The rural roads of Central Saanich are the training ground for a medal-winning runner.
“Most serious runners belong to a club,” said Frank Towler.
He’s a club of one.
“I just leave from here and run somewhere.”
The Mount Newton Valley provides tranquil training grounds, and favourite routes in the summer time.
“It’s nice and quiet, mostly country roads, and you can just tune out,” he said. “I don’t use any musical aid so I can see and hear nature.”
Years ago, an injury took him out of his preferred sport of squash, and a friend suggested a 24-hour running relay in Vancouver.
“He told me I only had to run 2.5k once and the beer was free … he lied, but I did enjoy it,” Towler said. That was two decades ago, and the Central Saanich man started taking it seriously about 15 years ago. Now he regularly runs the competitive Island Series, as well as competitions like the BC Seniors Games.
“I call it the old peoples games or the OPG,” he said with a laugh.
The races were held in Trail. A number of West Kootenay communities came together to host the Seniors Games that sees about 3,500 participants competing in more than 20 sports.
“The people were good. The locals were all enthusiastic to have us there,” Towler said. “The races were well organized and well run.”
Towler earned gold medals in the Men’s 65 to 69 group for his performance in the 1,500-metre, 5,000-metre and 10-kilometre road race at the recent Games. “I had some good competition too,” he said. Bill Hollingshead of Nanaimo is a regular opponent for Towler, and the Games in Trail were no different.
“We had a real battle and I beat him by only one second,” Towler said of the 1,500-metre race.
At 66, he’s participated five times in the Games — often returning with medals.
“If I don’t get injured I get a medal,” he said. Towler is also consistently in the top five in his age group for Island Runners.
“It took a number of years to get there,” he explained. “When I first started I wasn’t even in the top 20.”