Dickinson wins 5km Road Race in 18:30

Miramichi---Thirteen-year-old Laura Dickinson won the ladies version of the Miramichi River Runners (MRR) 5km road race on Sunday. The grade 8 student at Harkins Middle School covers the 3.1 mile race in 18:30.

She placed 7th overall in a field of 58 runners who competed in the club’s fourth race of 2013. The club sponsors 22 races throughout the year, which consist of 12, 5km runs, three 10km races, three-mile events and three cross-country races in the fall.

Dickinson said after the race, “I was excited as this was my first road race.” She has been competing in some cross- country races at school since grade three. Laura is the daughter of Dr. Mike Dickinson and Dr.Roxanne MacKnight.

Dr. Paula Keating placed second with a time of 18:45 while 12-year-old Emily Larkin was third in 21:02. This was Keatings first race since October when she suffered a running injury at the 20-mile mark of the Chicago Marathon.

Keating said, “I’ve been gradually increasing the running and pace and it’s coming along but still a way to go”. She has been in contact with the elite co-coordinator in Boston last week. She told him that she was recovering and not quite sure about entering the Boston Marathon in April. He said to just let him know by the end of March or so. This gives Keating a few more weeks and has been assigned a bib number F108 (moving up each year as she was F114 two years ago then F111 last year).

Stephane Boudreau of Caraquet won the race with a personal best time of 16:56 while Vincent Merriam also from Caraquet was second with a personal best of 17:18. Fifteen Austin Roberts from Shediac was third in 17:45.

Boudreau placed second in the February race in a time of 18:03 and with his 16:56 time in March shows a big improvement. Merriam was fourth in February in 18:18, knocking a full minute off his time a month ago.

There were 30 women entered in the race compared to 28 men just the opposite of the February run when 26 men competed against 24 women. The 58 runners has been the largest number of participants since the Ludlow 5km race in August 2011. The race then had 68 runners.

The MRR are enjoying an increase in the number of runners at all the races to date with a 20% hike over last year. This is due to the ever-popular Time Zone Race series, that pits runners against one another based on their own finishing time.

After the first three races Stephane Boudreau leads the A division with 144 points. Jeff Hoeksma heads the B group with 147 points while Amy Barrieau has 141 points to lead the C Class and Arlene Donaher is the D leader with 144 points.

The next race is on the river is April 21st,another 5km, with registration at the Linden Recreation Centre. The race starts at the cross roads where Newcastle Blvd. meets Beaverbrook Road at 11am sharp.

Registration is only $5 with students running free. Everyone is welcome to take part in all 22 races.

Check out the club’s web page at www.miramichiriverrunners.com

for more information.

How they Finished by the Numbers

Rank Name Name Resident Time PB

1 Stephane Boudreau Caraquet 16:56 *

2 Vincent Merriam Caraquet 17:18 *

3 Austin Roberts Shediac 17:45

4 Bruno Arseneau Beresford 18:00 *

5 Paul Thibodeau Moncton 18:08

6 Paul Comeau Miramichi 18:24

7 Laura Dickinson Miramichi 18:30

8 Paula Keating Miramichi 18:45

9 Raymond Caissie Richibucto-V 19:17

10 Ralph Williston Miramichi 19:36

11 Bradley Wood Ludlow 19:44

12 Gaetan Chiasson Caraquet 20:38 *

13 Jeff Hoeksma Miramichi 20:39 *

14 Normand Pitre Beresford 20:43 *

15 Peter Johnson Miramichi 20:50

16 Emily Larkin Miramichi 21:02

17 Aline Goguen Beresford 21:16 *

18 Karl Robichaud Miramichi 21:42

19 Mathieu Fourin Caraquet 21:48

20 Nicole MacCallum Miramichi 21:50

21 James Tremblay Miramichi 21:51

22 Wolfgang Hoeksma Miramichi 21:59

23 Mike Dickinson Miramichi 22:04

24 Rick MacLean Miramichi 22:15

25 Jessie Ross Miramichi 22:34

26 Pauline Aube St. Margarets 23:12 *

27 Amy Barrieau Miramichi 23:35

28 Lucy McCray Miramichi 23:57

29 Paula Sullivan Miramichi 24:02 *

30 Norman Brown Miramichi 24:19

31 Mark Trevors Miramichi 24:38

32 Tanya Wood Ludlow 24:45

33 Billy Morrissy Miramichi 24:51

34 Ann Gorges Miramichi 24:55

35 Elsa Robichaud Miramichi 25:07

36 Laura Perry Miramichi 25:14 *

37 Shane Henderson Miramichi 25:15

38 Amy Gregan Miramichi 25:24

39 Lindsey Taylor Miramichi 25:47

40 Kevin Curry Tracadie-Sheila 25:53

41 Arlene Donaher Miramichi 26:27

42 Lindy Silliker Miramichi 26:50

43 Rachel Hovey Miramichi 26:55

44 Stacey Dunfield Miramichi 27:07 *

45 William Casey Ottawa 27:31

46 Colette LeBlance Beresford 27:45

47 Chantel Saunders Miramichi 27:48

48 Claudette Arseneau Beresford 27:50 *

49 Mary Rawlison Miramichi 28:18

50 Andy Carruthers Miramichi 28:19

51 Jennifer Vienneau Beresford 28:33

52 Sue Crowder Miramichi 28:50 *

53 Candace Lyons Doaktown 30:18

54 Stacey Hare Miramichi 31:12

55 Drew Martin Miramichi 33:10

56 Brian Richard Miramichi 33:55 *

57 Yolande Cain Sunny Corner 33:56 *

58 Leslie Stewart Miramichi 34:50