Trevor Hofbauer’s minor became his major. He dreamed of hardwood glory and only ran track in school as training for basketball. Little did he know it would be his secondary sport that would carry him to the Olympic Games.
Hofbauer, who represented sa国际传媒 in the marathon of the Tokyo Olympics, competed in the Island Race Series on Sunday but had Boston on his mind in winning the Comox Valley RV Half Marathon in one hour, eight minutes, 21 seconds.
“I used the race as a workout leading up to the Boston Marathon,” Hofbauer said in a statement.
“It was great to get up to Comox and Courtenay, visit the towns, and enjoy the energy of the race,” added the sa国际传媒-raised runner, now based in Calgary.
“This was my first Comox Half, and I really enjoyed the course. The first half was a challenge, followed by a quick finish coming back to the finish line. The race was well organized and there was a great atmosphere out there.”
Dusty Miller of Duncan was second in 1:11:11 with veteran runner, and now also coach, Jim Finlayson third and also the top masters performer in 1:11:41.
More than 400 runners participated.
Christine Bant of Victoria won the women’s race in 1:25:15 with Kelsey Lepard of Delta second in 1:27:06 and Natasha Parsons of Nanaimo third in 1:27:19. Andrea Wilson of Comox was the top women’s masters runner in 1:28:07. Roslyn Smith established a Canadian record in the 70-74 age class of 1:45:28.
It was the second consecutive race in the Island Series won by an Olympian, following Victoria-based Genevieve Lalonde’s victory two weeks ago in the Harriers Pioneer 8K in North Saanich. The Pioneer men’s champion was Tristan Woodfine, one of four Canadian men to make Olympic standard in the marathon but the odd man out on sa国际传媒’s three-runner team to the Tokyo Games last summer that included Hofbauer, Cam Levins of Black Creek and Ben Preisner.
The six-event Island Race Series concludes with the Westcoast Sooke 10K on March 27 and the Synergy Health Management Bazan Bay 5K on April 10. The Series opened with the Cobble Hill 10K, Hatley Castle 8K, Harriers Pioneer 8K and Comox Valley RV Half Marathon.
