Report: On Sunday, April 17 nearly 90 participants gathered for the 18th Marathon Shuffle. The event drew hikers and runners from as far away as Denver, Colorado, and Kelowna, but the vast majority came from Powell River, many of them first time participants. This was the best turn out we have ever had, and the sunny day surely had something to do with that. Some early flowers were just beginning to appear, but as far as reports have it, no one went swimming this year.
Over 50 registered for the Full Shuffle, while another 35 began the Half Shuffle at the Wilde/Tomkinson road crossing. A few shuffled but did not sign in.
The Powell River Parks and Wilderness Society (1992) with help from the BOMB Squad and local hikers hosted the annual rite of spring. In preparation of the Shuffle nearly 1000 new red aluminium square markers were installed all along the Sunshine Coast Trail section from the start at Malaspina Road to the finish line at the Shingle Mill. The new large kilometre markers and wooden directional signs also augmented these and made it easy for the shufflers to stay on the correct route.
Each year some approach the event from the point of view of smelling the orchids
and stopping for pictures, etc., while others like to do it as fast as they can. A great
number of shufflers provided positive responses in regards to the experience, but some wished that Scout Mountain at the end of the course were rather less challenging.
Many of the shufflers commented on the excellent condition of the trail, and how the
new marking made following the trail easy. The support stations also impressed them. About 20 support staff were stationed along the way in six locations and at the finish line, supplying water, juice, fruit and even cookies and chocolate bars, plus smiles and encouragement.
This year Shelley Armitage ran an amazing 3:31 hr, eclipsing the old record by 27
minutes in the Women’s Division. Alston Miller clocked a blistering 3:01 hr and claimed the Tom Mills trophy for fastest overall time, coming within four minutes of breaking the shuffle record set two years ago by Kevin Sigouin.
Prizes were donated by Alpha Outdoor Adventures Store (basket of recreational items to Steve Merrick of Gibsons), Shingle Mill/Capone’s Cellar (Garmin wrist GPS 305 to Graham Kerr), Marine Traders (gift certificate to Alex Combe), Behr’s Massage (half hour massage to Lisa Skinner) and PRPAWS (XSNRG video to Kate Cooper).
Trophies for the three fastest times in the men’s division went Alston Miller, Steve
Beck, and Kevin Sigouin, and in the women’s division they went to Shelley Armitage,
Saravie Brewer and Valda Smith. Medal recipients in their age and gender groups were Byron Fader, Scott Fisher, Wayne Brewer, Tony Rice, Raimund Guse, Charlotte Styles, Maralie Brewer, Wendy Thomas, Trisha Thomas, Jill Brewer, and Christie Lepitre. Nadia Morrison received the trophy for the most leisurely shuffler this year.
Photos can be posted to Flickr, added to the CFA Flickr group and tagged with MarathonShuffle MarathonShuffle2011 ClubFatAssEvents2011 ClubFatAssEvents, instruction on how to do this are here.
If you follow the instructions above, your photos will be added to the sliceshow below:
Please let us know if you find any mistakes, wrong times, distances, mispelled names, etc. Some Half Shufflers did not sign in at the start and are missing from this list. Please contact us to get your results up.
