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32 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2008 Local runners enjoy a Goofy experience Women complete long-distance runs on back-to-back days By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Just because it was a Mickey Mouse race doesn't mean it wasn't tough. In fact, some might say running a half marathon one day and a marathon the next is a little goofy. That didn't discourage four Oakville residents from tackling the Goofy Race and a Half Challenge at Disney World in Florida in January. Kim Homer, Audrey Brown, Lynn Inglis and Iona Laird had all completed marathons before but "were looking for a bit more of a challenge," Homer said. The Disney experience was a new one. In addition to running on back-to-back days, competitors also had Mickey, Minnie and Donald Duck to cheer them on. For Homer, a Florida native, the race was a homecoming. But it was also an opportunity to enjoy a competition in a more relaxed atmosphere. "We ran at a comfortable pace. There was no pressure, no time goal," explained Homer, who said the experience was more important. "When we came into the Magic Kingdom, everyone was cheering us and we stopped and got our pictures taken with all the (Disney) characters." Still, you don't run 63 kilometres in two days without taking the challenge somewhat seriously. Members of the foursome, who had each completed a marathon in October, alternated between 15 and 30 kilometres a day in preparation for the event. The most difficult part of the Disney race turned out to be the weather. After training in frigid temperatures in December and January, running in Florida's heat was a bit of a shock to their systems. The women, who run out of The Running Room, wore shirts with their names and Canadian flags for the half marathon, which had 16,000 runners weaving through the amusement park. Afterward, they went for a well-deserved massage before waking up at 4 a.m. the next day to complete the marathon, which had 18,000 participants. And for Homer, the race also gave her family their first chance to see her complete a marathon. "Having them there at the finish line was pretty cool," she said. She has registered for next year's event and her husband Wayne, who ran the half-marathon this year, will join her for her second Goofy. MAGIC MOMENT: Local runners (left to right) Iona Laird, Lynn Inglis, Kim Homer and Audrey Brown take a minute to pose with Minnie Mouse after participating in the Goofy Race and a Half Challenge at Disney World last month. OAK to send 46 to junior provincials The Oakville Aquatic Club (OAK) will send 46 swimmers to the provincial junior swimming championships later this month in London. Thirteen more OAK athletes qualified for the provincials with strong showings at last weekend's Central Region Swimming Championships in Etobicoke. The club, which won the team championship last year at the event, placed third at this year's meet behind the Newmarket Stingrays and Mississauga Aquatic Club. OAK swimmers who earned spots at provincials included Jack Cavanagh (200-metre individual medley and 400m IM), Nathan Lang (100m backstroke, 200m back), Clara Armstrong (200m butterfly), Hannah Burgess-Dines (200m fly), Sharalynn Missiuna (100m breaststroke), John Steadman (200m back), Dan Rona (100m back), Karina Sils (200m fly), Julia Sinkovits (50m freestyle) and Holly Olsen (200m IM). Abbey Saunders, Olivia Sinclair and Hannah Hunt also qualified because of times they posted at previous meets, and the three 10-and-under age girls should help form a strong relay squad at provincials. Lang and Cavanagh led the way on the podium at regionals. Lang won both the 100m and 200m back, while Cavanagh claimed a gold and two silvers. Also winning gold medals were Alexandra Morris, Meghan Clark, Armstrong, Sils and Burgess-Dines. Among those earning silvers were Meredith Johnson, Bridget Scott, Dan Rona, Dylan Kent, Tyra Sweet, Linda Wang, Avery Longmore, Amanda Fraser, Nicole Mackenzie, Julie Koszo, Kristen Wharin, Jenna Wood, Michelle Carrabetta, Peter Serles, Jaret Charbonneau, Dragan Poposki, Connor Wilkins, Steadman, Olsen, Missiuna and Sinkovits. Adding bronzes were Sarah Watts, Ryan Lewis, Jason Bysice and Steven Ritchie. Alexandra Fabugais-Inaba, Sasha Boulton, Jacqui Boyer, Kelsie McNeill, Nicola Taccone, Alexandrea Will, Hillary Turk, Alana Boffa, Gregory MacLennan, Joel Pearson, David Whiteside, Ryan Maccarone, Marc Ovsec and Robert Plata each reached at least one event final.