Double Burch win at Lumpy’s Epic

October 17, 2008

The 48 runners who braved a chilly fall morning and the steep climb that kicks off the Lumpy’s Epic course came out smiling at the end of the Pemberton trail race on Sunday (Oct. 19).

The powerhouse husband-and-wife team of Dave and Lindsay Burch captured a matching set of titles as the fastest male and female runners in the 10-kilometre race. Lindsay Burch took a second consecutive women’s win with her time of 47 minutes, 26 seconds, while Dave Burch improved on his 2007 runner-up time of 42:02 with his winning run in 41:36 this year.

Dave Burch’s win came following a great battle with runner-up Devin Matthews, who finished less than half a minute behind Burch in a time of 42 minutes even.

“We traded the lead a bunch of times and then he’d get me on the downhill, so I knew the last downhill I had to be ahead of him,” Burch said. “So the last really steep uphill I pushed and got a big enough gap on him — which was super tough.

“I didn’t think I was going to be able to run it all. Usually it’s a power walk. So then I knew if I could just get to the flats, I could hold him off.”

Dave Burch teasingly said the light-hearted Burch-Burch fake rivalry also propelled him to the overall win, ahead of his better half.

“I knew if I could hold (Matthews) off I could hold my wife off too,” Burch joked.

Lindsay Burch, who was the fastest overall female under 40 racer in last year’s Sea to Sky Trail Running Series, was third across the Lumpy’s finish line at One Mile Lake on Sunday. Though the course was slippery, Lindsay Burch said the sunny weather was a great change of pace from the rain that usually greets Lumpy’s runners.

“It was a gorgeous run — this is the nicest year I’ve done it because normally it’s pouring rain, so it was beautiful, absolutely stunning,” Burch said. “And I’m really stoked that Dave and I both won it, because it’s always fun when husband and wife get one and one.”

Jim Sandford crossed the One Mile Lake finish line right on Lindsay Burch’s heels with his 47:27 time, followed by Donald Clark in 47:53.

Sean Wolfe, Keil Wretham, Joe Maika, Rich Rawling and Andy Lambrecht made up the rest of the top 10 finishers.

The final event in this year’s Sea to Sky Trail Running Series, which is composed of six corridor races, Lumpy’s Epic offers a lot of challenging climbing and some tricky navigation. But the race is primarily characterized by its spectacular views and laid-back atmosphere.

“It was hard at the start, because it’s mostly uphill, so you have to try to ease back a little bit and save something, but at the same time it’s hard to do that, so the legs start to scream a bit, and the lungs burn,” Dave Burch said. “But it’s inspiring when you come around the back side and you see Mount Currie and you see the clouds, the clouds in the valley, and it kind of felt like you were running along this ridge above the clouds, which was really inspiring.”

Both Dave and Lindsay Burch said they love the relaxed Lumpy’s atmosphere, as the race has casual start and finish procedures and a communal potluck to close the event.

“We always come out because it’s such an awesome, low-key time — the (organizers) do such a good job,” Lindsay Burch said.

Spud Valley Nordics chairperson Delores Los thanked all the Lumpy’s racers and organizers, as the $750 worth of event proceeds will sponsor Jackrabbit program participation and equipment for two children, and subsidize other race fees.