Olympian Reid Coolsaet races Victoria Half as part of comeback from injury

In the midst of a comeback from injury, Canada’s second-fastest marathoner of all-time raced the Victoria Half-Marathon on Sunday.

The Hamilton, Ont. native, who has seldom raced in 2017 because an injured foot, used the race as a way to kick start “real training,” as he shared on Twitter on Saturday. The half-marathon, Coolsaet’s first attempt at the distance since the 2016 IAAF World Half-Marathon Championships, was his longest race since the 2016 Fukuoka Marathon. On Sunday, Coolsaet ran 1:07:27.

The 38-year-old and two-time Olympian had not raced on the roads since the Toronto Waterfront 10K in June.

Marathon Olympian Reid Coolsaet takes 3rd place in an unofficial time of 1:07:28 in the half marathon. #runvictoria pic.twitter.com/JxjDYXWEGv

— Royal Victoria Marathon (@VictoriaMarathn) October 8, 2017

Both 2017 Under Armour Eastside 10K champions triumphed in the half-marathon including Geoff Martinson and Sarah Inglis. Martinson, who trains with the B.C. Endurance Project, won in 1:04:28 while Inglis, a past CIS Cross-Country champion, topped the women’s field in 1:14:20, which, according to All Athletics, is a new PB. Martinson’s 64-minute clocking was also a PB per All Athletics rankings.

Sarah Inglis crosses the line as 1st women in the half marathon with an unofficial time of 1:14:21. #runvictoria pic.twitter.com/He8dYnvH2T

— Royal Victoria Marathon (@VictoriaMarathn) October 8, 2017

The GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon features its namesake distance as well as an 8K and half-marathon. The popular west coast event has a fast marathon with just 22m of elevation change; the 8K featured a new route for 2017. Daniel Kipkoech and Lissa Zimmer won the 42.2K in 2:21:04 and 2:48:33, respectively, on Sunday.

Coolsaet wasn’t the only 2016 Olympian in the field. Race walker Evan Dunfee did the marathon in 3:23:30.

Raceday Timing has the results.