The arrival of sunny weather marks the beginning of the busy racing season for the Comox Valley Road Runners. The club has been heating it up and representing the region well in a wide variety of events.
Les Disher had an exceptional performance in the Run for Water Marathon in Abbotsford on Sunday, May 25. Not only did he complete his long-time goal of running a sub 3-hour marathon, but he also placed ninth overall in the race, winning his age group in the process. His age-graded result of 89 per cent also placed him as a national class athlete in his age group.
The Goddess Run took place on June 1, and the Valley was well represented by many local goddesses. Diana Olsen and Korky Richardson, among other, completed the half marathon, while Lyn Baker and Kindle Parsons both completed the 10km race.
The second race of the Gutbuster Series took place at Mt. Tzouhalem on June 7. Kevin Park, Kathy Rung, and Rick Martinson all raced extremely well in the long course, and Chris Robinson had a strong race in the short course.
Also on the 7th, the Q Track Series in Victoria had a 5,000m and 10,000m race. Vince Brotherston raced extremely well and was close to beating the B.C. record for his age group. Derek Vinge competed in the 5,000m and was in good form.
Yet another race on the same date was the Calgary Marathon where Sonja Leach crushed the competition, winning her age group and beating the next competitor in her age group by nearly an hour.
The Edge to Edge Marathon and Half Marathon took place on June 8. Wayne Crowe held on to his title, once again winning the Half Marathon outright. Several local teams also took part in the Marathon Relay, with the Comox Valley Divas, consisting of Roslyn Smith, Sharon Fisher, Alison Walker, and Melissa O’Brien, placing third overall.
Meanwhile, the MEC Victoria 10k and Half Marathon also took place on June 8. Mike Bridges ran extremely well to place second overall in the Half Marathon, and Hans Gane had a great 10km race.
Congratulations to all of the local racers. Be sure to check out the 5th Street Mile on July 1. Registration is free and takes place at 5th and Woods in Courtenay between 9 and 9:45 a.m. Race starts at 10 a.m. sharp. Check out cvrr.ca for more details.
– Comox Valley Road Runners
