2022 Marathon Matters Annual Awards

Club Builder Nominees

Michel Turmel - He is one of the most consistent and friendly runners in the group - even through covid lockdowns and injuries, we would still see his friendly face out running.

Michel is simply always there, always ready to lend a hand - in everything. Need a Treasurer - sure, he’ll take that on. Need someone to go out and bring pizza back to the race - of course, he’ll do it. Oversee the race for a few hours - of course, of course. Always willing, always cheerful, Michel simply makes every place he goes - better.

Wanda Bouchard Barry - for amazing commitment to helping runners hold their races. With her impressive organizational ability, go-all-night energy, and love for the runners, Wanda makes many otherwise impossible events - possible.

Mike Renouf - we all see Mike out with his camera at lots of different running events, but what we don’t see is the hours of selecting and editing Mike puts into his photos before sending them out.

Don Meek - His enthusiasm and willingness as a volunteer goes beyond what is expected of a volunteer.

Dale Harvey, for keeping the fire going under the Gopher.

Most Inspiring Runner Nominees

Victoria Oppenlander - she completed her first marathon and made such an adventure out of it. She was living proof of how running can take you places.

Jan Steenkamp and Tania Diener - they just keep going and going and going! They completed 13 marathons and ultras this year, and did them all with a smile…and a kiss.

Paula Bzdell - for showing us how consistency and commitment pay off. Paula has been training hard for four years, and this year saw her biggest improvements yet. She ran the Boston marathon; set a whopping marathon PR of 12 minutes; and tried something new with a 400 m race in the Canadian Masters Track Championships. For two years, she’s led a small training group with strength workouts, and always promotes and encourages other runners.

Dale Harvey - finished his quest to run a half-marathon in every province and is closing in on doing the same in all 50 states in the US.

Rob McLeod - for his inspiring agelessness. Rob is in the plus 60 category now, but with lots of attention to cross training and strength training, he’s still running sub 1:30 half-marathons, and pretty dominant in his age group. Rob also finished running a marathon in all ten provinces this year. It’s noteworthy that he’s not just a speedy energizer bunny - Rob also runs as a guide runner for his vision-impaired friend.

Heidi Schmalz - is our Queen of the 100 miles and has taught us a lot about when to push and when to pull back. She ran 3 noteworthy 100 milers this year. The first was at the Hidden Oasis in Cypress Hills where she likely ran 200 km because of course markings being blown off course. She had to search for flags and then use hands and poles to scramble up 40 degree slopes. After an enormous struggle, she finished and said “I wanted a PR. What i got was so much more valuable. I learned I can choose not to quit on myself in ways i never had to face before”. Heidi did not finish the other two 100s this season, even making the very tough decision to pull out at 150 km, owing to post-Covid issues and hallucinations. This is just as important as the success of finishing or winning a tough race. She had the wisdom to know that finishing a race comes second to her role as a Mom of two young children.

Elizabeth Tomczak - another athlete who balances being a mother to young children with hard training and beautiful results. Elizabeth won the Sask Marathon half-marathon this year and was the 8th woman overall at the very competitive Victoria marathon.

Jason and Melissa Burns - for their super tough training, and “aw shucks” humility. This duo ran at least 6 trail ultra races this summer, including many consecutive weekend races and races with extra difficulty like lots of elevation gain, high temperatures, or the need to climb ropes and carry heavy stuff. Jason and Melissa are very competitive in obstacle racing, and had top 5 age group results in at least five races this year.

Gaye Renouf - She completed 8 marathons this year (5 countries + 2 majors). She also qualified and received her 6 Star Medal from Abbotts. For training and racing through Covid and injuries and completing her Abbott Majors Series.

The winners were drawn from the nominees out of a hat at the Annual General meeting on November 28 - they were Michel Turmel and Dale Harvey.

New York City Marathon, November 6, 2022

Congrats to our Regina finishers at the New York City marathon on November 6. The race had weather breaking heat (24 degrees) and humidity for November, but luckily it was overcast. Our runners did great, with Gaylene Jeannot being the top performer in 3:49:30 and in the top 5% of her age group). Gay Renouf finished her sixth world major marathon (Boston, Berlin, Tokyo, Chicago, London and NYC) and earned the Abbott six star medal. Jan Steenkamp and Tania Diener finished their 13th marathon of the year! Results were:

Gaylene Jeannot 3:49:30,100th W50

Laura Sullivan 4:06:43,611th W30

Paula Bzdell 4:10:49,277th W50

Yvonne Cafik 4:13:41,142nd W55

Taylor Hewson 4:18:17,1757th M35

Patti-Sue Sandison-Cattell 4:49:33,404th W55

Gay Renouf 4:53:12,188th W60

Tania Diener 5:23:36,678th W55

Jan Steenkamp 5:33:28,1654th M55

Congrats to all!

Spartan Trifecta, Blue Mountain, Ontario, Oct 22, 23, 2022

Congrats to Jason and Melissa Burns on their Tour de Force performances at the Spartan Trifecta weekend in Blue Mountain Ontario. The trifecta refers to a 5 km, 10 km and 21 km race in one weekend. Each race had considerable climbing as well as obstacles - 375m, 700 m, and 1500 m - and 20 obstacles, 25 obstacles, and 30 obstacles- in the 5, 10, and 21 km races respectively. And to make things more fun, there was lots of mud.

Jason was 2nd, 7th, and 3rd in M40 in the 5,10, and 21 km races, with a time of 3:14:10 in the 21 km race. Melissa was 4th, 3rd, and 5th in W40 with a 21 km time of 4:28:22. Congrats

to these amazing athletes!

Prince Edward Island Marathon, Charlottetown, October 16, 2022

Congrats to Rob McLeod on completing a marathon in every province. Rob ran the Prince Edward Island marathon in Charlottetown on Oct 16 in 3:17:20, which earned him first in the M60 division and 14th overall.

In the lead up to the race, Rob ran the Demi Marathon de l’Acadie in New Brunswick on Oct 3 in 1:29:25, finishing first in M60 and the 9th man.

His next race was on October 9, as a guide runner for his visually impaired friend at the Harvest Valley Half marathon in NS. Rob finished in 2:07:14, 9th in the M60.

Well done, Rob!

Toronto Waterfront Marathon, October 16, 2022

Our prolific Regina marathoners, Tania Diener and Jan Steenkamp, have notched another one. The duo finished the Toronto Waterfront marathon in a time of 5:19:54, earning Tania 33rd in W55 and Jan 100th in M55.

In the half-marathon, Scott Kiefer ran 1:20:59 for 12th in M35, and Erin Kiefer ran 1:40:18 for 32nd in W35. Francis Odum ran 1:52:55 for 404th in M25.

Congrats runners!

Victoria Marathon, October 9, 2022

Fast times in Victoria! Despite the hilly course, our Regina runners ran great times. Elizabeth Tomczak was 8th woman and third in her W35 age group with a 3:03:10. Rick Warawa just missed the podium in M45 with a 3:00:11.

In the half-marathon, Jenn Masur ran 1:53:58 for 12th in W50; former Reginan Duane Mombourquette ran 2:02:55 for 33rd in M60; and Shari Mombourquette came back after a long injury with 2:44:10 for 72nd in W60.

Well done, and congrats runners!

Chicago Marathon, October 9, 2022

Congrats to our Regina runners at the Chicago marathon yesterday. Nancy MacKenzie had a great run, scoring a top 50 finish in her age group (43rd in W55) and a personal record in 3:43:28!

Jeff Wildeman 3:25:28 for 961st in M40

Jed Azcueta 3:39:32 for 1204th in M35

Brian Lewis 3:57:18 for 1355th in M45

Kirstie Berger 4:50:31 for 1829th in W25

Congrats runners, on finishing an Abbot World Majors race.

International Marathons, Fall 2022

Two of our runners just ran international races in new countries. Debbie Bellamy ran the Patagonia Running Festival marathon in Chile on Oct 8 - it was a marathon on her sixth continent!! Debbie reported absolutely gritty conditions of winds between 90 and 150 km/hr!

Gay Renouf ran the Lisbon marathon on October 9 with a time of 4:43, good for 12th place in W60.

Congrats runners!

P'tit Train du Nord Marathon, Laurentians, Quebec, October 2, 2022

Paula Bzdell just leapt to the top of the Saskatchewan W50 marathon rankings with a 3:33:44 personal record. Her result at the P’tit Train du Nord near Montreal on October 2 was good for 8th place in W50-59 at the race. Congratulations Paula!

London Marathon, October 2, 2022

We had three Regina runners at the London marathon today. Laura Sullivan ran 4:01:39 for 1585th in the W18-39 - this was just one week after her stellar Berlin run.

Deborah Huys ran 4:49:38 for 84th place in W65 and Gay Renouf ran 4:51:03 for 197th in W60. This was the fifth of six Abbott world majors for both women.

Regina readers may also be interested in Blaine Penny’s result. Blaine is the founder of Mito Canada and has made many a trip to Regina to garner support for the charity. Blaine ran 2:27:40 for a personal record and 3rd place in M45!

Congrats, runners!

Girdwood Alaska Half-Marathon, October 1, 2022

Dale Harvey is closing in on his completion of a half-marathon in 50 states. Girdwood Alaska on October 1, was his 49th state, and it doesn’t get much tougher or more adventurous! The single track trail climbs and descends 1670 feet, and half of the finishers took more than 3 hours. Dale’s time was 3:29:28, good for first in the M60 division.

Berlin Marathon, Germany, September 25, 2022

Our Regina runners sure made us proud at the Berlin marathon. Our club is set up to celebrate marathons, so our biggest kudos always go to those who run their first marathon - Victoria Oppenlander ran strong and steady in her first marathon.

Michael Dahlman set a PR! That is actually harder than you would expect on a course on a day where the world record was broken. A 50,000-runner strong pack is crowded and makes it impossible to take most of the tangents, leading to athletes running further than 42.2 km. So double congrats to Michael!

Our fastest runners were Craig Herrington and Laura Sullivan, with Laura also getting the highest age group spot among our Regina athletes. These times were fast enough to make the Saskatchewan 2022 top ten marathon times for age.

Congrats to our runners for completing a World major in the race when the world record was broken:

Craig Herrington,3:15:15,582nd M45

Ryan Clark,3:27:44,1090th M30

Laura Sullivan,3:35:07,306th W30

Alvin Yau,3:49:34,1874th M35

Michael Dahlman,3:57:58,2184th M40

Angela Arnold,4:00:29,333rd W50

Doug Opseth,4:09:06,1581st M50

Kurtis Sullivan,4:33:53,2490th M30

Victoria Oppenlander,4:42:59,1270th W30

Jan Steenkamp,5:01:46,1700th M55

Tania Diener,5:11:35,605th W55

Stephanie Davis-Yau,5:15:36,1472nd W35

Dhon Gumban,5:21:42,3583rd M40

Congrats to our Regina athletes who finished the Canada Ironman in Penticton on Sunday! The Ironman consists of a 3.8 km swim, 180 km bike, and 42.2 km run. Temperature was pretty good (for Penticton) at 27 degrees.

Special congrats to our first-time Ironman finishers: Shawn Wilyman, Scott Hysuick, Bernhard Prahauser, Luke McClellan, Warren McCall, Cory Kulczycki, Tarra Dubreuil, Dhon Gumban, and Sheri Wild.

Our best performing age group athlete was Doug Mackenzie who was 2nd in the M65 category. Shawn Wilyman was 3rd in M30. Both athletes earned a spot to the Ironman World Championship in Kona.

Shawn Wilyman, 9:24:38,3rd M30

Laverne Masur, 11:53:38,27th M45

Scott Hysuick, 12:32:10,40th M45

Erin Kiefer, 12:40:30,16th F35

Jaimie Mimbs, 12:59:36,14th F45

Doug Mackenzie, 13:01:23,2nd M65

Jennifer Masur, 13:08:52,22nd F50

Yvonne Cafik, 13:25:29,10th F55

Bernhard Prahauser, 13:14:35,62nd M45

Luke McClellan, 13:48:04,74th M30

Michael Beal, 14:09:12,93rd M45

Lyle Stecyk, 15:17:15,85th M55

Jess Gawley, 15:21:48,50th F45

Krystle Barkway, 15:29:44,35th F30

Theresa Gibson, 15:50:38,58th F50

Maria Rupcich, 15:55:03,59th F50

Bruce Moore, 16:17:28,27th M65

Warren McCall, 16:23:16,160th M50

Cory Kulczycki, 16:24:40,129th M45

Tarra Dubreuil, 16:47:49,67th F40

Dhon Gumban, 16:55:00,143rd M40

Sheri Wild, 17:00:16,69th F40

Congrats athletes - we’re so proud of you!

Prairie Nightmare Backyard Run, Echo Lake, Aug 27, 2022

Results from the Prairie Nightmare Backyard Ultra at Echo Lake on Aug 27 are in. The Backyard races are run on a loop of 6.71 km. Every hour on the hour, runners go out to complete one more loop. If they finish in 35 minutes, they have 25 minutes to rest, eat, etc. if they finish in 58 minutes, they only have two minutes to take care of business. Each runner keeps going until he/she either chooses to quit or can’t make the cutoff. The race continues until only one is left - the last man standing - and then that runner has to finish one final loop.

And the last man standing at Prairie Nightmare was Derek Anaquod! There’s a bit of an asterisk behind that ending. Derek and Harold Litzenberger had both finished 13 laps. There was lightning, albeit far away. Harold decided it was not safe to continue and although his legs and energy were strong, he withdrew. Derek started his final 14th lap, but a short while later, the organizers decided that it was indeed, unsafe, and to pull him from the course for safety reasons.

The top two women were Amy Carlson and Ara Steininger with 9 laps.

Despite the extreme humidity with the heat, several runners set personal best distances- John Rajczakowski ran an extra 2 km after finishing to complete his first marathon distance.

And the fabulous DNF rocks - Heidi Schmaltz’s three year old daughter made them. She can count to ten, so she collected them ten at a time, brought them home in her wagon and painted them with nail polish. The runners valued them!

Nightmare results:

Derek Anaquod - 13 laps plus - 87 km

Harold Litzenberger - 13 laps - 87 km

Matthew van Nus - 10 - 67 km

Keith Immerkar - 10 - 67 km

Amy Carlson - 9 - 60 km

Ara Steininger - 9 - 60 km

Nick Dalymple- 9 - 60 km

Jason Hubick - 8 - 54 km

John Svec - 7 - 47 km

Cam Thick - 7 - 47 km

Zoe Clin - 7 - 47 km

John Rajczakowski - 6 plus unofficial 2 km for 42.2 km

Darren Engel - 5 - 34 km

Jim Carlson - 5 - 34 km

Ken Eade - 5 - 34 km

Shaun Quinney -5 - 34 km

Terri Carlson - 5 - 34 km

Chidi Okafor - 5 - 34 km

Mirelle Geyer - 4 - 27 km

Conrad Nixon - 4 - 27 km

Zoey Kim-Zeggelaar - 4 - 27 km

Meghan Vanderkuur - 4 - 27 km

Stacey Reid - 3 - 20 km

Heidi Schmalz - 3 - 20 km

Genevieve Ehlers - 3 - 20 km

Michelle Bolay - 3 - 20 km

Leanne Redman - 3 - 20 km

Nicolette Bernardino - 2 official, completed 3 laps - 20 km

Chelsey Hubick - 2 - 13 km

Gay Renouf - 2 - 13 km

Declan Clark - 1 - 7 km

Daydream Results

Shauna Grandish - 5 - 34 km

Krista Baliko - 4 official, completed 5 laps - 34 km

Kerri rajczakowski - 2 official, completed 3 laps - 20 km

Michael McCudden - 1 official, completed 24 km

Congrats to all the runners and thank you to the volunteers!

Black Spur Ultra, Kimberley, BC, Aug 20, 2022

Congrats to our Regina runners who finished the Black Spur ultra on Aug 20. Black Spur is a highly technical trail race set in Kimberley BC, with 2230 m of elevation gain and loss.

Results for the 54 km event were:

Jason Burns, 7:59:26, 5th Men Masters

Melissa Burns, 8:44:04, 5th Women Masters

Jenna Bedel, 9:44:13, 13th Women Open

Nicole Mitchelson, 10:57:57, 22nd Women Open

Shelley MacKenzie, 11:06:54, 16th Women Maters

Lee-Ann Ricci, 11:06:54, 16th Women Masters

Well done, runners!

Maah Daah Hey Trail 56 miles, Half-Marathon, Medora ND, July 30, 2022

Regina runners earned a slew of top ten finishes at the Maah Daah Hey trail race in the badlands of North Dakota, yesterday. The race is on single track in jaw-droppingly gorgeous scenery; but the runners had to deal with extreme heat. There were some reports of the temperature reaching 30. Still, our runners persevered and excelled.

In the 50 mile (actually 56 or 57 mile) race:

Harold Litzenberger, 2nd M, 13:19:22

Jason Burns, 3rd M, 13:39:03

Melissa Burns, 2nd W, 14:42:29

Jason Hubick, 6th M, 16:18:33

In the half-marathon:

Kevin Bedel, 2:12:59, 5th M30-39

Jenna Bedel, 2:14:28, 5th W30-39

Sheila Durey, 2:26:15, 2nd W50-59

Joanne Noll, 2:28:13, 2nd W60-69

Shelley Zerr ran the 10k.

Congrats, runners!

Nova Scotia Marathon, Barrington, July 24, 2022

Congrats to Cam Thick on his finish of the Nova Scotia marathon in Barrington on July 24. Cam finished in 4:12:03, good for third place in M40! Amanda Thick ran the 10k in 1:41:58 - congrats, runners!

Sinister 7 100 Mile Race, Crowsnest Pass, AB, July 9-10, 2022

Congrats to the Regina runners who ran the notoriously hard Sinister Seven on July 9 and 10. The trail race, in the Crowsnest pass area of Alberta, consists of seven stages, 100 miles, and 6,600 m of elevation gain and loss. The Regina team pictured here - the Vintage Vixens - placed second in the women's category in 17:14:27, although the four runners had to cover 7 stages and competed against other teams with more runners (usually 7). This year's race was done in the reverse order of previous years - Legs 7 (10.3 km) and 3 (31.4 km) were done by Kaytlyn Criddle; Elizabeth Tomczak ran legs 6 (31.9 km) and 1 (18.3 km); Karissa Lepage ran legs 5 (27.4 km) and 2 (16.7 km); and Julia Totosy ran legs 4 (23.4) and 1 (18.3 km). Well done runners!

In the solo category, there is bad news and good news. Our Heidi Schmalz, only 4 weeks after finishing a gruesomely hard Hidden Oasis 100 miler, was running very well, but had to make the difficult decision to withdraw at 150 km. Heidi was experiencing post Covid breathing difficulty - wheezing, dizzy spells, and hallucinations. Heidi is to be congratulated as much for making the sound decision to withdraw, as she is for her gutsy running and strong legs.

Paul Duperreault and Tyler Hogan finished in 27th and 42nd places in the Men’s category in 27:52:55 and 29:14:47 respectively.

Regina's Michael Szeles, also had to withdraw from the solo 50 miler.

Congrats to all our brave runners for their courage to start and their tremendous running.

Kelowna Wine Country Half Marathon, June 18, 2022

Rob McLeod had a stellar result at the Kelowna Wine Country half marathon on June 18. Rob ran 1:28:32 to win the Men’s 60 division, and was 6th of 543 overall! Well done!

Coeur d'Alene Ironman 70.3, Idaho, June 26, 2022

Congrats to Regina athletes who finished the Coeur d’Alene Ironman 70.3 in Idaho on June 26. The 70.3 is named for 70.3 miles - the traditional half Ironman distance - and consists of a 1.8 km swim, 90 km bike ride, and 21.1 km run.

Jackie Hatherly earned a trip to Ironman 70.3 world championships with a first place finish in the W55 category, in 5:16:09.

Jackie was followed by:

Alyssa Kimber, 5:34:42, 16th W25

Krystle Barkway, 6:07:51, 44th W30

Cory Kulczycki, 7:13:59, 136th M45

Dhon Gumban, 8:12:19, 183rd M40

Tarra Dubreuil, 8:30:57, 122nd W40

Way to go, athletes!

Banff Marathon, June 19, 2022

Regina runners earned some tremendous results at the Banff marathon and half-marathon on June 19. The sole Regina marathoner was Cheryl Downes, who finished in 5:05:40 for 8th in W45. The half-marathoners were led by former Regina, Ingrid Currie, who won the W60 division in 1:53:14.

Here are the rest of the Regina half-marathon results:

Mariano Gustilo, 1:53:47,16th M35

Patrice Krueger, 1:59:22, 3rd W55

Monica Rainbow, 1:59:55,7th W45

Patti Sandison Cattell, 2:04:45,6th W55

Maureen Powell, 2:04:46,7th W55

Kathy Dreher, 2:05:35,3rd W60

Peggy Junek, 2:06:49,9th W45

Greg Kraushaar, 2:10:50,34th M40

Deborah Huys, 2:13:10,4th W60

Sage Fox-Schaffer, 2:13:45,21st W40

Jodine Landman, 2:14:13,44th W35

Paul Westgate, 2:14:14,27th M45

Patricio Cabato III, 2:24:49,37th M40

Jobel Vicente, 2:27:03,40th M40

Jill Bashutski, 2:30:25,48th W40

Beverly Wudrich, 2:33:38,31st W45

Sam Stamina, 2:55:50,101st W25

Eric Constantine, 2:59:00,56th M35

Congrats to all the runners!

BigFoot 50 and 25 km, White Butte, June 18, 2022

The heat was the story at the BigFoot 50 Trail race. It took place on the hottest day of the year so far - 33 degrees or 40 degrees for Humidex! Still some brave runners did the 50 km ultra while others ran the 25 km or 12.5 km on trails out at White Butte. The winners of the 50 km were James Beer and Racquel Marshall. The winners of the 25 km were Chris Tetlock and Chelsey Dorosh.

Marathon Matters Club Results - 50 km

Conor Renouf, 4:31:48, 2nd M

Jason Burns, 6:07:55, 8th M

Melissa Burns, 6:26:40, 3rd W

25 km Club results:

Gary Larson, 2:11:04, 3rd M

Abbey Schmidt, 2:20:14, 2nd W

Doug Hynne, 2:39:52, 8th M

Shaun Quinney, 2:40:38,9th M

Joanne Noll, 2:48:12,8th W

Crystal Kowalski, 2:56:56,12th W

Wendy Tomyk, 3:21:36,16th W

Debra Anderson,4:12:37,20th W

Deanne Selinger, 4:12:38,21st W

Full results are at https://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=280562

As always, and particularly for a hot run like this one, the runners thank organizer Jason Hubick and his army of dedicated volunteers.

Well done, everyone!

Hidden Oasis 100 mile, Cypress Hills, June 11-12, 2022

Regina area’s 100 mile Queen has surpassed herself! On June 11 and 12, Heidi Schmalz took on the inaugural Hidden Oasis 100 mile (actually 168 km or 104 miles) in the Cypress Hills Interprovincial park. The course reaches the highest altitude between the Rocky Mountains and Labrador - 1466 m; covers all manner of trails; has about 10 water crossings; and climbs and descends 3300 m. The race is divided into six stages and most racers took part in relay teams. Heidi was among the few soloists and the even fewer who finished.

Heidi’s experience was exceptional. Some of the flags marking the course had blown away, and route finding was difficult to say the least - so much that participants are calling it the “Canadian Barkley”. Heidi reported scanning and scanning the area for the next flag, and then using hands and poles to scramble up 40 degree slopes. She reported being lost for hours, and estimated her actual run distance as close to 200 km.

Hundred mile runners know how important a race crew is, and Heidi couldn’t have finished without crew chief Bob Higgins and pacer Jason Hubick, who did the two final stages through the night with Heidi. Heidi finished as second woman (and second overall!) in 31:56:33.

Her thoughts summing up the experience: “I am still blown away by what a struggle that was. I have never pushed like that before and struggled to stay in the moment. I wanted a PR. What I got was so much more valuable. I learned that I can choose to not quit on myself in ways I never had to face before.”

I will try to post some amazing videos of Heidi’s sprint (!!!) finish after 30 hours (technical difficulties) and with selfless and amazing pacer Jason. This MM editor thinks this race and how Heidi handled herself is one of the most astounding ultra running results for Saskatchewan runners! Congrats Heidi, Bob and Jason!

SufferFest 2022, Edmonton 24 hour race, June 11-12, 2022

Jan Steenkamp and Tania Diener have just finished their sixth marathon or ultra in seven weeks. This latest event was the SufferFest 2022 in Edmonton - a 24 hour event on a one mile course that included a lap of a 400 m track. They each ran 50 miles which earned them sixth placed man for Jan and eighth placed woman for Tania! Well done!

Calgary Marathon and Half-Marathon, May 29, 2022

Congrats to our runners at the Calgary marathon and half-marathon. Special mentions to Abbey Schmidt, Michael Dahlman, Chantel De Lorme, Paul Westgate, and Amy Carlson for their new PBs and to Abbey for her Boston qualifier! Congrats to Terri Carlson for her age group placing! Results were:

Alex Laberge, 3:06:14, 7th M30

Abbey Schmidt, 3:34:23, 4th W35

Ashley King, 3:44:18, 10th W30

Michael Dahlman, 4:06:49, 41st M40

Greg Chovin, 4:13:12, 14th M55

Chantel De Lorme, 4:36:08, 12th W45

Darwin Weimer, 5:46:25, 11th M65

Half-marathon

Miranda Miller, 1:42:12, 9th W30

Amy Carlson, 1:45:57, 21st W30

Jim Carlson, 1:48:58, 4th M60

Kevin Hassman, 1:54:54, 18th M50

Terri Carlson, 1:56:49, 3rd W55

Paul Westgate, 1:58:18, 37th M45

Jodi e Landman, 2:09:26,76th W35

Leslie Afedo, 2:13:29,86th M25

Stephanie Laberge, 2:21:01,97th W30

Terry Weimer, 3:06:44,8th W65

Congrats all!

Saskatchewan Marathon and Half-Marathon, Saskatoon, May 29, 2022

Congrats to our Regina runners who had such great results at the Saskatchewan marathon on May 29. Elizabeth Tomczak was the women’s winner in the half, and Conor Renouf placed third in the Men’s marathon. Ryan Clark, Trisha Lunt and Jannike Matlock all set PRs.

Marathon

Conor Renouf, 2:52:03, 3rd Men’s overall

Ryan Clark, 3:24:35, 9th M30

Nathaniel Helmke, 3:35:45, 2nd M20

Rebecca Sweeney, 4:04:26, 4th W20

Michael Morrison, 4:12:01, 5th M60

Dennis Mager, 4:16:37,2nd M65

Nancy MacKenzie, 4:20:06,5th W50

Dan Gudmundson, 4:38:57,15th M40

Jan Steenkamp, 5:05:27,12th M50

Tania Diener, 5:13:07,11th W50

Regina half-marathon age placers and PRs

Rick Warawa, 1:27:09,4th M40

Elizabeth Tomczak, 1:28:34,1st W

Lane Rathgeber, 1:38:15,2nd M50

Courtlyn Fazakas, 1:40:55, 4th W30

Trisha Lunt,1:42:56,3rd W40

Kiara Sullivan,1:45:12,1st W under 19

Tim Gross,1:48:15,3rd M60

Jannike Matlock,2:06:45,50th W30

Congrats to all - please comment if I left anyone out; if anyone set a PR or if I made an error! This was the 5th marathon in 6 weeks for dynamic duo Jan Steenkamp and Tania Diener!

Blackfoot Ultra, Edmonton AB, May 28, 2022

Our Saskatchewan trail runners did great at the Blackfoot ultra near Edmonton on May 28! The race is described as “Death by 100 hills and is similar to White Butte trails, but with bigger hills! Harold Litzenberger did his first 100 km and finished 10th in the men’s race! Dennis Dreher, Donn Lay and Adriana Moryski finished in 6:22:50, 7:08:50 and 7:08:50 for 30th M, 43rd M and 18th W respectively in the 50 km race. Kate Dreher finished as the 7th Woman in the 25 km event in 2:42:50.

Congrats, all!

Echo Lake Road Race, May 22, 2022

Here are the age group winners of the Echo Lake 20 km road race in Fort Qu'Appelle on May 22. Jared Hagen and Elizabeth Tomczak were the overall winners in 1:18:18 and 1:23:30, respectively. The 40-49 age groups were won by David Kamuti and Lorraine Brezinski in 1:29:07 and 1:33:00; and the over-50 age groups were won by Gerry Nagy and Terra Jacobsen in 1:19:42 and 1:42:33. Full results are at https://www.fortquappellelions.com/2022-race-results.html

Congrats to all runners!

Ironman Tulsa, OK, May 22, 2022

Congrats to Gary Thiel who qualified for the Ironman World Championships today at Ironman Tulsa. Gary completed the 3.8 km swim, 180 km bike and 42.2 km run in 11:28:20, good for second place (out of 38) in M55.

Woody's RV Marathon, Red Deer AB, May 22, 2022

Congrats to our prolific marathoners, Jan Steenkamp and Tania Diener, on their marathon finishes at Woody’s RV marathon in Red Deer. This was their 4th marathon or ultra in five weeks. Tania ran 5:19:36 for 5th in W50, and Jan ran 5:19:37 for 17th in M50. You’re on a roll, congrats!

Spartan Ultra 50 k, Bigfork Montana, May 7, 2022

Two of our runners who earned 100 km buckles at the Canada Goose Ultra last week actually earned two buckles in 8 days. Jason and Melissa Burns both finished the 50 km Spartan Ultra in Bigfork Montana on May 7. Melissa won second in W40 in 10:17, and Jason earned 4th in M40 in 8:09. The course and event were gruesome - 2900 m of elevation game plus 68 obstacles, in constant rain with some hail and snow.

The running and climbing distances made finishing each obstacle harder. Obstacles included rope climbs, heavy carries, fire jumps, etc. Jason reported that before this event, he hadn’t missed an obstacle for 6 years; he missed two at this event. Each obstacle missed requires the athlete to either do 30 burpees or run penalty laps. Melissa reported a total of 54 km.

This event was definitely type two fun - Melissa wrote that she was crying uncontrollably more than once and full-on bawled at the finish. Jason and Melissa, we are so impressed with and proud of you! And then you topped it off by running 100 km a week later!

Oxbow 50 k, Spruce Woods Provincial Park, MB, May 1, 2022

Congrats to Kate and Dennis Dreher who rocked the Oxbow 50 ultra in Spruce Woods MB on May 1. Kate won the W60 age group in 6:30:59, and Dennis was 4th in M50-59 in 6:31:01.

Vancouver Marathon, May 1, 2022

Congrats to our many Regina runners who ran in the Vancouver marathon, half and other races on May 1. Scott Kiefer had a top performance with a 9th in his age group in the half. Congrats to Dhon Gumban for a superlative PR, also in the half. Jan Steenkamp and Tania Diener ran the marathon a week after the hilly Big Sur marathon (ouch)! Here are the marathon and half marathon results:

Marathon

Ryan Clark, 3:38:35, 160th M30

Gaylene Jeannot, 3:52:42, 17th W50

Joanne Noll, 4:39:05, 17th W60

Verdran Knezevic, 4:49:24, 354th M25

Duane Mombourquette, 4:54:01, 59th M60

Jan Steenkamp, 4:59:21, 114th M55

Tania Diener, 5:22:07, 50th W55

Marissa Glofcheskie, 5:25:44, 264 W25

Half Marathon

Scott Kiefer, 1:21:58, 9th M35

Mallory Murchison, 1:37:35, 21st W35

Michael Torrie, 1:39:32, 28th M45

Erin Kiefer, 1:40:51, 35th W35

Joe Wilber-Kallis, 1:44:53, 78th M40

Lauren McLellan, 1:49:37, 76th W35

Kyle van Mulligen, 1:51:48, 255th M30

Naresh Tinani, 1:53:33, 140th M40

Sheldon Gardner, 2:00:12, 102nd M50

Angela Arnold, 2:01:50, 80th W50

Kristel Kriel, 2:06:12, 206th W35

Dhon Gumban, 2:19:22, 325th M40

Rosemary Courtney, 2:19:40, 258th W40

Lyle Kallis, 2:33:40, 41st M65

Shannon Obey, 3:44:49, 721 W30

Big Sur Marathon, Monterey California, April 24, 2022

Congrats to Jan Steenkamp and Tania Diener for completing the marathon labeled one of world’s best or most beautiful! The marathon climbs 2182 feet and includes one 2 mile climb that culminates with the sight and sounds of a pianist playing a grand piano at the top. The kissing duo finished the Big Sur marathon on the California coastline yesterday. Jan finished in 5:11:19 for 95th in the M55 and Tania finished in 5:20:02 for 75th in W55. Way to go!

Boston Marathon, April 18, 2022

Congrats to our Regina finishers of the Boston marathon today. These runners earned their unicorn today by qualifying and then running the fabled race. Huge congrats to Milos Kostic for winning the M80+ age group!

Justin Sawka, 2:58:02, 1864th in Open Men

Rick Warawa, 3:01:35, 316th M45

Julia Totosy de Zepetnek, 3:22:36, 1196th Open W

Trisha Lunt, 3:50:59, 822nd W45

Paula Bzdell, 3:58:47, 1006th W45

Yvonne Cafik, 4:45:32, 642nd W55

Milos Kostic, 5:09:30, 1st M80+

Cure for the Brrr Marathon, Half-Marathon, and Loop Run, Jan 2, 2022

Congrats to the brave runners who signed up for a winter race when the weather had windchills of - 50 degrees - I hope they weren't too disappointed with the temperatures of -24 to -14. The smiles were definitely the cure for the brrr. Here are the results:

Marathon

Conor Renouf, 3:19:19

Gay Renouf, 4:57:41

Jan Steenkamp, 5:10:43

Half-Marathon

Gaylene Jeannot, half in 2:05:44 (continued on for 22.2 km)

Terri Carlson, half in 2:06:39 (continued on for 24 km)

Amy Lee, half in 2:06:39 (continued on for 24 km)

Darryl Mailander, 2:08:28

Chris Dornstauder, 2:15:46

Melissa Burns, 2:16

Jason Burns, 2:16

Sarah Elias, 2:20:10

Jason Hubick, 2:22:50

Dale Harvey, 2:44:22

Tania Diener, 3:12:19 (with a broken toe !!)

Chris Butz, 3:21:00

Loops

Mariano Gustilo, 20.4 km, 2:10

Blair Morris, 20 km, 2:49

Ashley King, 16 km, 1:30:28

Abbey Schmidt, 16 km, 1:30:28

Rob McLeod, 16 km, 1:55:43

Adam Hicks, 12 km, 1:11:01

Matt Stephenson, 12 km, 1:11:01

Patricio III Cabato, 12 km, 1:30:18

Steve Whelan, 12 km, 1:22:34

Michel Turmel, 9 km, 58:44

Trisha Lunt, 8 km, 52:00

April Lloyd, 8 km, 56:50

Meg Braithwaite, 8 km, 59:00

Debra Anderson, 8 km, 1:03:00

Sandy MacDonald, 8 km, 1:13:52

Constance Kozak, 5 km, 1:04:00 (another one with a broken toe!)

Patrice Turmel, 5 km, 1:04:00

Shawn Weimer, 4 km, 31:42

Morgan Allen, 4 km, 24:54

Rachel Evans, 4 km, 34:42

Paula Bzdell, 4 km, 34:52

Deane Selinger, 4 km, 46:56

Nathan Anderson, 4 km, 46:56

Aubrey Swift, 4 km

Susan Schneider, 4 km

Amanda Benesh, 4 km