Weather will likely be a factor as the 2024 Island Race Series begins today with the Harriers Pioneer 8K in North Saanich. It’s probably safe to say that two-time Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympian Natasha Wodak’s women’s record of 25:28 from 2013 is safe, as is the longstanding men’s event record of 22:58 set in 1985 by former University of Victoria Vikes star and 1996 Atlanta Olympian Carey Nelson.
“Ironically, climate is what makes running so great on the Island year-round,” said Chris Kelsall, president and general manager of the Island Race Series.
“This weekend, we advise a long warm-up with a long warm-down.”
More than 4,500 runners took part in the eight Island Series races last year and Kelsall said the series will match that this year and may exceed it.
“The world is back running two years successive now after COVID,” he said.
The Island Race Series prides itself on its inclusiveness, a vertical integration that includes duffers on up to Olympians.
Mitch Davidson, 70, who lives in Edmonton and winters in Victoria, plans to again participate in at least four of the Island Series races. The retired plumber began running at 50.
“There is such a strong running community on the Island,” he said.
As for the unusual blast of wintry weather to start this year’s Island Race Series, Davidson quipped: “It’s minus-41 in Edmonton.”
Also contesting the Pioneer 8K today will be 81-year-old Bruce Hawke, running his 250th race which includes Ironmans, and 75-year-old Roslyn Smith of Comox Valley, a national and international age-group record holder. At the other end of the age scale is 12-year-old Peninsula Track Club runner Coen Holmgren.
Among the elites is Colette Reimer of Victoria, an Olympic-aspirant triathlete for Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032, who won three gold medals at the 2022 sa国际传媒 Summer Games in Niagara.
“We have a great infrastructure here of talented runners backed by great coaches and athletic health professionals and great volunteers,” said Kelsall.
The Pioneer 8K begins the eight-event 2024 Island Race Series, that continues Jan. 28 with the Ceevacs Cobble Hill 10K, which will also double as the sa国际传媒 10K championship. The other races in the series are the Bastion Cedar 12K on Feb. 11, Hatley Castle 8K on Feb. 25, Westcoast Sooke 10K on March 10, Comox Valley RV Half-Marathon on March 24, McLean Mill 10K in the Alberni Valley on April 7 and Synergy Health Bazan Bay 5K on April 14.
