By Chris Raeside

The 2012 Vancouver Sun Run went down on a gorgeous spring day only to be followed by nearly a weeks worth of rain, typical Vancouver weather. Nearly 49,000 people came out to challenge themselves on a rather cool Sunday morning, perfect running weather. Despite attendance not topping 50,000, it couldn't be considered anything other than a success.

For the Douglas College Running Club, success would only be defined by a 2nd consecutive win in the Non-Corporate & Non-professional Club/Association category. The team was anchored by their top male runner Travis Fraser and top female runner Emily Weekes who ran 34:52 and 42:17 respectively. Even more impressive than individual feats was team depth. The top 10 runners from each team contribute to an overall team time.  The team ran a cool 7:04:42 with all 10 runners under 50 minutes and the top 7 below 44 minutes. Had the team chosen to enter the Education category, they would have won it by 20 minutes as well. Team expectations for next year are nothing less than a repeat.

With a strong core group of runners, the future looks bright for the Douglas College Running Club. Although running is an individual sport, the club thrives on a team atmosphere. Many members enjoy competitive races but many do not, yet they all strive for personal bests. It's a simple pleasure to watch the team practice and laugh in unison to the familiar sound of 'drive the knee' only to be followed by a refocused effort on achieving their goals.