Port Alberni Trail Race – July 23, 2022

By Leslie Ann Bent

July 23 marked the fourth race in the Vancouver Island Trail Running series. Three STARR runners were there to participate in the course challenge in the 29-degree heat. Port Alberni offers two distances – the Gutbuster 21k long course featuring 500 meters of elevation and the 10k short course. About 200 runners showed up for these events.  In addition, there was a kids race. The race was well liked and well organized – one to consider in the future if you’d like to do a trail race.

Marika and Greg provided some colour commentary about the race and their personal stories on the course.

Greg’s comments: “The course was really nice. Fast, a little bit of everything, but not too much hard stuff. That made the run tough but enjoyable. I wish that I had stayed with Pauline for the first 10k. Once again, I went out too fast and suffered for it in the second half. We didn’t know what to expect, since no one had run the course before. Alberni is definitely everyone’s new favorite trail run now.

I ran most of the second half alone, with the exception of a couple of women who jostled for position with me for several kms - some moving ahead and some backing off. At about the 12k mark I made a wrong turn and began working down a steep, rough trail, when Marika yelled, "Greg, you are going the wrong way !" I had no idea she had been trailing me!. I thought that I was at least 4 minutes ahead of her!. At that point, it was "game on” and we fought back and forth for a move to the front, that lasted almost to the finish line.

(Thanks a lot Marika, I was enjoying my quiet little run, at my own pace, until you showed up, and made the last 8k a grueling death race).

She pulled 100meters ahead of me and held that space until she was struck by a sharp leg cramp. Seeing my chance to jump into the lead, I kicked it into high gear, tripped, and did a complete somersault, landing flat on my back. I barely managed to stay ahead of her for the last 1.5kms, I was so tired at that point, "high gear" meant that my arms were swinging faster than my legs! I must have looked like Mrs. Suwiggins on the Carol Burnett Show! 

Meanwhile, Pauline had paced herself well, but was having trouble running in the heat. She did the sensible thing and pulled back a little, still able to make a first place finish in her age group.

It was a great day for a run , on a really nice trail.

Marika also offered up her take on the race.  “The drive up was okay and traffic was light, it took 3 hours from Shirley with a stop in Duncan for coffee and snacks.  I'm glad most races don't have that long of a drive!

The weather was nice, pretty hot up in Port Alberni but the race was mostly in the shade of the forest so that was great.  Otherwise it would have been a lot more challenging.  The few parts in the full sun weren't my favorite, especially at the end.  I drank about 2L of water and that's a lot for me but it was good practice to try to drink more than usual because of the heat. 

I tried to start off at a reasonable pace as I feel I have been pushing too hard to start and I was hoping that would help with my cramps.  I felt pretty darn good the first half.  There was some flat section in the second half so I tried to make up some time and up my pace in general there and that may have been a mistake...  Shortly after that, I started to see the back of Greg B's head and started to use him as a rabbit.  Good thing as he went off course at one point and I was able to yell him back.  

I decided to try to stay ahead of Greg B. but shortly after I tripped on a root and fell (not too bad, could keep running but I jarred my left side) and shortly after that I started to get those darn thigh cramps again, so I had to slow down to try to control the cramps.  Everyone was so nice when I was cramping, one lady offered to slow down and pace me (I urged her to go on) and Greg B. walked with me for a while to help me through the worst part and shared his experience and knowledge of the cramps that he has earned and overcome. 

It was a nice course on fairly easy and pleasant trail for the most part except there was a section closer to the end that felt more challenging on tired legs, the part where I (and Greg B.) and probably others tripped and stumbled about.  The course was well flagged.

Port Alberni did a great job of hosting the event especially considering the short notice and that stood out for me, they seemed to be very supportive of the race.  Search and Rescue looked after the Aid Stations and did a great job, good clear communication!  The Fire Department had a firehose out near the end of the race (far end of the rugby field from the Finish) so we got to run through a sprinkler just before the end of the race which really lifted my spirits and helped me shuffle my way across the Finish.  There was a Council person present to welcome us and hand out snacks for the kids race.

Post race hot food was hot dogs with all the fixins' and the usual spread of fruit and snacks.  I enjoyed my post race food more than usual as I wasn't feeling the slight nausea as in the last couple races. All in all it was a great race.  I'd make the drive up again.”

Here are the results:

Greg Balchin (M60-69)          2:29:51, 2nd

Marika Nagasaka (F40-49)     2:31:32, 5th

Pauline Nielsen (F50-59)        2:45:45, 1st

 

Congratulations to all of our runners. 

STARR Canada Day Run - Spotlighting Saskatchewan, PEI and Nova Scotia

By Leslie Ann

We had a great turnout for the STARR Canada day run today. Fifteen runners and walkers headed out on the Galloping Goose to participate in some low key Canada Day celebrations. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and have a chance to chat and catch up. We avoided the airport chaos by bringing some fabulous cross Canada events to Sooke - in person racing on home soil. Brought to Sooke exclusively for STARR were the Saskatchewan Marathon, the PEI Marathon and the NS Valley Harvest marathon.

Taking on the Saskatchewan half marathon were Scott, Robin, Tory, Claude and Andy. Scott led the pack for the whole distance, aiming to beat 1:50. He finished with 1:50:02 - 3 seconds behind his goal but a personal best nevertheless. Complements of the Saskatchewan Marathon, all runners in this distance, took home a Saskatchewan marathon shirt. (https://www.facebook.com/saskmarathon/)

Nova Scotia's agricultural centre is the Annapolis Valley. Their fall marathon weekend includes a popular 10k race which we featured for our 10k runners - Jenny, Ken, Jackie, Maggie, Jim B. and Steve K. (https://www.facebook.com/VHMarathon/). Jim took the lead early on a kept it right to the end.

Another popular Canadian east coast marathon weekend is the PEI marathon (https://www.facebook.com/peimarathon/). It features a number of races including 5k to full marathon. Our 5k runners and walkers learned about that race along with the Saskatchewan 5k. It was wonderful to see Melanie C, Donna H, Justin and Leslie Ann participating. Kari managed 8k. Melanie led the pack and stayed on to cheer in our 5k and 10k participants. .

Congrats to all of our runners and walkers.

Our next event is the Elk Lake destination run on August 6th.

Nanaimo - Westwood Lake Trail Race

The Nanaimo - Westwood Lake Trail Race was held on June 11. Three STARRs took part in the third race of the Vancouver Island Trail Running Series.

By Marika Nagasaka

Here's what Greg B had to say:

Ok, first, the trail was awesome!

A few rocky road bits under the power lines to run but the rest of it was an up, down, left, right, soft spongy trail.

Not too many long steep climbs or treacherous break neck downhill sections, just enough of everything to challenge you but not break you. In other words, it was a fun course.

A very welcome light rain came down for a few minutes towards the end of the trail, which felt really good. So did plunging into the lake at the end of the race!!

Many of us veered off course a couple of times, the trail marking could have been better. I added at least 1km to the run, doubling back trying to find the right trail.

I missed a loop at the end, unfortunately, I don't know if I ran the full 17km. However, my time, if I were to add 12 additional minutes "penalty" if I were 1.5k under, would still have put me in second place in my age group. There were more than a dozen people in the two groups ahead of me who also got lost!

I reported my trail dilemma to the judges, they said it wasn't important, they knew people got lost and there was talk that some of the markers had been deliberately moved. Volunteers were sent out to redirect the long course traffic, which was very helpful on the last 5k of the event. Especially for me and my buddy Richard, who would be just entering Comox by now if they hadn't turned us around!

My time was 1:45:17-ish 1st place finish in my age group. It would have been nice to know the actual length I ran, but I think I would have taken 2nd based on the other two guys times.

Pauline ran a solid first half of the race but was suffering from a huge lack of sleep (having taken on several extra night shifts in order to get the time off to run this one), she still came in 4th in her age group!.

Marika also did very well, in spite of a persistent leg cramp during the entire run.

As soon as we finished the race, the clouds turned dark and it began to rain heavily, everyone ducking under umbrellas or into their cars.

It was a good day for this run.

Marika's 2 cents:

The weather gods have really been kind to us this series so far, despite the forecast often predicting bleak conditions. It started off as a nice day with some sun and then a bit of light rain somewhere over the half way mark. It was amazing how the last kilometer of trail was so wet compared to when I had gone for my warm up on that section prior to the race and it was totally dry.

It was a nice race with fun terrain although a lot of people went off course by no fault of their own. I am pretty sure I was on course the whole time as I had pink ribbons in sight the whole run (except for the part where they had a few people directing us through where the ribbons had been removed on the hydro road). It was challenging to stay on course especially when you didn't have anyone in sight (and that's assuming they were going the right way!).

I had terrible leg cramps yet again in the last 3-5 km's of the race so that was frustrating/disappointing for me but hopefully I can figure that out in the next race. Everyone around me (who passed me while I was cramping!) was very nice and supportive, chatting with people was a good distraction.

Perogies were the end of race hot food treat and I have to say, the idea of perogies really got me through the leg cramps. I could smell onions frying before the race and that really stuck with me. I can't wait to see what we get next race. As always, will run for snacks!

As I was changing and stretching after the race, the dark clouds rolled in and it looked like a strong down pour was on the way as I hit the road.

We have just been told the Transfer Beach/Ladysmith 19km Saturday July 23rd is cancelled because of ongoing trail work. They are going to try to figure out a race in Port Alberni for that date so that will remain a surprise for now. Sounds like a long drive...

Here are the STARR results. Sorry if I missed anyone!

Long course 17km

Greg Balchin 1:45:01

Marika Nagasaka 1:52:12

Pauline Neilsen 2:11:09

North Olympic Discovery Marathon - June 5, 2022

By Stephanie Croft

The North Olympic Discovery Marathon held it’s 20th annual race weekend on June 4 and 5th in Port Angeles, Washington. Events included a 5k, 10k, Kids Marathon, Half Marathon, Marathon Walk, Marathon Relay and Marathon. I chose to do the Marathon and started my training in January. I had wanted to do this race for a few years and was excited to finally be able to participate in it.

The marathon began at 7:30 on Sunday morning at 7 Cedars Casino just past Sequim and followed the North Olympic Discovery Trail to downtown Port Angeles, near the ferry terminal. Although I have a lot of confidence in the training plan I followed (I downloaded a free Nike plan off the internet), I was not prepared for the almost 300 meters of ascent that this route had in store for me!

The temperature was perfect for a marathon, cool and overcast, albeit a little humid in the wooded areas and windy along the roads. The route was beautiful and had so much variety: farmers’ fields, forest, trestle bridges over raging creeks and residential areas. My plan was to run a 5:30 pace per kilometer for the first 5km and then pick it up to 5:20 and maintain until the end. The first two kilometers were all uphill and then it was an undulating uphill run until around the 30 km mark, after which it was a huge downhill to the coast and then flat along the ocean.

I managed to stick to my plan and ran a 5:20-5:30 pace until the halfway mark. It was about this time that I felt my quads tightening up. My nutrition and hydration all seemed to be going fine and I was sticking to my schedule but I think my quads were unimpressed with the amount of uphill they were forced to climb. (This was a little surprising to me because my calves and knee were what bothered me in my training.) In hindsight, I should have kept my pace slower at the beginning through the hills or even incorporated some walking uphill. Or maybe salt tabs would have helped? All I know is that the last few hills felt almost impossible to run up and walking is what gave my quads some relief so I could run downhill or on the flat. Even the slightest incline sent my quads into knots. When I got to the big downhill, it felt like relief but the damage was done so the last long flat part of the race was slow and painful.

I adjusted my race goals many times throughout the race. When I realized my 3:45-3:50 finish time goal was no longer in sight, I thought, ok I’ll try to beat my last time of 3:57. Then I saw the 4:00 pacer run by and realized that wasn’t going to happen. I decided that if I can at least run the flat and through the finish, that would have to do. I managed to do just that. Even though my quads were killing me, I was in good spirits and felt otherwise totally fine!

I ended up finishing in a time of 4:06:10. I placed 2nd in my age category, Female 45-49, although this is confusing because they adjusted the results online many times. On race day, I was given a trophy for 3rd place in my age category. I was 56th overall out of 260 runners and 13th female out of 136 women.

The overall winners were John Mauro in first with a time of 3:00:47, followed by Melissa Melough with a time of 3:10:53 and Ruth Perkins in third with a time of 3:12:53.

I have a feeling if the terrain had been less hilly, I would have been able to achieve my goal time. It seemed to me that most people’s times were likely slower than what they would normally run.

Overall it was a really fun weekend. I was blessed to have my best friend Trish, an RMT, runner and triathlete, accompany me. She gave me a massage, taped my knee, coached and encouraged me all weekend long. We went over to Port Angeles on the Friday evening and stayed in a hotel in Sequim. On the Saturday, we did a little warm up jog, explored Sequim, picked up the race packet and enjoyed the pasta dinner put on by the race. After the run on Sunday, we packed up, went for lunch, explored Port Angeles a little and caught the ferry home. It took a few days for my quads to stop hurting and then a few more to not feel sleepy all the time. Although it was a super enjoyable experience, I have no desire to do this particular race again! That said, I still am determined to reach my time goal of 3:45 so I’m going to have to figure out which marathon to do next.

 

2022 Oak Bay Half Marathon – A Family Affair by Steve Kent

The 16th edition of the Oak Bay Half marathon took place this weekend.  It’s a scenic hilly road race that offers a few distances.  In addition to the half marathon, there is a 10k, half marathon relay and 1km kids run. This year the event was sold out to a filed of 1,800 participants. It’s a smallish event where the community embraces the racers.  There are a lot of volunteers and residents out supporting the runners. STARR member, Steve Kent, was out to the event and here is his story.

On Sunday, May 29 I had the pleasure of being with my son, Nick, and my six-year-old  twin grandsons, Izaiah and Keadon, and my wife, Diane. We were stationed just past the 16 km mark to cheer on the Oak Bay Half Marathon runners. Nick's wife and the twins mom, Yvanna was running the half. A windy spot by the Oak Bay marina was our lookout. As we were hooting and cheering and clapping the runners along. I spotted my friend and STARR runner, Leslie Ann Bent, making her way along the route. Big smiles and enthusiastic wave from her and us, we cheered her through that section. 

I was waiting for Yvanna because I told her I would run the last few kms with her and be a supportive father-in-law. At about the one hour forty-five-minute mark, Yvanna came running towards us. The twins were so excited to see their mom. I joined her for the last four and a half km. Passing the Oak Bay Beach hotel, we climbed the hill past the golf course and back to the finish line.  Yvanna was feeling the effects and I grabbed a cup of water from the water station for her and she popped some gummies for energy.

She got a second wind and we picked up the pace for the last 3 kms. As we turned the corner for the last few blocks, we could hear the upbeat rock music and the cheers of the people waiting for the finishers. I told Yvanna that she is a warrior and to pass the woman who was ahead. She dug in and blasted through the shoot with her son, Keadon running beside her. It was a rewarding and emotional finish. We had passed Leslie Ann about 2 km to the finish so I knew she would be along shortly. I waited for her to come across the finish and was able to see her smiling as she finished and snap a photo. I am so proud of Yvanna and Leslie Ann for doing this challenging run on a tough course.  Oh yeah, and proud of me for doing the quarter half marathon- breathing in the day and letting out a laugh.

Some Runners Do More than Run

Are you a runner who would like to expand your talents to try something new? Do you cycle or swim? STARR runner Andy Smith has been a runner and cyclist for many years.  It was 10 years ago at a pub in Oakville Ontario when a friend decided Andy needed a challenge to celebrate turning 50 and decided to sign him up for a triathlon.  At that time, Andy wasn’t a swimmer. However, the timing was right.  He was looking for a new athletic challenge and swimming seemed to be the right fit.  He was already doing duathlons so what’s one more sport, right?  Here is Andy’s story. 

I didn’t grow up a swimmer but cycling and running were part of commuting to school and sports when I was young. By my 30th birthday, working in an office, I took up jogging and cycling again to lose weight. On vacation one year Leslie Ann signed us up for a triathlon relay (we did the cycle leg). It was a new and inspiring to watch athletes competing in three sports. The triathlon seed was planted. However, it took many years and a milestone birthday before I entered my first triathlon. Turning 50 deserves a “big hairy challenge” so over drinks (naturally), my friends convinced me to sign up for an Ironman. “I can’t swim,” I protested. “You have twelve months to learn,” they answered. Easy for them to say. They were already experienced triathletes! I signed up for swim lessons the next day. That was my introduction to triathlon.

I am still not a good swimmer, but I enjoy the challenge of learning something new and even now, in my 60th year I learn and improve every day in the pool. I swim at Seaparc four times a week including a drop-in “Swim fit” class on Thursday mornings attended by fellow STARR members Melanie Cunningham and Danny Eddy. The class is a coached session of drills and intervals for experienced swimmers. Not something I could have attempted 10 years ago. Mel and I swim in the middle lane. The fast swimmers swim in the left lanes. Most swimmers in the Swim Fit class are retired ladies. I nicknamed the fast ones in the left lane “the sharks”. Some of them have a competitive swimming background. Melanie and I marvel at how fast they are. They seem so nice and friendly standing and chatting on the pool deck but once in the water it’s like sharks chasing a meal! Maybe one day I will graduate to the left lane to swim with “the sharks”!

This year I have been training hard for my next goal race - the Victoria 70.3 Half Ironman at Elk Lake at the end of the month. I decided I to try a shorter tune-up race first and conveniently 2 weeks prior to my big race. There was a shorter “Standard distance” triathlon in Nanaimo at Westwood Lake. Triathletes come from the mainland and as far away as Calgary to get this early season race under their belt. Finally, the water is warm enough to swim in! ...Well not this year. Unfortunately, due to our cold Spring weather the Westwood Lake temperature was only 10c so the race changed from a triathlon into a duathlon by replacing the swim leg with a 5.6k run.  The new plan was 5.6 k Run/38.5k Bike/11.2k Run instead of the original Swim/Bike /Run. As a poor swimmer, the extra run instead of swim is good for me because I am much stronger at running. However, I was looking forward to an open water swim after all that training in the pool. 

In addition to the unseasonably cold weather, it was wet on race day. The opening and closing trail run around Westwood Lake looked like a “Muddy Buddy” event. No chance of keeping the running shoes clean or dry! Every runner finished the first run caked in mud up to the knees. No worries, the mud soon washed off on the bike! We switched our muddy sneakers for helmet and cycling shoes. The technical and steep bike course is challenging. They call it triathlons’ “most honest” bike course (LoL).. Throw in pouring rain and poor visibility and it got dicey. Especially since our hands and feet were numb! Caution was the rule of the day due to numerous tight corners and poor visibility. It was a real leg burner. I was standing in the pedals to maintain forward progress on the steeper hills.

Fortunately climbing helped generate some warmth but I didn’t get feeling back in my feet until halfway through the final run; two more laps of the muddy lake trail. There's a hill on the run course called “soul destroying hill”. I had to walk part of it on the last time around. Nonetheless even on tired legs I made my move. I persevered to the end and got the age group win and a sense of satisfaction from conquering a challenging day and course.

Vancouver Islanders are a tough bunch and most competitors finished the race despite the difficult conditions. A nice start to the triathlon season even if it didn’t exactly go as expected. When I unpacked my dripping gear back home in Shirley it was hard to explain I hadn’t been for a swim, Lol.

 Some pics of Andy at Westwood Lake in 2019.

Cobble Hill Trail Race: STARR takes home the hardware

Sarah at finish

By Leslie Ann Bent

While many of us were home looking out at the pouring rain, four brave souls from STARR drove to Cobble Hill for some serious racing. Approximately 300 runners from here and far, took part in the Cobble Hill Trail race as part of the Vancouver Island Trail Series.  This race, now in its 5th year, offers the long course of 20k and a 12km short course on single track with stunning views.

STARR had an amazing event, taking home three top three age group placings.  Marika was our first runner to cross the finish line with a time of 2:26:18. Former STARR, Greg Carson, crossed with her, achieving the same result down to the second. Our first male runner to break the tape was Greg B. with a time of 2:48:25.

The competition was tough. I was very impressed to learn that the first overall runner was female – Genevieve Lalonde of Victoria (a two-time Olympian) with a time of 1:43:38 - about a minute and a half ahead of the next runner, and first male – Tyler Trace with 1:45:07.

Pauline, Jonathan, and Greg

I asked Marika to describe the race and here is what she had to say:

“The race went well, we actually ended up having okay weather.  It was raining pretty steady when we went over the Malahat but then 45 min or so before the race, it let up and I don't think we had any rain during the race, nothing noticeable anyway.  It was a bit foggy over some parts of the course and it even cleared up a bit at one point when I was out of the ‘deep woods.’  What a beautiful park.

“I saw Pauline before the race and had a quick chat.  I didn't figure out who Sarah was so hopefully I'll get to meet her at one of the upcoming races if she is attending any more of them."

“This was sure a TOUGH race, I thought I was prepared but it was harder than I was expecting...  The first 2 km are uphill switchbacks up Cobble Hill Mountain.  I felt like I was in a M.C. Escher print at some points, you could see people at different parts of the race just up or down the hillside from you although I think at one point they would have been 1-2 km's further along in the race even though they looked like they were right there, the way the crow flies.

“The course was in pretty great condition, not too many wet or slippery spots.  There is one brutal (actually two on the long course as you run that part twice) downhill section that is so steep I thought I was going to bail but you just have to go with it because there's no stopping on that part.

“I lightly rolled my ankle around km 10 but I was able to run through it; it only hurt for a little bit.  I also got some really bad inner thigh cramps on the uphill around km 12 but I was able to keep going even though it definitely slowed me down on the last climbs.

“The after-race food was pretty great.  I had a little cup of pickle juice to start and that was the best thing ever.  They had a good selection of snacks and then grilled cheese this time for a special touch.  I can't wait to see what we get next time!

“I had some more cramping when trying to change afterwards and didn't feel great after the race so I hit the road pretty quick.”

Sarah added a few more comments about the race:

Sarah and a friend at the start

“It was a lovely race. Rainy and muddy, perfect trail fun weather.  Me and my best buddy unfortunately got lost but we remained positive and got back on course after some added kms. Haha. All in all, a hilly course but super fun and great people all around.”

STARR results

Marika Nagasaka (F40-49)       2:26:18 (3rd)

Pauline Nielsen (F50-59)           2:40:12 (1st)

Greg Balchin (M60-69)              2:48:25 (2nd)

Sarah McWhirter (F30-39)       3:32:43

Congratulations to our runners for an awesome race.

The Cumby – An Awesome Trail Race

Photo courtesy of Lorenz Jimenez Photography.

By Leslie Ann Bent

If you like to run trail, you should consider The Cumby. It may seem obvious by its name that the Cumby starts in the town of Cumberland (Comox Valley). This is a trail race that has something for everyone. The 7th edition of this race took place on Saturday to a sold-out field. The route starts in the downtown, then makes its way through the Cumberland Community Forest and adjacent working forests. The full 25 km route encompasses a steady climb through rich timberland, then leads runners through winding single track. The race offers several distance options – the full 25k, the half (14k), the quarter (6k – fairly flat) and virtual (7.5k). Five hundred runners took to the trails.

Our only STARR competitor this year was Greg.  He took on the full distance along with some friends who used to run with STARR.  His recap is below.

“I ran it as a fun run. I’m still too sore to go all out!

Celebration after

The Cumby 25k was my first trail run, first race. Knee is sore, back is sore, left foot arch is sore, actually, it would be easier to list what isn’t sore!

I discovered three little words that are most humiliating to hear, if they are repeated more than fifty times “On your left!”  Each time you hear that, you must move over, and let another faster runner pass you. I must lose 10lbs, and run much faster next race!. There were 188 runners in the full - lots of men and women older than me (some WAY older) came in ahead of me!!

The weather was perfect – cool and overcast. The trail was perfect too. Wet, but not slippery.

Former STARR Greg C.

I took the wrong hydration vest (too big), and opted to run without one (based on the weather). I could have used a shot of baby food half way though the run. My right knee was sore but ok, but my left everything cramped up by the 20k mark.

Pretty hilarious finish too.  I challenged a woman on the last 109 metres. I caught up to her, thinking I would breeze past, and suddenly she lit up like a rocket. I managed to catch up to her again, but as soon as I began to move ahead, she cranked it up another notch, and then again 50' closer to the finish line. I managed to beat her, (the ropes either side of the finish corridor were getting narrower and narrower!) Apparently, the look on my face was pretty funny!”

Congratulations, Greg for hanging in there. 

 

STARR – Tely 10 Simulation and Mini Tely

By Leslie Ann Bent

We started out with a goal of bringing the east coast to the west. Newfoundland’s famous Tely 10 is a race that turns 100 this year and is one of those races you just have to do if you can. With over 7,000km separating Sooke, BC from St John’s, NL, we decided to bring this special race to STARR. The Tely 10 is a 10-mile point-to-point race net downhill race, starting in Paradise, NL and finishing in St John’s.

On Saturday, 13 STARR runners came out to meet the east. We offered the full 16km event and a shorted 10k mini Tely event for those wanting to test their legs and pacing. Our “STARR Paradise” and starting point, was at the Potholes Provincial Park, P2 parking lot, and using the infamous Galloping Goose old rail trail as our route. Although we weren’t a point-to-point run, we did have 6-7km of net downhill on the second part of the route for 16k option to mimic the official course.

Andy, Claude, Robin, Tory and Sarah were the brave soles who took up the 16k challenge. Jackie, Wataru, Ken, Steve K, Jenny and Anika all took part in the 10k. Maggie came out to support with me.

It was a great day for the race. We avoided the rain. We all got official Tely 10 shirts! Those who participated, enjoyed water and snacks at the finish. A good time was had by all.

Have a look at the photos. Check out the official race that takes place this July. Perhaps we’ve peaked your interest. #Tely10 #Tely10Celebrates100years1922_2022 @Tely10NL https://www.nlaa.ca/tely10/

Congrats to all of the runners and thanks so much, Maggie for your support on the route.

2022 BMO Vancouver Marathon

Sarah, Carla and I before the race.  Carla is from Shawnigan Lake and finished in 4:19!!! Island pride.

By Maggie Grant

The BMO Vancouver Marathon was an amazing race.  There were 5877 participants in the full marathon, 9986 participants in the half marathon and 2568 people in the 8km.  There were a LOT of sweaty runners in Vancouver on Sunday May 1.

Pre-race with Kayla, my biggest fan.

The start line (from a ways back)

This was my first marathon.  The other STARR runner, Sarah McWhirter, has had some more experience with longer distances and it was awesome to connect with her as we headed to the start line.  Sarah is preparing for the long trail run on the island in September with her sister Carla.  The marathon course started at Queen Elizabeth park, and it was quite behind schedule getting started.  It was great to make some friends at the start line, and I got to tell one past Around The Bay participant from Toronto all about our STARR simulation event.  I was in the last wave to leave and it was quite exciting to hear the countdown!

It was pretty awesome to see and hear the cheerers on the side of the roads.  I hit every high five (I decided to pretend the pandemic was completely over) and even petted a few dogs as I ambled along.  One memorable guy turned up three times along the way, and he called out to the runners in a very loud voice: “You are an inspiration.  You are amazing.  I could never do something so hard.”  Yeah, he was intense but there was a lot of energy out there.   BMO gave out round signs to supporters and someone was holding a sign for Maggie at the top of a hill–but it was a different Maggie.  I was pretty excited about that one.  There were also some great bands playing high energy music throughout the route.  There were also lots of aid/water/nutrition stations and volunteers on bikes to keep everyone safe too.

27KM Kitsilano

The run went out to UBC and then down through Kits and then over the Burrard street bridge, along the water to the seawall and finished on Pender.  It was very downhill, with only a few uphills on the whole route.

From Sooke, we had Toby Brown M30-34 at 04:07:58. Sarah McWhirter F35-39 04:33:05.  Sarah is a STARR member and reports she had a blast, felt strong the whole time and even took some pictures.  Britt Wiseman F25-29 4:52.  Maggie Curtis F50-54 at 5:11 and Care Mamone.  The first male overall was Alex Gladley at 2:25 and the first female overall was Dayna Pidhoresky at 2:34.  I cannot fathom running that long that fast.  

From a personal perspective–it was an amazing experience.  I am from Vancouver and I love every single neighbourhood  that we ran through. I also had my whole family–including my elderly parents and their spouses–cheering me on at the finish line.  Kayla, my daughter, popped up several times along the route.  It was really hard to run that last 10 kms, but I never doubted I was going to finish.  I learned a few things–pavement is harder than the galloping goose (where I did most of my training).  It is probably a good idea to have new-ish shoes with lots of cushioning.  Focus on form as you tire because shuffling along makes muscle cramps worse.  And lastly (and most importantly) enjoy the experience–dance to the music, take the high fives and pet a dog or two along the way.  

I finished!  50th anniversary of the marathon!

TC 10k Back Live in 2022  

The start! Courtesy of Joe Crazy Legs

By Leslie Ann Bent

It was such a pleasure to have the TC10k race live again in its 33rd year. The race director was expecting 5,500- to 6,000 runners and walkers to hit the downtown core of Victoria Sunday morning. Andy and I had been watching the weather reports this week, and we were wondering if the day might prove to be rainy. However, the weather turned out to be perfect for a race – no rain, little wind and a mild temperature, comfortable for running.

The event was well organized. A two-year break from live racing, didn’t impact the smooth running of this very popular race.  Corrals were laid out for participants to self-seed based on predicted finish time.  The race used wave starts to help keep social distancing easier. It was such a great atmosphere to race in person once again – cheering, seeing racers of all talents, music, volunteers, a real finish line, and something for everyone.

The course started by the Legislature, passing the Empress Hotel and eventually turning onto Yates for some uphill work early into the race.  The wave starts really allowed participants to spread out earlier than typically experienced in such a large event.  I passed two dinosaurs on the first kilometer and it was a reminder that charities are also back to having events like the TC10k to raise funds in support their work. After a bit of hill work early on, the race evens out along Cook. It then zigzags a bit passing along Richardson and Moss before hitting Dallas with a seaside view for the second half of the race and ending at the downtown core. Volunteers and residents alike were out cheering and providing energy along the route as we passed.

Eight STARR runners participated in the race that attracted nearly 4,000 finishers in the 10k event. Andy Smith was our first runner to cross with a chip time of 39:33, one second behind the 2nd place age-group finisher. What a great season Andy is having. Maggie was our fastest woman, achieving a 7-year PB with a time of 54:16. She too is looking strong and has had results this season to prove it.

Andy and Jonathan

The field was deep for those looking to place.  Local Victoria Prairie Inn Harrier’s runner and Ethiopian immigrant, Teferi Kebede Balcha (M40-44) took home first place crossing the finish line at 31 minutes. Victoria runner, Jen Millar was the first woman to cross with a time of 36:10. More than 80 runners had a clock time under 40 minutes – a great race for competitors who feed off competition.

Bryn Brooks of Victoria requires honourable mention as the lone woman in the over 90 age category and breaking an hour with a respectable time of 58:44 – the oldest runner in the race. There were many inspiring stories from the race and this was just one of them.

A few comments from STARR runners:

Claude – “Great day for a race, perfect running temperature, beautiful course. A little smaller than other years, I believe around 5,000 as compared to about 8,000 pre-COVID.  All the supporters and the cow bells make for a festive atmosphere.”

Maggie – “It was a great race--beautiful weather, nice race-day atmosphere, and my fastest 10km time in seven years, so I was pretty excited.  I am so glad that it is back in-person.  And I loved the staggered starts--it was so nice to have room to run from the beginning.”

STARR Results (chip time), age-group placing are based on official clock time

Andy Smith (M55-59)                                  39:33, 3rd

Claude Laforce (M60-64)                          48:01, 9th

Steve Eriksen (M45-49)                              49:09

Maggie Curtis (F50-54)                               54:16

Pascale Knoglinger (F40-44) 1:02:07

Melanie Eskildsen (F40-44)                        58:29

Ken Pungente (M75-79)                             1:10:58, 11th

Leslie Ann Bent (F55-59)                            1:29:28

Congratulations to all of our runners.  What a great event.

Synergy Bazan Bay 5k & VIRA Awards – 6 Series Medals, 2 Race Medals, 5 Ribbons

Some STARRs who earned medals and ribbons.

By Leslie Ann Bent

The Bazan Bay 5k race held in Sidney is the last in the series and marks the end of the VIRA season. This race attracts top performers and recreational runners alike. It’s flat, fast and scenic as it winds along the ocean front. The website says many PBs have been set on this course.

The race attracted 455 runners on this not so promising day. When we left Shirley and Sooke, the rain was coming down pretty hard. By the time we reached Langford, the overnight snow fall was very visible. This is southern Vancouver Island and it’s April. What was wrong with that picture? However, as we made our way up the Pat Bay Highway, the weather gods came out to make our last race a decent one – no rain during the race and not much wind either.

Twelve STARR runners came out for the event. It was great to see familiar faces before and after the race. Megen and Brynn surprised us at the half way mark, as faithful STARR cheerleaders. Thanks for that! Andy was our first STARR runner across the finish line with a time of 19:14, earning him a second-place age group finish. Stephanie was our first woman to finish with a time of 22:35, earning her a 6th place age group placing.

The field was tough. The first male and female runners were both from Calgary. Matthew Travaglini (M25-29) ran 14:35, not quite fast enough for him to achieve a course record. You might recognize his name though as this track runner won the Royal Victoria Half Narathon in 2021. Courtney Brohart (F30-34) edged out the competition with a time of 17:02 – one second ahead of the second-place female runner. I must mention though that the race also has some inspiring stories.

There was a man, 99 year-old Jim Silvester from Ceevacs participating in the M90-99 age group. He, along with his crutches and family members by his side, took small steps, edging their way along the beautiful route, clearly happy to participate. It reminded me of how lucky we are to race and participate in such a beautiful spot and that these events are not just for the speedsters. Taken from the Ceeevacs website were words of wisdom from Jim when he turned 99 earlier this month. “I just love life. It’s been a good life. You talk positively. Got to think positively. If you want to get anywhere, you got to keep moving. Coming into the finishing line. I was very proud to be part of that.”

Results Bazan Bay

Andy Smith (M60-64) 19:14 (2nd)

Wataru Hirota (M16-19) 20:10 (4th)

Steve Eriksen (M45-49) 21:50

Stephanie Croft (F45-49) 22:35 (6th)

Claude Laforce (M60-64) 22:56 (10th)

Pauline Nielsen (F50-54) 24:36 (8th)

Melanie Eskildsen (F40-44) 25:54

Maggie Curtis (50-54) 27:09

Bruce Hawkes (M80-84) 34:04 (2nd)

Jaxson Andrews (1-15) 38:22

Melanie Cunningham (F70-74) 38:39 (8th)

Leslie Ann Bent (F55-59) 43:15

We were very proud to have 6 runners win top ten medals for the VIRA series this year. STARR placed 7th overall in the team standings.

Results for the VIRA series

Stephanie Croft – 4th

Melanie Eskildsen – 7th

Pauline Nielsen – 3rd

Maggie Curtis – 4th

Steve Eriksen – 10th

Bruce Hawkes – 1st

STARR has had an amazing season. Congratulations to all of our runners.

Andy. Courtesy of Lois DeEll

Leslie Ann. Photo courtesy of Lois DeEll

Bruce

Maggie