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INUVIK
Britney Selina ran her competition into the ground June 22 when she won the Midnight Sun Fun Run half-marathon race.

Lorne Guy was all smiles early in the 10-kilometre portion of the Midnight Sun Fun Run on June 22. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo

Selina, who is relatively new to the Inuvik running circuit since moving here in March, easily bested the course with a blistering performance in her first ever half-marathon. She surged from third place at the 2.5-km mark into first by the five-kilometre mark and never relinquished the lead again.

Alice Graham was one of the early favourites to win but never came close to Selina's pace after the early stages.

An unforgiving swarm of mosquitoes helped pace the runners, and Selina was quick to note they were a help in setting a fast pace.

"I'm not really an avid runner," she said. "It was an awesome run. I've never done a half-marathon before. I've done two 10-Ks before

and that's about it."

"I think it's the same in terms of mental (discipline)," Selina said. "I just kept telling myself to keep going and I did. It's definitely harder than a 10-K. I can feel the shakes coming."

She said she'd like to attempt a full marathon now and has begun training.

Apparently, the midnight run didn't wear her out much. She was paddling on the river the next day with a friend in a canoe. Even the whitecaps and strong wind didn't faze her.

"No, I'm not really tired," Selina said with a laugh.

Graham said she hadn't trained that hard for the race, so she was uncertain about what her time would be like.

"I like to run," Graham said. "My greatest distance has been 28 kilometres, and I've never done a full marathon."

She was hoping for a time of about one hour, 50 minutes in the race, which would have been close to her personal best of one hour, 49 minutes.

"The toughest thing is keeping up your pace and just having the strength to get through it," she said.

Graham said she's primarily a triathlete.

"I'm more into that, but run training is important," she said.

At one time Inuvik had its own running club, but that's folded now, Graham said. There are still a number of avid runners around, who can frequently be seen on Marine Bypass Road. The ice road is also a favourite haunt during the long winter months.

"We'll run inside on the treadmill, out toward the airport and back. The ice road is my favourite to run on, because it's so straight and flat," Graham said.

Unofficial results showed that nine youth, 52 adults and two dogs participated.

The five-kilometre winner was Alexander Robertson while Jullian MacLean took the 10-km race. Times were not immediately available.

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