June 20, 2000 Report

JUNE 20, 2000 RUNNING REPORT

 

ISABELLE LEDROIT - THRILLED TO BE RUNNING

When Isabelle Ledroit describes her favorite running moments, you get the feeling that for her, the excitement and the thrill of the race is what she really enjoys. This year, she decided to run the Rotterdam Marathon because she was interested in running a fast marathon in a race that would keep her motivated to the end of the 42 km odyssey. Last Fall, she has participated in the Philadelphia Marathon, finishing 2nd In a time of 2:42:54. Happy with her performance, she however found it lonely at the end of the race. This year she was thus looking for a major race with many athletes of high caliber so she could clock a good time. Of course, with the goal of a good time, she opted out of Boston because of the hills. The London Marathon could have been a possibility, but to get in requires a very early commitment because of the long registration process.

To get ready for the Rotterdam Marathon, she trained with her companion of the last couple of years, Michel Brochu, a high caliber runner himself who placed 4th at the Philadelphia Marathon in 2:30:47. With the support of her companion, Ledroit was able to increase her mileage and complete those required long runs. She also competed in many races to get a feel for racing and to keep her speed up.

 

Isabelle Ledroit racing in Ottawa.

In the Fall she competed in the Toronto Half-Marathon where she finished 3rd in a time of 1:15:58. She enjoyed the course and the fierce competition. She was particularly pleased with her strong finish where she passed 2 female competitors at the end to claim a personal record. She has improved that time by clocking a 1:15:43 in the States in March. Over the winter period, Ledroit participated in an Ekiden race in Beijing, China. She has raced in these relay-type races in previous years, in China, Japan and Korea. Her most memorable Ekiden was the Beijing one where she had a strong race while running past Tianenmen Square.Though not a marathon specialist by any means, when she trains for the marathon, Isabelle puts in from 90 to 120 km per week, which includes long runs, as well as two speed sessions. One of those speed sessions is normally done with her running club, Les Vainqueurs, with Jean Yves Cloutier as the coach. With a strong winter of training and a great Fall racing season, Ledroit was ready to attack the flat course of Rotterdam. Unfortunately, the Gods of Wind were not in her favour that day as she struggled in the later stages of the race. The extra effort to compensate for the wind did not stop her though from clocking a personal best of 2:41:21 to come in 13th. Isabelle was looking for an exciting race and she found it. With a top notch organization, a festive ambiance and the thick cheering crowds, Ledroit was just thrilled.

After her great performance in the Netherlands, Ledroit was looking to get her speed back. Less than a month later, she participated in the Nordion 10K race in Ottawa on May 13. Isabelle has fond memories of the Ottawa race as she won it in 1998 in her PB of 34:28. That successful race was unexpected and as most of her memorable races, the ambiance, the crowd, the competition and the organization made this a race to remember. This year, she came in 4rd in a time of 34:51.

One of her memorable races includes the 5K of Binghamptom in 1999 where she came in 4th with a PB at that time of 16:27. This Spring, she improved on that PB by running a 16:27 at the Beacuce-Erable 5K. She also loved her experience in her first marathon, the 1998 Columbus Marathon. She went there with little expectations enjoying the race tremendously and coming in with a time of 2:43:12. Of all her races though, Isabelle was thoroughly impressed by the 1998 Bolder Boulder 10K. The organizers made the elite athletes feel special. They had a parade of nations, a party atmosphere, high level competition. She enjoyed her experience thoroughly even though the altitude and the heat made for difficult racing.

Her love of running is not restricted to the roads. She also enjoys the track where she can been seen competing in the 5000 and 10,000m. She actually started running as a track athlete when she competed in France in the 1500m. Ledroit has now been in Canada for 6 years. In the future, Ledroit wants to continue racing on the track and on the roads. Next year, at 34, she hopes to qualify for the 2001 Francophone Games to be held in Ottawa. Until then, she will continue working full time for the Quebec Chamber of Commerce and with the support of her companion and her sponsor for the last 4 years, New Balance, she will strive to keep improving while looking forward to those thrilling races.

 

 MANITOBA MARATHON

This year, the Manitoba Marathon, held in Winnipeg on June 18, was lead by two foreigners. In the men's race, the outcome was very close as Curtis Cox form Trinidad barely edged Dallas Allaire for first place. In the women's race, Joyce Bourassa from the US beat Laura Konantz, a multiple time winner of this event. Bourassa was up for the weekend and entered at the last minute, looking for a long run.

Male

 

Female

 

1. Curtis Cox (TRI)

2:30:53

Joyce Bourassa (US)

2:56:19

2. Dallas Allaire

2:30:56

Laura Konantz

2:58:46

3. Jim Melnyk

2:41:06

Cosette Taylor

3:06:48

Masters

1. Jim Melnyk

2:41:06

Laura Konantz

2:58:46

 

RUNNING OLYMPIANS

So far, on the running front, we have four people who have qualified for the Sydney Olympics in September. Bruce Deacon qualified for the marathon by going under the Olympic standard of 2:14 when he ran a 2:13:55 in Japan in December. He also needed to show fitness which he did by running 28:21 in the Sporting Life 10K. Jeff Schiebler and Sean Kaley qualified for the 10,000m on the track when they ran under the Olympic standard of 28:10 and finished in the top four Canadians at the Canadian Trials held as part of the Harry Jerome Classic in Vancouver on June 4. Schiebler obtained a qualifying time in Japan and won the Harry Jerome 10,000m in 28:14. Kaley qualified in the US and was the second Canadian in the race with a time of 28:34.

For the women, Tina Connelly qualified by running under the Olympic standard of 32:30 when she ran in the US earlier this year. She then placed as the 2nd Canadian in 33:07 at the Jerome Classic to complete her qualifying requirements. Another potential Olympian is Carol Montgomery, who despite obtaining a qualifying time earlier, ended up as the 5th Canadian in the race with a time of 33:57. Her fate is still to be determined for Track and Field, but no matter what, Montgomery will still be in Sydney as she qualified for the triathlon.

 

GAREAU ON MOUNT WASHINGTON

Jacqueline Gareau placed 2nd at the famous Washington Road Race held on June 17. This 7.6 mile race basically goes up Mount Washington. Jacqueline Gareau, who presently resides in Boulder, was runner-up in a time of 1:18:43. At the age of 47, Gareau still has strong performances left in her. She is a multiple winner of the Mount Washington race as she HAS placed first female in 1989, 1994 and 1996. Gareau is best remembered for her 1980 win at the Boston Marathon. She was the last Canadian to win the prestigious race.

 

RESULTS

May 20 - Sunnybrook Run for Research 10K, Toronto

Male

 

Female

 

1. Steve Boyd

30:32

Christine Dicks

41:14

2. Mathew McInnes

32:08

Laura Markle

42:04

3. Ian Reid

33:55

Anita Ferguson

42:30

Masters

1. Ian Switzer

35:19

Anita Ferguson

42:30

 

May 21 - St.John Ambulance Marathon, Waterloo, ON

Marathon - F1. Martie Dunning - 3:16:06; M1. Robert Julian - 2:42:41

Half-Marathon - F1. Stephanie Edwards - 1:26:48; M1. Philip Demsey - 1:16:21

 

May 28 - Millennium Marathon, Burlington, ON

M1. Shane Lavell - 2:34:53; F1 - Diane Cizek - 3:17:31

 

May 28 - Run for Health 10K, Brampton, ON

M1. Laszlo Orosz - 34:54; F1. Tanya Brown - 40:14

 

May 28 - Edmonton Sun Run, Edmonton

F1 - Cheryl Prior - 31:43; M1 - Dennis Colburn - 28:35

 

June 4 - Beat Beethoven 8K, Kingston, ON

Male

 

Female

 

1. Steve Boyd

23:42

Sharon Donnelly

28:19

2. Ken Myers

25:34

Paula Wiltse

29:26

3. Dave Ruggles

25:45

Kelly Knoll

29:32

Masters

1. Al Cantlay

28:20

Shirley Myers

35:32

 

June 4 - Bread and Honey Races, Mississauga, ON

15K

Male

 

Female

 

1. Bevin Stevenson

50:35

Leslie Carson

55:35

2. Andy Cormack

52:40

Laura Konantz

57:43

3. Laszlo Orosz

53:00

Tammy Purdy

58:15

Masters

1. Jim Wendland

53:55

Laura Konantz

57:43

5K - M1 - Michael Brown - 15:44; Terri McAllister - 16:54

 

June 4 - Hudson Challenge 10K, Montreal

F1 - Cindy New - 39:55; M1 - Michel Brochu - 36:26

 

June 10 - Moon in June, Burlington, ON

5K

Male

 

Female

 

1. Clive Hamilton

14:58

Karen Hyslop

17:59

2. Shane Lavell

15:08

Nancy Unsworth

18:24

3. Jason Crichton

15:52

Andrea Burdett

19:14

Masters

1. Max Watson

16:22

Lynette Bickman

22:00

10K

Male

 

Female

 

1. Rory Sneid

31:03

Martie Dunning

39:55

2. John Cress

32:33

Pamela Bennett

41:45

3. Stan Trudeau

32:46

Sandra Amorim

41:46

Masters

1. Stan Trudeau

32:46

Heidi Pernfuss

44:18

 

June 11 - Edge to Edge marathon, Vancouver Island

M1. David Depasquale - 2:45:24; F1. Marguerite Masson - 3:13:11

 

June 11- Johnny Miles Marathon, New Glasgow, NS

Marathon - M1. David MacLennan - 2:33:36; F1. Pam Currie-Yarr - 3:19:21

Half-Marathon - M1. Brian Ledrew - 1:14:46; F1. Sherry Carson - 1:26:04

 

June 11 - North Bay Half-Marathon, North Bay, ON

Half-marathon - F1 - Kelly Goodkey-Rupoli - 1:30:24; M1 - Remie Lessard - 1:17:55

5K - F1 - Carol Henry - 16:33; M1 - Burt Nichol - 15:45

 

June 11 - Maski-Courons 20K, St-Gabriel-De-Brandon, QC

M1 - Hassan Zaghry - 1:08:01; F1 - Doris Langlois - 1:14:14

 

June 11 - Nissan Challenge, Toronto

Male

 

Female

 

1. Hassan Bariso

15:35

Deborah Buhlers

16:32

2. Alistair Laurence

15:38

Tambra Dunn

16:56

3. Jimmy Buchanan

15:53

Elizabeth Ben-Ishai

18:22

Masters

1. Alan Davis

17:49

Lynn Kobayashi

20:41

 

June 11 - YMCA Summer Run 10K, Montreal

M1 - Gordon Neysmith - 33:11; F1 - Hilary Mann - 37:09

 

June 17 - Arbutus 8K, Victoria

M1 - Gordon Christie - 26:21; F1 - Susan Williams - 31:35

 

June 18 - Do It for Dad, Ottawa

5K - M1 - Harry Welten - 16:45; F1 - Angela Plamondon - 18:09

10K - Stephane Gamache - 32:13; F1 - Lynne Bermel - 36:04

 

June 18 - Waterloo 10K Classic, Waterloo, ON

Male

 

Female

 

1. Clive Hamilton

31:20

Deborah Buhlers

35:21

2. Alistair Laurence

31:43

Leslie Carson

36:14

3. Zeljko Sabot

31:46

Amy Connell

38:21

Masters

1. Rick Mannen

33:32

Karen MacKenzie

39:56