By Paul Gains.
A twisted ankle meant a late start to the racing season but after claiming the 2017 Canada Running Series overall title, Leslie Sexton isn’t complaining.
The 30-year old from London, Ontario finished with 164 points, earned from her two second place finishes in the Toronto Waterfront 10k and Under Armour Eastside 10k (Vancouver) and then her command performance at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon where she was first Canadian and fifth place overall in this IAAF Gold Label race.
On top of the individual race prize money, she collects $3000 for the overall title and was somewhat surprised with how things turned out.
“I sometimes forget about it as you are always focused on one race or what is coming up next,” she reveals. “But it is something my coach and I try to target at the start of the season.
“We try to pick three races in the Canada Running Series and then do the (necessary) one out of province, the Vancouver Eastside 10k. So it was always something we planned to do. It’s kind of in the back of your mind when you are performing at a single event.”
Winning the Athletics Canada Marathon Championship in a time of 2:35:47 was a fine end to the season but has her thinking ahead, while paying off debts accrued while pursuing her running career.
“It’s the first year in a couple of years that I haven’t got ‘Quest for Gold’ funding, the Ontario provisional funding,” she explains. “So I had to make the dollars stretch further and watch the expenses. I tried not to travel too much for competition and really just focused on stuff where I was staying in province, for the most part.
“So hopefully that will bring up some other opportunities – having a bit more money for that. I am probably looking at the Houston Half Marathon next. I am not sure what I will get from the race because I am going in there kind of late. But if I have to put some of my own money into that, it makes it an easier decision now.”
Runner-up this year was Olympian Natasha Wodak of Vancouver, who earns $1,500 from her 149 points. Master’s competitor Lioudmila Kortchaguina of Thornhill, Ontario was an impressive third with 108 points. That rewards her with a bonus $1,000.
The men’s overall title went to Tristan Woodfine from Speed River Track Club in Guelph who won the Race Roster Spring Run Off 8k in Toronto in April, then finished 4th in both the Toronto Waterfront 10k and the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon on back-to-back weekends in June. That earned him 116 points, twelve more than Toronto’s Sami Jibril who actually beat him at the Waterfront 10k.
Baghdad Rachem of Montreal finished 3rd with 70 points overall, and also won the Masters’ division with 120 points by virtue of being first Canadian Master at both the Toronto Waterfront 10k and the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.
Woodfine was complimentary when speaking of his experience at the various Canada Running Series races.
“I wasn’t really planning on winning the overall title,” Woodfine says. “All (Race Director) Alan Brookes’ races are very well organized. and they provide a lot of support to the Canadian elite road runners. So doing his races is sort of a natural thing. That is why I ended up doing so many. It’s great to win the overall Series.”
With his focus, these days, on paramedic studies at the Ontario College of Health and Technology in Hamilton, the money will come in handy for tuition. He plans to return to the Ottawa Valley once he has graduated.
The Masters’ Women’s title was a tight contest between Vancouver’s Catherine Watkins and Lioudmila Kortchaguina, with Watkins triumphing in a battle of two outstanding 46-year-olds. The member of the BC Endurance Project finished with 150 points, just eight points more than her Ontario rival. Watkins’ performance at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 22nd proved the difference. She collected a perfect 60 points by winning the Canadian Masters’ marathon title there. “I am extremely happy to have been healthy and strong this year and to have been able to compete in, and win the masters competition in the Series,” said Watkins. “The Masters running scene is extremely strong now in Canada and it is fantastic that the CRS continues to support those of us who continue to compete as we get older.”
While Canada’s Olympians and top distance runners lit up the front end of CRS 2017, the Series enjoyed a banner year throughout. Every one of the seven races sold out, with overall participation up 10% to 57,170. New sponsors like lululemon, Under Armour and New Balance brought great activation and fresh excitement to the existing blue-chip partners, and total fundraising grew by 11% to a remarkable $5,963,944 – that’s an average of over $100 raised by our charity runners for every Series participant!
Online registration at the lowest, ‘Early Bird’ pricing is already open for the 2018 Banque Scotia 21k, 10k et 5k de Montreal, plus both 2018 Vancouver events: the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-marathon & 5k, and the Under Armour Eastside 10k. Most other events will open on Tuesday, November 21st, all at www.RunCRS.ca. You’re invited!
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Many races have a group of volunteers that run the race to help others reach their goals. These pacers, sometimes known as pace bunnies, are a valuable tool for staying on target for your goal. When following a pacer, always keep an eye on your own time as well, just in case. At the Under Armour Eastside 10k, there are 16 pacers for a number of race times. The pacers will have matching pacer kits on, and will hold a sign with their designated pace time on it. Hop in to whatever group matches your personal goal and let the camaraderie of others help pull you along! The pacers will be as follows:
The summerlike conditions showed one of the world’s most-scenic half marathons at its best, but led to tactical races up front. It was 19c for the 7:30am start of the “Scotia Half” start at the University of British Columbia at 7:30am. A group of 4 immediately broke away from the field, led by Canada’s 2012 Olympic marathoner Dylan Wykes, with Kangogo, Lakefield, Ontario’s Thomas Toth and Tristan Woodfine from Guelph’s Speed River TFC tucked in behind. Two initial three-minute kilometres got rid of Woodfine who drifted back on tired legs, and the pace slowed to consistent 3:10s as Wykes kept things moving along. Toth, who had already put in over 200 kilometres this week as he prepares to represent Canada in the IAAF World Championships marathon in London in August, was gone by 8k (24:51). It then turned into a thoroughly absorbing cat and mouse contest between two wily veterans. Kangogo had already won the event an impressive 5 times, Wykes once in 2014 (with Kangogo 2nd). The pair continued down through Spanish Banks, Jericho Beach, Point Grey and into Kitsilano with Wykes doing all the leading, and Kangogo in his footsteps behind. 10k was passed in 30:47 and 15k in 46:33 before Kangogo moved out to test Wykes’ race fitness around Kits Point at 17k. At 18k, going onto the challenging uphill over Burrard Bridge, the Albertan made his signature, decisive move that has given him so many victories on the course and it was over quickly. “My training has been coming along really nicely,” Kangogo said. “I was happy with my preparation and I planned to make my move at 18k on the bridge. I had won the Canadian Half marathon Championships 3 weeks ago in Calgary and I was ready. I love this race and am glad to come back anytime.” Despite dropping off to finish 18 seconds back (65:53) Wykes was also pleased with his performance. After battling injuries for 4 years and starting a family, he ran a steady, controlled effort. “It’s great to be back racing,” he said. “Right now I’ve still only got one gear, but watch out for me in the Fall!” Toth crossed the line a distant third in 68:02, with Woodfine another minute back (69:03).
The women’s race produced a surprise winner in Lyndsay Tessier from Toronto’s Black Lungs club, ahead of strong pre-race favourite Dayna Pidhoresky (78:10) of Vancouver. Pidhoresky was coming off a breakthrough performance at the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon just 4 weeks ago – a PB of 2:36:08 that also earned her a place on the Canadian team to the World Championships. “It was tough out there,” she said. “It was hot. The plan was to do a tempo workout and I thought that might be good enough to win today, but it wasn’t. Lyndsay really deserved to win. I’ve only had a couple of workouts since Ottawa, and I was worried if I pushed too hard it might set me back, and I’d miss some important training for London.” Pidhoresky got off to her typical quick start and was well clear at 3k which she passed in 10:02. But Tessier remained steady, gradually hauling her in. Tessier caught up around 8k, and the pair battled back and forth until 13k when Tessier made the move, to eventually win by over a minute. “Early on I just tried to keep the green shorts in sight,” said Tessier. “I’m not good on downhills, and Dayna got away from me on the downhill from 8k to 9k, but I caught up to her again by 10k. I do much better on the uphills and I moved away on the rise from Jericho at 13k. Burrard Street bridge was really a throat punch at the end but once I got over it I just held on.” Washington State’s Courtney Olsen was 3rd in 80:47.
This year’s medals are the 10th anniversary of the “Landmark Collectors’ Series”, all designed by Johnson, that has featured other famed Toronto icons such as Honest Ed’s, The Princes’ Gates at the Canadian Exhibition, and the Gooderham Flatiron Building.
The Olympians were joined in the ceremony by the artists/designer; Dr. Johanna Carlo and Jessica Wright, Director of the 
