Weekend excitement from the road & trails!

Berlin Marathon

Eluid Kipchoge smashes the world record marathon time by more than a minute to set the new mark at 2:01:39 at the Berlin Marathon on Sunday.

BC Athlete Rachel Cliff ran a debut marathon time of 2:28:53, the fourth fastest time by a Canadian woman and fastest Canadian female marathon debut time. Her official time was just 53 seconds off the Canadians Marathon record of 2:29:00 held by Lanni Marchant.

Two Canadian records were set at the Berlin Marathon as well, Toronto Athlete Lyndsay Tessier and Vancouver’s Catherine Watkins each setting new age category records. Lyndsay setting a new W40-44 and Masters record of 2:30:47 and Catherine a new W45-49 record at 2:40:11.

Also in Berlin, BC Athlete Tristan Smyth placed 10th overall (1:29:531) in the wheelchair division of the Berlin Marathon, while fellow Canadian Brent Lakatos took the win in a time of 1:29:41. A tight race that saw 13 athletes finish within 20 seconds of the winner. Tristan is making a move to the marathon this season, coming off a strong showing at the Commonwealth Games Marathon placing fourth this past spring.

For more information see:

Eliud Kipchoge sets new world record in Berlin Marathon win (CBC)

Rachel Cliff debuts the marathon only 53 seconds off the Canadian Record (Canadian Running)

Double Canadian women’s Marathon records at Berlin (Canadian Running)

Lakatos wins his first marathon in Berlin (Canadian Running)

In Vancouver, Trevor Hofbauer and Natasha Wodak take the wins at the Under Armour Eastside 10k

Saturday’s Under Armour Eastside 10k, attracted over 3,200 runners, hitting the streets in support of the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, PHS Community Services and the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.

The event wrapped up the Lower Mainland Road Race Series and was the second last event in the BC Super Series, which finishes with the Goodlife Victoria Half Marathon on October 7th.

For more on the Eastside 10k, see the Canada Running Series blog.

Prince Rupert Runners celebrate the return of the Cannery Road Race

Approximately 150 runners were treated to perfect, sunny running conditions along the race’s stunning course that ran along the North Pacific Cannery, the Skeena River, Lelu Island and through Port Edward.

“Being able to put this event on again after it was cancelled last year makes me really happy,” said event organizer Shannon Lough. “A lot of us don’t always come out to Port Edward so this is an excuse to come out and enjoy the cannery and the facilities out here.”

For the full story see TheNorthernView.com

Across the Canada, thousands take up the fight against cancer in the Terry Fox Run

On Sunday, over 900 sites across Canada hosted runners and walkers in the support of the Terry Fox Foundation’s annual run to raise money for Cancer Research. You can still support the Terry Fox Foundation by making a donation at http://www.terryfox.org

The Terry Fox School Run takes place on Thursday, September 27. Millions of students will take part, you can find out more at this link.

Cross Country season kicked off in the Lower Mainland

A wet Saturday kicked off the XC season in style with the Pinetree Classic Cross Country Race in Coquitlam on Saturday. Next up the Lower Mainland Cross Country Series is the South Fraser Cross Country on September 22

Other notable BC performances abroad this weekend

Victoria’s Jim Finlayson set a new Canadian Masters M45-49 Half Marathon record at the Copenhagen Half with a time of 1:08:20. And Black Creek’s Cam Levins took 3rd at the Rock’n’Roll Philly Half Marathon with a 1:03:10 as he builds for his debut marathon in Toronto in October.