The view along the Fort 91原创 5K and Half Marathon may be pretty, but the terrain is as tough as it gets, runners maintain.
David Palmer, one of the volunteers who help organize the annual event, describes it as 鈥渟cenic but challenging.鈥�
An calls the course 鈥渢he most scenic half marathon in the country鈥� beginning and ending at the historic fort in Fort 91原创.
Runners take a short tour through the townsite before heading out into the surrounding countryside to retrace the historic Hudson鈥檚 Bay Co. 鈥淭elegraph Trail鈥� and pass by Thunderbird Show Park, as well as the Driediger Farms strawberry fields.
Roger Antoniazzi, who has competed in every Fort 91原创 run since the event began 16 years ago, said the challenge is the hills.
There are lots of them.
鈥淭his is one of the toughest, if not the toughest half marathons that I ever ran,鈥� Antoniazzi related.
鈥淚t鈥檚 beautiful but it鈥檚 very difficult.鈥�
That happens to be the opinion of a runner with 93 half-marathons and 17 full marathons under his belt.
This year鈥檚 run was no easier.
Antoniazzi, who is diabetic, suffered a blood sugar drop around the 15 kilometre mark, and while he came prepared with the necessary sweets, it still slowed him down.
At 59, his goal is to compete in at least 20 of the annual runs presented by Peninsula Runners and Garrison Running Co.
READ ALSO: Barth wins Fort to Fort race
Four hundred runners took to the streets of Fort 91原创 for the 16th annual PR Fort 91原创 5K and Half Marathon early Sunday morning (July 14).
Weather conditions were ideal, warm but cloudy, noted organizer Alex Taylor.
鈥淭his is a perfect day for running,鈥� Taylor enthused.
First across the line was Victoria resident Samson Haire, who finished in a time of one hour, 20 minutes and seven seconds.
Walter Block came all the way from New Orleans to take part in his second Fort 91原创 race, competing in the 77-79 age division.
A persistent, but not especially fast runner, Block was given a head-start, plugging away at the route a half hour before the official start.
He finished second last overall, edging out a woman from Chilliwack.
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Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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