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2008 Ladysmith Striders News Headlines
The level of support this year for the CBFR was most welcome by organizers as nearly 350 runners and walkers stood at the start for the beginning of the event. A quick head count in the FJCC gymnasium came in at nearly 400 which included walk and run participants, support personnel, event organizers, and general spectators. The survey confirmed the event organizer's suspicions that it was the biggest crowd ever to attend the CBFR since it was first organized four years ago as Ladysmith Food Bank fundraiser from a base of operations at Coronation Square. Opening comments of welcome from CBFR Event Coordinator Kim Judson preceded both Town of Ladysmith Mayor Rob Hutchins and Ladysmith Food Bank Director Kit Wilmot who both spoke about strength of community and lending a hand to those less fortunate at times of need. Mayor Hutchins spoke about the strength of smaller communities and how they can quickly respond to and rally around worthy causes; he gave tribute to residents from the Town of Ladysmith whom find time in their busy lives to get involved in projects like the renown "Ladysmith Festival of Lights" and soon to be renown "Cinnamon Bun Fun Run". Heart-felt thanks to all the participants was delivered by Ladysmith Food Bank Director Kit Wilmot. In an emotional address, Mr. Wilmot marveled at the mountain of food waiting to be delivered to the food bank and stressed the value of giving to others in need and how wonderful it is to have shelves stocked high as the holiday season approaches. He thanked the CBFR organizers for their determination year after year for presenting the event in what is usually less than ideal conditions, and thanked the walkers and runners for turning out and supporting the food bank fundraiser.
After an energetic warm-up routine guided by PJ Halliday, walkers and runners set forth onto the streets of Ladysmith heading south on 6th Avenue past the Fire Hall to Methuen. Both the 5K and 10K distances were over the same course with 10k runners extending the course with a second lap around. At strategic places along the course, the Ladysmith Ambassadors cheered participants and captured their enthusiasm on digital cameras. At the Dunsmuir and Bickle half-way point, Cassie Judson and family manned the water station to provide hydration to weary participants as they crested the steepest hill on the course. The steep hill gave way to a gentle one and a half kilometer downhill which provided nice recovery for a slight uphill on 5th Avenue and Buller and a right hook onto 6th Avenue for the finish. Runners and walkers were rewarded at the tape with gooey cinnamon buns and hot chocolate. But as a result of the huge numbers entered, event officials were scrambling to match up predicted times with finishing times as participants files through the finishing chute. Event officials struggled in the cyber-surf all morning and were never quite able to keep up with the tsunami of information flowing from the finishing area. It seemed that just as one wave of numbers were entered, another wave would knock them back down into the foaming cyber-surf; in the end the winners were not declared until well after the draw prizes were awarded and many of the participants had moved on to other Sunday activities.
The winners were declared at 12:30pm after all the data was entered. The first prize digital camera was awarded to winner Annette Hiom of Nanaimo with a predicted 10K finishing time of 00:57:57. The second prize of dinner for four at the Yellow Point Lodge was claimed by winner Leanne Lovely of Ladysmith with a predicted 5K finishing time of 00:29:30. Because both these finishing times were exactly on their predicted times, their prize order was decided by a coin toss as it is difficult to chose the first out of equals. The third prize of a Running Room running jacket was winner Catherine Chorney of Nanaimo with a 10K predicted finishing time of 01:06:00 and a finishing time of 01:06:01. Six participants were tied with one second differences from their predicted times so the third place prize was selected by a random process from these six participants. Special mention goes to Kyla Becia, Rory Andersen, Jenny McNeil, Tracy Welsh, and Jerek Postuk who were the other five participants that clocked in spectacular performances and all tied at second place. Congratulations to the winners of this predicted time event and to all walkers and runners that participated and are winners as well. Volunteers provide the fuel that drives the Cinnamon Bun Fun Run engine and without volunteers the event organizers - volunteers themselves - would have never able to conclude this successful fundraising event. A core group of volunteers through their generous offering of time and energy made the event happen by setting up the venue, sheparding participants through the registration process, marshalling the roads, dispensing water on the course, managing the participants event data, and offering hot beverages and cinnamon buns to all. The volunteers in the 4th Annual Cinnamon Bun Fun Run really rose to occasion to battle adversity in numbers. Event organizers had no idea that the support this year for the Ladysmith Food Bank would be so tremendous and owe the success of the event solely to those volunteers that came out and didn't shy away from adversity. And for that the CBFR Organizing Committee feels a great deal of gratitude for all the event volunteers. For the record, the Ladysmith Food Bank received three pick-up loads of food for their holiday season shelves and about $2300 in cash donations as a result of the generosity of walkers and runners who participated in the event. The 4th Annual Cinnamon Bun Fun Run was both a success and a learning experience; get ready for the 5th Annual Cinnamon Bun Fun Run as the event organizers are already figuring our ways to both welcome more participants and improve their organizational performance. [top]
For the Ladysmith Striders, Sunday morning runs provide time to discuss a number of race issues. We talk about interesting things like... oh yes... race strategies; how about the experience of pre-race jitters and how to calm them; or which running mantras work the best when approaching the "wall"; and our favourite topic, hydration principles and/or what it feels like to "bonk". Well... not really, but we do talk alot. From this perspective, running with a group of your best buds can better prepare you both physically and mentally for your fall season distance runs as it provides you the opportunity to tap into the knowledge and experience of the more veteran (some call them crazy) runners; to pass on knowledge and experience that may be helpful in moving you closer to your desired running goals. During the summer and early fall of 2008, Ladysmith Striders met regularly on Sunday mornings at Esquires Coffee where a few of us had some specific running goals in mind and we worked on them together to prepare for running events in early October.
In my case and as noted above, my training started with a structured 12 week program in mid-July. But let me back up and explain a bit about the goal-orientated running landscape that I managed to paint myself into this fall. I make running goals of varying degrees of significance throughout the year and they usually consist of a number of minor running goals and one major biggie; eight to ten races per year is just about right for me. But my running biggie this year was to complete my ninth marathon which is part of an even larger, bigger-than-biggie promise that I made myself about eight year ago when I decided to run one marathon every year with my sights set on at least ten. So in order to prepare properly for an October marathon I had to start early... and early was mid-July where I built mileage incrementally. Even though I had been running 100 mile per month for last ten months, I really had to focus on an incremental effort which would build distance slowly in order to maximize my endurance for the marathon run. I think it worked. Goal-wise for this year, I am right on track as I just recently completed the Portland Marathon in 3 hours 42 minutes and 48 seconds.
I looked forward to running the Portland Marathon for number of reasons; my sister Jen lives in Portland (see John's Half-Fast Run Report - Portland Shamrock 8K) and she planned to pace me for a few miles during the marathon, my wife Cindy, who is a super supporter of my running endeavours, decided to join me on this trip and cheer me on, and of course, running in Portland was fun earlier this year and it seemed nature to come back to run the big event in the fall. And the thing about the city of Portland and surrounding area, there are alot of folks that run and I figure just about all of them would probably participant in the upcoming event.
It started with a light rain about the 8 mile mark on a long out-and-back straightaway next to the Willamette River docks. It actually had a cooling effect which in a way felt good on the body. But I still hoped that it would peter out and fade away. When the rains came at the 11 mile mark I was running through the older residential neighbourhoods of stately craftsman homes that over time have inched up onto the lower slopes of renown Forest Park. Through the drizzle above the houses I could see magnificent Forest Park whose canvas of earthy greens and early autumn browns stretched out into the distance on a back-bone ridge of trees that was eventually captured in the sky beyond. A beautiful scene indeed... even running in the rain that was slowly finding some intensity. The half-way point at mile 13 brought even more rain. Roads began to puddle which produced mini rooster-tails that licked up the calves of runners that I was pacing and it provided a temporary distraction from thinking about the upcoming killer hill. As the marathoners approach the St. John Bridge they are greeted by a kilometer-long four-percent grade; a miserable hill that already seemed to be eating runners by the dozen by inflicting major pain. Many huffed their way as best they could to the top while others drifted into a funeral procession that had formed about half way up. I plowed through the walking dead and pumped my fist in the air in triumph before turning onto the bridge fully appreciative of the Ladysmith hill training that is part of my everyday runs back home. Once over the mid-span arch a recovery downhill begins which provides runners with some relief for the quads but not from the rain. As I break into the neighbourhoods that cling to the northwest ridge above the river I realize that I've somehow unhitched from the group I was following and that I seem to be slowing. Arrrgh!! That miserable hill preceding the bridge has somehow chased me down and my legs are starting to rot in agony. By mile 19 I am beginning to bonk.
Mile 22 gave way to the a gentle long downhill slope that provided my legs the rest that they craved. By opening my hips at bit and swaying my shoulders in a gentle synchronized rocking motion back and forth... I was able to lengthen my stride somewhat which ever-so-slightly generated a downhill boost of speed - a little boost of speed that was very welcome both to my body and mind. Thanks to Jenny's timely intervention, I wasn't done yet and thankfully that new found energy carried me back over the river onto Naito Parkway and the final two miles. Naito
Parkway is both wide and long street and is straight enough that you can
see the second to final turn way off in the distance. So why is it that
when finishing under such grueling mental fatigue and physical stress
that the finishing line never seems to get any closer? And why is it
that all of a sudden your in the chute and your done? Why is that? Is it
the howling cheers of the wonderful residents of Portland that lined the
final two miles two and three deep both yelling and screaming? Is it
their cheering that distracts a runner so he forgets where he is and why
he is there? I don't why it happens but I'm guessing it's a result of
being totally out of power with no gas in the tank. You're so done that
you arrive in the chute having burned up all that there is and then the
line comes at you in a blur... people are screaming your name... now
your laughing... and you finally made it... you try to
On this cool and somewhat damp Sunday morning in Portland Oregon, thousands turned out to participate in the marathon, the marathon walk, and the 5-mile run. John Ngigi of Glide, Oregon won the race in a time of 2 hours 31 minutes and 22 seconds whereby defeating more than 9,200 runners. Kami Semick of Bend won the women's division in 2:45:24. She won the 2004 Seattle Marathon, but is better known for running ultra-marathons. Interestingly, I was struggling at mile 20 when John Ngigi crossed the line. Wow... what an experience. For more on the 2008 Portland Marathon, check out the excellent account of the run by first-time marathoner and blogger Krazy Kit-Kat Katie who calls from the fine state of Oregon her home.
If you have a normal arch, you're likely a normal pronator, meaning you'll do best in a stability shoe that offers moderate pronation control. Runners with flat feet normally overpronate, so they do well in a motion-control shoe that controls pronation. High-arched runners typically underpronate, so they do best in a neutral-cushioned shoe that encourages a more natural foot motion. Below are three videos that explain what pronation means; good information to know when selecting the right shoe.
For more running related videos from Runner's World, click here.
My run starts in the middle of town on the Hwy 97 bypass at the Sandman Hotel on the frontage road called Central Avenue. I start off by meandering northward through blocks of 1950s-60s style bungalow homes handsomely placed in a quilt-like grid in the Nechako Flats neighbourhood and paying special attention while crossing the busy intersection at 10th and 5th Streets. I end up on Carney running north over the CN rail yard and down onto the Nechako riverside trail for my first exposure to any remnants of damage that may have left behind by the Nechako River ice-dam. Running along the trail with the river on my left, I didn't notice much suffering until I had gone about a kilometer.
The trail is a hard weather-beaten asphalt surface and it has been laid down long enough ago that cracked ridges have formed across the pathway as the roots from nearby cottonwood trees have burrowed under the hard asphalt toward the river in search of a drink pushing up through surface at times to correct their bearings -- you would think these large trees would have had their fill as the ice-dam would have the raised the level of the river to at least their waists last winter. At the one and a half kilometer mark the asphalt trail simply gives way and disappears into the river.
At low water in the summer, vast gravel bars dominate the junction where the Nechako and Fraser links hands. Looking back over time, the gravel bars have morphed into wetlands and with years of silt piling up -- they have have become islands of rich loamy soil supporting billowing grasses, leafy bushes, and an abundance of fairly large cottonwood trees. While some gravel bars still exist at the convergence of the rivers, the City of Prince George has dedicated this lowland brush and trees as parkland and named it Cottonwood Island Park. The Heritage River Trail threads its way throughout this park and it is dotted with a number of foot-bridges that span the seasonal flood channels that help drain the park in times of high water. While exploring the park for damage, I was astounded by the number of bridges that had been swept completely away during the flooding.
There are four flood channels footbridges to Cottonwood Island and everyone of them have been either washed away or lifted out and placed out of harms way in the bush. The bits and pieces on one bridge litters the underbrush and is an example of the force of nature -- the force of water that can lift a bridge from its abutments and then crushes it against the trees that normally stand guard on these normally silent and dry water courses. Upon reaching one bridge and finding it missing, I had no option but to take to the underbrush rather than return all the way back the way I came for an alternate route. Emerging from the forest near the park boat launch, I continue with the trail in search of other examples of the forces of nature as the trail sweeps southeast around bend under the historic black train bridge to Fort George Park on the Fraser.
Fort George Park overlooks the mighty Fraser River and is one of the oldest parks in Prince George. The park is kind of a gateway to understanding local history as it is home to the Fraser Fort George Regional Museum. Being a bit of a history hound, the museum is a great place to kill time because it houses artifacts and stories of the early European pioneers who settled to the region.
There is also a small First Nation Cemetery named the Lheidli T'enneh Burial Grounds. Lheidli tenne means "people from where two rivers flow together" and the cemetery was once a main village site until the early 20th century. Luckily the ice-dam was on the Nechako River and there was no flooding in Fort George Park.
Leaving Fort George Park, the Heritage River Trail crosses a slough and weaves through a grove of poplars where it leaves the riverfront and continues up to Queensway Street. Across Queensway the trail saddles up on the south side of Hudson's Slough under the protection of rustling poplars whose branches reach down their fingers to mark your shoulders and you duck back and forth in an effort to dodge the swaying branches for the fun of the game. Once past the slough, the trails follows a wide and well-sheltered drainage ditch in a south westerly direction that eventually gives way to the open soccer fields framed by busy Uplands Drive and Victoria Street in South Fort George. Hugging the edge of the soccer fields, I'm lost in the rhythm of my foot strikes and find my mind drifting from pace to thoughts of how grateful I am to be enjoying such a fine day in such a fine place. I take my endorphins-gorged self through the Victoria Street tunnel and get ready for the moderate climb of the Carney Street hill that will greet me once I get past the ball fields that now appear on my left.
I puff up the hill and go left on a shortcut through to 20th Street and then cross over to Gillette Street. My pace is steady and I recover quickly. This part of the city is classic 60s with post and beam architecture and flat roofs and mature landscaping. I skip over the curb halfway up the block turning right and duck into an alley that winds its way uphill again where I know it will deliver me onto Harper which is one street above. This wooded area is a refuge from busy streets and it is one part of Prince George that has not been hit hard by the pine beetle kill and still retains many of its native conifers. Breaking out of the backstreets, I take 18th street for one block and I arrive right at the back door of the Sandman Hotel. A final word on the ice-dam and the erosion damage that it left behind. During my sawmill visit this week I was chatting with office staff at Lakeland Mills that is located right next to Cottonwood Island Park and I noticed on their office wall a large aerial photo of the area from 1963 -- specifically a photo from above of the area around the junction of the two rivers. I was astonished to see how much land had been reclaimed since 1963 -- land reclaimed where industry was now firmly anchored -- land that had been flooded recently by ice-dam -- land that I now realized had probably been flooding naturally for a long time in the past. Seems that the city has encroached on the river and the forces of nature have hit back.
To learn how to register and to access half marathon resources, visit the frequently asked questions webpage.
Click for Larger Images of Half Marathon Run
Course Description for Ladysmith Striders Half Marathon Run
The Ladysmith Striders joins Phedippidations in promoting the Worldwide Half Marathon Challenge for the weekend of October 11-12. There is also the Kick the Couch 5K Run and a run promoted by the Another Runner Adam Tinkoff called the Zen Runner 10K. The point is that the running community will be hitting the trails and pavement with runs of varying distances and there is nothing that excludes runs of other distances. Take for example the recent dialogue that fellow Ladysmith Strider Bruce had with Phedippidations Podcaster and Worldwide Half Marathon Challenge Administrator Steve Runner. Bruce shared some thoughts...
Steve Runner offered the reply...
So gear up for October fellow runners. The whole idea is to get active and get together doing the same thing at the same time with other runners from all over the world. We can run any distance we want so let's give the Phedippidations Worldwide Half Marathon Challenge a chance. Let's think global... run local!
Five Ladysmith Striders made their way to Ucluelet to run the team relay of the 2008 Edge2Edge Marathon. The event consisted of three events with the full marathon and team relay starting at Tofino for a point-to-point course, and a half-marathon starting at Ucluelet on an out-and-back course that captured the Wild Pacific Trail on the windswept side of the peninsula, and enjoyed huge support from both communities. The marathon course was also very unique as participants take to the firm sands of Chesterman's Beach near Tofino for a kilometer or so which was topped only by the breath-taking scenery of Pacific Rim National Park.
By the time the first and second stage runners Gayla and Simon were dropped off at the 7am Tofino shuttle bus, weather had started to change for the better. Gone was the mist, gone was the drizzle, gone was the slumped shoulders, and gone was the treachery of the weather channel. Bala, Pauline, and John took later shuttle buses which deposited them at their targeted staging areas. Another Ladysmith team brought our friendly mid-island contingent to ten. Todd and Eliina traveled over with friends Cory and Gwen from Victoria, and Lori Ann from the northern BC community of Vanderhoof. Their "Runner Up Relay Team" finished in a respectable time with Lori Ann starting them off followed by Eliina, Gwen, Corey and Todd bringing them home of the finish. While there were some challenges encountered along the way, it was all cheers and smiles at the finish line.
At this point the marathon course at Peninsula and Matterson is at its highest elevation on the Ucluelet end and it is here that the fun begins with a one-half a kilometer of downhill all the way to the finishing chute. And what a downhill it is with varying inclines that drive your tender feet down hard into the toe-boxes of your shoes. In the end, youth won out as the faster man held John off and scampered to an eighth place finish in the relay overall with the pursuing Ladysmith Strider running really hard right up to the tape. John finished up with a 43:27 time for 9.8 kilometres giving the Ladysmith Striders ninth place overall in the marathon relay with a 3:29:38 finishing time which was good for sixth place in the mixed marathon team category.
The Ladysmith Striders Marathon Relay Team wish to offer congratulations the organizers of the 2008 Edge2Edge Marathon for providing runners with a world-class event and to the many residents of Ucluelet, Tofino, and surrounding area who volunteered their valuable time to assist the organizers in bringing it all together. Again you have provided us runners with some weekend fun and showcased your community to participants that in some cases travel great distances to take part in the event. Congratulations! Click Photos to Enlarge.
Special recognition goes out to Simon Timmer for his fine placing in the top five finishers and determination to finish, and to Dolly Brown for her finish in the top five female category. The unofficial list of Ladysmith Striders finishing results are outlined in the table below.
Click to enlarge images found below.
I've been thinking about gravity lately because I had heard that there are some places on earth where up... is really down. Yeah, that's right. There are some places on earth where gravity is so strong that it can mysteriously pull a person uphill. I think of this while strolling out to the street from my hotel here in Kelowna and then gaze to my right up to the heights of Dilworth Mountain. I run here quite a bit. Kelowna is surrounded by hills on three sides so choosing a hill on which be punished is only a matter of deciding on the degree of difficulty you'd like and if from out-of-town, the proximity to your lodging. Dilworth Mountain is both close by and punishing. Where's a gravity hill when you need one!!
The
climb up through the Chilcotin Villas is as challenging as it gets.
Homes in this four-year old gated community literally hang over the
south cliff face of Dilworth Mountain and yield the most unbelievable views
of the Okanagan Lake for who I
Views from the south facing summit are pretty awesome. In close Kelowna spreads out its patchwork quilt of homes and condo blocks with squares of industry stitched at intervals along many wide and well-traveled roads. Looking farther out orchards leak out of the distance hills and seemingly unroll like a carpet whose green edges lap right up through the Mission district and beyond. This late in the day, Okanagan Lake seems to hug the west-bank like a ribbon of expensive fabric whose silvery threads attract and then reflect the shimmering light of the late afternoon. As the sun begins its daily disappearing act, the light fades behind the rim of western mountains that I'm sure were formed eons ago to protect the Okanagan Valley from the vulgarities of the lower mainland. Looking north the slopes of Big White ski area are still visible behind the Rutland hills which show the broad scars of developers who have been carving its slopes up in reckless abandon as if the community of Rutland was racing Kelowna for the rewards of population. The sights of the city below from this little known viewpoint are quite incredible and worth seeking out. This place is really a Garden of Eden.
Click the images above to enlarge to photo size for viewing. Click the image below to view a Youtube.com video.
The grind of the assent lasted about thirty minutes and for the descent I intent to take a little extra time as I plan to explore one of the neighbourhoods below Dilworth Mountain - a neighbourhood that flanks the Kelowna Golf & Country Club. Tipping back downhill from Chilcotin Villas I pause to snap a couple of shots of the developing heights further back on Dilworth in the direction of Glenmore Rd. Here again, residential development seems to be shouldering out orchards that used to completely cover the upper reaches of the Glenmore Valley. Click the images below to enlarge for viewing.
With my feet pushed firmly into the toe-boxes of my new NIKE Structure Triax 11s, I continue my descent left on Bowron where I rejoin Summit Drive a few blocks below from where I turned off earlier. I lift my arms and hands somewhat and extend them out in front a bit in an effort to improve my downhill running form. I find this balances out my stride as it tips my weight onto the balls of my feet which then reduces the pounding heel shock associated with downhill running and when combined with a slight wind-milling of the arms, becomes fairly comfortable. I consider it an appropriate defense against the punishing force of gravity.
I leave Summit Drive behind and continue downhill. I cut strategically down through an old side-road and then along the edge of an apple orchard to an older sub-division lying well below Summit Drive. This residential area flanks the Kelowna Golf & Country Club and it is new to me. I have never run these secluded streets with their well-groomed yards of overly-mature landscaping and I can only suppose that it was a privileged neighbourhood of the rich and famous in an earlier time. It's a quiet neighbourhood that is tucked up close to the base of the Dilworth Mountain cliffs. This area is around the four mile mark on my map below. Click the images below to enlarge for viewing.
I notice the early evening commuter traffic is picking up when I arrive where Summit meets Spall. Spall not too long ago was a narrow two-lane road but in the last five years has become a wide four lane street that bisects the Glenmore area which is now mostly residential. This new and improved street now acts as a major conduit for downtown traffic and at Summit intersection it falls gently for a couple more kilometers to where it joins up with Highway 97. I slip into an easy gait and head downhill letting gravity work with me rather than against me. I get as far as the FortisBC Sub-Station where to my surprise I spot a new opening in the chain-link fence and I'm compelled to explore this new trail with possibly a new adventure attached to the end. The trail is dirt and seems well used and I suspect it's being used by cycling commuters who could might be linking up with the new cycling path build adjacent to the North Central Connector. I shuffle through the opening in the fence and after running through the sandy field of what must have been an abandoned orchard at one time, I found myself coming up on an expanse of deserted concrete. Part way across I realized the concrete expanse was once the employee parking lot of the Kelowna Western Star Trucks Manufacturing plant who are long gone now as they were purchased by an American truck builder and subsequently closed it down. So much for free trade.
One of my racing strategies is running tangents - that is, running the shortest distance between two points or in racing sense, the apex of corners. You might say that on this run I was replacing Newton's law of gravity with Einstein's theory of relativity when I bent that straight tangent line onto the curved path behind that FortisBC sub-station... or you might say that I was trying to warp space-time in favour of a quicker way between two points in order to find a shorter way back. Well... the exploring behind FortisBC ended up being a short-cut back to my hotel because once through the abandoned parking lot Hardy Street presented itself and I actually slashed a few blocks off my intended route. With a left onto Enterprise and I was back in my temporary lodging. Wow... in the space of about an hour I conquered the law of gravity and received a science lesson on relativity to boot... cool! Click the map below to enlarge the image and check out the route.
And from the start, many runners noted the challenging course and picked the road's calmer channels to get ahead while still doing their best to reel in the front runners; like playing catch-an-release in real sporting fashion. The one daunting hill near the middle of the route caused much lip-biting and those who worked hard to pace themselves on through the elevation in accordance with their race plan were rewarded and able to enjoy a serge of welcome energy to fuel their second hill encounter on the way back. The nature of an out and back course allows predators to see prey as they approach and retreat from the turn-around point which can cause some to bolt hard on the return making the running game more competitive for some. In the end, there was a minimal amount of lipless crankbait casualties and a steady stream of runners and walkers returned to the finish to claim the times that they fought so hard for.
The Ladysmith Striders fielded a group of more than thirty individuals with two groups joining hands from the Esquires Sunday morning running group and the Town of Ladysmith 10K Learn to Run and 10K Walking Groups. Their efforts were greeted with much success as Ladysmith Striders were recognized in the awards ceremony as top-ten finishers no less than thirteen times in accordance with their corresponding age groups. The Ladysmith Striders were so successful on Sunday that they achieved the second highest total points gain overall and were only topped by the mighty Prairie Inn Harriers - an extremely significant result. The Ladysmith Striders results are outlined in the table below. Click the participant names to view individual statistics which will open in a separate browser window. As a result of our huge gains - with a large nod to the Ladysmith Striders Town of Ladysmith Division - our club moved up to finish the Frontrunners Island Race Series in 12th position. The Ladysmith Striders was probably the most improved club overall out of 84 identified running clubs participating in this year's Frontrunners Island Race Series. Way to go Striders!
There were four Ladysmith Striders that made the long trek up-island and special acknowledgement goes to long-time Island Series participant and Strider newcomer Simon Timmer took the field in his age group with a sizzling 4:15 pace resulting in a very respectable sixty-three minutes and forty-five second finish. Top-ten finishes again for the Naidoos who were also "cooking with gas" on Sunday and a fine running performance from Tiffany Smith rounds out the Ladysmith Striders participants. Special mention also for Tiffany Smith who has run in all island series races this year and has been faithfully racking up Frontrunners Island Race Series points for Ladysmith Striders club standings. The Ladysmith Striders results are outlined in the table below. Click the participant names to view individual statistics which will open in a separate browser window. Our club is still holding 13th position out of 84 identified running clubs participating in this year's Frontrunners Island Race Series.
The final race of the Frontrunners Island Race Series takes place in Sooke. The Sooke River 10K is sponsored by the Island Road Racers and the event is accompanied by the Frontrunners Island Race Series awards ceremony. The course is a certified out and back along Sooke River road which is known for its scenic qualities and its undulating hills. This final race begins at Edward Milne School on 6218 Sooke Road at 11am.
For more information and online registration, go to the Island Runner website.
The snow in the cemetery lay heavy on the north side of the graves - their headstones standing erect to catch the residual warmth left by the fading sky and seemingly unwilling to share any of it with the soil behind. The radiating results reflected forward onto the broad blanket of white that dripped its what was left of its life into the ditches and seeped into its final resting place in the earth with others. I picked up the pace and flew towards Bayview Street which was good because I sensed an eerie feather-light tug on my shadow as I passed through the heavy stone perimeter gates. I quickly crossed the Bayview and was onto Glendale Avenue in a flash.
Back into the traffic at street level, I trotted uphill on Eglinton Avenue past shopping malls populated with urban zombies and parking lots filled with the shiny transparent rewards for a full day's work. The scene contrasted sharply with the medieval world that I had just run through. It seemed like I was returning from a warp in time where I was greeted with the dripping of horns and the babble of tires; back to a world called Toronto where the lake wind blows. I shook off the funk and finished up-tempo to the hotel for a seven miler in one hour twelve minutes twenty-one seconds - good run, no regrets, nice sights, no burned ears.
Note of Interest: I took my digital camera along and snapped the photos above. I use my digital camera when running out of town for navigation purposes... and of course taking interesting photos. But to get around safely, I use the Google maps satellite imaging on my laptop where I look down at my proposed running route from space and then zoom in on the image of the section of city that interests me. Then snap a digital picture of my laptop screen to record the route and that way, I can review the image on my run to figure out where my turns are if I think getting off-course. Sometimes I have to take two close-up images of different laptop shots if I'm going any distance. And because my camera has a zoom feature on it, I can zoom in on the street names if I there are any problems reading them. Just made sure you toggle the labels checkbox on Google maps so it shows the street names. Isn't Google great!
Joining three Ladysmith Strider regulars for the Comox Valley Half Marathon was newcomer Philip Howard who paced out a respectable half marathon finishing time. Hopefully Phil will be checking in with the Ladysmith Striders for their regular Sunday runs from Esquires Coffee in the future. Welcome Phil! Congratulations go out again to the Naidoos for their fine running performance. The fountain of youth must surely be flowing freely in Saltair as both husband and wife turned in youthful half marathon performances of under two hours and it is absolutely amazing to see this pair pace out competitive time for their age groups. Looks like their training and maybe a little imbibing from the fountain of youth has proven very beneficial. Congratulations Bala and Pauline for their pair of gold medal finishes in the Comox Valley Half Marathon. The Ladysmith Striders results are outlined in the table below with apologies to those whom I may have missed. Click the participant names to view individual statistics which will open in a separate browser window. Our club has now moved up a spot to 13th out of 84 for identified running clubs participating in this year's Frontrunners Island Race Series.
Next race is the Merville 15K which takes place just north of Courtenay on March 30th and the road race is sponsored this time by the River Runners of Campbell River. The course is a flat scenic panhandle loop with no turnabouts that begins near the Merville Community Hall. Travel north on the Old Island Hwy 15 kilometers past Courtenay and you'll find the run site and hall parking areas marked with signs. This run is the last long run in the Frontrunners Island Race Series.
Jennifer and I approached the race on two fronts as we thought it best to spread ourselves throughout the starting field. I checked over my gear and hit the asphalt with the first wave just before oh-nine hundred with Jenny gunning it on the third wave twenty minutes later. And we were great crack to be wearing the green in St. Paddy's running army battling for Doernbecher Children's Hospital Foundation. The army launched on Naito Parkway and rolled north alongside the Willamette River with a left pivot onto Burnside and double-stepped up to NW 9th with the Pearl on our right flank. Faster runners pressed forward and strung out the battalion among the tall building that guarded Alder and Park and once clear of the downtown paraded uphill on Broadway and Harrison. We charged down Harrison and wheeled right onto SW 4th with a quick-step to the summit at Barbur Blvd and once crossing I-405 we joined up with the 15K frontrunners at the apex of Barbur and Naito.
By the time I rolled back into camp the party was in full swing. Imagine thousands of happy green leprechauns cheering each other on in congratulations and in appreciation of the effort. Jen and I finished by meeting out goals of sub 43 for her and top-ten in my age-group for me and we really enjoyed the company and camaraderie of the many runners that enlisted along the way. I met many of Jennifer's friends and work colleagues before and after the race, and I acknowledge them with thanks for sharing their time with me. And although I was de aul' fella, I look forward to stretching out for a few miles with them in Forest Park the next time I'm down to Portland.
A public word of
thanks to my sister Jennifer. There
is allot that I am appreciative and grateful… you crafted some
wonderful meals that were taste sensations… you provided
opportunities to explore the city and meet new people… and together
we solved the world’s problems through meaningful and worthy
conversation. It
was a great weekend that I will long remember. Thanks so much.
The Bazan Bay 5K is flat and fast and is known as a great event for first-time runners. It's main attraction is its shorter distance and given the fact that it is in very close proximity to a large population of runners in the Victoria municipalities, it's no wonder the race is so well attended. The Ladysmith Striders were pleased to participate again this year with seven runners making their way down Island for the 9am start - a start that was considerably early considering the switch to daylight saving time rolled over at 2am the night before which drove the start time down to 8am in real time. Even though the start time was a little early for those traveling from up Island, the Ladysmith Striders would like to thank the race organizers and volunteers for their commitment to organize this road race and appreciate the time and effort it takes to hold this popular event. Congratulation to Pauline Naidoo for her gold medal finish by coming in first in her age group and to her husband Bala Naidoo for placing fourth for his age group. The Ladysmith Striders results are outlined in the table below with apologies to those whom I may have missed. Click the participant names to view individual statistics which will open in a separate browser window. Our club is currently 14th out of 84 identified running clubs participating in this year's Frontrunners Island Race Series.
Next race is a Comox Valley Road Runners sponsored half marathon in Courtenay on March 16th. This is the longest run in the Frontrunners Island Race Series which comes on the heels of Bazan Bay 5K just a short week earlier. The Comox Half Marathon is known for its long climb up into the back country and should produce an abundance of negative-splits as runners make the turn at the top and thunder downhill for the return. Release the Hill Tamers from Ladysmith! Get ready Ladysmith Striders, and good luck!!
Courtesy of Mark Creery Photography
Follow Ziprick to Springfield and cross at the traffic light into Mission Creek Park where you will turn left and follow the creek-side trail upstream for about 2 miles. The trail almost immediately takes you back out onto the streets for about two long block and but then returns back onto the creek-side trail for the rest of the babbling way. You pass the one mile mark while you were halfway down this street portion before rejoining the trail. But now go all the way up the creek to where the trail crosses East KLO Rd. You passed the two mile mark just as you began that rough section of the trail back at the really sharp bend in the trail really close to the creek. Now leave the trail at KLO Rd and turn right on the road and cross the bridge. Watch for traffic here as the bridge is quite narrow and there isn't much room should you be crowded by a Kelowna SUV. Alright... now get ready to do some climbing. The three mile mark is half-way up this hill but you won't be thinking about it, you'll thinking burning quads and calves. Bear down for a series of snake-like switch-backs that winds you uphill into the orchards of East KLO and once at the top why not kick it up a notch for the long straight-away that whisks you right across the heart of the orchard bench land. It's here during spring blossoms time that you will inhale an intoxicating fragrance that will burn a place in your memory forever. You passed the four mile mark half-way down that long straight stretch. But now you are at the end of the straight stretch so hook to the left at the corner and take the experience with you up to Neid Rd where you will turn right to begin your decent back to the city. The five mile mark is at the bottom of the hill takes you back down to the city and it is there that you come upon O'Reilly. Stay right onto O'Reilly and follow the base of the bench land on O'Reilly over a rise and down to Johnson. Turn left on Johnson and go one long block past Johnson Road Park playing fields before turning right onto Hall Rd. Follow Hall Rd past the senior citizens residence and enter Mission Creek Park using a pass-through next to the steel gate that guards the park access road. Head out through the park on the access road and almost immediately drift to the left on the most well-beaten trail through some roller-coaster lumps which bring you to a place at the six mile mark where the trail tips into a steep downhill that leads to a rough log staircase that deposits you at the bottom to the creek-side trail and pedestrian bridge over Mission Creek. Cross Mission Creek on the pedestrian bridge and veer to the right through the parking lot. Follow the roadway to through the parking lot to the traffic light at Leckie Rd where you will again cross Springfield. Follow Leckie for about a kilometer to Baron and turn right. Follow Baron for a long sweeping block to Banks. Banks is where we started so once you take two more lefts you'll be back to where you started in the Holiday Inn Express parking lot. Welcome Back! This is a great run when the apples orchards are in blossom... the fragrance is memorable. Cheers.
This Munro-like course is really not for the faint of heart and as you may have noticed, the Frontrunners Island Race Series thins out somewhat on Hatley Castle 8K Sunday with many excusing themselves from the ranks of hearty sherpas and take this race day off for other timely and more important activities such as tidying up the backyard, cleaning behind the refrigerator, and/or otherwise wiggling back in the good books of their better half – as this reporter did. Yes, the Hatley Castle 8K is a formidable challenge and considering the aggravation and pain that is painted across the faces of finishers, it's a wonder that so many choose to race on slopes that somehow turn hi-tech footwear into furnace bricks. Finishers clocked in this year at a respectable 385. The Hatley Castle 8K hills where but a mild annoyance for the Ladysmith Striders however as six members geared up for their assault on the summit and all finished with respectable times. Weather-wise, the day presented sunny and mild as the cool edge of morning burned off before the 11am start time. It was perfect running weather with many runners quite comfortable in minimal gear of short-sleeves and shorts - a choice of swag that is best defence for possible over-heating on a course that tips uphill in a big way. There is no doubt that the Royal Roads Running Club are a hearty bunch of highlanders and the Ladysmith Striders wishes to thank the organization and their volunteers for providing a fun and challenging environment for running.
The Ladysmith Striders results are outlined in the table below with apologies to those whom I may have missed. Click the participant names to view individual statistics which will open in a separate browser window.
Next race is a Synergy Health Management Ltd. sponsored Bazan Bay 5K race in Sidney on March 9th. In addition to being a flat and fast race course, many first time runner use this race as their inaugural run so the field tends to be quite large. And from past experience I know that parking is at a premium so I recommend that Ladysmith Striders get there early!!
"I don't remember any of it, no pain, nothing," says Pungente, 65. What happened next has been described as a miracle. Three members of a hospital Code Blue cardiac resuscitation team were running not far behind Pungente that day. They were on him within minutes of his collapse, alerted by a nurse, Melanie Cunningham, who found Pungente lying pulseless in a ditch. Leigh Walters, a respiratory therapist, described Pungente's condition in one word: Dead. Nevertheless, she and Rachael Merrick, a hospital respiratory unit nurse, immediately started working on him. Moments later they were joined by another Code Blue team member, Dominica Sweet. For more than 25 minutes, with Walters working double-fisted compressions on Pungente's chest, they kept blood and oxygen flowing to his body's vital systems and his brain. Other factors played in as well. When Pungente collapsed, he landed head-down in a ditch, which meant that when his heart stopped, his blood flowed to his lowest body part, his head. Pungente subsequently underwent open-heart bypass surgery and started on the road to recovery. His story attracted media attention in stories that ran in Island papers, including the Times Colonist, and in this month's Reader's Digest. Finding himself the poster boy for cardio-pulmonary resuscitation was a little discomfiting for Pungente, even though he hopes more people will learn the technique. He deals with it with his own brand of wit. The plumber who used to drive to his job sites in a flame-painted hearse changed his answering machine greeting to: "This is Ken, back from the dead, leave a message." Whenever anybody asks him about the incident, he shrugs off any praise for his survival and his willingness to tell his personal story in the hope of helping others. "All I had to do was die," Pungente says. "It was everyone else, the girls, the doctors, the rehab people, they did all the work." With the help of people at the Royal Jubilee Hospital's Cardiac Rehabilitation Exercise Program, Pungente was back on the race course seven months after his heart attack. In September 2007, he ran in the CIBC Run for the Cure breast cancer fundraiser. Walters and Merrick were with him. Halfway through the race, they decided to pass him. "It's hard to let go of him," Walters says. Pungente finished that race without incident, but the 12-kilometre Cedar race and its steep hills loomed ahead. This time, Pungente told all four women to run their own races. "No following me," Pungente said. He wanted closure, to return to a life lived normally, although with a cooled-down competitive edge. When Merrick and Walters passed Pungente only 1.5 kilometres into the race, no one said anything. "It totally normalized a situation, where it hasn't been normal for a year," Merrick says. "It was fantastic to see everything just as it was." As Pungente neared the finish, a number of runners joined him to complete that unfinished leg. Wearing a T-shirt given to him by the four women that read "pulseless plumber" on the front, and "Drama in real life: Not dead last," on the back, Pungente crossed the finish line under a spray of champagne from well-wishers in one hour, 11 minutes and 26 seconds. Then Pungente, Walters, Merrick, Sweet and Cunningham walked back to the spot where he had lain only a year earlier. Pungente struggles to describe his feelings as he looked down at the nondescript country roadside of naked blackberry bramble and tall grass. He planted a Sicilian garlic bulb that he brought back after buying a house in Sicily this year; he will divide his time between Sicily and his home west of Sooke. Pungente hopes that by returning to running, he can encourage other cardiac survivors to live without fear. There's help available to get you back into your life. Go out and get that help and it will give you confidence to stretch your boundaries, to get back to being normal again." jhatherly@tc.canwest.com
Congratulations to the Nanaimo Bastion Running Club as well for both sponsoring and presenting the Cedar 12k road race. Runners from all over the Vancouver Island look forward to this event as it is the most geographically central location for a road race in the entire Frontrunners Island Race Series and fairly easy to attend. Nanaimo Bastion Running Club has again done a great job of organizing this annual event and special thanks are directed to their troop of dedicated volunteers that hold the key to success of the event.
The Ladysmith Striders results are outlined in the table below with apologies to those whom I may have missed. Click the participant names to view individual statistics which will open in a separate browser window.
Next race is a Royal Roads Running Club sponsored Hatley Castle 8k race in Colwood on February 24th that takes place on the hills of the castle grounds... get ready!!!... should be no problem for the Ladysmith Striders Hill Tamers!
Ladysmith Striders were represented at second race in the Frontrunners Island Race Series Cobble Hill 10K with seven entrants scampering the course which was a combination of out-and-back and loop segments from George Bonner Middle School to Cobble Hill Village and back. The course was fairly flat with some minor undulating hills (not significant to "The Hill Tamer" from Ladysmith) that gradually built in elevation to about 5.5 km at which time it was all downhill from there. This was a great race for negative-splits as I'm sure many enjoyed favourable results. Congratulations to Pauline Naidoo as she again placed top three in her age group and to her husband Bala Naidoo who moved up two places in the top-ten for his age group. The Ladysmith Striders results are outlined in the table below with apologies to those whom I may have missed. Click the participant names to view individual statistics which will open in a separate browser window.
Next race is a Nanaimo Bastion Running Club sponsored 12k race in Cedar on February 10th. Hope to see a good contingent of Ladysmith Striders there.
The Pioneer 8K is first race of the Frontrunners Island Race Series is always well attended. I suspect the reason for the swelling attendance is that it gives participants their first look at how many "gazelles" have moved out of your age group and (biting your lip) provides a look at how many "cheetahs" who moved into your age group. It's the Frontrunners Island Race Series participants first look at the competition and it really brings focus to who you have to beat for the remainder of the races. Ladysmith Striders are no strangers to the Frontrunners Island Race Series and a number of these casual Sunday morning runners drove down island to Saanich to scout out the competition for themselves. The Ladysmith Striders results are outlined in the table below with apologies to those whom I may have missed. Click the participant names to view individual statistics which will open in a separate browser window. Congratulation to Pauline Naidoo for her bronze medal finish in her age group and to her husband Bala Naidoo for placing in the top-ten for his age group.
Next race is a CEEVACS sponsored 10k race on a new course at Cobble Hill on January 27th. As a friendly reminder to Ladysmith Striders, the Cedar 12K is coming to our area on February 10th and it would be tons-of-fun to make that road race out Sunday morning run. Hope to see you all there!!
Courtesy of Mark Creery Photography
For your further awareness, runners who complete all eight races in the 2008 series, or eight races and volunteer at their own race, will receive a gift certificate from Frontrunners entitling them to 50% off the series registration (without shirts) for the 2009 series. Check out the schedule below. Frontrunners Island Race Series 2008 Schedule
Click here to register online. Click here to download the Full Series entry form. Click here to send in your questions or comments. Individual race forms are available by clicking the appropriate race name in the table above. |
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But
help arrives just in time. There she is!!... it's my sister Jen...
smiling ear-to-ear looking fresh and energetic as ever. Jenny greets me
with a huge hug-slap and tries to lie about how good I look; I know the
truth and I need help to bust through the wall. And she has come to the
rescue with her verve and her boundless energy... and it's working...
I'm feeling it... I'm picking it up... grabbing all the energy she's
offering. We run together to the 21 mile mark and sends me on my way
with the hopeful feeling that the wall is behind me. And it was
literally all downhill from there... really!
hit
the timing pad with both feet if you can... but you can't because you
can't think straight... and then its over! And if your lucky, you
remembered to throw your arms up in the air for the finishing photo and
click off your stopwatch. It was awesome!!... really. That was my
Portland Marathon finish... I conquered the course and lived to tell
about... and have no regrets. Sure glad that Jenny showed popped onto
the course at mile 19 otherwise... wow, the result could have otherwise
been a real bummer!
The
Ladysmith
Striders
version of this year's 
Gayla
lead-off the Ladysmith
Striders relay
team with an up-tempo trot out of 
Simon
left the transition area like a scalded cat and was soon over-taking the
field. Stage two was the longest segment clocking in at ten kilometres
of rolling hills that culminated with a gradual downhill to Long Beach.
This part of the marathon course was designed to shake up the
participants as the highway rocks'n'rolls it's way through the 
Bala
took the high-fives from Simon and released his own hounds to the only
really formidable hill on the marathon course. Pulling down the two
kilometer stretch that preceded the hill, Bala had a chance to gather his wits
and prepare himself for pain. The hill begins on the flats adjacent to
the beach and leaves behind the sound of the surf and then climbs up on
top of a plateau that provides a base for a ribbon of highway that stretches
all the way past the stage five transition area to the foot of 
Pauline
launched into stage four where in past years menacing wild-life had
been regularly reported. In previous marathon events, race organizers had
cautioned participants about the presence of bears that had occasionally
lumbered out onto the road looking to feast on Lycra and shoelaces.
Like visiting a supermarket, bears had been known to approach the road
and treat it like a snack-food aisle by examining the marathon runners and simply "check-out"
the more meaty ones. Thankfully for Pauline, the dine-and-dash bruins
have been put back onto a salmon and huckleberry diet and weaned off the
Edge2Edge Marathon variety-paks, and despite the thought of outrunning
any furry forest-dwellers - not that she would provide much of a meal
for any bear with shopping on his mind - Pauline shaved three minutes
off her predicted time and received a hug from John when she arrived at
the stage five transition area. 
A
few minutes after John's warm-up run, Pauline was spotted threading her
way through the approaching marathoners with power to spare and within minutes the
two had touched sending John into the last stage of the event and on to
noticeable thickening of
air that was apparently disposing off its heat and humidity through
fading slivers of sunshine that weakly pierced the ever-tightening tree-top canopy.
While making the descent it was too early in the race to enjoy the cooling effect that the air
brings to the body yet still hoping that the heavy air would remain
until faced with an ascend of the same hill when the course loop
back to join again at this shaded junction. 
Now
an interlude of recovery as the trail falls away for two kilometers of undulating hills of excavated pathways
and rudimentary
stairs. Down through muddy hollows with protruding roots and rocks which runners
more or less just try to survive. And misery came in places where the trail seem to
jump and come alive gobbling up runners in what appeared to be a calculated effort to consume both sweat and flesh, and then
like spent gum spitting them down hard
into the earth to taste the dirt of their demise. 
The
race was a pleasure to run and on behalf of the Ladysmith
Striders I
want to congratulate the Island
Road Racers
Sooke River 10K race organizers for a success event and offer thanks
to the volunteers who provide much of the grunt work to set up the
course, supply the wonderful food, emcee the awards event, and provide
traffic control. Thanks for all you do. 
Mount Hope Cemetery
There
were four separate running events planned for the 
first memorable sunset
of the year. There is a hint of earlier times around here that seems
so close that you might expect a horse-drawn apple-crate wagon to all
of a sudden creak out from between the sheltered rows of trees and
bounce over the jade-carpeted boulevards that lap up to the road -
boulevards that seem to press aside the rows of fruit trees in order
to keep
them from crowding together. And the trees grow so close to the paved
edge of the road that their juvenile new growth almost reaches out to touch
you as you pass by - which leaves you with a sense that nature is
determined to begin the growing season sooner than our changing
climate might allow. I certainly have no regrets for pushing away from
downtown for this easy seven miler this afternoon and it's on runs
like this that I really enjoy the sport the most.
Here's a
description for my Mission Creek/East KLO Loop Run route for those
that might want to knock it off the next time they have a layover in
Kelowna. This run is a 7 miler that begins and ends at the Holiday Inn Express on Harvey
Avenue. Start by heading out of the north exit of the Holiday Inn
Express parking lot and go right onto Banks Rd and then left on Baron
Rd. Run up one block and turn right on Spedding Crescent and follow it to the
end. At the end you will find a paved pathway that seems to go
nowhere, but take the pathway anyway and you will find a hidden narrow pass-through in the chain-link
fence that borders the elementary school field. The pass-through is
narrow but big enough to allow most of us running folk to squeeze
through with room to spare. Now cross the grass school playing field
out onto Ziprick St and head to the right towards the distant traffic
light. 
Last weekend, runner Ken Pungente finished a race that he started one year ago: a 12-kilometre event at Cedar, near Nanaimo. In the February 2007 event, Pungente's heart stopped and, as one of his rescuers put it, he dropped dead.
Ladysmith Striders is a organization of casual runners and walkers who are committed to promoting fitness and recreation in a friendly club environment. All levels of runners and walkers are welcome! Our running/walking group is located in the beautiful town of Ladysmith and include the surrounding areas of Saltair and Cedar for regular exploration. Ladysmith is known for its hills... and the Ladysmith Striders are known as "The Hill Tamers"