The young and experienced shone like stars at last Sunday’s Cedar 12K Road Race, just south of Nanaimo. The hilly course is one of the most challenging in the eight-race Island Running Series and 32 Comox Valley runners were up to the challenge and brought home medals.
Overall, 478 runners toed the start line and in the end Jim Finlayson of Victoria won the title in a course record 37:11. Care Wakely of Victoria was the first woman in 45:17. From the Comox Valley, up-and-coming 12-year-old star Emily Keyes won in the under 15 girls in a great time of 59:59. Continuing her winning ways, Diane Palmason won the F70-74 years division. Angela Plamondon also finished first in the F45-49 group. Kathy Rung scored second place in the F35-39 division and Mary Ann Rolfe grabbed third in the F55-59 section.
On the men’s side, Terry Neilson was the fastest Comox Valley Road Runner, finishing in 45:19 and only eight seconds ahead of fellow CVRR Vince Brotherston. Keith Wakelin finished second in the M50-54 division followed by Roger Plamondon in fourth in the same group. Brad Crowe scored fourth in the men’s 30-34 division.
The Comox Valley Road Runners currently stand in third place amongst the 83 identified clubs in the Island Running Series and hope to make a push towards second as the series continues. The fourth race in the eight race series is the hilly Hatley Castle 8K in Victoria on Feb. 20. The big event here in the Comox Valley will be the March 19-20 weekend when the CVRR Learn to Run 5K Clinic has its grand finale 5K run on Saturday followed by the longest race in the Island Series, the Comox Valley Half-Marathon, on Sunday morning.
Go tp www.CVRR.ca for full results.