2010 Individual Race Summary and Recap... 

July 9th: NACAC and CND Mountain Racing Championships - I had a rough race with flying in the same day and making a fatal mistake of running the course 4 hrs before the race. Finished 10th overall.  

May 30th: Calgary marathon 2nd place in a slow 2hrs and 38min. Legs were good after but I was certainly off on the day and for the couple of days prior. 

May 2nd: Finishing 9 min behind the winner, I almost thought or was wishing at one point he dropped out but no avail. I was able to rein in the two other Kenyans ahead of me half way I think due to the rain and them getting a little cold! Passed the half marathon mark in 1:10:30 making my 1:11 recent half seem hilarious and showing my fitness was only getting stronger. Getting off the antibiotics 5 days prior to this marathon might of helped. The elite reception for this race and organization put on a good event. I get a tear int he eye when I think about how many people were out there cheering me on. Many thanks and you might not of thought I saw or heard you...BUT I DID! 

Apr 25th: A 32:16 for 18th was a tough one and felt rough after being on antibiotics for a week. Went out with the second largest group but then just held on.

Apr 11th: So the Sunshine Coast lived up to it's name as the weather was great. My time was slower than my fitness but I lead the whole race right from the start and with my hectic training schedule, I am happy to get away with securing the 2010 BC Half Marathon Championships with a 1:11... half.

Feb 27th: YETI 2010 World Invitational and Canadian Snowshoe Championships, 1st Canadian (2010 Canadian Snowshoe Running Champion) and 7th overall. A fast start had me back off still feeling tired from being sick for the past 2.5 weeks. Seems like many people out here on the west coast are going through the same little flu. After the first 500m loop back by the start line, I was already in 10th place and felt tired. Unusual for me no matter how I go into a race as I am usually ripping off the start no matter what. Just kept my pace knowing that the course was the toughest one around and it worked for me as I passed 3 runners on my way to a Canadian Champioship win. Still was behind 6 runners or so (still need results) from Italy, New Zealand, US. Amongst them 6 time World Mountain Running Champion, 2009 US mountain runner of the year and many national champions. If you count Peter Reid's participation, I am sure the national or world Champions in that race number well into the 20's. But everyone out there deserves that title just as much as anyone else. It was an honour to run against such a solid group of racers from around the world in my own backyard.  

 Jan 30th: YETI Mt. Washington 10k Snowshoe,  2nd place by 10 sec. 58:53. Led and broke trail on the 2 ft fresh snow course for the whole race except the last 500m. Got caught by surprise and used a little too much energy trying to pull my caught foot out of the snow after trying to go around a little guy sliding down a steep part about a klm from the finish. After the leg sunk up to the thigh, I was so surprised that my foot was totally stuck. I couldn't pull it out! The snowshoe must of dug in tip down and then opened deep under. Finally after trying to pull I had to turn my body at the same time as pulling and finally broke free after 15-20 sec. Not to lose any merit, the guy who won (Shaun Stephens-Whale) is an incredible athlete and you should of seen him fly by me at the finish.

Jan 17th: Although Arizona is the valley of the sun, it only briefly peared out through the clouds the afternoon of the race. A slight wind to deal with during the run didn't bother me too much but a lack of mileage going into the race had the last 10k being a suffer fest. 2:24:38 

Jan 10th: The Prarie Inn Harriers PIONEER 8k on Sunday January 10th in Victoria BC was done in 25:02 good enough for 7th place and a Personal Best for that distance. Jan 10th, 2010: The first mile had me leading the second pack and we went through in 4:41. It was feeling good but I decided to hold it at that pace (by feel) and it seemed like it was then a return to 'going the motions' and settling in' to get me ready for next weekend's marathon. Overall wish I could of at least kept pace the second 4k as the clock split had it at 12:15. Despite this all I did was catch the runner in front and never got passed the entire race aside from after leading that second pack and having two runners bridge a little gap at the 1.5mile mark. 2nd 8k in my life and a PB for that distance. The Prairie Inn Harriers running club helped some of us mainland athletes make it over to the island. Thanks Bob.

2009 Award Summary ...

2009 Gunner Shaw Most Valuable Runner of the Year (Prairie Inn Harriers)

2009 Individual Race Summary ...  

Dec 5th North Face Endurance Challenge World Championships - 50 miles/ 21000' elevation change - DNF after 26miles 

Nov 28th: 25th Anniversary Gunner Shaw 10k XC. 1st Place 31:41 

September 27th Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon   2:28 

September 20th Commonwealth Mountain Running Championships (Ascent/Descent)- 10th Overall  

September 18th Commonwealth Mountain Running Championships (Ascent)- 14th Overall

September 6th World Mountain Running Championships - 55th Overall 1:02:38

August 8th Gutbuster Mt. Washington Ascent 5.5klm - 1rst (Course Record) 

July 26th Gutbuster Mount Doug - 11klm - 1st (Course Record)

July 12th Gutbuster Royal Roads - 13klm - 1st (Course Record)

June 27th Rock n' Roll Seattle - 6th New PB!   2:24:37 

June 13th Canmore Challenge - 4th (Qualified for Team Canada)

May 24th - KOOL Oak Bay Half Marathon - 2nd

May 17th - Gutbuster Mt. Tzouhalem 11k - 1st (course record)

Feb 14 - YETI 10k Grouse Mountain Snowshoe Race - 1st

Jan 31 - YETI 10k Mt Seymour Snowshoe Race - 1st

Jan 17 - YETI 10k Mt. Washington Snowshoe Race - 1st

2009 Race Recap...

Dec 5th: 50 mile World Endurance Challenge Championships... leading by a few minutes, fell on first major descent on dirt /ashphalt road, bloody knee, shoulder and arm, rolled kept running, 10min later took wrong turn, went up a mile then had to work back through 40 runners,caught the leaders but after leading for a few miles had to back off, falling,fast start,catch up=done, pulled out at 26miles in 7th place to save myself as the last 24miles would of done me in for quite a long time...still yet to finish an ultra...batting 0 for 3!

Nov 28th: Winning the Gunner Shaw 10k in Victoria is an honour more so for getting a brief understanding of the character of the man the race is named after but also knowing that a friend and someone who has been there in my life to help me out was a competitor of his; not to mention being a Harrier and representing the club or perhaps bringing an extra smile out for Bob and all the work he does for the BC running community. The gun went and off and so did I only to be overtaken within 100m by two Kenyan runners training on island for awhile. I tried to keep pushing the pace but they were slowly gaining a gap and I felt it would be a little too extra crazy for me to try to make sure I stuck with them. After a few hills and technical trails at about a klm, I noticed they slowed so I figured it was my turn and used a couple of small hills to keep my cadence up and bridge some ground to get out front. Held onto the pace through the knee deep water and other all the other fun course parts for the win in 31:41

Sept: World and Commonwealth Mountain Running Championships...check the front page area for updates and the trainign area for pics 

August 8th and the ascending(s) of Mt. Washington: I believe that it is so beneficial for me to be at altitude for my health, my spirit and my soul. Guess I kind of believe that it helps me be a better runner but mostly it is that my body is forced to adapt to being more efficient. It is such a wake up call even for going to a lower altitude, when your breathing deepens and you feel the digging deeper within you. This race was my first ascent only race since 2006 (although there was a tiny bit of descent work in there) and the 5.5klm was covered in about 33:30 or so. After finishing, I had to take advantage of being in the mountains and jumped on the gondola, hitting the stopwatch for a start of my second loop as soon as I touched back down on the ground. Second ascent was 1:40 faster than the first ascent but was started at the secodn gondola, about 2min up from our original start so about 30sec slower than the first. Won the series for my second 2009 series win next to the YETI series and also won an all expense trip to the Death Race for next summer!  

July 26th... Mt Doug and the return. I believe my time was around 41:28 or so for the 11.7klm course and the course makes for good ascent/descent training. Finished 1rst with about a 5min margine of victory. There is almost a just-as-huge training effect from having to stay aware and on course looking for markers. I enjoy it and it is a blast. Had to stop about 4 times to make sure I was going the right way and I believe a group behind me actually took a wrong path at one point. The course had great technical ascent and some challenging descent particularily on the second down. I love to shout to help assist the muscular contractions of the legs handling the increased load. On the flats, the nice soft trails around Mount Doug must have contributed to my legs feeling close to the best they have ever had after a race. That and I hope the training I am doing.

July 12th... The Royal Roads Gutbuster was a winding and wicked up/ down and all around trail race. Great to see that some extreme ascents and tricky descents were put into the mix. Being the first runner on the course has both it's advantages and disadvantages in being able to go where the course takes you. That said, you have to keep a keen eye out on the markings, turns and obstacles. I love it and had fun out there. 54:25 and about 5min ahead of second place. Results here.

June 27th... The Rock n' Roll marathon staff have been great in taking care of things for the elite runners and at yesterday's supper I got to meet quite a few of the runners. One was Olympian Nuta Olaru from Romainia. We sat together on the bus to the start this morning and I asked what pace she intended to run the half in. She said 1:10:00 so I ran with the lead women for the  first 9 miles before they turned off. A little tough because they did start out fast but it was nice to share the road and get some good pr for my sponsors Salomon, Vega and for the Blue Planet Run as I was wearing the singlet. At about mile 8 we caught up to a Kenyan runner who i could tell was struggling so I slowed the group down and ran beside him with a higher cadence and slower audible breathing. Despite him falling back at about 11 miles, he thanked me afterwards for helping him. Before he fell back we would share and pass drinks at the water stations. So cool. So now I am alone at 11miles but in my sight about 3/4 of a klm away is a runner so I focus on him and manage to catch him within 3 miles or so. Then another runner, same gap and caught him at about 19 miles. Then another runner but he ran strong and kept the same gap even pulling away slightly. Hey I was focusing and because he was pulling away I wasn't trying to pay attention to the fact that it could mean my pace is slowing. Those hills got to everyone and the winning time of 2:18 and change was followed by second place Peter Gilmore who has ran 2:12. This has solidified my belief in my marathon potential and with a proper buildup, consistency and focus I know I will surprise you... and perhaps inspire you to get out there.

June 13th... Finished 4th (52:33) at the 2009 Canadian Mountain Running Championships with 2nd and 3rd in sight. In front of me was 2 time Olympian Boergeous (51:54), World Cross - Taylor Murphy (52:20) and Top CIS - Kris Swanson (52:30). Great competition.  Took off at the start and led the first climb but the body just wasn't conditioned enough with higher end quality running stressing those upper heart rate limits so the body went lactic and I had to ease off on the first descent. This meant I faded to 10th and had to fight my way back. If I would of had some speed work under me, I could of finished with a kick but it'll come once I start doing the work. It was a 52:33 min finish time and it means I have made Team Canada! I know I have so much more fitness and speed potential to add and can't wait to get at it.

DNF at Calgary... stepped off the course at 30k as the legs were just too tight from the half the weekend prior...that and no long runs under me for the past two months. Now healthy and happy looking forward to the summer. CHECK the TRAINING section for daily updates.

May... a 11k mountain race followed by a half marathon the next weekend and then a return to Calgary for my 3rd marathon there. So far the build up is just that... two big workouts prior to the marathon. The last time I ran Calgary I mentioned that the wolves in the zoo seemed to run with you as you ran by the cage. This time, I might need to visualize them chasing me down.

Feb 14th: I was a little hesitant going into the race as I had a little hamstring issue that had been hanging on for a couple of weeks but sometimes holding back ends up almost being worse. Keeping tense especially on crazy courses adds to risk of injury. At the start I was leading with Shaun right behind me and for the most part it was a straight 3k of climbing. I built up a little gap towards the summit but overshot the quick turn and wiped out pulling my right ankle behind me to stop me from rolling down about 30'. In snowshoes your feet and ankles go all sorts of places once that shoe is grabbed or stuck. As I hobled my way down the next part and through the next rolling sections, I thought for sure that if someone was behind me they would see me limping and of course slowing down. I just kept my pace at what the leg could manage and despite having the descents to deal with for the last section was able to hang on for the 3rd win of the series and what should be the '2009 King of the Mountains' for winning 3 out of the 4. Plan is of course to finish off on Cypress mountain in March. Something about racing at altitude on mountains always makes it so worthwhile. This year I won't make it to the Canadian snowshoe Championships in Quebec both due to the cost of getting there and making sure I don't risk injury after building up the training on the healed ankle.

January 31rst: On the top of Seymour mountain, the temperature was a little cooler than I expected. I guess the warm Mt Washington race was rare and I just wanted to race snowshoes again in a t-shirt! From the start I was leading but right behind me was another snowshoer. Found out at the quick pass through the start/finish area about 3.5k into the race that Colin Dignum was about 100m behind me. Before then as Colin and I were leading the race, we started onto the singletrack and I quickly found out that many small sharp branches partially going onto the trail would make the switchbacks and course very attentive. After a little while I could tell I had a slight gap and of course found out it to be about 100m through the return to the gate. The quick running warm up before the race was followed by too much tightening of my left snowshoe which I found out about 10 min into the race as the heal strap road up and over the shoe onto my achiles. I could feel that the snowshoe was a little loose but didn't want to stop, knowing that Colin was right behind me. Bugga as I was hoping that it wouldn't come off on a descent or cause a leg accident. Kind of decided to just keep going with it the way it was and hope it would stay the course. This time lucky my shoeshoe stayed on, I enjoyed the very hilly and tough course with a victory. Despite just building up with single runs since November 1rst, from running longer (average over 20k a day) I have found a fitness I haven't had before. I will keep doing what I'm doing with a start of double runs and hope to honour the next mountain next time.

January 17th: The Yeti snowshoe race was a shocker for both not getting into the snowshoes since last March and racing off of the single run base mileage I have been putting in. This year unlike last year I got to the race with enough time (30min) to register, go to the washroom and have a sip of coffee. Last year it was a mad rush arriving 10 min before the start. As I was doing some short strides on the snowshoes and getting used to the toe running, I was wondering how my son was going to feel in the wild sunshine that was streaming down. By the time we left, it was 13.5 degrees and sooo sunny all day! I raced in a t-shirt. They lined us up backwards and had us do an extra loop which brought us back by the start. Hmmm good planning I was thinking as we took off. After looping back through the start gates the wall of racers in front of us had me rethinking that loop idea. But everyone was so cool and responded great for 'on your right', as they would stop or step off to the side. The hat gets tipped to everyone for doing so. If I was racing out there and pushing my effort it's another idea totally for me to stop my race for someone else's. Just because I may be moving faster than someone else doesn't mean I am trying any harder and for that I want to say you guys and gals rock. In fact at one point on the second loop they even lined up with arms overhead to form the cheering gauntlet. Back to the race, we took off and I found myself in the lead with another racer (Neil) behind me. DIdn't want to let him pass knowing the lead person often sets that climbing pace and I wanted to keep pushing if I could, so I picked up the pace for the couple of times on that first climb when he tried to pass. At the top of the climb or near it, I turned and noticed Neil fell back. Thought perhaps he fell or something happened but it didn't take long for him to come surging back. Wow I thought as he passed me but knowing he just put in a surge of effort that would have him feeling much more tired than me at that point, so I just kept to my pace and fell back to about 10 metres behind him. After the first descent, I almost caught back up to him and got a sense of his downhill speed. Hey truth be known I was praying he was only running the 5k loop just prior to looping the start but nope he kept going. Bugga. I kept my pace and stayed at the same distance, tried closing it a little on the flat at the top just prior to the descent and on the descent let er rip. Passing Neil about 800 metres from the finish in the midst of the steepest descent, I was wishing I had only done the 5k at that point. Just kidding as I managed to get the win but found out later that his snowshoe had partially come undone on that final descent part. Lucky me.

2008 Individual Race Summary ...

Jan. 19  - Mt. Washington Snowshoe Race - 3rd

Jan. 27  - Steveston Icebreaker 8K - 5th

Feb. 2    - Mt. Seymour Snowshoe Race - 5th

Feb. 10  - First Half Half Marathon - 6th  1:10:13

Feb. 16 - Grouse Mtn. 10K Snowshoe Race - 1st

Mar. 8   - Cyprus Mtn. Snowshoe Race - 1rst (Course Record)

Mar. 15 - St. Patrick's Day 5K in Vancouver - 4th

Mar. 16 - Comox Valley Half Marathon in Courtenay - 3rd  1:09:00

Mar. 29 - Spring Classic 5k - 1st

Apr.   6  - Sunshine Coast April Fool's Half Marathon -2nd  1:07:00

July   26  - SAAB Salomon 5 Peaks (Cypress) -3rd

August   23  - SAAB Salomon 5 Peaks (Whistler) -1st

Sept 6  - Seven Summits Trail Race -1st (Course Record)

Sept 13  - SAAB Salomon 5 Peaks (Buntzen Lake) -1st (Course Record)

Sept 21  - Grouse Grind - 12th Place

Oct 12th - Royal Victoria Marathon - 3rd Place

Oct 25th - BC Cross Country Championships - 21st

Oct 26th - Shawnigan Lake Half Marathon - 1st

Nov 15th - Bear Mountain 10k - 3rd

Nov 29th - Gunner Shaw Cross Country (Trail) 10k - 3rd

Dec 13th - Stewart Mountain 10mile (Trail) - 1st (Course Record)

Award Summary...

              2008 'Mountain Runner of the Year' awarded from Prarie Inn Harriers

Series Summary...

               Winner of YETI Snowshoe series - '2008 King of the Mountains'

2008 Championship Race Summary...

               2008 Canadian Snowshoe Champion - Mar 8