BY Marcia Jansen
DRIFTWOOD contributor
The annual Salt Spring Sneakers Prediction Run raised a record amount of money for the local food bank.
The running group started the late December run tradition in 2009, raising $160 at the time. This year the Sneakers raised $1,000 for the Salt Spring Food Bank, $300 more than last year’s prediction run. That brings the total raised through 11 years of prediction running to $5,595.
Unlike most competitions, the winner of this running event is not the one who finishes fastest but the one who finishes closest to the time they predicted when they registered for the race. Watches are not allowed and the course is kept secret by organizer Lynn Thompson until the night before the run.
Twenty-nine runners and walkers completed the two, five or 10-kilometre course near Walker Hook. Mike Thompson proved that speed was not necessary, as he walked the five kilometres and completed the course within 12 seconds of his predicted time. And even with doubling that difference to make it equivalent to a 10-K time, Thompson edged out Candice Seagull, who finished within 26 seconds of her estimated time.
This year’s winner of the “Predictionally Challenged event” was Gillian McConnell, who was delighted with her trophy.