Vancouver Sun Run 2026

Vancouver Sun Run and I go way back.

In 2005, it was the very first running race I’ve registered in and trained for. I still fondly remember the “Learn to Run 10k” program that I followed in high school, which started with very gentle cycles of 1 min run and 2 mins walk. I also meticulously documented every training run as a runner’s diary. As a youngster, I was challenged but progressed very well, finishing the race in 59:45 while recovering from a nasty flu.

In 2006, then a first year university student, I organized a team and ran my personal best time of 55:12 with no structured training. Ah, to be 19 again! In 2009, I did another race with no training, finishing in 56:46.

In 2010, Tina and I did our first race together and finished in 1:14:23. After a long break from racing due to our budding careers, wedding, having our first kid, and generally putting off fitness as a priority, we refreshed our Sun Run record in 2019 with our work colleagues and finished in 1:10:20.

With another hiatus due to more kids, more work, more competing priorities, and of course the pandemic, we arrived at 2026. We started prioritizing our physical fitness more in the last 12 months, with regular exercise sessions and programmed training. A major kick-in-the-butt for me happened early 2025 when I was pushing Baby Bro on a ski hill, when I suddenly pulled my lower back and had significant back pain for 2 weeks. Being injured by such an innocuous movement and load shocked me. If I wasn’t fit enough to push my 3 y.o. son on skis, how much longer can I keep up with the 3 of them?

Thankfully I recovered quickly from the pulled back and following few months saw me setting up a basic home gym, signing up for a few months of personal training, and booking several motivational races.

Then came the 2026 Sun Run. This time, we brought the whole gang:

• Tina had her sight set on setting a new course record for herself.
• Big Bro, a developing athlete with incredible muscle-to-weight ratio, had already ran a 5k race in 31 min the year before. Running 10k would set a PR for his longest run, but he lacked race specific training. I will act as his pacer and guide.
• Middle Bro will attempt to walk-run the 10K as well. He is paired with Grandpa and Baby Bro in his jogging stroller. Grandpa was fully prepared to pull out mid race if Middle Bro quits or if the race course gets closed.

We met up with Tina’s friend Mary and my work colleagues pre-race. Tina, Big Bro and my estimated finish time would be around 1 hour, but since most of our friends are in the slowest 2-hour finisher group, we decided to just hang back and stay in the last group.

The washroom line up in Pacific Centre was horrendous. Interestingly the rows of portable toilets prepared by the organizers at the staging area were basically empty. Definitely use these instead. Do NOT rely on the toilets on the race route, because every stop seems like a solid 5-10 minute wait that will for sure ruin your race time and pacing.

The weather was fantastic. A little bit on the chilly side in the morning, but we quickly warmed up in the sun. The waiting period, which can take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes, is always the trickiest for dressing. This year, with stroller support, Tina and Big Bro simply put their jackets in the stroller. I wore a light jacket then stuffed it in my running pack before the race.

Then we were off! I paced ourselves at a comfortable 7min/km pace, and we had a reward system of 2 stickers per 1km run (the stickers are our family’s currency for exchange of screen time or other goodies).

I thought we had to stop to walk every 10 minutes or so, but no! Big Bro could hold the 7 min pace comfortable forever. We did slow down a few times to walk to the water tables and give the young legs some rest. Some of the water tables were very crowded, so I just gave my water flask to Big Bro for some quick sips and save time.

I constantly checked in with him to see how his energy level was doing, and each time I got a positive response to hold the pace and keep going. The music bands, the cheering squads, and the constant weaving between people kept things interesting. The views of English Bay, Burrard Bridge, and some epic cherry blossoms along 3rd Ave near Pine St were spectacular and invigorating.

We also kept to the sides and spotted several race photographers. I made sure to point them out to Big Bro and we got some really great photos.

After a few more turns, we arrived at the finish line. I checked in one last time to see if he had enough in the tank to increase the pace a little, but he had enough self awareness to decline. To avoid injury after running 10km on his untrained legs, I did not push him.

Our official time: 1:14:19 (1:14:20 for me as the pacer behind the athlete).

We met up with the rest of the gang in BC Place for the iconic goodies booths. Tina scored a personal Sun Run record of 59:43.

Grandpa was thoroughly impressed by Middle Bro finishing the 10k run/walk after 1:57:12. Grandpa pushed Baby Bro the whole way up and down hills, and finally let him out in the last 50m to storm the finish line.

After some post-race pho goodness, the kids had enough energy to request a visit in the Central Library. The next day, none of them seemed to have any soreness in their legs. We played 2 hours of baseball in the morning, then another 2 hours in the afternoon. In other words, yes, Big Bro had more left in the tank. With a little training and preparation, I think Big Bro can do the Sun Run in less than 1 hour.

As for me? With 6 months of regular exercise training, Garmin now says I should be able to do a 10K race in just over 50 minutes. Ah, to dream about beating my 19 y/o self!