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Carson makes history at 5K championships

A quick look at Lindsay Carson’s running resume and it’s no surprise she would make history at her first Yukon Five-Kilometre Road Race Championships.
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A quick look at Lindsay Carson’s running resume and it’s no surprise she would make history at her first Yukon Five-Kilometre Road Race Championships.

The two-time national team member at the cross-country worlds did just that on Tuesday in Riverdale, becoming the first woman to place first overall – out of men and women – at the championship.

“I train with all guys anyway, so in practice I just treat guys and girls as runners in general,” said Carson. “I’m just competitive with both, I guess. Especially in a small town you can’t afford to separate them, you just train together.”

Carson, who placed fourth in the women’s 5,000-metre at the 2015 Canadian Track and Field Championships, finished in 17 minutes and 34 seconds – more than minute ahead of the top males.

The 26-year-old also set the women’s record for the certified five-kilometre course, first used at the championship in 2008. The Whitehorse runner has previously posted a sub-17-minute 5K on the road and a sub-16-minute on the track.

“I’m just coming off an injury, so I need some checkmarks of where I’m at in my base fitness,” said Carson. “It’s a hot day and I just wanted to give a good effort.”

Fellow open women’s runners Brianna Brandon (19:18) and Amelie Barbetta (20:11) placed second and third, respectively, for women.

On the men’s side of the championship – it’s a good thing that Athletics Yukon timer Marg White is so accommodating to latecomers.

Sam Lindsey and Scott Williams both arrived late – at separate times – started the race individually and coincidently finished with matching times of 18:48 to tie for first for males.

“Driving through town I was hoping I’d make it on time but then as I drove over the bridge I saw runners coming and I was like, ‘I hope Marg is accommodating,’ and of course she is,” said Williams. “It felt good to jump out of the car and run.

“I’m better at longer distances, so the five-K is more challenging for me because I don’t really know how to pace myself.”

Though they share the men’s overall title, Williams, 45, takes the masters male 2 title and Lindsey, 27, the open male title.

“When you don’t start with the pack, it’s a bit of a race against the clock,” said Lindsey. “I was just running, trying to see if there was anyone in my distance. It ended up turning out good, so I was pretty happy.”

Williams and Lindsey weren’t far ahead of a pair of up-and-coming youngsters.

Darby McIntyre, 16, placed third for males at 19:17. Like Carson, McIntyre has also competed on the world stage, winning gold and bronze in track running at the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles, Calif.

“I’ve gotten some faster times previously, but it’s good for me right now,” said McIntyre. “It means I’m going to get faster this year.

“The toughest part was I was cramping up a bit, I was feeling sick, the sun was a factor. But at the end I started to speed up. I was determined to finish fast.”

Naoise Dempsey reached the finish just two seconds behind McIntyre. The 13-year-old won a silver and bronze at the Jack Brow Memorial Track and Field Meet over the weekend in Kelowna, B.C.

Athletics Yukon will host the Yukon 10-kilometre Road Race Championships on Aug. 13.

Contact Tom Patrick at

tomp@yukon-news.com

Results

12-year-old male

1st Nathan Sutton – 25:11

13-year-old male

1st Naoise Dempsey – 19:19

13-year-old female

1st Breda McIntyre – 27:10

16-17 male

1st Darby McIntyre – 19:17

2nd Brahm Hyde – 22:17

Open male (20-34)

1st Sam Lindsey – 18:48

2nd Rodolphe Amyot – 20:39

3rd Kristian King – 26:14

Open female (20-34)

1st Lindsay Carson – 17:34

2nd Brianna Brandon – 19:18

3rd Amelie Barbetta – 20:11

4th Lauren Whyte – 20:44

Masters male (35-39)

1st Dan Macdonald – 24:40

Masters female (35-39)

1st Christie Harper – 25:56

Masters male 1 (40-44)

1st Warren Maroun – 31:49

Masters female 1 (40-44)

1st Anette Kralisch – 20:50

Masters male 2 (45-49)

1st Scott Williams – 18:48

2nd Doug Mayr – 22:37

Master male 4 (55-59)

1st Wayne Smyth – 22:52

Masters female 3 (50-54)

1st Helen Stappers – 25:18

Masters male (65-69)

1st Don White – 22:23

Masters male 4 (walker)

1st John Storms – 27:27

Masters female 4 (walker)

1st Bonnie Love – 34:29