think it’s going to build up over time through word of mouth.

Larner: I think it’s pretty clear that Tokyo is positioning itself to become part of the World Marathon Majors. Even though the Tokyo Marathon needs to make some changes it deserves to become part of that series. We all love Tokyo as a city. I think it’s up there with London, Berlin and New York as a great world city, and as an event the marathon should be as well. Of course I’m not talking about next year, more like a time span of 5-10 years.

Ethiopian wins by 1 second!! - 2007-04-27

Source: www.canada.com

Canada’s largest 10K road race just got larger as a record 54,317 registered to make up the 23rd edition of the Vancouver Sun Run presented by HSBC Canada. It was a triumphant celebration of health, fitness and community spirit as the 2006 record of 50,746 registrants was smashed.

Soloman Tsige of Ethiopia was first in, claiming top place in the Men’s Overall Division With the time of 29:22. Finishing a close second was Dylan Wykes of Kingston, ON with his time of 29:23. Wykes also took Top Male Canadian honors. Running third overall was fellow Canadian Ryan Hayden from Richmond, BC with a time of 29:24.

In the Women’s Overall Division, Teyiba Erkesso from Ethiopia took first place honors with a time of 32:05 beating Lioudmila Kortchaguina of Thornhill, ON who finished second with a time of 33:20. Kortchaguina was named Top Canadian Female out pacing Lisa Harvey of Calgary, AB. Harvey placed third Female Overall with her time of 33:43.

The Vancouver Sun Run, presented by HSBC Bank Canada, is Canada’s largest 10 km run and the 2nd largest in North America.

Ed Whitlock #1 - 2007-04-19

Editor's note: Ed ran 3:04:54 at this year's Rotterdam. I did not see a result for Ruter.

ED WHITLOCK - 74-year-old Marathoner Is Sub-3 Hero

by Marc Bloom

Source: http://www.theharrier.com/marcbloomrunning/worldclassrunners/whitlock.php

Ed Whitlock, a Canadian marathoner who may be the world's greatest athlete for his age, rotates his running shoes like the tires of a car. "I have ten pairs that I alternate," said Whitlock. "That way they don't wear out."

Every day, Whitlock, 74, travels farther on foot than many motorists in his town of Milton, Ontario, a Toronto suburb. He trains up to three hours a day, about 23 miles, close to the marathon distance of 26 miles, 385 yards. Most Olympic marathoners do less.

Whitlock, 5'7" and 112 pounds, has been heralded like an Olympic champion since running 2 hours 54 minutes 49 seconds last September in the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. His time, at age 73, placed him 26 th of 1,690 finishers, and shattered his own world record for a runner 70 or older by more than four minutes. The previous year, in the same race, Whitlock had run 2:59:10, becoming the first man 70 or older to break three hours.

"Ed is pushing the limits, like Roger Bannister breaking the 4-minute mile," said Bill Rodgers, 57, winner of the Boston and New York City marathons four times each. "I think he should slow down and have some respect for us youngsters."

While Whitlock shuns publicity, his star quality has crossed the Atlantic and, for the first time, a match race between 70-plus runners is planned for a major international marathon. On April 10 in Rotterdam, Whitlock will race against 71-year-old Dutch star Joop Ruter, who ran 3:02:49 last year at Rotterdam.

Whitlock's achievements exemplify a growing nationwide trend of senior citizen participation in sports. Among the nation's 400,000 marathon finishers in 2003, there were about 500 aged 70 or over, as compared with 100 or so a decade ago, according to Ryan Lamppa of the Road Running Information Center in Santa Barbara, Calif.

For many active elders, 70 may be the new 50.

Indeed, a recent study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, the most comprehensive look at the healthy aging of the human heart, affirms that older people can achieve more health and fitness gains from exercise than previously thought. The study also sheds light on Whitlock's ability, at 73, to run a pace of 6:40 per mile for 26.2 miles.

Dr. Benjamin D. Levine, a cardiologist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Presbyterian Hospital, in Dallas, found that a group of people with a mean age of 70 who'd started exercising in mid-life and kept it up had "hearts indistinguishable from healthy 30-year-olds." Instead of the heart shrinking and stiffening with age, as it does in sedentary people, impairing performance, said Dr. Levine, the trained 70-year-olds had larger, more elastic heart muscles. The findings were reported in the journal Circulation last September.

Exercise, said Dr. Levine, had preserved the heart's "compliance" and would enable someone like Whitlock, who'd trained for years, to pump more blood, feeding the working muscles with oxygen levels associated with younger athletes. A colleague of Levine's at Southwestern, exercise physiologist Peter Snell, a 3-time Olympic gold medalist in middle distance running for New Zealand, said Whitlock's marathon pace required an oxygen consumption of 48 milliliters per kilogram (2.2 lbs.) of body weight per minute.

"That's unheard of for a 73-year-old," said Snell. "It's what you'd expect for someone around 40 who's a very good runner."

Whitlock does not consider himself unique. "People under-estimate what old people can accomplish," he said. "Old people are the worst in that respect. They let themselves be inhibited by age."

Unlike younger stars, Whitlock has no team, coach, training partners, massage therapist, nutritionist, sports psychologist, shoe contract or high-altitude training camp. He does no stretching exercises or weight training. Whitlock has no special diet, does not carbohydrate-load and has ice cream for dessert every night.

Whitlock does all of his training in a cemetery. He covers a one-third-of-a-mile loop on a paved path. He doesn't count laps, stopping when his watch indicates three hours. He said he will not run the roads because drivers "aim" at him. Besides, Whitlock prefers running in circles. "You don't have to face the wind for very long," he said.

Whitlock's 2:54:49 would have placed him 306 th at last fall's New York City Marathon, putting him in the top one percent of the 33,000 finishers. At New York, only 480 runners bettered three hours, the gold standard of marathon excellence, and a time few runners beyond mid-life can approach. Last year, the second-fastest marathoner in the U.S. 70 or older ran 3:24:28.

Whitlock may run faster still. Toronto marathon race director Alan Brookes said Whitlock crossed the finish in his 2:54 "looking fresh as a daisy." Brookes had promoted Whitlock's presence, and as a result the Toronto field doubled, from 795 finishers in 2003 to 1,690 last year.

A native Briton, Whitlock, born in London in 1931, was an excellent school and university runner but said he lacked coaching and motivation. He dropped running in 1952 when he came to Canada to pursue an engineering career.

While working all over Canada, getting married and raising two sons, Whitlock didn't run a step for 20 years, resuming in 1972. The long break may account for his current success, according to experts who have observed injuries that stem from life-long running intensity.

"The layoff probably saved Whitlock a lot of arthritic effects that impair performance," said David Costill of Ball State University, one of the world's pre-eminent exercise physiologists who has done a longitudinal study that has tracked top runners for decades. "In the runners we've studied, some for 40 years, cardiac output and muscle mass decline. Those losses represent the aging process."

Costill's subjects are premier athletes like 60-year-old Ken Sparks, who has trained intensely since college and once held masters records, running a 2:33 marathon at age 53. Sparks' oxygen consumption, while reduced from earlier levels, is still high for his age. However, Sparks has not competed in seven years.

"I had surgery on both knees," said Sparks, himself an exercise physiologist at Cleveland State University. "The cartilage was worn out from constant running and had to be removed."

Whitlock attributes his success to "good genes." He ran his first two marathons in the 1970s with his teenage son and recorded his best time, 2:31:23, in 1979, when he still consider the marathon "a dalliance." Whitlock focused on shorter distances, winning five world masters age-group track titles in the 1,500 meters, 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters, from 1979 to 2001.

By doing middle-distance events, Whitlock has nurtured his speed, complementing his long training runs. Last year, Whitlock ran 15 races at 5-, 10- and 15-kilometer distances in the six months leading up to Toronto.

This winter, using that same approach for Rotterdam, Whitlock has been doing indoor track races while logging over 100 miles a week. In the Dutch star Ruter, called "the fastest grandfather in the world in Rotterdam," Whitlock faces a formidable challenge. A former butcher who lives in Rotterdam, Ruter took up running at 51 and has run 11 marathons.

"I've never run head-to-head against anyone in a marathon," said Whitlock. Rotterdam, known for its fast course, has produced a number of world records. Race organizers hope the excitement will spur Whitlock or Ruter to another record and are offering prize money in the 70-plus category, another first.

Unlike Whitlock, Ruter has a team, runs on park trails and gets frequent massage. In an email interview through an interpreter, Ruter said that after his 3:02:49 last year, he celebrated by drinking and dancing at a local pub.

"I will run against Whitlock as though I am a youngster," said Ruter. "I will give him the race of his life."

Sidebar: Ed Whitlock's Best Performances Since Turning 70

Event Time Site Year His Age

5,000 meters 18:22 Toronto 2004 73

10,000 meters 37:33 Toronto 2004 73

15,000 meters 58:55 Utica, NY 2003 72

Marathon 2:54:49 Toronto 2004 73

Louise Voghel #1 - 2007-04-18

		Louise Voghel of St-Armand dominates the 50-59 category at Boston winning by almost 9 minutes. (I couldn't find a photo of Louise but I know she has run very well at the Mount Washington Road Race so you might see her in this photo.) Lynn Kobayashi finished 3rd in the category as well. Other top Canadian age groupers include Louise-Philippe Garnier (5th in 40-49), Angie Ferraro (5th in 40-49), Lynda Desmeules (6th in 40-49), Shelley Grisbrook (10th in 40-49), Steve Beasley (6th in 50-59), Mary Hanley (12th in 50-59), Gilles Lacasse (4th in 60-69), David Johnson (11th in 60-69), Susie Manning (5th in 60-69), Jane Wintemute (8th in 60-69), and Gerald Miller (7th in 70+). Check out the top finishers at http://www.bostonmarathon.org/2007/cf/public/TopFinishers.htm.

Commemorating a milestone - 2007-04-12

Courtesy of CBC News
Written by Peter Hadzipetros

In the early 20th century, Canada was a powerhouse when it came to the marathon. In 1900, Canadians John Caffrey, William Sherring and Fred Hughson took the top three spots in the fifth running of the Boston Marathon. It was the first time an American did not win the race. Caffrey set a course record as he finished in a time of two hours, 39 minutes and 44 seconds.

Caffrey would win again in 1901, slicing more than 10 minutes off his record. Finishing second was Bill Davis, a Mohawk runner out of Hamilton, Ont.

But none of the Canadians could match the hype that surrounded the entry of Tom Longboat in the 1907 Boston Marathon. Even though he had only run in a handful of races, Longboat was the most heavily favoured runner to enter Boston since the inaugural race in 1896.

Longboat was a member of the Onandaga nation, born on the Six Nations Reserve near Brantford, Ont., on June 4, 1887. He gained local attention as a gifted runner, blowing away the competition with his strong finishes.

Longboat made his racing debut in Hamilton's Around the Bay road race in 1906, easily beating the heavily favoured English runner John Marsh. Ten days later, he won a 15-mile road race in Toronto by three minutes. He won the annual Christmas Day 10 Miler in 54 minutes and 50 seconds, shattering the Canadian record by two and a half minutes. He was being hailed as the greatest distance runner the world had ever seen.

Longboat was six weeks shy of his 20th birthday when he won the Boston Marathon on April 19, 1907, demolishing John Caffrey's previous record by five minutes.

The Boston Globe newspaper said hordes of spectators who braved cold, wet weather were rewarded with a view of "the most marvelous runner who has sped over our roads."

Longboat had become an international star, but he faced accusations that he had forfeited his amateur status because he lived in a Toronto hotel with no apparent means of support. He was barred from defending his Boston Marathon title by the New England Amateur Athletic Union.

Olympic officials disagreed and allowed him to run the marathon in the London Games in 1908, but he dropped out after collapsing 32 kilometres into the 42.2-kilometre race. The next year, he turned professional and eventually won the world professional marathon championship on an indoor track at a packed Madison Square Garden in New York.

Longboat was dogged by accusations that he performed below his potential and was lazy when it came to his training regime. He put in a lot of miles and allowed his body to recover between intense training sessions, an approach frowned upon in the early days of competitive running, but now standard practice.

In 1951, two years after Longboat's death at the age of 61, the Tom Longboat Awards were established to recognize the achievements of gifted aboriginal athletes. In 1999, Maclean's magazine recognized Longboat as the top Canadian athlete of the 20th century.

Jason Loutitt will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of Longboat's victory with about 20 other aboriginal runners from Canada at this year's Boston Marathon, on April 16.

Loutitt got into running eight years ago, after 22 years of hockey and martial arts. He has won the past two Calgary marathons and grabbed the silver medal at the Canadian Marathon Championships in Ottawa in 2006.

"Running is a traditional activity for aboriginal people," Loutitt told CBC News Online. "And so by celebrating that traditional activity and the accomplishment of a fellow aboriginal person, it not only leaves a legacy but it helps set in place maybe the incentive or inspiration for more accomplishments to occur."

Loutitt is hoping to better Longboat's Boston time of two hours, 24 minutes and 24 seconds.

Loutitt's cousin, Shannon Loutitt, will be part of the group running to honour Longboat.

"I was so amazed at how this aboriginal man so quickly became the man who ran faster than everyone amidst much skepticism and racial challenges, and how he set the world record in Boston," Shannon Loutitt said.

She ran her first marathon in Regina in September 2006 but failed to meet the Boston qualifying time for women of three hours and forty minutes. Four weeks later, she ran the Toronto Marathon and beat the qualifying standard by five minutes.

The Longboat Roadrunners, a Toronto running club open to all, has 25 members who have signed up to run in Boston to mark the 100th anniversary of Longboat's victory. Club spokesman Mike Turner said when the club was established in 1980, it seemed natural to name it after the legendary runner.

"We decided it was a good name. It was more meaningful than to just have something generic. Now more of the focus of the club is honouring his name."

The Longboat club has established a scholarship at the University of Toronto that helps fund the education of an aboriginal runner who excels at long-distance running. Last September, Megan Brown became the first recipient of the Longboat Award. She is currently ranked sixth in North America at 3,000 metres.

The club has also raised money to help pay expenses for Tom Longboat's daughter, Phyllis Winnie, and three other relatives to go to Boston to honour their ancestor.

Eric Gillis will be back!! - 2007-04-06

		A reader recently mentioned that I was missing some early results from the 3M Austin Half Marathon. Unfortunately the course was found to be short this year. "What happened, 3M officials concede, was the course should have turned right from Stoneway Drive--just past the 10-K mark--onto Pioneer Place and then headed north onto Shoal Creek. Instead, the course went straight onto Stoneway before turning north onto Shoal Creek, resulting in the course coming up short by 1/10 of a mile." As well, I was not able to find the net decline in altitude but the race is advertized as a downhill course so I suspect that the net de-elevation would be more than 10m per kilometer. Eric Gillis would have had the top half marathon time so far this year but I am sure that he, Calvin Staples and Taylor Murphy will duplicate their times later in the season. Alex

Drivers almost sweep! - 2007-04-02

		Photo taken by Duane Robert Burnett Simon and Katrina Driver almost took both the men’s and women’s titles at Gibsons. Vancouver Falcon Teammate Graeme Wilson prevented a sweep by breaking away from Simon for a 1:40 advantage. Katrina had a lead of over a mile in the women’s race. There were 414 finishers in the Sunshine Coast April Fool’s Run Half Marathon. Results can be found at http://www.raceheadquarters.com/results/2007/run/FoolsRun2007.html

Gel Kinsei Now In! - 2007-04-02

		We now have the Women's and Men’s ASICS Gel Kinsei available for purchase. The price is $224.99 with shipping covered!! A 30 day no hassle trial return policy is also in effect. Please e-mail myself at alex.coffin@marathoncanada.com if you are interested.

History of Around the Bay - 2007-03-27

		David Blaikie has an on-line history of the Around the Bay event. This is the oldest long distance running event in North America. Please cut and paste to the following link http://www.davidblaikie.com/david_blaikie/boston/baa_bay.htm

Hill training pays off for Kenyan runner - 2007-03-27

By John Kernaghan
The Hamilton Spectator
(Mar 26, 2007)

(Note from Alex; Results can be found at http://www.sportstats.ca/display-results.php?lang=eng&racecode=41493)

Forget jet lag, Simon Njoroge hit the afterburners thanks to high altitude training and scorched the Around the Bay Road Race field.

Njoroge, 23, said he was fully prepped for a record run by e-mail coaching from his sponsor, Dan Pauls of The Runner’s Den in Westdale.

Njoroge arrived in Hamilton from Kenya about 40 hours before the race but said e-mails from Pauls and a drive around the course prepared him for the hilly final eight kilometres of the 30-kilometre race.

"I saw that the first part of the race was very fast, then I decided to push hard at 14 kilometres," he said. "At 19 kilometres, I started sprinting on the hills because I trained for that in Kenya."

Second place finisher Danny Kassap of Toronto said the rest of the lead group couldn’t catch Njoroge once he attacked the hills on Northshore Boulevard and Valley Inn Road.

"When they’ve trained at altitude in Kenya and come here, they’re very fast in their first races," Kassap said of Kenyan runners.

Meantime, women’s winner Magdalene Syombui Makunzi blazed in ahead of Toronto’s Lioudmila Kortchagiuna in 1:46:50 but couldn’t catch her 1:46:04 record.

The victor said the Bay circuit’s reputation meant she, like the men’s winner, did lots of hill training in anticipation of the up-and-down final segment of the course.

A stronger women’s 30-kilometre race meant 2006 Around the Bay Road Race winner Kate MacNamara of Dundas pared almost two minutes off her winning time last year, finishing in 1:53:13, but significantly down the course at fourth yesterday.

MacNamara said an encounter with course character The Grim Reaper on the steep Valley Inn Road hill, provided some levity.

"He asked if anyone was going to keel over at that point and, oh, I wanted to. I said I was ready for that. I was just happy to finish."

jkernaghan@thespec.com

905-526-3422

Brooks Glycerin 4 and Adrenaline GTS 6 - 2007-03-27

		We will be reformatting our store section so please be patient for our new product pictures to be updated. If you are interested in the Brooks Glycerin 4 or the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 6, we have them on sale for $103.99 (tax and shipping not included). We mail via Canada Post for $10 and there is a 30 day no hassle guarantee. As part of the guarantee, we strongly recommend a good run of at least 30 minutes to ensure that they are a suitable shoe for you. The women's Adrenaline is copper while the women's Glycerin is a reddish pink. The men's Adrenaline is yellow while the men's Glycerin is an orange brown. You can visit the shoe adviser on www.brooksrunning.com to ensure that you pick the right model. Our toll free phone number for ordering is 1-866-440-4322 or you can e-mail me at alex.coffin@marathoncanada.com.

Isabelle Top Master at New Bedford - 2007-03-23

		Isabelle Ledroit of Montreal finished as the first masters woman at the New Bedford Half Marathon. She was 6th overall for the women in this highly competitive USATF sanctioned event. The temperature was around -2 celcius and the conditions were very windy. Results can be found at http://www.coolrunning.com/results/07/ma/Mar18_30thNe_set1.shtml.

Aaron Heidt and Deanna Lindsay Win Big - 2007-03-19

		Aaron Heidt and Deanna Lindsay both had huge gaps on the second place finishers at the Green Hair Half Marathon. This event takes place in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Results can be found at http://www.raceheadquarters.com/results/2007/run/GreenHairHalf2007.html.

Jon Brown wins at Comox - 2007-03-19

		The Comox Valley Half Marathon is held just outside Courtenay, British Columbia. The course is an out and back with an incline out and a decline back. Dual citizen Jon Brown will represent England in Beijing but races in this area quite often after moving to Victoria. His time was a marathon pace (for him) 1:04:55. Long-time Kajak Cheryl Murphy ran a blistering 1:18:12 ! On the age group side, locals Wayne Crowe was 1:21:06 for 50-59 and John Ingram was 1:26:02 for 60-69. Gwyn Woodson was 1:36:12 for women's 50-59 and Pauline Naidoo was 1:58:46 for 60-69.

Globe and Mail Article - 2007-03-16

		Check out our recent article on the Globe and Mail website.

Water Exercise Book - 2007-03-14

		I know there are a lot of runners out there training for the marathon but dealing with some nagging injuries. A great way to keep your mileage up but reduce your pounding is to include work in the water. This book gives you some great ideas for other exercises so you can move beyond just water running. Just maintaining your posture in the water helps your core with the pressure of the water movement so definitely consider some pool sessions to get you to the starting line healthy. Specific to water running, it's about as close to running as you can get without actually doing it so the loss in running fitness is minimal. For interval training, you might actually be able to maintain a better quality because of the absence of pain from impact. E-mail me at alex77@nb.sympatico if you are interested in the book and I can include some specific tips from myself as well. Alex

Philadelphia Marathon Results - 2007-03-14

		Talk about embarassing. It was just pointed out that we were missing the Philadelphia Marathon in our rankings. The results are now in and I should point out Louise Voghel's performance. The super fast runner from St-Armand won her 50-54 division by over 20 minutes!! Alex

Ontario Halfers Fight The Wind - 2007-03-06

		It was a windy day in Burlington and Grimsby! Pedrag Mladenovic led an impressive top 3 in Burlington with Charles Bedley and Mark Vollmer finishing behind Pedrag. All three have been ranked nationally before. Newcomer Vanessa Hung won the women's title ahead of Krista Bolyea and the Miles-Berry sisters. Results can be found at http://www.events.runningroom.com/site/?raceId=2157&eventId=9363&vrindex=4. In Grimsby, the field was packed with Brendan Kenny mixing it up with African born runners Josephat Ongeri and Giitah Macharia. Brendan finished second to Josephat while Giitah finished third. Giitah was dressed up like he was preparing for a snowmobile ride!! The women's field was just as impressive with Kate MacNamara beating Canada's top marathoner Lioudmila Kortchaguina. Laura McIntyre was third. Results can be found at http://www.sportstats.ca/display-results.php?lang=eng&racecode=41489. Enclosed is a picture of Josephat by Charles Douglas McEwen. Josephat was the winner of the 1996 Detroit Marathon.

Half Championships Cancelled for 2007 - 2007-03-01

February 27 2007 - Athletics Canada announced today that there will not be a Canadian Half Marathon Championship in 2007. A variety of factors, including host location and timing, were taken into consideration and after careful examination it was decided that it was not in the best interest of the athletes to host the Championships.

The Canadian Half Marathon Championships will return in 2008. For those parties interested in bidding for the 2008 Canadian Half Marathon Championships, bid information will be available shortly on the Athletics Canada website. If you have any questions, please contact Ivonne Shoucair, Membership and Events Manager, at ishoucair@athletics.ca or 613.260.5580 x.3311

Chris Brake on CBC Radio - 2007-02-28

		There was a story on "Sounds like Canada" with Sheila Rogers on marathoner Chris Brake. Peter Anawati did the story and discussed Chris’s success at the marathon while struggling with Ausberger’s Syndrome. Chris is a five time winner of the Fredericton Marathon and is hoping to compete again this year at the Boston Marathon. He recently ran in the Saint John Hypothermic Half Marathon finishing in 1:22 despite a very tough course and heavy winds.

Sale on Mittens - 2007-02-24

		E-mail Alex at alex77@nb.sympatico.ca and receive a $10 discount on our Brooks Wannagui Fingerless Mitten. The cold weather is almost done but it's always nice to buy for next winter. Check out the mitten on our retail site www.alexcoffin.com under Brooks Products.

Graeme Wilson wins big at the Historic Half - 2007-02-19

		Photo taken by Duane Robert Burnett Graeme Wilson and Zosia Bornik take the men’s and women’s titles in Langley. Graeme of the Vancouver Falcons Athletic Club ran a time of 1:13:15 while Zosia ran 1:25:25. Zosia has competed for the Hershey Harriers and is a talented triathlete. 50-59 age grouper Paul Reimer had an excellent performance finishing second overall in 1:17:07. There was 765 participants in the half marathon. This was a big increase over 2006 when 450 finished the half.

Hayden wins big in "First Half" - 2007-02-12

		NCAA standout Ryan Hayden and roadrunning veteran Lisa Harvey take the two top titles. Better known as a miler and a cross country runner, Ryan took no mercy on a packed field in Vancouver for the "First Half". His time of 1:04:45 put him over a quarter mile in front of second place finisher Jerry Ziak. Top marathoner, Steve Osaduik, finished third with both Osaduik and Ziak under the 67 minute barrier. The top 3 were well seperated from the pack of runners behind starting with Mark Bomba in 1:09:33. Lisa Harvey almost had a Jacqueline Gareau experience as the initial results did not include her in the top results. Lisa had won comfortably in 1:16:43 while fellow Calgarian Lindsay McLaren and Vernon's Jessica Hannah were more than a minute behind but under the vaunted 1:20 mark. On the age group side, Norm Tinkham won a spirited battle in the 40-49 with Anthony Skuce and Richard Lee with all 3 under 1:15. 60-69 standout Jack Miller continued his tradition of starting the year off with a time only slightly slower than his #3 ranked performance from 2006. On the women's side, 60-69 age grouper Jane Wintemute actually improved from 2006 with a 1:45:16 gun time (compared to a 2006 chip time of 1:48:13). Jane will definitely move up in the rankings this year. Betty Jean McHugh defended her championship in the 70+ in 2:05:33. This stands a very good chance of remaining the top time for the rest of 2007.

Butler dominates at 3M - 2007-02-04

By Brom Hoban
AMERICAN-STATESMAN CORRESPONDENT

Canada's Kathy Butler, making her first appearance at 3M, took apart the women's field, finishing in 1:11:12, well over two minutes ahead of second-place Caroline Cheptanui of Kenya. Austinite Desiree Ficker, who finished second at the Ironman Triathlon World Championships in October, grabbed third, in 1:14:10.

Butler had a hard time warming up to the breezy, 39-degree conditions. Once she did, though, no other woman could challenge her.

"I was pretty cold. I had a hard time getting myself going," said Butler, who competes internationally for Great Britain. "Even on the downhills as I was getting faster, I was still freezing the whole way."

Butler, who earned $1,500 for the victory, started out with a pedestrian 5:37 first mile before finding her stride.

"I was hoping to go out a little quicker, but the wind was pretty strong in that first uphill mile," she said. "I feel like I lost at least 30 seconds there, but the downhill miles were great. I heard that this course has a 4 percent drop, but it seemed like even more than that."

Ficker, meanwhile, set a personal best in the half marathon by more than a minute.

"It went by really fast," she said. "Every mile I felt good, and I suddenly realized I was up there near the front when I saw (Cheptanui) ahead of me as we neared the finish."

More than 3,200 runners competed in the 13.1-mile race.

Great deals on Karhu - 2007-02-04

		If you order the M1 ($159.99) or the M2 ($139.99) in February, you receive a 20% discount. Please visit www.karhurunning.com to check out the scoop on these Finnish running shoes. Our toll free phone number is 1-866-440-4322. Alex

Caroline McIlroy 3rd at Miami - 2007-01-29

		Caroline McIlroy runs 2:51:13 at the Miami Marathon to finish 3rd. Caroline lives in St John's and was the 2006 Timex Series Champion for the province. Her best 10K in 2006 was 36:37 and she won the provincial championship marathon in 2:48:27 this past September.

Links Update - 2007-01-28

		The links page is currently being updated. Please e-mail myself at alex.coffin@marathoncanada.com with any link updates. I'm currently adding the track and field clubs. As well, if you are a member of a club, please consider doing a reciprocal link to our website. Any feedback is welcome. Our current website of the week is www.mapmyrun.com. Alex

Saint John to Host Canadian Masters Track and Field - 2007-01-22

Press Release:

January 13, 2007

Saint John will Host National Track Meet in 2007

In July of 2007 the Saint John Track Club will pay host to its first national track championships in over 10 years. The Canadian Masters Athletic Association has accepted the club’s bid for their championships to be held on July 27-29^th at the Canada Games Stadium. The Canadian Masters Athletics Association is responsible for the development of track and field events for men and women ages 35 and older and is part of the World Master Organization with the same aims. Brian Keaveney, President of the association for and North America was in Saint John in November to assess the Canada Games Stadium, tour the city and to finalize the arrangements with the club organizing committee. He was very impressed with the city saying, “Saint John has a lot to offer as a tourism destination and a great championship city for our masters’ athletes.”

Masters athletes compete in all track and field events from 100 m sprints to 10 km races, hurdles, jumps and throws. Organizers hope to attract more that 300 participants from across and also some international participants who will use it as a stepping stone event leading up to the World Masters Championships being held in Riccione, in September. Masters athletes come to compete but also see their trips to championships as a chance to take a vacation and see a new part of the country. Many who will come to this Canadian Championships can also participate in the Masters Championships being held the following weekend in nearby Orono, Maine. “This event presents a unique sports tourism opportunity for Saint John with some good economic spin offs, as participants tend to stay for a few days before and after the event”, says Bill MacMackin, President of the Saint John Track Club. The event in Orono, Maine will also help draw people to the region as well if they wish to compete in both events. Organizers see the potential of this event to raise the profile of track and field in Saint John. It help develop our volunteers and officials plus provide an important boost to the community’s efforts to have renovations made to the Canada Games Stadium.

The track club has set up an organizing committee who will be responsible for planning the event. Anyone interested volunteering can reach the Saint John Track Club through their web site at www.sjtc.ca

For more information contact: Bill MacMackin 632-1135

Matt McInnes runs 2:17 in Houston - 2007-01-15

		Matt finishes 7th in the event where the top 12 were all under 2:20. His time of 2:17:39 will probably set him up for a top 5 ranking in 2007 but unfortunately does not qualify him for this summer’s world championships. A very encouraging result however and a nice first time as a member of the Brooks Canada Marathon Project. Matt did not have any major results in the marathon or half marathon in 2006. Charles Bedley of Toronto finished 22nd in 2:23:10.

Catherine Ndereba makes Canadian debut at MDS Nordion 10K - 2007-01-13

Press Release from the National Capital Marathon

Catherine Ndereba of Kenya, currently one of the best female marathoners in the world, will make her first ever Canadian race appearance at the 2007 MDS Nordion 10K where she will challenge 2006 champion Tatyana Hladyr of the Ukraine. It should be an interesting competition as Ndereba and Hladyr last faced off at the ING New York City Marathon in November, when Hladyr’s time of 2:26:05 edged out Ndereba (2:26:58) for second place.

Interest from athletes of Ndereba’s calibre has been attributed to a new feature being introduced for the 2007 MDS Nordion 10K. For the first time in the event’s history, the women will square off against the men in the race to the finish. The women will start the race a few minutes before the men – the time will be determined one week prior to the event – and the first runner to cross the finish line, man or woman, will receive a $5,000 (US) bonus in addition to the regular prize money.

“Initiatives such as this one are what make our 10K one of the most competitive and popular races in North America. Last year, our race had the 8^th fastest men’s finishing time in the continent, and the women’s time was the 7^th fastest,” says elite athlete coordinator, Manuel Rodrigues. “I personally can’t wait to see where we stand after next year with Catherine The Great at our race. It’s clear our name is out there if we are attracting the world’s best athletes, like her, to Canada’s capital.”

“MDS Nordion has been a proud supporter of the 10K race since it began over 20 years ago,” said Steve West, President of MDS Nordion. “Every person running this race runs for a reason: to beat a personal best, to raise money, to feel a sense of accomplishment. Having world-renowned athletes participate, such as Catherine Ndereba in the 2007 event, will certainly be an inspiration for all to aim high and succeed, whatever their goal.”

Other athletes expected to compete include Jane Jeruto Kibii (Kenya), who placed second at the 2006 event with a time of 32:22, 2004 winner Aster Demissie (Ethiopia), and Magdelena Makunzi (Kenya) who recently set a new course record at a top 8K in Richmond Virginia.

The men’s race will see two-time winner and returning champion George Kirwa Misoi of Kenya face off against fellow countryman Samuel Kosgei, a young track runner who took first place in the Crim 10-mile road race in August, his American debut. Also confirmed are Ryan Hayden, second-ranked Canadian 10K runner, and Paul McCloy, Canadian 10K record holder. National 10K Champion Lucy Smith, and top Canadians Lisa Harvey and Tania Jones will also return.

ABOUT CATHERINE NDEREBA

· Set world record times in the 5K, 15K, 12K, and 10-mile distances in 1999.

· Ran her debut marathon in 1999, finishing in 6^th place at Boston with 2:28:27

· Broke the women’s marathon world record in 2001 (2:18:47) at the Chicago Marathon (her record was later broken by Paula Radcliffe of England)

· First woman to run the marathon in under 2 hours 19 minutes. (2001)

· First four-time women’s winner of the Boston Marathon (2000, 2001, 2004, 2005).

· Silver medalist in the 2005 World Championships and 2004 Olympic Games, and a gold medalist in 2003 World Championships.

· Named Runner’s World Magazine Road Runner of the Year (1996, 1998, 1999) and Running Times Magazine Road Racer of the Year (1996, 1998)

· Placed 3^rd in the 2006 ING New York City Marathon.

· Currently lives in Kenya with her husband and daughter.

ABOUT THE OTTAWA RACE WEEKEND

The Ottawa Race Weekend, Canada's premier running festival, combines competition, participation and fundraising to make a distinctive contribution to the health of the community. Over 30,000 participants are expected for the 2007 events, which include the ING Ottawa Marathon and the MDS Nordion 10K.

For more information, please contact:

Laurie Davison, Marketing Manager

613.234.2221 (CELL: 613-277-2980)

media@runottawa.ca

Store Link Now Live!! - 2007-01-10

		We now have our on-line store open. You can click on the store button at the top right of our main page and enter into our new on-line store. We have a toll free number temporarily until we build up enough inventory. However, Glenn or Maria will be ready to answer your tough questions about our product line. Please give us feedback about what products you would like to see in the future. Until February 28, anyone mentioning the Marathon Canada website on the phone will get an automatic 10% discount. All sales are sent by COD. As well, all products have a 30 day no hassle return policy from the day that you receive the product until the day you send the product back (COD of course). Thank you for your support, Alex

Jerry Kooymans has a great year!! - 2007-01-05

		Mike Hayakawa, Staff Writer, yorkregion.com Jerry Kooymans, 51, established several Canadian age group running marks this past season. At the Billy Taylor 15K race in Guelph, he set a mark in the M50 category with a time of 51:19.5. At the HBC Run for Canada, Kooymans set his 12th Canadian record in the 50-54 age category when he broke the Canadian M50 10K road record by completing the race in 32:57.4. This broke the record of 33:02 set by Ben Johns in 1986. At the Night Crawler 5-Miler in Toronto, Kooymans completed the race in 25:53. His time eclipsed the prior M50 mark of 27:05 set by Bruce Holtzman in 1986. Kooymans also got credit for the 8K Canadian record as he was timed in 25:45 at the 8K mark. He finished the race third overall. Kooymans and John DeFinney also placed their names in the Canadian masters running record books at the USA masters Indoor Track and Field Championships in Boston. Kooymans set a M50-54 mark in the 3,000m when he won the race in 9:05.43. This eclipsed a mark held by Art Taylor in 1977 of 9:10.0. DeFinney set a mark in the M55-59 after finishing fourth in the one-mile run with a time of 5:01.72. This surpassed a mark set by Taylor in 1982 of 5:03.7.

Pauline McLean was 3rd at Vegas - 2007-01-05

http://www.time-to-run.us/marathon/news/2006/vegas06.htm

LAS VEGAS - (December 10, 2006) - In conditions of cool, clear weather with a start line temperature of 53 degrees, the second annual New Las Vegas Marathon took a dramatic step toward becoming one of the world’s top destination marathons. Runners from all 50 states and 42 nations welcomed the opportunity to run the electrifying neon corridor of the world famous Las Vegas Strip.

Joseph Kahugu of Kenya crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 16 minutes, 23 seconds to take home $15,000 and in addition, the $50,000 Challenge bonus for the first person to break the tape. The Challenge gives top women a head start based on the best marathon times of the elite runners. For this year’s race, the Challenge time differential was 17 minutes, 52 seconds.

In her marathon debut, Kenya’s Jemima Jelagat won the women’s race in 2:35:22 and $15,000. Jelagat, who ran alone the entire race and faced strong headwinds in the last 12 miles, held the Challenge lead until just past the 25 mile mark.

Runner-ups were Noah Talam (Kenya) in 2:17:57 and Angie Bestwick (USA / NV) in 2:56:16 who each received $7500. Mark Roberts (Great Britain) and Pauline McLean (Canada) placed third in 2:37:42 and 2:59:20 respectively and each pocketed $4000. Defending Clark County champions Abebe Yimer (2:41:25) and Bestwick each received $10,000 as the fastest local runners.

Both races began with a spectacular display of pre-dawn fireworks and an energetic live performance by Blue Man Group on the start line. The race further succeeded in its mission to offer more entertainment per mile than any marathon in the world with a 400% increase in entertainment centers over last year. In the last four miles alone, there were ten "Home-Stretch Entertainment Stations" to inspire participants to the finish line, where performers from Mystere by Cirque du Soleil welcomed the finishers.

Among the race’s many "Only in Vegas" experiences - 75 Elvis runners, nine showgirls and 24 couples who got married or renewed their vows at the mile 5 Run Thru Wedding Chapel. Host Hotel Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino produced blackjack felts customized with New Las Vegas Marathon artwork and a limited edition $5 gaming chip commemorating this year’s race.

The New Las Vegas Marathon, in just its second year, attracted an event record 16,047 participants - up from 10,773 when the race debuted in 2005. By popular demand, race organizers added a half-marathon to this year’s race that contributed to the explosive 50% growth of the event. If the event grows an additional 50% for the 3rd annual New Las Vegas Marathon on Sunday, December 9, 2007, it will reach the 25,000 participant cap set by Clark County Nevada and the City of Las Vegas. Online registration for the 2007 race will open on January 9, 2007 at LVMarathon.com.

2nd New Las Vegas Marathon
Las Vegas, NV, Sunday, December 10, 2006

MEN (times unofficial)
1) Joseph Kahugu, Kenya, 2:16:23, $65,000
2) Noah Talam, Kenya, 2:17:57, $7500
3) Mark Roberts, Great Britain, 2:37:42, $4000
4) Abebe Yimer, Ethiopia / NV, 2:41:25, $10,000*
*Clark County champion

WOMEN (times unofficial)
1) Jemima Jelagat, Kenya, 2:35:22, $15,000
2) Angie Bestwick, USA / NV, 2:56:16, $17,500*
3) Pauline McLean, Canada, 2:59:20, $4000
*includes $10,000 as Clark County champion

source RunningUSA

Matt McInnes Added to Marathon Team - 2007-01-02

Matt McInnes is the first athlete to be selected for the Brooks Canada Marathon Project. McInnes comes with an impressive resume. The intention of the Project is to assist those men and women with potential, sincere interest and passion to achieve their personal goal of representing Canada in the Marathon Event at either the Olympic Games or the World Championship within two to six years.

Education: BSc Queen's '97, MD Toronto 2001

University Running:
2 time CIS team silver medal
1st team All-Canadian
5 time academic All-Canadian

PBs:
1500m 3:57
3000m 8:23
5000m 14:17 (National Championships 2006)
10,000m 29:32 Stanford 2003
1/2 Marathon 1:04:54 (Philadelphia 2004)
Marathon 2:18:49 (Ottawa 2004)

Awards/ Other:
2005 Bronze Medal
2005 Winner of the Casino Niagara Marathon
2005 World 1/2 Marathon Championships team (47th)
2004-5 Two time top 10 finisher at the Ottawa Marathon
2004 National Marathon Champion
2004 Top 20 finisher at the Chicago Marathon
2003 NA Road Relay Championships Team
2000 FISU XC National Team

World Marathon Rankings - 2006-12-27

RACE RESULTS WEEKLY ANNOUNCES 2006 MARATHONER RANKINGS

Deena Kastor and Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot Given #1 Rankings

NEW YORK (December 26) -- Race Results Weekly, the wire service of distance running, announced today that American Deena Kastor and Kenyan Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot were the top-ranked marathon runners of 2006. RRW produced for the second time an annual top-10 marathoner ranking based on key victories, head-to-head competition, fast times, consistent performances in multiple races and, in some cases, heroic efforts.

“Bob and I really struggled with these rankings because the top three women and the top two men all had terrific years,” said Editor & Publisher, David Monti, referring to Assistant Editor Bob Ramsak. “Deena Kastor, Jelena Prokopcuka and Berhane Adere had one big victory each, and both Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot and Haile Gebrselassie had two big wins. We had to make some difficult choices.”

Kastor, 33, of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., defeated a top-class field at the Flora London Marathon last April in 2:19:36, the eighth-fastest performance of all-time, a North American record, and the 2006 world leader. Although she finished sixth at the ING New York City Marathon some seven months later --soundly defeated by Prokopcuka-- Kastor was given the #1 rank over the Latvian star, who was ranked #2.

“Despite a bad day in New York, her world leader in London against the best field of the year gives her the edge,” explained Ramsak, who also publishes the Track Profile News Service.

The Ethiopian Adere was given the #3 rank for winning the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon and finishing fourth at London. Prokopcuka’s second place at April’s BAA Boston Marathon gave her a slight edge over Adere in the rankings.

Two Kenyans, Rita Jeptoo and Catherine Ndereba, were ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. Jeptoo won at Boston and finished fourth at New York. Ndereba won at Osaka and was third at New York.

CHERUIYOT BY A WHISKER OVER GEBRSELASSIE

Cheruiyot, 28, who won both the BAA Boston and LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathons, got the #1 ranking over Ethiopian legend Gebrselassie because the fields he beat in Boston and Chicago were stronger and larger than those which Gebrselassie defeated at the real,- Berlin and Fukuoka Marathons. Gebrselassie ran the world-leading time at Berlin (2:05:56), but finished ninth at London. He and Cheruiyot did not face each other during the year.

“Cheruiyot was the first man ever to win Boston and Chicago in the same year, a historic feat,” said Monti. “He also ran the fastest time ever at Boston: 2:07:14.”

Felix Limo, also of , was given the #3 ranking based on his memorable victory at the Flora London Marathon. ING New York City Marathon Champion, Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil, was the #4 ranker, while Kenyan Martin Lel (second at London) was ranked #5. Limo, Gomes dos Santos and Lel only ran one marathon each.

The complete rankings follow, including our exclusive Honorable Mention section where we recognize additional athletes who had strong years at the marathon distance. The rankings only consider performances by these athletes at the marathon distance during 2006.

2006 Race Results Weekly Marathoner Rankings - Women

1. Deena Kastor ():

(1) Flora London 2:19:36 AR/WL

(6) ING New York City 2:27:54

2. Jelena Prokopcuka (LAT):

(2) BAA Boston 2:23:48

(1) ING New York City 2:25:05

3. Berhane Adere (ETH):

(4) Flora London 2:21:52 NR*

(1) LaSalle Bank Chicago 2:20:42 NR

4. Rita Jeptoo (KEN):

(1) BAA Boston 2:23:28 PB

(4) ING New York City 2:26:59

5. Catherine Ndereba (KEN):

(1) Osaka 2:25:05

(3) ING New York City 2:26:58

6. Zhou Chunxiu (CHN):

(1) Seoul 2:19:51 PB/CR

(DNF) Xiamen

(1) Asian Games 2:27:03

7. Galina Bogomolova (RUS):

(5) Flora London 2:21:58

(2) LaSalle Bank Chicago 2:20:47 NR

8. Gete Wami (ETH):

(2) Los Angeles 2:25:26

(1) real,- Berlin 2:21:34 NR*

9. Tatiana Hladyr (UKR):

(1) Roma 2:25:44 NR/CR

(2) ING New York City 2:26:05

10. Ludmila Petrova (RUS):

(2) London 2:21:29 NR*

(8) Chicago 2:27:08

*Surpassed later in the year

Honorable Mention (alphabetical order):

Susan Chepkemei (KEN): (3) Flora London 2:21:46 PB; (10) ING New York City 2:32:45.

Rose Cheruiyot (KEN): (2) Conenergy Hamburg 2:27:09 PB; (1) ING Amsterdam 2:28:26.

Lyubov Denisova (RUS): (3) Los Angeles 2:26:18; (1) Honolulu 2:27:19 CR.

Lidiya Grigoryeva (RUS): (1) Los Angeles 2:25:10 PB/CR; (5) ING New York City 2:27:21.

Harumi Hiroyama (JPN): (1) Nagoya 2:23:26; (2) Shanghai 2:32:33.

Benita Johnson (AUS): (3) LaSalle Bank Chicago 2:22:36 NR.

Salina Kosgei (KEN): (8) Flora London 2:28:40; (2) real,- Berlin 2:23:22 PB; (1) Standard Chartered Singapore 2:31:55 CR.

Tomo Morimoto (JPN): (5) Osaka 2:27:46; (1) Vienna 2:24:33 PB.

Kayoko Obata (JPN): (2) Osaka 2:25:52; (3) Asian Games 2:30:38.

Madai Pérez (MEX): (4) LaSalle Bank Chicago 2:22:59 NR.

Yoko Shibui (JPN): (2) Nagoya 2:23:58.

Kioko Shimahara (JPN): (3) Osaka 2:26:47; (5) Boston 2:26:52; (2) Asian Games 2:30:34.

Robe Tola (ETH): (1) Conenergy Hamburg 2:24:35 PB; (7) Messe Frankfurt 2:39:18.

Constantina Tomescu-Dita (ROM): (7) Flora London 2:27:51; (5) LaSalle Bank Chicago 2:24:25.

Reiko Tosa (JPN): (3) BAA Boston 2:24:11; (1) Tokyo 2:26:15.

Sun Weiwei (CHN): (1) Xiamen 2:26:32; (2) Ford Köln 2:29:45; (1) ANA Beijing 2:34:41.

2006 Race Results Weekly Marathoner Rankings - Men

1. Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot (KEN):

(1) BAA Boston 2:07:14 CR/PB

(1) LaSalle Bank Chicago 2:07:35

2. Haile Gebrselassie (ETH):

(9) Flora London 2:09:05

(1) real,- Berlin 2:05:56 NR/WL

(1) Fukuoka 2:06:52

3. Felix Limo (KEN):

(1) Flora London 2:06:39

4. Marilson Gomes dos Santos (BRA):

(1) ING New York City 2:09:58

5. Martin Lel (KEN):

(2) Flora London 2:06:41 PB

6. Stefano Baldini (ITA):

(5) Flora London 2:07:22 NR

(1) Euro Champs 2:11:32

(6) ING New York City 2:11:33

7. Julio Rey (ESP):

(1) Conenergy Hamburg 2:06:52 CR/NR

(3) Euro Champs 2:12:37

8. Hendrick Ramaala (RSA):

(3) Flora London 2:06:55 PB

(9) ING New York City 2:13:04

9. Daniel Njenga (KEN):

(2) LaSalle Bank Chicago 2:07:40

10. Sammy Korir (KEN):

(1) Fortis Rotterdam 2:06:38

(3) Tokyo 2:10:07

(DNF) real,- Berlin

Honorable Mention (alphabetical order):

Dmytro Baranovsky (UKR): (3) Vienna 2:10:56; (2) Fukuoka 2:07:15 NR.

Robert Cheboror (KEN): (2) Conenergy Hamburg 2:07:37; (5) LaSalle Bank Chicago 2:09:25.

Benson Cherono (KEN): (1) Los Angeles 2:08:40; (1) Samsung Milano 2:07:58 PB/CR.

Jaouad Gharib (MAR): (8) Flora London 2:08:45; (3) Fukuoka 2:07:19.

Khalid Khannouchi (): (4) London 2:07:04.

Charles Kibiwott (KEN): (3) Fortis Rotterdam 2:06:52 PB; (13) LaSalle Bank Chicago 2:15:00.

Stephen Kiogora (KEN): (3) Rock 'n' Roll San Diego 2:11:45; (2) ING New York City 2:10:06.

Paul Kirui (KEN): (2) Fortis Rotterdam 2:06:44 PB; (2) Joon Ang Seoul 2:09:05.

Jason Mbote (KEN): (2) Seoul 2:11:40; (1) Joon Ang Seoul 2:08:13 PB/CR.

Jimmy Muindi (KEN): (5) Seoul 2:12:20; (3) LaSalle Bank Chicago 2:07:51; (2) Honolulu 2:14:39.

Rodgers Rop (KEN): (6) Flora London 2:07:34 PB; (5) ING New York City 2:11:24.

Ambesse Tolossa (ETH): (1) Tokyo 2:08:58; (1) Rock 'n' Roll San Diego 2:10:08; (1) Honolulu 2:13:42.

# # # # # #

Great Photos from BC - 2006-12-24

		Former UVIC Vike and now paparazzi photographer Mark Creery captures the wintery conditions at the National Cross Country Championships in Vancouver. His link for the photos is http://www.pbase.com/markcreery/nat_xc06/. Results are at http://www.raceheadquarters.com/results/run_2006.htm#dec.

Check out our blog!! - 2006-12-19

		The discussion area has been revamped and is ready to go. The moderator is Alex Coffin and hopefully we'll have some lively discussions.

Ottawa Race Weekend Scholarship - 2006-12-15

The Ottawa Race Weekend is proud to announce that it is continuing its tradition of offering a scholarship to assist aspiring Canadian runners. This will be the 4th year the award has been available.

A couple of changes for this year:
- The award has been increased from $3000 to $4000.
- Due to the delay in the announcement this year, the deadline for applications has been moved up to Feb 15th, 2007.

Some Award requirements:
• Athlete must be a Canadian citizen.
• Athlete must attend or plan to attend a Canadian post-secondary educational institution as a full-time student for the 2007-2008 academic year.

• Athlete must expect to earn under $20,000 from all sources in 2007 (including any grants or scholarships). This does NOT include any expected provincial or federal student loans.

• Athlete should be available to come to Ottawa to receive the award (the ORW will provide transportation and accommodation).

Award Criteria: Applicants will be judged based on their financial need, athletic accomplishments, athletic potential, running/community contributions and scholastic grades.

Applications should be available from the ORW website shortly ( www.runottawa.ca ) . Until then, please contact me and I can forward you a softcopy.

Regards,
Manny Rodrigues

Kenyan marathoners break the "500 Barrier" for the year! - 2006-12-07

It seems every year Kenyan male marathoners set new standards of excellence and 2006 has been no exception.

At last Sunday's Standard Chartered Marathon in Singapore (3 Dec), Kenyan men recorded their 500th documented sub-2:20 performance of the year, the first time that landmark number has been achieved by any nation in one year.

The sum stood at 499 as of Sunday morning with a number of major races around the world on the calendar that day. But since Singapore is located just one degree north of the equator, that race began at 6 a.m. to lessen the effects of heat and humidity; and its field was the first to finish.

Kenyan Amos Matui was at the very front of it and when informed he had the honour of posting number 500 he said, "This is good, but it was more important that I won," since that meant a $25,000 paycheck. The current total stands at 514 and with a few more races left in December, such as the Honolulu Marathon, the final figure has yet to be determined.

Last year there were 492 recognized Kenyan performances under 2:20. It should be noted that there were some gaps beyond 2:18:40 from the Standard Chartered Nairobi reported results which might have accounted for another half dozen or so sub-2:20 finishers projected from reviewing similar times at this past October's race.

The Kenyans have maintained a steady pace this year while heading towards the record, reaching 250 sub-2:20s through June 30. However this does not include eight men from the ING Ottawa Marathon who inadvertently ran 455.5 metres short and would have been sub-2:20 by maintaining their pace for the full distance. Ironically Amos Matui won that race, so had he run the full 42.195 kilometres there then he would not have posted the 500th performance in Singapore!

Slightly behind the 2005 pace at the end of the summer, the Kenyans soon surged ahead, boosted by an October with an astounding 145 sub-2:20 performances at 28 different races.

The number of individual sub-2:20 marathoners for 2006 comes to 371, although some athletes occasionally compete with different versions of their full names which could account for unrecognized duplicates.

Many of the Kenyans themselves expect the number to keep increasing. At Singapore, which contributed six sub-2:20s, Paul Kiptanui - who might have added another had he not fell 50 minutes into the race and still ran under 2:21 - said, "I think next year there will definitely be more than 550." Emmanuel Koskei, a 2:12 marathoner, believes, “There will be 600 very soon.”

Listed below are the month-by-month totals. Numbers include performances from some courses with significant downhill drops (footnoted in the IAAF Top List marathon summary).

January – 23
February – 31
March – 49
April – 84
May – 43
June – 20
July – 2
August – 17
September – 25
October – 145
November – 50
December – 25 (as of 3 December)

Marty Post for the IAAF

25 to 30K Breaks Brown - 2006-12-05

GEBRSELASSIE,Haile

ETH

15:44

30:56
(15:12)

45:57
(15:01)

1:00:59
(15:02)

1:04:19

1:15:54
(14:55)

1:30:47
(14:53)

1:45:30
(14:43)

2:00:20
(14:50)

2:06:52
(6:32)

BROWN,Jon

GBR

15:46

30:58
(15:12)

45:57
(14:59)

1:00:59
(15:02)

1:04:19

1:15:56
(14:57)

1:31:12
(15:16)

1:47:03
(15:51)

2:04:05
(17:02)

2:11:46
(7:41)

Isabelle Ledroit finishes 8th at CIM - 2006-12-05

		Richard Cartier wins the masters category at the California International Marathon in Sacramento. Richard's time of 2:30:40 gave him a position of 24th. Very close behind in the masters category was fellow Canadian Michel Lavoie in a time of 2:32:42. Both runners were beaten by Edmonton's Matthew Norminton who finished in 2:26:14 and competed in the 25-29 category. Our top Canadian woman was Isabelle Ledroit in a time of 2:46:31. Rita Ivanauskas of Vancouver also broke the 3 hour barrier with a 2:52:19.

Calendar Updated - 2006-11-18

The new calendar format is up and running. I have updates up to the end of April. Please let us know as we update if we are missing any important events. International events are included if there is a reasonable Canadian connection. Events without a website are also tough to find information on so any help is very appreciated.

Alex

Fiddlers Marathon Cancelled - 2006-11-06

		Unfortunately, the Cape Breton Fiddler's Marathon in Sydney was cancelled due to bad weather. You never want to see an event get cancelled but the word on the street was that the weather was truly dangerous. Hopefully the weather will be much better for next year's event and the volunteers involved will regain the event's momentum from 2005. Alex

Lance Armstrong meets goal in marathon debut - 2006-11-06

Please find below an article from the Associated Press. Talk in the competitive running community is the appropriateness of Lance overshadowing the top runners at the marathon. No opinion from me on this one but I know of at least one Canadian who hung around in his pack for awhile. Maybe he'll run the Bluenose next year??

Associated press

NEW YORK -- The men's and women's champions long since had crossed the finish line when the Central Park crowds finally started to buzz. Lance Armstrong was coming.

The seven-time Tour de France winner made an impressive marathon debut Sunday, barely breaking his goal of 3 hours thanks to a finishing kick reminiscent of his storied rides through the Alps. But it came at a price.

``That was without a doubt the hardest physical thing I have ever done,'' said Armstrong, who finished 856th in the New York City Marathon. ``It was really a gradual progression of fatigue and soreness.

``I didn't train enough for a marathon,'' he said, his right shin heavily taped as he shuffled into a post-race news conference. ``In 20 years of pro sports and endurance sports, even the worst days on the Tour, nothing felt like that or left me the way I feel now.''

Brazil's Marilson Gomes dos Santos finished strong to stun the favored Africans in the real race, ending their decade-long hold on the men's title. Latvia's Jelena Prokopcuka ran away from the women's field to win her second straight title, and wondered why no one challenged her.

It was another day of disappointment for American marathoners, who have not won here since 1982.

Armstrong crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 59 minutes and 36 seconds. The seven-time Tour de France champion struggled at times, but found the energy to meet the challenge. He was battling shin splints and had never before run longer than 16 miles.

His face tightened in pain, Armstrong virtually walked the last couple of steps. Then he slowed to a halt immediately after the finish line and bent to the ground. His green shirt was soaked with sweat.

``I think I bit off more than I could chew, I thought the marathon would be easier,'' he said. ``(My shins) started to hurt in the second half, especially the right one. I could barely walk up here, because the calves are completely knotted up.''

Gomes held off an all-star field of challengers to finish in 2:09:58 and become the first South American to win the race, man or woman.

In the final mile, as the race headed back into Central Park, Gomes surrendered about half the 30-second margin he had built over two Kenyans. He glanced over his shoulder several times, at one point doing a double-take when he saw a figure right behind him. But it was a woman runner, who had started a half-hour before the men.

``It wasn't a surprise, to win a marathon you have to have courage and today I had courage,'' Gomes said through an interpreter. ``I pushed the pace to get less people in the (lead) group. I kept pushing and they kept staying behind.''

It certainly was a surprise to defending champion Paul Tergat, who acknowledged later he didn't know much about Gomes. He and Kenyan compatriot Stephen Kiogora worked together to push Gomes at the end, but ran out of room. Kiogora was second in 2:10:06, while Tergat was third.

Kenyan men also took the fourth, fifth and seventh spots, with Olympic champion Stefano Baldini of Italy in sixth.

It was the first time in 10 years an African man hadn't won the race.

``Gomes, I did not know exactly who he was. When he decided to break, I think for some reason nobody wanted to move. We waited to see who else was going to move,'' Tergat said. ``The guy was motivated. To try to close at the last stages, it was too late.''

The top American was Peter Gilmore, who finished 10th in 2:13:13. U.S. runner Dathan Ritzenhein, making his marathon debut, was 11th in 2:14:01. Meb Keflezighi, who was third and second the last two years, finished 21st while battling a case of food poisoning.

The women's race became little more than a coronation after Prokopcuka made her bold move away from the lead pack, crushing the hopes of Deena Kastor, the world's top-ranked marathoner, who was favored to become the first American woman to win the race in nearly three decades.

Prokopcuka led nearly from start to finish on a perfect day for a marathon - cool, cloudy and little wind. Kastor finished sixth in 2:27:54. Prokopcuka became the first woman to win two straight titles since Tegla Loroupe of Kenya in 1994-95.

A record 38,368 runners started the race. Along with Armstrong, several celebrities finished the race, including mountain climber Ed Viesturs (3:15:25), former Olympic gold-medal gymnast Shannon Miller (4:17:47), model Kim Alexis (4:39:49) and Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (5:33:43).

The U.S. drought grew by another year. No American has won the New York City Marathon since Alberto Salazar in 1982, and no woman has won here since 1977. Until 1977, every New York race by won by an American man and woman.

``We will be competitive again,'' said Salazar, who helped pace Armstrong during the race, ``but it's unrealistic to think we will ever dominate marathoning again.''

Lynn Kobayashi wins age category in Chicago - 2006-10-24

		Lynn Kobayashi followed up her top ranked Mississauga Marathon performance in the spring by winning the 50-59 category against all comers at the Chicago Marathon. Lynn's was the best performace among some other incredible results. This includes Jason Warick's sub 2:20. Please check the marathon rankings for the other changes from Chicago.

Trans Canada 10 Kilometre National championship Road Races - 2006-10-14

October 8th 2006, OTTAWA - Runners Simon Bairu of Regina and Lucy Smith of Victoria won the men’s and women’s Trans Canada 10 kilometre championships, the Canadian championship road race competition at the distance, this weekend.

In the men’s race, Bairu, a two-time NCAA cross country running champion, won a battle to the finish against Ryan Hayden of Vancouver clocking 29 minutes and 12 seconds. Hayden followed in 29:33 And Jerry Ziak of Victoria was third in 29:39.

Joel Bourgeois of Grande-Digue, N.B., was fourth in 29:49 and Reid Coolsaet of Guelph, Ont., fifth in 30:10.

In the women’s race, Smith gained an early lead and took the title in 33:52. Marathoner Nicole Stevenson of Toronto was second in 34:06 and Andrea Grove of Winnipeg third in 34:14.

Smith, 39, was competing at her 18^th national championship (combining cross country, road, duathlon and track). She won a silver medal earlier this year at the world duathlon championships in Corner Brook, N.L.

Lisa Harvey of Calgary was fourth in 34:40 and Lauren King of Toronto fifth in 34:49.

The competition was also part of the TIMEX National Road Race Series Final. Developed in 1989 in conjunction with the provincial branch associations of Athletics Canada, the Timex Road Race Series holds over 110 races with in excess of 140,000 participants per year. It is Canada’s only National Road Race Series, encompassing nine series in all provinces.

As well as crowning a male and female Canadian champion, 11 age group category champions were crowned on Saturday.

A special ceremony preceded the race, honouring Olympian Émilie Mondor who died tragically on September 9^th in a car accident. Mondor was registered to race this weekend, continuing her comeback from career-threatening injuries.

For full event results and to view more pictures from Saturday please visit www.transcanada10km.ca.

Osaduik runs 2:16 at RVM - 2006-10-11

		Gavin Fletcher, Times Colonist Published: Wednesday, October 11, 2006 It was three or four years ago, maybe five or six the way time flies. The bantam-sized athlete was swallowed by a horde of noisy runners at Frontrunners clinic night in Nanaimo. There was a little snicker behind me as a smartalec commented about the slight runner's appearance. "Look at that guy. He thinks he's Prefontaine." Smartalec had a point. Steve Osaduik did look like Steve Prefontaine, the running legend from Oregon who shattered records in college before racing his way to international track fame. The simplest next line is to say Osaduik ran like him, too. Of course he didn't and despite the Nanaimo native's success this year and in Sunday's record-breaking Royal Victoria Marathon, he still doesn't. I think he's OK with that, for now. Not many can run like Prefontaine, who, when he died in a 1975 auto accident at age 24, held every American record from 2,000 metres to 10,000 metres. Oddly or perhaps not, Osaduik had been compared to Prefontaine in high school where he ran track and cross-country at Dover Bay in Nanaimo. Osaduik, too, had a penchant for running aggressively from the front "I didn't look like Prefontaine back then, either. But I always had that name in the back of my head, even though I didn't know what it meant. I didn't know a lot about running history then and it wasn't until I got to college that I learned about who he was." Indeed, it was difficult to run through college in the U.S. -- first at Seton Hall in New Jersey and then finishing off at Northern Arizona University in 2000 -- without learning about Prefontaine and other icons such as Alberto Salazar and Bill Rodgers. It's nearly as difficult to get a handle on Osaduik, 27, who was bigger than life as he sprinted to the finish line Sunday, but still fades into the background of a room as he did those years ago in Nanaimo. He's shy and reserved and his new haircut makes him look less like a wannabe-"Pre" and more like the 2008 Beijing Olympic marathon wannabe that he is. He doesn't have the slightest bit of ego. Not saying it's necessary for a guy who broke the 25-year record -- set when he was two -- at the Royal Victoria Marathon on Sunday by two minutes to have an ego, but Osaduik's is non-existent. Come on, Osaduik! 2:16:49! Any talk that centres on him comes by persistent questioning or happenstance. He's just a runner or helper or even the cheering section as he was with me several years ago when I was recruited to run with Osaduik on an Island Relay team. Of nine or 10 runners on that team, only one waited by the road halfway through my Bowser leg. It was Osaduik. Cheering me on and dispensing advice. I needed to loosen up, he said. If he had only told me to run faster maybe we wouldn't have lost the race by one second. Osaduik goes about his business as quietly as he's won 15 races this year, including four half-marathons, one of which was the national championships in Edmonton. That business includes working with kids on the cross-country team at Dover Bay Secondary School in Nanaimo. Coach Bob Saunders says Osaduik never talks about his own accomplishments and that it's up to the coach to let the runners know just how good Osaduik is. "When I told them about his time on Sunday, they just said, 'wow!' "Steve has made a ton of time available for these kids. Sometimes I don't even think they realize [what they have]," says Saunders. What they have is a guy who lets his feet do his talking. That's the way Osaduik prefers it whether coaching kids or running with his peers. "I'm way more comfortable sitting back and listening to everyone else talk. That's what I love about being in a group setting. I mean, if I have something really important to say, I'll say it, but other than that I'm pretty quiet." It's not until we are half an hour into a conversation about his running and training (he's taking a break, but generally has two workouts a day and then a massage) his work (he has two part-time jobs) and his other topics of interest, that he acknowledges that after work yesterday, he will drive from Nanaimo to lead 300 eight to 10 year olds at a cross-country race at Lambrick Park. "I just phoned him last night [Monday] to ask him," said Dave Milne of Peninsula Runners, who recruited Osaduik after being too sore from Sunday's race to lead the kids himself. "I thought Steve was still in town. It blew me away when he said he would drive down to do it." Osaduik can do it because he enjoys being around the races he ran as a kid. And besides, he isn't sore after Sunday. Whether that's a by-product of feeling great during the run or being physically prepared, he isn't sure. "I really surprised myself. I felt the best I've ever felt in a marathon." It was Osaduik's third completed marathon in five attempts over four years. "I've heard a lot of people talk about it and read in books that when you feel good at 10K, you hold back. At 20K, I held back. But at 28K I said, 'Let's go.' "But I knew as soon as I finished that I could go faster." Saunders, who coached Osaduik in high school rugby, gets a chuckle out of that. He was unsuccessful baiting an already quick Osaduik to explode out of his wing position. "He told me: 'I can't go any faster than this, but I can run at this pace all day.' " Maybe it's easier when you can run forever and the finish line is two years away in Beijing. © Times Colonist (Victoria) 2006

Rempel improves on last year's performance! - 2006-09-29

Murray McCormick

Regina Leader Post

The third annual Queen City Marathon marked a couple of firsts for Winnipeg’s Dale Kirk and Saskatoon’s Tobi Rempel.

Kirk and Rempel recorded their first victories over the 42.2 kilometre full marathon distance when Sunday’s QCM ended outside the T.C. Douglas Building. Kirk finished first in the men’s division in a time of two hours 50 minutes seven seconds. Rempel won her first women’s marathon in 3:23:24.

"I was running and people said I was in third place,’’ said Kirk, who marked his 20th marathon with Sunday’s victory. "Then I realized that it was two relay runners and I was in first. That got me pretty excited. If I was in third, I would have slowed down but knowing I was in the lead kept me going.’’

Rempel improved on a third-place finish in last year’s QCM.

"It feels great,’’ Rempel said after Sunday’s QCM, which attracted 2,202 participants. "At 30 kilometres, I passed the second-place woman and I hung on from there.’’

That second-place runner was Jennifer Rasmussen of Prince Albert, who had won the previous two women’s full marathon.

"I would have liked to have won,’’ said Rasmussen, who finished in 3:24:27. "That was a personal goal of mine. It’s still quite an achievement to complete a marathon. I have never have run where I felt I didn’t accomplish something.’’

Rempel has enjoyed busy month on the marathon circuit. She finished sixth at the Saskatchewan Marathon, which was held Aug. 31 in Saskatoon.

"I did the same thing last year, too,’’ said Rempel, who finished sixth in the 2003 Saskatchewan Marathon. "My body seems to be fine. You don’t do much between the races. Then you go out and run hard. Now, I’ll rest for a while.’’

Kirk is the third straight Winnipeg runner to finish first in the men’s event in the since the inaugural QCM. Darcy Harder won the 2001 QCM and Andre Samson of Winnipeg finished first in 2002.

"It’s a good circuit,’’ Kirk said. "There are a lot of turns and a lot of rolling hills.’’

Winnipeg’s Bert Moniot (2:54:14) was second followed by Calgary’s Bert Starke (2:54:48). Neil Sharp was fourth -- fastest among the Regina runners in the full marathon.

"Nigel (Sharp’s 12-year-old son) was fourth last, so it’s nice to have one of us there again,’’ said Sharp, one of four men to break the three-hour barrier in Sunday’s marathon. "I also have the family record back. I didn’t think I could do it.’’

Nigel finished fourth last year in 2:56:31. Neil flashed across the line yesterday in 2:56:27 to edge Nigel.

Patti Wilson (3:25:35) of Saskatoon was third in the women’s full marathon. Renee Schnell (3:30:21) was the fastest Regina female and finished sixth.

Regina’s Angela Plamondon (1:29:31) finished first in the women’s half-marathon (21.1 km) for the second consecutive year. Yorkton’s Tracy Bourne (1:33:24) was second followed by Winnipeg’s Leigh Robb (1:40:24).

Sean Siever (1:14:25) of Saskatoon was first in the men’s half-marathon. Dave Reid (1:20:49) and David Britton (1:20:53), both of Regina, were second and third, respectively.

Queen City runners swept the top spots in the girls three-km event. Kendra Finch (12:41) was first followed by Rhodes Taylor, Cara Gartner and Michelle Weir, who all tied for second at 12:52.

Lumsden’s Curtis Koskie (9:32) was the boys three-km winner. Wyatt Baiton (11:23), also of Lumsden, was second. Jacob Brizinski (11:36) of Regina was third.

Lyndon Knutson’s Regina team won the 42.2-km relay in 2:43:19. The team headed by Stan Vuksic (2:48:40) was second, followed by Kyle Dumont’s team, also from Regina. Dumont’s team finished in 3:06:18.

The top 10 finishers appear in Local Scoreboard. Complete results are to be published in Saturday’s Leader-Post. The results are also available on-line at www.raceheadquarters.com.

Murray McCormick

Regina Leader Post

16E FESTIVAL DE LA SANTÉ - 2006-09-29

Sophie Allard

La Presse

Il y a 25 ans, les médecins ne donnaient pas cher de la peau de Benoit Roux. Le coeur ne suivait plus. Son cardiologue lui a alors donné deux options: un pontage coronarien ou l'activité physique. Il a choisi la seconde. «Depuis, la course à pied a complètement changé ma vie. J'ai 76 ans et je n'ai jamais été aussi en forme. Ma famille m'appuie, mais ma femme se fâche quand elle me voit monter les marches en courant. Ce n'est plus de mon âge, qu'elle dit», confie-t-il en riant, quelques minutes après avoir couru 10 km dans les rues de Montréal... en 53 minutes et 46,9 secondes.

Tout comme M. Roux, près de 17 000 personnes ont parcouru hier matin les rues de la métropole à l'occasion du Festival de la santé et du Marathon international de Montréal. En patins, à vélo, en fauteuil roulant ou en chaussures de course. Partis du pont Jacques-Cartier au petit matin, les plus braves ont couru 42,2 kilomètres.

C'est le cas de Marie-Line Lalonde, de Blainville, qui vivait son baptême du marathon. «Je suis très fébrile, je me suis réveillée toutes les heures cette nuit, a-t-elle avoué, une vingtaine de minutes avant le coup de départ. C'est mon premier marathon, alors si je le fais en quatre heures, ça va être merveilleux. Je m'entraîne depuis 10 mois. J'ai la piqûre et c'est déjà dans mes plans de tenter le coup à Boston et en Europe. Il y a de très beaux parcours, paraît-il. C'est spécial de voir tout ce monde sur le pont ce matin. C'est un apport d'énergie incomparable.»

Quand le pont s'est mis à vibrer au rythme des foulées des participants, cette énergie est même devenue tangible. Jacqueline Gareau, invitée d'honneur de la journée, y est toujours sensible. L'ancienne marathonienne, gagnante du premier Marathon de Montréal en 1979 et du Marathon de Boston en 1980, participait hier au demi-marathon. «Même si j'ai participé à bien des courses, j'ai encore des papillons dans l'estomac. C'est un effort qui s'en vient, on est en préparation de combat, a-t-elle confié avant la course, tout en sautillant sur place. C'est frisquet, mais c'est idéal pour courir. Je souhaite faire une bonne performance, mais j'ai maintenant 53 ans et j'ai beaucoup de courses dans mes petites pattes. À mon âge, des bobos peuvent survenir n'importe quand, mais avec l'adrénaline on ne sent plus rien.»

C'est aussi ce qu'avance la soldate Annie Gingras, du 5e Bataillon des Services du Canada de Valcartier, qui était du 10 km. Comme 437 de ses confrères et consoeurs militaires, elle a inclus l'événement à son plan d'entraînement physique annuel.

«Ça s'est bien passé, je m'entraîne depuis le mois de mai à raison de trois fois par semaine. Le premier défi était d'abord de concilier la course à pied avec le travail, la vie militaire et la famille, confie Annie Gingras, 40 ans, le visage encore rougi par l'effort. Plusieurs d'entre nous, dont mon conjoint, partirons pour l'Afghanistan cette année. Cette épreuve s'ajoute à l'entraînement.»

Malgré quelques plaintes entendues ici et là sur le manque de produits énergétiques, quelques difficultés aux points d'eau et l'impatience de certains automobilistes pris dans les bouchons de circulation, l'activité a une fois de plus été un succès.

«C'est une journée très agréable que nous avons passée en famille. On a participé à la marche de 5 km. Ça montre le sens de l'effort et de l'encouragement et ça fait faire du sport au papa», blague Marie-Josée, accompagnée de son mari et de ses garçons âgés de 7, 4 et 1 an. Tous trois étaient bien fiers de quitter le Stade olympique une médaille au cou.

Sophie Allard

La Presse

Daniel Rono storms to new race record in Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon! - 2006-09-29

TORONTO, September 25th. Kenyan Daniel Rono ran his marathon streak to three consecutive victories yesterday, as he defeated a high-quality field in challenging, windy conditions on the Toronto Waterfront. His 2:10:15 took a minute and a half of the previous course record of 2:11:57, set by Simon Bor last year. His time was only 20 seconds off the Canadian all-comers mark [2:09:55], and represents the third fastest marathon ever run on Canadian soil.

Rono, who entered the race with a PR of 2:12:02, won his marathon debut in April 2005 in Madrid, coming within 10 seconds of a 14-year-old course record there, then followed that up with a second win this January in Mumbai, where he ran another 2:12 in tough, hot conditions.

After an excitable first kilometre of 2:49, a large group of more than 20 athletes settled down and tucked in behind the four pace makers who created an excellent human barrier to the wind between 3k and 12k, at times having to bend into it to maintain momentum. They passed 10K in 30:50, then halfway on target-pace in 64:37. At this point, there were still 15 in contention, including Rono, last year's winner Bor, Commonwealth Games ('06) Champion Samson Ramadhani of Tanzania, and the Moroccan Abderrahime Bouramdane, winner of Ottawa in May, in a previous PR of 2:12:18.

By 25k the group was down to six, with Kenyans Laban Moiben and Festus Kioko just about holding onto the pack of four mentioned above. The pacers had gone at this point, a job well done, and Ramadhani and Bouramdane were pushing the pace to the extent that at this stage a 2:09 looked likely. By 30k, passed in 1:32:07, the leaders were down to three, with first Moiben, then Kioko, then Bor dropping off, the latter with a sore calf muscle, struggling home courageously to finish sixth. At 33k Ramadhani paid the price for his earlier aggression, and the race was down to two, Rono and Bouramdane. Turning into the wind [gusting from 25km to 30km/hr] just before 34k, the pair ran shoulder to shoulder, no quarter being given by either. Significantly, however, the pace dropped to 3:12 per kilometre and the chances of picking up the $20,000 bonus for breaking 2:09:55 slipped away.

At 39k, Rono sensed that his opponent was tiring and made the decisive move, surging hard and opening up a gap of some 40m in almost no time. He maintained his style even into the wind in the last kilometre, to record a very impressive winning time.

A new course record was also set in the women's race, as Poland's Malgorzata Sobanska [a former London Marathon winner] ran a smart tactical race, overhauling the long-time leader Elizabeth Chemweno of Kenya in the last quarter of the race to cross the line in 2:34:31. This eclipsed the mark of 2:36:20 set by Russia's Lyubov Morgunova in 2003.

The indefatigable Canadian phenomenon, "The Master" Ed Whitlock, set yet another age-group world record with his 3:08:35 at age 75, taking 10 minutes off the previous mark set by Warren Utes of the USA.

And Michal Kapral, aka "The Canadian Joggler", was thrilled to bring the Guinness World Record for "running a marathon while juggling 3 objects", back to Canada, with his 2:57:53. "I managed to do it! I can't believe it! I love joggling," he said after crossing the line. Michal had lost the record this Spring in a great head-to-head duel with Harvard divinity student, Zach Warren, at the famed Boston Marathon. Warren won and set the impressive new Guinness mark of 2:58:23. "After he broke my old record of 3:07, I thought I'd better get it back!"

A lot of other folks also went home happy, as runners for 50 local charities raised a record $750,000 on the day.

In the accompanying half marathon, locally-based Congolese runner, Giitah Macharia, benefited from the shelter of the pacers in the marathon to 18k before powering on to win in 64:38; the women's race was won easily and impressively by Commonwealth Games marathon silver medalist, Hellen Cherono on Kenya in 1:12:59.

Danny Kassap in Globe and Mail - 2006-09-13

Danny was featured in the September 13 Globe and Mail. Below is his story as posted by Ian Reid on the Track Canada forum:

Further to the articles written this week and a couple of months
ago by Lori Ewing on the case of Danny Kassap, below is a more
detailed recounting of his story so far put together by UTTC
member Sam Babe (former long-haired OFSAA champ now a respectable
member of the Toronto law community).

Many of the list will have seen Danny at races across the country
as he's a regular fixture at distances from the 5km through
marathon and boasts a 28:57 track 10,000 PB from the Hamilton
Twilight series.

While there is still the uncertainty of further appeal through
government channels, it wouldn't hurt for some more MPs to get
letters of concern from their constituents, regardless of any
previous expressions of frustration with the way the bureaucracy
works. Writing them is free and email is even environmentally
friendly. Federal Immigration Minister is Joe Volpe.

"Danny Tshidind Kassap arrived in Canada from the Democratic
Republic of Congo in the summer of 2001, as an athlete member of
the DRC's delegation to the Francophone Games. Once Danny and the
other athletes in his delegation had obtained their games
accreditation (with picture I.D. which he still has), the
officials of his delegation collected all the visas and passports
of the athletes. Thus, after competing in the games, Danny
"defected" without any documentation as to how he arrived in the
country. This lack of documentation, though perfectly
understandable in the circumstances, has turned out to curse both
his initial claim for refugee status, and his more recent
application for permanent residence.

Danny's refugee claim was based on physical abuse of both him and
his family at the hands of the military and "thugs" from the state
political party in the DRC. This treatment arose because of his
mother's political activities in Lubumbashi, the second largest
city in the DRC. She had been a leader in a local, grass-roots
political movement before the regime change which brought in the
current dictatorship. Upon the regime change, her political group
was subsumed under the newly-formed state party. Although she and
her colleagues initially welcomed the change, it soon became an
apparent case of "same as the old boss". Danny's mother left and
publicly denounced the state party.

As a result, soldiers and/or party thugs visited his family home,
bound and beat Danny (scars of which binding he still bears), and
abducted his father, who was never heard from again. Danny fled
to the capital city Kinshasa, where met up with the national coach
whom he knew previously, and hid out in the stadium where he had
raced and trained. This coach essentially smuggled Danny out of
the country by getting him on the Francophone Games Team.
Danny's horrid lack of fitness at the games attests to the fact
that he was not there because he was fast.

Danny has not spoken to his family since leaving the DRC, and
those
friends he has managed to contact have not been able to give him
any information as to their whereabouts. If they are safe at all,
it is likely that they have left for a neighbouring country.
This, understandably, is all stuff that Danny does not like to
talk about.

Danny's situation if he should return to the Congo would also
likely be made worse by the fact that he defected from a
high-profile international sporting event.

Upon his defection, Danny made a claim for refugee status. This
claim was turned down by a one-member panel of the Immigration and
Refugee Board.

Danny, unfortunately, had picked his legal representation for that

hearing off of a bulletin board at a community centre. It is
quite apparent from reading the Board's decision that Danny was
very poorly represented.

Danny was refused leave to appeal the Refugee Board decision by
the
Federal Court of Canada (he was unable to clear the hurdle of the
Court's deferential standard of review of Board decisions).

In August 2003, Danny made an application to the Minister of
Citizenship and Immigration for permanent residence on
humanitarian and compassionate grounds (know as an H&C
Application).

Danny found out that this application was denied on July 18, 2005.
His lawyer has requested that Citizenship and Immigration provide
written reasons for the decision, which he expects to get next
week. At that point, Danny can seek leave to appeal the decision
to the Federal Court. That process will take a long time - maybe
a year or more - and will cost a lot of money, with but a slim
prospect of success (depending, of course, on how reasonable CIC's

reasons for denying his application turn out to be). Danny is
also
free to resubmit another H&C Application (and likely wait another
two years for an answer).

In the meantime, Danny is without legal status in Canada, and
cannot leave the country (to compete or otherise) for risk of
being refused re-entry.

Citizenship and Immigration currently has a moratorium on
"returning" people to the DRC. This moratorium may, however be
lifted, as was the similar moratorium on deportations to Algeria
(in place from 1997 to 2002). If the moratorium is lifted, Danny
will be at risk of deportation.

Danny is consistently a good three minutes faster that any
Canadian
marathoner. Because no Canadian has been able to meet the
qualifying standard of roughly 2 hours 18 minutes, Canada had no
one competing in the men's marathon at the Athens Olympics in 2004
nor will it have anyone competing in marathon at the World Track &
Field Championships in Helsinki this August. In contrast, Danny
has run sub-2:18 three times in the past year, his fastest being
his marathon debut at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in September
2004, which he won in a time of 2:14:50. These three performances
all came before Danny's twenty-third birthday - a remarkable feat
in an event in which runners usually reach their peak after the
age of 30."

.

Olympian killed in car accident - 2006-09-10

		HAWKESBURY, Ont. (CP) - Olympic distance runner Emilie Mondor of Mascouche, Que., was killed over the weekend in a car accident. Provincial police said the 25-year-old was travelling on Highway 417 when her vehicle overturned around 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday near Hawkesbury, Ont. Police don't know what caused the accident. "I want to express my deepest condolences to the family of Emilie Mondor," the runner's agent Ray Flynn said via e-mail. "Emilie had an extreme passion for running and the sport of athletics and it was contagious to all around her." Mondor competed in the 5,000 metres at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Injured in 2005, she decided this year to return to competition as a marathon runner. "Emilie had a bright future ahead of her and was very much looking forward to making her debut in the 2006 ING New York City Marathon," said Flynn. "We will all miss her dearly."

B.C. runners Steve Osaduik and Lucy Smith win national half marathon titles - 2006-08-15

B.C., runners Steve Osaduik and Lucy Smith win national half marathon titles

August 13th 2006, EDMONTON - Steve Osaduik of Nanaimo, B.C., and Lucy Smith of Victoria placed first in the men’s and women’s competition respectively on Sunday at the 2006 Canadian Half Marathon Championships.

In the women’s 21 kilometre race, the 39-year-old Smith waged a tough battle with Edmonton resident Aster Demissie who won the race in one hour and 14:22 minutes. However Demissie, an Ethiopian native, is not yet a Canadian citizen.

Smith earned the Canadian title clocking 1:14:25 followed in order by Lisa Harvey of Calgary in 1:18:20, Tania Jones of Richmond Hill, Ont., in 1:18:28 and Leslie Gold of Montreal 1:20:51.

Lioudmila Kortchaguina of Toronto, the national marathon champion in May, withdrew halfway through the race due to an injury.

Smith has more than a dozen Canadian titles to her credit in events such as the duathlon and various 10 kilometre races. In two weeks she’ll compete at Ironman Canada in Penticton, B.C.

‘’I’m still getting into top shape but I was pleased to finish so close to Aster and be competitive,’’ said Smith, 39, who had her second child in 2005. ‘’I always feel national championships are very important races and I try and find a way to get to them. I like to support these events.’’

The men’s 21 kilometre race was a three-way battle with Osaduik earning the victory in 1:07:27. Jim Finlayson of Victoria was second in 1:07:36, Michael Booth of Winnipeg third in 1:07:47, Scott Simpson of Victoria fourth in 1:08:12 and Jason Warick of Saskatoon fifth in 1:08:36.

‘’It was a really tough race,’’ said Osaduik, 27, the 2004 champion. ‘’At 14 kilometres, I fell off the pace but I just put my head down and I was able to catch up. I’m not totally surprised to win because I’m in good shape. I’m glad I could run that strong.’’

The competition was part of the ING Edmonton Marathon Weekend.

Sunday’s top-five finishers at the 2006 Canadian Half Marathon Championships in Edmonton

Men: 1. Steve Osaduik, Nanaimo, B.C., one hour and 07 minutes and 21 seconds; 2. Jim Finlayson, Victoria, 1:07:36; 3. Michael Booth, Winnipeg, 1:07:47; 4. Scott Simpson, Victoria, 1:08:12; 5. Jason Warick, Saskatoon, 1:08:36.

Women: 1. Aster Demissie, Edmonton, 1:14:22; 2. Lucy Smith, Victoria, 1:14:25; 3. Lisa Harvey, Calgary, 1:18:20; 4. Tania Jones, Richmond Hill, Ont., 1:18:28; 5. Leslie Gold, Montreal, 1:20:51.

-AC-

2006 TransCanada Canadian 10km Road Race Championships - 2006-08-15

2006 TransCanada Canadian 10km Road Race Championships

http://www.athletics.ca/article.asp?id=10068

OTTAWA – The 2006 TransCanada Canadian 10km Road Race Championships will take place October 7^th in Ottawa . The championships will welcome the general public also serving as a mass participation race.

Martin Goulet , Athletics Canada Chief High Performance Officer, knows the competition will be of high calibre; “It’s obvious that the chosen date, the flat course and great host city will ensure quality championships, adding glamour to the event. Our best long distance running athletes as well as all other qualified runners through provincial programs will be ready in early October for a high quality race.” With the race starting and finishing at the National War Museum, and most of the course following the beautiful Ottawa River Parkway, Goulet adds that it will be a beautiful backdrop for the event; “The sightseeing along the Outaouais River will also add to the interest and enthusiasm."

“As a proudly Canadian company, TransCanada is delighted to partner with Athletics Canada in hosting this prestigious race and supporting the promotion of health and fitness,” said Russ Girling , President, Pipelines, TransCanada and honourary chair of the event. “The TransCanada 10km Road Race will showcase many of ’s top athletes, while also offering the general public a unique opportunity to participate in the excitement of a national championship event.”

Athletics is the national sport governing body for the sport of track and field including cross-country running, road running and road racing.

About Trans

TransCanada is a leader in the responsible development and reliable operation of North American energy infrastructure. TransCanada’s network of more than 41,000 kilometres (25,600 miles) of wholly-owned pipeline transports the majority of Western Canada’s natural gas production to key Canadian and markets. A growing independent power producer, TransCanada owns, or has interests in, approximately 6,700 megawatts of power generation in and the . TransCanada’s common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol TRP. www.transcanada.com

-AC-

For more information:

Mathieu Gentès

Marketing and Communications Manager

Athletics

(613) 260-5580 ext. 3303

mgentes@athletics.ca

*****************

POUR DIFFUSION IMMÉDIATE

15 aout 2006

Championnat canadien de 10 km sur route TransCanada 2006

http://www.athletics.ca/article.asp?id=10069

OTTAWA – Le championnat canadien de 10 km sur route TransCanada 2006 aura lieu le 7 octobre à Ottawa. Le championnat accueillera le public en général et servira aussi de course de participation de masse.

Martin Goulet , chef de la direction technique nationale d'Athlétisme Canada, sait que la compétition sera forte: «Il est évident que la date choisie, le parcours plat et l'excellence de la ville organisatrice assureront un championnat de qualité, ce qui ajoutera du charme à la compétition. Nos meilleurs coureurs de longue distance, ainsi que tous les autres coureurs qualifiés par les programmes provinciaux, seront prêts au début d'octobre pour une course de grande qualité.» Alors que la course débutera et se terminera au Musée national de la guerre, et que le parcours suivra la merveilleuse Promenade de la rivière Outaouais , Goulet ajoute que ce sera un très beau décor pour la compétition: « La vue le long de la rivière Outaouais ajoutera à l'intérêt et à l'enthousiasme.»

«En tant que fière entreprise canadienne, TransCanada est enchantée de s'associer à Athlétisme Canada pour présenter cette prestigieuse course et appuyer la promotion de la santé et du conditionnement physique, a dit Russ Girling, président, Pipelines, TransCanada et président d'honneur de la compétition. La course de 10 km TransCanada présentera plusieurs des meilleurs athlètes canadiens, tout en offrant au public en général une occasion unique de participer à l'excitation d'un championnat national.»

Athlétisme Canada est l'organisme national de régie du sport pour l'athlétisme, incluant le cross-country et la course sur route.

A propos de TransCanada

TransCanada est un leader de la mise en valeur responsable et de l'exploitation fiable d'infrastructures énergétiques en Amérique du Nord. Le réseau pipelinier de plus de 41 000 kilomètres (25 600 milles), détenu intégralement par TransCanada, transporte la majeure partie de la production de gaz naturel de l'ouest du Canada aux marchés clés du Canada et des États-Unis. Un producteur d'énergie indépendant en expansion, TransCanada possède environ 6 700 mégawatts de production d'énergie au Canada et aux États-Unis, ou en détient des intérêts. Les actions ordinaires de TransCanada se négocient sous le symbole TRP aux bourses de Toronto et de New York. www.transcanada.com

-AC-

Marathon by the Sea increases their numbers again!! - 2006-08-15

Nova Scotia runners took top honours in both the men's and women's divisions in the marathon. The top five winners for the Marathon by the Sea events were:

The Marathon
1st - Dave Eaton 2:41:55	1st - Tammy Mercier Hacke 3:16:11
2nd - Chris Brake 2:47:39	2nd - Beverley Robertson 3:19:16
3rd - Todd Price 2:49:26	3rd - Celine LeBlanc 3:23:46
4th - Murray Simpson 2:50:49	4th - Shelly Gauthier 3:27:41
5th - David Holder 3:00:47	5th - Bev Walsh 3:45:49


The Half-Marathon
1st - Gilles Gautreau 1:17:52	1st - Paula Keating 1:27:20
2nd - Dean Strowbridge 1:19:34	2nd - Tammy Hiscock 1:30:24
3rd - Scott Clark 1:22:19	3rd - Stephanie Allard 1:31:38
4th - John Herron 1:22:30	4th - Susan MacDonald 1:34:03
5th - Todd Lambert 1:25:33	5th - Brenda Guitard 1:35:43


The Five-Miler
1st - James Ritchie 27:45	1st - Jessica Belliveau 31:50
2nd - Ali Kilisli 27:59	2nd - Colleen Corley 34:10
3rd - Darrell Travis 29:35	3rd - Donna McCullum 35:15
4th - Derek Fisher 29:45	4th - Mary Davis 35:36
5th - Brent McCullum 29:51	5th - Stacey Norwood 35:41

Scotiabank Extends Sponsorship - 2006-08-12

NEWS Aug 08 2006

Scotiabank Announces Five-Year Sponsorship of Toronto's Premier Running Event and Charity Challenge

TORONTO. August 8th, 2006 — Scotiabank today announced a new five-year commitment to extend its title sponsorship of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, at 'a substantial increase', paving the way for another landmark athletic event and grassroots fundraiser on September 24, 2006.

"Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live and work and we are delighted to offer more support to recognized charities in our communities by extending our partnership with the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon," said Scotiabank President and Chief Executive Officer, Rick Waugh. "An important part of being a leader in corporate social responsibility is being involved in the communities where we operate."

Toronto's premier running event and charity challenge is expected to exceed last year's numbers and attract more than 10,000 runners at all levels from over 30 countries and most U.S. states. The Scotiabank Charity Challenge—which raised $625,000 in 2005—helps over 40 charities raise money by collecting pledges from marathon, half-marathon and five kilometre (5K) participants, without the cost of organizing their own event.

"We are thrilled with Scotiabank's renewed commitment," said Race Director Alan Brookes, of RCP International, owners of the event. "Scotiabank has been a marvelous sponsor for nine years and this new commitment will allow us to sustain a fast-growing international marathon and community festival."

The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon has attracted international acclaim with exciting moments like the world-record-breaking marathon time of five hours and 40 minutes set in 2003 by 92-year-old Fauja Singh, of Britain. Ed Whitlock also raised the bar in 2004 when the 73-year-old Canadian crossed the finish line in an astounding 2:54:49.

Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live and work, both in Canada and abroad. Recognized as a leader internationally and among Canadian corporations for its charitable donations and philanthropic activities, in 2005 the Bank provided more than $40 million in sponsorships and donations to a variety of projects and initiatives, primarily in the areas of healthcare, education and social services. Scotiabank is on the World Wide Web at www.scotiabank.com.

-30-

Media contacts: please contact Frank Switzer at 416-866-7238, or frank_switzer@scotiacapital.com
For race information: Alan Brookes, Race Director, cell 416 464 7437.

Brooks Canada Marathon Project - 2006-08-07

Mike & Paul Dyon of Brooks Canada are pleased to announce a new sponsorship opportunity for Canadian distance runners interested in the Marathon event.

This new approach to athlete support will be named the "BROOKS CANADA MARATHON PROJECT".

OVERALL CONCEPT OBJECTIVE:

*Develop an organized training and competition plan with sufficient financial support (privately funded) as a possible model for Track & Field in Canada to consider that is Event Focused.
*The intention of the Project is to assist those men & women with POTENTIAL, SINCERE INTEREST and PASSION to achieve their PERSONAL GOAL of representing CANADA in the MARATHON EVENT at either the OLYMPIC GAMES or WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP within 2-6 years.
*This commitment will be in the range of $1.5 Million or more over 6 years.

BROOKS CANADA MARATHON PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM:

*Mike Dyon - RMP Athletic Locker - Project Sponsor
*Paul Dyon - RMP Athletic Locker - Project Sponsor
*Scott Hopkins - RMP Athletic Locker – Project Operations Manager
*Hugh Cameron - Head Coach of Program
*Dave Reid - Housing & Athlete Race Liaison Coordinator

To be eligible for selection to the BCMP a candidate MUST:

*Be eligible to represent Canada at any Major International competition.
-And have a Canadian citizenship.
*Have attained minimum Performance Standards for consideration. (see bottom of page)
*Complete an Interview Assessment.
*Be prepared for a "change in running program direction".

Final selection to the Brooks Canada Marathon Project will be based on a candidate agreeing to a number of training and racing requirements.

BENEFITS to a participant being part of this Project:

*Take advantage of a private sponsors willingness to support a target group within Athletics Canada's total Program.
*Take advantage of the group training synergy with a focus to the Marathon event and IMPROVING PERFORMANCE.
*Train without concern for financial support:
*Housing
*Company product
*Travel expenses
*Training Camps
*Transportation - leased vehicle for group
*Part time work
*Some other arrangements available
*Retain any:
-Athletics Canada carding support
-Provincial carding support
-Financial race prizes and appearances fees.
*In addition, a significant opportunity to add to income through a special Bonus Structure, sponsored by BROOKS CANADA.

If interested please contact:

Hugh Cameron - 905-836-4916 / coachhugh@canada.com

ABOUT BROOKS

Brooks Canada out of Mississauga, Ontario is a licencee of Brooks Sports Inc. which is headquartered in Bothell, Washington. Brooks Canada was established in 1977 by runners Mike and Paul Dyon. Mike has a marathon best of 2:14.28 and competed for Canada at the 1982 Commonwealth Games, two World Cups and was a 4 time Canadian Marathon Champion. The company has been sponsoring amateur athletes across Canada for the past 29 years. Brooks is a leading running company that designs and markets a line of performance footwear, apparel and accessories in more than 80 countries worldwide. The company's mission is to inspire people to run and be active by creating innovative gear that keeps them running longer, farther and faster.

Performance Standards for consideration

*Have at least one attained performance that meets specified BCMP time standards within the last 2 years as a minimum from the following list. The more standards attained the better for selection purposes.

Standards – Women

5,000m / 5Km – 17.00
10,000m / 10Km – 35.00
Half Marathon – 76.00
Marathon – 2:42

Standards - Men

5,000m / 5Km – 14.30
10,000m / 10Km – 29.45
Half Marathon – 70.00
Marathon – 2:23

Ed Whitlock keeping the speed! - 2006-07-22

TORONTO. July 14th. On a warm evening (27° Celcius at 7pm start time), Danny Kassap of University of Toronto Track Club had a strong outing to trounce his arch-rival Giitah Macharia of St.Catharines by 15 seconds, to win the Nissan Foundation 5K at The Docks tonight. After battling back and forth for the first 3km, Kassap broke away decisively, to claim his second victory in the past 5 years on the flat, fast course and signal a timely return to form.

Newcomer to the Canada Running Series, Emily Tallon of Kingston, took a great scalp in coming home first-woman ahead of Olympian Emilie Mondor of Montreal, 16:40 to 17:05.

But it was Ed Whitlock, "The Master", who stole the show with an electrifying 18:45 performance at aged 75. Gunning for Maurice Tarrant's Canadian M75 record of 20:42, Whitlock destroyed the old mark. Running a 6:02 per mile pace, Ed placed 74th overall in a field of 1,114 finishers. That is correct—6:02 mile pace at age 75, on a course re-certified just last year by an AIMS/IAAF 'Class A' measurer.

Over the past 3 years, Mr. Whitlock has received extensive global media praise and innumerable accolades from his peers in the running community for his distance running exploits. Last November, he was honoured at ceremonies at the New York City Marathon as a "Runner's World Hero of the Year", and labelled "The Master". He received this alongside such running legends as Norway's Grete Waitz (9 time NYC Marathon winner) and young Olympic stars Justin Gatlin and Lauryn Williams. (for story click here)

Why all the excitement? Mr. Whitlock is the only person on the planet over 70 years of age to have run a marathon in under the magical 3 hour barrier. He has done this now on three occasions—twice at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, where he set the Men's 70+ world record of 2:54:49 in 2004, and once in Rotterdam. It has been claimed that on recognized scales of comparative, age-graded performances, Ed's 2:54 ranks as a greater performance than superstar Paula Radcliffe's remarkable women's world record of 2:15:25.

"I surprised myself a bit tonight with the 18:45," said the typically modest "Master".

"I wasn't expecting to do quite this well. Since late February I have had various problems which caused me to withdraw from the Rotterdam Marathon, and miss several other races and a fair bit of training. I have no major concerns at the moment and just this week, I have managed to get up to 3 hours of continuous running for the first time since February.

My training could be described as simple, non scientific and unmeasured. It basically consists of trying to run every day for as long as I can, considering my current physical condition. When I feel ok and have enough background, I run for 3 hours a day every day not taking note of the pace or the distance run.

I have followed this daily regime for several years now, not making any allowance for age, but since I don't measure my pace I do not know how much I have slowed down in training. When I was in my 40's my training was different with more emphasis on quality, but then I was concentrating on middle distance and I only dabble in that now.

I am hopeful things will continue to go well until the Waterfront (Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, September 24th).

On September 24th, The Master will take a run at becoming the only person on the planet over 75 to go under 3 hours. In 2004, Whitlock ran 18:22 at the Nissan 5K, then his 2:54 at the Waterfront. Last year, his Nissan run was only 19:06, and his Waterfront performance was a 3:02:41. Tonight's 18:45 would signal that the "sub 3" is a real possibility this Fall.

Elsewhere at the Nissan 5K, Michal Kapral, aka "The Joggler", had a great time of 17:50, running and juggling 3 balls, but came up short of eclipsing the 20-year old Guinness World Record of 16:55, that was set on the track, without 1100 other runners to contend with. Undaunted, The Joggler claims he'll be ready for the Toronto Waterfront Marathon also, where he is preparing for a re-match with Zach Warren, "The Boston Joggler", after their battle in Boston this spring, where Warren set the marathon joggling World Record of 2:58:23!

Kassap is also confirmed for the Waterfront, and hopes to return to his winning form of 2004.

Entries for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon & Half, on what is shaping up to be an historic weekend, can be made online at www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com. This will be the next Canada Running Series event, and the penultimate race of the 2006 circuit.

Tribute to Bill Shaw - 2006-07-19

I found this in my old updates from April 24. Bill was in the rankings quite a few times.

I'm sure he is being missed this summer.

Alex

One problem with being a masters athlete is that we tend to lose fellow
members to the grave occaisionally - perhaps more often than the in the
younger age divisions. Sadly, a very fine runner died this week in
Ancaster, Ontario, well before he should have. Bill Shaw was 54 and was
fast on his feet. His 35:50 clocking at the Vancouver Sun Run 10K in 2003
easily won him the 50-54 age category. Here is a photo of him flying
around the indoor track at York, where he also posted some great times, usually
ahead of me, but I'll treasure even those memories now.
>>
>>
>>George Aitkin
>>

Marathon man fights through pain - 2006-07-15

Marathon man fights through pain

By Trent Edwards

Calgary Herald, Monday, July 8, 2002

Dennis Colburn ignored the shooting pains from his two

cracked ribs when the only man ahead of him came into view in the

final kilometre of the Burnco Calgary Marathon Sunday.

Colburn bore down and ran his fastest of 42.2 kilometres to pass

the flagging leader and produce one of the most exciting finishes in

the 38-year history of the longest-running marathon in .

"That was unbelievably exciting," said Colburn, who gritted his

teeth between sentences as his ribs tightened painfully after his

exhausting effort. "A volunteer in the last kilometre told me I

could catch him, but I didn't think I'd ever see him again."

Though he had taped the ribs he cracked the week before in a fall

from his mountain bike during a 36-hour adventure race, the

35-year-old from Edmonton was hurting throughout the race.

"I couldn't take a deep breath," said Colburn, who also won the

race last year. "I shouldn't have been out there, but I thought I'd

just suck it up and see if I could pull it off."

Colburn couldn't keep his usual sub-2:30 pace, winning with a time

of two hours, 46 minutes and 25 seconds.

The man he beat was in even worse shape after the race. Royd

Burkart, a 33-year-old from Vancouver , kept a personal-best pace for

much of the race, but started feeling the effects of heat exhaustion

halfway through the race.

"I'm amazed I finished still running, because I was in rough shape

from the halfway point," said Burkart as he recovered under a wool

blanket in the shade of the medical tent behind the finish line.

At the 32-kilometre mark, Burkart said he was closing his eyes and

just trying to stay in the race.

"I really wanted to win it. For the last six months it's been the

only thing on my mind," said Burkart, who finished second in

2:48:16, beating 743 marathoners.

Syl Corbett led the women runners through most of the marathon,

though she didn't pay any attention.

``There were a lot of relay runners, so I didn't know if I was in

front,'' said Corbett, a 32-year-old from Calgary who used the run

as training for a marathon this fall in Victoria ``I just did my own

thing. I didn't even look at my watch.''

Even if she had been looking, Corbett wouldn't have seen any other

marathon women as she powered to a 3:04:17 finish. Elizabeth Esser

of Phoenix was her closest rival, finishing almost four minutes

later in 3:08:10.

Corbett was surprised by the number of small hills in the marathon,

which was considered by many to be a flat course.

``It's not flat at all, especially in the beginning,'' said

Corbett, who enjoyed the scenic course along the Bow River . ``I

really enjoyed it along the bike path and some of the dirt roads.

There was definitely enough variety.''

The marathon was one of five races in the 38th Annual Calgary

Herald Stampede Road Race, which drew 3,774 participants to run in

the heat of a clear morning Sunday for two local charities.

At 7 a.m., 1,690 runners in the Burnco Calgary Marathon, Crape

Geomatics Two-Person Marathon Team Relay and the Tetrault McCarthy

Five-Person Marathon Team Relay started from Fort Calgary .

An hour later, the longest-running 10-kilometre race in

began. The Calgary Herald 10K, which began in 1906, sent 1,860 more

runners onto the downtown streets from Fort Calgary .

Despite leaving later, the quickest 10-kilometre runners reached

the finish line at

6th Avenue

and

6th Street S.E.

before any of the

marathoners, who were still pounding through their 42.2-kilometre

slog along the Bow River on

Memorial Drive

. Jeremy Deere returned to

his home race after a long hiatus to win the 10K in 31:35.

``I decided to take a strategy I often use in Calgary and create a

gap (between myself and the other runners). Fortunately it worked,''

said Deere, a 27-year-old Calgarian whose schedule of racing for the

national track and field team had precluded him from racing the

Calgary 10K since he won it in 1998.

Deere ran with a cold, but still beat Paul McCloy of Calgary by 27

seconds.

``Yesterday I could hardly breathe, but today it just affected my

breathing a little bit,'' said Deere, who was looking forward during

the race to a three-week break from running.

Deere wasn't the only race leader to suffer from a cold.

The women's 10-kilometre race was tightly contested until race

leader Lisa Harvey dropped out after six kilometres because of

breathing problems caused by a cold.

This gave first place to Maria Zambrano, who also also suffering

from a cold. From this point on, the 31-year-old from Calgary led

the race, winning handily in 35:05. Nicole Hunt was more than a

minute behind, finishing second in 36:11.

Knowing the race course from competing in three other Stampede road

races helped Zambrano pace herself.

``It was good because I knew where all the uphills and downhills

were,'' said Zambrano.

Runners in all of the races, including the Sport Chek Family

Marathon Mile that started at 9 a.m., were greeted by a few hundred

cheering fans lining the road to the finish line.

The races were a family affair for many runners.

``It was a great family event,'' said John Vos, one of eight Vos

siblings to run in the Tetrault McCarthy Five-Person Marathon Team

Relay.

``It's an opportunity to get a little exercise, have some family

competition, and get our families together for some fun in our home

town. Our two teams all ran together as one group.''

The bright skies and festive atmosphere made the race a pleasant

way for families to spend the morning together.

``It was a beautiful day. Perfect weather for it and it's fun doing

it as a family. Doing it together is the main benefit,'' said Brian

Dewar minutes after finishing the 10-kilometre race.

Dewar ran with his wife Kathy while pushing his four-year-old

daughter Kaitlin in a tricycle child carrier.

Behind the finish line, several runners walked through a cool mist

machine on their way to a breakfast of bagels, fruit, yogurt,

cheeses and water. Finishers then gathered in a tent city set up

behind the breakfast line to socialize and listen to upbeat music.

All profits from the races were split between Renfrew Educational

Services, which provides education for special needs children, and

Special Olympics Calgary, which funds local special Olympians and

promotes access to sport for people with disabilities.

Organizers very pleased with the 2006 Manitoba Marathon - 2006-07-03

Congratulations to our men's winner - Michael Booth, from Winnipeg, who captured first place in the Manitoba Lotteries Full Marathon in an unofficial time of 2:31:54. Michael was followed by Dane Samuels from Brandon who placed second in 2:38:53. Booth, 26 years old, defended his 2005 title against Samuels, himself a former Manitoba Marathon champion, by pulling away after 20 miles. Bill Rettie, a former Winnipegger currently residing in Japan, placed third with a time of 2:39:52.

The women's Manitoba Lotteries Full Marathon featured a close race, with Jaydene Reardon overtaking 2004 Manitoba Marathon winner Harmony Holland from Florida in the last half mile to win by 31 seconds, in a time of 3:04:10. It was Reardon's debut marathon, at age 29. She is a former Winnipegger now living in Atlanta, GA. Third place went to Kathy Palmer from Brandon in 3:12:45.

Darcy Ready from Winnipeg captured the Men's Intrepid Dezine Half Marathon in a time of 1:15:36, followed by Darren Klassen (1:16:34) and Jacques Marcoux (1:17:04)

The Women's Intrepid Dezine Half Marathon winner was Winnipeg's Cathy Cullen with a time of 1:26:22. Melissa Armstrong placed second in 1:27:08, while the third place winner was Amanda Younka (1:28:54).

To all participants, our sincerest congratulations on your commitment to train and join us this year. And a super special thank you to the 2,000 volunteers who make the event happen every Father's Day. And as well, to the hidden thousands who rarely get counted or noticed -- the teachers and parents behind the school running clubs, the family cheerleaders and official photographers, the spectators on the course, and to the community as a whole that has embraced the spirit of the Manitoba Marathon.

2006 continues our string of new entry records. By event, 2006 registrations (with 2005 final in brackets) are:

Marathon - 823 (907)
Half Marathon - 3,656 New Record (3,536)
Super Run - 4,025 New Record (3,676)
Relay - 668 teams/3,340 runners New Record (618/3,090)
Walk - 871 (881)
Total - 12,715 (12,081)

Exciting Half-Marathon finish at the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon - 2006-07-03

VANCOUVER, June 25, 2006 — More than 4,500 competitors, including a roster of elite half-marathon racers, helped make the Eighth Annual Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon (SVHM) & 5K one of the most competitive road races of the season. Participants were also running to raise funds for VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation's Your Health—Your Choice to support a variety of important programs and centres at the hospitals, including the Dr. Patty Clugston Chair in Breast Reconstruction Surgery, Burn and Wound Healing Research, the Diabetes Centre at VGH, Cardiac Care and the in it for life Fund, which funds top priority medical needs.

In the men's half-marathon, defending champion, Giitah Macharia of St. Catharines, Ontario, sprinted home for the win in a time of 1:04:30 narrowly defeating 2005 third place finisher, Danny Kassap of Toronto, ON who was only 8 seconds back with a time of 1:04:38. In completing the eastern sweep, Joseph Nsengyumva of Ottawa, ON rounded out the top three finishing with a time of 1:04:52. Top BC finisher, Jim Finlayson of Victoria ran strongly in for fourth place with a time of 1:06:56.

On the women's side, the west ruled the race with Calgarian Lisa Harvey leading from start to finish winning in a time of 1:17:59. Coquitlam native Leah Pells finished second in 1:18:49 and local favourite Nancy Tinari of Vancouver finished in third with a time of 1:22:10.

The 5K Run/Walk saw Vancouver's Dave Reed win for the second consecutive year crossing the line at 17:02, while Liz Jones also of Vancouver was the top female finisher and second across the line with a time of 18:52.

The Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5K is part of the prestigious Canada Running Series. Growing in annual popularity, it is also a highly successful fundraising event. While donations are still being tallied, over $102,000 is expected to be raised for VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation. Scotiabank has once again matched $15,000 of the funds raised by its employees, many of whom participated in today's event. The event has now raised more than $530,000 in its eight-year history.

The award ceremony struck an emotional chord when the top team fundraising award was presented to "Hike for Mike," a more than 30-person team of family and friends, raising just over $10,000 for the Leukemia and Bone Marrow Transplant Program at VGH in memory of Mike Hopkins, who lost his battle with leukemia last fall. Allison Hopkins, Mike's wife, commented about her inspiration for the fundraising effort: "We would like to give back a little, on Mike's behalf, and maybe at the same time help another family spend precious time together," she said. The top individual fundraising award was presented to Tirth Kular, Personal Banking Manager, Scotiabank, King George and 102, who raised an outstanding $12,727 for the Dr. Patty Clugston Chair in Breast Reconstruction Surgery.

For complete race results, please visit www.canadarunningseries.com/svhm or contact Clifton Cunningham, Race Director, Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5K, (604) 839-7889.

Blog Update - 2006-06-10

Let’s see if we can get some good discussion going in the marathon community! Check out our latest blog discussion thread - Is elite marathoner criticism justified? If you are new to blogging we challenge you to give it a try! Alex

Cool running: Warick wins half marathon - 2006-06-03

Cory Wolfe, The StarPhoenix

As Jason Warick sprinted the narrow asphalt path toward the fi nish line of Sunday’s half marathon, he pumped his right fist in the air -- the cold, soggy air.

"We had a bit of Saskatchewan weather today, so I got a bit lucky," Warick said moments after covering the 21.1-kilometre distance in one hour, 15 minutes and 19 seconds.

The 32-year-old Saskatonian finished 23 seconds ahead of Kenya’s Martin Keino, a former world-class miler. Wearing an orange singlet with "Kenya" across the chest, Keino smiled as he covered the fi nal few metres amid a chorus of applause from rain-saturated spectators.

"After the last bridge, as we turned into the university, Jason made a quick turn," said Keino. "I lost concentration and that was it." For all of its worldly decorations, Keino’s running resume did not include a half marathon prior to Sunday.

"This is about 10 times longer than he’s used to," said Warick, "but mainly the Saskatchewan weather was on my side today." Grey and drizzly skies hung over proceedings for the 28th annual Saskatchewan Marathon as runners competed in 10-kilometre, half-marathon and full-marathon disciplines.

Water started to pool on pathways as competitors made the final push to The Bowl in the heart of the University of Saskatchewan campus.

"I’m used to temperatures between 20 and 28 degrees (Celsius). This was, I think, a shock to my system," Keino said with a laugh.

The bond between Warick and Keino is not all about running. They met in the spring of 2004 when Warick visited Eldoret, Kenya, as part of a journalism fellowship. He lived and trained with Keino’s father, Kip, a two-time Olympic gold medallist who has dedicated his life to a local orphanage.

When Warick returned to Canada, he spread word of the Keinos’ efforts to build a high school and several Saskatchewan organizations and individuals fed a fund-raising charge that is now approaching $40,000.

"The final amount’s not in yet, but we are well on our way to building Kip Keino High School in Eldoret," said Warick. "We raised well over $10,000 this week and hopefully quite a bit more." Martin Keino spent last week speaking at Saskatoon schools and to service clubs. The 33-year-old applauded Canadian support of the Kenyan school project.

"It’s even more special in Saskatoon and Saskatchewan," he said.

"Being that it’s a smaller province and a smaller community, the people are much friendlier here. I’ve enjoyed it very much and it does mean a lot to me." Keino expressed that sentiment over the loud speaker following the race.

"I’ll go home with great memories of your wonderful city," he told the crowd.

Benson tops women’s field Wendy Benson won the women’s half marathon, but that was news to her.

"I didn’t even know I won," said the 38-year-old mother of two. "My husband had come with the kids and I was cold and I wanted to go have a shower.

"Pretty cool." Mike Humenny, who teaches with Benson at Aden Bowman Collegiate, delivered news of her victory.

"He stopped by my mom’s house and I thought he was just coming in to drop off my clothes," said Benson. "He had this big grin and he said, ’Hey, you won.’ " Benson’s time of 1:33:43 was four seconds faster than fellow Saskatonian Celene Sidlowski.

cwolfe@sp.canwest.com

'Things like that happen' - 2006-05-30

		Martin Cleary, The Ottawa Citizen Published: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 Organizers of the ING Ottawa Marathon are considering changes to prevent another international incident in the wake of one in which 14 elite runners accidentally cut about 400 metres off the course and were later disqualified during the 32nd edition of the race on Sunday. During the regular post-race meeting scheduled for next month, the Ottawa Race Weekend board of directors is expected to study ways to improve the barricade situation at the critical intersection, upgrade the on-course blue line that was used for the first time to guide the runners from the start to the finish and impress upon volunteers even more the significance of their roles in a large international race. Despite the runners’ misfortune, which happened between the eight- and nine-kilometre marks in the 42.195-kilometre race, organizers of the race weekend, other race directors and one marathon icon don’t feel the reputation of the Ottawa event has been damaged. "This is normal," said American Bill Rodgers, a four-time winner of the Boston Marathon and New York City Marathon. Rodgers, who added he had accidentally gone off course in 10 to 15 road races, but was never disqualified in his long and illustrious career, attended the Ottawa Race Weekend as a guest speaker and ran in the MDS Nordion 10-kilometre race. "It’s too bad for the race," Rodgers added. "It’s a great race and does so much for the city. It was 99.5 per cent successful. You can’t take anything away from it. Nothing will stop the popularity of the Ottawa Marathon." Gloucester’s Terry McKinty, who organizes triathlons, duathlons and road races as the vice-president of Somersault Promotions, said the impact of the men’s marathon controversy wouldn’t affect its future. "I think the reputation of the race should be solid," said the past national competitions director for the former Canadian Track and Field Association. "From my perspective, things like that happen. Mistakes do happen. In the end, the officials were fair with the money (to the disqualified athletes), and those people will be back, trying to win it. "For the Ethiopians and Kenyans, it’s a way for them to pay for family (expenses). It’s a quasi business. But you can be sure (cutting the course) won’t happen next year." Twenty-eight minutes into the marathon on Sunday morning, the group of 14 runners mysteriously went off course. Instead of turning left on Thomas Street, right on Stanley Avenue and right on Sussex Drive, they went straight along MacKay Street to Sussex, trimming about 400 metres from their work day. By the time the 14 runners turned right onto Sussex, they had moved into the lead. They had jumped ahead of four marathon pace vehicles and five runners who were the actual lead pack, including three runners designated as pacing rabbits to guide the elite runners in their attempts to clock a record time of two hours nine minutes. The list of reasons for why the runners went off course includes teenage volunteers being away from their post at the corner of Thomas and MacKay to insufficient road closure barriers at that spot to a vehicle going onto the course and the runners mistaking it for a pace car to the runners not knowing the course. After an investigation, race officials determined there was no single cause for the incident. Two hours after the marathon, the 14 runners were disqualified, given non-ratified times, which aren’t eligible for international ranking lists, and removed from the Ottawa result standings. However, the top eight disqualified runners, who had crossed the finish line in the top 10 and appeared eligible for prize money, were given an unspecified amount of performance money. Amos Tirop Matui of Kenya appeared to finish first in a men’s race record of two hours 10 minutes 32 seconds, but, because of his disqualification, the victory was presented to Morocco’s Abderrahime Bouramdane, who originally was seventh in 2:12:18. The runners finishing second through sixth also were disqualified. General manager Jim Robinson says race organizers will have to be "more meticulous in the briefings" with volunteers in future. The race weekend relied on about 1,500 volunteers to stage 10 races for 29,500 participants on Saturday and Sunday. "For sure, one thing we’ll look at is a solid blue line," Robinson said. "It may help." The blue line was introduced this year to give the Ottawa Marathon a more world-class flavour. The directional marker is used by the International Association of Athletics Federations for major road race championships and also is part of the famous London Marathon. John Halvorsen, the Ottawa race director, said the elite runners were invited to a pre-race technical meeting, given maps and offered tours of the course in a van. Manny Rodrigues, the elite athlete co-ordinator, was uncertain how many runners toured the course. Halvorsen added the elite runners, who mainly were from Kenya, Ethiopia, Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Morocco, and their agents may not have been totally happy with the disqualifications, but they were pleased with the post-race financial solution. "(The agents) understand what happened. It happens all around the world. It’s an accident, and they felt we dealt with it professionally," Rodrigues said. He believes the course-cutting incident won’t bruise the reputation of the marathon, which has staged two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games team trials in its history and produced the occasion world-class time. "I already have had athletes, who were pacers this year, who came up to me (Sunday) and wondered if they could come back and race (the full marathon) next year," Rodrigues said. Three-time Ottawa Marathon champion Joseph Nderitu of Kenya raced as a paid pacing rabbit for the elite runners. He stopped after the first half in 1:10:26, about six minutes behind the leader. © The Ottawa Citizen 2006

Canada brings up rear in marathon - 2006-05-29

Canada brings up rear in marathon

This nation’s runners considered longshots in Sunday’s 42K race

Gary Kingston, Vancouver Sun
Published: Saturday, May 06, 2006

"To describe the agony of a marathon to someone who’s never run it is like trying to explain colour to someone who was born blind."

-- Canadian marathon great Jerome Drayton

ROAD RUNNING I The number of eyes-wide-open Canadians who can relate on some level to that most excruciating of human self-tortures to which Drayton refers is shrinking.

While road running events in this country, like Sunday’s BMO Vancouver Marathon, are continually breaking participation records -- organizers anticipate 15,000 runners this year -- it’s in the half-marathon and 10K runs that numbers are climbing.

While just under 5,000 will actually run the 42.2 kilometres on Sunday, fewer people seem to be putting the mind- and leg-numbing challenge on their list of ’Things to do before I die.’ But it’s not just the new wave of fitness fanatics who are turning away from the ultimate test.

Canada has slipped well off the pace at the elite marathon level, boxed out of the game like so many other western industrialized nations by the preponderance of lithe, run-all-day gazelles from many African nations, inadequate government and corporate funding, and declining interest.

"Elite marathoning in Canada is probably at an all-time low," says Manny Rodriguez, elite athlete co-ordinator for the Ottawa Marathon, which also serves as the national championship. "If you go back 10 years, at that time if you ran a 2:20 [two hours, 20 minutes], maybe you were one of the top 10. Now, if you go under 2:20, you’re one of the top three."

"The reality is is that the [men’s] national record is 31 years old," says Martin Goulet, Athletics Canada’s long-distance coach. "The reality is we’re not a powerhouse in the marathon."

Canada is barely even a fringe player.

To illustrate that point, consider these facts:

- Canada did not qualify a runner for either the men’s or women’s marathon at the 2004 Olympics and the men have not qualified for either of the last two world championships or the 2006 Commonwealth Games;

- Canada did qualify two women for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and they finished sixth and 11th. However, that sixth-place finish came from Lioudmila Kortchaguina, a 34-year-old from Russia who obtained her Canadian citizenship last year.

- Drayton’s Canadian men’s record of two hours, 10 minutes, eight seconds, has stood for 31 years. Sylvia Ruegger’s women’s record of 2:28.36 was set in 1986.

"The issues are very complex. There is no one reason, no one factor," says Bruce Deacon of Victoria, who represented Canada in the marathon at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.

Deacon and Goulet say a lack of depth in Canada at 5,000 and 10,000 metres is a major problem.

"It’s from that pool that you get people moving up to marathon and doing well," says Deacon, now 40 and retired from the national team. "If you want somebody at that level, they’ve got to be going sub 29 minutes at 10K and there’s a lack of people running sub 29 minutes.

"And I don’t know if I should be saying this, but I just don’t know how good we are at coaching athletes through to the marathon right now. I’ll be honest, there are guys out there who should be able to break 2:20 and they’re only running 2:24."

Asked if there are any young runners out there who look capable of being a marathon threat down the road, both Deacon and Goulet mentioned Simon Bairu, a University of Wisconsin senior who grew up in Regina and who has a 10K personal best of 28:04.75.

"He’s the kind of guy who can be a world-class 10,000-metre runner . . . who has the kind of stride that he can switch to the marathon when he gets older," said Goulet.

But Bairu’s ethnicity also highlights one of the other key issues surrounding long-distance running -- genetics and the influence of great endurance runners from African countries. While he grew up in Regina from the age of four, Bairu’s father is from Eritrea and his mother from Ethiopia. "There’s been an influx of Kenyan [and other African] athletes, which has completely changed the distance running world as we know it," says Deacon.

They have become running mercenaries, regularly claiming the top spots -- and significant cash payouts -- in major marathons around the world and on the lucrative 5K and 10K circuit in North America, where they set up shop for the summer with the help of running shoe sponsors.

The top two finishers in the men’s division at the 2005 Vancouver marathon -- Kassahun Kabiso of Ethiopia, who ran a blistering 2:15.39, and Stephen Kiproptich of Kenya -- are returning Sunday to fight it out for the $3,000 winner’s cheque and the $2,500 up for grabs for the first man to break 2:15.00.

With the national championship marathon in Ottawa following Vancouver by just three weeks, this city’s event can’t attract top Canadians. Nik Southwell of Victoria was the top Canadian male last year, sixth overall in 2:35.51; Suzanne Evans of New Westminster was the top woman, fifth overall in 2:57.33.

"In major marathons, you get 15-20 African athletes who’ve run for many, many years and you’ve got to go past the top 10 to get to the first non-African athlete," says Deacon. "Is that the encouragement that western athletes need? Probably not.

"And look at the economic disparities. I go to a race and make $10,000 and it pays the living expenses for three months. Somebody from Kenya wins $10,000 and it’s more than [the average Kenyan’s] annual income for seven or eight years. They can take that and buy a piece of property and their family is set for generations. With Kenyan athletes, the motivational underpinnings for the sport of distance running are firm."

On the other hand, says Deacon, young Canadian athletes have a tough time convincing anybody that a post-university running career -- where they might make $50,000 over a five-year period -- is worthwhile.

"You talk to your friends and say you’re pursuing a running career. ’Great, that’s a noble cause. Too bad you’re as poor as a church mouse.’"

European countries are experiencing the same problems. Distance running, once a staple of British athletics, has fallen off the map. And Goulet notes that at the recent world cross-country championships, where all the best middle-distance runners competed, runners from once-powerful nations like France, Belgium and Portugal could barely crack the top 40.

"I was talking to the French high performance director and he was complaining that they had only five athletes at 10,000 metres at their national championships," said Goulet. "And I was discouraged because we had 17."

One country that is challenging the Africans’ dominance is the U.S. American men were 3-4-5 at last month’s Boston Marathon and put five in the top 10 and 11 in the top 20, the country’s best showing since 1986 and the start of the prize-money era. In addition, Deena Kastor won the women’s division of the London Marathon on April 23 in an American record 2:19.36.

Deacon and Goulet say the explanation for the American’s resurgence is simple.

"Corporations stepped in and saw something worthwhile," said Deacon. "They invested in teams, got a bunch of athletes training in the same city, paying them so they can live, supplied them with good coaching."

With Athletics Canada forced to spread its limited resources over many different events, he said, a similar investment by Canadian corporations is needed if maple leaf-adorned runners are to return to the Olympics.

"The Americans were in bad shape not a long time ago," said Goulet. "They got back into it with a couple of stars, one of them being Deena Kastor. They invested a lot of energy and private money, some of it coming from races into projects like Team Running USA."

The Ottawa Marathon and principal sponsor, ING, are trying, at least in a small way, to help boost numbers at track clubs around the country with a innovative program called The Run for Something Better. A male and female runner from nine different cities are brought to the race to compete -- best combined time -- for $68,000 in prize money, which goes back to their home clubs to provide opportunities for under-privileged youth.

"If we can get them involved in the sport and they see ’hey, it was the marathon that got me involved,’ hopefully that translates down the road into something achievable," said Rodriguez.

gkingston@png.canwest.com

© The Vancouver Sun 2006

Women's race winner: one for the record books - 2006-05-29

Women’s race winner: one for the record books

Russian-born Canadian sets Ottawa marathon mark and personal best

Martin Cleary, The Ottawa Citizen

Published: Monday, May 29, 2006

Lioudmila Kortchaguina ran the marathon of a lifetime yesterday during the ING Ottawa Marathon.

At age 34, the tiny package of power and determination struggled with the heat, but conquered the 42.195-kilometre course two months after a major disappointment.

Kortchaguina, the Russian-born runner who gained her Canadian citizenship only two days before last year’s Ottawa Marathon, finished first in the women’s race with a race record and personal best time of two hours 29 minutes 42 seconds.

She eclipsed the 22-year-old record set by Silvia Ruegger of 2:30:37 at the 1984 Summer Olympic trials. Ruegger’s clocking was a world-best for a women’s debut marathon.

Kortchaguina’s time also was the 50th-fastest in the world this season and the 14th-best winning marathon clocking.

As well, she used her second straight Canadian championship victory to become the first runner to win the Ottawa Marathon female race title for a third time. She also won in 2002 and 2004.

Kortchaguina, of Thornhill, Ont., earned $27,000 for winning the women’s open race ($15,000), being the first Canadian ($5,000) and earning a time bonus ($7,000).

"I’m tired," said Kortchaguina as she tried to beat the heat by standing under the shade of a tree. "It was a really hard race, a tough race for me.

"But finally I did it. I won the marathon" as a Canadian citizen.

While the 7 a.m. start of the 32nd Ottawa marathon gave her a favourable, cool welcome for the first half, Kortchaguina found her energy in the second half was drained by the unseasonable heat.

Kortchaguina used her disappointing marathon result at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, as motivation.

Representing Canada for the first time in a major international Games, she placed sixth in 2:36:43 in Melbourne.

"It was not good for me at the Commonwealth Games," she said.

"I was really upset after that race. I worked hard, especially to prepare for this race. I told myself that I can run fast. It’s just hard work."

Kortchaguina still has another goal.

That’s to continue her strong running over the next two years and qualify for Canada’s team to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

"As a soldier, you want to be a general. As an athlete, you want to be an Olympian," she said.

Moges Zebenaye of Ethiopia was second in the women’s marathon in 2:36:15, while Helena Loshanyang Kiprop of Kenya took third in 2:37:42.

Former Ottawa runner Tania Jones of Richmond Hill, Ont., placed fourth in 2:42:57.

Unlike Kortchaguina, Jones said she had a solid run, including a good second half.

"It was a tough day, not ideal. But I was able to stay competitive over the final half and pick off people who were slowing down faster than me," Jones said. "I ran close to my personal best of 2:39. I keep hoping for a breakthrough."

Jones also teamed with Tim Shannon, who ran 2:38:41, to give Team Toronto first place in the Run for Something Better competition, which determined the fastest marathon city in Canada. They earned $10,000 for a track-and-field club in Toronto to introduce children to athletics.

Toronto’s Jeff Adams, one of the world’s wheelchair track-and-field icons, won the first Canadian wheelchair marathon in 1:33:48. He outlasted Alan Bergman of Vancouver in a sprint to win the $2,000 first prize. Bergman was second in 1:33:50 for $1,500.

Moroccan athletes won the men’s and women’s half-marathon races.

Mouhssin Moubsit completed the 21.1-kilometre course in 1:05:50, while Algerians Nabil Benkrama and Khaireddine Hamsi were second and third, respectively, in 1:06:41 and 1:09:02.

In the women’s race, Meryem Khali was the champion in 1:17:25, while countrywoman Bouchra Sahli took second in 1:17:43. Ironman triathlete Marie Danais of Gatineau was third in 1:25:29.

When Jay Feyko of Ottawa finished his second marathon in 10 years, he felt like a champion.

Ottawa Race Weekend general manager Jim Robinson jumped onto the course and awarded him the keys to a new Hyundai Accent. Race organizers randomly selected one runner among the marathon and half-marathon finishers to win the car.

"It’s a good way to end with a free car," said Feyko, who screamed and thrust both arms into the air when he learned the news. "I never expected this. I just wanted to finish."

Feyko stopped in 3:46:07.

- - -

ING Ottawa Marathon Top 10

Men

1. Abderrahime Bouramdane, Morocco, 2:12:18

2. Zaid Laaroussi, Morocco, 2:12:59

3. Brad Poore, Britain, 2:24:28

4. Elly Rono, Kenya, 2:26:20

5. Charles Bedley, Toronto, 2:27:58

6. Jason Loutitt, Banff, Alta., 2:29:37

7. Richard Cartier, Sainte-Adele, Que., 2:31:48

8. Mark Cucuzzella, U.S., 2:32:05

9. Michel Lavoie, Laval, Que., 2:32:06

10. Louis-Philippe Garnier, Canada, 2:32:48.

Women

1. Lioudmila Kortchaguina, Thornhill, 2:29:42

2. Moges Zebenaye, Ethiopia, 2:36:15

3. Helena Loshanyang Kiprop, Kenya, 2:37:42

4. Tania Jones, Richmond Hill, Ont., 2:42:57

5. Magdalene Syombua Makunzi, Kenya, 2:49:54

6. Paola Ventrella, Italy, 2:50:55

7. Paula Weltse, Kenya, 2:51:06

8. Nancy Baxendale, Shawnigan Lake, B.C., 2:56:51

9. Myriam Grenon, Longueuil, Que., 2:58:22

10. Susan Pierson, Nenah, U.S., 2:58:41.

Marathon exits on a high note! - 2006-05-27

Marathon exits on a high note
By Scott Trudeau
Tuesday, May 23, 2006, 12:01 AM

Calgary residents took the overall titles in the men’s and ladies groups at the Brooks Peach City Marathon Sunday.
Jeremy Peressini and Kelly Proudfoot were met with applause and cheers after each one crossed the finish line for what was the final full distance marathon in the event’s 10-year history. Race director Steve Brown said dwindling numbers have led to it being cancelled.
“It doesn’t feel real,” said Peressini as he addressed the crowd following his victory. “I was so tired. I gave it everything I had.”
“My whole year has been going incredible,” he said adding “I feel honoured to win in the last running.”
Peressini, (25-29 years category) led the race from start to finish but his time of three hours, five minutes, 32 seconds was well off the record time of 2:38.14 set by Penticton’s Kevin Cutjar in 2002.
Peressini, who thanked the city of Penticton for putting on such a wonderful event, said he’s looking forward to returning for the Subaru Ironman Triathlon in August.
For Proudfoot (30-34 years), who clocked in at 3:33.07, she shared the victory with friends who encouraged her during the most gruelling portion of the race.
Proudfoot, surrounded by her three friends, described battling the heat and the rolling hills as “hell” and noted that with the help their help she was able to endure the run from McLean Creek on to the finish.
They would drive ahead of me, shout words of encouragement to me as I passed and then drive ahead some more and do the same thing she said.
Second place in the men’s category went to Scott Tremblay (30-34 years) of Kaleden in 2:53.40 and former Penticton resident Brent Helland (30-34 years) was third in 3:04.34.
In the women’s, Avery Saunders (25-29 years) of Kamloops was second in 3:38.28, under one minute faster than Vancouver’s Sasha Brown (30-34 years) who came in at 3:39.24.
In the half marathon Rory Switzer (40-44 years) from Kelowna took first place with a time of 1:16.28, after winning the Blossom 10-Miler the previous weekend. He edged Jonathan McGavock (30-34 years) of Dallas, Texas who was 13 seconds back at 1:16.41. Third place went to Myke Labelle (19 and under) of Penticton in 1:18.06.
Danita Schreiber (40-44 years), also of Kelowna, was first in the women’s at 1:29.35. Kate Wright (40-44 years) from Hinton, Alta. was second in a time of 1:31.07 and Stephanie Graham (30-34 years) of Toronto, Ont. placed third in 1:33.04.
Race announcer Steve King said it was a beautiful day to close the book on the full marathon portion of the run.
He also noted that even though only two athletes – Peressini and Tremblay – came in under three hours which was the lowest total in race history, several participants had personal best times.
Brown indicated they may replace the marathon with a 10-kilometre run to go with the half marathon distance of 21-km next year.

Bluenose Marathon - 2006-05-22

		Wonky hip can’t stop victorious MacLennan By Matthew Wuest The Daily News Five days ago, David MacLennan wasn’t sure if he would be able to compete in the Blue Nose International Marathon. Yesterday, he did - and nobody could catch him. The Scotsburn, Pictou Co., native won the third annual Blue Nose in 2:43:48.3 yesterday in Halifax, getting the upper hand on Harry Neynens of Enfield by almost eight minutes. MacLennan, a Sobeys drug-store manager, had suffered a troublesome hip injury at work earlier in the week. "Friday night, I went down on the treadmill in my basement to see if I could actually run at all, because on Wednesday, I couldn’t run a step," said MacLennan. "I went down and did two miles and decided I might be able to make it ... and here I am." It was MacLennan’s second Blue Nose title in three years, as he also captured the inaugural title in 2004. Last year’s Blue Nose was a disaster, as he had the lead at the three-quarter point when a leg cramp forced him to withdraw. Neynens ended up the victor in fierce weather conditions that kept most people curled up on the sofa at home. "Last year was such a bummer, so it was just great to finish," said MacLennan, a five-time Johnny Miles Marathon champ. "You feel great just winning one. It’s great to do it again." MacLennan had already caught his breath by the time Neynens crossed. The Nova Scotia rivals congratulated each other with a handshake and a hearty pat on the back. "The only place I saw him was at the start line," said Neynens. "I made one of the turns coming out of Point Pleasant Park and someone told me (MacLennan) had a five-minute lead. ’No way I was catching him’ "Unless he started walking, there was no way I was catching him." MacLennan pulled up somewhat as he neared the finish line, but managed to break the tape while clutching his leg. "It was a struggle coming in," said MacLennan. "My hamstring tightened up coming up the hill (at the end). If somebody had been beside me, they would have had me." Neynens finished in 2:51:27.8, just ahead of Scott Clarke of Summerside, P.E.I., in 2:51:51.8. Michael Tweedale of Halifax was fourth with a time of 2:54:23.6. "It’s a little slower than I wanted," admitted Neynens. "I suffered in the second half, but it was good enough for second place." MacLennan has talked at length about slowing down his marathon pace next year. When asked whether he will be back to defend his title, MacLennan was non-committal. "It’s too far away," he chuckled. mwuest@hfxnews.ca

Tania Jones to run Scotiabank Half on June 25? - 2006-05-22

Scotiabank Half-Marathon & 5k returns to the streets of Vancouver to benefit VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation’s Your Health-Your Choice fundraising program

VANCOUVER, April 20, 2006 - This year’s Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5k on Sunday, June 25, 2006, will once again benefit VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation, where individuals can run or walk and raise funds for the cause that means the most to them: Your Health – Your Choice. This annual event has grown each year to become Vancouver ’s 3^rd largest run. Fundraising has also doubled year over year and in 2005 the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5k raised nearly $160,000 to advance world-class health care for patients and their families from across B.C. Since the event was launched in 1998, a grand total of $430,000 has been raised.

The Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon features one of the most scenic courses in North America and offers something for all running levels. The run starts at UBC Thunderbird Stadium, winds through the Endowment lands, continues along some of Vancouver’s most picturesque beaches and finishes at Second Beach in historic Stanley Park . Top prizes for the run include $1,500 for 1^st place for both men and women; $750 for 2^nd and $500 for 3^rd. All Half-Marathon runners receive finisher medals and New Balance technical shirts. Registration is now open and entry fees are $60 at the early bird rate until May 17.

If a shorter distance is preferred, participants can choose a scenic 5k course in Stanley Park that starts and finishes at Second Beach . Entry fees for the 5k are $25 at the early bird rate until May 17.

All participants have an opportunity to raise funds for VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation’s Your Health – Your Choice Program for the latest, most advanced health care in the area of their choosing. For a complete list of fundraising choices visit www.canadarunningseries.com/svhm. For information on VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation please visit www.supportvgh.ca or call (604) 875-4676.

The Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon & 5k is part of the prestigious Canada Running Series and is also part of the Vancouver Sun Run Series. For more information on how to register for the event, please visit www.canadarunningseries.com/svhm.

Mountain Running Team Selection Criteria - 2006-05-21

		Canadian Mountain Running Team 2006 The primary consideration for the Canadian World Mountain Running Team to travel to Turkey in September is the Seek the Peak event in Vancouver. All athletes interested in being considered for the team are strongly encouraged to attend the Vancouver event and participation in this event will be looked upon favorably in the selection process. Performances in two events in the US (Vail Trophy Challenge, July 9, 2006 and the Loon Mountain Race Saturday June 24, 2006 ) will also be taken into consideration. Athletes are also encouraged to participate in other trail/mountain running events to support their performances in the previously mentioned events. Details for the Seek the Peak are as follows: Date: Saturday, June 10th, 2006 Start: 8:15 AM Location (start): Ambleside Beach (Main Concession), West Vancouver, BC Location (finish): Peak of Grouse Mountain Resort, North Vancouver, BC Distance: 10 miles / 16 kilometers Elevation: 4,100 feet of vertical gain Registration: Online – www.grousemountain.com (opens April 14th) or contact Guest Services – (604) 980-9311 Race Director: Angela Macdonald, Sponsorship & Event Manager (604) 998-4263 amacdonald@grousemountain.com Full selection details are outlined at: http://www.mountainrunning.com/CMTRA/CMTRAselection.htm If you wish to receive further information regarding selection for the team please do not hesitate to contact me by return e-mail. Kind regards Kelvin Broad -- Kelvin Broad Kelvin Broad, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Graduate Division of Educational Research, Faculty of Education Tel: (403) 210-3943 Email: kgbroad@ucalgary.ca

Fredericton Marathon Winner? - 2006-05-14

		News flash delivers papers on the run Marathon runner finds way to train and do his job By Marty Klinkenberg Telegraph-Journal Note from Canadian Marathoning: Chris Brake had won his sixth straight Fredericton Marathon on May 14 of 2006 but was disqualified after it was discovereded that he had received assistance in the last 200 meters of the event. Some spectators had rushed in to assist Chris when it looked like he was in distress from the heat. Chris Brake once pedalled his bicycle from Saint John to Fredericton - and then immediately ran a 10-kilometre race. "I didn’t have a very good bike, and the weather was bad, really windy and rainy, so it took me about five hours to get to Fredericton," Mr. Brake said. "When I ran, I only did so-so. "I was already pretty spent by the time I got there." One of the fastest distance runners in Atlantic Canada, Mr. Brake’s best time in a 24.6-mile marathon is 2 hours, 37 minutes, 43 seconds. He has run 16 marathons in the past six years, including Boston in 2001, where he finished the world’s most famous endurance race in 3 hours, 17 minutes. "I didn’t do as well as I would have liked," Mr. Brake, 23, said. "I found the crowd distracting, and I think I got a little too caught up with the excitement and the noise." Mr. Brake does several 10-km training runs each week, but doesn’t need to run more often to keep in peak form. That’s because he runs between eight and 12 km six mornings a week while delivering the Telegraph-Journal to subscribers on the city’s South End. His route - about 170 papers - is among the largest belonging to any carrier, and is certainly the only one done by somebody running up and down steep hills. A carrier for three months, Mr. Brake first delivered the morning paper while running with pouches draped over each of his shoulders. That required him to keep refilling the pouches, however, so he has since come up with a more convenient, and certainly ingenious, method. Mr. Brake now makes deliveries while running behind a jogging stroller that he rigged for the purpose. Beginning at about 5 a.m. and finishing less than two hours later, Mr. Brake leaves papers at residences on Broad, Broadview, Canterbury, Carmarthen, Charlotte, Duke, Horsefield, Orange, Princess, Queen, St. James, Union and Wentworth streets. At times, his route finds him pounding the pavement, too, along Dorchester Street, Hazen Avenue and Wellington Row. And this week, he delivered to businesses in Market Square for the first time, parking his cart on the lower level and running up and down escalators while leaving papers in the appropriate places. "It is tough pushing the cart when I am going up a hill, but on a flat surface it is pretty easy," Mr. Brake said. "The corner of Princess and Crown is probably the toughest spot on my route because of the slope. That’s the place I hate the most. "One day, I had to chase my cart down the hill on Princess Street. It got away from me." Born in Corner Brook, Nfld., Mr. Brake has lived in Saint John a little more than six years. A graduate of Harbour View High, he was one of the city’s best cross-country runners and has since become one of the dominant distance runners in New Brunswick. The blazing time of 2:37:43 that he ran while winning the KV Challenge last October was one of the fastest recorded in a marathon in the province in a number of years. A winner of the Fredericton Marathon for five consecutive years, he is pleased that his times have gotten progressively better. He is so fast that he repeatedly sprints ahead of runners he trains with, and then sprints back to them just to make his runs a little more challenging. His goal is one day to be faster than any Canadian in history. "Hopefully, I’m not quite at the point yet where I just can’t go any faster," he said.

Mississauga Marathon - 2006-05-14

		THE MISSISSAUGA NEWS More than 10,000 turn out for marathon Craig MacBride May 14, 2006 It was a gloomy Mother’s Day morning, but that didn’t stop thousands of runners, a large number of them mothers, coming out to complete in Canada’s fastest-growing marathon. The third annual Mississauga Marathon saw more than 10,000 people taking part over the weekend, making it the third largest marathon in Canada. "We have two years to get to our goal of being number one," said Elliott Kerr, president of Landmark Sport Group, organizers of the Mississauga Marathon. "We think we can do it." Never one to strive for second place, Mayor Hazel McCallion, who waved for 11 minutes straight, wishing the runners well at the starting line, upped the ante for the marathon. "We’ll be the best in Canada in a year or two. We can be bigger than Boston," she said over the P.A. system to the crowd. McCallion, before counting down the starting gun, then told the sun to come out. And, though it took a while, by the time the final runners were crossing the finish line in varying levels of pain, the sun was battling to shine through the clouds. It was the wind that caused the runners the most trouble, though, particularly during the last stretch along the shore, as they made their way to the finish line at Lakefront Promenade Park. The winner of the men’s marathon was Darl Sutherland of Peterborough. He ran the 42.2 kilometres in 2 hours, 36 minutes, and 24 seconds. Completely spent, he then collapsed the second he crossed the finish line, tearing up one of his legs. He was lifted to a wheelchair, taken to the onsite medical tent, fitted with an I.V. and taken by ambulance to hospital. The winner of the women’s marathon, Nathalie Goyer, from St. Bruno, Quebec, was in much better shape after her 2 hours and 55 minutes of running, a new course record. "It was windy, but it was a beautiful course," said Goyer. Breaking the record, she added, "is a dream. It’s more than my expectation...I’m so happy." With just two years to meet their goal of making the Mississauga Marathon the largest marathon in Canada, they have already started planning for next year. They’re hoping participants have also started planning. Next year’s marathon will take place May 12 and 13.

Vancouver Marathon - 2006-05-14

		Late marathon arrival second to none Kabiso repeats as champion after nearly missing race Gary Kingston, Vancouver Sun Published: Monday, May 08, 2006 Kassahun Kabiso gave Vancouver marathon organizer Janet Anderson a bit of a Seinfeld-esque scare Sunday morning before proving it’s not how soon you arrive, but how fast you finish. The 22-year-old Ethiopian now running out of Peekskill, N.Y., was a last-second arrival at the start line, but still won his second consecutive Vancouver Marathon. After running elbow-to-elbow with Joseph Kahugu for 32 kilometres, he broke away on the turnback at Jericho Beach and then held off the Kenyan down the final stretch to win by a slim five-second margin in 2:18.33. Running in a near constant drizzle, Kabiso’s time was three minutes off his record run of last year, but still good enough to earn $3,000. Poland’s Malgorzata Sobanska won the women’s division in 2:37.06, the fastest time in race history. She earned $3,000 for the win and $2,500 for becoming the first woman to go under 2:39.00. "I’m happy to win this marathon again," said the slight, 5-5 Kabiso. "I got an injury two weeks ago, my calf muscle during a track workout. I was worried about my calf, but thanks to God, nothing happened." Thank God, he actually got off the start line. Anderson admitted she was a bit worried as the elite athletes gathered on Pacific Boulevard between the Plaza of Nations and B.C. Place for the 7:30 a.m. start. It was 30 seconds before the 42.2-kilometre endurance test was to begin and there was no sign of Kabiso. "What if he slept in, then it’s like a Seinfeld episode," laughed Anderson of the episode where Jean-Paul, the marathoner from Trinidad and Tobago who overslept the day of the Olympics, nearly missed the New York Marathon when a power failure killed the alarm clock in Jerry’s apartment. Anderson said she finally saw Kabiso striding down Pacific from the medical tent, his jacket and backpack still on. "I thought maybe he was sick and wasn’t going to run. He didn’t look like he was ready to run a marathon." She glanced down at her watch and back up at Kabiso. "I go, ’hey, hey, 20, 19 . . . ’ It’s the same in any language. "He looked kind of shocked. Look, I could see a walker being late, but you? I grabbed his backpack and by the time he got there it was go and off he went. It was too funny." Over a post-race meal in a finish-line area tent, Kabiso insisted his cutting it close was more about comfort than anything else. He just didn’t want to stand around shivering with the temperature hovering at un-springlike 6C. "It was raining and I don’t like the cold," he said. Greg Crowther of Seattle was third in 2:23.29, just ahead of Conrad Knutson of San Francisco in 2:23:48. "I was a little disappointed," said Crowther, back in Vancouver for the first time since finishing eighth in 2000. "My singular goal was to get an American trials qualifying time, which is 2:22.00. I really wanted that. It is my second-fastest time ever, though, so I can take some satisfaction in that." Crowther, 32, was part of a five-man pack -- Kabiso, Kahugu, Knutson and 2005 second-place finisher Steve Kiprotich Kibor of Kenya were the others -- that quickly separated themselves from the field in the first kilometre. Kibor dropped out within five kilometres and neither Crowther nor Knutson could keep pace with Kabiso and Kahugu when they broke away. "Any time you outweigh the leader by like 60 pounds, it’s a little hard to stick with him," said a grinning Crowther. Sobanska, 17th in the marathon at the Athens Olympics, was seventh overall, but felt she could have been even quicker. "The weather, and it was very difficult to keep the pace by myself," said Sobanska, who was a late entry after injuries kept her from running a marathon in Hamburg, Germany, on April 23. "I, all the way, go alone. That was a problem. "But I am very happy. I break the record and I win." The top Canadian finishers were Graeme Wilson of Vancouver in 2:28.45 and Suzanne Evans of New Westminster in 2:50.30.

Forest City Marathon - Two runners who have run the race every year are keen to keep the streak going. - 2006-05-09

Two runners who have run the race every year are keen to keep the streak going.
MAY 14 -- FOREST CITY ROAD RACES: Londoners warm up for marathon

Steve Coad, Sports Reporter
The London Free Press

May 9, 2006

Phil McNamee and Herman Post are the lone survivors, the only runners remaining who have competed in all 14 marathons since the challenging 42.2-kilometre distance was added to the Forest City Road Races’ card in 1992.

Both aim to up their streaks to 15 at this year’s 24th edition of the races, set for Sunday, Mother’s Day. All the races start and finish downtown in Victoria Park.

"It means a lot," McNamee said of the importance of keeping Forest City feet moving forward.

"London’s first marathon was also my first marathon. . . . If there was no London marathon, I may never have gotten into running. And that’s been terrific, the people I’ve met, the places I’ve gone, all the experiences I’ve had.

"I really can’t think of a bad marathon experience," said McNamee, 52, who will be running his 56th marathon at Forest City, to benefit the Thames Valley Children’s Centre.

McNamee’s personal best in a marathon is two hours, 48 minutes, 31 seconds in Boston in 2000.

The Forest City was Post’s first marathon, as well.

The competitive spirit, he admits, is part of his drive to keep the string growing.

"It’s difficult to run any particular race over and over and over," said Post, whose personal best time among 35 marathons is 2:46 in Corning, N.Y., in 1999.

"There are just too many variables to cause you to miss one somewhere along the way -- activities not related to running, injuries."

Post, 48, nearly missed a Forest City marathon a few years ago. He was in Brockville, about 500 kilometres from London, the Saturday night before the race.

But rather than break his streak, he jumped in his car and drove home, arriving at about 3 a.m. Needless to say, the streak lived on.

Post intends to run Forest City on a knee he twisted in January. It’s nagged him and played havoc with his training.

"I’m a bit behind, so anything around 3:30 would be great. But, hey, if it takes me five hours, that’s OK, too. I’m not geared for anything in particular."

Meanwhile, well-known local marathoner Katherine Pye, who has "13 or 14" marathons under her belt, is making a family affair of the Forest City.

Pye, who’s 73, and her son, Greg, 38, are entered. It’s Greg’s fourth marathon.

"We’re not going to be running together," said Pye, whose personal best is 3:55:23 in Boston in 2001. "I haven’t been keeping up my mileage. I ran (a marathon) in Prince Edward County last year and my time was disappointing -- 4:54.

"At Forest City, I’ll just be out to finish. These days, I’m trying to balance running with the rest of my life and spend as much time as possible with my grandchildren.

"But Greg and I will be mentally supporting one another."

Greg, who ran a 2:48 marathon in the early 1990s and wants to crack three hours this time, is looking forward to being in the field with his mom.

"It’s Mother’s Day and we can be an inspiration to each other. My mom’s amazing. She’s 73 and she’s running a marathon. She’s the picture of health and an athlete."

Juggling for 26.2 miles -- it 'joggles' the mind - 2006-04-12

		Zach Warren, a record-setting joggler, trains in Cambridge for his Boston Marathon matchup with archrival Michal Kapral from Toronto. Check out the Full article in the Boston Globe.

Natasha Wodak broke Rachel Cliff’s Canadian half-marathon record on Sunday morning in Houston, running a 1:09:41 to finish the race. Wodak becomes the first Canadian woman to run under the 70-minute mark for the half.

-full story is on Canadian Running at runningmagazine.ca

Top Canadian results

Photograph by: Walter Tychnowicz, Edmonton Journal

Half-Marathon Male

Half-Marathon Female

Posted By DALE CLIFFORD, EXAMINER STAFF WRITER

Posted By DAN DAKINREVIEW STAFF WRITER

Cleve Dheensaw, Victoria Times Colonist

© Victoria Times Colonist 2008

ANNE SUTHERLAND, The Gazette

Chris Jaster, The Leader-Post

© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008

Pleasant conditions at outset

Vicki Hall, Canwest News Service

Alex’s notes: David won the Calgary Marathon the month before in 2:32 and change. I don't believe this Alberta Big City Marathon Double has been achieved before. Congratulations to David!!

Emily Senger, Edmonton Journal Staff Writer

Photo Edmonton Journal/Walter Tychnowicz

© Edmonton Journal 2008

Heather McIntyre, For the Calgary Herald

Darren Desaulniers , The Ottawa Citizen

Vancouver Sun

Gary Kingston, Vancouver Sun

Cleve Dheensaw, Times Colonist

Allison Cross and Catherine Rolfsen, Vancouver Sun

Bernard Lagat and Lornah Kiplagat Recognized for Championship Performances

Randy Boswell, CanWest News Service

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

Posted By DAN DAKIN

Mary Caton, Windsor Star

© The Windsor Star 2007

Running Efficiency: It’s Good, but How Do You Get It?

Cleve Dheensaw, Times Colonist

JOHN MEAGHER, The Gazette

© The Gazette (Montreal) 2007

The StarPhoenix

© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2007

Darren Desaulniers, The Ottawa Citizen

© The Ottawa Citizen 2007

Press Release from the National Capital Marathon

ABOUT CATHERINE NDEREBA

Deena Kastor and Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot Given #1 Rankings

Gavin Fletcher, Times Colonist

B.C., runners Steve Osaduik and Lucy Smith win national half marathon titles

NEWS Aug 08 2006

Scotiabank Announces Five-Year Sponsorship of Toronto's Premier Running Event and Charity Challenge

Martin Cleary, The Ottawa Citizen

Canada brings up rear in marathon

This nation’s runners considered longshots in Sunday’s 42K race

Gary Kingston, Vancouver Sun

Women’s race winner: one for the record books

Russian-born Canadian sets Ottawa marathon mark and personal best

Martin Cleary, The Ottawa Citizen

Late marathon arrival second to none

Kabiso repeats as champion after nearly missing race

Gary Kingston, Vancouver Sun