The 35th Times Colonist 10k brought a flood of neon onto Victoria streets on Sunday morning with its colourful 1990s-inspired theme.
Participants wearing the official lime green race shirts — some still with coffees in hand — could be easily spotted as they streamed toward the starting point on Government Street near the B.C. legislature buildings.
Thomas Nobbs and Mackenna Fitzgerald, who took the men’s and women’s titles this year, wore regular running outfits.
But others had a bit more fun.
Carolyn and Derek Dykeman ran across the finish line holding hands with a shared finish time of 54 minutes, 12 seconds, dressed in Barbie and Ken’s rollerblading outfits from last summer’s Barbie blockbuster.
Carolyn said this year’s ‘90s theme made it easier to persuade Derek to join after several years of running it alone.
“She’s asked me every year and I finally broke down and said yes,” Derek said, joking that it was just like how they got married in the first place.
After 35 years, there’s bound to be a few repeat attendees at the TC10K.
An announcer said before the race that one attendee, John Coates, was running it for the 30th time.
Darien Attridge was back after a two-year break to triumph over a knee injury. “I wanted to beat my time with one less ACL — and I did it.”
But there were also plenty of first-time runners.
Finishing under the one-hour mark was Jake Wallace, 9, ahead of father Sean Wallace.
Jake, who attends George Jay Elementary and runs track and cross-country, said he didn’t train much. “I run in the mornings around the sidewalk.”
Wallace said it was amazing experience racing with his son.
“Everybody was cheering for him, and he’d run faster — and then I would have to run faster,” he said, still slightly out of breath.
Run team Healthy Role Models was once again the largest team this year, at 114 registered participants.
And about 70 people joined the race from the Victoria Hindu Parishad, according to team captain Ashok Anjappa.
The Hindu temple has participated in the race since 2011 and has found it a great way to connect with the community, he said.
A contingent from the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations made the trip from near Port Hardy on north Vancouver Island to take part.
Jamie Hunt said that people from Port Hardy-area First Nations have been running and walking the TC10K as a way to uplift and remember those who died before their time.
The tradition began as a way to remember her brother John, who died by suicide in 2012, Hunt said.
The yearly gathering receives support from B.C.’s Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council and this year’s hotel bills were paid for by the Kwakiutl band, she said, adding that fundraisers are also held to lower participation barriers.
About 50 people from four Port Hardy-area First Nations — the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw, Kwakiutl, Tlatlasikwala and Quatsino Nations — took part this year, she said.
More were expected to attend but had to pull out due to two recent overdose deaths in the community, Hunt said.
On Sunday, many of the runners wore yellow jerseys and wristbands in memory of Tony Zapp, who died in February.
Zapp, who is from Tlatlasikwala and Rivers Inlet, was an incredible soccer player, Hunt said.
North Vancouver Island has been hit hard by suicides and overdose deaths in recently, with the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations declaring a state of emergency over the issue last month.
“We’re doing this for a cause that hits close to home for us. It’s one that that nobody talks about, so we’re trying to take away the stigma around it,” Hunt said.
”It brings us together.”
