Like the Royal St. John’s Regatta, the possibility of record times at The Telegram 10-Mile Road Race is proving to be quite dependent on the weather.
Sunday’s 91st Tely 10 was run in very high humidity, with temperatures at 20 degrees by the 8 a.m. kickoff.
Rain did arrive, but not until about 10 a.m., by which time most of the runners had cleared the course.
While the weather didn’t slow female winner Jennifer Murrin, who won her second straight Tely title with the sixth-fastest time ever recorded (56:58), men’s champ Colin Fewer was feeling the effects of the hot, muggy morning.
He eventually won, a year after copping his record 10th Tely crown. But while he raced to a personal best 49:41 last summer, his time of 52:05 Sunday was his slowest time in the Tely since 2005 when he ran that exact time for his first championship.
“There were a few rough patches in there where I ran some of the slowest miles I’ve ever run on the course,” said the recent-turned 41-year-old teacher, who originally hails from Harbour Main, of Sunday’s race.
“I guess I realized by five miles that this is not going to be a fast day. There was a little bit of survival going on after that.
“In 2011, we had really humid conditions and I barely crossed the line. That was close today. I felt I just needed to get to the line.”
Fewer owns seven of the 25 fastest times ever recorded in the Tely, including three in the top 10 (Hall of Famer Paul McCloy has four).
But, as with most outdoor sports in Newfoundland, the weather has a big say in what happens.
“I’d have 10 sub-50s if only for the weather,” Fewer said with a smile. “But getting a perfect day is rare. It’s the nature of the beast this time of year in Newfoundland.”
“I realized by five miles that this is not going to be a fast day. There was a little bit of survival going on after that. In 2011, we had really humid conditions and I barely crossed the line. That was close today.”
2018 Tely 10 men’s champion Colin Fewer
Graydon Snider, the scientist from Montreal, had another strong Tely 10, finishing second in 52:40. Snider has recorded five second-place finishes in the Tely 10, and two thirds.
Chris Galley of St. John’s was third in 54:01.
“Yeah, definitely … incredibly,” Fewer replied when asked if poor weather impacting a race is frustrating. “That’s why last year, even though I had that personal best (49:41), I was terribly frustrated because I knew that was the one day where it as there for me.
“But the weather wasn’t there.”
The 2017 Tely 10 was held under glorious weather conditions, at 14 C under sunny skies but winds from the south were a breezy 33 kilometres.
In what’s become somewhat routine, Fewer led from the get-go Sunday, though his pace was admittedly off compared to previous years.
Close behind were Snider and Ryan Brockerville.
“I could hear the guys behind me. It was probably at five miles I moved ahead a tiny bit. I was guessing they were 100 metres behind me, maybe 150 metres.”
Nick Snow placed fourth in a time of 54:22, while Michael Gill of Oakville, Ont. came in fifth place in 55:02.
Marystown native Brockerville, one of Canada’s top steeplechase track and field competitors, placed a disappointing 37th in 1:03.26.
So, for another year Paul McCloy’s record time, an incredibly quick 47:04 ran in 1985, remains intact.
Asked if he feels he’d ever have a crack at the long-standing standard, Fewer replied: “Not without EPO (a performance enhancing drug),” he said with a big grin and chuckle.
For now, Fewer takes pride in turning in sub-50 minute times, and he plans to continue making his mark as a masters (40-plus) runner.
“Most 40-year-olds are afraid of these challenges, but I want to show them you can do it if your motivated and have any kind of desire,” he said.
“Peter Power, who’s 54 or 55, is a world-class runner for his age (Power was sixth overall Sunday). Florence Barron is an amazing woman (she ran a record 1:36.86 in the 80-plus category).
“Life is pretty precious. If you love it, get out and do it. Don’t short-change yourself.”
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Twitter: @telyrobinshort
