An impressive year ended as a dream for Kelowna marathoner Vik Bains last weekend.
At the 25th annual Okanagan Marathon, Bains recorded his first-ever race win on his home course with a time of 2:38:08. This was the third time that the seven-year runner has joined in the Okanagan Marathon where he finished a full minute ahead of second place.
Bains said that the win is the highest accomplishment of his racing career.
香蕉视频直播淏eing from Kelowna and winning in Kelowna was the pinnacle for sure,香蕉视频直播� said Bains.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a dream come true. I visualized coming down that last lane of the course like 10,000 times. There香蕉视频直播檚 nothing more special than winning my first race in my hometown.香蕉视频直播�
READ MORE: Annual SunRype Okanagan Marathon celebrates 25 years
Earlier this year in April, Bains set his former personal best at the Boston Marathon, one of the toughest races in the world. Then in June, Bains ran to a quicker time than NHL legends Daniel and Henrik Sedin at the 2019 Scotiabank Half Marathon in Vancouver.
The win at the Okanagan Marathon tops the cake for Bains香蕉视频直播� 2019 accomplishments.
香蕉视频直播淭his is bigger than Boston for me because of the soil that the race was on,香蕉视频直播� said Bains.
香蕉视频直播淭here is no other race that means this much and that would have been as big a race to win for me.香蕉视频直播�
READ MORE: Kelowna marathoner bests former Canucks at Vancouver race
Bains describes the race as a dog fight as he was neck-and-neck with the second place finisher, Richard Macdonald, for close to 40 kilometres.
But with less than two kms remaining, Bains dropped the hammer to pull off the win, pulling inspiration from his biggest supporters.
香蕉视频直播淚t was a really tight race, but I knew I had friends and family waiting for me at the finish line,香蕉视频直播� he said.
香蕉视频直播淚 wanted to do it for them and represent our team.香蕉视频直播�
In his hometown of , Vik Bains gets his first-ever win at the Okanagan Marathon last weekend. Stay tuned for more about Bains香蕉视频直播� impressively successful year 鈦︹仼
香蕉视频直播� Mack Britton (@MackBrittonBC)
Members of Bains香蕉视频直播� Kelowna running group also recorded some big times at the Okanagan Marathon. Teammate Jeff Vogt won the 10 kilometre race while Jason Deleurme finished third in the half marathon.
READ MORE: Kelowna man sets personal best at 2019 Boston Marathon
Bains trained for more than 12 weeks along side Olympian Malindi Elmore preparing for the race. He ran more than 130 kms a week and with a gold medal now in hand, the work has evidently paid off.
Now with the marathon season completed, he香蕉视频直播檚 ready to take things a little slower going into the winter.
香蕉视频直播淚 couldn香蕉视频直播檛 have done this without my all-star wife, Jessie, who supports me while I train like crazy,香蕉视频直播� Bains said.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 excited to take some downtime, have a beer, relax and spend more time with family.香蕉视频直播�
But the time off will be temporary, he said.
After the successful 2019 season, Bains contemplates a potential retirement, but not before entering next year香蕉视频直播檚 Okanagan Marathon for a chance at the repeat win.
香蕉视频直播淵ou got to defend the title. I香蕉视频直播檓 going to get stronger and do it all over again,香蕉视频直播� said Bains.
香蕉视频直播淏ack to back.香蕉视频直播�
(Correction: A previous version of this story had Bains香蕉视频直播� time recorded at 2:28:12. That time has been corrected)
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