MEC # 2 Birds Hill Park Race

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

Saturday, January 18, 2014

From 400 Meters to the Half Marathon, and Everything In Between

On June 23rd, 2013 I ran the Scotiabank Half Marathon. When we started off from UBC at 9:30 AM I was with Tilman dressed in his Gingerbread Man suit. We were a lot farther back than we should have been, with people yelling "walk" when the gun went off, blocking those of us who thought that we were supposed to be running. Tilman did a great job in the early part of the race trailbreaking, and I followed him as we proceeded to pass hundreds of participants until we finally reached some going our pace.
 


It was a hot day and I eventually went ahead of Tilman. I wasn't sure how well I'd do as I hadn't been training for a race of this length, but mostly for much shorter track races. I concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other as quickly as I was able, spurred along by the fantastic people cheering us on. The screaming cheerleaders on Cornwall Street at Kits Beach were the ones I remember the most, giving me a big burst of energy that prompted me to smile and wave at them. Then it was onto and over the Burrard Street Bridge, down Pacific Avenue, into Stanley Park, and over the finish line!


 
It was my slowest ever half marathon race, but not exactly a disaster. I finished 430 out of 4076 overall, 30 of 200 in my age group, with a chip time of 1:40:20, and a gun time of 1:41:06. Tilman's times were 1:42:03 chip, 1:42:49 gun (gun & chip were 46 seconds apart for both of us, the time it took us to reach the start line after the race had started).
 
 
On June 26 I competed in the Remax Twilight Series # 3 T&F Meet at the South Surrey Athletic Park track. Being the only "old guy" in my races didn't help my placings, but I had some fun and just ran my own race. In the 400 meters I was 5 of 5 in my race with a PB time of 1:17.81. In the 800 meters I was 12 of 12 with a time of 2:48.44, and in the long jump I was 2 of 2 with a jump of 3.45 meters. Another great mid-week meet put on by Ocean Athletics!
 


 
Next up was another busy weekend, starting off with the Jack Brow Track & Field Meet on June 29th at the Apple Bowl in Kelowna. I was 5 of 5 overall in the long jump and 1 of 1 in my age group, with a jump of 3.53 meters, in the 800 meters I was 4 of 4 overall and 1 of 1 in my age group, with a time of 2:47.89, and in the 5000 meters, I was 5 of 5 overall, and 2 of 2 in my AG, with a time of 21:03.67.
 
On the morning of the 30th I ran the 1500 meters, and was 5 of 6 overall, and 2 of 2 in my AG, with a time of 5:41.33. I was registered to run the 400 meters too, but it was scheduled for the late afternoon. I had a long drive back to Vancouver plus a 10K race to run the next morning, so I thought it best to tell them to scratch me from this last event.


 
It was another great, fun meet with a huge amount of mostly young athletes from all over the province competing, as well as a fair sized contingent of young athletes from Australia.


 
 
On July 1st at 8 AM I ran the Rock 10K in White Rock.



 I was 11th overall out of 179 and managed to squeak out a medal by finishing 3rd in my age group. My time of 45:10 was less than stellar but it was an extremely hilly course and hot weather so quite happy with that. 



Drew Nicholson won the race in a time of 36:17, and a set diamond worth $349 courtesy of Jose & Co. to go with his medal!



 There was also a 5K run at the same time as our race, and the always fun kids run to round out the festivities. 



A pancake breakfast and Canada Day cakes (chocolate & vanilla) were highlights of the apres-race feast.