Cedar 12K Archives - Vancouver Island Race Series

The Cedar 12K road race made a triumphant return to the streets of Cedar, BC on Sunday. The Bastion Run Club-organized race had a two-year pandemic break and was back with its largest field in a decade with 432 finishers, the sixth most in the race’s 31-year history.

Meanwhile, winners Logan Roots and Meg Lewis-Schneider returned to the Vancouver Island Race Series in triumphant fashion winning in the times of 38:56 and 43:57, respectively.

Logan Roots with the win. Photo credit: Joseph Camilleri

Roots started with a few competitors but left them after 1K. He built a lead that he kept it from gun to tape. It was a course and distance personal best for the Courtenay-based member of Esprit RC.

“That [race] went better than expected. I didn’t really have a plan or a goal besides going out hard enough to regret how hard I went out and overall that went well,” shared the Canadian military member. “I still had the marathon in my legs today.”

Roots ran the Houston Marathon in January and will be racing the Sooke 10K in two weeks time.

Finishing in second place was Cole Czuchnicki in the time of 42:05. Taking third and first master was Keith Mills who clocked a new personal best of 42:27.

Lewis-Schneider finished first woman and ninth overall. In 2023, she was going to take a hiatus from racing, however, went to cheer on fellow Esprit RC members during the Harriers Pioneer 8K — the first race of the series (Sun., Jan 8). She subsequently signed up for the series, wishing she was in that race.

Lewis -Schneider won her previous Island Series race one year ago taking the Cobble Hill 10K in 35:37.

“I started training in mid-January, so today was really just a starting point. I am going to do the rest of the series, but I had no expectations, so, I am pleased with the result,” shared Lewis-Schneider.

Meg Lewis-Schneider with the win. Photo credit: Joseph Camilleri

Taking second place was Briana Brandon with her 46:32 finish time. Natasha Parsons took third in the time of 46:51. The first master was Lucy Smith (55-59) in the time of 48:09.

The next race in the Vancouver Island Race Series takes place Sunday, February 26 in Sooke at the Westcoast Running Sooke 10K.

Information about the race series is available at www.islandseries.org.

One aspect of self awareness is the ability to be open minded. That is, to know when our perspective of a situation is based on our opinion or point of view, and to understand that there may be other ways to thinking about things. I was recently offering some advice to a friend who is pondering running the Finlayson Arm 50k. My perspective came from my opinions about training, preparation, and execution of such an event and was focussed on what practices and habits will be required for success. Another friend of his simply said “Drink a bunch of beers the night before and SEND IT!”

There have been times in my coaching life that I feel like the ‘Lucy’ from the Peanuts cartoon, dispensing advice for 5 cents. Obviously, my advice to runners always come from the perspective of what I have learned over many years. What follows then, are the most common themes of running advice I have dispensed over the years, distilled into five tips.

1. Develop positive habits

Have the courage to know when your habits are creating the same mistakes over and over and cultivate the courage to change these. Good habits work for you, and easily become the norm for your workouts.

Take care of basic details: prep logistics and being organized with gear and time.

Find and embrace opportunities to succeed. You get better at this the more you practice it.

Weather the ups and downs of training and racing. Be no nonsense about that one. Life goes up and down. It just does.

Do not entertain a change of heart when having a tough day or after a tough race. Allow time to emotionally recover from disappointment. Reflect and move on.

2. Reflect honestly

Review your races. Improve what you can and give yourself credit for what you did well.
Refine what didn’t go so well. Be honest with yourself, without judgement.

3. Take care of yourself and surround yourself with a healthy community of friends

Eat well, sleep well, and take care of your body and health. It is quite simple.

Surround yourself with likeminded positive people who lift you up. Put yourself in environments that support your dreams and passions. (Such as the Island Series and other events). In other words, spend your time well.

4. Listen to others

You never know what you may learn but be discerning as well. From what you learn, custom build the program and lifestyle that works for you.

Find a greater purpose

Give back when you can. Share the joy of your process and your achievement and celebrate others’ successes. Find opportunities to give back and accept opportunities to give back when they come. Thank the volunteers.

Run For Joy!