The Cedar 12K road race made a triumphant return to the streets of Cedar, BC on Sunday. The Bastion Run Club-organized race had a two-year pandemic break and was back with its largest field in a decade with 432 finishers, the sixth most in the race’s 31-year history.
Meanwhile, winners Logan Roots and Meg Lewis-Schneider returned to the Vancouver Island Race Series in triumphant fashion winning in the times of 38:56 and 43:57, respectively.
Roots started with a few competitors but left them after 1K. He built a lead that he kept it from gun to tape. It was a course and distance personal best for the Courtenay-based member of Esprit RC.
“That [race] went better than expected. I didn’t really have a plan or a goal besides going out hard enough to regret how hard I went out and overall that went well,” shared the Canadian military member. “I still had the marathon in my legs today.”
Roots ran the Houston Marathon in January and will be racing the Sooke 10K in two weeks time.
Finishing in second place was Cole Czuchnicki in the time of 42:05. Taking third and first master was Keith Mills who clocked a new personal best of 42:27.
Lewis-Schneider finished first woman and ninth overall. In 2023, she was going to take a hiatus from racing, however, went to cheer on fellow Esprit RC members during the Harriers Pioneer 8K — the first race of the series (Sun., Jan 8). She subsequently signed up for the series, wishing she was in that race.
Lewis -Schneider won her previous Island Series race one year ago taking the Cobble Hill 10K in 35:37.
“I started training in mid-January, so today was really just a starting point. I am going to do the rest of the series, but I had no expectations, so, I am pleased with the result,” shared Lewis-Schneider.
Taking second place was Briana Brandon with her 46:32 finish time. Natasha Parsons took third in the time of 46:51. The first master was Lucy Smith (55-59) in the time of 48:09.
The next race in the Vancouver Island Race Series takes place Sunday, February 26 in Sooke at the Westcoast Running Sooke 10K.
Information about the race series is available at www.islandseries.org.
and winners Logan Roots and Meg Lewis-Schneider
One aspect of self awareness is the ability to be open minded. That is, to know when our perspective of a situation is based on our opinion or point of view, and to understand that there may be other ways to thinking about things. I was recently offering some advice to a friend who is pondering running the Finlayson Arm 50k. My perspective came from my opinions about training, preparation, and execution of such an event and was focussed on what practices and habits will be required for success. Another friend of his simply said “Drink a bunch of beers the night before and SEND IT!”
There have been times in my coaching life that I feel like the ‘Lucy’ from the Peanuts cartoon, dispensing advice for 5 cents. Obviously, my advice to runners always come from the perspective of what I have learned over many years. What follows then, are the most common themes of running advice I have dispensed over the years, distilled into five tips.
1. Develop positive habits
Have the courage to know when your habits are creating the same mistakes over and over and cultivate the courage to change these. Good habits work for you, and easily become the norm for your workouts.
Take care of basic details: prep logistics and being organized with gear and time.
Find and embrace opportunities to succeed. You get better at this the more you practice it.
Weather the ups and downs of training and racing. Be no nonsense about that one. Life goes up and down. It just does.
Do not entertain a change of heart when having a tough day or after a tough race. Allow time to emotionally recover from disappointment. Reflect and move on.
2. Reflect honestly
Review your races. Improve what you can and give yourself credit for what you did well.
Refine what didn’t go so well. Be honest with yourself, without judgement.
3. Take care of yourself and surround yourself with a healthy community of friends
Eat well, sleep well, and take care of your body and health. It is quite simple.
Surround yourself with likeminded positive people who lift you up. Put yourself in environments that support your dreams and passions. (Such as the Island Series and other events). In other words, spend your time well.
4. Listen to others
You never know what you may learn but be discerning as well. From what you learn, custom build the program and lifestyle that works for you.
Find a greater purpose
Give back when you can. Share the joy of your process and your achievement and celebrate others’ successes. Find opportunities to give back and accept opportunities to give back when they come. Thank the volunteers.
Run For Joy!
Recent panel from TC10K on the Island Series…
Harriers Pioneer 8K: BC 8K Championships
For us mid to north island runners, the day began early with a 6:45 AM bus departure from Courtenay. I would like to give a big shout-out to Derek Kaufman from Run to Beer Comox Valley (RTBCV) for organizing the bus and allowing a great group of approximately 40 runners from Comox Valley Road Runners (CVRR) and RTBCV clubs to ride in style down to North Saanich.
Advantages of taking the group coach bus
Restful: Close your eyes. Visualize the upcoming race. Or just have a nap.
Social: Have some fun conversations, our bus even featured a friendly in-transit trivia contest.
Green: Reduce auto emissions and traffic on the road.
Economical: Bus cost was certainly cheaper than fuel and/or hundreds of kilometres of wear and tear on your vehicle and tires.
Safe: Seatbelts on the bus and the ability to have a beer (or two) after the race.
Private washroom: Though admittedly not the most pleasant toilet experience.
Secure: The bus was locked during the race, so phones and wallets were safe.
I would encourage all you South Island runners to jump on board the bus organized to head north for the upcoming Comox Valley RV Half Marathon and the McLean Mill 10K in Port Alberni.
The Pioneer 8K was my first run of 2023, I spent pretty much all of December attending holiday parties and despite my intentions to get some training sessions in…
…it simply didn’t happen.
So, I implemented the good old “start slow….then fade” race strategy. I really enjoyed the energy and the rolling 8K course was great. In a surprising turn of events, my final kilometre was my fastest of the day and that bodes well for the future. Thank you to PIH, sponsors, volunteers, and VIRA for putting on a quality event. ‘Twas a great day with some really amazing runners in attendance.
Post-race our coach bus made a critical stop at the Prairie Inn Pub on the way home. Post race pub lunch is an essential part of VIRA racing for many, especially the RTBCV group. Established in 1859, this pub featured a genuine neighbourhood pub decor and hearty and wholesome comfort food which really hit the spot. Hoyne Brewing ‘Dark Matter’ was a popular beer on the menu too. Always important to think about caloric replacement after racing.
Cobble Hill 10K
What a fantastic day we had for the Cobble Hill 10K. Is it just me or do these races seem to be getting bigger and more popular?
There was truly spectacular winter weather for the 10K and I really loved the new course, though, for the second race in a row, I heard a bit of whining about an uphill finish. Maybe I should be adding in some hill interval training soon?
[editor’s note: The final 2K are downhill, Steve may have enjoyed a Dark Matter early for this race].
For the second event in a row, my final kilometre of the race was my fastest and while not ideal. It’s good in these early January races, knowing I am drastically under-trained, to just try and maintain an easy cruisy rhythm. This way I may enjoy more of being “out there” in the mid-to-back of the pack. For the second race in a row, I managed to break the top 30 in my age category.
It was so great to see my fellow CVRR and RTBCV teammates out on the course too. I saw my friend Livia just in front of me with 500m to go, I love trying to track down my running buddies on the course and then try and go wheezing past them at the line. Not whizzing…. WHEEZING. Try as I might… Livia could not be caught. Next time Liv. Next time.
Post-race featured our annual visit to the Cobblestone Pub for caloric replacement therapy. I truly love the smell of Voltaren anti-inflammatory gel combined with the smell of beer. I highly recommend the Buffalo Chicken Wrap with fries. There was Hoyne Brewing ‘Dark Matter’ beer on tap too. Delicious.
Thank you so much to Ceevacs Road Runners, all of the sponsors, volunteers, and VIRA for a fantastic day. It takes a small army to run a successful event. We are all so lucky to have these fun opportunities for competitive recreation on Vancouver Island. Time to start upping the mileage for the 12K and the 21.1K half-marathon coming up fast!
Next race is indeed the Cedar 12K in Nanaimo.
Runners and walkers were given an opportunity to register for the Vancouver Island Race Series’ 2023 season at the Royal Victoria Marathon expo at Crystal Gardens over the Thanksgiving weekend for the pre-pandemic price of just $150.
We sold out.
However, due to a temporary error in letting people register from anywhere (not just at the expo, as planned), the threshold for the $150 price was extended and has been met yet again. So far, there are donations of $650 to the series’ Charity of Choice, the Victoria Hospitals Society. So, it has been a great weekend with much to be thankful for.
And the winner of the shoes is: Lindsay Horlor with Esprit RC!
Congratulations, Lindsay. You may pick up your Frontrunners Gift Certificate starting Thursday at noon at Frontrunners at Yates and Vancouver.
Also to be drawn is the Vancouver Island Trail Running Series season pass. Thanks to Myke Labelle at Coastline Endurance Running who puts on the trail series. This prize will be announced Wednesday, October 12 at noon. Check back then.
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