More than 3,000 runners came out to celebrate spring on Saturday for the first big road race of the season and the Canada Running Series season opener, the Spring Run-off. It was a glorious, sunny day, and conditions in Toronto’s High Park were perfect for the 47th edition of this hilly race, which includes an 8K, 5K and “Kill the Hill” events.
The 8K got underway at a very civilized 10 a.m. For the third year in a row, Jeremy Coughler of London, Ont., broke the tape in the 8K, with a time of 23:40; he was also fastest on the Kill the Hill portion of the race, which is the final dash up the (very long) Spring Road, and has its own timing mats and results. (Coughler is also the reigning Canadian 10,000m champion.)
Alexandra Lucki of Toronto won the women’s race, with a time of 27:23. Erin Mawhinney took second place, in 28:02, and Asia Dwyer was third, in 28:07.
Dylan Alick was second to the line in the men’s race, in 24:07, and Rob Kanko rounded out the men’s podium, in 24:13.
The 5K race
In the women’s 5K, Mikala Ryan of Toronto broke the tape in 18:34; Tess McDonald was second, in 19:12, and Taylor Kampen was third, in 19:46.
Jacob Zerko won the men’s 5K with a time of 15:58; joining him on the podium were Cameron Dean (16:08) and Connor Hickling (16:52).
Kill the Hill 8K
The fastest runners overall are not necessarily the fastest going up the final hill, as it turns out; Coughler won the 8K Kill the Hill competition (his time on the hill was 1:07), but Matthew Johnston of Pickering, Ont., took second (1:11) and Jessey The Elf of Waterdown, Ont., was third (1:12; Jessey was 34th overall). Among the women, Alexandra Lucki was fastest up the hill (1:22), but Bridget Leon of Mississauga, Ont., was second (1:27) and Asia Dwyer was third (1:30).
Kill the Hill 5K
Similarly, in the 5K Kill the Hill challenge, Patrick Dean of Whitby, Ont., was first (1:07), Jared Lozano of Ajax, Ont., was second (1:13) and Cameron Dean was third (1:16). Taylor Kampen of Richmond Hill, Ont., was the fastest woman on the hill (1:30); Mikala Ryan was second (1:31) and Kaitlyn Lynch of Toronto was third (1:35).
The race always attracts many elite runners, as well as a wide swath of the GTA’s most competitive age groupers; this year, Toronto mayor Olivia Chow participated in the 5K race, and deputy mayor Michael Colle ran the 8K. As always, the Canada Running Series race doubled as a fundraiser; this year’s beneficiary is the Parkdale Community Food Bank, which was presented with a cheque for $42,000; you can still donate, here.
For full results, click here.
