© Copyright – 2026 – Athletics Illustrated
Liam Donnelly, a member of Team Canada’s triathlon squad, won the 25th Westcoast Running Sooke 10K on Sunday, nearly matching the course record with a time of 30:25. The performance came in the middle of his training block for international triathlon racing.
Meanwhile, Waverley Mulligan took the women’s race in 35:25, a new personal best for the Speedfarm Racing team member.
Men’s race
Donnelly (30:25) and Brandon Vail (Speedfarm, 31:06) ran together until the 5 km turnaround on the out-and-back course. Donnelly, unfamiliar with the route, scoped the hills on the return and then pushed hard over the final 2.5 km to separate himself. Jonah Brost (Prairie Inn Harriers) finished third in 32:02.
“I was supposed to run a threshold effort today, but I ended up going too fast,” Donnelly said, noting a high post-race lactate test. Vail held second and finished comfortably. Brost and Jack Screen battled over the final kilometre before Brost pulled away in a furious sprint with about 150m to go.
The top male master (40+) was Mark Cryderman of Campbell River, who clocked 34:27; Cryderman competes in the 50–54 category.
Donnelly plans to race the Asian Cup in the Olympic distance trialthlon in April, then will follow that race up with one over in Mainland China. Before leaving, he intends to race the TC10K in April to defend his title, where he set his PB last year at 29:48.
Women’s race
Mulligan (Speedfarm) led from gun to tape and won in 35:25, a new lifetime best. The Kingston, Ont., native—who ran for the Dalhousie Tigers—holds a 5,000m personal best of 16:11.34. She intends to improve on that time at the Bazan Bay 5k next month.
Patricia Roney (37:26) was second and Christine Bant (37:41) third, completing a Speedfarm clean sweep of the women’s podium. Roney was the top masters (40+).
Event notes
The 25th edition of the Westcoast Running Sooke 10K drew 477 finishers, the third-highest turnout in the race’s history. The Vancouver Island Race Series runs eight road races over 16 weeks from January to April. The next race on the series schedule, the Comox Valley RV Half Marathon (sold out), takes place Sunday, March 28, in Courtenay, BC. Runners looking to race that weekend can enter the McLean Mill 10K in Port Alberni the following Sunday. The series concludes with the Saanich Physio+ Bazan Bay 5K on Sunday, April 12, billed as one of the fastest 5K road courses in North America.
*Cover image credit: Startline Timing.
