Most years we have one or two Island Endurance runners at a race. This past weekend at Finlayson Arm we had six.
Shanti, Katie, Ruth, Charles, Tim, and Greg all lined up at Goldstream Provincial Park for one of the toughest trail races on Vancouver Island. The climbs up Mt. Finlayson, Mt. Work, and out of McKenzie Bight to Jocelyn Hill are relentless — 4,400 feet of gain for the 28K, 10,075 feet for the 50K, and 13,000 feet for the 50 mile.
What stands out is that every single one of them did something they had never done before.
Katie, Ruth, and Greg all ran their first 50 mile race.
Tim had a redemption run in the 28K and ran his best time in that event.
Shanti ran her second 50K, though this was a far more difficult course than her first — in some ways hard to even compare.
And Charles set a personal best and a course record in the Double, which is 50 miles on Saturday followed by the 28K on Sunday.
There is something all of these runners have in common besides the Island Endurance sessions and the camaraderie that comes with them. They are consistent. And for the most part, when you are consistent, the results are consistent. That is what you are seeing here.
We certainly won’t take credit for these accomplishments. But we are proud of all the hard work they have put in, and it is wonderful to see it come together, both as individuals and as a team.
Most years we have one or two Island Endurance runners at a race. This past weekend at Finlayson Arm we had six.
Shanti, Katie, Ruth, Charles, Tim, and Greg all lined up at Goldstream Provincial Park for one of the toughest trail races on Vancouver Island — the climbs up Mt. Finlayson, Mt. Work, and out of McKenzie Bight to Jocelyn Hill are relentless, and the 50 mile racks up around 13,000 feet of gain.
What stands out is that every single one of them did something they had never done before.
Katie, Ruth, and Greg all ran their first 50 mile race.
Tim had a redemption run in the 28K and ran his best time in that event.
Shanti ran her second 50K, though this was a far more difficult course than her first — in some ways hard to even compare.
And Charles set a personal best and a course record in the Double, which is 50 miles on Saturday followed by the 28K on Sunday.
There is something all of these runners have in common besides the Island Endurance sessions and the camaraderie that comes with them. They are consistent. And for the most part, when you are consistent, the results are consistent. That is what you are seeing here.
We certainly won’t take credit for these accomplishments. But we are proud of all the hard work they have put in, and it is wonderful to see it come together, both as individuals and as a team.
