Anne Johnston sets women's record at 92nd annual Tely 10

The 92nd annual Tely 10 road race Sunday took runners 10 miles from Paradise to Bannerman Park in St. John's — and put Anne Johnston into the record books.

Johnston broke the all-time women's record by over a minute, crossing the line in 54:24.

Sunday was Johnston's fourth Tely 10 win and she is fresh off an impressive Boston Marathon where she was the second fastest Canadian woman.

"I had a real consistent year of training," she said. "Lots of miles, lots of hard work in the winter," she said.

About 4,000 people signed up to take part in the race according to the Newfoundland and Labrador Athletics Association, and there were two other women right at the front of the pack challenging Johnston.

Jennifer Murrin was the fastest woman in the race in both 2018 and 2017. She finished about 30 seconds behind Johnston on Sunday morning.

Kate Bazeley came in just over a minute later at 56:05. She was the previous record holder and has won the race on four occasions.

On the men's side, last year's champion Colin Fewer captured his 12th Tely win, finishing the race in just 49:49, shaving more than two minutes off his 2018 winning time.

"I think that's where experience comes in," Fewer said just after crossing the finish line. "After 12 years, I'm not worried too much about the course."

The full results of this year's race will be posted on the NLAA website.

Running for a child that can't

A little further from the front of the pack, Peterborough, Ont. native Catie Sims ran not for glory or new records, but for a boy who uses a wheelchair.

Garrett Sapp, 13, has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic disorder that leaves him unable to walk.

But it hasn't stopped him from collecting medals or finishing races alongside Sims, who pushes him each year in a half-marathon in his hometown of Nashville.

"Every race I dedicate to him because he can't run," Sims said, explaining that she requests a second medal from organizers to send to Garrett.

The two were paired through an online group that matches athletes and people with disabilities. They trade letters, discussing animals and Lego, with regular updates on the results of Sims' races, she said. 

"He inspires me to be a better person," she said. "He changed my life … he's always sending me jokes and stories and he's just a wonderful kid."

Sims now runs not only because it's her passion, but to raise funds and awareness of the disease.

"We have a team of 175 people from all over North America who all have someone in their life with this disease," she said. "We all run for them."

Reporters in the running

A sizeable CBC contingent donned the Tely 10 bib, with reporter Adam Walsh streaking past the finish line in a quick 76 minutes. 

He attributed his speed to the mild weather in Japan, where he lived for four years.

"It doesn't really get winter, so I was running all year round," Walsh said. "It just makes me feel really good."

His tip for anyone pining to pound pavement?

"Put down the Doritos," he advised, "and step outside."

Although it was Walsh's first race, he found himself well ahead of rival reporter Jeremy Eaton, who ran a "personal worst" of 89 minutes.

Eaton thanked his strict training regimen for leading him to his new record.

"I put in long hours of eating pizza and burgers, sitting on the couch and watching the TV," Eaton said, breathing heavily. 

"It's a pretty rigourous program that I'm a part of."

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