Our Vancouver Sun Run History
Vancouver Sun Run and I go way back.
In 2005, it was the very first race I ever signed up for and trained for. I still fondly remember the “Learn to Run 10K” program I followed in high school, which started with very gentle intervals of 1 minute running and 2 minutes walking. I also kept a meticulous runner’s diary and documented every training run. As a youngster, I found the training challenging but rewarding, and I finished the race in 59:45 while recovering from a nasty flu.
In 2006, as a first-year university student, I organized a team and ran my personal best of 55:12 with no structured training. Ah, to be 19 again! In 2009, I did another Sun Run with no training and finished 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 budding careers, a wedding, our first child, and the general tendency to let fitness slide down the priority list, we returned in 2019 with work colleagues and improved our family Sun Run record to 1:10:20.
Then came another hiatus: more kids, more work, more competing priorities, and of course, the pandemic. That finally brought us to 2026.
Why 2026 Felt Different
Over the last 12 months, we started prioritizing fitness again with regular exercise and more intentional training. A major wake-up call for me came in early 2025 when I was pushing Baby Bro on a ski hill and suddenly pulled my lower back, leaving me in significant pain for two weeks. Being injured by such an ordinary movement shocked me. If I was not fit enough to push my 3-year-old son on skis, how much longer would I be able to keep up with all three kids?
Thankfully, I recovered quickly. Over the following months, I built a basic home gym, signed up for a few months of personal training, and booked several motivational races.
Vancouver Sun Run 2026 Race Day
Then came the 2026 Sun Run. This time, we brought the whole gang:
- Tina had her sights set on a new personal Sun Run record.
- Big Bro, a developing athlete with an incredible strength-to-weight ratio, had already run a 5K race in 31 minutes the year before. Running 10K would be a personal best for distance, but he had not done any race-specific training.
- I would act as Big Bro’s pacer and guide.
- Middle Bro planned to walk-run the 10K as well.
- Grandpa and Baby Bro in the jogging stroller are our mobile support running with Middle Bro. Grandpa was fully prepared to pull out mid-race if Middle Bro quit or if the course closed before they finished.
We met up with Tina’s friend Mary and my work colleagues before the race. Tina, Big Bro, and I were all expecting to finish in around an hour, but since most of our friends were starting in the slowest two-hour finisher group, we decided to hang back and start with them.
The washroom line at Pacific Centre was horrendous. Interestingly, the rows of portable toilets set up by the organizers at the staging area were basically empty. Definitely use those instead. Do not rely on the toilets along the race route, because every stop looked like a solid 5–10 minute wait, which would completely derail your pace and finish time.
The weather was fantastic. It was a little chilly in the morning, but we warmed up quickly once the sun came out. The waiting period before the start, which can last anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes, is always the trickiest for dressing. This year, with stroller support, Tina and Big Bro simply stashed their jackets in the stroller. I wore a light jacket and then stuffed it into my running pack before the race began.
Then we were off. I settled us into a comfortable pace of about 7:00/km, and we used a reward system of two stickers for every kilometre run. In our family, stickers are basically a currency that can be exchanged for screen time or other goodies.
I thought we would need to stop and walk every 10 minutes or so, but no — Big Bro could hold that 7:00/km pace comfortably for what felt like forever. We did slow down a few times at the water tables to let his young legs recover a little. Some of the tables were quite crowded, so I often just handed him my water flask for a few quick sips to save time.
I constantly checked in with him to see how he was feeling, and every time I got a positive response: keep the pace, keep going. The live music, cheering squads, and constant weaving through the crowd kept things interesting. The views of English Bay, Burrard Bridge, and the spectacular cherry blossoms along 3rd Avenue near Pine Street were invigorating.
We also stayed to the sides and spotted several race photographers. I made sure to point them out to Big Bro, and we ended up with some really great race photos.
After a few more turns, we reached the finish line. I checked in one last time to see whether he had enough left in the tank to speed up a little, but he had the self-awareness to say no. After running 10K on untrained legs, I did not want to push him and risk injury.
Our official time: 1:14:19 for him, and 1:14:20 for me as the pacer just behind the athlete.
We met up with the rest of the gang inside BC Place for the iconic post-race goodies. Tina set a new personal Sun Run record of 59:43.
Grandpa was thoroughly impressed that Middle Bro finished the 10K run-walk in 1:57:12. Grandpa pushed Baby Bro the entire way, up and down the hills, and finally let him out for the last 50 metres so he could storm across the finish line.
After some well-earned post-race pho, the kids still had enough energy to ask for a visit to the Central Library. The next day, none of them seemed sore. We played two hours of baseball in the morning and another two hours in the afternoon. In other words: yes, Big Bro definitely had more left in the tank. With a little training and preparation, I think he could run the Sun Run in under an hour.
As for me, after six months of regular training, Garmin now says I should be able to run a 10K in just over 50 minutes. Ah, to dream of beating my 19-year-old self!
Tips for Families Running the Vancouver Sun Run
Doing the Vancouver Sun Run as a family is a very different experience from racing it solo. Between corrals, washroom logistics, pacing kids, stroller support, and keeping everyone happy for 10 kilometres, a little planning goes a long way. Here are the biggest lessons we learned from this year’s race.
1. Use the portable toilets in the start area
This was probably our most practical lesson of the day. The washroom line inside Pacific Centre was extremely long. Even private businesses like coffee shops around the starting area would see a huge surge of people. Meanwhile, many of the portable toilets in the staging area were surprisingly underused. If you are racing with kids, this matters even more. A long pre-race bathroom wait can add unnecessary stress and eat into your warm-up and settling-in time.
Once you are out on the course, washroom stops become even more costly. The lines can be several minutes long, which is a big disruption if you are trying to keep kids moving, maintain a steady rhythm, or hit a target finish time. For families, it is far better to get everyone to use the washroom right before entering the corral, even if they say they do not really need to go.
2. Dress for a long wait in the start corral
The race itself may feel comfortable once you get moving, but the waiting beforehand can be chilly, especially on a cool Vancouver morning. Depending on your start group, you may be standing around for 30 to 60 minutes before you actually cross the start line. That can feel very long for children.
Layering is key. Wear easy-to-remove outer layers and have a plan for what to do with them. If you have stroller support, that makes things much easier because jackets can simply be tossed into the stroller right before the race starts. Without a stroller, a light running jacket or a packable layer works well. The goal is to stay warm while waiting without overheating once you begin running. The race organizers did arrange for a gear check service that will pick up your jackets and change of clothes at the starting area, and deliver them to the finish line for a fee. You could also wear your least favourite jacket and leave it at the starting area for donation pickup.
3. Carry your own water if you are pacing kids
Water stations are helpful, but they can also be crowded and chaotic. In the later corrals where kids and strollers tend to run, many of the tables would actually run out of water. When you are running with children, stopping at every table can break momentum and make it harder to get going again. Kids also may not be very efficient at grabbing cups while moving.
Having your own water flask or bottle can make a big difference. It allows for quick sips whenever needed without depending entirely on the water station setup. This is especially helpful if you are pacing a child who is doing their first 10K and benefits from a smoother, more predictable rhythm. It also reduces the stress of deciding whether to push through a crowded station or slow down more than planned.
4. Don’t start too fast
This is true in any 10K, but even more important when running as a family. Race-day excitement, downhill course in the first 1km, and the energy of the crowd can all tempt you to go out too quickly. Kids often feel amazing in the first kilometre or two, but that does not mean they should be running at a pace they cannot hold later.
A controlled, conversational pace at the start gives everyone the best chance of finishing strong and enjoying the experience. We settled into about 7:00/km early on, and that turned out to be sustainable. A family race day is rarely the time for aggressive pacing. It is much better to finish with a little left in the tank than to spend the last few kilometres in survival mode.
5. Keep race day fun and rewarding
For kids, race day is about much more than the finish time. The cheering crowds, music, photographers, snacks, and post-race atmosphere all become part of the experience. The more positive and memorable you can make it, the more likely they will want to do it again.
We used a simple reward system of stickers for each kilometre, which worked surprisingly well. It gave the race a sense of progress and turned the run into something playful rather than intimidating. Small strategies like this can make a huge difference for younger runners. Encouragement, check-ins, and celebrating little milestones along the route all help. Get into it! Dance to the music, high five some strangers, and pose for the cameras.
6. Build in flexibility for each family member
One of the biggest benefits of doing Sun Run as a family is that not everyone has to approach it the same way. Some may race it. Some may run-walk it. Some may support from a stroller. Some may only aim to get as far as they can. That flexibility is part of what makes the event family-friendly.
Going in with different goals for different people helps reduce pressure. It lets stronger runners enjoy the race while still creating a positive experience for younger kids or grandparents. For us, that meant one child aiming for his first 10K finish, another doing a walk-run strategy, and Grandpa staying ready to adapt if needed.
For race etiquette, if you find yourself walking, try to stay to the right and let faster runners pass on the left. Some gung ho stroller joggers who are forced to register for the last corral want to run at a 5-6 minute pace and they can get frustrated and pushy if they are blocked by a wall of chatting walkers.
7. The right goal is a good experience, not a perfect time
For adults, it is easy to focus on pace, splits, and official finish times. But when you are running with children, the bigger win is often helping them cross the line feeling proud, strong, and excited. A family Sun Run does not have to be optimized for speed to be successful.
If the kids finish smiling, feel encouraged, and wake up the next day thinking it was fun, that is a huge success. The finish time is just one part of the story. The bigger victory is building confidence and positive memories around running and fitness.
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