B7

DARYL STEEVES
on the run

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The races are piling up as the season goes on and we have another great weekend coming up.

Let's start with the runners. In St. Isidore, it's the Rhéal Haché 10-kilometre run Saturday. This is a great event and includes a 5-km walk option. You can get more information at benilosier@hotmail.com.

Also on Saturday, its the Grand Manan Half-Marathon and 10-km race. This is a growing event with one of the most beautiful courses you will ever run. This little run has everything the big ones do and even a little more, like celebrity chef Michael Smith putting on a dinner the night of the event. You really don't want to miss this race. You can get more details at www.anb.ca.

In Rogersville, we have a new addition to the calendar with one of the most unique names, the "5 km du Festival des choux de bruxelles". Yes that's right, the Brussels Sprouts Festival 5-km. It sounds like this could be a great time with a nice tour of the village and a great party atmosphere. You can get more details at j_m_d_19@hotmail.com.

For the triathletes this weekend, it's the Rockwood by the Bay Triathlon and Duathlon. These are both sprint distances and are sure to draw a great field. If you want to see some serious racing, watch for a showdown between friendly rivals Troy Allaby and Steve Morris. These guys are both in excellent shape. Steve is the defending champ and Troy the hard-driving challenger. This one could be a photo finish. Get more info at www.trinb.ca.

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UNDER 40 MINUTES: Last weekend it was a great race in Bouctouche for the Clarence Bastarache 10 km. Sub 40-minute 10 kms are becoming common these days and we had another round of them in this race. Top spot went to Dean (Superman) Strowbridge of Willowgrove in 35:46 while second place went to John Herron of Bloomfield in 36:54. Third place was captured by Salisbury's Todd Power in 37:07. These guys have been running up a storm all season and make every race they enter an exciting one. On the women's side top honours went to Joanne Bellavance of Fredericton in 43:13 followed by Moncton's Natalie Arsenault in 44:46 and Marta Kelly of Saint John in 47:55. In the 5-km event it was Julien Pinsonneault of St-Hyacinthe in 21:13 and for the women it was Anne-Marie Violette of St-Basile in 26:09.

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BUSY WEEKEND: The triathletes were busy last weekend in Beresford with the Chaleur Triathlon. This spring event was plagued by the weather and needed to make some adjustments to the swim but the race got off without a hitch. Troy Allaby of Bikes and Bean was the men's winner in 58:38 while Chantal Beam of Quispamsis was the women's winner in 1:11:39.

The longest run of the week was the Cranberry Island Ultramarathon on Cranberry Island, Maine. Two years ago, Ellen Steeves of Rothesay took third spot for the women, this year it came back to the Kennebecasis Valley as Quispamsis runner Heather Elder took third spot among the women with a great time of 6:46:30 for this 50-km event. Heather started fast then settled into a smooth rhythm holding it through to the end. Her full marathon split of 5:30 would have been her second-fastest marathon time ever.

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TIP OF THE HAT: This great effort combined with her triple at Disney (5 km Friday, half marathon Saturday and full marathon Sunday) makes Heather Elder this week's Person on the Run. Only a few years ago the thought of running even a 10 km seemed like just a dream to Heather, now she walks away from a 50-km race no worse for wear. Congratulations on a great ultra, an excellent role model for those up and coming runners who wonder if they really can do it. Gotta run"¦

Daryl Steeves is the department head of Allied Health at the NBCC Saint John campus. He writes a weekly column throughout the running season. Visit his website at www.ontherun411.com.