Trail Running Canada by Trail Running Canada

WINTER 2012 ISSUE 1

TRAILRUNNING CANADA Adam Campbell recaps historic 2nd place finish at UTMB - CCC in France

2012

TRAIL RACE CALENDAR

BEST CDN TRAIL STORIES from 2011

2012 THE NORTH FACE TRAIL AMBASSADORS ANNOUNCED

EPIC SHOT WINS PHOTO CONTEST

SPECIAL REPORT CANADIAN COMPLETES RECORD BREAKING 1,000 KM JOURNEY DOWN UNDER

Joanna’s Ford’s << photo contest submission Kananaskis, Alberta

what’s inside

trail stories:

EDITORIAL

gear review:

ULTRAMARATHON ? book review:

trail stories:

gear review:

Lourdes Gutierrez-Kellam recalls her solo attempt at the 125 km Cdn Death Race.

local trails feature:

2012 The north face trail ambassadors Announced

2011 MALE ultra runner of the year:

Is trail running selfish? READY TO RUN AN

Relentless Forward Progress The book includes insights from well-known runners Geoff Roes, Krissy Moehl, Michael Wardian, Dave Mackey, David Horton, and others.

Currently available in bookstores nationwide. Receive free personalization and support the author directly by purchasing the book at www.iRunFar.com/rfp.

WHAT ARE FOLKS SAYING?

“I think it’s the perfect thing to give an aspiring ultrarunner, a friend who is curious about what you do, or anybody new to crewing.” - Scott Dunlap of A Trail Runner’s Blog

“I can think of nothing that would give me more conﬁdence going into my ﬁrst ultramarathon than having read this book. Nothing is left out.” - Matt Fitzgerald of Competitor Running

Published by Breakaway Books IRUN.FAR.ad.ultra.running.indd 1

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gear review:

I2P Youth Run Across Indian desert

Nathan HPL #020 Race Vest

Canadian Bernadette Benson Completes 1,000km record journey down under.

10/25/11 9:32 PM

CEP Compression Socks

trail stories: From Death to Life

winners from our first photo contest

Adam recaps his historic 2nd place finish at UTMB - CCC in France

>> Cover photo: Monica Hardy’s grand prize winning photo from the 2011 photo contest. Miles Tindal ascends a trail in Lake Louise, Alberta.

Gould Lake Conservation Area, near Kingston, Ontario

Find out who’s Canada’s top male ultrarunner from 2011

TRAIL STORIES: Adam Campbell Q & A

The Stick

Do it yourself feature: Easy solutions for winter shoe spikes

2012 canadian trail race calendar

EDITORIAL

Is trail running selfish?

Recently on our Facebook page a veteran ultra-runner asked a question which essentially boiled down to whether trail and ultra running might be selfish. There were many responses to the question and I think the responses resoundly answered that - no, it’s not selfish. In fact, in my opinion, trail running and the promotion of it contributes to a better society, better world and better people. Today our western society is increasingly sedentary with individuals going to great lengths to avoid discomfort and pain. In this context trail runners stand like a beacon in the storm; tackling difficulty head-on, challenging themselves and others to reach beyond our modern day comforts to exemplify the age-old virtues of valour, courage, excellence, humanity, discipline, and perseverance. Even further, trail running harkens back to a simplier time of life where our feet took us where we needed to go and humans traveled great distances without the use of machines. It gives me tremendous inspiration to know that human beings can cover a distance of 160 kilometres in less than a day, or in some cases, less than 15 hours. On the Canadian front, Adam Campbell’s recent second place finish at the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc - CCC in France was remarkably inspiring. Adam covered an incredibly tough mountainous 100 kilometre course in just over 10 hours. You can read his reflections on the race in this inaugural issue of Trail Running Canada’s digital magazine. What would life be like without the inspiration of seemingly ordinary individuals accomplishing the extraordinary? In this issue you’ll read about one woman’s experience at a remote 125 kilometre trail race in the Rocky Mountains. Her story is one of struggle and trial, but in the end triumph and inspiration. I’m sure she had to be a little selfish to complete the training, but I hope her children are truly inspired to know they can be just like their mom and accomplish what might seem impossible. We all know that training takes discipline and commitment, which sometimes means sacrificing time with friends and family. Yet, quite often it is those same friends and family that we inspire and soon they are joining in and hitting trails alongside us. Soon their friends are hitting the trails and the joy spreads and together we create a healthier society. Welcome to the first edition of the Trail Running Canada digital magazine. The vision for this digital magazine is to tell the amazing stories of Canada’s trail runners and provide trail running resources to Canada’s running community. In this issue you’ll find personal stories of triumph and struggle, Q&As with some of Canada’s elite runners, our 2012 race calendar, in-depth gear reviews, and photos from our 2011 photo contest. I hope you enjoy the content. Trail Running Canada is truly a collaboration of runners across Canada, so feel free to submit your own stories and content for our next issue. Just send an email to Jonathan Schmidt - run@trailrunner.ca. Enjoy.

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STAFF Editors: Jonathan Schmidt Isabel Ostrom Photography: Rick Schmidt Photography Advertising & Marketing: Jonathan Schmidt Contributors: Lourdes Gutierrez-Kellam Alan Lam Adam Campbell Marc Hayward Jonathan Schmidt Keith Iskiw Have a comment or story? Write or email us to: TRAIL RUNNING CANADA 124 Lakhota Cres. W Lethbridge, AB T1K 6H6 run@trailrunner.ca www.trailrunner.ca Copyright 2012 Trail Running Canada

BOOK REVIEW RELENTLESS FORWARD PROGRESS

REA ULT

A book review by: Marc Hayward Author: Byron Powell, a Breakaway book. 2011

Let Relentles of iRunFar.co ultramarathon know about t

The book inc I tore through this book like I was running a 5K hopped up on chia. This is the Moehl, Micha Currently ava type of guide book that you don’t just file away on the shelf. For months I kept it support the au within reach, going back and re-reading sections to digest the depth of Powell’s WHA knowledge. As a fairly seasoned trail runner /ultra-marathoner, I found a lot of “I think it’s th curious about - Scott Dunla things in the book familiar, but there was still a ton of new information. You could “I can think o be an “old hand” at trail running and knocking off 100-milers, or a marathoner ﬁrst ultramara - Matt Fitzge thinking about your first off-road race and benefit from the well laid out tips and the downright vital life preserving advice. The book is full of charts on building your distance, nutrition, electrolyte, and training plans for everything from 50k,100k, to 100-miler training plans. The book also includes information on things like anti-inflammatory drugs and trekking poles. The best feature is surely the “blurbs” or short advice columns from some of the top ultra “gods and goddesses” reflecting on their own tricks and tips and just plain old great running stories. This is more than just a manual, it’s sort of a mentor to keep by the bedside. Powell is a serious runner who hangs out with regular joes and lets them in on the secrets of the trail. A great read, one I will be going back to again and again. Published by Breakaway Books

IRUN.FAR.ad.ultra.running.indd 1

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Gear Review: CEP Compression Socks Compression socks have been gaining a lot of popularity in the running world these days. Originally they were used for pregnant women and the elderly suffering from leg cramps and circulation problems. Athletes soon discovered the technology and applied it to any number of sports, especially running. More recently elite runners such as Simon Bairu, Ellie Greenwood and Kilian Jornet can be seen wearing compression clothing. I have been using compression calf sleeves since 2009. My original reason for not getting the sock style was that I worried about the longevity of it. I know how fast I can wear out a pair of normal running socks as a high mileage runner. As a result, I thought it would be wiser to spend the money on the calf sleeves. However, having run in the CEP compression socks now, I realized my initial concern was not an issue at all. I was pleasantly surprised at how padded the CEP socks are. I have running socks that are similar in thickness and have lasted for years and survived countless rugged trail runs and ultra races. And I expect the CEP socks will too. Just make sure to keep them out of the puppyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mouth. The first few times, I only used my CEP compression socks after runs for recovery, or wore them at home while on the bike trainer. My first impression is that the CEP compression socks provide a much greater compression than my calf sleeves. Which I love! One advantage the sock style has over the calf sleeves is the compression over the ankle area which often is my trouble area. However, I would like to see more pressure around the arch area of the foot rather than around the toes. Initially, I felt my toes were being squashed but after a few more times wearing them, I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t notice this anymore. When I finally wore them for long runs I found these knee high socks can get quite warm even during November. Makes me wonder if my black pair would get too hot for 6 Trail Running Canada

summer runs? Fortunately, CEP compression socks come in several colours, including white ones. But as trail runners, we know white socks are like muddy trail magnets. Unlike the calf sleeves, if you do get overheated during a run with these knee high socks, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just take them off, unless you have another pair of socks handy. Simply rolling them down wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t solve the problem either as the tightness would cause discomfort, or even numbness. If you feel this may be an issue in your climate, CEP also offers calf sleeves that utilize the same technology as the compression socks. As for sizing, I got mine based on the sizing chart on the package and found they fit just right. However I have two friends (both female) who mentioned that what they got based on the sizing chart seemed too small. My suggestion is to quickly try them on at the store. Most reputable running stores would not have any issue with that. At the present time there is still scientific debate on whether compression socks result in improved performance. CEP cites a study by Friedrich-Alexander from the University of Erlangen/Nuremberg stating proven benefits including: increased blood circulation, more oxygen for the musculature and enhanced performance. Most users including myself, can attest to benefits from compression clothing that include reduced muscle fatigue/cramping/stiffness and improved recovery. Given the increasing popularity of compression socks among elite and recreational runners alike, it seems few people are waiting for clear scientific proof before giving the technology a chance. In addition to running use, the socks can also be worn to improve lower leg blood flow during long vehicle trips or long flights. Suggested Retail Price: $80.00 CDN Product supplied by: Entrix Sports http://www.entrixsports.com Alan Lam is an experienced ultra runner from Calgary, Alberta. In 2011 he completed the TransRockies Run and won the Lost Soul Ultra 100k.

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Photo Credit: Michel Caron Photography 8 Trail Running Canada

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Canadian Trail Running News

FROM DEATH TO LIFE By: Lourdes Gutierrez-Kellam The Canadian Death Race … July 30, 2011. A personal story of challenge and triumph. 125k – of Extreme Mountain Trails. 3 – Summits. 17,000 ft – Elevation change. 1 – Wild River. 24 hour deadline. Let me just preface this by saying “Maybe I should have read the brochure before I signed up”. I am not a great runner, I’m not fast, I just like to run and especially, in the woods. From the day I signed up for this I never saw it as a race. I just wanted to finish in the time allotted. For me it was about pushing my boundaries and seeing what my body & mind were capable of doing. As I write this one week after the race, bits and pieces of the race are already leaving my memory. It seems as though snap-shots in time are all that remain. I also fully realize how blessed I am to have experienced all that is The Canadian Death Race – the people, ordinary people, doing extraordinary things in extreme conditions. The training time, commitment, taking yourself to a level of fitness you never imagined possible, the volunteers so incredible, they kept us safe, and cheered us as loud as anyone. The support crews so selfless, putting up with months of training, then keeping us moving through transitions, taking care of our every need on the day. This race/journey is about strength, courage and determination. If you can find the courage to sign up for this race, the strength to carry you over the mountains, and the determination to make it to the finish it is truly, a journey worth taking.

Grand Cache, Alberta

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The race is completed in 5 separate and very distinct legs or sections. Leg 1 is 19 km and began at 8:00 am. This is the shortest and easiest leg of the race. It starts in town and runs 6k on pavement then hits the trails and mud, nothing too technical. I played it safe and stayed mid pack to pace myself. I didn’t use my poles, since I knew I’d use them the rest of the day. Deep down I really just wanted to move, to run and get this thing going. I caught a glimpse of the trail on the approach and noticed a bottleneck starting. “Relax & breathe” I thought. A lot of people were slipping off logs, splashing through mud and slapped in the face by branches (we paid for this, right ?). It was rather humourous that nobody wanted to get their feet wet or muddy. We tried our best to skirt around when we could, but it was so slippery once the feet go in you

forgot about trying to stay dry and move on. Eventually, I got through and then continued my steady pace and came into the first transition with ease at around 10:15 am. My crew was right where we discussed I was in and out in less than 10 minutes. Leg 2 – 27km. This leg has a pretty steep climb near the beginning with approximately 2,200 ft of I also fully realize how blessed I gain in just a couple of miles. I climbed Mt. Flood steadily and am to have experienced all that easily passing a lot of people who would stop to wheeze bent-over, trying to catch their breath. I politely scooted by, thankful for is The Canadian Death Race – my run in Bighorn, Wyoming at 8,000 ft. I made it to the top the people, ordinary people, and then it was a long descent on trails so steep you could barely doing extraordinary things in stand still without sliding or falling. Then another steep climb, up approximately 1,700 ft. extreme conditions. where I caught Mark (my training buddy). It was nice to finally have some company. We made it together to the top of Grande Mountain and he texted (yes, texted) the crews that we were on our way in. I took a look around as the views were just breathtaking. Then, without looking behind me I said ”Catch me if you can” and off I went on the 4 mile relentless descent back into town through The Power Lines. A crazy decent all the way from 6,500 to 4,000 that goes straight down. For me, technically, this was the hardest leg of the race. It was early enough in the day that you are running, but into the day enough that your mind is constantly trying to reel you back in. There is still such a long way to go. We were back into town and into transition at around 3:30 pm. Again everything went smoothly. Thanks to my crew. I took in more fluid, more food (turkey burger and potato), some gels and tortellini to go and I was off. Leg 3 – 22 km. I ran quietly out of town and down the dirt road. I had been quite relaxed in transition and I was really feeling good. I felt strong in mind and body. I was happy I was holding back a bit and running steady. I knew this was a long steady descent. I didn’t want my legs to get away from me or the dreaded “trip & fall”. Ever present in my mind was the next transition, which was also the critical 7 pm cut-off … (my biggest fear). So I pushed my body and my mind. I just kept telling myself “run, keep moving” and “stay in the moment”. This went on for quite a long time. A couple of mile markers might have helped, but part of me didn’t want to know. Luckily, along the way you could hear others who have been there before. They know the way and how much longer and what to look out for if you listen close enough you get all the info you need.

Leg 4 – 36km. Mt. Hamel “Here I come!”. The first task was to climb, from the course’s lowest point at 3,300 ft up to the course’s highest point of 7,000 ft. I climbed rapidly at first, it was quite warm and humid in this dense forest and the climb was really steep. It did not physically hurt me and the footing was good. I just hammered up as fast as I could and was rewarded with rain after the steepest part of the climb. It was actually kind of nice, just a sprinkle to cool me off before the switchbacks to the top. I stopped and put on my rain jacket (Thanks to Louis, my other training buddy & gear guru) as I could feel water dripping off my elbows. I made it to the top of Mt. Hamel and really thought this would be my euphoric moment, but I was too cold, too wet. When I started my decent to the Amber Loop it was actually raining/hailing and getting dark, with fog rolling in waves, making it almost impossible to see.

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Tr a i l S t o r i e s

Mark passed me along a stretch of flats. He was going strong, just playing tag with him and seeing the familiar a sense of calm washed over me. We had trained so hard and so long for this. So many months and now here we were — finally, doing it! I made it over the bridge and onto the road (which seemed endless) and finally into the transition at around 6:30 pm. I actually got a bit choked up here, even shed a tear as I heard the crowd and someone say “You made it, Go Death Racer!” I knew what they meant I had beat the cut-off time, but as soon as I saw Belle, she was so happy for me, so proud. I swallowed hard and composed myself. There was still too far to go. I had to stay strong.

Tr a i l S t o r i e s

I came a cross a small group, Bruce was in the lead and I tucked in behind with two following me. We stayed together for most of the descent. It was nice to have company as it got dark. Somehow just the quiet breathing and occasional cursing of others is comforting at this stage of the journey. The trail was getting really slippery, the mud puddles were getting wider and deeper. There was no running around them anymore, you had to go through or bushwhack around. There was no running momentum, just “perpetual forward motion” that seemed to go on forever. Finally, we arrived at The Ambler loop. Then suddenly I heard that familiar voice “Hey Lourdes — caught ya”. It was Mark and I was so happy to see him again. We agreed to stay together the rest of the race and we did. Bruce stayed with us until the transition (as he was on a relay — and fresher legs took over) and off we went like three wet miserable rats in the dark. The entire trail was mud, several inches of the slickest mud on the planet. At times we were laying in mud soaking wet from head to toe in the middle of nowhere. Luckily though, in good company, laughing felt good. I was so thankful for Mark and Bruce’s company. They eased my fears and kept my mind sharp and on the task at hand. We just kept moving forward. We made it back to the Ambler Loop Aid Station fairly quickly. I had a drop bag, but I was too cold and wet to bother rummaging through it. I thought it was best to just keep moving. I was hoping for a warm cup of water or tea, but no luck. Imagine a table of water and gatorade that has been sitting in the rain all day. I think it was around 37degrees. There was an ambulance here with a bunch of people in it – carnage everywhere. People just dejected and standing around shivering. It was kind of zombie like — “slow-motion” even. Finally, we were off. It felt so good to keep moving. I actually even warmed up again. I guess it helps that Mark is 6’-6” tall, and Bruce’s legs were relatively fresh. I practically had to run just to keep up with their walking stride. It started to rain even harder and that actually got us to quicken the pace for the rest of the descent down Mt. Hamel. We were into the transition around 2:30 am where Lee was waiting (yes, waiting at 2:30 am in the rain) with dry clothes, drinks, food and a huge smile … My Hero. Only one leg to go, plenty of time (or so I thought) and we were off. Leg 5 – 22km. So off we went on our last leg. Right away we get hit with a very steep climb. At this point it had been raining for about 9 hrs, causing a river of mud to wash down over the trail. I made it half way up, then slid right back down — several times — Uuugh !!! It was so frustrating! I had to grab roots to scramble back up on my hands and knees. I felt like we were now definitely on an adventure. This was not “just a run” any longer. Most of this was single track lined by thick brush, very narrow single track with logs, stumps, branches and rocks everywhere. If you did not pay attention you were either going to trip over a log, slip on a root, or get slapped with a branch. I was kinda glad it was dark and I couldn’t see it cause I knew there was a river of mud beneath us. Finally we made it to Hell’s Gate, which is the location of the river crossing. The boat ride was quick unfortunately. 15km to go and 3 hrs to the deadline. I was scared we were cutting it close but luckily the rest of the leg was less muddy. 12 Trail Running Canada

“This was not just a run any longer...I knew there was a river of mud beneath us.”

Then finally we saw the 5km sign. Let me just take a moment to say — “there were only three distance markers on this course”. 120km to go … 60km to go … 5km to go. I was so happy there was only 5km to go. It was on road, finally out of the woods, we get to the road and of course, it was a steep hill. We still had plenty of time and I was actually, moving very well and felt pretty fresh. The rain was just a little drizzle now but I was starting to wonder just how far 5km could feel. Then, all of a sudden we turned a corner and saw a little home. Just like that we were in town. Mark and I were together — we had done it! When I saw Lee and the kids I could hold back no more and had to run to them. Then, just like that — the race the was over at around 7:20 am. For those of you counting — that is 23 hrs & 15 min. We beat the final cut-off by 45 minutes! I had finished The Canadian Death Race. The best part of this journey by far was seeing my crew Lee, Joseph, Belle & Lollie at the finish and seeing their smiles and crying in their arms. I was home and it was Heaven. I personally learned a lot from this journey and I will always hold that knowledge close to my heart. I can only hope to be so lucky to carry it with me in further races and adventures for I know deep down in my heart that my true journey has just begun. Lourdes Gutierrez-Kellam is an ultrarunner based in Calgary, Alberta www.trailrunner.ca 13

Tr a i l S t o r i e s

I felt so good to just be able to move steadily. In fact, we could actually run. Soon enough it was morning and, yes, it was still raining. But at least we could see clearly this part of the trail. We ran along the top of the river gorge. It was hard to run without looking down at the green river hammering away beneath you, so beautiful and tranquil. My favorite part of the day to run has always been dawn. The steadier our pace became the more comfortable we were in the knowledge that we would make it.

In fall of 2011 The North Face and Trail Running Canada began a partnership to promote and enrich trail running in Canada. The North Face offered to support five cross-Canada trail ambassadors with a one-year $500 gear budget for each ambassador. In return the ambassadors will be required to write news articles and gear reviews for Trail Running Canada. A call for applicants was launched and many qualified applications were received from across the country. The selection committee had an extremely difficult task to chose one ambassador from each of the five regions (BC, AB, Sask/Man, ON and QC & eastern provinces). In November 2011 the five ambassadors were chosen. The ambassadors represent a spectrum from mid-packers to front-packers, great writers and film makers, two female, three male, and both french and english language skills represented. The North Face and Trail Running Canada are excited about the contribution these ambassadors will make to the Canadian trail running community in 2012. The North Face trail ambassador initiative represents a significant milestone in the promotion of trail running in Canada. Catch the ambassadors at your local races and be sure to visit www.trailrunner.ca and our Trail Running Canada Facebook group to read their regular news posts in 2012.

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Sasha Brown Region: British Columbia Running Accomplishments: Kneeknacker 30 miler 3 top 5 finishes, Seven Summits ‘08, Stormy ‘04 – 3rd Website: http://www.playwithabandon.ca Quote: “I’m not elite, but I have been a part of the North Vancouver trail running community for almost a decade. Over the years, I have helped to indoctrinate many others into the trail running cult, by volunteering as a run leader for a local adventure race. I love seeing the many people I helped train, covered in mud and sweat with joy in their eyes and smiles on their faces…I have a passion and enthusiasm that I am told is infectious.” Joanne Schmidt Region: Alberta Running Accomplishments: Fast Trax 50 mile female winner, Lost Soul 50k female winner ‘09, ‘10, Blackfoot 50k female winner ‘10, 2011 member of Team Canada for Commonwealth Trail Championships Quote: “Starting to run was my biggest accomplishment, as I used to be a smoker, have been hit twice by cars-once as a pedestrian, and once on my bike,and have had many health issues to overcome…But more than running accomplishments, running has helped me to accomplish other things–running has helped me see the world, and wonderfully out of the way places in countries such as Taiwan, Wales, China, Mongolia, and Canada, has allowed me to meet wonderful people from just as many places, and has given me a way to handle life.” Chad Sawatzky Region: Saskatchewan / Manitoba Running Accomplishments: Sask. Ultra 50k, 5 Peaks COP 10k 2011, 5 Peaks Nakiska 13k 2011 Website: http://skclydesdaletrailrunner.blogspot.com/ Quote: “I already do a lot of promoting of local races to my students and school community. I have also helped train many friends who are beginners to the sport and watched them compete in local races of all distances. I am a friendly, local flatland trail runner and many people in Saskatoon would recognize me from my hours on the trails.” Keith Iskiw Region: Ontario Running Accomplishments: 2011 Haliburton 50 miler winner, 2010 Haliburton 100 mile 2nd place Blog: http://keithiskiw.wordpress.com/ Quote: “We have this awesome wilderness that surrounds the City of Kingston and when I go running I see no one out there using it. It makes me sad. Letting people in this community and others know about our great trail systems and some of the great races in Ontario would make it all worth while, if even just a few people get into trail running and explore these trails.”

Michel Caron Region: Quebec & East Running Accomplishments: Ultimate XC 58km, Jay Mountain 50 mile ‘07, ‘08 Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/ilitout Quote: I’m taking every chance that I have to educate people about the pleasures of running and particularly running on trails. As I was first a hiker then a climber and high altitude alpinist, my playground has always been the outdoors. I had the chance to travel to different mountain ranges and between the expeditions, running is the best way to get and stay in shape…As I am a photographer and athlete, I had multiple occasions to present slideshows in schools and in local theaters about my running achievements.”

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RACE FEATURE Building on its previous successes, the Sinister 7 Ultra + Relay reached new heights on December 1st as registration opened for the July 2012 race. In order to accommodate increased demand, the event was expanded to 1,200 runners from a previous maximum of 1,000. Even with the extra spots, relay team registration was largely full within one hour and several hundred additional runners were directed to the waiting list. The organizers are still allowing solo athletes to register for the next few weeks. Andrew Fairhurst, race director of the Sinister 7, says, “This is a really big step for us. The growth has been consistent and our Sinister 7 run Ultra + Relay following has grown significantly every year.” The popularity of the grueling endurance is attributed largely to the unique challenge but there are many other factors as well. “These events grow through word of mouth”, Racer Information Packagestated 2012 Fairhurst, “and we receive a lot of positive feedback. We have comments on our Facebook page where people are telling other runners that the race has some of the best scenery, the best organization, the best volunteers, and the people of Crowsnest Pass treat the runners really well.” The organizers feel that the people of the community play a large part in make the event a success through their volunteering, and welcoming attitude. The 5th annual Sinister 7 does not come without challenges. Early in the fall the organizers met with the Municipality to go over logistical issues and it was determined that the race should no longer be hosted in the Albert Stella Memorial Arena. “We are a big group and we have to be realistic about our facility needs. Making a change of this scale is definitely is a challenge but our group does not back down from challenges”, says Fairhurst. The fields to the west of the arena will still be used as a primary staging area but the race registration and finish will be moved to the Crowsnest Sports Complex in Coleman, which has a much greater seating capacity than the Albert Stella. The change to the host site also means altering the course. The organizers intend to start the race in the street in front of the Gazebo in Blairmore with the intention of giving local businesses a little more exposure. On the final leg of the race, runners will now wind their way from the McGillivray staging area west of Coleman by a little-used trail that the organizers call, “a real highlight”. When thinking about the new route Fairhurst added that, “sometimes challenges become opportunities and I think we have made the Sinister 7 even better.”

RACE DETAILS: Where: Crowsnest Pass, Alberta When: July 7-8, 2012 Distance: 148 km (solo or relay) Crowsnest Pass, Alberta

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Elevation Gain: 5,320 m Website: www.sinister7.com

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PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS

Moe Bsat 2nd place Grand Mountain, Alberta

Trail Running Canada held itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first photo contest in the fall of 2011 thanks to some generous sponsorship from Lost Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Racing, Newton Running, Zealous Vitality and Xtrail Asics. Monica Hardy won the grand prize of a free race entry to Causeway Crossing 50k trail race in Ireland. The entry includes accommodations, meals and the race. Her photo of a friend ascending a trail near Lake Louise won over our team of judges. Thanks to everyone who participated and our sponsors for making it possible. Look for our next photo contest coming sometime in 2012.

Sponsors

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Derrick Kanashiro 3rd place Lethbridge, Alberta

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Grand Prize Winner Lake Louise, Alberta (cover shot) Monica Hardy photographer Miles Tindal runner

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INTERNATIONAL SCENE

canadian campbell one of the world’s best Adam Campbell fresh off his 2nd place finish at UTMB – CCC race answered a few questions for Trail Running Canada. 1. UTMB has a series of trail races, explain briefly how CCC fits in (distance, course, etc.)? The CCC is the shortest race at the UTMB (Ultra-Trail du MontBlanc), almost week long, running festival. It’s supposed to be 98km, with 5,600m of elevation gain & loss over the course. It’s a stunning trail that runs over several high alpine passes and attracts 1,800 competitors and tens of thousands of spectators and hikers along the route. CCC stands for Courmayer-Champex-Chamonix, the main towns in Italy, Switzerland and France that the race runs through. The 2011 race, that I competed in, had to be rerouted and shortened to 93km with 5,100m of elevation change due to a rock fall and potentially dangerous weather. 2. What were your goals going into the race? Apparently you had never run longer than 6 hrs. How did you even know how to set your goals for the race? Because it was my first time tackling such a long and demanding event, my primary goal was honestly to complete the race. You can’t really worry about placing if you don’t finish. That said, in my mind, I had prepared well, which is critical. I spent a lot of time studying what other top level ultra-runners claim to do on their blogs and public training logs and asked a lot of questions about how to prepare. We are very lucky to live in an era when so much information is shared and available. It’s also a testament to the top-athletes in the sport that they are all so open to sharing their experiences. If you can critically assess it all and fine tune it to your situation, you can learn a lot from the cumulative experience and wisdom out there. I also get a lot of running guidance from Jonathan Brown, who finished 4th at the Sydney and Athens Olympics in the marathon, so I knew that I was following a good program and was prepping as well as I could, given my situation and level of experience, for the race. Although I’m new to ultra-running, I’ve been doing endurance sports at a respectable level since high school and have been involved in high performance triathlon for quite a few years (my wife, Lauren Campbell/Groves, is an Olympian in triathlon), so I have a fairly good understanding of my body and what I’m capable of, as well as how to train and race. Based off of my first few ultras, I knew that if I could manage my body through the low points and not get too excited early on, that I would likely be competitive. Although I wasn’t sure exactly what “competitive” would mean. I tried to keep the day simple and relied on a mantra that I read Dave Scott, 6-time Ironman Hawaii winner, refer to “when you feel bad, eat, when you feel good, eat” to get me through the day. Applying that, I tried to just focus on the process of eating, drinking and enjoying the experience. 22 Trail Running Canada

3. How did you feel the race went? What were the high/low points like? The race went about as well as I could have imagined. The person who won the race was far enough ahead of me that I don’t have too many “what ifs…” to worry about. It got to the point where I couldn’t really catch him, but rather, he would have to make a mistake, or have his body break down, for me to have had a chance to beat him. That said, I also have enough experience to know that a lot can happen in a long race, so I had a glimmer of hope to motivate me to keep pushing to the end and was scared enough of collapsing myself, that I kept nursing my way along. My main limiter on the day was my lack of experience. I was never sure exactly how hard I could push and how my body would react, so I tried to be as conservative as possible for as long as possible. This likely contributed to me having fewer highs and lows along the day. The one downside to my level of experience is that I’m still lacking in a bit of strength that comes from logging lots of miles in the mountains, but that will come over time. My main low point came on a 5,000 foot climb out of Martigny, which was unexpectedly part of the re-route. It was the hottest part of the day, on an uninspiring section, with few spectators and it came about 6 or 7 hours into the race. I felt tired, thirsty, depleted and sore and actually described it, a bit dramatically, as soul crushing. I barely ran a step for the 5km

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up the pass it was so steep. I managed to work my way through the rough patch by internalizing my focus, shouting the odd expletive and trying to convince myself that seeing how I would respond when faced with that feeling was partly why I was there. The highs are easy to manage. There was some spectacular scenery, which I always find motivating, but most of my highs came from interacting with the incredible spectators and crowds along the course. They definitely lifted my spirits and helped me through some potentially rough sections. 4. You’ve done well at some North American races what gave you the confidence to tackle the super competitive Euro ultra running scene? I wouldn’t say that I went there to tackle the scene, but rather to experience it. I was in Chamonix the year before, travelling around Europe and saw the start of the PTL, another one of the UTMB races and was moved by the energy in the town at the start. Combined with the stunning scenery and history of the area as a mountain Mecca, as well as the reputation and quality of the event, I knew instantly that I wanted to come back and experience it all myself. I initially wanted to race the UTMB (160 km course), but didn’t have enough points (earned from competing in mountain ultras) to qualify, so I made the CCC my main focus for the year. I used the memory of the start and my time in the Alps, as well as not wanting to suffer too badly out there, to motivate me to get out the door throughout the year. 5. What are your plans for future races (longer? 100 miles? faster?) I’m definitely curious about trying longer races. I know that the difference between 50 miles, or 100 kilometres and 100 miles is huge, but I think that the CCC gave me a bit of a sense that I can handle myself decently well over 100 miles, but I’ll approach the distance with a lot of respect.Having followed the ultra scene the past few years and having run with some top level runners, I’m well aware that the top guys are good all-round runners and great mountain runners. With the races increasing in popularity, I know that I’ll have to keep getting stronger and faster to be and stay competitive.Although I like the experience, challenge and preparation for mountain ultras, I also enjoy the head-to-head racing of shorter distances and across surfaces, so I plan on toeing the line at races of all distances, but my main focus will be UTMB next summer. 6. Your post-race sounded rough. Anything you learned or would do different for future ultras? Yeah, the race beat my stomach up pretty badly, but most of my post-race collapse came from getting super cold waiting for drug testing. So one thing I’d do differently would be to not stand in freezing rain in my shorts and singlet for an hour after the race. I think that a large part of ultra racing comes down to problem solving and how you manage the curve balls that will come your way during the race. If you have a perfect day, things take care of themselves, but those are rare in sport, so you have to plan well and have a bag of tricks for when things get rough. This comes largely from experience, but you can also try to minimize the “unpredictables” through training and proper preparation. As I said earlier, you can’t beat time in the mountains for preparation for mountain ultras. Luckily for me, it’s what I enjoy doing. 24 Trail Running Canada

7. Canadians have often been touted to have an inferiority complex and inability to compete on the world’s top running stages. Any idea why yourself and other Canadians seem to be doing well on the world stage in ultra/trail running (T. Garneau, G. Robbins, J. Loutit, etc.)? I’m not sure that we have an inferiority complex, we’re just too polite to state our ambitions publicly, although I think we’re getting over that! Although Canada hasn’t had much recent success on the international running scene, things are definitely changing with Reid Coolsaet, Simon Bairu, Dylan Wykes and the Speed River crew showing some good results. Canada has also had lots of success in other endurance sports, like mountain and road biking, ITU triathlon, Ironman and, more recently, cross-country skiing, so we have role models out there. While I don’t know what motivates the likes of Tracy, Gary, Jason, Jen Segger, Aaron Heidt, or Ellie Greenwood (although she races for Great Britain, she’s an adopted Canadian-chalk it up to our inferiority complex), I’m definitely motivated and inspired by their success. We have a great community of runners and although I don’t know Tracy, I know the others very well and talk and share ideas with them regularly. We’re all very supportive of each other, which helps immensely. There are a few other speedy Canadian runners who are starting to dabble in the long races and I expect they’ll be bitten by the ultra bug soon enough, so I’d expect to see a few more Canadian names at the pointy end of the result sheets over the next couple of years. As to why we’ve had some success? I think that our beautiful open spaces and rugged country, as well as our difficult winters, offer a perfect training environment for ultra running and I’d encourage more Canadian and International runners to come experience them. Thanks Adam. ~JS Update: On December 3, 2011 Adam capped off his amazing year with a third place finish at the super competitive The North Face Endurance 50 mile challenge in San Francisco, California behind Mike Wolfe and Dakota Jones. Adam fought the best ultra runners in the world including Geoff Roes, Jez Bragg, Michael Wardian and Karl Metzler You can read his race story and running blog at: http://cdamaampbell.blogspot.com/

www.trailrunner.ca 25

i2P YOUTH RUN ACROSS INDIAN DESERT

Impossible2Possible Delivering Another World-First with Experiential Learning Expedition to Rajasthan, India

Canadian Trail Running News

Tired but inspired, on December 5, 2011, four impossible2Possible (i2P) Youth Ambassadors, accompanied by Canadian adventurer and i2P founder, Ray Zahab, completed a 270km run through the Indian state of Rajasthan. On the trail for seven days, running nearly a marathon a day on this collaborative experiential learning expedition, the Ambassadors traversed the Thar, or “Great Desert,” supported by a team of scientists and educators. The expedition was the fifth in i2P’s youth-based “World Expedition Series” that sees youth aged 17 to 21 run a marathon a day through extreme environments. Throughout these expeditions – which, with the help of partner organizations, are delivered without cost to Ambassadors and participating schools – the Ambassadors take the lead in an interactive experiential learning curriculum that is shared with peers in classrooms around the world. Expedition India focused on issues of world health and access to healthcare, drilling down especially on the differences in health in India, the United States and Canada. i2P’s Educational Coordinator, Dr. Ewan Affleck, teaming up with educators, scientists and advisers to create a captivating curriculum on the subject, which provided a complete look at access to health care issues around the world. In addition, throughout the expedition professor Greg Wells, Ph.D., performed physiological testing on the Youth Ambassadors and led a discourse on the topics of physical activity and nutrition as they relate to non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, obesity and cancer. All of this, as well as daily updates from the Youth Ambassadors, was shared with a worldwide student audience via real-time streaming video and two-way communication; daily blog posts and video journals; education modules; and other interactive web content. Adriana Rossi, a seventh-grade teacher who uses the i2P videos in her class and has attended two i2P expeditions, including this trip to India, says this kind of outof-the box learning makes a lasting difference to students. “To be able to communicate live with these Ambassadors in a place that most kids are not able to travel to is phenomenal, and it makes it real for them,” says Rossi. “So, when they are learning, they are getting excited about it.” Rossi says that learning about health care in India from the lives of people on the ground opens the eyes of her seventh-graders. “My students get that in countries like India, they have health problems but they don’t see it, so it does not actually mean much to them,” 26 Trail Running Canada

Rossi says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But when they get to see it like we do with i2P, that makes it real to them. And the conversation is completely different because now they are real people, and they are seeing it that way.â&#x20AC;?. For more information on Expedition India, visit http://india2011.com. About the Youth Ambassadors: The Youth Ambassadors selected to participate in this expedition are: Emma Cook-Clarke (Calgary, AB, Canada), Jessica Kenny (Painesville, OH, USA), Harshveer Singh Saluja (Ranchi, India) and Patrick Doughty (Platteville, WI, USA). Complete bios for team members can be found at: http://impossible2possible.com/india/event_info/team. About impossible2Possible: impossible2Possible is a Canadian non-profit organization and U.S. 501c3 registered charity with a mission to use the platform of adventure and technology to educate, inspire, and empower the global community to reach beyond their perceived limits and make positive change in the world. www.impossible2Possible.com. Media Contact: Marie-France McKinnon | e. marie.france@blueskystrategygroup.com

www.trailrunner.ca 27

GEAR REVIEW: NATHAN SPORT VEST In the world of ultra and trail running Nathan Sports has a reputation for high-quality, well-thought-out products. In short, from Nathan Sports runners expect something trail tested. The HPL #020 is the larger of Nathan Sports’ two race vests. The #020 is 14 oz. while the #008 is 11 oz. The HPL #020 is definitely more of a vest than your typical backpack. The biggest difference is the lack of a hip belt. Normally a hip belt is an essential component of any running pack as it prevents unwanted bounce. Nathan instead has opted for a series of adjustable side straps and a chest strap. As a smaller individual (5’ 6”) I found the vest required a significant amount of adjustments and a few test runs in order to fit as designed. The two side straps on each side needed adjustment as well as the chest strap. Unlike more simple running packs with just a hip belt, this cannot be done on the trail, so I’d advise testing your HPL #020 before a race. I guess this is the disadvantage of having a one-size-fits-all product. Following all of the necessary adjustments the vest fit snug and didn’t bounce as it did during my first test runs. The next thing I adjusted was the hose. Some runners have complained about Nathan’s earlier bite valves, but for me it was the hose. It was simply too long and was constantly coming out of the pack and ending up around my ear, liable to get caught on a lowhanging branch and just annoying. But alas, a quick email to the supplier and I learned that the hose can easily be cut to fit your body size. After this final adjustment the HPL #020 was ready for action. The #020 vest comes with a two litre hydration bladder that is easy to open and refill (#008 comes with 1.5 L). Instead of the standard circular screw cap typically of many bladders, Nathan uses an open top sealed with a lever contraption. This allows easy refills, but if you’re not careful it’s also easy to spill. Many running packs have opted to leave the hydration bladder to the choice of the consumer and not include one with the pack. Nathan has opted for the one-stop shop idea, likely wondering why a consumer should have to purchase two separate items when one can include both. This results in a higher MRSP ($110), but you also get a 2.0 litre bladder with the vest. On the trail the #020 feels light, secure (if all adjustments are made) and airy. Many packs create unnecessary added weight and result in increased sweat on your back. The #020 addresses these challenges head-on with lightweight and very breathable mesh resulting in noticeably less sweat build up than other race packs or vests. Possibly the best feature of the vest is the dual front stretch mesh pocks. For gels or bars these pockets are ultra convenient compared to some of the more cumbersome hip belt pockets on other packs. One of the two front pockets is zippered allowing for storage of a cell phone, ID card or extra cash on your longer training runs.

28 Trail Running Canada

REDEFINING

After the adjustments to fit my body size the Nathan HPL #020 performed very well on the trails. It took a little getting used to the switch from a backpack to a vest, but in the end I preferred the vest because it didn’t put any unwanted pressure on my stomach, which can be an issue during races and long intense runs where calories must be consumed. The Nathan HPL #020 is a high-quality race vest that provides all the essentials needed for race day or a long training run. ~JS

HUMANLY POSSIBLE

Manufacturer Specs: • Suggested Retail Price – $110 CDN • 3-way Propulsion Harness • 2 liter Hydration Bladder with a Slideseal™ top closure • and bite valve • Dual front Power Stretch Mesh pockets –– one with zipper closure • Two zippered rear compartments • Shock Cord with one-pull tension lock for jacket or gloves • Vertically adjustable sternum strap with tube clip • Lightweight, breathable Wall Mesh with soft perimeter binding • Weight: 14.0 oz. - Adjustable fit – one size fits all Product supplied by In-Sport Fashions http://www.insport.ca/

Nathan products help you achieve your goals, no matter how impossible they may seem. Our HPL # 020 is the ultimate trail and ultra running hydration vest. It helps you go farther more easily, so at 50 miles and beyond, the vest remains as lightweight and comfortable as it was at mile one. Its 3-way Propulsion Harness minimizes bounce, while its superior construction reduces chafing and won’t damage technical apparel. Carrying fluids for several hours on the go has never felt so good. Nathan Performance Gear is available at specialty running, triathlon shops as well as sporting goods stores or at www.NathanSports.ca.

www.trailrunner.ca 29

Canadian completes record setting 1,000 km journey

<< Bernadette Bensen tackling the Bibbulmun track, Australia

30 Trail Running Canada

Think hard about what you did from November 1, 2011 until November 16, 2011. It probably involved a little bit of driving, sleeping, working, dishes, preparing food and some running. Well, imagine choosing just one, okay two, of those activities and doing only them for almost 16 days. Canadian Bernadette Bensen completed the fastest known time for the 1,000 km Bibbulmun track (trail) in Australia that stretches from Kalamunda to Albany. She logged 1,007 kilometres with 18,900 metres of elevation gain over the course of 15 days 9 hours and 48 minutes total time or 213.75 hours of running time. Bensen managed to shave off nearly a day from the old record. Impressive for someone who claims she only began to take running seriously in 2010 after coming back from injury and surgery in late 2009. Since her comeback she has wasted no time in reaching an elite level. She began 2010 by winning the Bunbury, Australia 50k, followed by a win at the Sri Chimoy 24 hr national championship with 200.9 km and subsequent victories at the Victorian 50km track championship and Six Inch Trail Marathon. Bensen continued her torrid pace in 2011 by breaking the 100km W40 Canadian age group record and winning the 3 Waters Marathon in Bunbury. In July 2011 she was part of Team Canada women’s first ever podium finish (bronze) at the World Trail Championships in Ireland. Despite all the accomplishments Bensen maintains that she wants running to be fun and to share that fun with as many people as possible. You can follow her running adventures at www.bernadettebenson.com or read her story of Team Canada’s bronze medal performance at the world trail championships at our website at www.trailrunner.ca.

Heather Wurtele-

Ultraspire Elite Immortal™ and 4-time Ironman champion wearing the Spry vest and IsomericRace handheld with the Human20 bottle. (patents pending)

Photo: Jim Speth

INSPIRED BY ATHLETES

www.ultraspire.net 604.764.8453 www.trailrunner.ca 31

GEAR REVIEW: THE STICK The Stick is a self-massage tool the company claims to be ‘a toothbrush for your muscles’. This clever marketing is a high claim since most of us view a ‘toothbrush’ as an essential everyday (even twice a day) personal item. I reviewed two versions of The Stick – The Original Stick and The Sprinter Stick. The Original Stick is 24″ (61 cm) long (retail – $46.75) while the Sprinter Stick is shorter at 19″ (48 cm) (retail – $38.45). The Original Stick has significantly more flex to it than the Sprinter Stick. The company’s website states the Sprinter Stick is best for heavy muscles with the Original Stick best for average muscles. The products arrived two days after I had completed the Lost Soul Ultra 50k. My muscles were still quite sore and sensitive and my busy schedule didn’t have a lot of time for a massage appointment. So this was the perfect opportunity to test out a product claiming many benefits similar to those from massage therapy. I first tried the Original Stick on my sore and tight calf muscles followed by my almost still seizing hamstrings. The Original Stick has good flexibility and wrapped nicely around my calves, giving muscle stiffness relief that was similar to massage therapy treatment. The hard plastic cylinders that roll around the inner shaft allow you to work the muscles as hard or as soft as you wish.

32 Trail Running Canada

The hamstrings were a bit more difficult as you must be sitting so that your hamstring muscles are relaxed for the Stick to be effective. I found sitting on a couch with adequate height worked well or alternatively sitting on the ground with your legs straight out and the Stick underneath your legs.Once I found a good position the Original Stick worked well to ease some of my hamstring tightness from the race. The next day I then tried the same thing, but with the Sprinter Stick rather than the Original Stick. The shorter and more rigid Sprinter was not as effective as the Original Stick on these muscle groups. My relatively small frame 5′6″, 130 lbs perhaps doesn’t lend itself to the stiffer Sprinter Stick, because I could only work small portions of the muscle due to the lack of flexibility. I then tried the Sprinter Stick on my quads with more success. This large and easy-to-access muscle group seemed to be more effectively worked with the rigid Sprinter stick, since direct pressure could be applied to a larger muscle region. So, does the Stick live up to its lofty claim of being a ‘toothbrush for your muscles’? I’d say yes it did and now I use it almost everyday – a true test of a product’s value. It has noticeable benefits when used daily and if you go a few days without your muscles will let you know. Nonetheless it’s not possible to work every muscle with the Stick and I see it being used in conjunction with regular massage treatment for full recovery. For the majority of runners, especially leaner trail and ultra runners I’d recommend the Original Stick. It is highly effective at providing relief for sore aching muscles and promoting a quicker post-race recovery time. It performs as well as a foam roller on most muscle groups, including the IT band, and is easier to take with you to a destination race. If you have larger, especially tight, muscles then the Sprinter Stick might be a more effective alternative for you and its smaller size is slightly more convenient for storage and traveling. Reviewed by Jonathan Schmidt | Products were supplied by Zealous Vitality – www.thestick.ca

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LOCAL TRAILS FEATURE

ld u o G s a d

Goo

Location: Gould Lake Conservation Area, Sydenham, Ontario

When training for trail races we find ourselves pouring over maps, searching for the next place to train, the new trail that has it all. One place that has always been my go-to place to train for big races is Gould Lake Conservation Area. Situated a short drive north of Kingston, Ontario. GLCA is a 589 hectare wilderness playground that has much to offer local trail runners. 20 km of rugged, rolling singletrack weave their way though the wetlands that surround its namesake lake. The trails push your technical running in some sections as you leap and hop along ridges and plunge back down steep drop-offs. As the trail is well marked with orange triangles and maps at major intersections the chances of getting lost are slim and this frees you to enjoy your run. The Rideau Trail also runs through the north part of the park and adds to the possibilities for longer, more adventurous runs. It is rare to see anyone using these trails in the fall/winter months and this provides the user with an opportunity to experience nature uninterrupted. During the summer months the park is more active as it serves as a wilderness education center for a local school. Even with this extra traffic the trails remain relatively empty giving the runner a sense of isolation. When you have had your fill of hills and winding singletrack you can take a plunge in the lake to help relax those worked muscles. The trailhead has a beach and picnic area to stretch and relax before heading home. Gould Lake Conservation Area has much to offer the trail runner in eastern Ontario. Given its location, quality trail system and beautiful natural backdrop itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one place I continue to go to time after time. Distance: 20km (plus Rideau Trail system) Info and Maps: http://www.cataraquiregion.on.ca/lands/gould.htm http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca Keith Iskiw is a trail runner in Kingston, Ontario and the 2012 The North Face Canadian Trail Ambassador for Ontario.

Photos credit: Ray Desrosiers

34 Trail Running Canada

www.trailrunner.ca 35

ULTRA RUNNER OF THE YEAR You know the Canadian ultrarunning scene is grassroots when the ultra runner of the year is chosen by a blog poll on Ryne Melcher’s website. But don’t let this deceive you into thinking that the accomplishments of Canada’s finest ultrarunners are menial. In fact, Canadian ultrarunners are continuing to storm podiums at the world’s biggest and toughest events. Here’s Ryne’s recap of the 2012 Canadian Male Ultra Runner of the Year vote.

Adam (left) on the podium at the TNF 50 Miler in San Francisco, California.

The vote was an exciting one and Adam Campbell emerged with top honors for Canadian Male Ultra Runner of the Year with 46% of the vote followed by Glen Redpath (40%), Jason Loutitt (11%) and Chris Downie (1%). It was an exciting twelve months for Canadian Ultra Running with solid performances by a diverse number of Canadians from coast to coast.

Adam capped off his fantastic year with a bronze in Marin Headlands at The North Face Endurance Challenge 50 miler. The field was loaded with studs and Adam certainly put himself on the running map if he hadn’t already with that performance. Jason Loutitt captured Canada’s first individual medal at a World Trail Championship with a silver this past summer in Connemara, Ireland. Jason led for the first 45k of the 70k race before falling down to fourth. He rebounded in incredible fashion and came within 50 seconds of winning the race! Glen Redpath continued to torch the ultra scene with Canadian Age Group records for 100 miles and 24 hours. He also ran the fastest time by a Canadian at Western States with a studly 16:57. Add in to the mix a few wins for Glen and a silver medal at the Run for the Toad Canadian 50km Trail Championships. Glen also had the honor of representing Canada in Ireland for the World Trail Championships. Honorable mention for other top performances are: * Chris Downie - 5:52 at the Whistler 50 Miler * Taylor Murphy - 3:20 and 3:25 50ks at Blackfoot and Run for the Toad * Aaron Heidt - 8:36 at Miwok 100km and 3:50 at the Chuckanut 50km Here’s a recap of Adam, Chris, Jason and Glen’s top performances. A stellar class of Canadian male ultra runners. ADAM CAMPBELL: Chuckanut 50km - 3:54 (8th), Elk Beaver 50 Miler - 5:44 (1st - National Record for 50 miles on Trail), Knee Knacker 50km - 5:06 (2nd), CCC (France) 98km - 10:29 (2nd), TNF 50 Miler - 6:34 (3rd) CHRIS DOWNIE: Sequoia 50km - 4:17 (2nd), Where’s Waldo 100km - 10:22 (4th), Walk in the Park 54km - 4:45 (1st Place), Pine to Palm 100 Miler - 19:15 (2nd), Whistler 50 Miler - 5:52 (1st) JASON LOUTITT: HURT 100 Miler - 22:27 (1st), American River 50 Miler - 5:59 (2nd), Elk-Beaver 100km - 7:28 (1st), IAU World Trail Championships (70km) - 6:40 (2nd Place), GLEN REDPATH: New Jersey 50 Miler - 6:19 (1st), Umstead 100 Miler - 14:47 (3rd - National Age Group Record), Ice Age Trail 50 Miler - 6:48 (4th), Western States 100 Miler - 16:57 (14th - Canadian WS100 Record), Run for the Toad 3:46 (3rd), Crooked Road 24 Hour - 139 Miles (1st - National Age Group Record) Opposite: Jason and Glen at the world championships in Ireland

36 Trail Running Canada

Where are you planning your next run?

Mountain Running

in the

Canadian Rockies

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www.trailrunner.ca 37

DO IT YOURSELF FEATURE In a sport with expensive shoes and high-tech equipment some of the best solutions can still be done by yourself. In this issue we feature ‘DIY’ winter spikes and answers to the age of question of how to prevent your hydration bladder from freezing up in the winter. Comments come from on our Trail Running Canada facebook group where you can find the latest news and tips on Canadian trail running.

DIY SHOE SPIKES “Sheet metal screws are the best. They are a hex headed screw with a small ridge around the head. Building supply stores like Rona and Home Depot have them. #8 x 3/16” are what you need but are sometimes hard to find. #8 x 1/4 “ are common but they may come through far enough to feel the points. Screw them into the lugs on your shoes in some pattern that appeals to you. Use a hex head driver. The screw heads are slotted but a screwdriver will slip.” “I’ve used a couple of types of Yaktraxs and the screws are a lot better on ice than Yaks. The downside to screws is they are no good on pavement and you can’t take them off like you can the Yaks. The choice depends on your local conditions. Lots of ice or snow packed into ice needs screws. Little ice and varying types of ground means Yaks might be better.” “My sheet metal screws were a bit too long at 1/2”. One poked thru and made me jump pretty high once yesterday. No blood though. The ones right down the middle need to be the shortest, apparently. Live and learn.” “I usually put 6 in each. One very important thing he failed to mention is that if you on any Nike Air shoes, don’t do that. The air bags might not like being screwed.”

HOW TO PREVENT HYDRATION TUBE FREEZE-UP “First off, you can wear it under your coat, and second if you blow the water back into the bladder, there’s less to freeze up. And of course there is the scientific answer that if you mix electrolyte in it, it won’t freeze up, think of Eload as Antifreeze for your bladder. Personally I find that my eload still freezes.” “I find my water still freezes with electrolytes, but if I tuck the nozzle into my shirt it works really well.” “Some packs come with a neoprene sleeve. I got a cheap pack from Costco a few years back that came with one.” “I find the mouthpiece still freezes with the sleeve though, that’s why I tuck it in my jacket.” “I put a light jacket over my pack as my last layer and that does the trick.” “Neoprene sleeve for the tube works well... But still found the nozzle/mouthpiece still freezes so i tuck inside my jacket breast pocket or just inside unzipped jacket.”

38 Trail Running Canada

Todd Maki photo contest submission Mclean Creek, Alberta

www.trailrunner.ca 39

40 Trail Running Canada

Patrick Lomo photo contest submission

www.trailrunner.ca 41

2012 TR AI L R ACE GU I DE Date

Title

Distance (k=km, m=mile)

Location

1/1/2012 1/1/2012 1/14/2012 1/21/2012 1/28/2012 1/28/2012

Brantford New Year’s Day Races Vancouver New Year’s Day Fat Ass Calgary RR Nose Creek XC Frosty Trail Ultra - Waterloo, ON Calgary RR Twelve Mile Coulee XC The Yeti Snowshoe Race

1k,5k,10k 50k 4k,8k 3hr, 6hr 8k 5k,10k

Bradford, ON Brockton Point Trail, V Calgary, AB Waterloo, ON Calgary, AB Mount Washington, B

2/4/2012

The Yeti Snowshoe Race

5k,10k

Blue Mountain, ON

2/4/2012 2/11/2012 2/18/2012 2/18/2012 2/20/2012 2/25/2012 3/3/2012 3/3/2012 3/10/2012 3/10/2012 3/18/2012 3/25/2012 4/7/2012 4/21/2012 4/29/2012 5/12/2012 5/12/2012 5/12/2012 5/12/2012 5/26/2012 5/27/2012 6/3/2012 6/3/2012 6/9/2012 6/16/2012 6/23/2012 6/30/2012 6/30/2012 7/1/2012 7/7/2012 7/14/2012

Yukon Arctic Ultra Squamish Scrambler - snowshoe hike/run The Yeti Snowshoe Race Capilano Canyon Night Run - Mardi Gras Frozen Ass Fifty Calgary RR Weaselhead XC Blitz Snowshoe Fun Run 2012 Run To The Clouds Calgary RR Fish Creek XC Dirty Duo Trail and Mountain Bike Race Spring Mountain Highway Madness Dirty Feet Desert Race - Kamloops, BC Spaghetti Trees 5 Peaks - Golden Ears Brantford Rotary Classic run Elk Beaver Ultras Seaton Trail Race Spartan Race 5/10 Event Blackfoot Ultra Chico Racing 6hr Run Dirty Feet Mud Run 5 Peaks - Squamish Fast Trax Trail Ultra Rundle’s Revenge - trail races Tenderfoot Boogie Ultimate XC Brantford Canada Day Trail Run Sinister 7 Knee Knackering North Shore

42k,100m,300m 12k,24k 5k,10k 1.5hr 52k 4k,8k 5k,10k 10.5k,13.5k,25k 4k,8k 15k,25k,50k 15k 21k,10k,5k 12k,16k 1k/9k/14k 5k, 10k 50k,50m,100k 78k,52k & 26k 5k 5k,10k 25k, 50k, 50m,100k 6 hr 1k,5k,10k 5k,10k 1k, TBA 30k,50k,50m,100k 25k,50k 28k,50k,50m, 21k,35k and 56k 1k,5k,10k 146k solo or relay 30m

Whitehorse, Yukon Garibaldi Park, Squa Callahan Valley, BC Griffin Recreation Ce Calgary, AB Weaselhead Park, Ca Banff National Park, Buntzen Lake Recreat Fish Creek Provincial North Vancouver, BC North Shore Mounta Kamloops B.C. East Sooke Regional Maple Ridge. BC Brantford, ON Beaver Lake, Victoria Pine Ridge School, Pi North Vancouver, BC Lindsay, ON Cooking Lake Recrea Uxbridge, ON Kelowna B.C. Claireville Conservati Squamish, BC Goldbar Park, Edmon Canmore, AB Squamishh, BC St-Donat, Quebec Bradford, ON Blairmore, AB Virgil, BC

42 Trail Running Canada

For t h e m os t u p d a ted l i s t a n d o u r cal endar map vi si t w w w. trai lrun e r.ca Website

Vancouver, BC

www.likerunning.ca/#newyears www.clubfatass.com/events/VancouverNewYear www.calgaryroadrunners.com/xcsched.php www.horrorhillrun.ca/frosty_2012.html www.calgaryroadrunners.com/xcsched.php www.theyeti.ca www.theyeti.ca

amish, BC

enter, North Vancouver, BC

algary AB AB tion Area, North Vancouver, BC Park, Calgary AB C ains, North Vancouver, BC Park, Vancouver Island, BC

a, BC ickering, ON C

ation Area, AB

ion Area, Toronto, ON

nton, AB

www.arcticultra.de/en.php www.clubfatass.com/events/SquamishScrambler www.theyeti.ca www.clubfatass.com/events/mardigras www.gordsrunningstore.com/frozen_ass.htm www.calgaryroadrunners.com/xcsched.php www.blitzevents.ca/snowshoe www.clubfatass.com/events/RunToTheClouds www.calgaryroadrunners.com/xcsched.php www.dirtyduo.com www.clubfatass.com/events/springmhm www.dirtyfeet.ca www.clubfatass.com/events/SpaghettiTrees www.5peaks.com www.rotaryclassic.ca www.pih.bc.ca www.seatonmudpuppies.ca/race_details/index.html www.spartanrace.com www.fivetenevent.com www.blackfootultra.com/index.shtml www. chicoracing.com www.dirtyfeet.ca/trail-running-races www.MudRun.ca www.5peaks.com www.ultra.fasttraxskishop.com/trail_info.php www.rundlesrevenge.com www.trailwhisperer.ca/Tenderfoot www.ultimatexc.com/running-series.html www.greatcanadiantrailrun.com www.sinister7.com www.kneeknacker.com www.trailrunner.ca 43

Date

Title

Distance (k=km, m=mile)

Location

7/14/2012 7/14/2012 7/14/2012 7/15/2012 7/21/20212 7/28/2012 7/29/2012 8/4/2012 8/4/2012 8/11/2012 8/11/2012 8/17/2012 8/18/2012 8/18/2012 8/18/2012 8/25/2012 9/1/2012 9/2/2012 9/6/2012 9/7-8/2012 9/15/2012 9/23/2012 9/23/2012 9/23/2012 9/28-30/2012 9/29/2012 10/7/2012 10/13/2012 1/1/2013

Powderface The Limberlost Challenge Quebec Mega Trail The North Face Dirty Feet 5 Peaks - Cypress Mountain Brantford Grand Trail Run Brookvale Ultra - PEI The North Face Canadian Death Race Not Since Moses Run Emperor’s Challeng Squamish 50 XC de la Vallee Fat Dog 100 Trail Race Iron Legs50 Iroquoia Trail Test Race 5 Peaks - Whistler/Blackcomb Kaslo Suffer Fest XTERRA Triathlon & Duathlon Brantford Light the Night Race Lost Soul Ultra Frosty Mountain Trail Race Brantford Waterways Races Mad Moose Marathon The North Face Dirty Feet Trail Race #4 Kaslo Sufferfest 5 Peaks - Buntzen Lake Grizzly Ultra Trail Marathon & Relay Vulture Bait Trail Race Vancouver New Year’s Day Fat Ass

21k & 42k 14k 10k,21k 5k,10k,21k 1k,TBA 1k,5k,10k 10k,25k,50k 125km 5k,10k 20k 50m 10k,21k,35k 50m,100k,100m 50m & relay 8k,15k,32k,50k 1k,6.5k,10k 10k,25k,50k various 1k,5k,10k 50k,100k,100m 13k,27k,50k 1k,5k,10k 21k,42k & ultra 5k,10k,21k 10k,25k,50k,200k TBA 42k & relay 25k,50k 50k

Bragg Creek, AB Limberlost Forest Rese Mont-Sainte-Anne, Q Vernon, BC Cypress Mountain, BC Brantford ON Brookvale Nordic Ce Grand Cache, AB Five islands, Nova Sc Tumbler Ridge, BC Squamish, BC Route du Bras du No Hope, BC Bragg Creek, AB Burlington, Ontario, Whistler, BC Kaslo, BC Canmore, AB Brantford ON Lethbridge, AB Manning Park, BC Brant Waterways, Bra Prince George, BC Kamloops, BC Kaslo, BC Anmore, BC Canmore Nordic Cen Fanshawe Conservat Brockton Point Trail, V

For t h e most updat ed list an d ou

44 Trail Running Canada

erve, Huntsville, ON QC

entre, Prince Edward Island

cotia

ord, Saint-Raymond, QC

rantford ON

ntre, Canmore, AB tion Area, London, ON Vancouver, BC

Website www.powderface42.com www.thelimberlostchallenge.com www.qmtrail.com www.dirtyfeet.ca/trail-running-races www.5peaks.com www.brantfordgrand.ca www.peiroadrunners.pbworks.com/Brookvale-Ultra-Trail-Marathon www.canadiandeathrace.com www.notsincemoses.com www.emperorschallenge.com www.squamish50.com www.vertleraid.com/xcvallee.htm www.mountainmadness.ca/fatdog.php#top www.ironlegs.ca www.burlingtonrunners.com www.5peaks.com www.kaslosufferfest.com www.xterracanada.ca www.likerunning.ca www.lostsoulultra.com www.trailwhisperer.ca/FrostyMountain www.brantwaterways.ca www.madmoosemarathon.ca/mmm www.dirtyfeet.ca/trail-running-races www.kaslosufferfest.com www.5peaks.com www.smithevents.ca/Grizzly_Ultra_Marathon.php www.vulturebaitrace.com www.clubfatass.com/events/VancouverNewYear

u r ca l e nda r m a p vi s i t w w w. tra i l run e r. ca

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