We’ve had five races to warm up, and now the big guns are coming out: the Comox Valley RV Half Marathon, organized by the Comox Valley Road Runners. It’s only one of two opportunities to run a distance over 10 km in the series and be ranked in the overall Series results.
It’s not only a good race to secure your spot in the overall rankings: it is also a good course to perform well. The race offers an out-and-back course, and while it has a fair bit of uphill, it also has its share of downhill.
Elevation graph of Comox Valley RV Half Marathon course.
Mentally, I like to divide the course up into four parts. Each part has a different profile, so it’s useful for building my race strategy. Breaking the race up into pieces is also quite nice to make it mentally more manageable to get ready for a long, hard-effort run.
The first part is approximately 5 km long. If you have a goal time in mind, figure out what splits you need if you were to run a flat race. This part of the course is relatively flat – give or take a bump or two – so in this part, you can simply hit these splits. There’s genuinely nothing remarkable about this section, so use it to find your groove and settle in.
The second part is where you will have to grit your teeth because it’ll be uphill until you’ve pretty much hit the halfway point. You have two choices: slow down or blow up. I recommend the first option: slow down a bit. Don’t forget it’s an out-and-back course so you’ll get the downhill portion later where you can make up time. Don’t slow down too much either, it’s fine to be a tad uncomfortable, but don’t overdo it.
Part three starts at the turnaround. Now it’s time to turn it up a notch. Go just a bit faster until you get over a bump at KM 12. Once you see the 12KM sign, it’s time to add a little spice to your race. The downhill stretch lasts for about 6KMs, so the course will help you just roll down. If you add a little bit of power, you’ll make up lots of time and you can definitely hit splits you wouldn’t normally expect to see in a half marathon.
Once your watch beeps for KM18, you should quickly check in with yourself. Since it is only three more km to go, there are a couple of different scenarios. Maybe you feel a little winded, in which case it’s too early to keep pushing really, really hard. It would be a shame to blow it in the last KM. While you can’t really win your PB in the final kilometre, you sure can lose it. So maybe settle back into a comfortably uncomfortable pace, and when you have about a mile to go, slowly start turning it up again if you can. Alternatively, you may still feel grand after all that downhill. If you have more left in the tank for the last three KM, just keep on going. You’ve hit a stellar average for 18 km already, why wouldn’t you be able to do it for just a bit longer? This is where your body will tell you what you can and cannot do. It’s up to you whether you think it’s worth listening. There’s no single right answer it might be too risky, or it might be a risk that will pay off. You’ll only know during the race.
Start of 2023 Comox Valley RV Half Marathon. Photo credit: Joseph Camilleri.
No matter how things unravel, it will be a spectacular race. If you’ve never run a negative split, this is the course to change that. It’s going to be a great adventure, so get ready!
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Canada’s Natasha Wodak and Dayna Pidhoresky, both from Vancouver, will race the Comox Valley RV Half Marathon on Sunday, March 24. Additionally, local runner, Roslyn Smith will seek the women’s 75-79 age-group world record.
The Comox Valley RV Half Marathon is on projection to have its all-time record number of finishers broken by a large margin. The current record was 601 finishers from the 2010 edition of the race. Organizers Rob Kelly and Wayne Crowe expect 750 to 800 runners and a few walkers.
The 38th annual event will likely see the women’s course record eclipsed by both athletes.
Also, Comox Valley Road Runners athlete Roslyn Smith seeks to add to her list of national and world records with a world best time of sub-1:46:08. The national record is 1:47:08.
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I had intended to run the Hatley Castle 8K but we were travelling home that morning after a weeklong family Reading Week vacation back east and I got sick on the flight home. I brought along my race bib for nothing. This illness sidelined me for a week and a half and, in the lead-up to the Sooke River 10k, I had only managed a terrible 23k long run last week and no other running all week. So what was the Westcoast Sooke River 10K going to look like for me?
I knew it was a rolling out-and-back course — I quite like the out-and-back courses — but having run so little the previous two weeks, my “B” goal was to try to run under my age. I just turned 56 on Friday, so this was a realistic goal for me. My “A” goal was to beat my Cobble Hill 10K time. My race strategy was going to be to try running while feeling a little uncomfortable, find a runner to keep pace with and then try to pass them in the second half.
So what happened? You may ask.
Approaching the 3k mark, the first of the leaders were already on their way back, but I also made a note that we were going down a hill, meaning we’d be going uphill on the way back. This could be a challenge.
By the 5k turnaround, I still had my pacer in sight ahead of me and another, faster friend who was also ahead of me. I managed to power up the hills and pass my first pacer and, to my surprise, I had reeled in and passed my faster friend too. She’s been faster than me at every Island Race Series race so far, so I knew this meant she was not having a good race.
With two kilometres to go, I managed to push a little harder and sprinted for the finish. I could see the clock and pushed hard to beat the 56:00 gun time. It was not after I crossed the finish line and stopped my watch that I knew I was a few seconds over 55 minutes. I beat my Cobble Hill 10K time —“A” goal success!
One of my best friends, who lives in Langford and knew I’d be doing this race, had decided in the last couple of weeks to sign up for the Sooke 10K too and, though she had done a long trail run the day before, she wasn’t too far behind me. It was really special to be able to celebrate our races together.
The post-race food was next level. Two large, fluffy, fluffy pancakes served with strawberries, whipped cream and two sausages were such an unexpected treat! I knew there were pancakes and sausages, but the strawberries, whipped cream and the sheer size of the pancakes took me totally by surprise. What was even more delightfully surprising was the inclusion of vegan pizza slices and celiac-friendly options as well. The race organizers really went the extra mile to include everyone! Besides the amazing post-race treats and the age group prizes, the best part of the Vancouver Island Road Race Series for me has been the warm and friendly community of runners I’ve met. At each race, I’ve met new people and it’s so much fun to see them along the course and to be able to yell out their name and cheer them on. After each race, I found myself saying, “That was so much fun. I would totally do this race again!”. I love this race series! See you at the Comox Valley RV Half Marathon.
https://www.islandseries.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Karen_Sooke2.jpg20481536Website Adminhttps://www.islandseries.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/cropped-4-300x300.jpgWebsite Admin2024-03-11 14:51:122024-03-11 14:51:18Karen McCullough: “The post-race food was ‘next level'”
Sander wearing the Hyperion Elites at Hatley Castle 8K. Photo credit: Joseph Camilleri
With the fourth race just behind us, we’re at the halfway point in the series. This likely is the point in the season where you’ve probably put lots of miles on your trainers, and perhaps also on your race shoes. So you might want to be looking for a fresh pair of shoes for the next phase in your training and for the second half of the race series.
With both Brooks and Frontrunners Footwear, the Island Series has two great sponsors that can help you to the right pair of shoes. Brooks recently launched two updated shoe versions: The first one is the newest version of the Brooks Glycerin, their higher-cushioned daily trainer. The second one is the Hyperion Elite, their carbon-plated race shoe. Island Series Ambassador Sander Nederveen put both shoes on his feet and gave them a spin around town. Read his thoughts below.
Brooks Glycerin 21
The new Glycerin is a super comfortable shoe. I keep reaching for them when I want to go for an easy run, or even just for a walk. The toe box is a bit wider than in other Brooks shoes, which is quite nice for somewhat wider-footed people like me. Aside from a comfortable fit, there’s a lot of cushioning too. It’s the kind of cushion that absorbs a fair bit of the impact when you’re running, but simultaneously gives you a bit of a bounce. On a longer run, the shoe performed well: the shoe didn’t force me to work harder (which heavy cushiony shoes sometimes do), although it also didn’t have the energy return of a tempo/race day shoe.
Essentially, the Brooks Glycerin 21 is a solid and sturdy shoe for your easy recovery run after work or an easier longer run.
Brooks Hyperion Elite V4
It was at Hatley Castle 8K that I christened the Brooks Hyperion Elite v4s. I didn’t know what to expect, because Brooks has been hyping this shoe for some time, but their previous race-day shoe didn’t get very much critical acclaim.
The Elites exceeded my expectations. Even during my warm-up, I had to control of my pace: the shoe wanted me to go faster. During the race, I learned that it’s a solid race-day shoe. The energy return is high, and in some sense, it feels like your shoes are encouraging you to go give ‘er. So I did!
Glycerin GTS (support) in black and Green shoe in front: Brooks Hyperion. Photo credit: Joseph Camilleri
Something I realized after I had worn the shoe for a while, is how normal the shoe felt. Race day shoes can feel very unstable, and sometimes flimsy around your feet. Not the Brooks Hyperion Elite: I felt stable and it’s quite comfortable.
My first impression of this shoe is good. It held up super well on a wet and muddy course. I’m excited to lace it up for the Westcoast Sooke 10K and the Comox Valley RV Half Marathon later this month and try it out on longer courses.
If you’re excited to try out these shoes and/or get yourself a pair, stop by at Frontrunners Victoria. There’s a Brooks shoe for every type of runner and Frontrunners will have them for you. And who knows, maybe I’ll be there to help you out and find the right shoe for you.
When I first read Hatley Castle 8K, I immediately thought like anyone would; of magic and folklore. And while indeed it’s a beautiful architecture; magic quickly transformed into adventure. With a 95 per cent chance of precipitation, I anticipated a wet, west coast running race.
Like any quest, Hatley promised an “over the hill and around the bend” course. I started the course with a gentle decline slope leading to ocean views. Headwinds on that moody February morning combined with rainfall set the scene for a J.R.R. Tolkien quest more than a Disney fairytale. Then suddenly at 2K the course took a rolling incline; with a baby hill and then a mama hill. In my peripheral I viewed stone walls with vines as the castle awaits at the bottom, connecting one hill to another. Perfect placement to occupy my thoughts as I climbed and climbed. If magic was really here, there would have been a unicorn ride with a catchy soundtrack. Yet, this is a running race and I kept perspective and pulled one foot up after the other. Trumpets sound triumph as raindrops trample trees; the beast of a hill has been slayed. And soon the summit brought me into the forest.
By this point, I am drenched from torrential rainfall. Washing away all that sparkly sweat. And the only twinkle was that of a wiggle in my toes to keep warm. ‘Are we having fun yet?’
Well, this was Hatley Castle and I was on an adventure.
I sloshed through muddy puddles which I didn’t care to miss because Hurricane Hatley had left me already soaked. Around 6K the wind picked back up like a big ugly monster. As the fauna ahead led to the end of this quest, I took time to enjoy the eye of the storm. As the path was smirking with pools of rainfall and paces were withheld by potentially slippery corners there is something. Something in lieu of a rainbow and sunshine. And it’s you, my running friend. Sometimes, the prize is within the adventure.
You see, I set to make my best 8K time on this day. But fate had otherwise. I knew that morning weather would withhold my goals. Like any true adventurer, I adapted… Close to me from the starting line was a team of runners. Their goal: to finish. More than that. To finish happily. While I was caught up on the weather and the letdown by the downpour they offered an opportunity. And that is the heart of VIRS. The eye of the storm; the beauty within. Showing up and completing the adventure with your team. Coming together to cheer each other on despite coastal conditions and soggy socks. Chasing personal best times is rewarding. Seeing the race through with the team is the trophy.
Now I’m left wondering, will the next race recap be named “Soggy Sooke 10K” from winter weather on Vancouver Island. Or perhaps “Sunny Sooke 10K”?
See you there!
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So the third race of the 2024 Vancouver Island Series, the Cedar 12k, fell on the day after another event in my calendar, a retirement party for local sporting legend and SMUS teacher Ian Hyde Lay. Let’s just say that a good time was had by all. Those who visited the Bard and Banker that evening, and let’s also say that when my Sunday morning alarm went off, racing 12k was far, far from my mind.
But, mainly because I volunteered to drive the carpool (sucker!), off I went. I said to one of my club mates that I was going to take a wait-and-see approach. And after a cup or two of black coffee, a bite to eat and some last-minute hydration on the drive up, I was feeling good enough to toe the line. Not good enough to challenge my PB, mind you, but still OK. In the back of my mind, I thought “Well, let’s start at a minimal effort pace (5:00/km for me), and see how we do.” And then the horn went on the start line, and away we went…
Sean Mitchell finishing the Cedar 12K. Photo credit: Christopher Kelsall
And of course, all those good and sensible ideas got thrown out the window. Truth be told, I got into a comfortable rhythm and managed a respectable 4:30/km for the first 5k. After getting to the one standout ‘hill’ at that point (and waving at Brandon and Dusty already headed back…), I took a bit of stock of my condition and felt pretty good, truth be told.
I decided on the way back to see if I couldn’t get progressively faster on the return. And I ended up doing just that, negative splitting by almost two minutes (26:53/25:07) to finish right around 52:00, which would have been just 5 seconds off my PB. If it hadn’t been determined later that the course was approximately 90m short. Ah well. That time was still good enough for 10th place in the horrendously competitive M50-54 age group. So I was pretty pleased overall. And the warm hospitality and snacks from our friends at Bastion Run Club made it a great day.
Hang around and socialize afterwards, and cheer on the award winners
What NOT to do
Neglect your hydration and race prep as I did
Get too excited with the first 1k downhill – hope you didn’t go out too fast!
This coming Sunday, Feb 25th is the unique Hatley 8k, put on by Frontrunners Athletic Club on the grounds of Royal Roads University in Colwood. I say unique because it’s part road, part trail with a sizeable hill in between. This is a race to focus on effort, not pace or time, but don’t let that scare you – it’s a great course and a lot of fun. Hope to see you there!
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The next race in the series is Hatley Castle 8K, and you’re in for an absolute rollercoaster of a course. The rollercoaster includes an interesting collection of hills, variations in terrain, and a fast finish.
This course is not your typical PB course. Unless you’re faster uphill than downhill, you likely won’t pull off your best-ever time in the 8K. But that is the trade-off for all the fantastic things this course has to offer.
In the first half kilometre, you will go towards the lagoon on a gentle downhill. With fair weather, you will forget to look at your watch and will simply be amazed by the gorgeous views of the Olympic Mountains. While you’re still processing that you’re in one of the most beautiful spots on the island, you head uphill and will soon be surrounded by trees before your watch beeps that you finished your first klick.
Sander Nederveen finishing 2024 Cedar 12K. Photo credit: Christopher Kelsall
That’s when you’re in for a treat: the uphill gets a bit steeper, and the course will turn right. More uphill you go. You may wonder: what’s the point of this hill? The answer is exactly what you would expect: there is no point. We are Vancouver Islanders; we just love hills for the sake of them.
You will go up until you hit kilometre 2, and then you turn right around and go back down. Once you’re back down and you are still wondering what it is all for, your thoughts will get interrupted by yet another hill. Did I tell you yet that this course is an absolute rollercoaster? Well, you will have found out by now. After you climb this hill at kilometre 3, things slow down for a bit. Some rolling up and down, and you might almost start thinking that it’s a normal course.
The joke’s on you! Just after the 5th kilometre, you suddenly take a sharp turn into the woods, and you will be dodging roots and trail running pretty much until the finish line. A big downhill will be waiting for you in the last kilometre, and you will fly to the finish line.
I look forward to toeing the line and having an absolute blast out at Hatley Castle, taking on the challenging hills and the beautiful trails. I hope to see you there!
One of two major hills at 1K. Photo credit: Joseph Camilleri
How do you prepare for a 12k race when you’ve never run one before? This was me going into the Cedar 12k. A 10k race, sure I know what to expect, even a half marathon. But a 12k? What was I going to do about pacing? I decided I wouldn’t worry about it and just go with “This is a 10k, but just a little longer.” Having just done a 19k long run in my training for the Comox Valley RV Half Marathon coming up on March 24, 12k should be a breeze, I told myself.
I knew it was a rolling, out-and-back course, and the hills weren’t going to be too bad. Now, I live near Mount Tzouhalem, so I KNOW hills! Doing some quick math on my way, I figured I’d try to stick with my 10k time from the Cobble Hill 10k. The second race of the series just two weeks earlier. And the plan was to just stick it out another 2k. My B goal would be sub-1:10 and my A goal would be sub-1:08. Shouldn’t be too hard, right?
Karen McCullough at the finish at 2024 Cedar 12K. Photo credit: Christopher Kelsall
My husband and I arrived good and early and had plenty of time to get his bib and get a 2k warmup in. We lucked out with the weather. By race time, the rain had eased up and I decided to go without my rain jacket and just the long-sleeved shirt. We all gathered at the start and, I guess I was too far back, but I didn’t hear a start horn or anything and everyone just started running. It’s a small enough race that this wasn’t a huge deal. It’s chipped-timed so it doesn’t matter when you cross the start line anyway, right?
Heading out, I kept it kind of conservative but still within my 10k pace. I saw a young woman pass me from behind and she reminded me of a friend in Vancouver, so I decided I’d stick with her and keep her in sight as long as possible. The course was so enjoyable. With a couple of turns in the first three kilometres and then gentle rollers to the 6k turnaround. I took note of my time at the turnaround and did some mental math to see what my finish time might be. By then, I knew what to expect going back and decided to kick it up a notch. I started passing people and it felt good. At some point between 8 and 9k, I even managed to pass “my friend.”
So at 10k, how am I doing?
At 10k, I was just a few seconds slower than my time at the Cobble Hill 10k. But I had enough steam in me to really give’er in the final 2k. With 1k to go, I saw my husband on the other side of the road running towards me. He had already finished his own race, and he ran me in with lots of encouraging words. When we turned that final corner, I could see the finish, I really let it rip and hoofed it to the finish to leave everything on the course.
I could see the clock as I got closer to the finish and knew I was not only going to beat my B goal of sub-1:10, but I also beat my A goal of sub-1:08. With a chip time of 1:06:48. This turned out to be good enough for 8th in my age category of F55-59. I received a beautiful red ribbon to commemorate that.
One thing I’ve really loved about the series is the absence of participation medals, but medals and ribbons for up to 10th place in each age category. Who needs another participation medal? Not me. This, I’m sure, helps to keep the races at such an affordable price. I wish other races would adopt this measure!
Even though my husband and I have only lived on the Island for five and a half months, we’ve already met so many amazing people in the Vancouver Island running scene through our local run groups and especially through the Vancouver Island Race Series. During the race, when I started seeing the runners who’d already turned around at 6k, I couldn’t believe how many runners I knew and could cheer on by yelling their names.
With a chip time of 56:46 at the Cobble Hill 10k being nowhere near my PB of 50:52, I’m still really proud of myself. I am proud of my race at the Cedar 12k. I’m in my late 50s now, and 5 years older than when I ran a 50-minute 10k and not every race is going to be a PB, and that’s ok! The important thing is this: did I have fun? You bet I did! Will I do this race again?
Abso-f’ing-lutely
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During the 1890s, Oscar Wilde wrote a frivolous comedic play about people putting on a fake persona to avoid social interactions. He titled it, The Importance of Being Earnest. The play is as important to the culture as anything Shakespeare wrote. Three Hollywood movies were titled The Importance of Being Earnest from 1952, 1992 and 2002. Why all the twos? Well, numbers are important, especially bib numbers in running.
The importance of being a bib wearer (this is serious bibness)
During any race, runners (and when we write runners, we mean runners and walkers) need to wear a race bib. In part, the purpose is so to identify the runner in photos or video, to record start and finish times and to record splits in between the start and finish (when in longer races).
For example, if you run a marathon, perhaps the timing company is taking split times at 10K, 21.1K and 32K.
Or a 10K is taking half splits at 5K. Sometimes there is a prim, like at the St. Patrick’s Day 5K in Vancouver. The first person who crosses the one-mile timing mat male or female, who also finishes the race top 10, wins money — a prim! The idea here is to avoid giving someone money who ran the final 3.4K in 20 minutes but ran 4:10 to the one-mile timing mat.
Also, for security, safety, and dispute resolution reasons.
There is a lot of stuff about wearing a bib. So, as you can see, runners do not wear a bib just to show that they are racing.
What about elite bibs?
There is yet another reason that runners need to wear a bib. Let’s say you are super fast. Let’s say that you are super fast and seeded in the top 10 males or top 10 females. Well, identifying who the runners are at the front is important for several reasons:
1. Breaking a record. For example, a provincial, national or world open or age-group or master or junior record. There is a ratification process that follows before a record is certified.
2. Qualifying for provincial, national, or international competition. Governing bodies need to make sure the athlete is the athlete, not an imposter. And just to simply identify them.
3. To help identify who finished ahead in a dead heat.
4. The announcer needs to be able to see the number so as to call out their names to the spectators, volunteers and media who are on site.
Where to wear your bib
Simple: Wear your bib so it is visible from the front. With three or four pins, affix the bib to the front of your shirt over your stomach, or chest.
Do not wear your bib on your back, side, hip, inside a jacket or in any way that it is not visible from the front. Also, if the chip is covered up, the runner will not get a time or could be disqualified.
Some races deem this so important, that they reserve the right to disqualify someone who does not wear the bib properly.
For the Vancouver Island Race Series season pass holders, do not throw your two bibs away. Also, do not wear both bibs at the same time. One bib should last the entire eight races; however, you are given a second one just in case you destroy the first one or something happens to it. For example, you are at a bonfire and marshmallow roast and you were still wearing your bib from the race earlier that day. So, you bend over the fire and were set alight by a rogue flame — don’t do that.
The benefit of having a season pass bib is that you no longer need to line up at each race to pick one up. This saves you time and saves you from arriving as early as you normally would. It saves the race from having to have as many volunteers as they had in the past. This is also good for the environment, with two bibs per person rather than 5 to 8.
If you are worried about being earnest at a race or not, you do not have to socialize. Furrow your brows, look down and angry and grit your teeth. No one will come near you.
Where does a bib come from?
2024 series ambassador Sander Nederveen getting the bib-wearing down exactly right.
Well, the race director or organizing committee member tasked with this job, seeks quotes from bib suppliers. There are many. Once the price, ETA, and quantities are agreed upon, the timing company needs to be informed. Also, marketing comes into play, here. Do we want colours? Sponsor branding for extra visibility? Size, seeded numbers and which type of fibre product? All these things come into play.
The timing company will take your list of runners and their:
Age DOB Gender And name and correlate with bibs.
Will coordinate all the registrants with the series of numbers that you have worked out with the bib company. What if we want personalized bibs? “Susan” or how about a specific number like “420” or a special personal number?
There is shipping. Where to? How much? How fast?
Once all the hundreds or thousands or tens of thousands of bibs have arrived and the long lists of runners are included, we need to find a way for each person to get the right bib number associated with the right person. This takes time, then volunteer coordination and events to be publicized to get people to show up (not at the last minute).
So, for the first race of the 2023 and 2024 Vancouver Island Race Series, we had a Friday night social event with beverages, food, draw prizes, and speeches. We had separate volunteer crews for season pass pickup as well as Pioneer 8K pickup.
That was Friday….
Saturday, we had race and season pass pick up at Frontrunners Shelbourne. We had the social at Frontrunners downtown.
So, the numbers, pins, and lists needed to safely go from back east, to the interior of BC, then to the Island and then to Frontrunners downtown. Then the packages needed to get to Frontrunners Shelbourne for the next morning. More volunteers, more sorting and wading through lists.
Then Sunday, all the numbers that are remaining, for Pioneer and season passes go to North Saanich Middle School for final race package pick up. After Pioneer, the remaining season pass bibs go to the next race, to join the next race’s volunteer crew for disbursement. When 541 finishers at Pioneer and then 596 finishers at Cobble Hill all crossed the line as planned — all but a small handful had issues.
Almost all issues were runner-caused.
But all is forgiven. The (Startline) timing company hits the ball out of the park solving the issues related to lost times, incorrect bibs, lost bibs, and incorrect numbers.
So, next time that you pick up a race bib, take care of it (them), do not trade it with a fellow runner, and do not throw it away in case you were not informed that the bib is for the whole season. (sometimes we err and you forgive, thank you).
Have at least three pins, if not four.
And do not panic. We are here to help. But the more results that are correct and without issue, the better off the universe will be.
Happy racing.
To vandalize a famous Wilde quote from the aforementioned play, “I have never met any really wicked person before. I feel rather frightened. I am so afraid he will look just like everyone else not wearing the right race bib.”
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Twenty-three-year-old Andrew Davies, a law student at the University of British Columbia, clocked a 29:32 performance for the win at the BC 10K Championships. Meanwhile, Glynis Sim with the Vancouver Thunderbirds recorded a 33:23 time to take the women’s race. Both are personal best and new course and event record performances.
The men’s race
The men’s race finish order sorted itself out very quickly. Davies ran to the front and kept and grew the lead throughout.
“My previous best was from Ottawa in May at 29:37. I know I am in good shape gearing up for the World Cross Country Championships in March and I felt it was a good effort today,” shared Davies. “It was a good course.”
Andrew Davies winning the Cobble Hill 10K and BC 10K Championships in a new course record and personal best time of 29:32. Photo credit: Joseph Camilleri.
Finishing in second place in the men’s race was Ocean Athletics Track and Field Club’s Yemane Mulugeta from Surrey. He also won the junior U20 title clocking a 30:54 finish time. Taking third was Aidan Anderson of Courtenay in the time of 31:09.
The first 35-plus master was the Cowichan Valley’s Dusty Spiller who finished in 31:30.
Women’s race
The same race tactic could be said for Sim, however, she did have a chance to work with some male runners in a pack, but soon dropped them and finished the final few kilometres running alone.
For Sim, she improved her own personal best by over a minute having run 34:19 in Sept. As a post-grad athlete, she is still undecided if she will focus on the 1500m or 5000m event. She will be competing in the World Cross Country Championships on March 30 in Belgrade, Serbia.
“I am happy with the performance. I was hoping to run around the time that I did,” shared Sim. “Coming up I will be race an indoor meet in Boston, then the World Cross Country Championships in March.”
Taking second was Anja Krueger, who was coming off a win during the Harriers Pioneer 8K two weeks prior. Both the Pioneer 8K and Cobble Hill 10K are part of the Vancouver Island Race Series. Krueger finished in 35:16. Katie Newlove took third in 35:30.
Vancouver Thunderbird Glynis Sim winning in a new course and personal best record time of 33:23. Photo credit: Joseph Camilleri
Victoria’s Care Nelson with the Prairie Inn Harriers Running Club won the women’s master 35-plus race. She finished in the time of 36:25. Comox Valley Road Runner member, Roslyn Smith, who broke the 75-79 age group record at the Pioneer 8K, did it again. At the Pioneer 8K she recorded a 39:02 finish time, at Cobble Hill she finished the 10K in 49:04. She is two-for-two with world records in 2024. Smith will have the opportunity to break more world records at the Cedar 12K in Nanaimo on Feb. 11 as well as the Comox Valley RV Half Marathon in March.
There was a total of 596 finishers, the most in the event’s history.
The next race in the series is the Cedar 12K on Superbowl Sunday, Feb. 11. Start time is 11:00 AM, which leaves plenty of time to race, then prepare for kickoff.
https://www.islandseries.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/DSC_1414-scaled.jpg17072560Website Adminhttps://www.islandseries.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/cropped-4-300x300.jpgWebsite Admin2024-01-28 16:48:032024-01-28 16:48:13Multiple records were broken at 2024 Cobble Hill 10K and BC 10K Championships
