Record time set in half-marathon
Ross Proudfoot finished 40th YMCA Half-Marathon 7 minutes ahead of runner-up
Peterborough has a new elite runner in its midst as Ross Proudfoot exhibited at Sunday’s 40th YMCA Half-Marathon.
Proudfoot, 25, set a record for the local half-marathon finishing the 21.1-kilometre course in 1:09:37.1. It eclipsed the mark of 1:10:39.3 set in 2008 by Toronto’s Shawn Brady.
Proudfoot, a 10-time CIS individual and team champion while at the University of Guelph, finished nearly seven minutes ahead of runner-up Derek Snider (1:16.06). Peterborough’s Kasey Walsh won her second straight women’s title, and third overall, placing 16th overall in 1:31:00.2.
Proudfoot, who missed the 2016 Rio Olympic 5k standard by four seconds, is a Sudbury native who recently moved to Peterborough to work as a sales associate for Glaxo Smith Kline pharmaceuticals. He was the 2015 CIS All-Sport Athlete of the Year. He’s represented Canada seven times internationally including World Junior Track and Field Championships, World Cross Country Championships and the World University Games. He’s focusing on the 3,000m steeplechase with an eye towards the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The YMCA half marathon was his first local race and his first time running a distance longer than 10k.
“I was really out just to get a good long work day in training for some 10k and 5k stuff in track season,” said Proudfoot. “I was hoping to go under 1:10:00, stay smooth and consistent and get some good work in.
“I’ve been running through the winter through Peterborough so why not come out and do the biggest race they have and support the community. I’ve always loved to join the running community anywhere I’ve been living. I wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to run with everybody who runs in Peterborough.”
The course record wasn’t confirmed until after he was interviewed but he knew he was close.
“Having the fastest time in 40 years would be awesome being a new member of the community,” he said.
This was a new course this year which did a double-loop that took runners uphill on McFarlane Street and the intimidating Hunter Street hill coming through the Lift Lock twice.
“It was a very challenging course,” said Proudfoot. “People who look for half marathon times will grab a course with no hills. We hit four of the biggest hills. I run cross country which usually has a golf course hill or some feature that makes it a true cross country course. I have to say the backside of the Hunter Street hill, being about 800 metres long and into the wind, I slowed down to a 4:40k while running 3:20 the rest of the way. That’s something you can’t do for 800 metres and have a stellar time. It would be very tough for anyone to run an elite time on this course.”
Walsh, 37, also found it challenging.
“It was tough. It was hilly but a beautiful day for it,” she said. “It was a good challenge. You’re never in shape to run well in February so it doesn’t really matter.”
Walsh usually has her training partner Anne Cavanagh to push her but she was unable to race because of injury. Coboconk’s Amy McIntyre (1:33:21) was a constant presence behind her but Walsh was motivated to try for a third win.
“Running in your hometown is pretty fun,” said Walsh. “You have people cheering for you the whole time whether they were racing or were along the course. The turnarounds were nice because you could see and count in your head where you were.”
The 9C temperature and sunny skies were among the better conditions of Jeff Crowe’s 10 years as race director.
“It got windy but at 2 in the morning when it was freezing rain I thought, ‘Oh my gosh what are we going to end up with,’” said Crowe. “I don’t think for the 25th of February you could ask for much better conditions.”
There were 600 competitors combined in four races – the half marathon, Brandhealth Half-a-Half, Accuped 5k and Wildrock Outfitters 1k Kids Race.
YMCA manager of community outreach and youth, Charlotte Van Spronsen, said the event raises about $25,000 annually for the YMCA’s Strong Kids Campaign. It funds summer camp and Y programs for children with financial need.