There are some outstanding runners in the Comox Valley – and you can take that to the bank.
Nowhere was that more evident than at the BMO Vancouver Marathon on May 4, where Roz Smith of the Comox Valley Road Runners set both a course and Canadian record when she finished in 3:40. The previous record holder in the F65-69 age category was Diane Palmason, another exceptional runner from the Comox Valley.
The second amazing finish for the day was Janet Green, who finished in a time of 4:00. This was not only her fourth marathon in four weeks, but it also marked her 300th marathon.
The event, held on a wet and dreary Sunday, also included a half marathon and 8K event. Close to 4,000 runners braved the weather to test themselves on the beautiful marathon course. Starting in Queen Elizabeth Park, it wound its way up to UBC then circled down past Spanish Banks and Jericho Beach. It then crossed the Burrard Street Bridge and circled around Stanley Park, finishing up close to downtown.
In the marathon, Brad Crowe led the CV Road Runners with a time of 2 hours 46 minutes. This was good enough for a 28th place overall finish, and was also a personal best. He was followed by Derek Brenchley, who had a great run and finished with a time of 3:31.
Melissa Dekker had a strong run in her first marathon, finishing in a time of 3:32. She was followed closely by Marion Bryan, who had a great run and finished in 3:34. Jaime Moffat also had an excellent first marathon and finished with a time of 4:16.
The largest event of the day was the half marathon, with nearly 8,000 runners participating. The first local to finish was Jack Campbell with a time of 1:52. Only seconds behind was Graham Garner, who also finished with a 1:52.
Next were husband and wife Darrell and Sharon Fisher, who both finished with a time of 1:53. Sandra Rowland also had a great run, finishing in 2:03, and she was followed closely by Kim Campbell with a time of 2:04.
There were many other excellent performances by local athletes, with too many finishers to list here. For full results, visit bmovanmarathon.ca.
– Comox Valley Road Runners