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1. Chantal and Paul Run in Niagara Marathon
2. Ratvinder ran his first marathon! It took only 20 years to get to the start line.
3. Lily Bignucolo joined by four SDSSAA counterparts with NOSSA XC gold
4. Sudbury Rocks Running Club - Group Runs
5. Photos This Week,
6. Upcoming Events: Nov 2 Run to Remember, Dec 6 Santa Shuffle

    

Two decades ago, in 2005 I signed up to the 5K Running Room clinic. I was part of a vibrant
running community who crammed into the Running Room each Wednesday evening and
Sunday morning. I progressed to the 10K clinic, and then the half-marathon clinic that I
repeated multiple times. In addition, I ran with the SudburyROCKS run club led by Vince on
Saturday mornings, and weekday lunchtimes from Laurentian University.

I’ve always had a desire to run a marathon but every time I would prepare my training would be interrupted by matters that seemed more important, sad news, or injury.
For example, I remember feeling experimental after reading the book Born to Run by
Christopher McDougall. The use of minimalist running shoes felt good initially but, when
ramping up distance in preparation for a marathon, plantar fasciitis took onset in my feet
and did not want to go away. I tried to maintain some level of health as I transitioned to
training indoors using my zero-gravity cross trainer and logged my miles in the virtual world
of Zwift. During COVID I went the marathon distance on the cross-trainer but I knew it was
not the same.
In a pair of Hoka’s cushioned with orthotics I did my first run outdoors in three years. I slowly and cautiously increased my distance and ran the SudburyROCKS half-marathon in 2025.
Self-assured that I could go the distance and keep up I returned to the SUDBURYROCKS run club. There was nostalgia in seeing familiar faces and freshening to see many new ones. I
once again set my sights on a marathon. I disciplined my eating, sleeping, training, and
stretching. I slowly progressed my running distance and listened to my body. I varied my
workouts with speedwork and participated in local race events. At times, this self focus felt
selfish, but I scheduled my runs to minimize family absence. Then, this past weekend I made
the trip to Toronto and on October 19, 2025 I lined up for the Waterfront Marathon. I had made it. I was ready to run my first marathon. My start time: 8:00 AM!
Here's a photo of me as I approach the start line.

Lily Bignucolo joined by four SDSSAA counterparts with NOSSA XC gold
Randy Pascal
2025-10-28

Saturday in Brampton will mark the fourth OFSAA cross-country appearance for Lily Bignucolo – though almost certainly the one that the 17 year old grade 12 student at Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School feels the best about.

Sure, part of that comfort comes courtesy of her status as a senior with the highly touted Knights program, an athlete who can draw upon experiences past to create a clear visual in her mind for what lies ahead this weekend as she battles it out with about 250 or so of the top high-school cross-country runners in the province.

“This is my fourth year now, so I know what to expect,” said Bignucolo, who has yet to finalize her post-secondary plans but has acknowledged that remaining at home and running for the Laurentian Voyageurs is definitely in the mix. “I don’t like the spotlight on me, so I feel that I do better in a big pack of runners.”

Truth be told, it wasn’t all that difficult at all to pick out Lily Bignucolo at the NOSSA championships last week hosted on St Joseph’s Island. She would have been the purple and black adorned standout who was leading her second place competitor by more than 80 seconds as she crossed the finish line.

“I was nervous for NOSSA,” she stated. “I did not run that course the day before and everyone was saying that it was hilly. I wasn’t as confident as cities.”

In the end, Bignucolo could not have asked for much more than her convincing victory in a time of 24:01, covering the six kilometre course with ease. “I liked it better with no boys running (they grouped all seniors together at the SDSSAA event),” she said. “And the course was more fun.”

“I was just having fun.”

With her 2023 gold medal in the junior girls division marking her only first place finish previously at the Sudbury showdown, Bignucolo has enjoyed a significant surge that she suggested dates back a little less than a year or so.

“Last year at cross-country, I was not good,” she admitted. “But then I found out my iron was low – and I joined Track North in the winter and my training was more effective. I had a sore hip for track season but once I overcame that, I felt that I really progressed.”

“I just trained hard all summer and I’ve now seen some of my best results ever.”

Bignucolo was one of five SDSSAA runners who claimed gold last week at NOSSA, joined by fellow senior Raphael Belzile from Macdonald-Cartier, Lo-Ellen Park juniors Julian Luoma and Lia Paille, as well as Bishop Alexander Carter novice Mila Drozdowsky.

Local schools also claimed four team banners as Lo-Ellen finished first in both novice boys and senior girls brackets while the Lockerby Vikings took home the hardware in both junior and senior boys ranks, with Lo-Ellen earning bragging rights in the overall aggregate race, well ahead of the St Joseph Scollard Hall Bears from North Bay.

Following are the SDSSAA runners who managed to crack the top-ten in their respective divisions:

Senior Boys Division
1st - Raphael Belzile (ESMC) - 20:40.47
3rd - Jack Ellis (SSS) - 21:03.26
4th - Carson Jewitt (LEP) - 21:09.95
5th - Isaac Longston (LCS) - 21:14.25
7th - Gord Farrell (LCS) - 21:24.05
9th - Ewan Duncan (LCS) - 21:50.28

Senior Girls Division
1st - Lily Bignucolo (LEP) - 24:01.05
5th - Megan Pineau (LEP) - 25:37.26
7th - Misaki Diavolitsis (LCS) - 26:01.89

Junior Boys Division
1st - Julian Luoma (LEP) - 17:06.25
2nd - Maxime Belzile (ESMC) - 17:48.71
5th - Karim Kaidi (Hanmer) - 19:00.04
6th - Logan Anderson (LCS) - 19:21.80
8th - Eden Abols (LCS) - 19:41.27

Junior Girls Division
1st - Lia Paille (LEP) - 21:10.72
4th - Ewa Breckon (LEP) - 22:00.62
5th - Mackenzie Roy (SCC) - 22:27.21
8th - Amelie Gervais (CND) - 23:35.95
9th - Hannah Adler (CND) - 23:51.00

Novice Boys Division
2nd - Dax Hester (LEP) - 16:17.75
4th - Lincoln Elliott (LEP) - 16:37.70
5th - Zidan Eldahhan (LEP) - 16:43.00
9th - Max Barros (SCC) - 17:08.90

Novice Girls Division
1st - Mila Drozdowsky (BAC) - 18:21.25
2nd - Julia D'Angelo (STB) - 18:55.49
4th - Sofia Kalviainen (LEP) - 19:16.62
5th - Ella Sabourin (HOR) - 19:24.29
8th - Sophie Rancourt (LAS) - 19:36.18

    Wednesdays - meet at Apex Warrior parking lot departing at 1800h. Typically runs are 1 hour or 10km.
                    Saturdays - meet at Bell Park's Elizabeth St parking lot departing at 0800h. Typically runs are longer at 1.5 hours or 15km minimum.

Generally the pace floats between 5 and 7 minutes per km. Anticipate a mixture of roads and trail running on the routes.
Inclement weather is usually just a challenge. Group has only been cancelled for local races or xmas. Cancellations or changes in meeting locations will be posted.

Locations are show in the attached photos/maps.

Wednesday pm location

Saturday am location

  November 2, 2025

Run to Remember

Run to Remember

November 2, 2025

Participants can choose to run/walk 1 km, 5 km or 10 in the nature trails of the Collège Boréal Sudbury campus. All participants will receive a t-shirt and a medal.

Register with this link.

https://collegeboreal.akaraisin.com/ui/RuntoRemember2025

We hope to see new and returning participants!

1km Course Map Here                      5km and 10km Course Map Here

 December 6, 2025