The beauty of truly elite running

[AirForceRunner]

Throughout July here in Kingston, they have all-comers track nights at the Queens track. I decided to watch the 5000 metre event tonight, as I'm too big of a chicken to step onto the track. Usually, the finish times for this race range from mid-16's on past 20 minutes.
Tonight, 2 very elite runners decided to come out, and it was a thing of beauty to watch them circle the track. Steve Boyd and Rejean Chiasson made the spectators and other racers dizzy as they circled the track at a ridiculous speed. Chiasson, the younger of the 2, finished in a track record 14:58, while Boyd, who is in his mid forties may I add, finished in 15:03.
Its amazing to watch the truly gifted run. They seem to just glide along at a speed that would be a sprint for us mortals. I can only imagine what it would be like to watch Haile Gebresalassie (sp) in real life.

[Mouse]

As an official, I often get to see some great performances. I'm off to Regina for the Canadian Masters Track and Field Championships. These are for athletes who are 35 and over. They run hurdles, steeplechase, racewalk, as well as field events like Weight throw,Javelin,High/Trip;le?long jump, Pole valut. You get the idea. All events. The meet is Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. There is a women from BC who is 89 years young.I've noticed a couple men who are 80. It should be a fun weekend.
The all comers are just that, and you should try one. Our last one for the summer is tomorrow night.
Good Luck.
Mouse

[scrumhalfgirl]

Thanks for the report! Have you ever come up to watch the elites at the NCM weekend 10km? Simply amazing.

Rejean was actually a subject in my husband's thesis study last year. I've been blown past by him in a couple of local races (for example, when he's running the 10km and I'm in the 5)

[Jo-Jo]

I don't know Rejean but I know Steve and yep ...it's a beauty to watch him. One day a couple years ago I was driving home from work as he was running along Front Rd. I pulled off the road...got out of my car so I could watch him as he sailed by. Poetry in Motion

Hmm...must get out to watch some of these track events...are they always on Tuesday?

[AirForceRunner]

They are, but they are officially done for the summer. Perhaps next year...

[DougG]

That would be very cool to watch. I love watching the elite in any field to do what they do best.

[jgore]

Steve holds the Canadian Master's record for the half-marathon, 1:05:xx I believe, which he set at the age of 42. You could always approach him about coaching you as he trains a bunch of runners. The group workouts are usually Tuesdays & Fridays, after work.

[Stephan]

That's amazing speed, I can't understand how someone can run that fast....

[Jo-Jo]

Steve holds the Canadian Master's record for the half-marathon, 1:05:xx I believe, which he set at the age of 42. You could always approach him about coaching you as he trains a bunch of runners. The group workouts are usually Tuesdays & Fridays, after work.

I think you're right.
I believe one of the racers he coaches now holds the Master's record for 5km(women's). Paula too is Poetry in Motion

[spaff]

Seeing how fast 15 mins looks for 5km, it's mind boggling to imagine that they would be lapped more than twice by the world record holder!?!

Yes, between Steve, Paula and Marilyn (Arsenault), they are some pretty amazing masters runners.

Steve has competed at a high level since he was in high school, and is now beating most of the top masters in North America. It's interesting to see that he has slowed down at a much slower rate than what most runners do after they turn 40; especially in the distances that he races at. Almost makes you wonder whether he is overacheiving as a master or if he could have even been better as an open runner?

With Paula and Marilyn, they come to it from a different angle. They both didn't start serious training until their early to mid 30's, and are now both setting pb's (not just masters pb's, but all time pb's) into their 40's.

Kind of neat that the three top masters runners in Canada all have a Kingston connection. Steve and Paula live here (though Paula might be back in Brockville now), and Marilyn grew up here.

[5km]

I love watching middle distance track running (800 metres to 10,000 metres).

At the KSLO Canada Day 5K, I had an opportunity to see this kind of speed first hand, but only briefly. In most 5 K races the elite runners have finished long before I struggle in, but this race was a straight out and back course. As I was busting a gut on my way to a PB for me, I was getting near the turn around and looked up to see the elite runners coming towards me. Wow. They blew by me like creatures from another planet! They seemed to float over the ground with huge long strides. They didn't even seem to be breathing hard.

Andrew Smith won in a time of 14:42. Chris Bedley finished second in 14:57 and Tara Quinn-Smith won the women's race in 16:31.

I'll never be able to run like that but I can certainly appreciate the beauty, skill and effort of that kind of running.