Squamish endurance athlete aims for top five in Brazil
By Andrew Mitchell

Jen Segger may not have competed in many events this year compared to past seasons, but the races she has competed in are recognized for being among the toughest in the world — like the 135 mile (217 km) Badwater Ultramarathon in Death Valley, the 540-km Bull of South Africa adventure race, and the 400-km Baja Travesia.

Segger’s toughest challenge is still to come, as she heads to Brazil at the end of October for the Ecomotion/Pro 2008 Adventure Racing World Championship. This is the third time Segger has competed in Brazil, but it’s on a course she hasn’t seen before in Northern Brazil, where daily temperatures break 40 degrees Celsius.

“The heat is probably an advantage for me after racing in South Africa and going over every mountain range in that country and racing at Badwater,” said Segger, who is racing with Team DART-Nuun.

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Written by Rob Shaw and published in the Victoria Times Colonist .

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80 year-old North Vancouver resident Betty Jean McHugh set a world record Sunday at the 29th Royal Victoria Marathon with a time of four hours, 36 minutes and 52 seconds.

"I just run because I like it, I don’t keep good records at all," said McHugh, a mother of four and grandmother of four.

"I knew I was feeling good and running well. I knew there was a possibility [for a world record] but I didn’t push myself. I probably could have done better, but one of my friends said, ‘Just keep it at a certain rate.’"

With more than 13 Canadian and world records to her name, McHugh is a well-known dynamo in the running world. Sunday’s record was for all women 80 years and older on a 42.195-kilometre course. McHugh took 13 minutes off the record of Helen Klein, who ran the New York City Marathon in four hours, 49 minutes and 52 seconds in 2004.

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Results are now posted on the Race Headquarters website for both the North Shore Half Marathon and the Okanagan International Marathon.

• North Shore Half Marathon Results
• Okanagan International Marathon Results

On Sunday a record number of 10,395 runners participated in the 2008 Royal Victoria marathon, half-marathon, 8K and kid’s races under perfect fall conditions. Steve Osaduik won his third consecutive marathon, with a time of 2:25:31. Cheryl Murphy won it for the women with a time of 2:43:01. The half marathon was won by Ryan Day with a time of 1:08:50, the woman’s winner was Lindsay McLaren with a time of 1:21:38. For the 8k Ryan McKenzie of Victoria was the men’s champion in 23:56 and Rachael Ruus of Richmond the woman’s winner in 28:39.

Full results are listed below. Write ups from participating athletes are also listed, with more added as they become available.

Results:

• Marathon
• 1/2 Marathon
• 8K

Write ups:

• NEW! Saints in the Making - The Royal Vic - The Royal Victoria Marathon was a great experience. So professionally put together and what great motivation with runners from all over the world.
• NEW! Brand Innovator - Royal Victoria Marathon: results of my N-of-8 marathon - It was a beautiful Sunday morning on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. And what better way to tour the city of Victoria than a marathon run/walk!
• A Runner’s Tale - Royal Victoria 8-k - Perhaps I should’ve done what Thomas suggested, “It’s probably too late now, but only run the race if you’re feeling ok”, if nothing else I would’ve saved my ego a beating. I crossed the finish line nearly two full minutes slower than I did in the spring, and had I run an equivalent 10-k, 37:17, it would’ve been my slowest in nearly twelve years…
• Dirge Rhetoric - Wrecked - More later, but really I am devastated and crushed, (well not really). I have no explanation for running a 3:22 marathon. My training was quite solid, good taper, lighter by about 6 pounds…
• Running the Red Road - RVM Half-Marathon - Well I was very pleasantly surprised with the race this morning. At least I was after 7k, it took me that long to get warmed up…
• Triathlete Tim - Third Fastest Marathon - I ran the Victoria marathon in 3:22.14 (4:48 pace) earlier today. Running a marathon never seems to get any easier…

This Thursday UBC doctorate Bob Kull will officially launch his new book, "Solitude: Seeking Wisdom In Extremes - a year alone in the Patagonia wilderness" at the University of British Columbia. The event is free, and includes one hour of storytelling and a slideshow with questions and discussion. A book signing and finger food potluck will also occur. The following is a summary of the book from the publisher:

Years after losing his lower right leg in a motorcycle crash, Robert Kull traveled to a remote island in Patagonia’s coastal wilderness with equipment and supplies to live alone for a year. He sought to explore the effects of deep solitude on the body and mind and to find the spiritual answers he’d been seeking all his life. With only a cat and his thoughts as companions, he wrestled with inner storms while the wild forces of nature raged around him. The physical challenges were immense, but the struggles of mind and spirit pushed him even further.

Solitude: Seeking Wisdom in Extremes is the diary of Kull’s tumultuous year. Chronicling a life distilled to its essence — the fundamental mechanics of daily survival — Solitude is also a philosophical meditation on the tensions between nature and technology, isolation and society. With humor and brutal honesty, Kull explores the pain and longing we typically avoid in our frantically busy lives as well as the peace and wonder that arise once we strip away our distractions. He describes the enormous Patagonia wilderness with poetic attention, transporting the reader directly into both his inner and outer experiences.

Event Details:

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Join Olympian and Paralympian athletes and coaches for an evening of sports excellence. World class athletes and coaches will be presenting and answering questions on their Olympic and Paralympic journey through the last four years leading to the 2008 Games in Beijing. Presentations will focus on training and coaching philosophies, keys to world class preparations and personal learnings in the pursuit of sports excellence.

All sessions will be held at the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence at 4371 Interurban Road, Victoria, BC, in room 329A/329B.
Time: 6 – 8 pm

October 16th - Paralympic Gold Medalist Michelle Stilwell
Athletics - Wheelchair Athletics Coach Peter Lawless
Register Now - Olympian and 2007 World Championship Silver Medalist Gary Reed
- National team Track and Field Coach Wynn Gmitroski

October 30th - Olympic Rowing Silver Medalist David Calder
Rowing/ - Rowing National Team Coach Terry Paul
Swimming - Olympic Swimming Bronze Medalist Ryan Cochrane
Register Now - Swimming Canada Coach Randy Bennett

November 13th - Cycling Time Trial World Championship Silver Medalist Svein Tuft
Cycling/ - National Cycling Team Coach Houshang Amiri
Triathlon - Beijing Triathlon Silver Medalist Simon Whitfield
Register Now - National Triathlon Team Coach Joel Filliol

Session Fee: $20.00

Enrollment Limited – Be sure to register early. Registration Deadline: 1 day prior to session.