10.7°C Sunny 
Though technically closed to the public, the Whistler Olympic/Paralympic Park was alive with energy and enthusiasm on Saturday and Sunday (Sept. 26 and 27) as the second annual Whistler Spirit Run and Festival brought nearly 500 runners to the venue.
Having almost doubled in size in its second year, the event proved to be a draw for seasoned runners and rookies alike, who welcomed the chance to challenge themselves in cross-country and trail running races in the Olympic Nordic sports venue.
More than 150 runners bounded through the courses set for Saturday’s cross-country races, which were geared toward organized running groups such as clubs and teams from elementary and high schools and universities, as well as masters athletes.
The biggest single team that came to the Spirit Run hailed from Victoria’s Oak Bay High School, a public school that sent 39 kids to run in the Olympic Park, Whistler Spirit Run board member Peter Diemer said.
Diemer said every event showed an increase in entries, as organizers this year stepped up efforts to spread the word about the running festival through media such as newspapers and radio, and social media tools like Facebook and Twitter accounts. Participation by corridor athletes also rose, Diemer added.
“It’s been an amazing weekend. We were just shy of 500 runners, which is fantastic. We feel absolutely fabulous about everything,” he said.
The cross-country competitors charged through races ranging from one to eight kilometres, and the trail runners tackled all or parts of a five-kilometre loop course, set around the cross-country skiing stadium that will host the Olympic and Paralympic events in just five months. Though evidence of the beginning of Olympic overlay preparations was scattered around the venue, the spirited event went off without a hitch under spectacular blue skies.
“It’s been a fantastic year, and it’s really setting the stage for the future,” Diemer said.
The running festival is the realization of the dream held by Frank Reynolds, the athlete and much-loved long-time coach of the NorWesters Track and Field Club.
He envisioned a world-class event that would attract athletes of all ages and abilities to beautiful B.C. Now organizers hope the festival can also help develop healthy communities in the Lower Mainland, with proceeds from the event being directed to KidSport B.C.
While Saturday’s races put kids, teams and masters in the spotlight, along with a family fun run, Sunday’s trail races offered an opportunity for many non-runners to stretch their legs alongside the dedicated racers who tackled the open 10-kilometre event.
Sunday started with a 10 km relay race for four-person teams, with runners of all abilities taking on legs of 2.5 kilometres each. The enjoyable event drew 24 teams from a variety of companies, families, schools and — the star of the show — CrossFit Whistler, which entered four teams in the race.
CrossFit Whistler owner Jordan Glasser said his athletes took up the challenge as a fun test of their training program, and a great way to experience the Olympic Park.
“The funny thing is, we use running in our program, but none of us are real runners, so this is kind of a fun way to sort of test to see how our fitness program is working,” Glasser said, adding that he would “definitely” consider entering the event again.
Paul Shore, head of marketing and business development for the Whistler 2010 Sport Legacies Society, entered the race with his wife and two others as Team VANOCLegacies, and he said he was delighted to see the success of the Whistler Spirit Run.
“It’s awesome to see this… Look at the people here, in the fall, in shoulder season, when it would otherwise be really quiet,” Shore said, adding that the festival is viewed as “the beginning of a lot of summer events like this.”
Shore joked that he isn’t a runner, but with a 2.5-kilometre leg to run, he figured he could finish that even “if I had to crawl.”
“I’m not a runner at all, but they have such a nice mix in this event over two days, that cater to all sorts of people… (The relay) was challenging for me, but it’s perfect, it’s right up my alley,” Shore said.
For the second year in a row, a team from North Vancouver’s Carson Graham Secondary School won the relay event, followed by CrossFit Whistler Team 1 and Team Unarads.
In the 10-kilometre trail run, Whistler’s Ashley McMillan pounded through the course to finish second overall behind Vancouver’s Steve Mattina, who won with a time of 37 minutes, 13 seconds. Mattina and McMillan also led the way in the Men 20 to 39 category.
Vancouver’s David Tonge finished third overall and third in that category, while former Vancouver city councillor Peter Ladner finished fourth overall and first in the Men 40-plus division with his time of 42:16.
Whistler women dominated in the 40-plus category, with Lynn Grenier’s time of 43:11 making her the first female runner across the line and the division winner, followed by speedy Debbie Welsh, Gail Brooks and Bianca Matheson.
Vancouver’s Karen Warrendorg and Tricia Hines led the Women 20 to 39 category, followed by Jill Bekar of Maple Ridge in third.
In the Saturday’s cross-country races, the list of category winners includes: Finn Iles, the top Grade 4 to 6 boy; MarieLouise Forsyth, Grade 4 to 6 Girls; Joe Davies, Grade 2 to 3 Boys; Jennifer Lafreniere, Grade 2 to 3 Girls; Marissa Woods, Grade 7 and 8 Girls; Jack Iles, Grade 7 and 8 Boys; Lindsey Butterworth, Grade 9 to 12 Girls; Christian Gravel, Grade 9 to 12 Boys; Lisa Brougham, University/Open Women; Carl Johnston, University/Open Men; Arthur Boileau, Masters Men; Darcie Montgomery, Masters Women.
The 2010 Whistler Spirit Run is scheduled for Sept. 25 and 26.
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