LOCAL RUNNER Ed Ansems accomplished two top three placings in two race series which he says is something that he will not likely do again.
He took part in five races to qualify for awards in the Lower Mainland Road Race Series and in the latest one, the Richmond Oval 10km race, he placed first in his age group and first in the series in his age group 65 to 69.
“This is the first time that I have run in enough races to qualify for the series awards, so I was quite pleased at having placed first,” he said.
He decided to run in this series and the Timex Road Race Series after completing three races that were BC Championship events of 5km, 8km and 10km.
The Timex Road Race Series involved 15 races of various distances and they were held on the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island.
“The 65 to 69 age group in the Timex series was a closely contested event,” he said.
“I placed second to a runner from Vancouver Island.”
The total points awarded for Ansems and the first place winner could not have been any closer – Ansems had 3,152 to the winner’s 3,155.
“I tried to overcome him and gain the four or five points in my last two races (one in Kelowna and one at Stanley Park in Vancouver) but the weather was too warm for me so I ended up running slower than in previous races this year,” he said, adding that in this series, points were awarded based on a runner’s time, not on the placing in the age group.
“I won a Timex Ironman watch in the Lower Mainland Road Race Series, and I’m not sure what is involved in the Timex Series,” he said.
“For the most part, the prizes are incidental. It’s the ‘glory’ of coming in first, or in the top three that means anything.”
Ansems said he usually only runs two or three races a year in the Vancouver area but this year was fortunate enough to do seven races there from March to August. The time commitment and the costs involved in running that many races are usually more than he can do, he said.
“But, I am extremely pleased with my results this year and am looking forward to one more race in the fall,” he said, adding that will be the Las Vegas Half Marathon Nov. 17.
It should be very competitive in his age group because last year, about 30,000 runners were in the half marathon, he added.
He doubts he will do the two series again as the costs were higher than he’d want to spend too often, the races were very close together and it took a toll on him mentally and physically.