Trail Royalty sent about 200 runners and walkers off with a bang at the Silver City Days Fun Run at Gyro Park on Mother’s Day Sunday.
Armed with starter pistols, newly crowned Miss Trail Isabelle Impey, Princess Kathryn Daines, and Miss Congeniality Clarice Tuai officially fired off the start of the 5 and 10-km races and fun run/walk.
When the smoke cleared, once again Trail native Mike Zahn raced to first place in the Men’s 5-km run, finishing in a time of 19 minutes and 34 seconds. After coming in second to Trail Triathlete Jackson Konkin in 2017, Zahn raced to (at last count) his ninth victory at the annual event.
“It’s just tradition,” said Zahn after the race. “It would feel weird if I didn’t do it.”
The Teck employee cycles back and forth to work every day, and has never been a competitive runner, despite his success at the annual Fun Run. His goal every year is to beat his previous year’s time, but, like best laid plans, it doesn’t always work out.
“I think it’s just continuously getting worse,” said Zahn. “Every year I age, it adds about 10 seconds or so.”
Rossland’s Mandy McGill won the Ladies 5-km run in her first appearance, and Alison Zimmer claimed top spot in the Ladies 10-km run, while Dallas Cain took first-place honours in the Men’s 10-k.
McGill, a long-distance trail runner more accustomed to 25-50-km distances, entered the event to get in some speed training and finished first in 22:49.
“I just thought it was a wonderful opportunity to get outside in the sun,” said McGill. “It’s a beautiful setting, and a great weekend with Silver City Days.”
Zimmer, from Castlegar, has participated in the event many times, with a number of top-5 finishes, but finally broke through on Sunday with a time of 46:39 to finish in first place overall in the women’s 10,000-m.
Rossland’s Dallas Cain cruised to top spot in 37:27 and has won the 10-k men’s race every year since 2014 when Mike Hendriks took the honour.
“It was great, awesome weather,” said Cain. “They do such a good job with the event and getting to come over the walking bridge versus the old way – it’s awesome, it just can’t be beat.”
After competing on the world stage in marathons, duathlons, and Iron Man Triathlons, Cain is dialling back his compete level this year to spend more time with his wife and three children.
“I’m going to run a marathon next weekend in Spokane, so I’m just trying to get going for that,” said Cain. “I’m riding the bike a lot and hanging out with the kids. I enjoy doing that with them more than on my own.
“I’m going to take this year off. The kids are getting so much busier now so just focus on some funner events we wanted to do in the past that don’t take all that much time.”
The Fun Run is organized by Gerald Klassen, employees of Gerick Cycle and Sports, and Dan and Lina Horan from the Trail Track and Field Club, in addition to the many volunteers and sponsors that help make the event a yearly success.
See more results for the Silver City Days Fun Run later this week in the Trail Times.
