By Paul Gains
No sooner had he learned of the Athletics Canada 42K Relay Challenge - run as part of this year’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Virtual Race - then coach Richard Lee wanted his athletes involved.
“I just knew that it was something we had to do to support Alan (Brookes) and his races for all he has done for us over the years,” Lee says of his BC Endurance Project (BCEP) squads.
After carefully analyzing each athlete in his group, he entered two teams that he says will be evenly matched and capable of challenging The Random Track Club, a Toronto based squad led by Canadian Olympic steeplechaser Matt Hughes and 2014 Commonwealth 1,500m bronze medalist, Kate Van Buskirk.
“These two teams will be pretty balanced and it will be fun to go against Matt and Kate’s team,” Lee says laughing. “I have predicted times and have got them both finishing in the exact same time. So I will see how well I am at predicting my own athletes.”
Three of his athletes, Ben Preisner, Rachel Cliff and Justin Kent, will represent Canada at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland on October 17th. Both Preisner and Kent will have their half marathon times count for their respective relay teams while Lee says he will take Cliff’s first 8K split as her contribution to her team.
Cliff held the Canadian marathon record until Malindi Elmore beat it in Houston in January of this year. Elmore will run the 42K relay as part of the Quarantine Queens, an all ladies team.
The BCEP teams, with their respective distances totalling 42K, are ‘Gdynia Red’ with Preisner (21K), Luc Bruchet (8K), Rachel Cliff (8K) and Catherine Watkins (5.10K) while Justin Kent (21K), Kevin Coffey (8K), Kirsten Lee (8K) and Erica Digby (5.10K), will race for ‘Gdynia White’.
Bruchet, a 5,000m specialist, who represented Canada at the 2016 Rio Olympics, has been anxious to test himself. Although he has already run two virtual races this year, he believes this relay will be more exciting and more closely related to a competition.
“I think it will be really fun. With Ben Preisner and Justin Kent being on different teams and running the world half marathon championships as part of the relay, it will add extra motivation,” Bruchet explains. “There is almost a battle within a battle going on. I think that was one of the reasons Rich adjusted things so that maybe we can have two teams that beat (The Random Track Club).”
Bruchet enjoys a friendly relationship with Hughes and did several training runs together when they were in Flagstaff, Arizona last year. Asked whether he would like to beat his friend’s team, he laughs.
“Of course. Of course!” He responds. “I think we are definitely trying to win. It’s unique with some of these virtual races. Some give prizes and some don’t. So I know they might have some fun prizes going on. It is always nice to win a race and to win a prize.”
Kevin Coffey will run his leg in Kingston, ON, while Bruchet, Watkins, Lee and Digby will run their respective legs on a course coach Lee has measured out in Langley. B.C. It was the same site Justin Kent and Luc Bruchet ran 28:52 and 29:17 respectively to finish 1st and 2nd in the Athletics Canada Virtual 10K Championships on July 1st.
Kirsten Lee is in the unique position of being coached by her father, which was a blessing during the tightest pandemic restrictions when training was limited to solo excursions.
“There was a decent amount of time when it was just me and my mum and dad,” Lee says with a laugh. “I always had bike support even when we were quarantining because I was living with them. I was never on my own for too long. Then once things started opening up again, I was able to meet up with Rachel and Erica again which was great.
“Luckily for me I either had my coach on the bike, because he was in my household, or my mum, because she was in my household.”
The younger Lee represented Canada at the 2020 Pan Am Cross Country Championships in February. These days she lives on her own and is working remotely for Lululemon. Her experience with the 8K distance is limited, but she did run 27:21 at the 2018 Harriers Pioneer 8K.
“Right now the calendar is a little up in the air. So it’s kind of nice to have something to focus on,” she reveals. “The distance I am going to be doing is 8K. I have only ever raced 8K on the road once or twice. So, I am pretty excited to sneak that in and maybe get a PB. It’s fun to have something to look forward to and treat as a real race. The relay aspect is a pretty cool addition.”
While the Athletics Canada Relay Challenge will attract some of Canada’s very best distance runners, the event is by no means restricted to elites. Anyone may assemble a team and join the Open four-person marathon relay by registering on the STWM.ca website.
The cost is CA$135 per team of four, and team members can run their legs anywhere and at any time between October 1st and 31st.
Each of the Open relay participants will receive a reward package that contains a New Balance souvenir T-shirt, a unique medal featuring an engraving of Toronto’s Old City Hall clock tower, discounts from the Running Room, and a personal hand-written “Thank You” note from a Canada Running Series staff member.
For More Information:
http://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/event-info/ac42krelay/ (Elite)
http://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/virtual-race/ (Open category runners)
