Legacy Runners Club have raced over 50,000 KM of Vancouver roads

Returning Vancouver Marathon Runners are rewarded for their loyalty

Vancouver, BC – March 4, 2015 – Nearly 100 runners have joined the Legacy Runners Club representing over 50,000 kilometres covered at the Vancouver Marathon, with another 40 new athletes eligible to join if they race any BMO Vancouver Marathon event on May 3, 2015. The Legacy Runners Club recognizes runners who have participated in any of the Vancouver Marathon events 15, 20 or 25 times.

Celebrating returning runners who have contributed their energy and passion by racing Vancouver’s only marathon event at least 15 times, the current Legacy Runners Club members combined have raced over 1,000 Marathons and more than 45,000 KM in the Marathon distance specifically.

With the prestigious Vancouver Marathon evolving tremendously since its inception, that Legacy Club will continue to grow annually. What started as a five-loop race around Stanley Park with 32 runners, has now developed into a marathon weekend of events welcoming up to 18,000 runners in 2015.

While the Marathon remains the marquee race, the BMO Vancouver Marathon weekend also welcomes a Half Marathon, a new Marathon Relay with race distances between 5 and 13 KM, a separate 8 KM race, plus a Kids Fun Run that has doubled in size this year.

“With these added races, more types of runners and their families will have the opportunity to experience the BMO Vancouver Marathon and be recognized for their long-term support and loyalty to the Society,” says Charlene Krepiakevich, Executive Director of the Vancouver International Marathon Society, the non-profit organization responsible for the BMO Vancouver Marathon.

Set to compete in his 150th Marathon, RunVan Ambassador Neil Wakelin ran his first Vancouver Marathon back in 1975 and is now in the Legacy Club for completing over 20 of them in Vancouver, with a personal best of 2:29:27 at the 1979 Vancouver Marathon.

“The Legacy Runners Club is a fabulous way to recognize those runners over the many years that have contributed to the event,” says Wakelin.

“We are honoured to see participants show their unbridled dedication towards the Vancouver Marathon as well as the sport of running,” adds Krepiakevich.

Legacy Club runners will receive unique benefits including the following:

• Specially designed bibs at the Bronze (15 years), Silver (20) and Gold (25) levels
• Recognition on the Vancouver International Marathon Society webpage, runvan.org
• Access to express package pickup, and hospitality tents at the start and finish lines
• Runners who have run and completed a Vancouver Marathon event 25 times will also be invited to the Media Luncheon with the elite athletes and will be assigned a bib number for life to commemorate their achievement.

To help recognize the event’s rich history, the Vancouver international Marathon Society will also be posting #ThrowBackThursday pictures of past participants and events. One of the most recent posts commemorates Jack Taunton, co-founder of the Vancouver Marathon and BC Sports Hall of Famer, with a great action shot from 1973.

To learn more about the BMO Vancouver Marathon and its rich history, please visit www.bmovanmarathon.ca or runvan.org.