The BC Bike Race is half way over with participants current completing the Sunshine Coast stages(s) of the race. Results so far are posted here.

So far two participants have posted regular updates from the race. Kim Steed on his blog here, and Selene Yeager on her blog here. Here’s a summary of the posts from each:

• Kim Steed – BC Bike Race- Day 1 on the Shore! – The start of the 1st stage of the BC Bike Race today was incredible. I have never been part of such a big biking event.
• Selene Yeager – A Rough Start – it’s been a long time since I’ve had a bad day. Too long. And eventually, well, you’re due. I was worried about Stage 1 of the BC Bike Race. And as it turned out, rightly so…
• Selene Yeager – BC Bike Race Day 2: Ouch – another day in paradise here at the BC Bike Race. Despite a pretty difficult day yesterday, I awoke feeling like I was ready for today’s 70 kilometer stage, which promised fewer death defying downhills (at least that was true)…
• Selene Yeager – Playing Hurt – As you’ve learned so far, in just two days here in BC I managed to blow myself out, tumble off a 5-foot bridge, and simultaneously taco my rear wheel and crack a couple of ribs…
• Kim Steed – BC Bike Race- Stage 4 – Here we are after Day 4’s 70k punishment! We started in Earls Cove and worked our way to Sechelt.

• Running Gay – the blog of J. D. MacDonald, who lives and trains in Vancouver. J started racing when he was 21 and over the years has run the National Championships, won team championships and has kept getting faster. He hopes his blog will bring a different voice to running from a gay perspective.
• Steve’s Trek Across Canada – we don’t really know what’s this blog is about but Steve is a runner who appears to want to run across Canada.

Following up from last weekend’s Hy-Vee ITU Triathlon Elite Cup, here are links to write-ups from Canada’s athletes which have been published so far:

• Simon Whitfield (winner of the men’s race) – and then that happened – well I’m home. and seeing Pippa launch herself at me for a hug when I arrived with “daddy daddy” was priceless. I wished I could just hit rewind over and over again, to see her reaction and to hear Jennie say “ahhhhhhh, Pippa misses daddy”. Life rolls on…
• Lauren Groves – Hy-vee Recap – So, I can’t lie, that was a pretty cool weekend. After three sleepless nights, I still feel as though I’m on a bit of a high from all the racing. We’re on the plane now and everyone around seems to be sleeping….except me!
• Kyle Jones – This is a tough one to write – I didn’t get much sleep last night and woke up this morning feeling like someone used my stomach as a punching bag. I’m very disappointed. I felt so rested coming into this race and after what happened last weekend I was motivated and confident that I could put together a great race…
• NTC Development Squad – pics from Des Moines – As you all know, a very big day for the big kids – Simon and Lauren both climbed onto the podium today..

(C) Copyright – 2009 – Christopher Kelsall

Gary Reed is one of the fastest 800m runners in the world. Currently he possesses a personal best of 1:43.68, which happens to be the Canadian record and a time that is considered fast by anyone’s measure. He also owns a 4th place performance he achieved at the 2008 Olympics from Beijing, China and a silver medal from the 2007 IAAF World Track and Field Championships that took place in Osaka, Japan. The world record by his hero Danish (by way of Kenya) runner, Wilson Kipketer still stands at 1:41.11 from August 24th 1997.

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Writeups (more to be added as we become aware of them):

• Madly Running Around – Scotiahalf – This is going to be short, but not because of anger or frustration, but just that time is seeping away from me…
• Running Gay - Goal Accomplished! I ran the Scotia Bank Half Marathon today and had a wonderful result. I was 8th overall with a 1:09.05.

Results:

From www.triathlon.org – Canadian Simon Whitfield’s renown sprint finish did not let him down today at the Hy-Vee ITU Triathlon Elite Cup. In what seemed like a replay from the Beijing Olympic Games, four men came into the finish straight together side by side: Whitfield, Germany’s Jan Frodeno, who was the man to pip Whitfield in Beijing, Australia’s Brad Kahlefeldt and New Zealand’s Kris Gemmell. Unlike Beijing however, Whitfield would cross the line first with an elated roar one second ahead of his chasers in a time of 1 hour 49 minutes and 43 seconds, claiming triathlon’s top payday. After a photo finish review, the third of the season, it was determined Australia’s Brad Kahlefeldt just nipped the tall German at the line for second with Frodeno in third. Gemmell finished fourth.

Continue reading…

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From CBC News - Victoria’s Simon Whitfield outran five other competitors in a sprint to the finish to win the US$200,000 first prize Saturday at an Elite Cup Triathlon in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Whitfield, the silver medallist at the Beijing Olympics, leaned at the tape to edge Australian Brad Kahlefeldt, who’s ranked second in the world.

“First thing I’m doing is buying this amazing toy house for my daughter Pippa,” Whitfield said after claiming the largest single-race prize of his 14-year career. “She’s been running around the front yard at home and really inspired me.”

In the women’s race, Vancouver’s Lauren Groves finished third.

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