Coming out of the two most successful years in the 45-year history of the Vancouver Island Race Series, it is time for our VIRA annual general meeting (AGM).

Bob Reid, who helped to create the series and the Vancouver Island Runners’ Association (which owns the series and its races) has stepped down. On behalf of the board, volunteers, executive, and anyone who has crossed paths with Bob, we would like to say thank you for your many years of service to the association, the series and the many other contributions made to the Vancouver Island running community.

Chris Sullivan, a long-time Vancouver Island runner and long-time secretary with VIRA is now enjoying retirement and would like to spend more time with his family and enjoying running, in that order. Thank you to Chris for all of his contributions and indispensable assistance around meetings.

Therefore the association is seeking candidates for the positions of vice president and secretary.

Enquire about the two positions at the email address: info@islandseries.org.

The series is in good hands

The series is in good hands and is in a good position to venture into some changes. The series has had eight races over a 15-16-week span for most of the 45 years it has been in existence. But that has not always been the way.

Financially, each of the races has profited during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, after the uncertainty of the COVID pandemic and the fears around gathering that linger today. The growth is welcome.

While the series is careful about managing the brand, through traditional marketing, social media, and in-person relationships, it is incumbent on the organization to always take into account feedback from stakeholders.

Survey results

Stakeholders include sponsors, our local organizing clubs, season pass holders, and participants who take in one race at a time. From two annual post-series surveys, we have heard clearly that the community aspect of the races is important and must remain. We have also heard that while the faster runners have too many medals and ribbons in boxes in basements, many newer to competing, or those who don’t always finish in the top-10 or top-3, love the recognition.

The races are not cookie-cutter but offer varying experiences. Each course is different. Race events offer a menu special to them, unique awards and draw prizes. Announcers are individually selected by each race director. Each community is unique, from Sooke to Sidney and from Colwood to Courtenay. We will continue to keep our eyes on the many communities on Vancouver Island and opportunities to make changes.

Focussing on what we have, we need to make the post-race awards shorter. On the one hand, a long awards ceremony is what it is, long(ish). Runners socialize, people win draw prizes and are awarded medals and ribbons. The culture of racing continues. We accept that the primary way to shorten the post-race awards is to remove the awards altogether or most of them. We are not prepared to do that at this time.

Little things like moving the 10 winners away from the front to take photos to the side, while the next group comes up has improved some events. Pre-drawn prizes also take a few minutes off the schedule. Alternating age groups rather than calling young to old, or old to young, has improved some ceremonies.

But again, we need to accept that the post-race awards will not be short and we have to accept that some people need to leave. But we will continue to refine to improve the amount of time it takes to hand out awards, prizes and to thank sponsors, volunteers and all stakeholders.

Suggested change to the awards:

It has been suggested and is being considered to make the awards available at the time of the post-race ceremony only. The idea here is, if you have to leave, ask someone to pick it up for you. Otherwise, the award will be repurposed for another race and will not be available again.

Some races repurpose draw prizes as donations. So, rather than calling small awards with no recipient, it has been suggested to always pre-draw all prizes except for the big ones (ie., shoes). Donating, (as left over food is often done) is a nice gesture.

We welcome new ideas:

We anticipate a strong 2025, our biggest year yet

With the association and the series in terrific shape, we anticipate the biggest year in 2025. There is a running boom in place, again. While Vancouver Island has the most runners per capita in Canada and perhaps one of the most in the world per capita (there is no way of knowing), the race schedule is thick and heavy. We appreciate that you may want to race in other events.

Community road races are like the big professional road races: each race is measured and certified accurate by a World Athletics A measurer. The distances emulate the common lengths of well-known events. The series from time to time offer championships (and for all age groups, not just the elite). For example, the Cobble Hill 10K is the 2024 and 2025 provincial 10K championships. The Pioneer 8K has been the provincial 8K championships many times. More to come on this front.

Everyone is welcome. From the fastest to the slowest, from the youngest to the oldest, para, special and specially-abled. However, we are at the mercy of governing bodies such as municipal councils, local police service, the Ministry of Highways etc. In some cases, race events must be fully open to traffic by an agreed-upon time. While we accommodate all, for a few sometimes the finish is not the experience everyone else gets. You are still timed, have a sweep volunteer with you and access to medical, food, awards and draw prizes, hang in there.

During the post-race awards at the Bazan Bay 5K, VIRA offered season passes at the early-bird race including tax and with no admin. fee — how about that! Approximately 105 people took us up on the offer. The next opening of the season pass sales, will be the launch at the Royal Victoria Marathon Expo weekend.

We will have a little something-something added to the season pass launch in October, stay tuned.

Have a great summer of and fall of training, see you at the series launch in January at Frontrunners.