Our year-end party and awards, 2018

The Victors wound up another outdoor season on Nov. 27 with a party at the Albion Hotel, and a series of awards presentations for 2018 achievements. We also heard reports on the club’s activities this year, plans for the new year, and a financial report from our treasurer. We honoured the following members.

Brad Morley, lists Elizabeth’s Waywell’s accomplishments in 2018 (Waywell was not present).

Five major award winners

Usher Posluszny Award (outstanding performance, named for an early club leader and coach): Elizabeth Waywell, for setting four NATIONAL age group awards this year in the Women’s 60-64 category (8K, 10K, half-marathon, and full marathon). Although she won this trophy two years ago, and we don’t normally do repeats, there was no way we couldn’t award this to Elizabeth this year. She raced and trained at a super high level, achieving things no Guelph Victor has ever accomplished (national records) and also racing the uber demanding Comrades Ultra Marathon in South Africa — she won her age group there, and at the Boston Marathon last spring. She’ll return to Boston this year with an elite entry they granted her.

Vic Matthews Award (service to the Guelph Victors, named for our founder): Kelly Rupoli, for helping establish the new Victors Leadership Committee, and for the perseverance to overcome her breast cancer diagnosis and return to running this past year.

Multisport Athlete of the Year: Matt Underwood, for an outstanding performance at Guelph Lake 1 sprint triathlon, where he RAN 5K with his bike, after having a flat tire mid-race, and for gradual improvement in tri distances up to 70.3 (half-ironman).

presenting Grit and Determination award to Chris Shaw — Mary Catherine Stewart (left) presents the *Grit and Determination Award* to Chris Shaw

Grit and Determination Award: Chris Shaw (photo above), for finally running a sub-3 hour marathon this year, after three previous 3:04 finishes — he ran 2:56 in Mississauga last spring and looked fantastic as he crossed the finish line. Chris has been at the very front of many of our track workouts and time trials for several years. We’ll miss him as he bought a house and moved to Dundas recently.

Kelly Legge (right) accepted the *Roger Bannister Award* for community service

Roger Bannister Award (for community service): Up and Running, the Guelph-based program, now two years old, that helps women overcome depression with a running and walking program led by a team of volunteers. The Award was accepted by Kelly Legge, an Up and Running leader.

Tica Simmons, Julie Fordyce, Robert Winckler, Brad Morley and Tim Uuksulainen were among the “sock” award winners

More than a dozen “sock” award winners

Elizabeth Stewart: for outstanding triathlon results this year
Robert Winckler: for setting another world record recently, for fastest half-marathon carrying a bag of golf clubs (1:57), his THIRD world record in three years
John Pedlar: for excellent age group results in the 5K and 10K this year
Nick Ingram: for consistent results at the track, and very solid time trials
Donovan Moore: one of our youngest members, for a blazing half-marathon (1:22) in Hamilton, and regular track attendance
Lyndsay Dokas: for constant improvement in her 4 time trials this year, plus a good result at the Hamilton Half (1:59)
Kathryn Dean: for being our rookie-of-the-year, coming in mid-season and joining our fastest females
Julie Fordyce: for an excellent result at Run for the Toad 25K, winning her age group (W40) and placing third overall in 2:09
Tica Simmons: for producing not one but three half-marathon PBs (1:46, 1:40, 1:37) over the course of this year
Martin Lacelle: for steady progress at the marathon distance, running a 10-minute PB in Hamilton (3:30)
Alex Sawatzky: for consistent track attendance leading to a marathon PB (3:13) an age group win (W25) and 5th overall finish in Hamilton
Tim Uuksulainen: for providing excellent private coaching to some of our most successful racers this year
Brad Morley: for being named to the U of T Sports Hall of Fame last spring as a member of the university’s 1974 provincial and national cross-country championships team

Membership grows in 2018, plus financial report

The membership and activities of the Guelph Victors grew in 2018, in particular the attendance at winter indoor track, which nearly doubled from 2017. Here’s a statistical summary:

126 members for the outdoor season, and 61 attending the winter sessions
25 outdoor track workouts, 12 indoor workouts, with three active coaches
366 email subscribers, and 330 Facebook group members
almost 200 people attending our four speaking series events (new this year)
sales (120 pieces) of three types of garments: jackets (new), buffs (newish), and singlets (old hat)

Here’s a summary of the club’s finances through to the end of November:

$12,398 in membership income and garment sales
$7,225 spent on coaching, garment purchases, track rental, insurance, and the speaker series
$5,965 on expected expenses to year-end, on Victors jackets, the U of G runner’s bursary, and awards night
a projected surplus of $1,732 on Dec. 31, 2018