Race Reports

November 23, 2008 - 43rd Annual Bazett Farm Cross Country A beautiful sunny day for the 43rd Annual Bazett Farm Cross Country!

Huge thank you to Chuck Plester and Sue Plester for generously continuing to host the oldest cross country run in BC on their farm! It was a joy to see Chuck and Sue's two young boys, Colin Plester and Hayden Plester participating in the Mini Rascals Cross Country. How cool is that, getting to race in your own yard!

Race #1 consisted of a 1.2km loop on the rolling fields of Bazett Farm. Local triathlete Christine Ridenour was the "rabbit" for the 8 year to 10 year old boys and girls race. Younger sis, Desiree Ridenour (Kelly's Kids) placed first in the girl’s age 9 years.

Nanaimo Track & Field's Amelia Kazanowski led the girls 10 years, running the fastest female time for race #1, in 5 minutes and 34 seconds.

Youngster Finn Battersby placed first in 8 year old boys. Local runner Jeremy Kissack (Cobble Hill School) placed first in 9 year old boys.

A close battle took place between Nanaimo Track and Field’s Carter Higgins and Colton LaJeunesse for the fastest boys time in race #1.

Carter edged Colton for 1st place in the 10 year old boys with the fastest time of 5 minutes and 15 seconds. The Nanaimo Track and Field Club dominated the first race claiming first and second team awards in the boy’s 8 to 10 age division.

Race #2 - 2.4km Race number two consisted of two loops of the race #1 course. Nanaimo Track and Field won the overall team division for girls (11 to 12 yrs). Nanaimo's Miryam Bassett placed first, crossing the line with the fastest time of 9 minutes and 45 seconds.

Teammates and sisters Erica DeSchiffart and Marita DeSchiffart were 2nd and 3rd.

Oceanside Track & Field’s Thomas Oxland won the boys race in 5 minutes and 15 seconds, just ahead of his twin brother Peter Oxland.

Race #3 - 3.9 km. Runners looped the farm twice adding "Heart Break Hill". Courtney Roskelley placed first in the Midget (13 to 15 yrs) with a time of 16 minutes and 35 seconds. Joel Deschiffart won the boys division in 14 minutes and 13 seconds

Race #4A - The 5.2 km (2 x 2.51km loop) added a wet marshy field and "Heart Break Hill". Winning the Juvenile women's (16 to 17) division and running the fastest time for females in 24 minutes and 16 seconds was Shawnigan Lake School's Alana McMullen.

Alana McMullen along with Shawnigan Lake School's Shannon Murphy (2nd) and Leah Collins-Hosett (3rd) won the team division for women 16-17 years.

Vancouver Island University runner Jennifer Rudy placed 1st for the open women, while Kari MacIntyre (Bastion) placed first for pre-masters. First in the Master division (40-49) was Duncan’s Patti McMullen. Prairie Inn Harriers (PIH) runner Wendy Davies won the veteran women's spot. Wendy ran the fastest time for all females 40 years and over, a speedy 24:40

Cowichan High School's Travis Chrysler and Shawnigan Lake School's Alistair Vittery battled back and forth in an exciting juvenile men’s race. Alistair passed Travis on the final climb up Heart Break Hill to finish in 22 minutes and 25 seconds, 15 seconds ahead of Travis. Alistair and teammates Lucas Choa (3rd)) and Sitin Hyun-sul (4th) won the Juvenile team division.

However, the fastest time for the 5.2 km run was by a male veteran (50 yrs plus)! Ric Perron (Westshore Frontrunners) ran a strong and swift race to cross the line in 21 minutes and 33 seconds. Ric was 30 seconds ahead for 2nd place Veteran runner, Gary Duncan of PIH. Zlatko Zvekich of Bastion placed first In the Super Verten category (60 +)

Two team awards for men 50 yrs and up went to: 1st place PIH- Gary Duncan, Garfield Saunders and Bob Reid. 2nd plce went to Bastion (Zlatk Zvekich, Bob Cook and Bill Hollingshead)

Race #4B - 7.60 km (3 x 2.51km loop) Aaron Ritchie from Ocean Side Track and Field was first for junior men (18-19). Chris Callendar ran the fastest time for open men in 32:01. Silas Brownsley from CeeVacs placed first in pre-masters (30-39). Mark Ritchie running for PIH was the fastest master runner and ran the fastest overall time for the 7.6km loop in 31:32

Mountain Man Jim Griffins Race Report:100 mile stage race: http://www.himalayan.com/sr2.html

Well it's all over, and I had a blast! We started off with a bus ride from Mirik Lake in the Himalayas on the 28th, and we got to the Start Line in a few hours. We were then at about 2,200 meters, and wa had a 24 mile run up to Sandakphu at 4,000meters. It was the most brutal days running I have ever experienced- no question. There was actually about 3,000meters cumulative gain, so there must have been some downhill there somewhere, but I can't remember where! I just remember the endless hairpin bends on the tiny road, and the up, up, up! I kept running for the first few hours, but then I had to start walking sometimes. It was very tough indeed, I have to say. We spent the night of 28th in mountain huts, and the next morning (at 5:00am)we had fabulous views of Everest and Kanchenjunga in the distance. Then we started a 20 mile run to a tiny village called Molle and back, on an undulating, mainly cobbled track through wonderful open moorland running country.. The track is right, literally, on the border with Nepal, and armed soldiers were absolutely everywhere. Although the running was superb, the almost 4,000 meter altitude meant breathing was a little difficult, and whenever I took a swallow of water, I was left gasping for breath. The many water stations often had bananas and baked potatoes, difficult to chew and swallow while running at that altitude. I walked all the ups! The next day was the 26 mile marathon. We again ran out to Molle, but then started an incredibly steep descent.. We dropped over, I think, 1,500 meters in 12km, mainly on a tiny track that was more like a dry stream bed, which eventually wound its way through a village, zig-zagging past the little thatched houses, with all the chickens and goats, and the cheerful villagers. The trail marking, by the way, was excellent. We stayed that night, and the next, in the large village of Rimik, and at Lodge, and we had descended by then back to around 2,200 meters. The next day we started a 13 mile run early, as always, and had another out and back, undulating and very scenic, through an almost tropical landscape. I was back to being able to run the ups! The final day was 17 miles, starting with an hour or two of steady uphill, then level, and ending with a long downhill zig zag back to Mirik Lake. The food was excellent running grub, always! I'm now in Delhi for a few days. One of the friends I've made will join me for Delhi run the morning of the day after tomorrow, before he departs for the UK, and I to Nepal. I hope to have a try at the Cowichan 3 mountain Loop in 9 hours on my return, as I'll never have a better chance of making it!

See you on my return in early December Happy running! Jim

Tammy Lang – Great Lake 2007

My day started at 2:30 am even though it should have started at 3:00 am, but I was just too excited and never mind the extra water I took in the day before he he... I ate me favorite breaky (oatmeal and peanut butter) and of course coffee. I double checked my racing gear, pinned on my race number and Ivan and I were out the door at 4:00am.

We got to Yobou hall at about 4:45 am and I hit the woman's bathroom line up again like every year.. Ivan drove back to Lake Cowichan for a nap and then he was going to ride his bike out to Duncan to meet Gary and Julie to ride back to see me and fellow Ceevac's race into the finish. I got out of the bathroom in time to sing "Oh Canada" and we were off at 5:00 am all just over 500 of us. I turned on my head lamp and morning tunes and found my pace. It was very dark and I was concerned about the road condition because they had said the road was full of pot holes but I found it to be just fine. The only time I twisted an ankle was when a car would come up behind me, and between their head lights, dust, and my light it would go blurry for a few seconds. I couldn't see but no worries I survived.

I had my pace times in my back pocket which I keep checking and I was was right on track and feeling great! The km' were flying by quickly. I found out at each aide station that I was second gal and in 8th place. That kept me reved up, I pretty much ran by self for a long time. I did get behind a guy in a grey shirt at about 27k and I kept him in my sights and stayed behind him at about 200-400 meters back. I liked his pace and gave me a focus for when my pace got difficult. It worked like a charm. Finally after 37k the big climbs were starting and my guy was really slowing down so it was time to move past him, as I got be side him we smiled at each other and gave the thumbs up (that gave me goose bumps) and a way I went. I now was in 7th position. I kept telling myself "It's your day, your doing great keep going".

I ran into another fellow just near the top of the final climb who was walking and I think hurting, I passed him and now in 6th place. I hit the marathon mark at 4:11 and then my calfs, top of feet, and shins were cramping bad. I believe that it was because I haven't run long all year and I needed electrolytes. Any ways I shuffled down the hill with one walk break when the cramps were really bad. I kept looking back and saw movement so I kept shuffling forward looking for the the bottom of the hill where the next aide station was with the salt and gatoraide. I was just about there and along side me was my friend Carlos (aka. Jackal) I was happy to see him. He told me Janet G was right behind me, so I had to try to get rid of these cramps. Deep inside I really wanted to hold on to second female postion. Carlos put me into 7th postion at 46k but that's ok cause 7 is my lucky number. I sucked on a few pretzles and chugged gatoraide but the cramps slowed me. I saw a phase written on the road that said "It's up to you!" and it worked, I kept chugging along. Janet got me at just over 48k. I re focused my self and decided to keep her in my sights and still get a pr for this ultra, "I did it!" I came through the finish where Gary, Julie, and Hubby were waiting. I was crying (low on blood sugar) and very happy. I was 6 minutes faster and came in 8th overall, third gal with a time of 5:49:30. Wow what a day! I love this ultra! All the aide stations are so much fun and the views are amazing. I watched Jim G, John D, come in too. Well done boys! I also got to meet Margaret who was first gal and found out that she is also a Ceevac! Congrats to her as well as Han's wife Margret for her amazing finish! I hope to do this again next year.