Mark Faas was a step ahead of the competition at the ninth annual Fall Challenge.
The 23-year-old mechanical engineer from Hanna completed the 21.1-kilometre half-marathon in one hour, 24 minutes and 53 seconds to finish in front of 226 runners on a sunny Sunday morning in St. Albert.
"It feels really, really good. It really does," said Faas, while trying to catch his breath after beating the runner-up, Daniel Brewster, by six seconds at the finish line at Kingswood Park. "I'm pretty sure it's a personal best time."
In third place was James Dean at 1:25:58.
Last year's half-marathon champion was A.J. Rankel of Edmonton at 1:21.
Winning wasn't on the radar screen for Faas when he entered the race.
"To place top five in under an hour and a half, I would've been happy with that."
He was clocked faster on the first of two loops on the Red Willow trail system while gunning for the lead runner.
"I was about fourth when I finished the first loop. The race was going good and I slowly worked my way past the first two guys ahead of me," Faas said. "About two-thirds of the way into the race I saw the guy that was ahead of me and I picked it up a little bit. I think there was about four Ks left to go and he had to stop. Once I got back to the far side of the loop, I looked back and saw him right behind me so I picked it up."
Faas was looking to end the outdoor season with a solid showing after competing at Ironman Canada.
"I started looking at some half marathons and this one looked like a really good race," he said. "I really liked it. There was a lot of good people out there and a lot of people cheering us on and a lot of support. It was a lot of fun."
His running background started with cross country in high school in Wainwright and then about five years ago he got into triathlons.
"I definitely like the longer distances," said the University of Alberta graduate.
Fastest female
Wietske Eikelenboom of the St. Albert repeated as the fastest female in the Fall Challenge at 1:31:16.
"I was definitely happy with the effort. It felt good," said the 49-year-old mother of three. "It's my second fastest time in this particular race."
Last year Eikelenboom finished seventh overall out of 254 runners at 1:31:12.
"I don't have to think running this course. I know exactly where I am at any time in the race," said the four-time Fall Challenge participant. "I'm able to compare myself year to year with how I do. I can't do anything about anyone else who's there, I can just run my race and concentrate on what I'm doing."
The second-best female in the half-marathon was Brita Danielson at 1:32:49. In third spot was Gerianne Zabolotniuk at 1:38:05.
Eikelenboom is an avid runner but the Fall Challenge was her first race of the year.
"I'm getting older so I try and train smarter. I need a little more recovery time," she said.
Eikelenboom is also an accomplished cross-country skier who competed at the Masters World Cup in March at Sovereign Lake in Vernon where she finished second in the 15-km classic in the 45-49 age group.
Eikelenboom was also the top female at the Canadian Birkebeiner Ski Festival near Edmonton in February. Her time in the 55 km with pack was 3:45:42.
"I do a number of things throughout the year. I just change over from cross-country skiing to running and triathlons and back to cross-county skiing and that starts in September for me," said the competitor at the 2011 ITU triathlon at Hawrelak Park. "Even though it's hard work it feels great to be healthy. I feel so lucky that I can do this. You never know how much longer you can compete at this level. You just keep pushing and see what happens."
RACE RESULTS: The registration total for the Fall Challenge was 451. Last year's record turnout was 494 runners and walkers.
For the complete list of the overall finishers in the half marathon run and walk, as well as the 10 and five km events, visit www.sva-club.com.
The Sturgeon Valley Athletic Club hosted the Fall Challenge.
