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Kenyans Moses Macharia & Lucy Njeri with strong victories in front of record field at Sporting Life 10K

TORONTO. 3 May. Moses Macharia hammered the field to the win "Canada's fastest 10K" this morning, in 28:13. Macharia led the charge down Yonge Street from the Start above Eglinton to the new finish line at Historic Fort York, ahead of a record-sized field of 12,481 entrants — up 25% from 2008.

Last year's race champion arrived from Kenya just a week ago, well trained at altitude and ready to go. Macharia went straight to the front, and passed 3K in 8:14, with only Ethiopian Asamenew Yeshanew gamely hanging on. Yeshanew, who had won the Canadian Half Marathon Championships at Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal two weeks ago, managed to stick on the Kenyan's shoulder through 4K [10:54], but began to drop off before halfway, passed in 13:48. From there, Macharia cruised to victory across Richmond Street, through the club district, past the Rogers Centre to Bathurst and Fort York. "I came here fit," said Macharia. "I wanted to run 27 minutes, but on my own the whole second half, there was no-one to push me."

The brave Yeshanew faded over the last 2 kilometres and was picked off by last year's CRS champ, Josephat Ongeri of Milton, who came through to take second in 28:49. Yeshanew was 3rd in 29:15. Montrealers Bagdad Rachem and Fethi Oukid also ran well to come home 4th and 5th, in 29:36 and 29:56, placing the top 5 all under 30 minutes. Another Quebecker, and new Masters runner, Terry Gehl of St.Charles, showed he'll be a force to be reckoned with this year, notching a 31:41, good for 10th overall and top 40+ male.

On the women's side, Lucy Njeri made it 2-0 for Kenya over Ethiopia, by cruising to victory in 33:20, ahead of Ethiopia's Firehiweot Gegreyesus [33:32]. Toronto's Josiane Aboungono was 3rd in 34:00. Njeri has been based in Toronto with her husband Nelson Ndereva, since late March, when she arrived to win the Around the Bay 30K. Lucy followed that up with a victory at Harry's Spring Run Off Toronto 8K on April 4th, and has been doing some major mileage in preparation for the Los Angeles Marathon on May 24th. "I was very pleased with my win today," said Njeri. "I've been doing a lot of training for Los Angeles, and I am happy I beat my husband today!" Brockville's Paula Wiltse also had a strong day, with a 35:10 clocking for 4th, and 1st Masters woman.

Conditions were ideal, with clear blue, sunny skies, a cool 7 degrees for the 8am start, and no wind. Since Sporting Life assumed title sponsorship of Toronto's Spring 10K in 1998 — traditionally always run the first weekend in May — it has grown from 1,200 participants to become Canada's second-largest chip-timed race with 12,500 runners, after only the Vancouver Sun Run. Not only were there lots of smiles and positive reaction to the new course and the Fort York venue this morning, but Camp Oochigeas were thrilled that in the current economy, they took home a cheque for $800,000 so kids with cancer can have a regular summer-camp experience. This was up sharply from the $500,000 raised last year.

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2009 Sporting Life PSA: Lace Up for Kids With Cancer

Click the play button (lower left arrow) to watch.
(File is 7.5 MB, may take a few minutes to download)

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Macharia, Jepkoskei win 2008 Sporting Life 10k; half a million dollars raised for Camp Oochigeas

TORONTO. 4th May 2008. Moses Macharia continued to tear up the roads in the Canada Running Series this Spring, with an impressive victory at this morning's Sporting Life 10K, in 28:18. Defending champion and course record-holder, Florence Jepkoskei retained her women's crown, crossing the line in 32:11. Macharia had already won Harry's Spring Run-Off Toronto 8K and placed second at Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal to Samuel Ndereba, in April. Kenyans Macharia and Jepkoskei led a record field of 9,916 down Canada's most famous Street, "running down Yonge without getting run down" in "Canada's Fastest 10K". The other big winner on the morning was Camp Oochigeas, a summer camp for kids with cancer in the Muskokas. They took home a record $502,000 from the morning's efforts, up appreciably from the $310,000 raised last year.

Macharia took off from the start of "Canada's Fastest 10K", on the shoulder of fellow-countryman Theophilas Musyoki. They covered the first kilometre in 2:46, followed by a brisk 2:44. This immediately opened up a gap of some 30 metres from a trailing group led by Jospephat Ongeri. The two settled in until 5K, passed in 14:00; Macharia then took charge dropping in another 2:44 and a 2:46, to open up a 20 metre gap. The separation was maintained, as they turned into a strong and gusty West wind for the last couple of kilometres [2:53 and 3:00]. Musyoki crossed the line just 9 seconds back in 28:27. Ongeri held on for third [29:27], while Canadians Amor Dehbi [Montreal] and Paul Chafe [Toronto] came through nicely to split up the Kenyans and take 4th and 5th in 29:54 and 30:03, respectively.

Florence Jepkoskei, who had blistered the course in 31:42 last year, had things all her own way today, cruising to victory in a respectable 32:10, after getting off the plane from Nairobi on Friday evening. Great Britain's Nicky Archer registered a big PR, placing second in 33:30. The 22 year-old Archer is coached by Bud Baldero in his GB Marathon Squad at the University of Birmingham. Kingston's Emily Tallen tucked in behind Archer for the first 5km, but then let her slip away, finishing 20 seconds back [33:50].

Masters winners Louis-Philippe Garnier of Montreal [32:03] and Paula Wiltse of Kingston [34:36], also ran well in the blustery and cool conditions.

For full results, see www.canadarunningseries.com/sportinglife/sl10kRESULT.htm.

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10,000 Runners hit Yonge Street!
for the 11th annual Sporting Life 10k run

Toronto, ON – Sunday May 4th, 2008 8:00 a.m. A record 10,000 runners will be at the start line for the 11th anniversary of the Sporting Life 10k run in support of Camp Oochigeas on Sunday morning at 8am. This year's event is number 4 in the prestigious Canada Running Series, and hopes to raise over $300,000 for the camp for children with cancer.

Returning champion, Florence Jepkoskei and fellow Kenyan, Moses Macharia will toe the line at Yonge and Castlefield as pre-race favourites, ahead of a strong elite field. Jepkoskei blistered the downhill course last year in 31:42, helping it live up to its label as "Canada's fastest 10k". Macharia has already won Harry's Spring Run Off Toronto 8K on April 5th [23:37], and placed second at Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal on April 20th [63:57], in his Spring-season sojourn to Canada this year. A total of $12,700 in prize money will be up for grabs for the top finishers.

Elsewhere, lawyers and accountants will square off against each other, in a separate "Industry Challenge", with a strong focus on fundraising, as well as peer-group bragging rights on Bay Street. New this year, is a High School Challenge, where teams of students will vie for cash prizes for the "Fastest School" & "Fastest Runners". Councillor's Karen Stintz [Ward 16] and Adrian Heaps [Ward 35] are also confirmed to run for Camp Oochigeas.

While "running down Yonge Street without getting run down", participants will have the chance to "groove" to the sounds of "bands every mile" along the course, and finish on Bremner Boulevard, just adjacent to Roundhouse Park, for the post race party featuring the Latin sounds of "Ladyson". Other band locations are at: Yonge & St. Clair, Yonge & Bloor, Yonge & Dundas, Adelaide & Jarvis, Lakeshore & Sherbourne, and Lakeshore & York. Spectators are encouraged to come out to cheer-on local and international "heroes" and enjoy the tunes—bring your own coffee!

The event is open to runners and walkers of all abilities. It's still possible to register online at www.canadarunningseries.com/sportinglife/ until midnight on Tuesday 29th; then on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Sporting life Main store, 2665 Yonge Stree, between Eglinton and Lawrence. There is no sign-up or packet pick up on race morning. The Sporting life 10K for Camp Ooch is produced by Canada Running Series, is the 4th running event in the 2008 Race Series Calendar. Other signature events in the series include: Harry's Spring Run Off to fight Prostate Cancer (April) and the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, to be held September 28th, 2008.

SPORTING LIFE 10K RUN
SUNDAY MAY 4TH, 2008
8:00 A.M. START TIME (YONGE & CASTLEFIELD)
8:30 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.
POST RACE PARTY
ROUNDHOUSE PARK

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TORONTO, ON. April 28th, 2008.

Be a part of the proud tradition of Toronto's big Spring 10k, the first weekend in May

We're almost all set for the BIG Spring 10k in T.O. The bands are all booked, some fine looking New Balance tech tees are here, the brand-new-design finishers' medals are scheduled to arrive on Thursday, and even the weather seems to be cooperating… not too hot, but no rain is the forecast right now for Sunday morning.

Since I've been running and organizing races, the first Sunday in May has always been the "big one" in Toronto, and a special day. In the late '70s and early '80s, it was the Cadet Cleaners 10K that started off the tradition of a fast, downtown 10K on that Sunday. Almost from the beginning, the good-weather date and downtown route attracted 4,000 participants—and that was a lot, 30 years ago! In the early thru mid-80s it morphed into the Eaton's 10K. Everyone had their PR at Eaton's. And everyone knew the course was about 9.8k, but counted it anyway!

When Eaton's stopped doing the event in 1986, I snapped up the date and organized the Caledon Springs 10K, running from the Columbus Centre uptown to College Park at Bay and College. We promoted it as providing "an accurate and a safe course, and an accurate finishing time and place for everyone" [Eaton's 10K had also only provided results for the first 300 finishers—everyone else had to look at the clock as they crossed the line!]. Once Caledon Springs 10K set the trend, others had to follow.

By the end of the decade, Caledon Springs was gone, and the event was renamed the Columbus Centre 10k, keeping the same course.

As part of its illustrious history, the event was won in 1996 by a young Moroccan-immigrant dishwasher from New York City, who rode the Greyhound bus to the Tdot, and blew everyone away through the leafy streets of Forest Hill, winning in 29:38. His name was Khalid Khannouchi. In 1997 he won the Chicago Marathon in 2:07:10, the fastest-ever marathon debut at that time. Two years later he won Chicago in a World Record of 2:05:42 and became the first man on the planet to run under 2:06. In 2002 he set another World Record of 2:05:38 at London.

In 1998, Sporting Life began their marvellous sponsorship. The route was modified, to run from Sporting Life store, down Yonge Street, to downtown, but the basic principle of a fast, downhill course on the first weekend of May continued. In fact, it's flourished, growing from around 1,200 participants in '97, to 9,300 last year. Camp Oochigeas has become a great new charity, the bands every mile and post race party, the technical tees and finishers' medals are all new, but have only added to a fine, Toronto running tradition.

I hope you'll be part of it this weekend, as we take over Canada's most-famous street, and we all "run down Yonge, without getting run down!" Help us go over the magic 10,000 mark this year. We'll be close — you could make the difference!

And if you're not able to run, come out and cheer, at one of the 6 on-course entertainment centres with "live" bands, or to the Finish and post-run Party with LadySon. Check them out here. You can listen to some of LadySon's great Latin sounds on MySpace.

Hear that?
Gotta keep movin' ! [see you Sunday].

Alan Brookes,
Canada Running Series Director

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Stephen Koech runs 27:47 for new course record at Sporting Life 10K in Toronto

TORONTO. May 6th, 2007. Kenya's Stephen Koech won a thrilling three-man sprint to the line over fellow countrymen Isaac Arusei and Philip Koech at the Sporting Life 10K this morning, in 27:47, to set a new course record by just one second. It was a big PR for Stephen who came second at Cooper Bridge River Run in 28:42 on March 31st. Florence Jepkoskei also ran a course record 31:42 to win the women's race by over a minute. Conditions were ideal—9°Celcius under clear, blue skies, with only a slight cross-wind from the East—for the record field of 9,250 entrants, and contributed to what was perhaps Toronto's finest-ever road race.

The downhill course certainly lived up to its billing as "Canada's fastest 10K". After a polite first kilometre down the middle of the country's most-famous street [Yonge] in 2:55, a group of 12 men settled into their pace, registering 2:47 for the second kilometre. At this point, where Yonge Street goes down into a dip by Mt. Pleasant cemetery, Isaac Arusei made the first move, going hard up the slope on the other side to maintain the 2:47 pace for the third kilometre [8:29 at 3k]. This really sorted things out in a hurry, and the group was down to 6—Arusei, the two Koechs, another Kenyan Henry Githuka, and Toronto's Gitaah Macharia and Danny Kassap.

Arusei continued to keep the pedal down hard as the group crested the slope at St. Clair, and plunged down past CHUM radio station to Summerhill, registering a 2:38 fourth kilometre. Very quickly, Githuka and the 2 Canadians went overboard, with an instant 20 metre gap opening up to Githuka, and then another gap to Macharia and Kassap.

Alone, the top three pushed on relentlessly, passing halfway in 13:54, running 2:47 for the fifth kilometre, then 2:48, 2:44; 2:45; 2:48 and 2:48. They ran shoulder to shoulder, with first one then the other trying to take a stride advantage, until they came to the last 400m on York Street and the final straightaway on Bremner. Arusei sprinted first. As they rounded the last turn onto Bremner, Philip Koech came back on him, then out of nowhere, Stephen Koech blew by them both for the thrilling victory. All three were well under 28 minutes [27:47; 27:49 and 27:50]; Githuka ran a strong race for third [28:32], with Macharia taking the final money position in 28:52—the identical time to his winning run in 2006.

On the women's side, Jepkoskei went out hard and got things over early, cruising to what looked like a very comfortable 31:44 victory as she crossed the line. Fellow Kenyan Pauline Githuka, now living in Milton, Ontario, was the best of the chasing pack, finishing second in 32:48, ahead of Monica Wangari [33:01], England's Vicky Gill [33:02], and Toronto's Lioudmila Kortchaguina [33:18] who, in fairness, raced the hometown event at the end of a 200+km week in her final preparations for the ING Ottawa Marathon.

It was a brilliant sunny day, full of "wow" moments. Not the least of which was when the kids from Camp Oochigeas got up at the awards ceremony to thank the runners for raising in excess of C$300,000 for "Ooch", a unique summer camp for kids with cancer in Muskoka. "Thank you for sending me to camp," said Jennifer, and there was hardly a dry eye in the park.

RESULTS:

Men:

1. Stephen Koech,          Kenya           27:47 PR
2. Isaac Arusei,           Kenya           27:49
3. Philip Koech,           Kenya           27:50
4. Henry Githuka,          Kenya           28:32
5. Giitah Macharia,        Toronto         28:52

Women:

1. Florence Jepkoskei,     Kenya           31:42 CR
2. Pauline Githuka,        Kenya           32:48
3. Monica Wangari,         Kenya           33:01
4. Vicky Gill,             Great Britain   33:02
5. Lioudmila Kortchaguina, Toronto         33:18

Full results and photos at www.canadarunningseries.com/sportinglife.

Next races in the Canada Running Series: Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon, June 24th and Nissan Toronto Ten Miler, July 15th.

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Macharia and Kortchaguina confirmed to defend titles in fast race at Sporting Life 10K; record field over 9,000 expected

TORONTO. May 2nd, 2007. A record 9,000+ participants are expected to toe the Start line of the 10th Annual Sporting Life 10K in support of Camp Oochigeas this Sunday. Combined, they are on track to raise a record $200,000+ for the unique Muskoka camp for kids with cancer.

The event is Toronto's largest single-distance running event, and is billed as Canada's fastest 10k. It plunges down the country's most-famous street, from Yonge and Castlefield, all the way to Roundhouse Park on Bremner, just behind the CN tower. With 7 live bands at key points along the route, the Juno Award-winning Paul James Band playing at the post-run party, and perfect weather in the forecast [sunshine with low of 10, high of 20], there's guaranteed to be the usual, fabulous, festive atmosphere to this big-city 10K.

Up front, last year's winner [in 28:52] and current Canada Running Series champion, Giitah Macharia of St. Catharine's, will be hard pressed to repeat against some tough Kenyan competition led by Stephen Koech, Philip Koech [no relation], Isaac Arusei and Philip Lagat. Stephen is coming off a strong second place finish at the recent Cooper River Bridge 10K in 28:42. Lagat ran 28:35 for his 10k best at Azalea Trail last year, while the young up and coming Philip Koech has run a 28:11 in Kenya. This will be his first trip to North America, and he will be arriving with two others, direct from Nairobi tomorrow [Thursday] afternoon.

Given the expected ideal conditions, and the downhill route, Ruben Chebii's lightning-fast course record of 27:45, set in 2004, could be threatened. In the friendly rivalry with the Vancouver SunRun [won in the pedestrian time of 29:22 on April 15th this year] and the MDS Nordion Ottawa 10K [to be run May 26th], the Sporting Life seems well set to keep its title as "Canada's fastest 10k".

Other Canadians expected to be in the thick of things—at least early on—are Ottawa's Joseph Nsengiyumva, Montreal's Bagdad Rachem, and Toronto's Danny Kassap. Martin Williams of Tipton Harriers in Birmingham, a member of the UK marathon squad, should also be in the lead pack.

In the women's race, Canada's #1 ranked female marathoner, Lioudmila Kortchaguina of Toronto, is confirmed to start. After protracted injury troubles over the winter, Lioudmila is coming back into strong form. She won the Banque Scotia 21k de Montreal on April 22nd [race #3 in Canada Running Series '07] in 1:14:42, and will be using the Sporting Life as her final tune-up before defending her national marathon title at the ING Ottawa Marathon on May 27th. She has a particularly soft-spot for the Sporting Life 10K — not only was she last year's impressive winner in 32:22, but it was the first race she ran after she and husband Ilia came to Canada as landed immigrants in April 2001. Two weeks after their arrival, Lioudmila ran her first Canadian race at the Sporting Life 10K. "After several weeks of virtually no training I was happy to come 4th, and win my first money in Canada to help my family. It was $400," remembers Lioudmila.

Lioudmila will be tested in what is likely to be a close women's race, by Kenya's Florence Jepkoskei and Monica Wangari, and by England's Vicky Gill. Florence is a solid and consistent competitor who placed 2nd at the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K in April in a personal best of 32:48. Monica will also be on her first trip outside Kenya to race, where she has performed consistently well in cross-country. She is expected to run under 33 minutes also.

Like Martin Williams, Vicky is a member of the UK marathon squad under Head Coach Bud Baldaro, and is scouting out Toronto for a possible appearance on "Team GB" at this September's Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. From Chorley in Lancashire, Gill went to Florida State on an athletic scholarship in 2001, where she was a 5-time All-American, and won three Atlantic Coast Conference titles. She has a 5k best of 15:42, and a 32:41 PR for 10K.

This should be an exciting race for spectators as well as participants. For details on the best locations at neighbourhood band sites, or for last-minute entry if you want to be on the start line, go to www.canadarunningseries.com/sportinglife.

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TORONTO. May 7th 2006

Macharia and Kortchaguina surprise winners at Sporting Life 10K

Canada Running Series' stars Giitah Macharia of St.Catharine's and Lioudmila Kortchaguina of Toronto were surprise winners of this morning's Sporting Life 10K, in 28:52 and 32:22, respectively, ahead of a record field of almost 8,000 runners.

On a picture-perfect morning of clear blue skies, crisp temperatures around 8 degrees Celcius, and only the slightest headwind, Macharia and Kortchaguina battled to emerge victorious in strong men's and women's races.

From the start, Macharia was well positioned in a lead pack of 12 runners, who went through the first kilometre in 2:51. After friendly 2nd and 3rd kilometres of 2:56 and 2:57, down Canada's longest and most famous street, Yonge, Kenyan Joshua Kemei leaned into the downhill from St. Clair to Rosedale Station with a 2:42 fourth 'k', and then there were only 3—Kemei, Macharia, and Kenyan Philip Lagat.

By 5km, passed in 14:18, Lagat started to slowly drop back, and this left Kemei and Macharia to battle back and forth over the second half of the course. By 8k, it was clear that Kemei's strategy was to tuck in behind and let the Canadian do the work. The pace actually slowed to a 2:58 eighth kilometre, as Macharia slowed to try to make Kemei share the lead.

Then just as bets were being taken as to when the Kenyan would unleash a winning, final kick, Macharia put the bit between his teeth and stormed past the Air Canada Centre and up the final straight for a hard-fought 3-second victory, and the $2500 first prize—much to the delight of the hometown crowd. The photo of Macharia's grin as he crossed the line tells the story!

Lioudmila Kortchaguina was also deservedly thrilled with her performance, as Canada's #1 ranked female marathoner showed what fine form she's in, defeating all the 5k and 10k women in the race. A lead pack of 4 ran the first half together, and all finished under 33 minutes—unusually strong depth for a Canadian road race.

Over the second half, Lioudmila and Canadian Olympian, Emilie Mondor, on her first outing after a long lay-off with a serious bone disease, gradually pulled away. By 8k there was a clear gap between them and Tara Quinn-Smith, who ran the 10000m for Canada at the recent Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, and another gap to Kenyan Eunice Chepkirui in fourth. In the final kilometre, the marathoner proved her better endurance by pulling away from the 5000m athlete, for a 5 second victory.

Given the ideal conditions, and the surprise hometown winners, there were smiles all round at the Oasis Victory Party, headlined by The Meteors—not the least of which could be seen on the faces of the Camp Oochigeas folks, as they raised well over $100,000 on the day for their unique camp for kids with cancer.

Men:
1. Giitah Macharia        St. Catharines, ON 28:52  Cdn$2500
2. Joshua Kemei           Kenya              28:55     $1250  
3. Philip Lagat           Kenya              29:30     $1000
4. Danny Kassap           Toronto, ON        29:46     $ 500
5. Joseph Nsengiyumva     Ottawa, ON         29:47     $ 300
 
Women:
1. Lioudmila Kortchaguina Toronto, ON        32:22  Cdn$2500
2. Emilie Mondor          Mascouche, QC      32:27     $1250
3. Tara Quinn-Smith       Toronto, ON        32:40     $1000
4. Eunice Cheprirui       Kenya              32:52     $ 500
5. Sarah Dillabaugh       Ottawa, ON         33:49     $ 300

Full results and photos at www.canadarunningseries.com/sportinglife.

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Are you inspired to run the Sporting Life 10K—voted Toronto's Best Run of 2005 by Get Out There Magazine ?

Check out our top 10 (okay, so there are a few more than 10!) list of things that have inspired our participants in the past.

Find your inspiration, and get over to Sporting Life Main store, 2665 Yonge Street, to sign up Thursday & Friday, 10am to 8:30pm, or Saturday 10am to 5:30pm.

TOP INSPIRATIONS TO RUN SPORTING LIFE 10K

• I love the course of this race, and the bands on the route
• So my husband can worship me even more – desperate housewife
• To be fit and able to run with my beagle
• Raise funds for Camp Oochigeas
• To run with my wife
• Peer Pressure
• Pour le plaisir
• To be hot and sexy
• Looking to meet women
• I'm hoping to get Flash Gordon's number
• To lose my beer belly
• My hockey team is running the 10 km
• My brother and brother-in-law made me
• Get back in shape after knee surgery
• Window shopping down Yonge Street
• Running with daughter and get into shape
• Lose weight and run with my Mom
• My wife is making me run with her
• For the chicks
• To prove to myself that I can run a 10k
• First 10km run - before I turn 40
• I am fat after 2nd baby and this my reno
• Inspired by friends getting into shape
• My ironman boyfriend inspires me
• Fighting cancer
• First Canadian race (from UK)
• First major race after back surgery
• Running down Yonge is a blast
• I love running with my mom Love2run4fun
• I love to run with my daughter
• So my uncle will stop nagging at me
• I connect with Mother Earth
• Because I never thought I could
• For children with Cancer
• Fitness. Have run it before. Loved it.
• To get off the couch
• Set example for little brother
• To get off my computer
• To beat my asthma
• Stepping stone goal towards a marathon
• Meeting the Challenge/Co-workers Support
• Challenged by my uncle twice my age
• See good looking women in spandex
• Nephew-cancer survivor - 5 years at Oochigeas
• Role Model for my kids and keep it fun
• Fun/Fitness/Freebies
• Vanity and sanity
• Large Latte at the finish, and the post-run PARTY!

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May 1st, 2005, Toronto ON

Reuben Chebii has convincing victory at Sporting Life 10K

Photos by Theresa Suzuki

Defending champion and course record holder, twenty-three year old Kenyan Reuben Chebii, returned to Toronto for a convincing win at the Sporting Life 10k, in 28:41, ahead of a record field of 7,253 participants.

Conditions were excellent, with sunny skies, a light Westerly breeze and temperature around 9° Celcius for the 9am start on Canada's most famous street—Yonge—just north of Eglinton. This year, the runners were also given all of the street for the first time, and they filled it impressively, for the plunge down to Roundhouse Park behind the CN Tower, a net drop of 87 metres, appropriately labelled "Canada's fastest 10k".

For the first few kilometres, Chebii was content to sit back in a lead pack of 9, that included Ontarions Danny Kassap, Zeljko Zabol and Giitah Macharia, Montrealers Bagdad Rachem and Oukid Fethi, Pete Watson from Buffalo, and fellow Kenyans David Korir and Michael Musilli. Shortly after the pack passed 5k (in 14:10), near Rosedale subway station after the long downhill from St.Clair, Chebii struck with a sharp, decisive surge. Immediately, he opened up a gap of some 100m and the race was over. Unlike last year, when he was pushed until the last kilometre, Chebii was then able to cruise the second half of the course and leave the others to fight things out for the rest of the places.

Korir hung on best to take second, some 32 seconds back, and last year's Canada Running Series champion, Giitah Macharia of St. Catherine's ran a smart race, finishing strong, just 6 seconds behind Korir, in 29:19. They were followed by Musilli, Rachem, Ottawa's Joseph Nsengiyumva and Saskatoon's Jason Warick, with the top 7 men all coming home under 30 minutes. Kassap dropped out.

Megan Brown of Puslinch (near Guelph) had an equally convincing win in the women's race, finishing more than a minute ahead of Judith Navier and Krestena Sullivan (34:07 to 35:15 and 35:44). Pre-race favourite Jackline Okemwa pulled up lame with a sore calf, but hung on gamely for 4th in 35:56.

In a particularly generous gesture, Brown donated all of her $2,800 winnings to Camp Oochigeas, the charity of the day, which helped push them over the $100,000 mark in funds raised to send kids with cancer to this unique camp.

With a 22% increase in the number of runners over last year, there was an air of expansive joy throughout the morning. Now an "event" rather than just a run, this year's Sporting Life 10K attracted its share of Toronto celebrities, including Councillor Olivia Chow (herself having fully recovered from thyroid cancer last autumn), Health Minister George Smitherman, former-mayor Barbara Hall, and Global TV's Susan Hay. Everyone seemed to enjoy the 6 bands along the course, the sunshine, and Elevation: U2 Tribute Band who played at the post-run party. Elevation, who just returned from U2 Tour gigs in Vancouver, starred a familiar face, Shawn Brady, himself a 31 minute 10k man, as Bono.

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Records fall with rain at 2004 Sporting Life 10K

Today's Sporting Life 10K, presented by New Balance, saw course records broken in both the men's and women's races. Conditions were perfect for running—if not for spectators—with light rain and temperatures around 9 Celcius. More than 6,000 competitors charged down Toronto's Yonge Street—Canada's longest—and the many PR's recorded enhanced the course's reputation as "Canada's Fastest 10K".

Kenya's Reuben Chebii led the charge, flying down to the finish line next to the SkyDome and CN Tower in a new course record of 27:48, smashing Peter Ntabo's previous mark (set last year) by 14 seconds.

Toronto's Lioudmila Kortchaguina also had a fine run to set a new women's mark of 32:08—six seconds faster than Edna Kiplagat's record performance from 2001.

Adding to the record-setting day was Kingston's Steve Boyd, who set a new Canadian 10K masters standard on the roads of 29:33.

Chebii bided his time, hanging in with a pack of 6 runners, led by Montreal's Mustapha Bennacer, that passed the mile in 4:10, and halfway in 13:52. Shortly after 5K, countryman Anthony Gitau threw in a quality surge that reduced the pack to four. Chebii then took charge around 8K, and hammered the last kilometre to set one of the top 10K times on the North American roads so far this year.

After Chebii broke clear, it was left to Joseph Ndiritu and Bennacer to fight over the runner-up position. Nderitu won the "rubber-match" between the two—Bennacer defeated the Kenyan in March at the Around the Bay 30K, while Nderitu finished ahead of Bennacer in the second race in the Canada Running Series, the 21Kmtl in Montreal, in April.

Gitau would eventually finish fourth, with Toronto's Danny Kassap finishing fifth ahead of Joseph Kamau.

Kortchaguina's win was equally impressive, considering the fact that one week ago she won the inaugural Salt Lake City Marathon with a stellar 2:30 clocking (at 4,500 feet altitude).

Kortchaguina bested Burlington, Ontario's Tara Quinn and Toronto's defending champion, Nicole Stevenson. Quinn ran 32:35 while Stevenson was just two seconds off the time that won her the race last year—her 32:58 today was the third time in three years she has run sub-33 at the Sporting Life race. Behind her was Kingston's Paula Wiltse and Toronto's Diane Nukuri.

Alison Wiley, one of Canada's premier distance runners through the 1980s, made a return to competition (after becoming a mom a few times over) and won the women's masters competition with a 36:19 performance here today. She finished just nine seconds ahead of Montreal's Diane Legare.

With 6,000 runners competing, and almost $100,000 raised for Camp Oochigeas, a camp for kids with cancer, two more records were set on the day—and everyone went home with a smile, despite the soggy conditions.

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Excitement builds around Sporting Life 10k (2003)

It was a glorious morning for running in downtown Toronto, as the Sporting Life 10K lived up to its billing as "Canada's fastest 10K". With perfect conditions for running (8 Celcius and bright blue skies at 9am start), a record field of 5,320 registered runners charged down Yonge Street. They were led by a bunch of new Kenyans and new Canadians. Participants were up almost 40% from the 3,800 who ran last year, giving every indication that the "Sporting Life" is now on its way to giving Toronto the big road race it has sought for a long time. It was event #4 in the prestigious Canada Running Series.

In an exciting sprint to the line at the foot of the CN Tower and SkyDome, Peter Ntabo out-kicked fellow-Kenyan and last-year's winner, Joseph Ndiritu, 28:02 to 28:04, for a new course record (old record 28:23). Twenty year-old Danny Tschindid of University of Toronto Track Club had a breakthrough performance, taking third in 28:56, ahead of Around the Bay 30K winner, Joseph Nsengiyumva of Ottawa, and Montreal's Mustapha Bennacer. As proof-positive that top-flight road running is returning to Montreal, there were 5 Montreal guys in the top 11.

On the women's side, Nicole Stevenson had a fine run to equal her course record of 32:56, and demonstrate that she is in good form for next week's National Capital Marathon where she will be gunning for the Athens qualifying standard. Also worthy of note was 13-year-old Stephanie Smith's 37:29 that was good enough for 10th overall.

A spirited Masters competition underscored the nationwide attraction of the Canada Running Series/Circuit du Canada, with Vancouver's Richard Lee taking first-place points in 31:38, ahead of Montreal's Paul Tessier (32:40), Guelph's Andy Krucker (33:00), and Montreal's Michel Brochu (33:18).

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