St. Patrick’s Day is a day not solely celebrated by these of Irish descent and heritage internationally, but in addition by many runners throughout Canada as they kick off their 2024 highway race season at festive St. Patrick’s Day races. In Ontario and B.C., greater than 2,000 runners (mixed) took to the roads decked out in inexperienced to partake within the Irish celebrations and to chase quick instances.
The St. Patrick’s Day 5K in Vancouver’s Stanley Park noticed Glynis Sim clock the second-fastest time within the historical past of the occasion to win in 15:37. Her time was just one second behind the course report set by two-time Olympian Natasha Wodak, who ran 15:36 to win in 2019.
Sim received by an enormous margin, crossing the end line almost 30 seconds forward of Leslie Sexton, who completed in 16:05. Katelyn Ayers-Murray took third place in 16:15. All three ladies will likely be heading to Serbia in 10 days to symbolize Crew Canada on the 2024 World Cross Nation Championships in Belgrade.
On the lads’s facet, Canadian Olympian John Homosexual bought out shortly and by no means regarded again, profitable the race in a course-record time of 14:04. Former U Sports activities XC medallist Andrew Davies completed second in 14:20, and Canadian marathon champion Thomas Broatch was third in 14:25. For full outcomes, examine right here.
In Toronto, almost 1,300 runners and walkers turned out for the twenty fifth anniversary of the Achilles St. Patrick’s Day 5K/10K. Canadian middle-distance runner Kieran Lumb made an look to information prime Achilles runner Radane Wright, who received the Achilles 5K division for the second yr in a row in 22:34.
Within the open race, Etobicoke’s Kyle Grieve returned to the highest of the rostrum on the brand new out-and-back course, crossing the end line in 15:35. Matthew Lozano of Ajax, Ont., adopted Grieve for second place in 15:43, and Brent Smalley of Uxbridge, Ont., rounded out the rostrum in 15:47.
On the ladies’s facet, Erin Mawhinney of Hamilton, Ont., received by a margin of 46 seconds. Becca Brennan of Ottawa was the second girl to cross the end line in 17:45, whereas Toronto’s Sarah Nolan took third place in 18:33.
The course on the Achilles 5K ended up being lengthy (by round 200 metres) attributable to a mis-marking of the course on the turnaround level. This was the primary yr that the historic Toronto highway race moved to a brand new location by the Don Valley Brickworks, outdoors of the downtown core (the place it had been held previously).
For full outcomes from the Achilles 5K and 10K, examine right here.
