Date: Sun. April 26, 2009.
Time: 10am
Location: Markham-Stouffville Hospital, Cornell Community
If this race report seems to be a week late in being posted, it is due in part to the fact that the results and awards took that long to be finalized.
The finishing results — or lack there of — was one of the few negatives on numerous feel-good stories for the latest installment of the Legacy 5km run/walk. The event organizers had a lot to cheer about, including strong fundraising numbers and involvement from local schools, a flat and fast route, and good participation numbers. For Team Running Free, the event held increased significance this year. With Running Free as the event’s running store sponsor, Team RF showed up in strong numbers and captured the title of “fastest team” (see Roger’s pics under the photo gallery section).
All of these things made the event a success, despite a bit of shadow cast upon the start line by some thick rain clouds that morning. Sure enough, the skies opened up just before the race began, and participants were drenched for the first km with a quick downpour. Coupled with the fact that the temperature was a breezy 9 degrees celcius, it made for an uncomfortable start. Thankfully, the rain ceased shortly after that, and the rest of the 5km run was a quick sprint down scenic Bur Oak Ave.
I was running mid-pack and finished around the 27 min. mark when I detected the first sign of something wrong — the lack of a beep from the chip-timing machine, which I later learned was caused by a technical glitch. The result was that no times were recorded for anyone who finished between 26 and 28 mins. Some runners who ran sub 20 min. times also complained that their times did not appear in the post-race results. Organizers were thus unable to announce the winners during the awards portion, which meant that Team Running Free’s Syd Trefiak, Mike Bosch, Chris Lamont, Derek Virgo and Ali Aasen were denied the chance to stand on the podium for their team victory.
Sportstats, the normally reliable timing company that has serviced many larger events, worked all week to recover the missing times. The winners were officially announced via a full page ad in Saturday’s Economist and Sun newspaper.
Hopefully, the inclement weather and the timing mix-up won’t deter this year’s participants from supporting this event next year.
