Squamish's Jen Segger wasn't the first woman across the line in the Whistler 50 Relay and Ultra on Saturday (Nov. 5), but she took top spot among female competitors in the 80-kilometre solo Ultra distance with a bit of a break partway through the course.
Segger finished with the unofficial fourth-overall time of six hours, 31 minutes, 20 seconds once adjusted for a 22-minute delay at a train crossing that allowed the rest of the women's field to close the gap on her.
Despite the wait, Segger said she was impressed by the event B.C. Athletics put on to replace the Haney to Harrison 100-km race that ran for nearly three decades.
"I think it's great for this year," said Segger. "[The course] was great. It was flatter than I would normally like, but it's great running through the Lost Lake area - it's so twisty, up-and-down and undulating, so that keeps it interesting."
The overall Ultra winner was Burnaby's Chris Downie, who finished the four 20-km laps in 5:52:07, He was followed by Surrey's Darin Bentley (5:55:34) and Hassan Lotfi-Pour of North Vancouver (6:24:13).
Squamish's Margreet Dietz also fared well, finishing 13th overall in the Ultra, fifth among all women and first in her 40-to-49 age class. She said she was pleased with her result and time of 7:57:16 but that it was a difficult race to complete.
"It wasn't that I'd run out of energy but I was sore, more sore than I ever recall feeling with the prospect of another two hours of running ahead," she said of her final lap. "I can only explain it as the type of pain you feel when you do a 50-miler after having done two marathons as fast as you can in the previous six weeks."
Dietz's partner, Tim Moore, was the fastest 麻豆社国产male, coming in at a time of 8:44:38, good for 28th overall in the Ultra.
In the first annual event's relay, more than 150 teams of eight ran legs of eight and 12 kilometres each on the course beginning and ending at the Whistler Golf Club, travelling towards the Nicklaus North area and passing through the Lost Lake trails on the way back.
Richmond-based Team Honey Bucket, comprised of several former university-level men's runners, led the relay at every handoff and won with a time of 4:31:49.
Two local teams competed, as Innovative Fitness put together a solid run of 7:00:42, good for 71st overall and 22nd in the mixed division. The Twisted Blisters from Garibaldi Highlands also challenged the course, placing 145 overall and 27th in the Recreation division with a time of 8:11:45.
For full results from the race, visit www.bcathletics.org/whistler50.
-With files from Ben Lypka
