Canadian lovers celebrate long runs in own ways
M75 phenom Ed Whitlock of Milton, Ontario, expressed his love of competition today in the way he knows best — completing another 26-miler in world record time. At the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Ed, 75, smashed the previous age-group record by nearly 10 minutes, clocking 3:08:34.5. Asked what keeps him going, Ed told local TV: “I don’t know. Adrenaline I guess.” The previous M75 best was 3:18:10 by American Warren Ute at Chicago in 1995. It was Ed’s fifth M75 world record this season — which includes the sprint known as the mile run.
Across the country, British Columbia M60 hurdler Jess Brewer had a different love to celebrate today: his 25th wedding anniversary. Asked by local radio what keeps him and wife Patricia Anne Sparkes going, he said: ” “I don’t know. Adrenaline I guess.” (Just kidding.)
They renewed their vows at the atom smasher where they work, hoping string theory and muon particles will propel them to 125 years of wedded bliss. (Ah, partly kidding.)
But Professor Jess and Pat deserve their own medals for endurance, having beaten society’s marital odds and Jess’s cancer to boot.
According to Jess Brewer’s Age-Graded Lookup form, Ed Whitlock’s 3:08:34 corresponds to an Open (ages 20-30) equivalent of 2:09:46.29.
Ed’s official splits: 52:37 for 12.1 kilometers, 1:30:55 at the halfway mark, 2:10:51 at 30K and 2:27:39 at 34K. Ed’s average mile pace: a little over 7:10.
Our heartiest congratulations to our friends on both coasts!
One Response
Jeez, Ken, get it right! Yesterday (24 Sep) was our FIRST SECOND Wedding Anniversary — see http://jick.net/~jess/wedding/ for the details. The 25th Anniversary of our FIRST Wedding was on Jan 24! Cheers — Jess
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