2014 Race Wishlist

If I made a wishlist of nearby races I would like to run in 2014, it would include all the CRR XC, all the 5 Peaks, anything in Canmore or Banff, anything 21k, any 10k if there's costumes or music, and a steeplechase with eels in the water pit.

Unfortunately, due to my misplaced ambition last year where I increased my mileage too quickly in the spring, I will probably get to none of them.

Here are some local races that would make for a good year.

• St. Patrick's Day Road Race 10k, March 16, 2014, $50 until Feb 16, entry gets you a t-shirt and a chance to win your weight in beer.
• Calgary Police Half, April 27, 2014, $85 until Feb 6, registration is open now, includes a race shirt
• Calgary Spring Classic, May 2014, $15 per event, like Steeplechase on the outdoor track
• Calgary Marathon, June 1, 2014, $90 until March 31, includes a race shirt, a medal and a post-race breakfast
• Cochrane Footstock 10k, June 14, 2014, registration opens Feb 13
• High River Half Marathon, July 1, 2014, $40 until March 31, includes a t-shirt
• Stampede Road Race Half Marathon, July 6, 2014, $65 until June 1, includes a t-shirt
• Moose Mountain Trail Race 29k, August 2014, $60, includes a t-shirt and lunch
• Dino Dash 10k, Sept 2014, $35 until Aug, includes a t-shirt
• Canmore Rocky Mountain Half, Sept 7, 2014, registration opens Feb 1
• Rock the House Run 10k, in Sept, proceeds to Ronald McDonald House
• Harvest Half, Oct 4, 2014, $60 until Sept 1, $60 includes a t-shirt and post-race brunch, registration opens April 1
• Last Chance Half, November 9, 2014

 

Also:

• Athletics Alberta Timex Road Race Series
• Five Peaks
• Calgary Roadrunners Cross Country Grand Prix Series

 

Golden Bear Open, Edmonton, Jan 17-19

It's been a long time since I've written about indoor track, so I thought I'd refresh myself with who some of the people are in the sport by looking at some recent results. January 4th's Dino Classic was only the second event of the indoor track season, so it might not be an indication of who is up for the Golden Bear, but a few results in some of the longer distance categories might provide a glimpse of who's out there.

Women's 16+ 300m
> Tegan Wilson 41.98 Calgary International
> Tatyjania Khounviseth 42.06 Leduc Track Club
> Cassandre Collins 42.93 U of Calgary

Women's 16+ 600m
> Jenna Westaway 1:31.55 U of Calgary
> Rachael McIntosh 1:36.88 U of Calgary
> Natasha Jackson 1:37.76 Valley Royals

Women 16+ 1500m
> Emma Cook-Clarke 4:49.67 U of Calgary
> Gabby Traxler 5:02.99 U of C Athletics Club
> Madison Oxton 5:09.75 Leduc Track Club

Men 16+ 300m
> Andrew Dargie 35.50 Calgary International
> Evan Kimick 35.79 U of C Athletics Club
> Garrett King 36.14 U of Calgary

Men 16+ 600m
> Roman Justinen 1:24.66 U of Calgary
> Luc Wittig 1:24.70 U of Calgary
> Maciek Krolikowski 1:25.54 U of Calgary

Men 16+ 1500m
> Mihai Prajea 4:11.67 Calgary International
> Michael Quick 4:15.68 Calgary International
> Keenan Viney 4:17.80 U of C Athletics Club



The relay races seem to be one of the more exciting events, full of bumps and drops and magic feet. Here's a race from last year at the Butterdome to give you a sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLARU3wfuis


Also, here are some of the top placing Calgarians from the last college cross country race in the fall. Maybe some of them will show up next weekend in Edmonton: Jessica O'Connell, Alana Skocdople, Shari Boyle, Clifford Childs, Willy Kimosop, Brad Bickley, Keena Viney, Gareth Hadfield (although the cross over from cross country is not comprehensive).

In addition to the 16+ category, there are age groups for everyone 10 and up, as well as some  competitive masters and senior athletes. Unlike the Jack Simpson in Calgary, the indoor track in Edmonton has tons of seating.

The events and the schedule are available here: http://www.athletics.ualberta.ca/-/media/athletics/teams/track/2013-14/pdf-documents/1314-gboschedule.pdf


It's worth attending.

Nose Creek XC, Jan 11 noon

It should be a perfect Saturday for running in the snow at this weekend's Calgary Roadrunners Nose Creek 4k/8k Cross Country Race, which is race 6 of their 10 race season. Frontrunners have included: Trev Williams, Mark Cowllie, Calvin Zaryski, Carter Birt, Maria Zambrano, Rhonda Clark, Kim Collier, John Vanderveen, Evan Bayer, Jessica Kaiser, Mevlut Kont, Anne Marie Landry, Andy Reed, Phillipe Lagace.
If you'd like to see a nasty cold version of the course, Neil Zeller filmed part of the race in 2011. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acXODI_SDps Watch that and then imagine it about 30 degrees warmer. Should be quite pleasant. If you'd like to see a cross country race in Calgary in the winter before trying it yourself, this course offers some good sightlines for spectators. As always, there's a potluck lunch for race participants at a nearby community hall (please bring your own mug, bowl and spoon) where age group medals are handed out (often in the form of a cookie).


Races cost $10, CRR members pay $7 and students pay $5. There is also a free kids 1km race around 11:45am. Races start at noon sharp-ish.
Brochure for the course: http://www.calgaryroadrunners.com/sites/default/files/2014-01-11_nose_creek_trifold.pdf

Upcoming Calgary Races: Mother's Day 10k, Calgary Marathon

In the middle of January I pulled my calf again. I'd probably started running 10k to work a bit too aggressively after my injury in the fall. It wasn't a bad tear, but I took a month off running and still haven't built myself back up to 10k. Now that it's spring I'm getting excited about running again, and hopefully this time I can ramp up my mileage gradually.

upcoming races
Mother's Day 10k, May 12
Calgary Marathon, May 26
Banff-Jasper Relay, June 1
Footstock, June 15 and 16


results
Frozen Ass Fifty
fastest men
Joe Huising 3:32:39
Chris Hooper 3:33:58
Myron Tetrault 3:38:58

fastest women
Adela Salt 3:56:12
Krista Mitchell 4:30:08
Joelle MacDonald 4:34:01


Glencoe Icebreaker
fastest men
Brad Bickley 34:43
Jeremy Deere 34:53
Jordan Bryden 35:23

fastest women
Grace Kary 37:51
Jessica O'Connell 38:54
Bridget Pyke 39:00


St. Patrick's Day 10k
fastest men
Duncan Marsden 36:52
Nathan Kendrick 36:56
Roman Justinen 37:35

fastest women
Grace Kary 40:02
Rosemarie Gerspacher 41:18
Lindsay Manning 42:20


St. Patrick's Day 5k
fastest men
Travis Roske 18:28
Michael Kondro 18:37
Cooper Bentley 18:41

fastest women
Jessica O'Connell 18:52
Emma Cook-Clarke 20:32
Pauline McLean 20:38


Spring Trio 15k
fastest men
Trevor Hofbauer 56:05
Alex Whyte 1:00:31
Don Gee 1:01:38

fastest women
Pauline McLean 59:28
Madison Fai 1:08:05
Carolyn France 1:08:24


Spring Trio 10k
fastest men
Kevin Lindland 37:17
Greg Medwid 38:30
Todd King 39:02

fastest women
Shannon Winslade 40:31
Madeleine Sumner 40:58
Christina Curr-Myschuck 41:42


Spring Trio 5k
fastest men
Richard Reid 17:00
Trev Williams 17:08
Kyle Marcotte 18:07

fastest women
Sarah MacArthur 19:00
Chelsey Moore 20:29
Joanna Ford 20:42


Hypothermic Half Feb 9, 2013
fastest men
Steven Griffith-Cochrane 1:15:32
Derek Campbell 1:19:59
Marc-Andre Gagniere 1:23:04
Darren Desrochers 1:24:39
Mark Dwyer 1:24:53

fastest women
Allison Blackmore 1:34:52
Lindsay Neufeld 1:35:34
Kate Bowering 1:35:52
Sarah MacDonald 1:35:54
Kris Murray 1:37:44

2013 Goal Races: 3 half marathons + 3 10ks + the Gorilla Run

In July I started run-commuting the 10k to work and biking back, or vice versa, depending on where the bike was. Not every day, but a couple or few times a week. It would be nice to build that up in 2013 up to 50k a week consistently. Before I pulled my calf in October I imagined my progress was going to grow exponentially and by the summer I'd be running ultramarathons, but I think I have to be more realistic. So I picked a handful of more modest goal races for 2013:

St. Patrick's Day 10k Road Race, March 17
Calgary Marathon half marathon May 26
Stampede Road Race half marathon July 7
Dino Dash 10k early Sept (Road Race)
Rock the House Run 10k Sept 22 (Road Race)
Gorilla Run Oct
Last Chance Half Marathon Nov 10

I point out the road races because you haven't really run a race in the city if you've never run down the middle of a closed road with hundreds of your new best friends. The police close the streets so people can run and walk on them for fun. How cool is that?

upcoming races
Dino Classic indoor track at Jack Simpson Jan 5
MEC Hot Chocolate Run 5/10k, January 19
and several local versions of Hypothermic Half: Calgary Feb 9 + Edmonton Feb 10 + Lethbridge March 2 + Red Deer March 3
Cochrane Winterfest jan 26 3k 5k 10k
Glencoe Icebreaker April 7 registration Jan 2, must bring in paper form
Calgary Police Half April 28 registration some time in January