Kate Bazeley took home her seventh win in the women’s division at the Tely 10 road race through Paradise, Mount Pearl and St. John’s on Sunday. It’s also the third year in a row that Bazeley was crowned women’s champion.
Bazeley crossed the finish line with a time of 54:55, nearly two minutes faster than her time in last year’s race.
“It’s not exactly what I would’ve hoped for, but for the day, it’s the best that I could do today,” Bazeley said, in reference to the weather. It was a hot and humid morning for the racers, with the temperature hovering around 21 degrees.
It’s the first time in three years the race has been run during the summer season. For the last two years, it was moved to October due to high heat.
“Cooler is always better when it comes to running,” Bazeley said. “I don’t know if its good or bad luck that the weather’s changed, it could’ve held off for a few more days.”
Noah Defreyne was the overall winner, crossing the finish line with a time of 53:40. Defreyne said the heat didn’t bother him.
“It was definitely to my advantage,” Defreyne said. “I’m from Ontario and I spent many summers on the track, sweating buckets.”
Defreyne said he was running in honour of his aunt Jen Defreyne, a chemical engineer and co-founder of Landwash Brewery in Mount Pearl, who died after a battle with brain cancer in 2019.
“That was really hard for me and my family,” Defreyne said. “She was one of the people we all looked up to the most, one of my biggest role models.”
“One of her favourite things was watching me run, so to be able to come here and win the Tely, it’s such an amazing feeling,” he said.
“The thing she taught me the most is the power of a dream,” Defreyne said. When asked if winning the race represented his dream coming true, he said no.
“The dream never stops really, this is just the beginning.”
The heat also didn’t bother Joe Ryan, who was running his 50th Tely 10.
“I’ve been there in other warm races, you learn to adapt to those,” he said. “You take your time, sip your water, throw some over your back or in your cap.”
“I started way way back in the late 60’s, and the very first race was on a track, only a handful of people, maybe 10 or 15 runners, and I won,” Ryan said. “But, I didn’t win today.”
In addition to a pin celebrating his 50th run, Ryan did win an honorary Dr. John Williams Award, which is presented to Tely 10 participants who inspire others through spirited participation in the annual road race.
“I didn’t expect it all, but I’m grateful to have received it,” he said.
Dennis Flynn was this year’s other recipient of the Dr. Williams award.
“I was probably more surprised than any one,” he said. This race was his 18th Tely 10 but he figures he has competed in around 270 racing events around the world so far.
“I kind of suck at them all but I’m out there having fun,” Flynn said with a laugh. He said that’s what the Dr. Williams award is all about.
“This recognizes folks who may not be the first in the pack but they will always persevere and be enthusiastic.”
Some other racers who shared Flynn’s mindset include the family of Ron O’Toole, a man who won the race for three consecutive years beginning in 1923.
“His grandchildren and children decided to get together and honour his 100th anniversary of winning,” said Paul Cote, O’Toole’s grandson. “We’re all proud of him and we wanted to get together and see the family again cause we’re all over the country.”
The O’Toole family planned a reunion around the idea of walking across the finish line together. Family members from all over the country came together for the race.
Bernice O’Toole Osmond of Gananoque, Ontario said she was excited to honour her father’s memory.
“I was delighted, really proud,” she said.
O’Toole Osmond described her father as a passionate athlete.
“He was the first Newfoundlander to run in the Boston marathon,” she said.
Though this was her first Tely 10, O’Toole Osmond hopes to run again next year.
“Please God,” she said. “If I’m alive.”
According to the Tely 10 website, registration was around 2,611 runners, down slightly from last year’s October running, with 2,750 participants.
Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
