(Photo by Janet Norman-Bain)

Loretta Van Ekris
2008 Proude's Shoes Most Improved Runner

The RoadRunners Club is pleased to present the 2008 Proude’s Shoes “Most Improved” RoadRunner  to Loretta Van Ekris.

This award looks for consistent improvements over the past three race seasons, and Loretta has certainly demonstrated improvement over that time.  When comparing the 2006 season to the 2008 season, she has improved in all distances. 

Loretta has dropped on average 3 minutes and 30 seconds from her 5K time.  She posted a personal best of 22:44 at the Proude’s Shoes 5K run.  Loretta has improved on average 7 minutes and 30 seconds at the 10K distance. She had a time of  46:32 at the Source for Sports run in Summerside. 

Her first experience with a longer run resulted in a 5:50 pace at the Fulton Campbell 20K in 2006.  In 2008, with the Fulton Campbell being bumped up to a half-marathon, Loretta took her pace down to 5:30.  Her finishing time was actually faster in 2008 than it was in 2006, despite the fact that the race is now 1.1 kilometers longer! She has since lowered her pace in the half-marathon distance to 5:08 at the Moncton half.

Loretta has run 7 marathons from Oct. 2006 to Oct. 2008. She has improved her time by over 46 minutes in 24 months and recently qualified for Boston in a time of 3:46:32. 

Loretta improvement has not come without dedication and hard work.  On average, she attends approximately 20 RoadRunner races, she has participated in a couple of Stans running groups, she is constant presence with the Saturday morning Hotel Run Group. She has competed in a number of off Island Marathons, and she tries to supplement her training with cycling in the summer and swimming in the winter.

Loretta, it gives us great pleasure to acknowledge your hard work, and dedication, and award you the Proude’s Shoes Most Improved RoadRunner award.

Congratulations Loretta!