St. Patrick’s School wins two TC10K Awards
St. Patrick’s School has won two awards in the Island Farms School Team Challenge – the fastest overall team award and the best Team Spirit/Costume category. The school won $1,000 for each award, courtesy of Island Farms.
This year the school, put a special emphasis on promoting health and fitness, and saw the TC10K and the 1.5k run a natural fit and a perfect kick-off to their track and field season.
“Participating in the TC10k and 1.5k as a school was a great motivator for the kids,” said Coach McLeish, who managed to clock a cool 46:3810k herself. “We put out a challenge to our school community, encouraged everyone to set a personal goal, come out and run and have fun together. Of course the opportunity to win $1,000 or ice-cream for the whole school helped to get the kids excited as well.”
“It was wonderful to see so many families out,” said one of the parents who helped to organize the school team. “Sprinting to keep up with my seven-year-old and her friend in the 1.5k kids run, I listened to them encouraging one another along, each equally amazed by how far and how fast they were running. As they approached the finish line, neck and neck, experiencing the adrenalin that comes through competition, they spontaneously held hands and decided to cross the finish line together – that made it all worthwhile”
“It was wonderful to see the children all decorated in green and gold and proudly demonstrating our strong school spirit. We are thrilled to have won two prizes this year – one for school spirit and another for the fastest school. That’s going to be hard for us to top.” When asked about their goal for next year, Coach McLeish said.” Double our participants, maintain our sportsmanship and encourage other schools to come out and run with us!”
The school was presented with their awards on June 7 by Jenny Matechuk from Island Farms and Jacqui Sanderson, TC10K Race Director.
Check out your race photos here….Race Photos
Record turnout for Times Colonist 10K , by Cleve Dheenshaw, Times Colonist
The 21st Annual TC10K broke two records today, by Louise Hodgson-Jones, TC10K Media
The 21st Annual TC10K broke two records today – not only did it have the largest number of registrants, but it recorded more finishers than any previous race. Thirteen thousand, five hundred and eight (13,508) registered for the 10-kilometre race and the Thrifty Foods 1.5k Family Fun Run, with 10,850 finishing the 10K and 840 completing the Fun Run. In 2009 12,600 registered and 9,924 finished.
With over 50 elite athletes competing and the BC Road Running Championships at stake, the race lived up to its potential for an exciting finish with the top three finishing within 23 seconds of each other. The 2009 winner and runner-up reversed roles today with Kip Kangogo finishing in 29:35 and his training partner Willy Kimosop in 29:50. Third was Kibet Rutto in 29:58. Top Canadian – and winner of the BC Road Running Championship – was Victoria’s Scott Simpson in fourth place. Simpson finished in 30:00, 38 seconds faster than his fourth place finish in 2009. Simon Whitfield was fifth in 30:12.
Kangogo, who trains in Lethbridge, Alberta led all the way and had a 5K split of 15:02. “There were four of us running very close and then it was down to three,” Kangogo said. “At seven kilometers we were all stuck together and I could see Willy was right behind me, but at the last mile I decided to go for it. My goal was 29:10 but I was very happy with the result.” Kangogo now goes on to run the BMO Half Marathon in Vancouver on May 2 and then the Vancouver Sun Run on May 9.
The women’s race was won by Poland’s Karolina Jarzynska in an impressive 33:25. Calgary’s Lisa Harvey – running as a Master for the first time in Victoria – repeated her second place finish from 2009 in 34:37, and Kristina Rody from Burnaby, BC was third in 34:43. Rody was the top BC Athlete and is the Women’s BC Road Running Champion. Local favourite Lucy Smith was fourth in 34:58 and Natasha Wodak from Port Moody, BC fifth in 35:18.
Lisa Harvey also won the Female Masters division with Lucy Smith coming in second and Cheryl Murphy from Victoria third in 37:18. In the Men’s Masters, the favourite Mark Bomba (Coquitlam, BC) was first in 31:23, Kevin McGinnis from Ravensdale, WA was second in 33:32, and third was Kevin Searle from Shawnigan Lake, BC in 34:33.
Three age class records were set – by Jarzynska in the 25-29 female age group, Kangogo in the 30-34 male age group and Maurice Tarrant in the 80-84 age group. Tarrant – who is breaking all age class records since he turned 80 in January – finished in 48:00.
TC10K to Host BC 10K Championships
A large elite field is anticipated at this year’s TC10K after the announcement that the race has been chosen by BC Athletics to host the 2012 BC 10K Road Running Championships. The championship is open to junior, senior and masters runners, for both men and women.
The TC10K Bloggers and Fast Forwards
Check out how the TC10K Bloggers and CBC’s Fast Forwards are doing, and how hundreds of runners and walkers are hitting the streets to train.
