Lee Wesselius of River Glade, N.B., has ventured into the marathon a couple of occasions. After completing as the highest Canadian male on the 2023 Ottawa World Marathon in Might with a completing time of two:18:27, two mins over his non-public excellent, the now-veteran marathoner knew he wanted a transformation for the fall window. On Saturday, Wesselius set a two-minute non-public excellent on the McKirdy Micro Marathon in Rockland, N.Y., with a time of two:14:39, completing 6th general.
Reflecting on his efficiency, Wesselius shared, “My purpose heading into the race was once to set a brand new non-public excellent. I used to be aiming for a time between 2:13 and a pair of:14, so I’m moderately happy with the end result.”
Wesselius discussed that he had gained a call for participation for the elite box on the 2023 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, however opted for the McKirdy Micro Marathon because of the intensity of the lads’s box and the direction’s flat nature. He defined, “I noticed this race again in Might, and I assumed I may believe operating there if the sphere was once aggressive. In any case, it felt like the appropriate selection, in spite of forgoing the prospective prize cash in Toronto.”
The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon awards the highest Canadian female and male finisher with CDN $8,000. Home athletes too can doubtlessly earn further prize cash in the event that they position within the best 8 general.
Finally 12 months’s Canadian Marathon Championships in Toronto, Wesselius was once the 3rd Canadian finisher, with a time of two:16:51. He says he ran maximum of that 2022 race solo, with the eventual champion, Trevor Hofbauer, and second-place finisher Rory Linkletter, each crossing the end line a number of mins forward of him.
By contrast to Hofbauer and Linkletter, Wesselius is an unsponsored athlete who juggles coaching with a full-time activity as a large-animal veterinarian within the Ottawa space. “I most often start my coaching round 5:30-6 a.m., relying on when my first name of the day is available in,” Wesselius stated. “My morning regimen is composed of a 35- to 45-minute run, adopted by means of an extended 70-minute run or exercise after my workday ends, most often round 4 p.m.”
Wesselius stated that his new non-public excellent gave him an important self belief spice up as he seems ahead to a spring marathon. “I believe I’ve 2:12 within the legs,” he added. “Throughout the second one part of the race, I used to be in a position to overhaul many runners, and I have shyed away from bonking. It was once cool to overcome a couple of guys with sooner non-public bests.”
Wesselius, 29, was once no longer the one Canadian runner to make it into the highest 10. Thomas Toth of Lakefield, Ont., completed tenth, with a career-best time of two:15:57.
Even though Wesselius simply ran a marathon PB, he has a prime motivation to proceed coaching this autumn. “I need to do any other marathon within the spring, however I’m nonetheless figuring out the main points,” he stated. For now, he’s making ready for the Canadian XC Championships in Ottawa in November and the Vancouver First Part in February.
