© Copyright – 2019 – Athletics Illustrated
In 1546, Sir Bevis of Hampton coined the phrase, “many hands make light work.” Those very words ring true today, but alas, so does the observation that most of the volunteer work is done by just a handful of helpful people. And the same few are often seen at multiple events, carrying the load. None are more ever-present than Victoria, BC’s Bob Reid. So for that, he is being recognized for his 42-plus years of service.
And it is not the first time that the former rugby player will have been recognized for his volunteerism. He will have been commended at least 27 other times before 2019 is finished. He was first cited in 1987 by the Prairie Inn Harriers (PIH) Running Club with the annual Alex Marshall Master of the Year Award. This long string of recognition will be capped shortly by the Governor General’s office in Ottawa with the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteering.
Reid is an inaugural member of one of the province’s largest running clubs (PIH), which started in 1978. He went onto experience a very competitive masters age (40-plus) racing career including achieving the national half-marathon record at 1:11:47 in 1987.
He has raced over 400 times since 1976. That same year, he became a race director. Since then, he has managed 12 different races totalling over 200 local, provincial, national and international events. His latest sees him providing ad-hoc assistance with the 2020 Pan Am Cross Country Cup that will take place in Langford and the Highlands, outside of Victoria, at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Bear Mountain Golf Club.
Citation:
As a leader of the Prairie Inn Harriers Running Club since 1978, Bob Reid has inspired countless athletes to get involved with the sport, holding a variety of executive positions, and creating and organizing dozens of running events. He also co-founded the Harriers Foundation to raise funds for community events through the sport of running.
Please accept my warmest congratulations and best wishes.
Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers | Médaille du souverain pour les bénévoles
Office of the Secretary to the Governor General | Bureau du secrétaire du gouverneur général
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In 2011, he received the CFAX Sports Leader of the Year Award. It was the second time he was honoured by the popular radio station. He has his name in the Frontrunners Walk of Fame, located outside of their store in downtown Victoria. The value of that piece of two-square feet of real estate jumped when they stopped with the walk of fame – once coveted, now an impossible feat.
He isn’t just a running advocate. He has been recognised at least twice as a baseball umpire. In 2011, he was honoured with the Lower Island Softball Umpire’s Association Lifetime Membership Award and 11 years before that, he was presented with the Softball Canada Umpire of the Year Award.
In 2003, he led a fundraising effort harnessing volunteerism, fundraising efforts, and donations with the Harriers to assist The Land Conservancy to purchase a parcel of land that was privately owned. They purchased the property and turned it over to the region as parkland, which connected Thetis Lake and Mount Work Regional Parks which loosely connect to several others including Gowlland-Tod, Goldstream, Mill Hill, Lone Tree, Sooke Hills, Hartland Bike, Durrance Lake and Freeman King Parks, to make one, near unending runner’s playground of lush temperate rain forest.
A total sum of $350,000 was raised in three weeks to purchase the land.
The Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers recognises exceptional volunteer achievements from across the country and abroad. It is an official honour that was created by the Crown; the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers is part of the Canadian Honours System (1995).
Reid’s Awards and Memorable Running Accomplishments – To Oct. 1, 2019
Administrative awards:
2019 – Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteering
2018 – Prairie Inn Harriers, Excellence in Leadership Award
2015 – Sandy Auburn High Achievement Award
2013 – Sport BC President’s Award for Athletics
2012 – Harriers Excellence in Administration and Race Direction Award
2011 – Victoria Marathon Society Dedicated Service Award (32 Years)
2011 – Victoria Marathon Society Lifetime Membership Award
2011 – CFAX Sports Leader of the Year Award (Also won in 2004)
2011 – Sport BC Community Hero Award in Athletics
2011 – Lower Island Softball Umpires Assn. Lifetime Membership Award
2009 – BC Athletics Executive of the Year Award
2008 – Harriers Award of Excellence in Running
2008 – Frontrunners Walk of Fame Award, Running, Coach, Mentor
2004 – BC Athletics Administrator of the Year Award
2004 – CFAX Citation Rose Award
2004 – Triathlon Canada Service Award
2003 – The Land Conservancy Community Award
2001 – Pacific Sport Builder of the Year Award
2000 – Pacific Sport/VIRS President’s Award, Olympic Trials
2000 – National Athletics Centre Builder of the Year Award
2000 – Softball Canada Umpire of the Year Award
1999 – Harriers Lifetime Membership Award
1997 – Ken Smythe Dedicated Service Award (Also won in 1998 and 2011)
1994 – Association of Canadian Ultramarathoners Excellence in Race Direction
1991 – Harriers John Thipthorpe Durability Award (Also won in 1986 and 1988)
1989 – Harriers Gunner Shaw Most Valuable Runner Award
1987 – Harriers Alex Marshall Master of the Year Award
Memorable running accomplishments:
1994 – Named to Team Canada for the World 100K Challenge in Japan
1994 – Directing the Harriers International 100K Championship
1994 – Announcing at the Commonwealth Games Marathon in Victoria
1991 – Setting the ACU 60K Canadian Ultramarathon Record (Still stands)
1991 – First Place overall in 5 of 6 Ultramarathons run in 1991
1989 – Captaining the winning team, Lewis and Clark 505-Mile Relay (8 days)
1989 – Winning the Master Mile at Victoria International Track Classic 4:44
1989 – Personal best 10K of 32:54 at the World Masters’ Games in Eugene, OR
1988 – Personal best of 2:38:31, Royal Victoria Marathon
1988 – Running the 44 Mile West Coast Trail (Also in 1986, 1985, 1984, 1983)
1987 – Running 44 races on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon
1987 – BC Master’s Record of 1:11:47, Victoria Half Marathon
1985 – Directing the Gunner Shaw XC Classic for 35 consecutive years
1978 – Inaugural member and 42-year member of Prairie Inn Harriers Running Club
1976 – First race: Shawnigan Lake Half Marathon
1976 to 2019 – Participated in over 400 races locally, provincially and internationally
