Ailsa MacDonald of St. Albert was the top Canadian female at the 120th Boston Marathon on Monday.
MacDonald finished 22nd overall among females with a time of two hours, 49 minutes and 59 seconds.
The 35-year-old power engineer was one of only two Canadian women on the elite start list. She was clocked with back-to-back sub 19 five-kilometre splits as the front-runner before slowing in the latter stages of the 42.2-km race.
MacDonald’s goal was to run a 2:43 or 2:44 in her second Boston Marathon.
In January, MacDonald ran a personal best of 2:44:56 at the Houston Marathon and on April 3 won the San Francisco Rock ’n’ Roll half-marathon in 1:22:14, five minutes ahead of her closest competitor. She passed five K in 18:44 and 16 K in 1:02:21.
Last year, MacDonald was the top female and second overall finisher in the Golden Ultra Trail Marathon, a three-day running race (or relay) in Golden, B.C. Her total accumulated time was 9:10:03.
The former Edmonton Marathon and Red Rock Canyon Marathon winner also finished as the top Canadian at the 2013 Los Angeles Marathon.
The endurance athlete also dabbles in Olympic-distance triathlons.
MacDonald grinds out the kilometres on a 400-metre crushed gravel running track or spends time in the gym during 10-day shifts while working at a northern camp facility when she is not rattling off training runs in St. Albert.
The 53rd annual Edmonton and area Tournament of Champions ended sooner than expected for the mixed and women’s President’s Cup playoff winners at the St. Albert Curling Club.
Doug McLennan, last year’s city champion, and Lauren Jenkyns, the 2015 finalist and 2014 champion, were eliminated in Saturday’s semifinals by the eventual champions at the Edmonton Garrison Memorial Golf & Country Club.
McLennan lost a tight 6-5 decision to the Saville and Jenkyns fell to the Derrick 6-5 on the last shot. Jenkyns needed to steal one in eight for the extra end and was lying two when the Derrick skip made a double for the win.
Both teams lost their A qualifiers Thursday but rebounded in Friday’s B qualifiers for semifinal berths. Jenkyns rolled over the Saville 12-4 and McLennan stole the winning point in eight against the Thistle. It was tied coming home.
McLennan finished 3-2 and Jenkyns, who will represent St. Albert at the Alberta Travelers Club Championship in October, was 2-2.
Meanwhile, St. Albert men’s champion Jamie King lost to the Avonair and Sherwood Park for an early exit in the men’s bracket.
The season openers have been finalized for the St. Albert Impact teams in the Edmonton District Soccer Association.
The first match for the premier women is May 1 against Angels Scottish SC at 4 p.m. at the ESA Complex.
The division 1B Impact 2 women start April 24 against the Green and Gold Classics at 5 p.m. at Foote Field.
The division 2A Impact 2 women, last year’s EDSA division 3A champions and Alberta Soccer Association Tier 3 gold medallists, host Wind CT on May 5 at 7 p.m. at Riel Park.
Brian Murphy is coaching all three Impact women’s team this season.
The FC Edmonton Academy team will play under the Impact name in the premier men’s division for the third year in a row and the league fixtures kick off May 2 against Juventus at 6:30p.m. at ESA South Centre.
The men’s division 1A Impact Rangers are back on the pitch April 30 against Sherwood Park Karpaty at 2 p.m. at the ESA Complex.
The division 1B Impact 2 men are in action May 11 against Futballers FC at 7 p.m. at George Luck field.
Visit www.edsa.org for the Impact men’s and women’s fixtures.
