The heat wave on the northern Sunshine Coast had passed just in time for runners to take on hilly Texada Island, at the annual Run the Rock marathon, this past Sunday, August 20.
Folks from Vancouver Island, the qathet region including Area D (Texada), as well as runners from elsewhere in BC ran one of the three races, including: 42-kilometre marathon, half-marathon and eight-kilometre runs.
Race director Lucia Capretti ran the eight-kilometre race and said that, “even though the smoke was slowly coming in [to Texada] the weather was perfect for a race. The visibility was good and it wasn’t too hot.”
Results for both the female and male marathon, half-marathon and eight-kilometre races have been finalized.
First female (winner) in the full marathon: Jody Lownds, from Black Creek (near Comox), at three hours, 51 minutes and 20 seconds.
First male (winner) in the full marathon: Daniel Wilson from Comox, at three hours, 27 minutes and 50 seconds.
First male (winner), half-marathon: Stuart White from Victoria, at one hour, 22 minutes and 57 seconds.
First female (winner), half-marathon: Valerie Hodgins from Cumberland, at one hour, 40 minutes and 23 seconds.
The eight-kilometer race was won by a husband and wife from Halfmoon Bay: Larry Nightingale came in at 37 minutes, 51 seconds and Teresa Nightingale came in at 39 minutes, 45 seconds.
According to seasoned marathoners and race finishers, Run the Rock on Texada Island is one of the toughest road marathons in North America. This was the 10th year for the race, which has drawn participants from Vancouver Island, the qathet region and even Europe, according to Capretti, but this year most runners were local or from qathet and Comox.
The event is volunteer-run and Capretti said there were at least 60 volunteers this year and 75 runners.
For more information, go to runtexada.pacesetterathletic.ca/#course.
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