Earlier this October we organized the 1st Annual Bionic Limbs for Improved Natural Control Lab Graduational Pro-Am Fun Run Race For The Cure! The main goal of the event was to help chase Aïda (a former member of the UofA Panda’s track team and PhD candidate in the BLINC lab) over the finish line of her graduate studies. Rory Dawson and McNiel Keri (recently graduated MSc Student) had previously challenged her to the race, but since McNiel had already moved away to Calgary to start med school he was only able to symbolically run the race by being attached to Rory’s bluetooth speaker. Several other lab members joined in to walk the first lap of the race and cheer on the runners.
A re-enactment of the photo finish. Aïda was so fast she leafed us all behind.
Without further adieu here are the final results from the 5000m race which included 2 laps around Hawrelak Park and an extra stretch through the parking lot:
- Aïda “La Victorieuse” Valevicius – 21:30ish
- McNiel “Carefree and Carried” Keri – 23.37.39
- Rory “Slogging Through That Last Lap Like a Bee Through Molasses” Dawson – 23:38.00
- 4. Heather “The Feather” Williams – best costume
4. Eric “Wishing You” Wells – best sportsmanship
4. Josh “Oh My Gosh” Whitney – best in show
4. Janine “Push it to the Limit” Pushor – best perseverance
4. Quinn “Quinning” Boser – best participation
In the end we were all winners.
We had so much fun that we decided to make it an annual event that we can look forward to for years to come. Also, congratulations to Heather for getting 1st prize in the costume contest and helping inspire the name of our race:
BLINC Lab 