It’s over for another year! 80 club members - assisted by 170 friends, family and fabulous community volunteers made 2009 a great success. And we had a little help from the weather!
Here’s how the day unfolded for club members:
After a full day of prep on Saturday ( and for some a full day on Thursday/Friday as well) Sunday’s start time came VERY early.
The first volunteers arrived at the Roundhouse at 5:00 am to setup the start/finish and the course, get the water to the water stations, prep for packet pickup and bag check, and prepare food to serve to 2000 guests.
The first runners started to appear around 6:30am. At 8:20 most runners were in the “corral” ready for the start (as per Ellie’s instructions). And promptly at 8:30 the race began.
About 3 minutes after the start, the trucks were at the start line to move the assembly to the finish area. Packet pickup had shut down and bag check was busy organizing all of the packs so that they were ready for the runners when they returned.
There’s a brief lull in the volunteer activity at the Roundhouse while the course volunteers - marshalls, water stations, advance cyclists and sweeps - become the stars of the show. And they continue to diligently serve the 2000 runners until the last man or woman goes by.
Then again activity shifts to the Roundhouse. Finish line timers, medals to be handed out, food, food, food (thank you IGA, Ethical Bean, Mount Royal Bagels, Powerbar, Gatorade …) and finally stage presentations. Thank you to Mizuno - our new race sponsor, and Forerunners - our loyal sponsor for the past 21 years.
Congratulations to the following club members who ran the race:
Sukhi - PB of 1:33:53
Emma - 1:38:52
Janet - 1:41:17
Monique - 1:48:56
Premica - 1:49:18
Paul B - 1:50:22
Brian - 1:53:31
Samantha - 2:14:41
Note to those who know about our “we don’t run the First Half - we work it” policy. Five lucky club members are drawn in a lottery to run the race. This year 3 new members joined the club after they had already signed up for the race. BUT they only get to do that once. Next year the “work it” rule applies!
Here’s a few moments captured in film:
Photos by Bettie Neels:
http://flickr.com/photos/lmnphotos/sets/72157614034988904
Photos taken by Colin Mills
Highlights set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/knepomuk/sets/72157613848442254/show/
Long Set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/knepomuk/sets/72157613849493910/show/
Welcome Matthew, Stephen, Samantha and James, our newest members. Anyone else looking to join a running club that’s as focussed on social activities as it is on running? We meet every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:55 at the False Creek Community Center.
Some of our favourite events are listed under running links on this site(http://www.pacificroadrunners.ca/runninglinks/localraces.html) They’re repeated here along with some other races you might want to investigate. We may not have date information for races that fall later in the year - so for now we’ve just listed them under the appropriate month. We’ll update the dates as soon as possible.
Some events to think about – PRR members are planning to attend. The more, the merrier.
October 20, 2009 - Nike Women’s Marathon and Half Marathon (run like a girl!) – San Francisco
November 1, 2009 – New York City Marathon – New York
October 10, 2010 – Chicago Marathon (planning ahead for this one!)
January:
Jan 1 - Fatass 50km
50 km or any distance you want.
http://www.clubfatass.com/events/VancouverNewYear
Jan 1 - Resolution Run
Denman St Running Room
5km
http://www.events.runningroom.com/site/?raceId=3986
Jan 19 - Chilly Chase Langley
5k, 10k, 15k
http://www.tryevents.ca/
February:
Feb 1 - Steveston Ice Breaker
8 km – part of Timex series
http://www.kajaks.org/events/icebreaker.htm
Feb 15 - First Half
With the exception of Barb D, Premica, Sukhi, Paul B and Brian – PRR members won’t be participating in this one. We’re too busy organizing it to run it. The PRR volunteer brigade will be in full force to cheer on our own 5 runners and everyone else on the course.
http://www.pacificroadrunners.ca/firsthalf
Feb 15 - Historic Half - Langley
Half Marathon
Given how committed all PRR members are to the success of the First Half, we’re too busy volunteering at our event to participate in this one.
***Knee Knacker entry deadline: February 28, 2009***
March:
Mar 8 - Harry’s Spring Run-Off
8K
http://www.canadarunningseries.com
Mar 14 – Green Sock Half Marathon & Shamrock’n Race – Abbotsford
Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
http://www.formerlyknownas.ca/
Mar 14 - St. Patrick’s 5k (Stanley Park)
This has become a popular race (almost 700 runners last year). Open bar afterwards; what more could you want?
Mar 28 – Friends in Motion
10km, 3km, 3 km walk
http://www.events.runningroom.com/site/?raceId=4206
Mar 28 - Spring Classic
5k Part of the Timex Series
April:
Apr 4 – Birch Bay Road Race
30km, 15km, 5km
http://www.birchbayroadrace.com/
Last year the Pacific Road Runners won the Club Challenge with 4 age group firsts and 64 points. The good news: you don’t have to be fast to contribute. Everyone who finishes the race adds points to the club total. Let’s send a crowd down and keep our title!
Apr 5 - April Fool’s Run - Sunshine Coast
Half Marathon
Apr 19 - Vancouver Sun Run (25th Anniversary)
10k Part of the Timex Series*
Apr 26 Earth Run - Vancouver
5k with an environmental theme
http://www.earthrun.org/canada/vancouver.html
Apr 26 Times Colonist - Victoria
10k Part of the Timex Series*
May:
May 3 - BMO Vancouver Int. Marathon
Marathon, Half Marathon, 8km
Note: no relay this year
May 9 - Pacific Spirit Run
5 and 10 km
http://www.tapestryfoundation.ca
May 31 - Shaughnessy 8k
8 km Part of Timex Series
June:
Jun 6 – Vancouver 100
100km Formerly known as the Double Knee Knacker
http://www.clubfatass.com/events/Vancouver100
Jun 7 - Sandcastle City Classic – White Rock
10k Part of Timex Series
http://www.bcathletics.org/RRSeries/
Jun 12 - Longest Day
10km, 5k 5km is part of Timex Series
http://www.thunderbirdstrack.org
Jun 14 - Edge to Edge - Tofino
Marathon, Half Marathon and Relay
http://www.edgetoedgemarathon.com
Jun 20 - Chip’s Not Dead Yet Mile
Craziest 1 mile race ever.
http://www.chipsnotdeadyet.com
Jun 28 - Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon
Half Marathon, 5k
http://www.canadarunningseries.com/svhm
July:
July 11 - Knee Knacker
50 km (pure hell – unless you’re the type who enjoys that kind of thing.)
If you don’t want to run or don’t get in via the lottery come out and volunteer with PRR at Cypress or Skyline Aid Stations.
Jul 18 - Summerfast
10k
August:
Aug 4 - World Police & Fire Games Cross Country
Aug 9 - World Police & Fire Games
Half Marathon
Stormy
100 mile, 50 mile and relay
The relay is popular with club members. In 2008 we entered and subsidized 3 teams.
http://www.stormytrailrace.ca/
Richmond Flatlands
5km & 10Km
September:
Coho Festival Run
14km
http://www.westvancouver.com/coho/index.php/run
Bellingham Bay Marathon
Marathon, Half Marathon, 5k
http://www.bellinghambaymarathon.org/
October:
Oct 4- Portland International Marathon
Marathon, 5 miler, 10km walk (no half-marathon)
http://www.portlandmarathon.org/
Oct 11 - Victoria International Marathon (and club trip for Fall 09)
Marathon, Half Marathon and 8K
http://www.royalvictoriamarathon.com/
Oct 11 - Okanagan International Marathon - Kelowna
Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K
http://www.okanaganmarathon.ca/
Oct 12 - Turkey Trot - Granville Island
10km
Oct 18 - Burnaby Lake Rubber Ducky Run
7 mile, Half
There may not be a lot of support on the course but you get a rubber ducky medal when you finish!
Oktoberfest Brewski Daddle
2.5 and 5km fun run followed by German food and music (& beer garden)
Oct 18 - Nike Women’s Marathon – San Francisco
Marathon, Half Marathon
Never mind a medal – you get a Tiffany necklace when you finish.
Oct 25, 2008 - James Cunningham Seawall Race
9.5 km
http://seawall.sierrasystems.com/
November:
November 1 – New York City Marathon
November 7 - Haney to Harrison Relay & Ultra
8 person relay or 100 km Ultra
Fall Classic
Half, 5K, 10K or do like some PRRers and make up your own distance ;)
http://www.fallclassicrun.com/
November 29 – Seattle Marathon
Marathon, Half Marathon
http://www.seattlemarathon.org
Feb 15 - First Half
We all know the rule - members don’t run this race, they work it. But 5 lucky members won the draw to participate in the race and a couple of members joined after they had signed up for the race (by the way - you only get to do that once!!)
Sukhi - PB of 1:33:53 and a chocolate Mouse cake as a reward.
Emma - 1:38:52
Janet - 1:41:17
Monique - 1:48:56
Premica - 1:49:18
Paul B - 1:50:22
Brian - 1:53:31
Samantha - 2:14:41
Feb 7 Orcas Island 50k & 25k trail run
Wow what a surprise. Ellie was the first woman in the 50km with a time of 5:18:10. Well done Ellie. Just because we’re getting used to your success(es) doesn’t mean they aren’t still spectacular.
Susan was third woman (7th overall) in the 25km - 2:27:30
John 2:41:11
Sukhi 2:48:57
Feb 1 Steveston Ice Breaker
A good club showing despite the mixed snow/rain conditions!
Russell 29:18!!!
Ellie 29:20 2nd woman, 1st in her age group
Bill C 32:10
Susan 32:27 1st in her age group
John 33:04
Ian 40:04
Emily 40:36
Arthur 43:20 3rd in his age group
Dan C 44:20 3rd in his age group