The fourth annual Run the Rock on Texada Island Aug. 24, was run under sunny summer skies with a light wind.
Marathoners started off at 7 a.m. from beautiful Shelter Point as usual to beat the heat, but the 10:30 a.m. half marathon and 8k starts were delayed by 15 and 30 minutes respectively due to ferry delays.
Brad Crowe of Comox boldly predicted a sub-three hour marathon and proved true to his word, breezing across the line in 2:56:02 to smash the previous record by 12 minutes. The women’s record was also obliterated by 40-plus masters Mary Bridges in 3:39:02, more than 15 minutes faster than the old mark. Both previous marks were set in 2012.
Shortly after Crowe set the new marathon record, his father Wayne had his own half marathon course record smashed and two-year title usurped by 19-year-old Lehm Maguire of Victoria. Maguire’s 1:19:17 was nearly four minutes under the old mark, and more than six minutes ahead of second-place Crowe.
Melissa Schurger of Vancouver took the women’s half marathon title easily in 1:35:04, also more than six minutes ahead of her nearest rival. Schurger shaved 23 seconds off the women’s course record, set by Allison Ezzat in the inaugural edition (2011).
Alex and Teresa Nightingale of Halfmoon Bay took home the male and female winners’ trophies for the 8km, racing a close one/two most of the way until the final 400m where Alex surged ahead of his mom by 14 seconds to win in 32:37. Alex knocked over a minute off his second-place time from 2013.
Larry Nightingale ran the half marathon as a tempo workout, finishing sixth overall. His place would not have changed, but his time would have been about four minutes faster had he not gone temporarily off course at a junction near 7km (a vehicle was blocking the view of the correct road).
Local volunteers came out in droves as usual and added to the festive atmosphere by dressing up and decorating some of the 12 aid stations, which the participants could vote for as their favourites.
Limestone and Flower Rock medals were the rewards for all half and full marathon finishers, and many draw prizes were given out.
Local race director Rob McWilliam had everything running smoothly and was able to hop into his own event as usual and complete the marathon in 4:50:05. Race proceeds will be used for cancer support for residents of Texada.
