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Marathon participants, old and young, have 11,768 stories to tell

The GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon and related races had all the highs and lows of any immense human endeavour, but many of the 11,768 participants coming across the finish line Sunday said their journey was well worth the effort they’d invested.
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Runners make their way along Dallas Road near Ross Bay in the GoodfLife Fitness Victoria Marathon.

The GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon and related races had all the highs and lows of any immense human endeavour, but many of the 11,768 participants coming across the finish line Sunday said their journey was well worth the effort they’d invested.

Blind runner Stephanie Timmer, 47, didn’t set a personal record in the half-marathon but was ecstatic nonetheless.

“Oh come on, look at how beautiful it is out there,” she said after the race. “It couldn’t have been better — it was so fun.”

Timmer, a veteran marathoner from Naperville, Ill., lost her sight 10 years ago due to macular degeneration.

She said she couldn’t have finished the run without the assistance of two local guides.

“I was very nervous about running [because] I hurt myself in the last marathon when I tripped over a garbage bag.

“When it got tight and hectic, one of the guides ran ahead and cleared the way for me. It took me about 10 kilometres to get my confidence back.”

A runner who got the biggest cheers from the sidelines was Hans Sandberg of Victoria, who turns 92 in November. He started running at age 80 and has completed five half-marathons.

He credits his long life and good health to “eating lots of greens and oats.”

He abstains from tobacco and alcohol.

He doesn’t have any family close by, he said. “My wife passed away last year, so I’ve got a girlfriend now.”

Nanaimo residents Bill and Brigitta Randall, 70 and 67 respectively, walked the half-marathon together, a year after Bill had surgery to repair a broken hip.

“This was a real triumph for us to do this,” Brigitta said.

“We said, this is something we want to do and to be able to do it. Now we have to contact the surgeon and tell him he did a good job.”

Another first-timer for the half-marathon was 39-year-old Terry Gunning, who pushed his wheelchair through the entire route.

“It went better than I expected, actually,” he said at the finish.

“I was worried about not being able to finish, and I wanted to keep pace with my regular time. I finished at 3:07, and I had wanted to be under four hours.”

Gunning has used a wheelchair since a diving accident 25 years ago. He started competing in races as a way of getting fit.

In the middle of the sea of Spandex and tank tops was Chief Warrant Officer Charles Middleton, a reservist with the Canadian Scottish Regiment.

Middleton wore his uniform of green camouflage jacket and pants. While everyone else wore running shoes, Middle had on heavy boots and a 20-kilogram backpack.

“It’s one of things I do to keep in shape for the forces,” said Middleton, 51.

“We do a battle fitness test, and most of the [younger guys] have to try to keep up with me. I usually do the marathon, but I didn’t have enough time for training, so I cut it down to the half-marathon.”

Jamnie Van Dyck, 68, of Lethbridge was a little short of breath as she finished the half-marathon, but part of it was due to asthma.

“My lungs are a lot better than they normally would be,” she said.

“This was my slowest time for the half-marathon. But what can I say? I’m doing it.”

Race general manager Cathy Noel said she was very excited at the high turnout of participants — almost 500 more than last year — and the fabulous weather bringing out residents to cheer runners on.

“Because the sun is shining, it means we have a 42-kilometre-long cheering station,” Noel said.

The race not only encourages people to get in shape, but it also benefits many charities, said race director Rob Reid.

“We’re on our second million of fund raising,” he said.

“Everybody’s got a story, whether it’s somebody like Hans Sandberg at 92 or some of the younger runners who’ve overcome disease and injuries.

“That’s why it’s such a rich participatory event. We all need to do things to build up our confidence and self-esteem and keep us on the right course. Fitness is so important for that.”

B.C. Ambulance were called to help six race participants who suffered minor injuries. Three were treated at the medical tent and three were taken to area hospitals.

smcculloch@timescolonist.com