There aren’t many 18-month old kids who do 10km runs, let alone attempt to set a world record time at it.
Young Amelita Tai may well make her way into the Guiness Book of World Records after completing the Squamish Days 10k Run in 43 minutes and 7 seconds with her mom.
Mom and daughter were entered in the stroller division so the person who did all the work was Amelita’s mom, Allison Tai. Amelita’s father, John Tai, also played a key role in the effort to set a world record by acting as the running team’s pit crew, chief photographer and main cheerleader.
The trio from Vancouver participated in the annual run on Sunday and before entering the stroller division in the race they checked with the folks at the Guiness Book of World Records to see if they would accept her time for a 10k run. She was told she had to run the 10-kilometre distance in 45 minutes or less to be considered for a world record.
“I’m trying to break the records for all the distances but they wouldn’t accept five or eight k (km),” said Tai after her race. “I did an eight k (km) in 32 minutes a month or so ago but they wouldn’t accept it.”
The half marathon record time for running with a stroller is currently set at one hour 31 minutes and 51 seconds, said Tai.
“I’m probably going to try and break that but not this year because I’m injured,” she added.
In addition, she said she’s considering a try at the current marathon record time of four hours.
Tai said she was hit by a truck in 2006 and suffered a broken back, a broken pelvis and a broken arm. She ran the event in Squamish with a squished nerve in her back.
The fastest competitor in the Squamish race was John Machuga of Kelowna in a time of 33:53. Kristin Smart set the fastest women’s time this year when she crossed the finish line in 39:53.
Volker Schneider and Catherine Fleming were recognized for being the fastest Squamish residents in the race. Schneider clocked a time of 38:55 while Fleming ran the course in 50:17.
Emma Chadsey of Pemberton topped the female 18 and under division with a time of 41:54 while Walter Wallgram of Whistler was second in his age group with his time of 45:17.
Whistler’s William Goldstein did the course in 48:59 to finish fourth in his age group, less than a minute behind the third place finisher.
Christine Suter of Whistler just missed a podium finish with her time of 49:41.
Check back for more news from festivities this long weekend.
