The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor Running a marathon ranks as one of the most common yet least fulfilled ambitions in modern society. And is it any wonder? Few people have the mental and physical drive required to swiftly put one foot in front of the other across great distances. Laura Whitbread is one of the few. She was one of three Flin Flonners to recently complete the half-marathon in Winnipeg's Manitoba Marathon. 'It's just something I always wanted to try,' says the 25-year-old pharmacy technician. Whitbread has been running for the past four years but until the June 17 event had not competed in a marathon. She finished the 20.8-km event in two hours, six minutes and 22.6 seconds, placing a respectable 1,810th out of 3,816 participants. 'For my first one, I'm happy with that,' Whitbread says. Whitbread spent about five months training for the exhausting trek, running 10 to 15 kilometres a day. She was often seen running along the Perimetre Highway and through the community. The marathon was actually easier than Whitbread expected. Unlike Flin Flon, she notes, the marathon route had no hills. In crossing the finish line in Winnipeg, Whitbread impressed her family and friends. 'They were all really proud and congratulating me,' she says. Whitbread plans on competing in the half-marathon again next year, with her sights set on improving her time. 'Stress reliever' She calls running 'a good stress reliever' that 'helps clear my mind.' Also competing in the half-marathon were Celine Leclair, who placed 918th with a time of one hour, 54 minutes and 15 seconds, and Richard Leclair, who was 1,566th with two hours, two minutes and 53.9 seconds. Three other Flin Flonners competed in the Super Run _ a 4.18-km distance _ portion of the Manitoba Marathon. Rylan Laderoute, Kerrilynn Behrman-Laderoute and Grayson Laderoute finished 2,898th, 2,899th and 2,900th respectively. There were 3,059 participants. Rylan's time was 41 minutes and 50.4 seconds, followed by Kerrilyn with 41 minutes and 51.3 seconds and Grayson with 41 minutes and 52 seconds. Back in the half-marathon, six runners from Cranberry Portage laced up their shoes. Jonathan Merasty finished 479th with one hour, 45 minutes and 53.9 seconds. Next was Matthew Lind at 1,507th with two hours, two minutes and 14.9 seconds. Calvin Bighetty placed 1,773rd with a time of two hours, five minutes and 50.2 seconds. Elvis Sinclair was 3,520th with a time of two hours, 49 minutes and 7.2 seconds. Slightly behind was Sarah Lewis in 3,521st with two hours, 49 minutes and eight seconds. Daniel Dumas was 3,537th with two hours, 50 minutes and 23 seconds. In the relay, a Snow Lake team calling itself Snow Awesome placed 616th out of 733 teams. The team _ made up of Ara Stoupe, Pam Stoupe, Sherry Playford, Judy Peterson and Leone Jackson _ earned a time of four hours, 43 minutes and 41.1 seconds. Meanwhile, Flin Flon's Lola Leclair was part of a relay team known as Gerry's Joggers that placed 612th with four hours, 42 minutes and 21.8 seconds.
