BC Road Running Rankings: Highlights 2005

2005 Year End Highlights

  • BC's male athletes were particularly dominant this year, winning all three Canadian road running championships. Jerry Ziak (10K), Mark Bomba (half marathon), and Jim Finlayson (marathon) turned in gold medal performances.
  • Ryan Day also picked up a couple of national silver medals at the half and full marathon distances. And Leah Pells won a national bronze at the half marathon.
  • Many unofficial Canadian age best performances were set:
    • Leah Pells recorded F40-44 age bests at 8K (26:47), 10K (33:35) (assisted), and the half marathon (1:15:26).
    • Nancy Tinari recorded F45-49 age bests at 5K (16:46), 8K (27:47), 10K (35:08), and the half marathon (1:18:56).
    • Sandra Bastedo recorded a F60-64 age best at 10K (42:49),
    • Maurice Tarrant recorded M75-79 age bests at 5K (20:42), 8K (35:41), 10K (42:13), and the half marathon (1:37:37).
    • Jim Sargent recorded a M80-84 age best at 5K (27:55).
  • Additionally, a number of BC age best performances were set:
    • Herb Phillips recorded M65-69 age bests at 8K (29:27), the half marathon (1:23:59) and the marathon (2:52:43).
    • Sandra Bastedo recorded a F60-64 age best at 5K (21:02).
    • Maureen de St Croix recorded a F50-54 age best at 10K (37:40) (assisted).
  • A total of 16 athletes recorded age-graded performances in excess of 90% (up from 10 athletes last year), which represents world class. The three most highly rated were Jon Brown, 97.93% for his outstanding London Marathon (2:09:31), Nancy Tinari, 94.83% for her Longest Day 5K (16:46), and Leah Pells, 92.94% for her Sun Run 10K (33:35).
  • The following athletes topped the rankings in their age group at three or more distances:
    • Leah Pells, who as a master not only led the F40-49 age group at 5K, 8K, 10K and the half marathon, but was also the quickest woman of any age at all those distances other than 5K.
    • Maureen de St Croix, F50-59 at 5K, 8K, and 10K.
    • Sandra Bastedo, F60-69 at 5K, 8K, and 10K.
    • Lenore Montgomery, F70+ at 5K, 8K, 10K and the half marathon.
    • Jon Brown, MOpen at 10K, half marathon and the marathon.
    • Norman Tinkham, M40-49 at 5K, 8K, 10K and the half marathon.
    • Dave Reed, M50-59 at 5K, 8K, and 10K.
    • Herb Phillips, M60-69 at 5K, 8K, 10K and the marathon.
    • Roy Dagneau, M70-79 at 5K, 8K, and the marathon.
    • Jim Sargent, M80+ at 5K, 8K, and 10K.
  • Three athletes achieved the notable feat of bettering the open standard at all distances from 5K to marathon. They were Steve Osaduik, David Jackson and Oliver Utting.

Highlights for November and December 2005

A number of BC athletes made the trip to Sacramento for the California International Marathon, with some excellent outcomes. The Fila Fall Classic races also produced a number of late season changes in the rankings.

  • The 10K Fall Classic was also the provincial championship, and was won by Ryan Hayden in the second best 10K time run by a BC athlete this year (29:36). This was also good enough to place Ryan near the top of our Best of the Best.
  • Nancy Tinari won the women's 10K provincial championship, though her time of 35:54 was somewhat slower than her best of the year.
  • At the 5K distance, Maureen de St Croix posted the best F50-59 time of the year (19:00).
  • And at the half marathon distance, Brenda Baker similarly posted a F50-59 best time of the year (1:26:49).
  • Leading the way in Sacramento, Carla Dunn recorded the second best marathon time by a BC woman this year (2:52:14).
  • Not far behind Carla, Rita Ivanauskas and Josie Riebe moved to first and second on the F40-49 rankings, with times of 2:53:44 and 3:04:12 respectively.
  • Also in Sacramento, Kevin Searle ran the fastest marathon by a BC masters runner this year (2:41:12), and David Jackson ran an outstanding 2:24:40.
  • Finally, at the Marine Corp Marathon in Washington DC, Gwen McFarlan showed many younger runners a clean pair of heels. Her 4:06:05 clocking places her first in the F70+ age group.

September and October 2005

Most of the leading performances over the last two months took place over the Thanksgiving weekend, with marathons and associated events in Victoria, Kelowna, Portland and Chicago, as well as the Canadian 10K Championship in Winnipeg.

  • At the 8K distance in Victoria, Maurice Tarrant and Jim Sargent both improved on their existing Canadian age best M7579 and M8084 records, with times of 35:14 and 45:29 respectively.
  • The Canadian 10K Championship had disappointingly small fields. Nevertheless, Jerry Ziak turned in a fine 30:31 clocking to win the championship.
  • Jon Brown produced a couple of outstanding half marathons as part of his preparations for the New York Marathon (2:13:29). He ran 1:03:44 at the Great North Run in England. And 3 weeks later was only slightly slower with a 1:03:55 in Victoria.
  • Jerry Ziak and Steve Osaduik had an epic battle at the Harbour City Half Marathon in Nanaimo, with Jerry just winning out by 4 seconds in 1:05:22. Their times were the fastest by native BC-ers this year, and moved both of them into the top-10 of our Best of the Best.
  • At the World Half Marathon Championships in Edmonton, Tina Connelly showed that she is returning to fitness after the birth of her second child, with a 1:16:12 clocking - the second best BC performance this year.
  • In the half marathon age groups, Norman Tinkham (M4049) ran 1:11:23, and Jan Selman (F6069) ran 1:42:00 to top their respective groups in Victoria. Meanwhile in Kelowna, Tom Michie ran the best half marathon by a junior for several years, recording 1:19:18.
  • At the full Marathon distance, in Victoria, Suzanne Evans (2:50:23) and Judith Leroy (2:53:21) posted the best BC women's times for 2005.
  • Also at the Royal Victoria Marathon, Herb Phillips (M6069, 2:52:43), Roy Dagneau (M7079, 3:38:16), and Faye Amos (F5059, 3:31:03) recorded times that take them to the top of the respective rankings.
  • Finally, at the Portland Marathon, Paul Skarsgard's time of 2:42:27 took him to the top of the M4049 marathon rankings.

August 2005

The 8K rankings received a major shake-up in the past month, with many fine performances at the Rock Solid in Esquimalt, Spanish Banks in Vancouver, and the Labour Day event in Steveston.

  • Rock Solid hosted the most competitive men's 8K field this year, producing leading performances of 24:10 by Steve Osaduik and 24:20 by Jerry Ziak.
  • The Labour Day 8K was highlighted by Herb Phillips outstanding 29:27 clocking. This was a provincial M6569 age best, and was also good enough to elevate Herb to 4th place on the Best of the Best list.
  • Also at Labour Day, Norman Tinkham's time of 26:06 was good enough to move him to the top of the M4049 rankings.
  • At the Spanish Banks event, Maureen de St Croix ran 31:01 to lead the F5059 rankings.
  • Jack Miller turned 60 earlier this year, and is now in the unique position of leading the half marathon rankings in both the M5059 and M6069 age groups, since our rankings are based on age on the day of the event. Jack ran 1:23:18 at the Edmonton Half Marathon.
  • Herb Phillips, who also moved up an age group this summer, ran another BC M6569 age best of 1:23:59 at the Coastal Half Marathon in Delta. But this only ranks him second in the M6069 age group behind Jack's performance.
  • Jon Brown, now a Canadian citizen but still competing internationally for Great Britain, produced the fastest 10K time this year by a BC athlete with his 29:14 clocking at the Beach to Beacon race in Maine.

June and July 2005

Most significant performances over the last two months came at the two provincial championship events - the Longest Day 5K and the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon.

  • Nancy Tinari moved up to second in the Best of the Best rankings, courtesy of her 16:46 clocking at the Longest Day.
  • Dave Reed went to the top of the M5059 rankings for 5K with his 16:26 performance at the Longest Day, and also ranked him in the Best of the Best.
  • Lenore Montgomery improved her F70+ 5K best with her 24:37 time, also at the Longest Day.
  • After 5 years almost unchallenged at the top of the M70+ rankings, Maurice Tarrant has some competition from recent septuagenarian Roy Dagneau. Roy went top of both the 5K and 8K rankings, recording 20:40 at the Longest Day and 34:19 at the Midsummer 8K.
  • A number of runners improved their existing season bests to solidify their positions at the top of the rankings:
    • Herb Phillips (M6069) clocked 37:25 for 10K at the Sandcastle Classic.
    • Norm Tinkham (M4049) clocked 1:12:06 at the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon.
    • And in the open division, Steve Osaduik and Bruce Deacon clocked 1:05:49 and 1:06:57 respectively at the Scotiabank Vancouver Half.
  • Finally, good to see Emilie Mondor returning to fitness with a 15:52 performance at the Inlet Run, that puts her at the top of the 5K rankings.

Highlights from the Spring of 2005 - January to May

It has been a very busy few months, with lots of outstanding results for BC athletes locally and internationally, highlighted by a flood of Canadian and BC age best performances.

  • Leah Pells entered the masters division last fall, but it doesn't seem to have slowed her any. In addition to winning a number of races outright, she also set three unofficial Canadian F4044 age bests at 8K (26:47), 10K (33:35)(assisted), and half marathon (1:15:26).
  • Nancy Tinari went one better, setting four unofficial Canadian F4549 age bests at 5K (17:07), 8K (27:47), 10K (35:08), and the half marathon (1:18:56).
  • Matching Nancy, Maurice Tarrant who turned 75 at the start of the year, has also recorded four unofficial Canadian M7579 age bests at 5K (20:42), 8K (35:41), 10K (42:13), and the half marathon (1:37:37).
  • Sandra Bastedo set an Canadian F6064 age best at 10K (42:49), and added a BC F6064 age best at 5K (21:02).
  • A final Canadian age best was set by Jim Sargent in the M8084 division at 5K (27:55).
  • And a final BC age best was set by Maureen de St Croix in the F5054 division at 10K (37:40) (assisted).
  • There were also a couple of unofficial single age world best performances set at the Vancouver Marathon by BJ McHugh (4:10:46 at age 77), and Heidi Muckle-gader (4:50:18 at age 73).
  • At the Canadian Half Marathon championships in Edmonton, BC athletes finished first (Mark Bomba, 1:06:47) and second (Ryan Day, 1:06:54) in the men's championship, and third (Leah Pells, 1:17:02) in the women's championship.
  • Two weeks later, at the National Marathon championships in Ottawa, BC athletes again finished first (Jim Finlayson, 2:18:21) and second (Ryan Day, 2:19:55) in the men's championship.
  • Herb Phillips (M6064) and Lenore Montgomery (F7074) did BC proud at the Carlsbad 5K in California, winning their respective age groups in 18:11 and 24:58.
  • At the Boston Marathon, John Moe finished second in the M5054 division, in 2:50:12.
  • A day earlier at the London Marathon, Victoria resident Jon Brown qualified for the World Championships in Helsinki, by running 2:09:31. Unfortunately he will still be representing Great Britain rather than Canada. Also in London, Jack Miller finished second in the M6064 age division in 2:50:41.
  • As usual, the Vancouver Sun Run and the Times Colonist produced many leading 10K times. Aside from the age group records already highlighted, Richard Mosley (29:40) and Jim Finlayson (29:41) had outstanding runs in Vancouver, while Steve Osaduik (30:00) saved his best for Victoria, where Herb Phillips ran another excellent time (37:33).
  • Meanwhile the Bazan Bay 5K in Sidney appears to have established itself as the most competitive 5K in the province. David Milne won a close men's race in 14:43. And Katie Vermeulen was first woman in 16:46.
  • New! An 80+ age division has been added to the rankings this year where performances warrant.