Mariane Levesque of Charlo

Jeremie Pellerin of Cocagne

Carvel Crabbe of Saint John

Sylvio Bourque of Grande-Digue

This award is given to a person who sets out to achieve a goal that is impressive and not easily achieved without discipline and determination. The winner of this award demonstrates through running an accomplishment.

The 2009 winner for the PAA has met the all the criteria and the spirit of this award.

These include:

• Running more than 50 RunNB events
• Many events outside NB - events in PEI, NS, US and Europe
• Ran All 22 ACFS Super Series
• Completed 7 marathons
• Race Director of the 15KM de Grande-Digue, one of RunNB's marquee events
• 2009 has seen this achiever PB times in all his distances (e.g. more than 15 minutes improvement between his best 2008 half marathons and his best 2009 half)
• On top of all his running accomplishments, the 2009 PAA recipient flew to Italy in September and won his first World Arm Wrestling Championship after 31 years of trying.

With a resume like that, the winner of the 2009 PAA could only be one person.

Frank Kelly of Saint John

Frank took up running at the tender age of 67 in order to be able to run at a memorial run for his grandson Brent Kelly. He showed up for the race in jeans, a big sweater, wool socks and hiking boots. He finished mid pack in 1 hour and 2 minutes, the only finisher with wool socks and hiking boots.

After that he was hooked, he returned the following year in shorts and a dri fit and finished 20 minutes faster in 42 minutes.

On his first attempt in 2008, he qualified for the Boston Marathon with 25 minutes to spare. Frank re-qualified for Boston and will be participating again in 2010.

He now races at least 20 events per year, runs any distance from 5k to full, and is well respected in the running community.

Frank inspires us all with his determination, positive attitude and humble demeanor. He has shown everyone that it is never too late to start something new. For that - Frank is our "Inspirational runner of the year".

Legs for Literacy

Paula Keating of Miramichi

This year's Female Runner of the year only started running four years ago. In fact it was the David Morris memorial in 2006 in which she covered the 5km course in 19:39 in her debut race.

Since then she has won 56 consecutive races in the Miramichi River Runners Race series. She's undefeated in all races on the Miramichi which numbered 14 this year. She's undefeated this year in New Brunswick races by New Brunswickers.

This will be her fourth year as winner of the Miramichi River Runners Club Champion and the first woman in our rich 26-year history to win a race outright.

On September 26th she not only placed first in the Female division of the Marathon by the Sea but she won the 1/2 marathon defeating a field 306 runners male and female.

I was going to compare her times to other female runners but, there were no comparisons, so I checked the top mens times.

This year alone her accomplishments in the 5km race with a personal best time of 17:52 would place her 29 overall in the men's class

It gets better
8km or 5 miles her time of 30.01 would place her 12 in the men's division.

It gets better
10km time of 36.30 would rank her 8th against the men

It gets better
Half marathon time of 1:22:16 at the Rock n Run in Miramichi would place her 6th against the men.

It gets better
Her 2:58.01 marathon this month in New York would place her 5th against the men.  That's only four men in the Province who ran faster this year. Wow! Quite a feat. She was the first Canadian woman to finish and placed 808 overall in a field of 44,000 runners.

Most men realize now that in order to beat her you must train harder.

It gives me great pleasure to announce and present the 2009 Female Runner of the Year to Paula Keating.

Alex Coffin of Saint John

Participation - recipient of this award participated in several RunNB events throughout the 2009 season (May-October)

Excellence - distinguished himself in his age category or gender

Spirit - dedicated athlete, a good ambassador of the sport, humble in his accomplishments and respectful of his peers

Winner of this award was all the above:

• Ran over a dozen events this season
• Winning most of his events
• Setting a course record in the 5Km Provincial Championship
• Out-sprinted the talented Chris Brake to win the Hampton 5 Miler (also a PC)
• Undefeated in his age category in NB
• Ran all 5 NB marathons, plus the Bluenose Marathon. Twice he ran two marathons in consecutive weeks.
• On top of that our winner is the head coach of the SJTC, mentoring and being a role model for many aspiring runners in the Greater Saint John Area.

Guest speaker / invité: Joe McGuire