MEC # 2 Birds Hill Park Race

MEC # 2 Birds Hill Park Race
MEC #2 Birds Hill Park 2017 3rd Overall After A Sprint Finish!

Friday, March 29, 2013

St. Patrick's Day 5K

On March 16 I participated in the St. Patrick's Day 5K in Stanley Park. There were a lot of people in the race so I was glad to run into Teresa Nightingale and her son at the start. I managed to squeeze into a spot with them so I wasn't too far back from the front. 800 meter Olympian Gary Reed started us off at 10 AM and it was slow going at first as everyone was so densely packed in. Teresa said it reminded her of the Sun Run with costumes, as many people were dressed up in their St. Patrick's Day garb.
 
I ran with them for awhile because even though Teresa said she was out of shape I still expected her to be running fast, but before we hit the 1K mark and the seawall I went ahead of them. I did the first kilometer in 4:45, a minute slower than my time in another 5K race about three months ago, so I knew I'd better get going!
 
The one good thing about running the first K so slow was continually passing people for the rest of the race. We ran along the seawall for a couple of kilometers, and then turned right and down some paths before coming out onto it again, with only 2 kilometers to go! At the 4K point we could already hear the announcer at the finish line, and this seemed to make everyone speed up. Soon we were running along a path towards the finish and then we hit a hill going over a bridge, which slowed everyone up. I passed a guy who I'd been following for quite some time, but he was labouring going up the hill now, and said "Good job." to myself and other runners going by him, even though he was struggling just trying to catch his breath to keep going.
 
Finally we were over the hill getting some energy back as we knew the finish line was near. I ran into the finish chute and over the line at the Stanley Park Pavilion and heard announcer Steve King say something about a race I'd won, and accepted a big can of coconut water from a fellow who was passing them out. I ran into Mark Pinckard and he asked how it went. I mistakenly told him and other people that I ran faster than last week, but I was actually slower! Soon Ingo came in and we talked about the race but I told him we'd better head to the food tents before they got too crowded.
 
We went in and they had Irish stew, granola, vegan fudge, potato chips, and some fantastic cupcakes ( with pink plus Irish Cream icings), along with some other goodies. Vas came in and we went around to the tables sampling everything, but soon the tent was packed with people and we decided to get out and into the fresh air. Lynette Baldock said hi as she went by with some friends, and Arnold came up and we all hung around for awhile. I had to head up to Kamloops to run a race the next day, so it wasn't too long before we said our goodbyes and that we'd see each other next Sunday at the Spring Run Off 8K, same place and time.
 
Here's an excellent short video of the race: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n--uGS9co6E&feature=youtu.be
 
I ended up 208 of 1807 overall, 10 of 44 in my age group, with a time of 22:14.
 
My next race was the River's Spring Run Off 10K in Kamloops, the next morning at 10 AM.
 
 

Friday, March 15, 2013

Awesome Lakeside 5K Video

Here's a great video made by Kirk Handke, wearing a movie camera mounted on his head while running the race:
 
Very short video of the start by a local newpaper:
 
In the 2012 video he didn't do any editing, and had to publish it in 2 videos, great if you're a fan of The Cars:

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Lakeside Resort 5K

On Sunday, March 10th, I ran the Lakeside Resort 5K in Penticton. We started out at 10 AM just down the road from the Lakeside Resort & Casino on Lakeshore Drive. All the elite runners streaked ahead and then other runners passed me as we raced down the road running alongside Okanagan Lake. Soon I settled in with a group of runners running at the same pace, and we turned left onto Riverside Drive. I heard someone running behind me now, breathing hard, and I picked up the pace trying to stay ahead of whoever it was.
 
We turned left again onto another street, now looping back toward the finish, and the runner, a young woman, passed me. I stayed behind her for a bit and then repassed her, but soon we were coming up on people who had slowed up, and began going by them, weaving in and out. I honestly can't remember whether she fell back or raced ahead of me, but I lost touch with her as we turned left and then right, running on Lakeshore Drive again.
 
We were running straight ahead toward the finish line now. With about three hundred meters to go, one of the spectators, a guy about my age, yelled at a young woman behind me "Lets go Katie, go get that old man! Reel him in!" I thought "Old Man! I'll show you Old Man!"  She never did catch me, but Katie did place second in her age group, while I ended up sixth in mine.
 

                                             Photos by Dirk Handke
 
We crossed the line and they kept us walking down a long chute and then looped us around again to where the volunteers collected our bib numbers. I ran to my car and got my jacket on, grabbed my camera, and then ran back to the street where the runners were coming in, and got some pics.
 
 
 
Next I went into the hotel where they had a nice ballroom reserved for us. At the back of the room they had the food tables set up, with Timbits, little boxes of raisins, bagels with cream cheese and jam to spread on them, plus cut up bananas, oranges, apples, and melons. To drink they had Gatorade, water, and coffee.
 
                                Photo by Dirk Handke
                                Photo by Dirk Handke
I grabbed some Timbits and a few other things, poured myself a cup of coffee, and then went to refuel and get out of the way of the other incoming racers. There was a table with door prizes on it, the names had already been drawn and were stuck on them, but I checked and found I hadn't won anything. There was now a huge lineup to the food table, and I'd had my fill anyway so I wandered outside and saw one of the twins from the River's Spring Runoff last year. He asked me if the award ceremony was over yet, and I told him they hadn't even started. I said I was wondering when the results would be posted, and he said it should be soon, as they were packing up the last of the finish line area right then. We went inside to the ballroom and he told me his brother wasn't running today, only him. I wished him luck and went to say hi to Bruce Wark.
 
Bruce was surprised to see me and I told him that I'd be running more races in the Interior this year. He said he was planning on taking it easier this year and not run that many races. Bruce said we should go sit down so we went and grabbed a table, and then they presented the awards. In spite of "not being too prepared this early in the season", Bruce was first in his age group by a long shot. I took a picture of his nice medal but ended up blurring it. Next time I'll check and not just assume I took a good picture.
 
I was 6th in my AG, but I told Bruce even if I'd had more training there was no way I could have beaten any of the top 3 anyway. Having not seen each other since last year, we chatted for awhile even after the awards were all finished, but then it was time to head out, as I had a little bit of a drive home. Bruce said to say hi to my clubmate Rick when I saw him, they go back quite aways, I said I would, and we both headed for home.
 
They didn't have results posted there, but they do now. Bruce was 20th overall with a time of 19:10, and I was 54th with a time of 21:46. My chip time last week was 21:45, and my gun time was 21:47, so at least I'm consistent!
 
Here's also a huge bunch of pictures, courtesy of Dirk Handke, who ran the race with a camera mounted on his head, and still finished 38th overall!
 
My next race is the St. Patrick's Day 5K on March 16 at 10 AM in Stanley Park.

Friday, March 8, 2013

Dave Reed Spring Classic 5K

On Saturday, March 2nd, I ran the Dave Reed Spring Classic 5K, starting and finishing at Lumberman's Arch in Stanley Park. It was raining fairly heavily before the race, but by the time we started out at 9 AM it was down to almost nothing. The race director gave us some brief instructions, and then a quick 5 second countdown and we were off!

We ran down the wide gravel path and then hit a small uphill, and I saw Bill Chang running about 20 feet in front of me. Next we hit concrete and soon Georgia Street loomed in front of us. Try as I might I couldn't make any headway on Bill, but as we reached Georgia and ran on the sidewalk alongside it, I came up on Vas. We exchanged pleasantries about how much we were enjoying the race, but soon I ran ahead of him as we turned and headed back into the park. Up ahead we turned right for about 100 meters before hitting a turnaround, and back we went, running straight until we hit the seawall.

I concentrated on trying to keep my pace up, having not run at all since the 30K trail race last Sunday. We ran past the naval base entrance on Deadman's Island and soon we reached the lighthouse, where the woman volunteering there yelled at us "You're almost there!" I love the volunteers, but it's become a joke amongst the racers about them doing that to us in most races now, when we're nowhere near being "Almost there!" I told a guy running with me "Yeah, we're almost there, only about 1.3 Ks to go!", and he said that he wished they wouldn't do that.

Next we went around another corner, and Dave Palermo was there to cheer us on, yelling "1100 meters to go!" Much more helpful!

I'd been able to see Bill for most of the race, and now he had disappeared, but I picked up the pace a little and passed a couple of people. With a few hundred yards to go I heard a spectator yell "Come on Cathy, reel him in!" to a woman I'd passed, and so I stepped it up some more, as we actually would soon be "almost there". It wasn't long before I could hear "B.C. Johnny" Atkinson announcing the incoming racers, and we rounded the corner and there about 150 meters ahead was the finish line. I passed the guy just ahead of me and gave it all I had, managing to hold him off as we ran down the chute.
Photo by Teresa Nightingale

Joey Gargaro had crossed a few seconds ahead of me and was bent over trying to catch his breath. I said "Good race Joey!" and he was only able to give me a weak high five, having given it everything he had on the course, and leaving nothing out there. Vas came in right afterward and we talked a bit before heading over to the food tables. They had Clif bars, bananas, oranges and a massive amount of delicious melt-in-your-mouth goodies, home baked by the VFAC club members hosting the race.

Photo by Teresa Nightingale

Joe Astoria was staffing one of the tables and he asked how my race went. Just then Bill Chang walked up. I told him I really enjoyed it but I couldn't beat Bill today, and Joe said I'd get him next time. Ingo and Arnold walked up and we all talked about the race for awhile while eating our treats. Johnny called out Rob Daniel's name so I knew the end of the race was probably not too far off, and soon after Elsie Fontaine came in with husband Marc as her guide. Teresa got a couple of great pictures of them running the race.




After cheering them in I ran to my car to get my jacket and camera and headed back.
They were calling out draw prize winners, and then the awards presentation began. I'd talked to Marc Pinckard before the race and he said he hadn't been doing any speed work but that didn't stop him from finishing 13th overall and winning our age group. Mirabelle Tinio and Lenore Montgomery won their age groups too, with Lenore posting an elite time for her AG. Nicola Swain from my club, Rob Haines, and Rob Daniel all finished third in theirs, and Lynette Baldock was second.

We'd been talking to Ingo and I heard Johnny call his name out as winning the bronze in his AG. The other 2 winners had gone up to get their medals, but no Ingo. I looked around for him and finally spotted him talking to Rob Haines, and told him about his medal. He was totally surprised and waited until they finished the remaining presentations before going up and getting it. I'd forgotten that I had my camera in my pocket, but remembered it now and got him to pose for a picture, the best I could do for his photo op.

They were packing things up now and they told people to take food with them if they wanted. Some people were grabbing goodies and boxing them up, but I'd already stuffed my face enough. Like one woman said, just one of those cookies contained as many calories as we'd run off in the race. They did have lots of Clif bars left over so myself and Arnold grabbed a couple to take with us, we just couldn't eat anything else right then.

Johnny and the other volunteers only had the sound system to dismantle by this time, so we decided to head out, and we'd see each other at another race soon. A good time was had by all, and everyone agreed that VFAC knows how to put on a great event!


Results are up, and I was 54th overall out of 162, and 10 of 18 in my age group, with a time of 21:47. Slower than usual, but considering the circumstances, I was satisfied with my race.
Here's the course map:
Race photos by Teresa Nightingale:
27 minute video (contains almost everyone):
5.5 minute version (the start and top finishers):

My next race is the Lakeside Resort 5K in Penticton, on March 10 at 10 AM.