Media Centre

Home > Corporate > Media Centre > Archive

CF RUNNERS PRAISE TORONTO'S DOWNTOWN COURSE
Story and photos by Mitch Gillett

On Oct. 20, 2002, participants in the Canadian Forces (CF) National Running Championships, held in conjunction with the Canadian International Marathon (CIM), had one thing in common: their admiration for the challenges offered by Toronto's downtown course.

Victor Hickey

"It is a really good course," says veteran long-distance and ultra runner Master Warrant Officer Victor Hickey, who finished first in the Master Men's division with a time of two hours, 42 minutes, and 38 seconds. "The hills can beat you up pretty bad if you're not careful, but, then again, I love hills."

Hickey credits his win to knowing how to train for and run rugged or hilly courses. "Good training is the key," says Hickey. "You don't go flying up the hills. I saw [people doing that] today, but eventually I caught up to them."

Senior Men's champion Lieutenant (N) Wayne Percey, who finished with a time of three hours, 24 minutes, and five seconds, agrees with Hickey that the hills are challenging.

"From start to finish, this course is constantly rolling," says Percey. "I have done the Boston Marathon 12 times, and I have to rate [Toronto's course] right up there as a technical course. This one is tough. My [leg muscles] are dead." top

According to Captain Tanya Thordarson, a logistics officer with Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Petawawa's 2 General Service Battalion and the first military woman to cross the finish line in the Open Women's 5 km division, both the course and the amalgamation of the two events is what attracts her.

"It's a great course, and we get to run with more people," says Thordarson. "It's a great idea to have [the CF National Running Championships] in conjunction with the CIM."

Participants in both the CF National Running Championships and the CIM began on Yonge street in northern Toronto. Competitors running the full marathon finished in Queen's Park. Those running both the half and full marathon breezed through one of the city's largest tree-filled parks, complete with wooden footbridges over small creeks.

National Running Resultstop

5 KM Races & Divisions

National Running 5KM (Masters Men's)
Name Int Rank Region BIB# Race Result 
Whelan Michael MA Cpl Ontario Borden 7612 18:14.4 1
Ménard Darrell D Maj Quebec Ottawa 7604 18:41.9 2
Sukstorf Simon S LCol Quebec 7609 20:23.4 3

National Running 5KM (Open Men's)
Name Int Rank Region BIB# Race Result 
Barnes Ian J Capt Ontario Petawawa 7595 16.38.6 1
Boland Joseph J Lt Prairie Edmonton 7596 16.49.2 2
Georgieff David D Cpl Quebec Valcartier 7599 16:50.3 3
Settle Miguel C Cpl Quebec Valcartier 8027 16.51.2 4
Wilson Geoff G BDR Atlantic Gagetown 7613 16.57.0 5
Légare Remy R Cpl Quebec Valcartier 7602 17.04.6 6
Scalplock Loren L LS Pacific 7606 18.01.2 7
Leung Francis FM ASLT Atlantic Halifax 7583 18.19.9 8
Larche Daniel D PO2 Pacific 7601 18.48.4 9
Morin Maxime M Tpr Quebec Valcartier 7605 19.32.7 10
McIntyre Chris c Cpl Ontario Kingston 7603 19.37.3 11

National Running 5KM (Open Women's)
Name Int Rank Region BIB# Race Result 
Thordarson Tanya T Capt Ontario Petawawa 7611 19.31.8 1
Rupp Jennifer J Capt Atlantic Halifax 7591 21.28.6 2
Witton Kimberlee K 2 Lt Prairie Edmonton 7614 22.24.7 3
Conolly Michelle M Ocdt Ontario Kingston 7597 22.53.8 4
Stanners Laurene L Cpl Pacific 7608 23.10.9 5

National Running 5KM (Senior Men's)
Name Int Rank Region BIB# Race Result 
Swarbrick Bruce B Capt Prairie Calgary 7610 22:32.1 1

top

10 KM Races Divisions

National Running 10KM (Masters Men's)
Name Int Age Region BIB# Race Result 
Ouellett Romain JLR 41 Valcartier 7592 33.29.3 1
Ouellet Michel M 40 Quebec Ottawa 7588 34.37.4 2
MacDonald Jeff JA 40 Prairie Cold Lake 7585 39.41.3 3
Anderson Paul PL 44 Atlantic CFSU (E) 7574 42.16.4 4

National Running 10KM (Masters Women's)
Name Int Rank Region BIB# Race Result 
Lavallee Francine F Cpl Atlantic Gagetown 7580 45.21.4 1

National Running 10KM (Open Men's)
Name Int Rank Region BIB# Race Result 
McNabb Steve SG Wo Ontario Petawawa 7586 32.42.3 1
Gagnon Sean S Capt Atlantic Gagetown 7577 33.46.4 2
Robertson Stephen SM Capt Prairie Winnipeg 7590 33.48.4 3
Davies Trevor T Lt(N) Atlantic Halifax 7576 34.52.1 4
Reid Robin R Wo Atlantic Gagetown 7589 35.53.5 5
Johnstone Steven S Cpl Prairie Edmonton 7579 36.11 6
Lawton Jason JW Lt(N) Atlantic Halifax 7581 38.49 7

National Running 10KM (Open Women's)
Name Int Rank Region BIB# Race Result 
Wyville Heather H Pte Ontario Petawawa 7594 39.03.7 1
Chouinard Sylvie MRS Capt Quebec Valcartier 7575 39.24.6 2
Grenier Guylaine JG MCpl Quebec Valcartier 7578 44.04.4 3
Lyster Karla K Ocdt Ontario Kingston 7584 45.15 4

National Running 10KM (Senior Men's)
Name Int Rank Region BIB# Race Result 
Leblanc Marc M CPO2 Atlantic Halifax 7582 44.04.4 1

National Running 10KM (Senior Women's)
Name Int Rank Region BIB# Race Result 
Motuzas Gail G Capt Prairie Edmonton 7587 49.27.4 2

top

HALF MARATHON Races & Divisions

National Running Half Marathon (Masters Men's)
Name Int Rank Region BIB# Race Result 
Paterson Donald D PO1 Pacific 5297 1:18:47.5 1
Harrington Andy AJ MWO Ontario Meaford 5288 1:23:04 2
Lamb James JB LCol Atlantic CFSU (E) 5289 1:23:15.8 3
Perry William B Sgt Prairie Wainwright 5298 1:27:31.7 4
Slack Anthony AJ MWo Ontario Petawawa 5303 1:30:00.1 5
Ouellet Jeannot JGC Sgt Quebec Valcartier 5294 1:38:27.5 6
Parris Arnold AM Sgt Prairie Edmonton 5296 1:40:06 7
Quick Stephen S Maj Ontario Kingston 5301 1:40:55 8

National Running Half Marathon (Masters Women's)
Name Int Rank Region BIB# Race Result 
MacAulay Chris C MCpl Altantic Greenwood 5293 1:31:40.3 1
Dupuis Marie MHJC Cpl Quebec Valcartier 5287 1:33:25.4 2
Cote Suzanne S Maj Prairie Edmonton 5284 1:34:20.3 3

National Running Half Marathon (Open Men's)
Name Int Rank Region BIB# Race Result 
Vezina Yannick JGY Cpl Quebec Valcartier 5307 1:14:25 1
Pageau André JVA Capt Quebec Valcartier 5295 1:18.30 2
Dobbin John J Lt(N) Atlantic Halifax 5286 1:18:42 3
Lavoie Pascal JRP Sdt Quebec Valcartier 5292 1:20:08.8 4
Rozee Chris C Cpl Atlantic Greenwood 5302 1:20:15.8 5
Lapierre Steve S Cpl Quebec Valcartier 5290 1:21:20.7 6
Weigelt Brian B Pte Prairie Edmonton 5309 1:21:35.9 7
Lauzier Francois F Mcpl Quebec Montreal 5291 1:22:19.5 8
Charland Eric JAE Capt Atlantic Moncton 5281 1:23:00.4 9
Poirier Kevin K Capt Atlantic Gagetown 5300 1:26:03.5 10
Veillette Eric E MCpl Prairie Edmonton 5306 1:26:31.6 11
Desbiens Dave J MCpl Quebec Ottawa 5285 1:28:36.1 12
Tabelon Phillipe P LS Pacific 5304 1:29:19.8 13
Callaghan Dan D Sgt Atlantic Gagetown 5280 1:29:24.8 14
Clucas Scott S Sgt Atlantic Gagetown 5283 1:29.37.1 15
Way Marty M Sgt Atlantic Greenwood 5308 1:30:34.6 16
Archambault Roger R Sgt Quebec Ottawa 5278 1:30:56.2 17
Pinault Michel JMM MCpl Quebec Valcartier 5298 1:31:17.6 18
Abbott Graig C Capt Prairie Cold Lake 5277 1:33:20.5 19
Bayne Peter PDC Capt Prairie Wainwright 5279 1:36:25.2 20

National Running Half Marathon (Open Women's)
Name Int Rank Region BIB# Race Result 
Thériault Claudie MC Lt Quebec Valcartier 5305 1:45:38 1

top

MARATHON Races & Divisions

National Running Marathon (Master Men's)
Name Int Age Region BIB# Race Result 
Hickey Victor V 45 Atlantic Gagetown 1602 2:43:38.2 1
Poirier Claude DJC 40 Quebec Valcartier 1609 2:54:45 2
Dymond William W 46 Ontario Trenton 1600 2:54:52.3 3
Barteaux Bruce B 47 Atlantic Halifax 1595 2:58:42.1 4
Abran Mario JCM 40 Quebec Valcartier 1594 3:00:05.9 5
Hiscock Dave D 40 Atlantic Shearwater 1603 3:07:53.3 6
Burchell Mark M 41 Quebec Ottawa 1597 3:37:28.1 7
Ruller Ken K 46 Prairie Calgary 1613 4:01:41.1 8
Rankin Robert R 41 Quebec Ottawa 1610 Did not finish

National Running Marathon (Master Women's)
Name Int Rank Region BIB# Race Result 
Hiscock Tammy TM Capt Atlantic Shearwater 1604 3:07:53.4 1

National Running Marathon (Open Men's)
Name Int Age Region BIB# Race Result 
Bouchard Joselyto J 33 Atlantic Gagetown 1596 2:55:32.2 1
Leclerc Guy JMG 30 Quebec Valcartier 1605 2:57:40.9 2
MacDonald Scott S 31 Pacific Esquimalt 1607 3:00:20.3 3
Dicapua Mike M 37 Prairie Edmonton 1599 3:04:41.4 4
Hamilton Donald D 39 Prairie Winnipeg 1601 3:13:07.9 5
Lagace Danny JD 31 Ontario Borden 1606 3:15:09 6
ByGrove Aaron A 27 Prairie Edmonton 1598 3:25:32 7
Van Bommel Paul P 39 Atlantic Greenwood 1614 3:34:49.6 8

National Running Marathon (Open Women's)
Name Int Rank Region BIB# Race Result 
Robertson Chantal C MCpl Quebec Ottawa 1612 3:18:08.2 1

National Running Marathon (Senior Men's)
Name Int Rank Region BIB# Race Result 
Percey Wayne W Lt(N) Ontario Borden 1608 3:24:05.9 1

top