7:10am Brackley Beach
Good to Go...
It was cloud and 6 degrees. The Prince Edward Island Marathon at Brackley Beach Complex. The course on Gulf Shore Parkway, Rte 6, Confederation Trail, Brackley Point Rd, Sherwood Rd, Malpeque Rd and University Ave.
And they're off!
Surf's up!
The waves rolling in at Dalvay
The halfway split time of 1:31.
Still "flying" in York
(look back up at the photos so far - do his feet ever actually touch the ground?!)
Great spectators & volunteers! Thank You all!!
Deborah Mutch catches Alex in these next 3 photos as he reacts to hearing his name being announced, and the spectators cheers, as he approaches the finish line
Still flying!!
"I finished in 3:13:05, came in 17th out of 275 runners and 2nd in Male 20-29. It was the 5th PEI Marathon Finish.
Mike MacKinnon won the marathon race and Helga MacNeill for the top female.
Stanley Chiasson won the half marathon race and Jen Nicholson for the top female.
Carson Campbell won the 10km race and Kristy Newson for the top female.
Michael Peterson won the 5km race and Noella Klawitter from Ottawa for the top female.
CrossFit PEI Old School for the top Corporate Relay."
"Thanks to all runners and volunteers to meets at 2012 Prince Edward Island Marathon!"
2012 Race Results
Published on October 14, 2012
Charles Reid
Mike MacKinnon wins the BMO P.E.I. Marathon Sunday in Charlottetown. Photo by Mitch MacDonald
Moderate temperatures and light wind combine for good conditions at Island marathon
Mike MacKinnon wasn't concerned about defending his P.E.I. Marathon title, but he did anyway after crossing the finish line in 2:37:55 on Sunday in downtown Charlottetown.
"I still ain't," he said with a laugh after the race. "I didn't think I could do what I did today (Sunday). I didn't do any where near enough training. Maybe that's the key."
MacKinnon, a Miscouche native, cut more than five minutes off last year's winning time of 2:43:18 to win his third Island marathon in the last five years.
For photos of the run click here.
On the women's side, Helga Reisch-MacNeill of Kensington crossed first in the full marathon in 3:14:45. It was her first Island Marathon victory in the first time she's run the entire 42 kilometres.
"I wanted to get under 3:30. I did that, so I'm happy," said Reisch-MacNeill, who finished 19th overall. "It was a perfect day to run."
Billy MacDonald of Stratford finished second in the full marathon in 2:43:06 while Lee Roy of Beresford N.B., placed third (2:44:20).
Among the women's full marathon finishers, Brenda Brenson of Summerside placed second in 3:21:50. Third pace went to Jennie Orr of Mayfield in 3:25:25.
Moderate temperatures and light wind combined for good conditions for the runners.
As proof, Jen Nicholson of Cornwall, who won the full marathon in 2008 and 2009, set a new record in the half-marathon.
She finished the half in 1:23:19, more than three minutes faster than Rachel McCarvill's 2007 mark of 1:26:39. Nicholson also holds the women's full marathon record of 2:53:22 set in 2009.
"Perfect (day). My kind of conditions. Nice and cool, very little wind," said Nicholson, who didn't run in the full marathon because of recovery from an Achilles heel injury. "The marathon is my first love. I'll probably focus on that in the spring."
Second place in the women's half went to Joanne Reid of Halifax in 1:25:23. Aimee Jenkins of Stratford placed third in 1:30:06.
Stanley Chaisson of Charlottetown won the men's half-marathon in 1:14:11. Chaisson holds the records in the men's full marathon (2:32:28, set in 2009) and the half-marathon (1:12:14, set in 2007).
Aron Croken of Irishtown was second (1:22:22) in the half-marathon while Alan Neuffer of Stratford was third (1:22:53).
MacKinnon and Reisch-MacNeill qualified for the 2013 Boston Marathon with their wins. Reisch-MacNeill won't run the historic marathon next year, but her victory allows her to participate in 2014.
MacKinnon has his sights on returning to Boston in April where he hasn't run since 2003.
"I've never gone in prepared. This time I'm going in prepared," he said.
Winners from the 2012 P.E.I. Marathon:
Full Marathon
Men - 1. Mike MacKinnon, Miscouche, 2:37:55; 2. Billy MacDonald, Stratford, 2:43:06; 3. Lee Roy of Beresford, 2:44:20; 4. Kris Taylor, Hunter River, 2:45:53; 5. Robert Boulter, Muenchenstein, Switzerland, 2:47:07.
Women - 1. Helga Reisch-MacNeill, Kensington, 3:14:45; 2. Brenda Brenson, Summerside, 3:21:50; 3. Jennie Orr, Mayfield 3:25:25; 4. Anita Howard, Milson, N.S., 3:31:27; 5. Kristin Gough, Coldbrook, N.S., 3:31:36.
Half Marathon
Overall - 1. Stanley Chaisson, Charlottetown, 1:14:11; 2. Aron Croken, Irishtown, 1:22:22; 3. Alan Neuffer, Stratford, 1:22:53; 4. Calvin Desroches, Tyne Valley, 1:22:59; 5. Jen Nicholson, Cornwall, 1:23:19*.
Women - 1. Jen Nicholson, Cornwall, 1:23:19*; 2. Joanne Reid, Halifax, N.S., 1:25:23; 3. Aimee Jenkins, Stratford, 1:30:06; 4. Karla Widmeyer, Dartmouth, N.S., 1:31:28; 5. Alexis Juurlink, Oakfield, N.S., 1:32:14.
Half Marathon Walk
Overall - 1. Anne Koughan, Stratford, 2:27:29; 2. Heather Bulger, Summerside, 2:39:46; 3. Marina Trainor, Kinkora, 2:39:46; 4. Margi Wilson, Cumberland, 3:01:12; 5. John Donahue, Cardigan, 3:00:23.
10K Run
Overall - 1. Carsen Campbell, Summerside, :35:31; 2. David Gallant, Charlottetown, :35:46; 3. Rob MacKenzie, Long Creek, :36:47; 4. Darcy McCardle, Charlottetown, :38:45; 5. Kristy Newson, Stratford, :39:42.
10K Walk - 1. Darrell Ling, Dartmouth, N.S., 1:17:08; 2. Larry D. Baker, Charlottetown, 1:21:25; 3. Mary MacInnis, Charlottetown, 1:20:23; 4. Dawna MacDonald, Charlottetown, 1:20:22; 5. Dana Murphy, Stratford, 1:20:31.
5K Run
Overall - 1. Michael Peterson, Charlottetown, :18:38; 2. Andrew Hanlon, Dartmouth, N.S., :18:43; 3. Dylan Power, Stratford, :18:49; 4. Jonah MacMillan, Clyde River, :19:05; 5. Micha Timothy Banks, Charlottetown, :19:24.
5K Walk
Overall - 1. Melina Plamondon, Charlottetown, :40:21; 2. Karen McNeill, Charlottetown, :42:03; 3. Bev MacLaren, Suffolk, :44:24; 4. Jillian Russell, Summerside, :45:03; 5. Norah Higgerty, Haute Aboujagne, N.B., :45:50.
Corporate Relay
Overall - 1. CrossFit P.E.I. Old School, 3:01:29; 2. Water for People, 3:10:45; 3. DeltaWare Systems, 3:14:41; 4. CrossFit P.E.I., 3:19:42; 5. Charlottetown Police, 3:22:18.
*New course record
For complete results click here.
P.E.I. marathon bigger than ever
Close to 2,700 runners participated in the event
It was a cold day for the P.E.I. marathon. (CBC)
Thousands of runners from around North America made their way from Brackley Beach to Charlottetown on Sunday during the P.E.I. marathon.
They were exhausted and bitterly cold. But it's the glory at the end of a long run that motivates the runners.
The winner was 39 year old Mike MacKinnon from Miscouche, PEI. He also won the marathon last year.
"It's tough to train every year to be at that level," said MacKinnon. "I mean it's not a huge level, but it's still hard."
The event, now in its ninth year, is bigger than ever. With close to 2,700 runners the race had a record turnout. Runners came to P.E.I. from all over North America.
"We're a Boston Marathon qualifier, so there's a lot of people who come here and we have a very high percentage of people that qualify for Boston," said race director Myrtle Jenkins-Smith.
For the first time, wheelchair racers had their own division.
"When they have a separate category for people with disabilities, it just makes it easier for me to do that," said Fraser MacPhee, the winner of the 10 kilometre wheelchair event. "It breaks down more barriers."
The race events were extra special for the Islanders who dominated the events.
"This is my home race. I hate to miss it," said half marathon winner Stanley Chaisson. "I've done it the last few years, so I love it."
Emotions aside, for all the competitive runners, today's race is just the beginning of a winter full of training.
