Sooke runner Bruce Hawkes, 76, broke a record that many think will never be repeated B次元官网网址� and heB次元官网网址檚 pretty nonchalant about it.

By running in a Vancouver Island Runners Association race in North Saanich on Jan. 12, the senior completed his 200th consecutive Island Race Series race, a record 25 years in the making.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 definitely not a real runner,B次元官网网址� Hawkes modestly emailed friends before he completed his feat 1陆 weeks ago.

B次元官网网址淚 am a runner but just to prove IB次元官网网址檓 not really, this Sunday at the Pioneer 8K IB次元官网网址檒l be competing in no less than 200 consecutive Island Race Series.B次元官网网址�

In the Jan. 12 race, Hawkes finished a respectable 52:47, placed seventh out of 11 runners in the M57-79 age division and 477 overall in a field of 547.

Full results can be viewed .

Hawkes ran his first race in the Island Race Series on June 22, 1995 in the M50-54 division.

Vancouver Island RunnersB次元官网网址� Association general manager Louise Hodgson-Jones described Hawkes as modest, but his achievement extraordinary.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 very dedicated, obviously,B次元官网网址� Hodgson-Jones said.

B次元官网网址淏次元官网网址淚 think it would be pretty challenging. He doesnB次元官网网址檛 just do [the Island Race Series], but other ones as well, and he runs regularly during the week.

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Bob Reid has known Hawkes for more than 25 years, as both a member of the Sooke Trail and Road Running Club and Prairie Inn Harriers Running Club.

Reid, now high performance director of the Harriers Pioneer 8K, predicts no one will ever beat HawkesB次元官网网址� record.

B次元官网网址淚t takes 25 years to do it, and I donB次元官网网址檛 think anybody is prepared to put in that dedication, time, energy and effort into a streak like that.B次元官网网址� he said.

ItB次元官网网址檚 the second time the Vancouver Island Racing Series have honoured Hawkes for his longevity and consistency. In 2007, he was presented with the VIRA Century Endurance Award for 100 consecutive races.

In addition to the Island Race Series, Hawkes has an impressive record on other courses, including the Prairie Inn HarriersB次元官网网址� Gunnar Shaw Cross Country Classic, Thetis Lake Relay and Stewart Mountain Challenge, where heB次元官网网址檚 never missed a race

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 very quiet and keeps to himself,B次元官网网址� Reid said.

B次元官网网址淚 think heB次元官网网址檚 very proud of what he does and doesnB次元官网网址檛 want to brag or talk about it. He has a lot of determination.B次元官网网址�

Also on Jan. 12, VIRA unveiled a new age category: M90. Legendary runner and inductee of the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of fame, Maurice Tarrant completed the course with his daughter and training partner Claire in 1:13:09.

Tarrant is holder of 76 age-category Canadian records.

The Island Race Series is a series of eight races from Victoria to Courtenay. The second race in the series is this Sunday (Jan. 26) in Cobble Hill. The TriStars Sooke 10K is on April 5.

To register online for the Cobble Hill 10K go to: .

editor@sookenewsmirror.com
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