Honolulu Marathon Race Report - Mark Shorter

I ran Honolulu Marathon on Sunday, December 13th. My results were as follows:

Finished 106 out of 20,321 overall 3/897 in my age category.

My final time:03:05:52 Chip time: 3:05:52, minute per mile pace:7:06,

10k time: 41:11, 1/2 way time: 1:28:11, 30k time:2:06:21, 40k time: 2:55:10

It was a tough race from 30k on. The day started out at about 23 degrees and clear. We started at 5:00am under a sky of fireworks. Each mile and every 5k were marked making it easy to check pace. There were aid stations with water, Gatorade, ice & sponges at about every 2 miles throughout the course. Compared to a normal year there was little wind and slightly lower than normal heat & humidity. The sun came up at about 7:00am and started to really heat things up by 7:30. There were about 16,000 or so Japanese runners in the event.

I managed to stay on pace up to about 30k then started to slow a bit even with consuming 7 gels and 8 salt capsules and Gatorade at each aid station. I pulled out every trick from my bag of tricks to keep my pace up in the last 6 miles, keeping my cadence up, using positive thoughts, segmenting the course, watching for my wife, Cara, at the bottom of the Diamond head Hill, and more. There is a good hill (Diamond Head Volcano) at 7-8 miles on the way out and 23.5 - 24.5 miles on the way back that certainly garners attention. While heading for the finish at 24-25 miles there were participants in 2's and 3's at 8 miles heading out on the course and thinking about what they had ahead of them gave me a little impetus.

Today I'll go for a nice scenic bike ride to Kailua & back (about 50 miles). It isn't too hard to stay motivated for training in Honolulu! Cara & I are in Honolulu until December 31st and we should move into our new condo on the water this week!

Happy training everyone!

Submitted by Mark Shorter

Well the dust (or should I say sand) has just about settled on the 2009 edition of our Gunner Shaw classic at Jericho and I want to thank you all for helping out and/or running in the event.  We had more than 45 club volunteers and about 15 runners, a huge effort from all concerned.  Thankfully, the day was spectacular, especially in light of the fact we escaped the high winds that blew in the following day.  For the long-suffering marshals and timing crew, the wind is probably the biggest hazard and on that score we certainly lucked out. 

More than 200 runners enjoyed a sunny day of racing in Jericho Park yesterday. Many excellent performances with the red singlets of Prairie Inn Harriers, Victoria very evident at the front of the pack.

Linda Wong's photos from the race can be viewed here. Results should be posted later today.

Update: Results now available:

Overall 10k results

Agegroup 10k results

5K Silver Fox results

Agegroup 5k results

Team results

Update 2: More photos here

TWENTY FIVE YEARS LATER

The 25th Gunner Shaw Memorial Race!  Hard to believe it's over 25 years since Gunner died.  Sitting on the ferry from Tsawassen, the ferry full of cell phone toting, lap top packing citizens of 2009, I let my mind jog back over some muddy trails of the past.  A string of emails from Duff Waddell, Jack Taunton, Roger Brownsey, and Frank Stebner has churned loose memories of long ago runs and races: of Basil Parkers, James Cunninghams, Shawnigan Lake Half Marathons, Sri Chimnoys, Khatsilano road races, Haney to Harrisons, and Skagway to Whitehorse Runs, to name only a few.  Wonderful races, even if memory stumbles over, or past many of the details.

The here and now, though, is intense. Partly, it's because I'm even running.  Something else I owe Gun.  If he hadn't introduced me to Jack Taunton so many years ago, my knees might still feel as if they were packed with ground glass.  Gun made so many connections, started so many friendships, and if it weren't for Jack's Olympic obligations, he too would be here today.  I'll just have to run for him, as well as for myself and Gun.

Partly, it's because I'm running Lions Gate for the first time.  After running Prairie Inn for years, then not running for some fifteen years, then running unattached for the last three, it's a little strange to be running for a team I've always competed against.  Friendships with Duff and Jack will have to find a new, more collegial footing. Partly, it's because wife Margo and son Sam are also running, and this is the first time Sam has a strong chance of finishing ahead of me.  He's been beating me quite handily in training, and even though he's favouring an injured foot I'm hoping for a real battle with him. Mostly, though, it's because this run is for Gun, and red bearded, gravel voiced and barrel chested, ever generous, he's very close to me on many of these mental paths.  Always a legend, never a plaster saint, he'd be 64 and still running today if his alcohol demons and the VW Beetle stopping tree hadn't ganged up to kill him.  Hard not to feel sad.  Hard not to feel angry.  

 The James Cunningham Seawall Race *spooks* the rain clouds away!

The weatherman predicted rain but we managed to scare all the rain clouds away until after every runner and walker crossed the finish line!

Almost 1,000 participants ran and walked the Seawall today, with some dressed in their best Hallowe'en costumes - from Frankenstein's wife to someone all decked out as a refrigerator!  Kudos to you!

Our overall winners for today's event are Saucony sponsored athletes Scott Simpson (28:55) and Kristina Rody (32:57).  VERY talented runners - I think I barely made it from the start to the finish to see Scott cross the finish line!

Results
Full results can be found here.  Special thanks to Winning Time for their speedy service.

Photos (brought to you by Ron Sombilon Gallery)
Photographers from the Ron Sombilon Gallery were everywhere - at the start, on course, on site, at the finish - capturing your every move!  Here is a link to a Flickr album of the best photos.

Ron Sombilon Gallery
Vancouver's most prominent and sought after custom Art Dealers are available for all your art and photography needs.  Please visit www.RonSombilonGallery.com today for a free quote!

2010 James Cunningham Seawall Race
Don't forget to mark your calendars for next year - October 31, 2010!  Yes, it's on HALLOWE'EN!  And it will be our 40th anniversary so let's make it the biggest and best ever!


For more information, please check our website at: http://seawall.sierrasystems.com

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Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! 

Our Sponsors

• Running Room
• Saucony
• Subway
• Sandman Hotel
• Global Television
• Vancouver Sun
• Sierra Systems
• Toxecology
• Helping Hand Cleaners
• Next Step
• Bean Around the World
• Stong's Market
• Canada Bread
• Liberte Organic & Natural Yogurts
• Hot Hit Productions
• Canadian Springs
• Powerbar
• The Fish House
• Red Robin
• Boston Pizza Metrotown
• Milestone's on English Bay
• Sun Rype

Our Charity

• KidSport BC (Finish Line Volunteers)

Our Community Partners

• Vancouver Eastside Foot Clinic (for Race Package Stuffing and Storage)
• Team in Training (Both Water Stations)

Our Volunteers!!

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26th Annual Gunner Shaw Cross Country Run
December 5, 2009
Finish your racing season with the last race of the Lower Mainland Cross Country Series!  This fun and challenging course will test what you're really made of.  Best of all, this race is known for its well known post race food.  Jericho Sailing Centre, 11am.  Check the website for more details.