Hey, Vancouver Island Race Series community!
My name is Ellen Pennock and I am a 2023 Vancouver Island Race Series ambassador. After each Island Series race, I will be sharing my experiences at each event including the highs and lows that come along with toeing the start line. I hope that you may find some parallels between our experiences, get inspired to keep stepping outside your comfort zone and feel permission to celebrate your own personal victories.
A little bit about me
I moved to Victoria from Calgary in 2011 to train on the Canadian National Triathlon team and I fell in love with the Pacific Northwest. My international triathlon career lasted 10 years and included the following highlights:
– 2014 Commonwealth Games team member
– 2013 U23 World Championship silver medallist
– Paratriathlon guide to Paralympian Jessica Tuomela
– 2015 Pan American Games with a sixth-place finish
However, I think possibly my greatest claim to fame may be holding the 20-24 Bazan Bay 5K record 😉.
Why I’m running the 2023 Island Series
Although I retired from competing in triathlon in 2020, it turns out I still love to challenge myself, connect with the running community and feel that competitive drive. So when the new team competition VIRS CUP was introduced, I wanted to help my team (Esprit Run Club) go for the cup.
On a personal level, I have a goal in 2023 of running faster than my 20-year-old self at the 10K (34:40), which is an arena I never thought I would ever even be close to.
Let me explain…
In 2015, I began to experience symptoms of what is now known as RED-S (relative energy deficit in sport) due to low energy availability (LEA). I lost my period, had a higher rate of injury and my performance began to decline significantly. It took a big emotional toll. Additionally, I experienced heightened anxiety, bouts of depression, lower confidence, and a loss of identity as a “high-performing” athlete. One of the hardest things was that running never felt “good” anymore — I felt uncoordinated, awkward, and heavy-legged. I quit the sport in 2016 at the age of 23. I then attempted to make a comeback the following year but never returned to the same level. It was a confusing, lonely and quite frankly it was a heartbreaking journey.
By the time I officially retired in 2020 at age 27, I had fully come to terms with the fact that the fastest I’d ever be was when I was 20 years old. And I was mostly at peace with that.
Fast forward to 2022: I joined Esprit Run Club after my good friend Meg Lewis-Schneider encouraged me to get back into some running. It was really fun, the group was great and our weekly Wednesday sessions quickly became the highlight of my week. The craziest thing of all was that I started to feel “good” again. My paces started to enter the territory of my previous 20-year-old self as well.
So in 2023, my goal is to run as close as possible to the 20-year-old me. To prove to myself that it’s possible and to show others (especially younger girls) that you can come out of those tumultuous young adult years stronger and more resilient if you stay patient and keep believing in yourself.
I think my best chance of running under 34:40 will be at Sun Run in April. Running the Island Series races will be the perfect opportunity to practice pacing, get back in the racing mindset, and have a lot of fun with the Victoria running community as well.
As for Pioneer 8K, it was great seeing everyone on the race course. I especially loved the stretch of road before and after the turn around where I got to say hi to so many familiar faces. I’d say I was moderately happy with my race but will need to run faster to get closer to my 2023 goal.
If anyone reading this has experienced or is currently experiencing RED-S and/or LEA, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. I know firsthand it can be a lonely journey and it doesn’t have to be that way.
I can’t wait to see everyone again at the Cobble Hill 10K. Good luck with your training!
Media Release
Natasha Wodak and Thomas Nobbs win 44th annual Prairie Inn Harriers 8K
For immediate release — North Saanich, BC — The 44th running of the Harriers Pioneer 8K kicked off the 41st annual Vancouver Island Race Series as well as the BC Super Series on Sunday. Participants enjoyed near-perfect race conditions. The race is also the provincial 8K championships.
Vancouver-based athletes Natasha Wodak and Thomas Nobbs won the women’s and men’s races respectively.
Wodak won for the ninth time in 10 attempts at the Pioneer 8K. The one time she did not win, she finished second. Sunday, Wodak, took the lead at mid-way and finished strong in the time of 26:20 to set a new masters (plus-40) age-group event record. She currently holds the course record of 25:55 and the event record of 25:28, which is an all-time Canadian best time for the distance.
Wodak currently holds the national marathon record from Sept. 2022 where she clocked a 2:23:12 performance in Berlin. The two-time Olympian said, “It was a great day at the Pioneer 8k. The rain didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits — everyone was racing hard and having fun! It was great to be a part of my favourite 8k again.“
Wodak next races the Houston Half Marathon, where she once held the national record of 69:41. On Sunday, Jan. 15, she may attempt to take back the record which now sits at 69:38.
Finishing in second place was fellow Olympian Genevieve Lalonde who clocked a 26:35. Lalonde holds the national 3000m steeplechase record at 9:22.40. Taking third was Kate Ayers with her finishing time of 27:24. The performance represents a new personal best for the Victoria-based runner. She previously ran 27:54 in the same race two years prior.
Thomas Nobbs, a former University of British Columbia Thunderbird was taking his first run at the 8K distance. He came into the race with a 10,000m best of 29:31.68. Sunday, he clocked 24:01 for the win.
“It was such a blast getting to witness the energy of the Vancouver Island running community while briefly coming up for air in a big training block,” shared Nobbs. “I wanted to race this a little smarter with even splits all the way through the race and just rode the atmosphere of the other racers cheering me on during the second half. Was much more fun to run on my own effort and see who may or may not be there at halfway into race.”
Finishing second was Jaxon Kuchar who clocked a 24:27 finish time. Gabe Van Hezewijk took third in the time of 24:57. Both athletes compete for the University of Victoria Vikes.
The top junior U20 runners were Kuchar and Ella Ballard with her 28:48 clocking. She took ninth in the women’s field.
Roslyn Smith who was competing in the 75-79 age category was the fastest age-graded runner on the day at 96%, one percent faster than Wodak.
Olivia Lundman from Lanztville, BC, a national-level race walker, finished second in her 20-24 age group while walking. She clocked a 37:45 finish time.
There were 619 finishers, which is the most in nine years and the 11th most in the event’s 44-year history.
The next race in the eight-race series is the Cobble Hill 10K happening Sunday, Jan. 22. Information about the series is available at www.islandseries.org.
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!
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