80-year-old Florence Barron runs Cape to Cabot 20K in 2:12:46
This race, one of the toughest in eastern North America, inspires amazing performances
80 y/o Florence Barron has just completed the #CapeToCabot2018 20 km road race. @sjmorningshow @sjmorningshow @Barrett_Heather pic.twitter.com/7Sn1Rv47TC
— Fred Hutton (@Fred_Hutton) October 14, 2018
Four hundred and twenty six runners (out of more than 500 starters) finished the 12th running of the Orangetheory Fitness Cape to Cabot 20K in Newfoundland yesterday, and the province’s doyenne of masters running, Florence Barron, did it in 2:12:46, at the age of 80.
RELATED: Tely 10’s Florence Barron smashes 80+ record
Barron has been running races and breaking age-group records in Newfoundland for years. And these races are not for sissies: the Cape to Cabot, which runs from Cape Spear to Signal Hill in St. John’s (with four major hills a mile-long climb up near the end), is billed as the “toughest race in Eastern North America.” Barron has run it many times, and last year she set a new personal best of 2:06:58.
Pete Bazeley finished 2nd in the #CapetoCabot2018 race. Ryan Caines placed 3rd. Ryan WILL be cold. @CBCNL @sjmorningshow @Barrett_Heather pic.twitter.com/mvNghZI0AF
— Fred Hutton (@Fred_Hutton) October 14, 2018
Katie Wadden was first across the finish line in the women’s race, in a time of 1:32:12. Melanie van Soeren was second, in 1:33:10, and Ali Crawford was third, in 1:35:29.
The men’s race was won by Zach Putt in 1:18:41. Pete Bazeley was second, in 1:21:22, and Brian Caines third, in 1:22:53.
Six years ago he lost his sight, yesterday, with the help of two friends, Craig Spurrell completed one of the toughest road races in this province. His story is coming up on the @sjmorningshow. #CapeToCabot2018 @KrissyHolmes @CBCNL pic.twitter.com/2IMzHVgvD4
— Fred Hutton (@Fred_Hutton) October 15, 2018
Craig Spurrell earned the distinction of being the first blind runner to finish this race. Running with two friends as guides, Spurrell’s time was 2:22:19. Spurrell lost his sight six years ago. Last year he set a new PB, 4:37:36, at the California Marathon in Sacramento.
Huge congratulations to our very own Zach Putt, who finished first with a time of 1:18 at this year’s @NLAthletics #CapetoCabot2018! pic.twitter.com/L0FuJiJBDx
— Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (@RNC_PoliceNL) October 14, 2018
The Cape to Cabot also has the distinction of being the first “green” race in Newfoundland and Labrador, with reusable cloth tote bags for race kits, permanent signage, real cutlery and plates for post-race refreshments, paperless communication, no thermal blankets (runners’ bags are brought to the finish line area), and the race has subscribed to a Pledge of Sustainability, working towards lowering the environmental impact of athletic events.
Update: In an earlier version of this story, we reported Florence Barron’s time incorrectly. We very much regret the error. – Eds.