Kelowna runners golden at Vancouver marathon
Of the 2,000-plus competitors in the Vancouver Marathon/Half Marathon and 8K run, there were more than 150 runners from the Okanagan.
Kelowna runners, led by Rory Switzer, brought back the only gold medals. Switzer took gold in the M55-59 age class with a time of 3:06, while Myung Randall won the F55-59 class in 3:43.
Cindy Rhodes, one of the finest runners Kelowna has ever produced, won her F60-64 age class in 3:49. Cindy has been winning her age class in Vancouver, and many other races for many years now. She also, in her younger days, was often the overall winner at major events, including the Victoria Marathon where she was first woman overall an amazing five times!
At Vancouver this year, her sister, Laurelee Nelson, took third place in the F60-64 class in 3:54. Laurelee is well known as an outstanding Ironman triathlete with several Ironman age-class wins.
Penticton runners Hector Carlos (M45-49) and Gwyneth Pociluyko (F55-59) both took third place in their age class.
MARATHONERS FOR CHARITY
Twenty runners from Willow Park Church in Kelowna competed in various events at the Vancouver Marathon last weekend. Tyler Ho sped to a 1:31 in the half marathon. Boyd Hayes had not run a full marathon in 20 years but pulled off a 4:12 in this one.
There were some in the group who had not run prior to January of this year. Their perseverance and determination through the winter months paid off as they all crossed the finish line in the half, 8k and relay. While they had personal goals, the primary purpose was to raise funds for a charity called Child of Mine which supports two children’s homes in northern India.
A total of $23,000 has been collected and is gong towards construction of a new boy’s dormitory at one of the homes. Donations can still be made by contacting Al Gillespie at algillespie5@gmail.com or 250-801-6578.
The Mountain Equipment Coop race series held the second of five races at Rose Valley on May 6. Results can be found at events.mec.ca/node/193891.
The next race in this low cost, casual series will be held at Myra Station on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail on Aug. 12. This event will offer three distances to choose from — 5K, 10K and 21.1K (Half Marathon).
The fourth race in the Canadian Tire Road Race Series, the Blossom 10 Miler, goes this Sunday, May 13 in Penticton.
This is a do-not-miss race for any runner. A great course with rolling hills and beautiful scenery along the way.
Race No. 5, the Blackwell Dairy 15K, takes place in Barnhartvale (just this side of Kamloops) on May 27.
One of the most popular races in the series, the route winds through the countryside around Barnhartvale, it is a hilly run, but well worth it at the finish where the nice folks from Blackwell Dairy serve a great lunch topped off with delicious ice cream.
For more information on the Canadian Tire Series, and to enter these events, go to interiorrunningassociation.com.
R.J. Dueck, of the Kelowna Running Club, tells us about a run his buddy is planning: “Tim Dickinson will be running around Okanagan Lake and he could use our help! Between June 8-10, Tim will be running the 300-kilometre perimeter, and could use some pacers for moral support. I will be joining him as much as I can, and he could use a few other pacers along the way.”
See this short video about his run at youtube.com/watch?v=6j-ierUWYog&feature=share.
TRIATHLONS
The Fresh Air Cherry Blossom is a great way to get your feet wet (and the rest of your body too) in triathlonning.
It’s also used as an early-season workout for more experienced triathletes. The event is sponsored by the Fresh Air Experience/ Concept sporting goods stores, and is organized by world-class athletes Malindi Elmore and Graham Hood.
This year, the men’s winner was Penticton triathlete Jeff Symonds (M30-34), closely followed by West Kelowna’s young Brock Hoel (M1-19). Brock was the overall winner in 2017 and came close again this year — finishing just 19 seconds behind Symonds. These two put on an amazing show!
Hoel was faster in the swim by 42 seconds, slightly slower on the bike by 52 seconds, and in the run was only one second slower than Symonds, who is known for his running speed!
The two of them were the class of the field, finishing more than five minutes ahead of the next competitors.
Penticton triathlete David Matheson (M4549) took third place.
Kelowna’s Vanessa Tilson (F25-29) led the woman’s field, with West Kelowna’s Emanuella Bandol (F35-39) in second place. Veteran triathlete Carmelle Guidi-Swan (F45-49) was third female.
Other age-class winners included Penticton’s Kevin Cutjar (M50-54, 5th overall), Alistair Taylor (M65-69 Kelowna), Jack Wessel (M70+, Oliver) and Toni Crockett (F70+, Kelowna).
Kelowna’s Dustin Quigley found that he had not completely recovered from the Boston Marathon, but he still had a fine race finishing seventh overall and second in the M30-34 class with the third fastest bike split.
Penticton professional triathlete Jen Annett had quite a race in the Texas Half Ironman last week.
After a swimming leg that was slower than she expected because her timing chip got knocked off by another competitor and she had to find it and stuff it into her swim suit, Annett blazed around the 180-kilometre cycling course in the fastest Ironman time for a woman ever recorded!
Her run time was good, but slower than she hoped for, possibly because the incredible bike time had sapped some strength from her and she was fighting stomach cramps.
Annett finished a very respectable seventh in the woman’s pro division.
TRAIL RUNNING
The third race in the Dirty Feet trail running series took place at Kalamalka Park outside of Vernon.
There were three distances offered, 8K, 25K and 50K. All were on very tough and hilly courses, with the 50K run having a spirit breaking 7,217 feet of elevation gain!
In the 25K run, Coldstream’s Greg Edgar was second overall and first in the M30-39 class. Kelowna’s Greg Kilroy was third overall and second in the M20-29 age group.
Andrew Sellers (Vernon) and Adam Elliot (Kelowna) took first and second in M40-49. Kelowna runner Kirsty Thomson won the F60-69 class, while Kelowna’s Dirk Handke easily won the M50-59 class and finished a remarkable 10th overall.
In the 50K race, Kelowna’s Adam Kahtava finished second overall in 4 hours 21 minutes. Neil Munroe took second in M40-49 and fellow Vernon runner Gerry Naito won the M60-69 age class. Gerry has been a fixture in the Okanagan running scene for a long time, and he doesn’t seem to be slowing down much in his 60s.
Canada’s great ultra-triathlete Shanda Hill competed in this run again, and although it’s quite a bit short for her (only 50K !!!! ), she finished as the 10th woman overall and took seven minutes off her previous-best time.
CYCLING
The cycling season is going strong, and every day the roads in Kelowna’s orchard country, and elsewhere, are filled with riders.
The first major ride of the year is the Okanagan Shuswap Century ride that takes place from Armstrong on May 27.
Robbs Ride, a three-day ride around the beautiful area of Grand Forks take place on June 1.
Vernon’s Rotary Ride offers three distances to choose from — 66/98 and 126K. It will be held on July 22.
The Okanagan Trestle Tour, slated for July 1, also offers three distances, 20/40/80K.