Film Featuring Guelph Runner to Show at Arboretum July 21
July 16, 2012 - News Release
A documentary that tracks a University of Guelph graduate’s journey to the 2012 Olympic Games is set to debut Saturday in Hamilton and Guelph.
Road to London: Reid Coolsaet highlights the challenges overcome by the U of G grad, one of Canada’s three Olympic marathoners heading to London.
The documentary was produced by Paul Trebilcock, a filmmaker and runner who spent a year following Coolsaet around the world. It includes footage from training in Hamilton, Arizona and Kenya, and from Canadian races such as the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. There, Coolsaet cracked the marathon qualifying time of 2:11.30 in 2010. Last year at the same race, he placed third with a personal best time of 2:10.55. The film includes interviews with coaches and other runners.
In Guelph, the film will be shown July 21 outdoors at the R.J. Hilton Centre in U of G’s Arboretum — along the running route favoured by the Gryphon cross-country team.
“Our community vibe is very strong, and doing a showing here seemed a very ‘Guelph thing’ to do,” said Dave Scott-Thomas, head coach of U of G’s track and field and cross-country teams.
“It then occurred to me that it would be cool to do it outside on the cross-country course in the grass.”
The film will begin at 9:30 p.m., but people are expected to start gathering around 8:45 p.m. Admission is $10 with grass seating only. The documentary will debut that day in Hamilton, Coolsaet’s hometown, at 2 p.m. at the Westdale Theatre. Tickets for both shows can be reserved online at reidcoolsaet.roadtolondon@gmail.com.
Coolsaet, a 2002 U of G graduate, belongs to the Speed River Track and Field Club — considered the most successful running club in Canada — which is led by Scott-Thomas. Another Speed River marathon runner, Eric Gillis, also made this year’s Olympic team. Canada’s third Olympic marathoner this year is Dylan Wykes, based in Vancouver and originally from Kingston, Ont. Read more
Two other runners heading to the 2012 Olympics belong to the Guelph club: applied nutrition student Alex Genest in the 3,000-metre steeplechase and Hilary Stellingwerff in the 1,500-metre race.
“Our team has nailed it this year: four Olympians, all of whom have raced at this venue and are doing a terrific job of representing our community,” Scott-Thomas said.
“We’ve had over 400 media hits, had an Olympic press conference here on campus to announce the marathon team, seen a shoe launch and now have a movie about one of our team members. Guelph running is hot.”
As a Gryphon, Coolsaet was a six-time All-Canadian and seven-time member of the national track and field team, and was twice named U of G’s male athlete of the year. He was a track and field gold medallist in Canadian Interuniversity Sport, a 5,000-metre silver medallist at the World University Games, and a 10-time national champion in cross-country and track and field. He also represented Canada at the 2002 World Student Games in Spain.
For media questions, contact Communications and Public Affairs: Lori Bona Hunt, 519-824-4120, Ext. 53338, or lhunt@uoguelph.ca, or Shiona Mackenzie, Ext. 56982, or shiona@uoguelph.ca.
