© Copyright – 2021 – Athletics Illustrated
At Thursday’s Thetis Lake Relays, the announcer’s bullhorn may be seeing its final days as it squeaked and honked like the waterfowl around us. And a few runners may have gone the wrong way, deep in the woods, like the satellite watches that read their own distances. But the hot chocolate was amazing, dark and rich like the mud we ran in. Then there was the weather. It was perfect. Near sideways rain, at times, and cool temperatures at about 8C (46F). Plenty of wet mud exposed treacherous rocks and roots that lie in wait; shadows of war vets in foxholes, who we honoured on this day.
It was a great day for the 25th running of this iconic race.
The route is considered 5K, however, it is only equivalent to 5K due to the diabolical hills that shut down any sense of rhythm over the final 1K. Straight up and straight back down several times like a roller coaster to the finish. Then into the deep-sanded beach as you tag off to the next runner. The route measures anywhere from 4.04K to 4.4K, depending on who’s Strava account you are looking at. It doesn’t matter, it’s trail racing.
The run is organised by the Prairie Inn Harriers Running Club. The Thetis Lake Relays is the first of three trail races that start and finish at the popular beach area over a three-week span. The relays are run on Remembrance Day from 1:00 PM. Next up is the Gunner Shaw 10K Cross Country Classic on Nov. 27, which is followed by the Stewart Mountain 5 and 10-mile race — yes, to the top of a mountain named Stewart. Gunner Shaw is named after and in memory of the legendary Bruce “Gunner” Shaw who fought plenty of battles on the streets and trails of Victoria, Vancouver and Seattle. There is another so-named Gunner Shaw Cross Country in Vancouver at Jericho Beach. It is also a mudfest.
Thursday, it was Prairie Inn Harrier Michael Barber who won the opening lap. And he ran the fastest lap of the day for his team. Barber clocked an approximate time of 15:24 which is a strong performance considering he specialises in the 800m distance.
Fellow Harrier, Angelina Shandro, ran approximately 16:50 and like Barber, set the tone for the rest of the Relays by winning the first lap in the fastest time on the day.
The race raises money for bursaries and has contributed over 38,000 before this year’s running to various funds in Victoria.
Full results and a race director’s report will be available soon at www.pih.bc.ca.
2021 Thetis Lake Relay - Race Results O.A. Pos. Cat. Pos. Time Team Name Team Category
1 1 1:07:24 PIH Fats and Furious Senior Men (20-39)
2 1 1:10:32 PIH No Time to Die Junior Men (Under 20)
3 2 1:11:53 El Fuego Del Norte Senior Men (20-39)
4 2 1:12:27 PIH The Young Bucks Junior Men (Under 20)
5 1 1:15:48 PIH Lactic Acid Slugs Junior Women (Under 20)
6 1 1:16:43 Cory Ramstead Solo Man
7 3 1:16:44 ExSTRAVAgents Senior Men (20-39)
8 4 1:17:35 PIH Obi Four Kenobis Senior Men (20-39)
9 2 1:17:36 PIH Too Fast for Our Own Good Junior Women (Under 20)
10 1 1:18:05 Family of Huntsmen Family (all ages)
11 1 1:20:38 Double Day Date Senior Mixed (20-39)
12 2 1:21:30 Huntsman Solo Man
13 2 1:21:32 Two Tired Traverses Family (all ages)
14 2 1:22:00 Swift Endurance Senior Mixed (20-39)
15 5 1:24:07 Operation Glycolysis Senior Men (20-39)
16 3 1:24:20 Thetis Beat Us, Please Seat Us! Family (all ages)
17 3 1:24:38 Bed, Bath and Beyoncé Senior Mixed (20-39)
18 1 1:24:54 Tall Dark and Hand Me Some Sanitizer Master Men (40-49)
19 1 1:24:54 West Coast Beaches Master Women (40-49)
20 6 1:24:55 The BARR is Open Senior Men (20-39)
21 7 1:25:21 Pinnacle Men Senior Men (20-39)
22 4 1:27:36 Keating Disc Golf Studs Senior Mixed (20-39)
23 3 1:28:33 PIH The Thetis Lakers Junior Men (Under 20)
24 3 1:29:25 Old Gray Dude Solo Man
25 4 1:31:20 Hayden Family Family (all ages)
26 5 1:31:35 Live, Love, Laugh Family (all ages)
27 3 1:32:08 PIH Homework Dodgers Junior Women (Under 20)
28 6 1:32:42 RFM Endurance Family (all ages)
39 5 1:33:52 Bullcat Factory Running Senior Mixed (20-39)
30 6 1:34:05 Team Team Senior Mixed (20-39)
31 2 1:34:37 Worst Pace Scenario Master Women (40-49)
32 1 1:34:40 The Unicorn and the Hares Senior Women (20-39)
33 7 1:34:43 UpLevel Physio Senior Mixed (20-39)
34 1 1:37:40 Running on Empty Veteran Mixed (50-59)
35 8 1:38:15 Team Ridford Senior Mixed (20-39)
36 1 1:38:56 Go-Go Girls Veteran Women (50-59)
37 7 1:38:58 Run or be Kilt Family (all ages)
38 2 1:39:03 Blood, Sweat and Beers Master Men (40-49)
39 4 1:39:29 Peninsula Track & Field Club – Team #2 Junior Men (Under 20)
40 5 1:39:50 Peninsula Track & Field Club – Team #1 Junior Men (Under 20)
41 8 1:39:55 Skiing Cats Family (all ages)
42 8 1:40:04 The One Run Wonders Senior Men (20-39)
43 9 1:40:20 HEL Raisers Senior Men (20-39)
44 1 1:40:43 November Project Master Mixed (40-49)
45 9 1:41:34 Ruby’s Gems Family (all ages)
46 9 1:42:15 Fun in the Mud Senior Mixed (20-39)
47 2 1:42:53 We’re Trail-ing Senior Women (20-39)
48 10 1:43:09 Relay Tired Senior Mixed (20-39)
49 3 1:43:37 TNW Four Master Men (40-49)
50 11 1:44:03 Running Buds Senior Mixed (20-39)
51 10 1:44:04 Team Hobble Family (all ages)
52 2 1:44:12 Run Now, Whine Later Master Mixed (40-49)
53 2 1:45:34 Non-Fungible Tokens Veteran Mixed (50-59)
54 3 1:45:55 Moseying Mamas Senior Women (20-39)
55 1 1:47:03 Between a Walk and a Hard Pace Super Veteran Mixed (60+)
56 3 1:48:03 Pace of Mind Master Mixed (40-49)
57 4 1:49:28 Nanaimo Trail Mix Master Mixed (40-49)
58 1 1:50:27 Hubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble Super Veteran Men (60+)
59 4 1:50:28 Kim & Co. Senior Women (20-39)
60 11 1:51:30 Scrabblers Family (all ages)
61 5 1:52:53 Lovely Ladies Senior Women (20-39)
62 12 1:55:51 Anchored Athletics Senior Mixed (20-39)
63 12 1:57:15 Runs in the family Family (all ages)
64 13 1:57:38 Ragnar Oh Sore Us Wrecks Family (all ages)
65 3 1:58:20 TANC Master Women (40-49)
66 2 1:58:53 Twisted Pathmates Veteran Women (50-59)
67 1 1:58:56 Trailing Feathers Super Veteran Women (60+)
68 2 2:03:05 Wheezing Geezers Super Veteran Men (60+)
69 6 2:04:03 Young Conifers Senior Women (20-39)
70 2 2:04:37 Octopussy’s Super Veteran Women (60+)
71 14 2:05:30 Three Generations of Greatness Family (all ages)
72 3 2:05:34 Galiano Gossip Gals Super Veteran Women (60+)
73 5 2:07:07 Not Fast, Just Furious Master Mixed (40-49)
74 7 2:08:10 Valley Girls Senior Women (20-39)
75 4 2:08:27 The Hamstring Quartet Super Veteran Women (60+)
76 6 2:22:06 We’re going in Circles! Master Mixed (40-49)
77 5 2:47:53 Forget Me Nots Super Veteran Women (60+)
