HIGH ACHIEVERS: Stay-Safe Edition
Training for the 2020 road racing season was going well for Justin Lagat at his home in Eldoret, Kenya, during January and February. Aiming to run a fast time, he was considering a return to the Ottawa Marathon. @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

By March, that plan disappeared as the world was crushed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The road racing industry immediately stopped. But from that knockout punch emerged something called virtual races. Run at home. Submit your time. See where you rank. @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

"Ottawa Marathon then offered the option for runners to run it virtually," Lagat wrote during an e-mail interview this week. "It gave me a good reason to continue my training, to get to run a marathon and to raise money for charity." @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

Instead of opening up Ottawa-Gatineau to runners of all abilities on the 4th weekend of May, Ottawa Race Weekend organizers spread their event over 4 months. Runners could pick their own 2-/5-/10-/21.1-/42.195-kilometre course, submit their time(s). @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

Runners paid a registration fee and received a race kit, medal, T-shirt and a surprise to run their race(s) between May 15-Sept. 17. Lagat, who ran the Ottawa Marathon in 2016 (96th, 2:55:46) and 2017 (27th, 2:26:49) was keen on the new approach. @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

"It was an amazing experience," Lagat added about his 2016 and 2017 Ottawa Marathons. "I did love everything about the race, the race management, the race volunteers and the people of Ottawa in general." @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

The Ottawa Race Weekend, which was attracting close to 50,000 runners in its prime a few years ago, offered five main virtual races, a series of multi-race challenges and various options to tackle the gruelling marathon. Lagat decided on four races. @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

Using Eldoret as his road-racing epicentre, Lagat placed in the top five in the 2K, 5K, 10K and marathon. "With the high altitudes of over 2,100 metres above sea level, obviously, I could not go for my personal-best times here." @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

But his clockings were still impressive as Lagat ran in the men's 35-39 class: 2K, fifth overall, 6 minutes, 57 seconds; 5K, second, 16:04; 10K, first, 32:52; and marathon, second, 2:40:43. @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

The inaugural virtual Ottawa Race Weekend, which attracted 7,419 entries, was a good experience for Lagat. "It has been hard to remain motivated and to keep on training without any plans for an upcoming race. But I haven't stopped." @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

By running the 2K, 5K and 10K races, Lagat also qualified for entry in the Bytown Challenge, where he placed first overall. Natalie Cherryholme of Ottawa was the top woman in the multi-race category. @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

Here are the results of the 2K, 5K, 10K, 21.1K and 42.195K races, featuring the top three men and top three women. @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

Men's 2K: Rapha L. Archambault-Laurin, Granby, Que., second overall, 6:33; Bob Farris, Springfield, U.S.A., 6:56; Dylan Reed, Ottawa, 6:56. @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

Women's 2K: Joliane Levasseur, St-Joseph-du-Lac, Que., first overall, 5:38; Cecilia McCabe, Ottawa, seventh, 7:19; Bonny Chan, Milton, ON., 32nd, 9:10. @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

Men's 5K : Nolan Turgeon, Victoriaville, Que., 15:53; Justin Lagat, Kenya, 16:04; Marco Cote, Gatineau, 16:45. @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

Women's 5K: Jessica Gaudette, 18th overall, Windsor, 19:35; Jocelyn Giannotti, 19th, Ottawa, 19:49; Ciara Villeneuve, 21st, Ottawa, 19:52. @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

Men's 10K: Justin Lagat, Kenya, 32:52; Brandon Toal, Edmonton, 33:40; Frederic Desbiens-Tremblay, Quebec City, 35:43. @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

Women's 10K: Winnie Kosgey, fourth overall, Eldoret, Kenya, 36:09; Jen Moroz, fifth, Vancouver, 36:30; Andrea McNab, 15th, Port Hope, ON., 40:17. @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

Men's half marathon (21.1K): Jacob Connolly, second overall, Beloeil, Que., 1:13:48; Chen Huang, third, 1:16:14; Pascal Dubreuil, fourth, Trois Rivieres, Que., 1:19:36. @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

Women's half marathon (21.1K): Cynthia Davis, first overall, Harrisburg, U.S.A., 1:04:02; Nadine Gagnon, 12th, Gatineau, 1:23:58; Meredith Langley, 37th, Kingston, 1:31:10. @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

Men's marathon (42.195K): Phil Parrot-Migas, London, 2:19:13; Justin Lagat, Kenya, 2:40:43; Chris Bruce, Ottawa, 2:42:28. @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

Women's marathon (42.195K): Janel Chiasson, 13th overall, Ottawa, 2:59:00; Lynda Bunny Gingras, 38th, Ottawa, 3:12:33; Isabelle Turner, 40th, Petawawa, 3:14:05. @OttawaMarathon @kenyanathlete

Coming up Thursday, Nov. 5, HIGH ACHIEVERS: Stay-Safe Edition connects with the Gatineau Vikings, the only tackle football program in the National Capital region to practice their skill development in this 2020 COVID-19 season. @VikingsGatineau @NCAFAfootball