Numbers weren’t a priority for Sunday’s first ever Mount Thompson Challenge races (12 and 35 kilometres), with 14 runners giving organizers a chance to iron out organizational bugs.
“This gives a good start and will grow year by year,” said volunteer Frank Wishlow at Canyon Park as the first 12 km participants began to arrive.
Brendan and Rylee Christenson crossed the finish line first, with a time of 1:12:08. While members of the organizing Creston Rotary Club waited for other 12 km runners to complete the course, they were also monitoring four other racers who were involved in a more arduous competition. They were taking part in a 35-kilometre run up Mount Thompson and along the ridge.
Mike Price would be the first to arrive back at Canyon Park, finishing the challenge in 5:54:11.
Organizer Carly Jellis explained that the Mount Thompson Challenge is intended to complement the annual Blue Heron Run that the Creston Rotary Club has organized each September for more than a decade.
“We’ll be using the funds raised from this race for water and education projects in Honduras,” she said.
Other 12 km participants were Amanda Anderson (1:18:22), Stephanie Walker (1:20:59), Lisa Wood (1:20:59), Jason Meidl (1:28:35), Michelle Hartridge (1:40:55), Lisa Rezansoff (1:40:55), Nancy Cobra (2:01:36) and Heather Young (2:01:36).
Rounding out the 35 km challenge were Emily and Robert Simpson (6:33:08) and Melissa Mattice (6:36:00).
Wishlow said that precautions taken for the race included having volunteers from the Creston and Cranbrook search and rescue teams. Quad vehicles and a search dog were posted at key points along the route in case of emergency.
