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.

A brief report on the exploits of club members at the 30^th Annual Victoria Marathon this past weekend.  A superb weekend it was too and what a wonderfully well-organized show put on by the race director, his team and close to 1,000 volunteers.  If any runners come away dissatisfied from this event, then they are VERY hard to please.

UPCOMING LGRR EVENTS
Sun             Oct.  25 (10 am)         James Cunningham Seawall Race (See below)
Wed.           Nov. 04 (7 pm)            LGRR Club Meeting (H2H team meetings) (see below)
Sat.             Nov. 07 (6:30 am)       Haney to Harrison Relay  (See Below)
Wed.           Nov. 11 (3 pm)            5 mile club run - original Stanley Park Marathon course.
Sat.             Nov. 28 (1 pm )           Gunner Shaw Race in  Victoria (Thetis Lake) see below
Sat              Dec. 05 (11 am)          LGRR Gunner Shaw X-Country Race
Sat.             Dec. 12 (6 pm)            LGRR Christmas Party & Club awards
 
RECENT NEW MEMBERS
Morteza Beenpenah
Brian Feldbloom
Richele Frank
Benoit Gignac
Newton Hoang
Jeff Lewis
Tina Lu
Jordan Myers  
David Poon
Jack Taunton - founding lifetime member of LGRR
Ralph Walker
Geoff Watts
 
JAMES CUNNINGHAM SEAWALL RACE - October 25  
Reminder for club members to help out with the race on Sunday, October 25th.
Contact Mark Williams  to volunteer and he will slot you in somewhere.

Online registration numbers are way ahead of last year thanks to email blasts that Linda Wong (Race Director) has arranged.
 
H2H RELAY - November 7
LGRR will be sending  4 teams to the Haney to Harrison Relay on Saturday, November 7.  http://www.bcathletics.org/H2H/index.htm
Contact one of the following captains if you are interested, although the women's team and men's 50+ team may already be full.
 
Open Men - Team Captain - Matt Murdoch

Open Women - Team Captain - Linda Wong

40+ Men  - Team Captain - Mark Williams

50+ Men - Team Captain - Leo Lam

LGRR will also be organizing  the 2nd exchange of the relay and we need most LGRR team members that are not running stages 1 2, or 3 to help with organizing that exchange early in the race at Stave Lake Dam. Stage 1 and 2 runners can help out after they finish.
 
There  will be a club meeting held on Wednesday, November 4, at 7pm at Boston Pizza Metrotown  This meeting is basically for H2H team captains and team members to coordinate their team race packages.
 
POSTRACE H2H FESTIVITIES for LGRR - will be held in room (#401) of the Executive Hotel  at Harrison. http://www.harrisonhotsprings.com/
There is an extra room booked (#402) if anybody wants to pay for it.  Otherwise the room will be cancelled prior to the race if there are no takers.  Contact Frank Stebner if anybody wants to book the room.
The club room (Room #401) is also available for up to four LGRR's that may want to stay overnight  at a reduced rate of  $20 per person, but the room will be used by  the club  teams up until the evening.  
 
CLUB DINNER - A table for 25 LGRR's has also been booked at the Lakeside Terrace at the Harrison Hotel for 5:30pm  Please contact  Frank Stebner if you want to stay for the dinner. (Usually a fairly decent buffet for $25 to $30).
 
 
RUNNING ROOM SHAUGNESSY 8K
Our race registration numbers were up from 2008, primarily in the 5K Poker Walk.
We also established a course record by Ryan McKenzie in the 8K who demolished the old course record by 38 seconds with a time of 24:12.  Thanks to Race director Geoffrey Buttner for organizing a great event.  Our sponsors were very happy.  Check out the race report, results, and photos on the LGRR website.
http://www.lgrr.com/shaughnessy/index.html
 
If any club members that helped at the Shaughnessy 8K did not get their volunteer shirt,  please contact Frank 

 
GUNNER SHAW VICTORIA - Saturday, November 28
Organized by Prairie Inn Harriers this cross country race at Thetis Lake in Victoria  is the largest cross country race in BC and celebrates it 25th anniversary this year. It is also the location of the annual club challenge between Prairie Inn Harriers and LGRR. Three trophies are being contested.  We hope to send 25 LGRR's to this popular event this year.
We can look at carpooling or possibly rent a large van or small bus to go over for the day.  Race entry is FREE for LGRR's.  Prepare to celebrate afterwards at the nearby 6 Mile Pub. Being the 25th anniversary we will probably plan to catch the 7pm ferry home if we rent a large van.  Check out the website http://pih.bc.ca/gunner-shaw-info.html
 
Contact Frank Stebner If you wish to attend

55^th Anniversary of the Miracle Mile 

 Hosted by Lions Gate Road Runners
Friday August 7^th, 2009
Balaclava Park, Vancouver

Following soon after the Police and Fire Games cross country races at Jericho just three days earlier, close to forty club members were on hand for the annual tribute to the great milers who took centre stage at the Empire Games in Vancouver back in 1954.  

We first tried out this event to mark the 50^th anniversary of the famous "Miracle Mile" race in 2004, so this was the sixth year we had gathered on the anniversary weekend. The location for our own event is the very same track on which Roger Bannister trained in preparation for his clash with then world record holder, the Australian runner John Landy.  For those who know the Balaclava Park track, you will realize that the old 440yd dirt and cinder track is by no means the quickest surface around.   

This year, after weeks of hot dry weather, the evening was a little cooler and cloudy but still dry and pleasant for running.  After grouping runners into two pace groups, the first heat set off led by Ky Quang, who set a strong 6-minute pace through the first two laps.  During the third lap, Lara Duke gradually closed the gap and edged into the lead with Linda Wong also gaining ground in third place.  These three battled it out over the final quarter, with Linda producing the strongest kick to hit the line first in a new PR of 6:15, closely followed by Lara in 6:18 and Ky in 6:20.  Hats off to Lara for her excellent effort with her two young boys watching from the sidelines and husband Kelly also a revelation running into 4^th place in 6:26.  So much for Kelly's claim to be out of shape with parenting duties taking up most of his spare time.  Other notables in this heat were Rae Gordon, in his first race after a long injury lay-off, Shelley Webster setting a new personal standard of 7:11 and her husband Jeff who bravely fought through his sciatic problems to finish the run.  Paul Fenz was a bit disappointed with his time but Alex Lau lopped nearly 30 seconds off his predicted time, evidently feeling the positive effects of dropping more than 30 pounds in weight over the past few months.  Stephen Emmerson also added a new dimension, running the mile "canine assisted" (or was it canine-restricted) - with doggie partners K91 and K92.  The first heat was rounded out by Betty Barrett and Will Ribi's partner Ruth who both finished to loud cheers and inside their predicted times.

The second heat was led off by 2008 "champ" young Garrett Webster with a scintillating first lap of 70 seconds.  Not far off the pace, though, were the Ribi brothers Daniel and Marcus and Dario Herrera.  In fact the entire field of this heat was pulled through the first lap in less than 80 seconds.  Despite the fast start, Garrett kept up a very strong tempo throughout to break the tape in bang on five minutes.  Daniel Ribi held off a strong third-lap challenge from Dario to come in second in 5:10.  Brother Marcus also out-kicked Dario in the final straight, placing third in 5:18 to Dario's 5:19.  Josh Tanner narrowly held off Matt Murdoch, both being given the same time of 5:29.  Josh and Matt were followed by a closely spaced group led in by Ray Barrett (5:35), Carlos Gaspar, Mark Williams and Tom Cardle.  The heat was rounded out by Leo Lam, defying his 55+ years in a great time of 5:54 and Tina-Louise Harris, also defying her master's designation to come in comfortably (easy for me to say) under six minutes with husband and young son cheering her on.

Once the dust had settled on the mile races eight brave volunteers stepped up to have a crack at the 4 x 440 yd relay event.  Rae Gordon helped out in allocating the eight names to two teams so as to match them as closely as possible.  As you can see from the results, Rae's judgement was bang-on. 

The 4 x 440yd relay teams were as follows:  

Team "A" = Rae Gordon, Josh Tanner, Marcus Ribi and Daniel Ribi

Team "B" = Ray Barrett, Tom Cardle, Leo Lam and Dario Herrera

The two "Rays" battled it out on the first lap Ray "B" prevailing by 67-73 seconds and establishing an early lead for Team "B".  The gap was narrowed big time on leg #2, though, as Josh closed to within one second of Tom (2-18 to 2-17).  Leo ran a "blinder" on leg #3 and despite an age gap of nearly forty years it took most of the lap for young Marcus to edge into the lead, handing off to his anchor runner and brother with a mere one second advantage (3-23 to 3-24).  That one second was all that Daniel needed, though, and despite a determined effort by Dario, the gap stretched ever so slightly.  The finishing times were 4-26 to 4-28 for a great effort all around.  Just out of interest, if you add the four fastest splits of 63 seconds (Daniel), 64 (Dario), 65 (Josh and Marcus), you come up with the fastest mile for the night of 4:17.  It just makes you realize what it would take to get under the still-magical 4-minute threshold.

As usual, a great selection of food was brought along by many club members, so thanks to all for their contributions.  Thanks also to Carlos for the tables and to Frank, Willi and Julie Ribi for helping with time-keeping and recording the results.  (Editors note: Not to forget Roger and Pam, who continue to bring this fun, low-key celebration of running together successfully every year.)

Mark your calendars for the first weekend in August 2010 and we'll see if we can get a bit closer to those wonderful historic mile times.  

 Results can be viewed here and Frank's photos here.