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Getting ready for the first race of the 2023 season, the Harriers Pioneer 8K

Lucy Smith

The 44th Annual Prairie Inn Harriers 8k is coming up on Sunday January 8th.  Here are some things to think about this week as you prepare for this early-season event.

First off, let’s congratulate the Prairie Inn Harriers for their sheer longevity and resilience. The fact that you are participating in the 44th Annual anything, should give you goosebumps and motivation right there. This outstanding event has been a local staple on the road race calendar since the first running boom. I add it to my calendar every year, to kick-start my season. The course has always been fast, the race is super friendly and well run, and it’s nice to hang out with your run pals again after the Christmas Season.

Running well is about embracing what you can control and letting go of what you can’t. In other words, put energy towards the things you have the power over – like your ability to organize yourself before the race, and don’t let the stuff you can’t control bother you, such as the weather. It’s January on the lower island: it might be 12 degrees and sunny, or it might be snowing. There’s a good chance it might be quite windy, wet, and cold. You can’t do anything about the weather, so just be prepared with the right clothing to stay warm before, during, and after the race, and set your resolve to be tough out there if it’s a mucky day. As my childhood running friend once said: “Your skin doesn’t leak. Just go run.”

Weather aside, I suggest that you use the early season races and training as ways to practice good habits. If you get into the routine of practicing good habits – the ones that you know, bring you success on race day – it’s far easier to create repeated success. For those of you using this race as a stepping stone towards future spring PR goals, like the TC10K or the Vancouver Marathon, nailing down good habits in a lower stress environment is excellent practice for those races when the stakes are higher.

Here are 5 Good Habits you can start practicing now:

1. Eat just enough. You don’t need to overeat on race-day morning. With the high intensity of an 8k effort, any undigested food might cause cramps. Don’t run on an empty stomach, either, which can cause low energy and even light-headedness. Try a light meal of mostly carbs about one to two hours before the race. A bagel or toast with peanut butter should do the trick. Try different pre-race meals during training and stick to what works best on race day. Hit the food tables right after the race to replenish your energy for good recovery into the next block of training and the next race.

2. Warm up. Perform at least 15 minutes of easy running before the race. You’ll often see runners doing some quick 10-15 second strides, to prepare muscles for the quick start of the race. Give this a go, if you haven’t done strides before, and see how you feel at the start. Warm up right before the start of the race so your muscles don’t have time to cool down. You can hop up and down, skip on the spot, and do leg swings and arms swings if it’s a cold morning, while you wait for Bob to start the race.

3. Don’t go out too fast. It’s an endurance event and needs to be paced as such. If you start too fast for your fitness level, you’ll find yourself having to slow down significantly at halfway to recover. If you make the mistake of going out too fast, take that as good learning for the next race.

4. Break it up. Mentally, it can help effort and focus to divide the race into sections. If you can, look at the course before you race, or study the map online. The course is out and back along country roads with some slight rises and descents, which always feel harder at race effort. I run this course from corner to corner, as once you are on John Road right after the start, there are 4 corners to the 180 turnaround on Glamorgan. Once you turn back onto John Road you have a mile to go. See how strong you can be over those last few minutes of the race. Really zero in on what you can control – maintaining your pace and holding good form, even as you get tired.

5. Be tough. With speed comes discomfort. Embrace this “good” pain as a sign you’re reaching your athletic potential. As the discomfort grows, stay relaxed and focussed only on running. Remember how strong you are and that the pain just means you’re pushing yourself to your upper limits. And it will all be worth it.

You may or may not get it all right this first race, but do the best you can, and hone those skills for the next one at Cobble Hill. And please don’t forget to thank the volunteers that make it all possible!

Some races will not have an early start

Make sure that you check the details of the race you plan to or have already entered. If you need an early start, it may not be available.

The Comox Valley RV Half Marathon, for example, will have an early start as the event is long enough to warrant it. However, the Synergy Health Centre Bazan Bay 5K will not.

It is important that you check race package pickup times and start times. For example, the Harriers Pioneer 8K happening Sunday, January 8 has an 11:30 AM start for all competitors and no early start.

The 44th running of the Harriers Pioneer 8K is the 2023 BC 8K Championships. If you have not registered yet, keep in mind that there are five-year age groups, so there will be many provincial champions on the day.

If you have questions, do not hesitate to email: info@islandseries.org.

Volunteers

All races in the series are seeking volunteers. This is a permanent thing. If you would like to help, you do not necessarily need race day skills or experience in the field of road racing. There is food support, moving of gear, banner, tent and table set up, and basic marshalling duties, which are easy.

No day of race registration for any of the eight races

No day-of reg, headphones may get you disqualified, reusable bibs still need care

During the COVID – 19 pandemic, the Vancouver Island Race Series stopped day-of-race registration.

The purpose was to cut down on person-to-person interaction as well as follow provincial health orders. The results worked very well for the runners as well as race operations.

Avoid massive line-ups…

Having day-of-race registration requires a number of volunteers to show up early, as well as prepare and plan for the morning of the race. Additionally, participants are required to show up earlier than they otherwise would.

With registration taken care of in advance and race package pickup happening (as much as possible) on the Saturdays prior to each race, will lead to smoother overall race day operations.

Currently, the race series is experiencing a strong season pass push, as well as single-race registrations. For the price of $25 for a single race or $175 for a season pass, it is well worth registering in advance.

Personalized and reusable bibs (need care)

For season pass holders who registered by Dec. 8, they will receive two Tyvek, reusable bibs that should last throughout the series. They are also personalized, with each person’s first name and last initial, accompanied by a number for the timing service.

Although the Tyvek reusable bibs are hardier than your standard, they will need care. Please do not put your race bib through the wash, wrinkle, or fold them. Lay them flat and take care until the next race. Otherwise, you may need to order a standard number for each race, thereby defeating one of the purposes: avoiding package pickup.

Headphones are not recommended

Do not wear headphones (or earbuds) while racing. While racing on the roads, you may impede emergency vehicles that you may not be able to hear. If so, you will be disqualified. Additionally, you may be given important instructions during the race. What if there is wildlife or an emergency situation ahead and a volunteer is asking you to stop?

What if an angry resident of the area is trying to get by? Do not put yourself at risk.

Four-time Olympian Lorraine Moller from New Zealand, who is now a coach and instructor in the sport of running wrote an excellent article for those who like to wear headphones when running. You may read it here.

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Harriers Pioneer 8K: the 2023 provincial 8K championships

The 43rd running of the Prairie Inn Harriers Pioneer 8K will act as the BC provincial championships happening on Sunday, January 8, 2023, in North Saanich.

The race is the first road race of the year in Canada. The Pioneer 8K is also the first race of the Vancouver Island Race Series as well as the BC Super Series. 

The course is gently rolling and is considered fast. The surface is asphalt and is run on quiet residential roads starting and finishing at the Tourist Information Centre off the Pat Bay Highway (17) in North Saanich.

Event records are 22:58 by Carey Nelson from his 1986 running on a previous route named the Brentwood Bay 8K in 1986. The women’s record is 25:28 by Natasha Wodak on the Central Saanich route in 2013. Both athletes are from Vancouver and both are two-time Olympians.

The current course records are 25:55 by Wodak from the 2020 running of the event. Tristan Woodfine, one of Canada’s top marathon runners, set the new course record in 2022 at 23:10, just 12 seconds off of Nelson’s 36-year-old event record.

Wodak, who may return for the 2023 edition, her tenth, is the current national record holder in the marathon at 2:23:12. She broke Malindi Elmore’s record in Berlin this past September. Wodak is the former 10,000m and half-marathon national record holder. Her 25:28 performance is the fastest road 8K in Canada, all-time, however, official records are not kept for the distance.

Wodak won the race eight of the nine times she has competed. In the one year that she did not win, she finished second.

Like the Pioneer 8K, the Vancouver Island Race Series is entering its 43rd year. There are a total of eight races taking place in North Saanich, Sidney, Colwood, Sooke, Cobble Hill, Nanaimo, Port Alberni, and Courtenay.

Runners of all abilities may enter single races or purchase a season pass for just $175.

REGISTRATION