Yukoners flock south for Victoria Marathon
It's becoming a Yukon Thanksgiving weekend tradition.
It's becoming a Yukon Thanksgiving weekend tradition.
A large troupe of Whitehorse runners is once again heading south to compete in the GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon, scheduled for Sunday in Victoria, BC.
This year, 83 local athletes have registered to compete in one of the four events 鈥� full marathon (42 km), half marathon (21 km), 8 km, and kids race (1.2 km).
"There's always been a good-sized group coming down,鈥� longtime marathon participant Richard Zral told the Star. "It's a good time to run. It's the end of the season and everybody's in pretty decent shape.鈥�
More than 11,000 runners are registered for the 33rd annual event.
The Victoria marathon is a relatively flat race, with the total elevation change coming in at 74 feet. The marathon 鈥� accepted as a Boston Marathon qualifier 鈥� has one of the highest percentages of runners beating their qualifying times than any other in North America.
"Because it's at sea level and it's fairly flat, if you're going to do a personal best, this is probably the place to do it,鈥� Zral admitted.
This year's race will mark the eighth time Zral has run in the Victoria Marathon.
Seven years ago, he and fellow runner Keith Thaxter set up a booth at the race expo, organizing a charter flight from the Yukon for runners, as well as a post-marathon celebration at the Sticky Wicket Pub in the Strathcona Hotel.
"We ran the booth a couple of years, and then we decided, hell, we should get all the Yukoners together and go for a beer. I contacted the manager at the Sticky Wicket and we've been going there for five years. They set a room aside for us.鈥�
An Air North charter will fly out of Whitehorse this afternoon, and will return Monday night.
Runners will be greeted by spectacular weather conditions. The forecast has Victoria receiving sun and balmy 19-degree temperatures on race day.
Zral said of the Whitehorse athletes participating, 40 are members of Athletics Yukon.
Some of the local contingent are extremely fast, he added. Aisha Montgomery and Simon Lapointe 鈥� both "extremely fast鈥� 鈥� will be running the half marathon, as will Logan Roots, who placed first in his age category last year.
"We've got some really good runners in the territory,鈥� Zral said. "We do really well here. It's kind of neat to just be able to show off.鈥�
Twenty local runners will run the full marathon. They are: Leif Austad, Jonathan Belanger, Kesley Bragg, Olwyn Bruce, Nathalie Dugas, David Eikelboom, Cynthia Freeman, Lisa Gallibois, Kevin Hannam, Robert Holmes, Staci Kindervater, Meagan Lang, Kasia Leary, Ryan Leef, Michael Richards, Liris Smith, Wayne Smyth, Andrew Stratis, Jessica Thiessen, and Samantha Wilson.
Registered in the half are: Manon Aubert, Karen Barnes, Tamara Bingham, Karl Blattman, Logan Boehmer, Sam Bonar, Terry Boone, Dominic Bradford, Jenny Charchun, Clare Daitch, Jessie Gladish, Conrad Gryba, Sylvie Hamel, Julie Haywood, Katherine Hill, Kimberly Holmes, Valerie Holmes, Lois Johnston, Piia Kukka, Michael Kulachkosky, Simon Lapointe, Bonnie Love, Kari Mathers, David McInnes, Gilles Menard, David Michayluk, Johnny Miller, Aisha Montgomery, Paul Moore, Christine Paradis, Micah Quinn, Logan Roots, Isabelle Salesse, Jean-Louis Salesse, Tanya Salvin, Virginia Sarrazin, Barbara Scheck, Katherine Scheck, Sandra Secord, Carole Spillette, Kaitlin Stephens, Wendy Tayler, Tina Woodland, Emily Woodruffe, and Richard Zral.
Representing the Yukon in the 8 km run will be: Alexandra Davidge, Tiffani Fraser, Yanik Freeman, Sammy Kent, Benoit Labelle, Cheylsea Mitchell, Tayler Mitchell, Sharon Moore, Brian Mottus, Kara Nyland, and Rachelle Zral.
Competing in the Kids Run are: Aramintha Bradford, Finegand Bradford, Gregory Freeman, Lisa Freeman, Bree Labelle, Constance Lapointe, and Dahlia Lapointe.
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