Race: Durham 1/4 Marathon
Distance: 10.549 km
Date: July 21, 2012
Result: 39:00 (PB 38:39, 2010)
The Durham 1/4 has recently added cash prizing (starting in 2010). As would be expected this has attracted the attention of a few A-listers who made the trip in from Hamilton. More than enough to keep me out of contention, but not our Lyndsay Tessier. The men’s side was full of contenders, but the women’s side was a little light. There was Anna Kibor, Llioudmilla Kortchaguina, and then …
This has turned into one of my favorite races. A mainly downhill blaster through the Oshawa Creek ravine to the lake front trail, finishing near Intrepid Park. There is a short but steep hill past 5k to test your mettle, and another longer hill after 9k to make for a gut-busting finish. Cash prizes aside, the age awards are uniquely struck Quarters mounted in jewel cases. A nice touch that puts to shame some of the other crap I have taken home. Even the race kits had some valuable goodies including a can of Neutrogena spray-on sport sunscreen. What runner couldn’t use that?
The race went off as expected. I fell into a good pace with potential to secure a new PB. However, that would need some inspiration. I marked the third pace fellow who was wearing a Toronto Olympic Club singlet. He quickly faded out of sight. Before the race I had chatted with both Llioudmilla and Anna. Sure enough they were on my pace and I tried my best to mark them.
From 3k to 5k, Anna kept upping the pace and Llioumilla would match. They were cruising at a swift 3:36/k and I was slowly losing ground. Just past the 5k signpost I saw Llioudmilla walking off the course through a parking lot. Anna had stretched Llioudmilla past her limit. A shame but possibly not unexpected. Llioudmilla was not far into her comeback after taking some time off for kids.
The rest of the race I picked off a few, in constant search of the chap wearing that TOC singlet and maybe some prize money. I could not get him in sight and settled for pacing in a fellow I caught up to just before the last nasty hill. As it turns out, no where near the money but good enough for another 1st for age Quarter.
A minute later found our Johnny Tranter with yet another first for age. Ho hum, yes? But no my friends. Less than two days earlier John had raced the Eaton Downtown 10k, a head to head contest against his old nemesis from the 80’s, John Clarke. There was no contest for these sixty year olds. John’s 37:57 was more than 2 minutes better. Then John matches that pace here again. As John puts it: “I am in great shape right now, so let’s race!”
Rounding out the age awards were Anne Banfield taking a 3rd and Bruce Beaulieu who also train with the gang at Ajax Running Free. Anne has joined the group this year after years of running elsewhere. Anne was in fact one of my ski pals that got me into road racing so many years ago. She is already running faster than she ever has, and faster still is coming. A perennial 3:40 marathoner, Anne will set a new PB of 3:22 later this fall in Chicago.
These results are the proof: Training at Ajax Running Free is just awesome!
