麻豆社区

Two 麻豆社区Yukon runners recorded new personal-best times at the GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon Sunday.

Among the crowd of approximately 12,000, Yukoners Logan Roots and Logan Boehmer ran the best half marathon races of their lives, with both finishing in the top 25.

Roots cracked 1:13, running the 21-kilometre route in 1:12:59. The mark was 54 seconds better than his previous top time earned at last year's race in the British Columbia capital.

"It was great,鈥� the 20-year-old said this morning. "I kind of had it in the back of my mind to start off a little slower and then pick it up in the second half, but throughout the entire race, I had no idea about time or pace or anything, so it was a little surprising when I realized the time I ran.鈥�

Roots finished 12th overall in the annual Thanksgiving weekend race.

"This was really good,鈥� he said. "I'm going to keep chipping away at this distance, run one or two every year and keep trying to get a little lower and eventually, within the next couple of years, get under 1:10. If I can do 50 seconds 鈥� that was probably more than I'll ever take off ever again.鈥�

Boehmer shaved about seven minutes off his previous best, completing the course in 1:17:04 to finish 25th.

"I was pretty happy to improve that much since last year. I just wanted to run faster than last year,鈥� the 21-year-old admitted. "I really wanted to run sub-1:20 and just see how I was feeling at the end of the race.鈥�

Roots said running in a crowd of several thousand was "a little crazy.鈥� He said at times, the cheering spectators and packed streets made it feel like he wasn't even running.

The Whitehorse runner said he paced himself against a competitor with a similar skill-set to keep up his quick pace.

"If you're running by yourself, you're like 鈥榓lright, I'm a little tired. Maybe I'll take this kilometre a little easier,'鈥� he explained. "With someone else, you just keep pushing. It's more mental. Someone else is there and you have to beat him to the finish line.鈥�

Boehmer said coming into the finish line was like running into a "wall of people.鈥�

Weather conditions were perfect for the run, the two Yukoners said.

"It could not have been better,鈥� said Roots. "There was no wind. For 7:30 in the morning, it was a little chilly, but after the first half hour of the race, it starts to warm up. You're running right along the coast, and the sun's coming up 鈥� it was just so beautiful and the weather was perfect for fast times.鈥�

In the full marathon, Kenyan runner Lamech Mosoti set a new men's course record, completing the 42-kilometre race in 2:13:42.

Carcross runner Denise McHale finished third overall among female participants, running a quick 2:56:39. She was the first female masters runner to cross the line.

The marathon is a relatively flat race, with a total elevation change coming in at 74 feet. The route takes participants through downtown Victoria.

For full race results, visit http://runvictoriamarathon.com/aftertherace/results.php.