Kipkoech beats tough headwind to win TC 10K
The headwind along Dallas Road was stubborn. But Daniel Kipkoech was more so. The 29-year-old Kenyan head-butted the head wind into submission Sunday in winning the Times Colonist 10K for the second consecutive year.
That he cracked 30 minutes against such an obstacle, and was across in 29 minutes and 59 seconds, is impressive. It was brilliant and sunny but the conditions were not optimum for running because of the wind along the waterfront.
“It was windy and chilly in the morning,” said Kipkoech. “But the fans cheering me along the course made me feel strong.”
It was Kipkoech’s fifth championship in a Victoria race, to go with his Times Colonist 10K victory last year in 29:42 and his three consecutive titles in the Victoria GoodLife Fitness Marathon in 2014, 2015 and 2016. “I love this place and racing here,” said Kipkoech. And no wonder, having brought the streets of Victoria to their knees now on five occasions. Kipkoech was also third last weekend amid the heaving humanity of the massive Vancouver Sun Run.
Fellow-Kenyan Paul Kimugul, the 2013 champion and three-time winner of the Sun Run, was second Sunday in 30:29. University of Victoria Vikes runner Shoayb Bascal was third in 31:09 in a shoulder-toshoulder race to the line with Matthew Travaglini of Calgary.
The women’s winner of the 28th edition of the Times Colonist 10K Sunday was Dayna Pidhoresky of Windsor, Ont., who was across in 33:43.
“I was smiling into the wind,” said the 30-yearold, who now trains in Vancouver.
“Well, maybe not smiling … maybe more grimacing. It was tough with the headwind.”
It was Pidhoresky’s fifth race win of the season and followed up her victory last weekend in the Montreal Half-Marathon and others earlier this spring in the Around the Bay 30K in Hamilton, Ont., and the First Half-Marathon and St. Patrick’s Day Run in Vancouver.
Specializing in longer distances, Pidhoresky noted: “I’m not really a 10K runner at the moment.”
You couldn’t tell that from her performance Sunday, which ended the reign of popular four-year defending Times Colonist 10K women’s champion Jane Murage of Kenya. Murage, who had to drop out of the Sun Run last weekend in Vancouver because of a knee injury, was still not 100 per cent but she accepted her third-place Victoria finish with grace.
“I was not fit but I tried my best,” said a game Murage, who clocked 34:40.