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.

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..

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.

I remember watching Reed racing in the Worlds; I was emotionally moved to a standing position to the front of the television. I found myself yelling at the TV, cheering for Gary to hang on. It was an exciting moment in Canadian track and field lore. His efforts resulted in a silver medal at an event, which is on par with any other international track and field race, including the Olympics. He was just nipped at the line by Kenyan, Alfred Yego, in what must have been a most Herculean of efforts.

Gary Reed’s performance revitalized hope in the waning Canadian track and field scene. Reed continues to carry that torch even though the greater Canadian running landscape has improved since. The next big performance for Mr. Reed is the 2009 IAAF World Track and Field Championships taking place Berlin, Germany; no pressure Gary!

The few times I have had the opportunity to speak with Gary he has been nothing short of friendly, unassuming and honest. During my first ever video interview, which I hope never sees the light of day, Gary displayed a high level of diplomacy during my amateur shenanigans, to that: here is my written interview with Canada’s brightest track star, Mr. Gary Reed.

CK: Recently when we talked at the Track Classic in Victoria, British Columbia the day before your under-distance 400m race, you said that you are going to “go hard, then crawl off the track”, which is a solid character statement in itself.

In 2008 you ran the 800m in Victoria and then 800m at the Harry Jerome Track Classic, the results were both about a half a second faster than this year’s 800m race that you ran at Harry Jerome. How is your fitness compared to last year?

GR: My fitness is the best it’s ever been. This year of training has been great. I think sometimes it’s important not to get caught up in any one time. I try and focus on racing and just let the time come…

CK: Were you surprised by your 400m last week? Beforehand you said that “I am in over my head” but you finished in a tight cluster for 3rd?

GR: Well I mean over my head is not always a bad thing, I mean I honestly thought that race would be a lot faster, but it wasn’t. I haven’t run one in a few years, so it was a nice change and stimulus.

Results

1 Barrett, Dewayne Jamaica 47.17
2 Byron, Justin Virgin Island 47.45
3 Reed, Gary Canada 47.53
4 Ikwakor, AK Nigeria 48.27
5 Findlay, Adrian Jamaica 48.77
6 Barton, Jason United States 50.28

CK: You said your winter training adds up to about 70 miles-per-week. Can you describe a typical off-season week?

GR: My coach (Wynn Gmitroski) is a master of change, so nothing is really typical; it is always changing.

However, long runs are Sundays and that is pretty stapled. We have at least one hard tempo session off track that most of the time in the fall comes on Thursdays.

Editor’s note: Although Wynn is a master of change here is a sample week taken from an Athletics Canada interview from 2007:

-Running sessions – 2 times a day (hard session in the morning, recovering session at night).
-Strength training 2 – 3 times-per-week
-Flexibility session (yoga) 1 – 2 times per week
-Massage 2 – 3 times-per-week
-Physiotherapy 1 – 2 times-per-week

CK: You mentioned that you are looking at running in the 1:42 range. Is achieving this ‘academic’, in that you probably could have already done it if the circumstances presented themselves on the right day.

GR: I think running 1:42 is all about timing. Usually the period in the season, going into a Major is when you will usually see guys running 1:42s, then again that’s a special time and it takes a special athlete to run that so all the stars have to be in line for that to happen.

CK: Switching gears, what’s on your iPod right now?

GR: I have over 70k of songs so literally everything. Now if I am really hurting on a run I look forward to a dance song to come on and pick me up something by Tiesto will usually do it.

CK: Do you still have freezing cold showers before your races? And more importantly, why?

GR: Yes I do and it’s mainly to wake my body up for what is coming.

CK: You said in your epic, Star.com 2008 interview with Randy Starkman, that when you first arrived in Victoria, you had one chair and that was it. “No risks, no rewards, right”?

Hopefully, you now have more than one chair, but as for no risks, no rewards go, does that risk-taking attitude come out in your racing? I assume you lean more to the side of tactical when racing.

GR: Well I mean risk does not involve making bad decisions in my world. I still try and push out of my comfort zone because that’s where I have had the most success in my career. With racing it’s no different for me, I try and make the smartest possible decisions the difference is I usually only have .1 of a second to make those decisions.

CK: Again from the same interview: “It’s like turning a valve on and lighting a fire for a minute and 44-something seconds and then turning the valve off. … You can’t let it all out until you hear the gun.”

So are you in a constant state of carrying on about your business in forced control, keeping a handle on that emotion. Does the emotion come out in other ways, outside of running?

GR: I don’t think so. Running seems to really bring this out in me like nothing else I think that’s why I love it so much. Away from the track I am not super competitive, but I am focused on goals in my life.

CK: Wilson Kipketer said pretty much the same thing, during his post-retirement interview with Chris Turner of the IAAF – Is this what you are referring to:

Chris Turner: What will you miss about not being on the circuit?

Wilson Kipketer: What I will miss is the way I felt when running 800m, the way I felt when controlling the race, the feeling of leading a race, the atmosphere…this is what I am going to miss.

CT: What would you like your legacy to the sport be?

WK: I want this inner feeling to be known by the younger athletes, so they understand what that love of running is all about, I want to pass on my love and feeling for running.

GR: I would want people to look back on my career and realize no matter where you are born where you live and no matter what your circumstances they can become a world class athlete or anything they want in life. I want to be an example for all the underdogs in this world and people who are scared to take the road less travelled that if you make good decisions and stay focused good things will happen.

CK: Coe talked of the passion:

Sebastion Coe: “You have to have the vision, too. Vision is a romantic thing. We have got into ‘talent identification’. I am much more interested in passion – finding people who are really excited about doing something.”

CK: Training requires long-term vision. On a day to day basis, especially in the off-season, how does passion manifest itself?

GR: “Vision…”

Vision in a way is more important than anything in sport. You have to be able to lay in bed at night and see it and almost feel it. You should be able to paint a clear picture in your head about where you are going and what you want to achieve or in my opinion it will be very hard to get there.

CK: In your description of winning Silver at the World Track and Field championships, you said it was a feeling you never had before and that you didn’t know whether you should laugh or cry and that you didn’t know how to express whatever the feeling was you were experience in that moment.

Is that what drives you now, being in touch with or chasing that feeling?

GR: Yes after having a global medal as a goal for my whole life, it was very surreal to have achieved that feeling. That level of satisfaction was life changing for me and only made me want more.

Photo: By CK – 2008 Victoria Track Classic – The Staredown.

• 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.

Whitfield completed the 1.5-kilometre swim, 40-kilometre bike ride and 10-kilometre run under sweltering heat in a combined time of one hour 49 minutes 43 seconds.

His win came after he failed to finish last weekend’s World Championship Series race in Washington.

“I really didn’t feel good this week or at all last week after what happened in Washington so I didn’t want to over think things and just keep my head down,” said Whitfield. “Coach Phil [Bertrand] gave me a good swim tip and I attached myself to that after a bad swim last week. I also had a good conversation with my wife, who told me I had the experience to do this.”

Kahlefeldt, Beijing gold medallist Jan Frodeno of Germany and New Zealand’s Kris Gemmell all tumbled to the ground behind Whitfield.

Frodeno won the gold medal in Beijing, sprinting past Whitfield just before the finish line.

“That was some payback for last year, in a sport sense,” Whitfield said. “I wanted to get one over Jan after last year’s Olympic Games. I always want to win the races the other guys want to win.”

In addition to Saturday’s victory, the 34-year-old Whitfield also has an Olympic gold and silver medal, 11 World Cup victories and one Commonwealth Games title to go along with 20 podium finishes in his career.

Victoria’s Brent McMahon finished seventh.

Australian training partners Emma Moffatt and Emma Snowsill finished 1-2 in the women’s race. Moffatt, ranked No. 1 in the world, ran away from the field during the 10-kilometre run to beat Snowsill, the defending champion, by 93 seconds. She finished in 1:59.46.

Moffatt also won $200,000, the richest first-place prize on the world triathlon circuit.

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From triathlon.org - Current points leader Emma Moffatt of Australia continued her dream season with a win today at triathlon’s largest payday in a time of 1 hour 59 minutes and 46 seconds. With over $1million USD in prize money up for grabs this weekend it was the Beijing Olympic bronze medallist who powered her way through the Olympic calibre field to claim the $200,000 first place prize in the Hy-Vee ITU Triathlon Elite Cup this morning. In second was the other Aussie Emma, Emma Snowsill, 1 minute 33 seconds behind. And in third, Canada’s Lauren Groves another 12 seconds back.

“Wow, it’s amazing, it hasn’t sunk in at all yet,” commented Moffatt at the finish. “It’s great to put together two great races in six days and to come away with the win, I’m ecstatic. It was good to make the break and get a lead and I was a bit concerned when Andrea [Hewitt] came with me for the first lap. I was just trying to focus on running and not on the money. I don’t know what I’m going to do with it, I haven’t given it any thought.”

Continue reading…

The race begins 5am Saturday and if you want to follow along here are a few ways you can do so (thanks to Gary for this):

• The Western States Webcast will update runners positions throughout the race.
• Matt Hart will be twittering and videoing throughout the day. You can find his twitter links on his blog (you have to scroll down about half way to find them), or his twitter page.
• On Gary Robbins blog – his support crew will be posting frequent twitter updates on his progress. You can scroll through these updates by clicking on the arrows and anything in orange links to a pic or a website. 

Good luck to everyone racing! Check back here Monday for a full report and results…

As appreciation, all volunteers will recieve a technical shirt, water bottle and post race meal. Volunteers will also be eligible for draw prizes.

If interested contact Patricia at 250-592-5355 or email info@scmt.ca.

Eight countries will be represented this year. Coming from outside North America are paddlers from Australia, Austria, Great Britain, Japan, Latvia, the Netherlands, and the United Arab Emirates. The USA will be represented with paddlers from Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Montana, Oregon, Texas, and Washington. Finally, Canada will have team members from Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and the host Yukon Territory, which has 28 paddlers in the race.

The 2009 YRQ will have stiff competition in most categories:
• Solo canoe: 3 teams including 2008 champion Kevin Mellis of Calgary.
• Solo kayak: 16 men, 4 women – including 2008 champion and record holder Brad Pennington of Texas (featured in NBC program), and past champions and record holders Carter Johnson and David Kelly of California, as well as multi-year women’s champion Ingrid Wilcox of Whitehorse.
• Tandem kayak: 11 men’s teams, 3 mixed teams, 4 women’s teams. There are no past champions, but a highly international mix should make the K2 class fun to watch. Watch out for Dawson City’s Steve Geick and Janice Rose, and the veteran Alaskan team of Jan Nyboer and Greg Tibbetts.
• Tandem canoe: 16 men’s teams, 9 mixed, 4 women’s. Watch out for the mixed team of Tim Hodgson (from the course record setting 2008 Kisseynew voyageur team) and overall canoe runner-up and former Canadian Olympic cross-country skier Jane Vincent of Whitehorse.

And then there’s the race’s perennial threat, Larry Seethaler of Anchorage, Alaska, back for the 13th time (all 11 YRQs and both Dyea to Dawson races) paddling with partner Brenda Forsythe.

The women’s field features some stellar teams: past champions Veronica Wisniewski of Washington and Elizabeth Bosely of Whitehorse paddling together for the first time; record holder Pauline Frost-Hanberg of Whitehorse paddling with Laragh Taylor from Marsh Lake, Yukon; and the up-and-coming Yukon team of Joanie Pelletier and Kari Johnston. The men’s canoe race could be wide open, but watch for the YRQ-savvy team of Terry Ramin and Derek Crook from BC.

• Voyageur canoe: 6 in the open class (including 1 mixed team that switched to open), and 3 women’s teams. The Texans (2007 champs) are back to try to reclaim the overall crown which they lost last year to the combined Canadian Team Kisseynew. The Texans are stacked with Texas Water Safaris veterans and are bringing a new boat, but they should face a stiff challenge from last year’s third place Team Dene from Hatchet Lake, Sask., which has added past tandem canoe champions Norbert Wolverine and Lionel

Campbell and will be in last year’s winning boat. A British team of paddlers with experience in the prestigious Devizes to Westminister Marathon on the Thames also could be in the running, as well as an Alaskan team. Three veteran women’s teams are back: Paddlers Abreast from Whitehorse, and multi-provincial Canadian teams Whoa and Yukon Yahoo.

“Combined with the predicted high water levels of the river, we can anticipate a challenge to the course record of 39 hours, 32 minutes and 43 seconds,” Latour said, adding that the start has moved off Main Street this year, making it a shorter run for paddlers.

“We invite spectators to gather in Rotary Peace Park this year as early as 11 a.m. on Wednesday June 24 to witness the very spectacular start of this race when participants will cover a short distance running to their boats before paddling the 740 km that will take them to Dawson City sometime between Friday afternoon on June 26 and Saturday evening at midnight on June 27, official finish time for the race.”

Complete team bios are online at www.yukonriverquest.com and will appear in a special Whitehorse Star race supplement on June 22.

In addition to the Star, major logo sponsors of the event are: Yukon Emergency Measures Organization – Whitehorse, Faro and Carmacks SAR, , Kanoe People/Clipper Canoes, Air North, yukoninfo.com, Northland Beverages, Norcan/ Klondike Motors, Up North Adventures/Spirit of the North, and the Klondike Visitors Association.

Businesses small and large are welcome to sponsor a bib on one or more of the nearly 180 paddlers in the event for $200. This is the event’s major fund-raiser. Bib sponsors receive a name on the bib, photo certificate of your paddler, and recognition at the start, in than-you ads, and on the race’s poplular website. Bib forms can be downloaded from the site, or call the race phone at 867-333-5628. Deadline is June 1. A recent Yukon Government study found that the YRQ brought in nearly a quarter million dollars to the territory.

Of course, the backbone of the Yukon River Quest are the more than 100 volunteers, 8-10 safety boat teams, and various support crews at its eight checkpoints. If you would like to help and join the fun of a truly great Yukon event that is the envy of the paddling world, click on the Volunteer link on the website and check out the list of tasks and locations where help is needed, or call 867-333-5628.

Those interested in seeing some of this year’s Yukon and Alaskan teams can watch the 28-km. Icebreaker Race on Sunday May 31st from Marsh Lake dam to Schwatka Lake. Teams should be going through Miles Canyon between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m.

RACE SCHEDULE, RESULTS & MORE INFO: www.yukonriverquest.com

A new record has been set for the most times anyone has climbed North Vancouver’s gruelling Grouse Grind trail in a single day.

Around 11 p.m. PT Monday night, Vancouver realtor Sebastian Albrecht reached the top of the rocky trail for the 13th time since he started at 7 a.m.

After completing the final climb in the dark, a weary Albrecht told CBC News it had been a challenging day.

“Once I got past 10 it was easier psychologically because I knew I was really close to my goal. Physically, it was a lot more difficult because my body was starting to give out. And 12 and 13 were painful,” he said.

The 2.9-kilometre trail runs from the Grouse Mountain gondola base station in North Vancouver up to the ski lodge perched on the edge of the mountain overlooking all of Metro Vancouver.

With an average grade of 30 degrees, the popular trail has earned the nickname “nature’s Stairmaster” among local fitness buffs.

Average hikers struggle up the route in about an hour and a half, while the unofficial record is 24 minutes and 22 seconds. Albrecht averaged about 50 minutes per climb, catching his breath and eating between climbs, and taking the tram down.

13,000 calories

The previous record, which Albrecht shared with Jason Chong, was 12 summits in a day. The exertion required is tremendous, Chong told CBC News.

“You have to buckle down pretty much. Most endurance athletes will tell you it becomes more mental as it goes on,” he said.

Albrecht burned an estimated 13,000 calories by the time the day was over. His energy needs were looked after by a dedicated supply team: his mother Johanna Albrecht.

“I have brown rice with grilled chicken breast and greens; dark, dark greens,” she told CBC News. She also supplied 24 muffins, 24 containers of energy drink and five pounds of bananas for her son to consume during the climb.

Albrecht has always been determined, according to his mother, who noted her son had extra motivation for the climb — he had wanted to raise $10,000 dollars for the Shelter Foundation, a charity that provides safe homes for women and children.

“Getting up to 10 was tough because I really had to think about why I was doing it, and knowing my goal was motivated by the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, a good cause,” said Albrecht.

He raised more than $4,300 by the end of the run, but is still collecting donations on his website.

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With a catch phase of “Are you Tough Enough?” Kusam Klimb markets itself as an epic endurance event. With 1500 meters of elevation gain in 5.5km and some very challenging terrain, it lives up to its billing. It has even been listed by elite trail runner Dale Reicheneder (scroll down about half way) as the toughest race he has ever done. While I don’t consider it to be quite as insane as Dale describes, if you have never done it yourself, mere descriptions don’t convey the length and grade of the ascent. You can also read a longer article by Sarah Seads here.

This was my third trip to Kusam (located near Sayward on the North East coast of Vancouver Island) in as many years and I have been fortunate enough to come cross the finish line first both times. In 2008, I had one of the best races of my career, where everything went right and I ended up setting a new course record of 2:23:04. Since I had such an amazing race last year, I knew bettering my time this year would not be easy. In addition, I found out that Adam Campbell was registered for the race and Jason Terauchi-Loutitt might make a last minute appearance. Even though I had prior knowledge of the course, I knew that would probably have to run the race of my life to have a chance of winning with those two on the starting line.

Continue reading…

Following is the first part of her race writeup:

As usual, Juice and I had a restless pre-race night. It was more to do with a warm room than anything. The windows only opened a crack and the temperature outside was not exactly cool anyway. Regardless, I felt fine because the sleep I had the night before was stellar. Breakfast was included with our room and was delivered to our door. I brought my Bodum so we had coffee, croissant and cereal. My belly wasn’t feeling all that great…travel seems to screw around with my plumbing. We walked over to the race start and grabbed our timing chips. We were so close we were able to go back to our room, change into our gear, attend to last minute bathroom needs and get to the race start with no probs.

Continue reading…

• June 21 – Iron Mountain Triathlon, Maple Ridge, BC

  Olympic	Overall | Relay
  Sprint	Overall | Relay

• June 21 – New Balance Victoria International Half Iron Triathlon, Victoria, BC

  Half Iron	Overall | Men | Women | Relay
  Sprint	Overall | Men | Women | Relay

Writeups will be added here as they become available:

• Vincent’s Ramblings – Victoria International New Balance Half Iron Race Report – Wow what a lengthy title. Hopefully the report isn’t the same. My lead up to the race was a little different than normal…
• Heather Hollman – Birthdays and Triathlons – What a great weekend!!  I haven’t in raced in nearly a month and it felt soo good finally getting to pin a number on my shirt again!!  This weekend was extra special because I not only was given the chance to race a beautiful course, but I also got to celebrate my 22nd Bday
• FCH Life and Triathlon – Iron Mountain Triathlon Race Report - First of all I would like to say: This race was fun fun fun! Lots of friends racing made it very cool, it was great to see everyone before the race setting up transition…
• Woman in the Run – It take guts – The New Balance Half Ironman – As I write this early Sunday morning, sitting in my cushy chair with a coffee at my elbow, hundreds of intense athletes are already in Elk Lake, thrashing their way through a 1.2 mile swim…
• Alive with Sport – Victoria - I caught the 7am ferry over today and rode my bike over to Victoria to cheer for my friends in the Half Iron race…

Also, here’s a writeup from today’s Times Colonist newspaper:

Victorians Jasper Blake, Cheryl Murphy victorious in New Balance Half Iron triathlon at Elk Lake

Teacher and student matched each other swim stroke for swim stroke in Elk Lake and pedal for pedal on the roads of the Saanich Peninsula on Sunday. They were also step for step along the Elk Lake park trail before the mentor, 2006 Ironman Canada champion Jasper Blake, pulled ahead to win the 2009 New Balance Half Iron in three hours, 54 minutes, 39 seconds to fellow Victorian Stephen Kilshaw’s 3:55:51.

Maybe next time, grasshopper.

The 35-year-old Blake, who coaches 24-year-old Kilshaw, was instrumental in convincing the rising younger star his future path may not be through the Olympics over the shorter distance but instead through Kona in the longer Ironman.

“I said I’m not trying to steer you either way but your strengths may be in longer distances,” said Blake.

The wizened veteran may be correct.

“I am delighted to coach Stephen . . . he’s like a sponge,” said Blake.

“Basically, we were head to head the whole way out there today. Stephen went from 4:05 last year to 3:55 this year. He is going to be really, really good. We’ll be racing together again in Penticton [Ironman Canada] and hopefully Kona [Ironman Hawaii].”

Seven hundred racers contested the 14th annual New Balance Half Iron over a course consisting of a 1.9-K swim, 88-K bike race and 21.1-K run. Another 150 sprint competitors swam 500 metres, biked 22-K and ran 5-K.

Third overall was Kelly Guest in 4:04:45 as the Victoria battler continues to put his wrenching ejection from the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games, and subsequent two-year suspension, in the career rear-view mirror.

The 2009 women’s New Balance Half Iron champion, Cheryl Murphy of Victoria, was across in 4:36:18 and only need look to last year’s winner for inspiration. Lindsay Corbin went from her win at Elk Lake to fifth place in the 2008 Ironman Hawaii world championships in Kona.

Murphy, who qualified for the 2009 world track and field championships in the marathon, was shocked when informed that it had been decided not to send any Canadian female marathoners to Berlin in August. She took her frustrations out on the Elk Lake/Saanich Peninsula course on Sunday.

“I was very disappointed about the decision because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete at the world championships,” said the mother of two, who turns 40 in September.

“My back-up plan now is to compete in Ironman Canada [in August at Penticton] and then see about Hawaii,” added Murphy, who was well ahead of runner-up Lucy Smith’s 4:42:14.

© Copyright (c) The Victoria Times Colonist

Here are the writeups we’ve found so far:

• Playing Outside – Monkey Off My Back – Breaking Three Hours at the TEST – I’ve raced the Test of Metal so many times I’ve lost count, and barring the first two years in which my goal was to simply finish, I can remember wanting to finish under 3hrs. The Test, in my opinion is one of the best organized and community supported races on the planet.
• John Ramsden (Steed Cycles) – Test of Metal 2009 – The Test of Metal 2009 went off on a perfect day in Squamish June 20. Almost 1000 riders finished the race. Conditions could not have been better for racing…
• Tall for a Girl – Test of Metal – So I am technically not supposed to race anymore. My doctor said its too risky with the elevated heart rate and dehydration issues. But he did say I was still allowed to train, just at a lower heart rate…

During the interview Gary talks about his training, other runners who inspire him, and whether or not he thinks he’ll lose control over his bodily functions during the big event.

The first part of the interview is included below. To read it in full head over to the MOMAR blog.

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MOMAR team athlete, Gary Robbins, is gearing up for the Western States Endurance Run on June 27-28.  This is a 100 mile trail race in California all done on FOOT. It’s probably hard for even the most seasoned MOMAR racers to relate to running this far so I figured it would be a good idea to ask Gary a few questions about this masochistic event.

MOMAR: What is the Western States Endurance Run all about?  Why is this race considered the granddaddy of ultrarunning?

Gary Robbins: Western States was the pretty much ‘the birth’ of ultrarunning as we know it today. The first ever WS100 run was way back in 1977 and by 1979 it attracted 143 people! It has sold out every year since then! It is also steeped in American History and was originally a horse race that began in 1955 ‘to prove that horses could still cover 100 miles in a single day’. I learned of WS about five minutes after being told what an actual ultra run was back in 2004, ever since then I’ve known that I would attempt it one day:)  It’s got 18,000 feet of climbing and 22,000 feet of descent, which plays nicely into what I consider to be my strength as a runner

Continue reading on the MOMAR Blog…

McKenzie, Cam Levins (who runs varsity for the University of Southern Utah) and Richard Mosley (Coquitlam) ran through the first kilometer together when Mosley fell off the pace. Levins held on until the two km mark before he held back, and McKenzie ran all alone for the remainder of the race, building his lead to 30 seconds by the time the dust settled.

McKenzie set a new course record with a time of 14 minutes, 23 seconds.

Forty-one-year-old Lucy Smith of Victoria was the fastest women in 16:49. Fellow Victoria runner Cheryl Murphy (17:22) came in second.

Performance of the day may go to 79-year-old running legend Maurice Tarrant of Victoria, who ran a time of 24:36. “I am going to start track training soon and with this race, I can start training for the 80-plus age group,” said Tarrant.

Five hundred and fifty-three runners participated.

Top men’s masters finisher went to Shawnigan Lake’s Kevin Searle who finished in 16:49 followed by former Irish Olympian, Paul O’Callaghan (17:07) and one-time Commonwealth Games competitor Gordon Christie (17:17), both from Victoria.

The Twilight Shuffle is sponsored and organized by Island Runner Footwear, the Chemainus Legion and co-hosted by Island Runner and the Prairie Inn Harriers running club. The provincial five KM championship race was sanctioned by B.C. Athletics and certified accurate by official course measurer Gary Duncan.

We have just discovered a great new running blog… it’s called Pistol Runs and it’s the online training journal of Peter Holmes.

Peter moved to Vancouver in March from the UK and is currently training with the Vancouver Falcons Running Club. He plans on hitting some 5 and 10k races over the summer and will use his blog to document his running experiences in and around BC.

Be sure to check out his blog!

http://pistolruns.blogspot.com/