Here for a good time, not a lung time....

OK, apologies to Trooper; last Saturday we were down at Pier 21 for a good time and a lung time. The 4th, ahem, running of the Lung Run, which raises awareness of lung health issues as well well as being "just" a 5K, was one for the books. Well over 500 people signed up, an event record, and while the total amount of money raised has not yet been tallied, it will be significant.

While the Lung run does have a serious message, the racing is also serious. Last year saw the first sub-15 minute 5K on Nova Scotia roads in 18 years. Being earlier in the season this year, the organisers were unsure if 15 minutes would be broken again, but the lead bicycles still weren't under any illusions about being able to stay in front of the pack.

We saw a good few TNSers down at Pier 21 last Saturday, either running or on the side-lines cheering on. Good intentions from cheerers Jason Murphy, John Kirk, Kurt Stephenson and Ian loughhead maybe, but perhaps there was also a spot of gladiatorial bloodlust at the prospect of seeing someone in pain for entertainment! As much as we like to see a closely contested sprint finish, well seeing someone hurl on the chip-guys is the icing on the cake. Well not the literal icing, that would just be nasty, but you know what we mean.

As you know, 5Ks hurt, really hurt, as there is no time for finesse or too much strategy, it's just a bolt for the line. In the cycling world, the ten mile time-trial is often taken as a measure of someone's ability, "but what can he do for a ten?" the old boys will ask when a flash new guy shows up; the 5K could be a similar bench-mark for runners and triathletes. After all both events are basically 20 minute, all-out efforts with little or no consideration to anything else. Cursoturi te salutant indeed.

In fact, there is Kurt Stephenson (in the tuque and shoulder sling), waiting to see the action and if he stayed right there for the duration, he would have seen one of the top ladies loose her lunch, narrowly missing Mike II from Atlantic Chip. Ah, good days; if we're avoiding retching runners already, the racing season must have started.

We saw Andy Canning down there too; we're not sure if this was his first race as a Master, or just his first race in a while, either way we understand it hurt (a lot). You also get an idea of how busy the start was.

The top TNS finisher was Brad Piggot (#4287), who took fifth spot in 16:23. This was no mean feat at all since he was racing against pure runners, and national-calibre trackies, of the likes of winner Matthias Wolter (who was wearing a Maple Leaf in his last event), Jason Wilson, Rob Jewer and Joel Bergman. Brother Matt (#4288) was just behind with his 16:45 getting him 8th. For the books, Matthias' winning time was a scorching 15:34.

The top TNS lady was Rayleen Hill, whose 18:22 cracked the podium for 3rd lady not far behind last year's winner Erin McClean and Gina Stewart. Laura Reardon Keefe and her bright pink sneakers were just behind Rayleen and neither lady conceded much (if any) ground to the Dal cross-coutry ladies on what is arguably closer to the former's turf.

Other familar faces we saw included Provincial Olympic distance Champion Ryan MacDonald, Gerrad Lewin and Tom Soehl (above), all of whom finished in the twenty (Gerald was just pipped for 2nd lady!!), Kevin Piggot, Shannon Read, Erin Thibault and Ron MacDougal; the latter bringing the Tartan Tally to 6 and it's only April 13th. The full results are on Altantic Chip. If we missed you, we're sorry but let us know via a comment below.


TNS was also represented on the other side of the barricades. TNS treasurer Philip Caulier along with Darlene Caulier, Cali and Myriska Caulier were all staffing corners. As for us, well running hurts, and here at the TurnAround we're supposed to be tapering. Not that it stopped Rami "The Rocket" Bardessey who jogged around at a pedestrian 4:02/km for a 20:07. Yeah, sometimes we hate him too! So we did it on bikes; much more civilised, a lot easier on the joints to be sure, and less likely to throw up. Unless you were trying to keep ahead of Mathias Wolter. On the flats, easy, but through all the 90-degree corners in the last kilometer, not so easy and where, we confess, the guy nearly caught us not once but twice!

So congrats all for great runs. We'll let the nausea settle down a little before our next date, which is Stacey Juckett's 5K and duathlon double-header in May.

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Photographs fron Ian Loughhead and Steve Morley. Thanks guys