Hosted by Lions Gate Road Runners
Friday August 6^th, 2010
Balaclava Park, Vancouver

Here are results of the two mile races, including age-graded times and the relays.

Photos: Album 1 - Album 2 - Album 3

Seventh Annual "Miracle Mile" report by Roger Brownsey

Once again Lions Gaters and assorted friends gathered at the hallowed (and hollowed) cinder running track at Balaclava Park in Vancouver on Friday August 6th, 2010. The annual tradition keeps alive the spirit of the famous mile event held in 1954 at Vancouver's Empire Stadium - one of the events in the British Empire Games of that year. The fact that one of the great participants of the famous mile, Roger Bannister, had trained at Balaclava all those years ago and the original 440 yard track is still there adds a nice touch of interest. We were lucky that the parks crew had not yet begun the centennial re-surfacing of the track. Even so, the huge mound of dirt and cinders in place for the much-needed renovation did narrow the west side of the track to just two or three lanes. At least, if lanes were actually marked out, that might be the case.

Considering the amazing summer weather, the 6:30 pm start was a blessing as the late afternoon temperature had started to drop off a bit by the time we had gathered together all the predicted times and sorted the masses (well 30-ish) runners into two heats.

The first heat brought all sorts of new perspectives on running the mile. Bob Paul, now into his 9th decade was accompanied by Ed Macdonald in a mile walk. I should say that Bob would likely have been running had it not been for his impending angioplasty and a heart blood flow well below desirable levels. As it was, Ed and Bob's torrid pace still translated to a respectable 10-minute mile when age-adjusted. We must try to get founder member Ivor Davies and some other lads to join Bob and Ed again next year.

At the front end of the first heat, things were led off by Robert Haines and then really spiced up by newcomers and visitors Alamy Liu and the two "Elders" who ran nothing like their names suggested, despite wearing period long pants. I wish I could run 6-minute miles in a shirt and tie. Good job those guys as well as Robert, for his age-adjusted time close to five minutes. Rene McKibbin came in fifth overall and first lady in the heat, also claiming the master's women "award". I must remember those awards one day. Linda Wong was next lady to cross the line, being paced by Jordan Myers - one of two club members aiming for a bigger event the following weekend. Jordan's plan had something to do with a triathlon, but evidently not enough to hold him back from the mile AND the ensuing relay (of which more later). Shelly Webster takes another missing prize - for being bang on her predicted time of 7:15. Shelley also is in the running for the "most consistent" prize - being very close to her 7:11 of last year. Ky Quang also pushed Shelley in the latter category as his 6:28 was only 8 seconds off last year. One of the real revelations - was Alex Lau, who improved on his 2009 of 7:44 by a whopping 30 seconds. How can you possibly improve that much when you turn 64? I hope Alex will let me in on the secret - I'm four years younger and evidently losing about 10 seconds per year.

Moving quickly onto the "fast guys and gals" in the second heat, things were led off by a false start by Sparky Wickstead. The judges reluctantly re-instated him on appeal. In the end, Tim Adkins outleaned Russell Busche by just one second, although Russell's age-adjusted mark does him real credit. Newcomer Duncan Coo ran a superbly steady 5:30, being followed by another big improver - Kristyn Webster. Kristyn did not run in 2009 but had previously run a 6:01 in 2008. Two years of solid work sure paid big dividends as Kristyn ran a great 5:40 to hold off Newton Hoang, Jeremy peters, Carlos and Chris Erickson, all of whom finished within the next 8-9 seconds. Just a few more seconds back saw the big age-adjusted battle between Leo Lam and Jim Swadling, Jim being edged in absolute time but prevailing with a superb 4:37 age -adjusted time. Russell and Leo were a shade slower after age correction but all ran great times. Kelly Homenuk (also just one second faster than predicted) and Andre Gerard closed out the sub six minute milers but even they were only marginally ahead of Tom Mannion, Paul Fenz (fastest time by Paul in several years) and Angela Yap. I swear Angela ran her last lap in sub 70.

Once the dust of the mile heats had settled and the gasping had stopped, three intrepid teams stepped up for the 4 x 440 challenge. This provided a new "meet record" with the team of Tim, Leo, Jordan and Newton cranking out a mile in 4:23. In fact Newton came close to an individual meet record with a 61-secong clocking that has been bettered only once before at our event (by Jake Bartha's 60-flat). Time will tell if Newton can just sustain that tempo for three more laps. Following in the wake of the lead team were Elder (x2), Alamy and Carlos (4:45) and Robert, Andre, Chris and Duncan (4:59).

Of course the main event, the post-run picnic, took up the balance of another wonderful evening at Balaclava. I would like to say a big "thank-you" to all who contributed to running, helping (Frank, Mike, Geoffrey, Lynn and Al on timing and recording duties), or providing and setting up the food and drinks. Once again, we were treated to a terrific spread of goodies. On another happy note, I can report that the track renovations are starting to look pretty good. All the grass is now gone from the inside "lane" and the new layers of cinders are being spread over the surface. Remember those two-inch spikes next year and we'll see you again the first Friday in August.

Update: The top 10 poker hands from the 5K Poker Walk have been added to the results.

PHOTOS:
Photo albums can be viewed here and here. Thanks to photographer Linda Wong

Update: More race photos are here and here. Photographers Leo and Kevin Lam.
 

An ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajokull volcanic eruption in Iceland swept over Europe in the week before the London Marathon and grounded some 100,000 flights, stranding more than 10 million passengers. Eyjafjallajokull almost became my new swear word but, I can't pronounce it, and my flight was one of the first into Heathrow after airspace over London opened. I have never seen Heathrow so quiet. So Runner #54178 made it to the 2010 London Marathon. I think the race organizers were happy that most of the elite runners were able to get there just in the nick of time too. And so I find myself at Waterloo station ready to catch the train to Greenwich just before 8am Sunday April 25th. The day of the 30th running of the London Marathon, and the first year the race is sponsored by Virgin.

As we all bundle onto the packed train at Waterloo, there is lots of chatting and joking around, and enough liniment in the air to rub down a racehorse. It is a pleasant walk to Greenwich Park and, as we meander up a hill to the red start area clutching our red kitbags, a marshal quips "it's the only hill you'll have today". Everyone sits or lays down in the park like we are all on a giant picnic. A few drops of rain come down and no-one moves - it is warm enough not to be bothered by a bit of light rain. Then it really starts chucking it down, the grass suddenly clears, and everyone huddles under the large trees. As the clock clicks down to start time runners dash out from the shelter of the trees and into the rain to check-in their kitbags, after a warning that the bag-check lorries are leaving soon, and that running the race with your kitbag was "not a good look". Everything is so well organized, and everyone so friendly and polite, that every pre-race task seems effortless - I don't queue for anything - post-race the same experience.

After the rain it is overcast and muggy. I stand right at the back of my assigned pen, feeling decidedly jet-lagged but very happy just to be there. Beside me a blind runner and his circle of red-shirted guides. At 9.45am we were off! Well, after we shuffled forward for a bit and squeezed through the narrow gates leading out of Greenwich Park...we were off! The blue and green starts converge after ~1200m. The red start and the combined blue/green start don't see each other until about 3 miles, in Woolwich. There is a deep, low sound ahead on the course, and I wonder what it is. Then I turn the corner, see the point of convergence, and realize that the red start and blue/green starts are deriving great enjoyment by heartily booing each other.

It is difficult to spot a runner not wearing a charity shirt - more than 80% of the runners are running for charity and will raise more than £46m for numerous charities during this race. There is also a good showing of club singlets. My quandary about whether to wear my LGRR shirt or the Laureus Foundation shirt was quickly solved because my charity shirt was made with heavy dark material with bulky seams - for a short run it would be fine - for a marathon I had one word flash neon in my head...it was ‘chafe'. Apparently I wasn't the only one of Laureus's marathon runners to have comments on their shirt - so they plan to redesign for next time. Speaking of heavy fabrics and chafing, an amazing number are running in fancy dress - there is Felix the Cat, Gladiators, Nurses, various Superheroes, a Postman complete with large postbag, ballet dancers in tutus, a Dalek, various animals/vegetables and, of course, a Stormtrooper. The Empire's workplace ‘get fit' program gathering force after having been launched by Darth Vader at the Sunshine Coast April Fools Half Marathon a couple of weeks earlier.

Greenwich, Deptford, Bermondsey. We cross Tower Bridge at around 12 miles over to the North side of the river and I hit the halfway mark at 1.48. Well, it is nice to be on schedule for the first half - but we all know that is the easy bit. Here we run parallel to the route heading back to Westminster and see the elite men flying through 22 miles - the leader looks strong and has quite a bit of ground to play with - he is Kebede from Ethiopia - I will leave it up to him to prove that small can be mighty today. It is warm and humid - certainly warmer than ideal for me. But there are run-through showers on the route - they are gaspingly cold - I love them, I just need a mobile one to take along with me. My family (mum, dad, younger brother, and my daughter Mika) are out supporting me - dashing round various points in the course (I think they worked harder than I did) - I hear them yelling above me and wheel around to wave at them at Heron Quay (~15 miles). But the jet lag and the humidity start taking their toll (lets not even mention the long training runs I missed). I'm getting tired way too early, my pace slowing.

Throughout the race the London crowds are brilliant - being particularly enthusiastic, pint in hand, outside the pubs along the route - spectating being thirsty work. I start to feel that maybe I am on the wrong side of that equation.

Isle of Dogs, Canary Wharf, Poplar. We enter a tunnel and one runner bellows "Oggy-Oggy-Oggy!" and even though we are all tired the response comes back with incredible power and synchrony - "Oi! Oi! Oi!" reverberates off the tunnel walls. I imagine similar battle cries being used by early humans some 200,000 or so years ago (and football fans more recently). And now the battle really begins.

I am really struggling in the last miles, feeling light-headed - it seems like a dream to be running along the Embankment now - towards Westminster and the Houses of Parliament - and the crowds are unbelievable. A volunteer who hands me water says kindly "you are nearly there love". Big Ben, Birdcage Walk, the front of Buckingham Palace. Ahead I see two runners help-up and shoulder an exhausted runner between them to help him get to the end - each of them wearing different charity shirts. It's a moment that defines this marathon. It is just a right turn into The Mall and then the Finish Line.

I think I can reconcile being passed in the last mile by a giant bottle of Lucozade Sports Drink and Mr. Incredible, as this seems appropriately in-character - but being beaten by a wedge of cheese along Birdcage Walk just before the finish line was harder to take - you might be tempted to say ‘well that's just hard cheese' and I would have to agree. I guess he paced himself more caerphilly than I did.

And if you are planning on running London, be warned; there is a costumed nemesis for almost every speed - just look at these times:

Fastest runner dressed as Santa Claus: 2h 55mins

Fastest cartoon character (Fred Flintstone): 3h 07mins

Fastest vegetable (carrot): 3h 09mins

Fastest runner dressed as a baby: 3h 13mins

Fastest runner dressed as an animal (tiger): 3h 31mins

Fastest TV character (Dalek): 4h 01mins

Don't ask me what the cheese ran - but I know he beat 3.55 - which I have to admit is quite respectable for a high-fat dairy product.

My motivational training quote for Boston 2011: "Somewhere in the world a wedge of cheese is training when you are not. When you race him, he will win."

A remarkable and superbly organized race.

    
LGRR e-NEWSLETTER                                                               APRIL  25, 2010

1. NEXT LIONS GATE MEETING - May 12^th 2010,  7pm (Note date change from May 5^th)

Boston Pizza Metrotown  4680 Kingsway Burnaby, BC
AGENDA ITEMS

a. New members

b. Update - Running Room Shaughnessy 8K, May 30, 2010

c. Christmas Party, December 11, 2010? Location?

d. Race Reports from LGRR's - Boston? Vancouver?

d. LGRR 40th Anniversary celebrations - 2011 (committee)

e. 40th Annual Cunningham Seawall Race - Update

f. LGRR Relays for 2010 / 2011

g. Club subsidies 

h. Other Business  

Left to right they are:

• Kelly Homeniuk - 8th in division, 65th overall in 1-37-22

• Dario Herrera - 1st in div, 9th overall in 1-21-31

• Jeanne Kim - 2nd in div, 77th overall in 1-39-35 (good training for Jeanne's ironman preparations)

• Johnathan Ainsworth - 4th div, 15th overall in 1-23-36 (great to see John out there after watching his exploits on Thursday for the past few months)

• Jordan Myers - jogged much of the run with youngster in baby buggy and ran the last 5K !!

• Mark Williams - 4th div, 22nd overall in 1-25-35 (great effort considering Mark very recently logged the Chuckanut 50K trail race)

• Al Thompson - 7th div, 252 overall in 2-04-32

Not shown above is Tim (Darth Vader) Adkins who ran in costume "to hold myself back for the Sun Run". Honest, guys, I have no idea how Tim could even breathe inside that helmet, never mind run 1-35-38 to place 6th in div and 57th overall. In case you're wondering, he carried a straw to allow drinking at aid stations!

Congratulations to all - this is NOT a flat course and most of our GPS's pegged it a tad long as well. About 450 finished the run.

Thanks to Roger Brownsey for this report.

I ran Honolulu Marathon on Sunday, December 13th. My results were as follows:

Finished 106 out of 20,321 overall 3/897 in my age category.

My final time:03:05:52 Chip time: 3:05:52, minute per mile pace:7:06,

10k time: 41:11, 1/2 way time: 1:28:11, 30k time:2:06:21, 40k time: 2:55:10

It was a tough race from 30k on. The day started out at about 23 degrees and clear. We started at 5:00am under a sky of fireworks. Each mile and every 5k were marked making it easy to check pace. There were aid stations with water, Gatorade, ice & sponges at about every 2 miles throughout the course. Compared to a normal year there was little wind and slightly lower than normal heat & humidity. The sun came up at about 7:00am and started to really heat things up by 7:30. There were about 16,000 or so Japanese runners in the event.

I managed to stay on pace up to about 30k then started to slow a bit even with consuming 7 gels and 8 salt capsules and Gatorade at each aid station. I pulled out every trick from my bag of tricks to keep my pace up in the last 6 miles, keeping my cadence up, using positive thoughts, segmenting the course, watching for my wife, Cara, at the bottom of the Diamond head Hill, and more. There is a good hill (Diamond Head Volcano) at 7-8 miles on the way out and 23.5 - 24.5 miles on the way back that certainly garners attention. While heading for the finish at 24-25 miles there were participants in 2's and 3's at 8 miles heading out on the course and thinking about what they had ahead of them gave me a little impetus.

Today I'll go for a nice scenic bike ride to Kailua & back (about 50 miles). It isn't too hard to stay motivated for training in Honolulu! Cara & I are in Honolulu until December 31st and we should move into our new condo on the water this week!

Happy training everyone!

Submitted by Mark Shorter