A runner from Down Under came out on top in the third annual Leading Edge RunWild Marathon.
Caine Warburton, a vacationing 25-year-old ultra marathoner from Mudgeerabe on the Gold Coast of Australia, broke the course record to upset Marc Meunier, the two-time defending champion and hometown favourite.
“It’s fantastic. I never thought I would win a marathon,” a fresh-looking Warburton said after a scorching two hours, 44 minutes and 10 seconds on a balmy Sunday morning. “This is the first marathon I’ve done in about three years.”
The previous Sunday, Warburton ran the Edmonton Police Foundation Half Marathon and finished second at 1:14:54.
He heard about the RunWild race through his Running Room connections back home and was successful in gaining a late entry to join the field of 121 competitors.
“I’m here on holidays with wife. We came down from Jasper last night to have a run and we’ll go back to the mountains today,” said Warburton.
His time was quicker than Meunier’s showing of 2:58:21 in 2011 and 2:49:15 last year.
“It's surprising,” said Warburton of his better than expected result. “I knew Marc was a previous winner but I didn’t know what times he had done before. He can definitely run though.”
Warburton greeted Meunier at the finish line after the Paul Kane High School athletic director wrapped up the 14th marathon of his career at 2:48:26. With RunWild medals dangling from their necks, the pair of elite runners chatted about the race in which they totally dominated. Finishing a distant third was 28-year-old Alex Petrosky of Edmonton at 3:06:41.
Afterwards, the 40-year-old Meunier put on a brave smile but was clearly gutted inside by the outcome.
“It was not what I was hoping for obviously, but I lost to a great runner fair and square. He was strong. He was fast. He raced very well,” Meunier said with a wistful expression.
Meunier’s time was his personal best in St. Albert’s only marathon but it wasn't enough to three-peat.
“I will take the time but it’s my hometown and I wanted to put on a good show for the fans,” he said.
Both runners agreed once Warburton passed Meunier on the course it was a done deal, but at what point in the race the TSN turning point took place is unclear.
“It was really surprising I ended up getting Marc because he took off like a gun,” Warburton said. “He dropped me at about 12 K. He put about 100 metres on me on a hill and I just let him go and ran my own race. Then around 21 K there is a bit of a hill and I caught him as we were going up. I just put on a bit of the afterburners and dropped him. After that it was really good.”
Meunier figured it was about the 26 K mark when things went downhill for him.
“I fell apart in the last half big time. It was terrible,” he said with a shrug of the shoulders. “I ran my best first half. It was 1:19 and I felt great. Then at 26 K he decided to go for it. He passed me and that was it. I had nothing. My legs were flat. Once he got by me I just couldn’t close the gap on him anymore.
“He ran smart. I give him all the credit.”
Warburton was impressed by the course layout that wound its way through the streets of St. Albert and the Red Willow trail system and was equally thrilled by the festive atmosphere surrounding the race.
“It’s very hard. There are a few little hills and they hurt,” he said. “It’s a really great event. There were lots of supporters and volunteers and I really enjoyed that. There was lots of cheering going on.”
FAST TRACKS: Overall, 102 runners finished the 42-km marathon, including 60 males.
There were 91 finishers last year and 121 two years ago.
The second fastest St. Albert male in the race was Glenn Mack at sixth overall at 3:18:48. The longtime St. Albert teacher placed second behind Meunier in the men’s 40 to 49 category.
In 2011 Mack also finished sixth in the RunWild and his time was 3:15:27.
Visit www.zone4.ca for complete race results.