JULY 1st,

The official mid-way point of 2010 AND birthday to one of the greatest Nations on Earth!

Happy Canada Day eh!

We sincerely hope you've been steadily achieving all of the goals you set forth to conquer just six short months ago. And on that note, big congrats to all finishers of our Summer Solstice 25km and Marathon distance trail races.

Results 25k / 42.2k

Featured Races

Fat Dog 100

100 Miles / 100k / Relay

July 23rd

Stunning alpine views, very runnable trails, point to point, challenging profile, sumptuous aid stations, great organization, enthusiastic volunteers, and a lake at the end for soaking...NEED WE SAY MORE!

Mud-Run-Ride

August 28th, North Vancouver

It's time to get dirty, and bring a friend! The MUD is an event that gives everyone an opportunity to have fun at an adventure race. Whether you are an experienced racer or you are looking at your first competition, you will cross the finish line with a big smile and even bigger coating of mud!

Featured Gear


North Face Eat My Dust Short
$55

Lightweight stretch woven short designed for any aerobic use, this comfortable short features side mesh panels and liner for increased overall breathability. Wide elastic waistband includes an interior drawstring and internal stash pocket that’s large enough to hold a set of keys during your run.

Running Tip O The Month


Pacing

Pacing is probably the number one aspect of running/racing that people really struggle to figure out. It's such an individual thing that it takes time, experience, focus, and confidence to fully master. An even pace throughout a race is desired, while a 'negative split' (finishing faster than you started) is also a sign of a successful outing. Going out too fast and really struggling to the finish is a sign of incorrect pacing and should signal that you could actually finish faster if you learn to run smarter. The number one piece of advice we can offer, start off your race with a feeling of 'going too slow' and ease your way into it. Your body will let you know when it feels good and is fully ready to start 'racing'...not your mind, which will inevitably be paying too much attention to what 'everyone else is doing'. PLUS, the slower you start off the more people you get to pass as the race progresses! Try it in your next RTNS event, give your body a good 30-40min to get into a groove and we're willing to bet you'll have a much friendlier race experience out there!

Featured Athlete Of The Month

Ellie Greenwood

RTNS: You used to be our favorite local to cheer for in big races, but now you’ve relocated to oil country, what prompted the move?

EG: I work for a British tour operator that offers package vacations to North America from the UK.  As we are primarily ski based and the market is moving more towards the Rockies resorts our UK office decided it was time we shifted more into the middle of things.  Not my choice for sure, although I can’t complain too much about now living in Banff, I certainly don’t miss the rain of Vancouver! 

RTNS: How has living in Banff (at 4500 feet) affected/benefited your training/racing?

EG: I am convinced that it benefited my training and racing significantly.  When I first got here for about a month I struggled on my runs and just felt like I had lost all my fitness, which I at first put down to taking a month pretty easy.  Looking back I think it was the altitude as I now feel like I am wallowing in oxygen when I come back to race at sea level – it’s great!  It would be hard to say how much the effect is, but I would say that it’s not insignificant.

RTNS: You’re the defending Knee Knacker champion running a 5h36m in 09. Will you be back, and if so what are your race goals this year?

EG: Despite the fact that Knee Knacker is not really my sort of course (I wouldn’t say that hills and technical terrain are my strong points), I just had to sign up!  KK has got something so special about it – a super scenic point to point course, so many friendly faces, awesome organization and the finish line at Deep Cove takes a lot to beat in terms of location on a sunny day.  I’m hoping, of course, to beat my time from last year but I am aware that last year I did practically all my training on the course and this year I will have done none.  I don’t like to make too many exact race predictions – I’m too superstitious for that!

RTNS: You recently won your first ever 100km race on Vancouver Island, in what is currently being confirmed as a World Record for that distance on trail no less, will this distance be more of a focus for you in the future?

EG: For sure!  I was pretty daunted at the prospect of 100kms, I’d run plenty of 50kms and two 50 milers but I knew that stepping up the distance was a whole new ball game.  As I result of this I trained seriously hard but am so happy I did as it clearly paid off and I surpassed all my expectations of finish time.  It was definitely tough going but I’d like to think I could improve my time on that course.  I’m also aware that Elk Beaver is pretty much the easiest 100km course around so I guess I now need to prove myself on a tougher course and with a competitive field.

RTNS: We want ya running for The Red and White but apparently that won’t happen. Can you elaborate a bit?

EG: Ah, if this was an audio interview you would soon pick up the fact that I’m from the other side of the pond!  I first came to Canada in 1999 for one summer and then have been here slightly on and off but pretty much for the last 8 years.  I got my Permanent Residency (after a 3 ½ year wait for you folks to process my application!) in October of 2008, and I have to wait another 18months until I can apply for citizenship, which I will do as soon as I can!  I was born in Dundee, Scotland but have a nice country accent from where I grew up in flat farming country in the east of England! 

RTNS: Can we get a little insight into what a typical training week looks like for you Ellie?

EG: I typically run 6 days a week, usually in the evenings as my 8am work start is early enough for me!  On my day off I do yoga which I am really trying to commit to as it is great not only for flexibility and strength but also making you more aware of your body – which can only benefit a runner.  If am training for a long race I will run long on both Saturday and Sunday (in peak training for my 100km I would get about 10hrs running in over the 2 days).  In the week I run between 1.5 and 2.5hrs on 4 days, mixing it up with flat, runnable routes and more power-hiking kind of stuff.  This past winter at least 2 of my runs a week were on the treadmill (which became very appealing when it was minus 20 something and dark outside!) and I will throw in some easy upper body weights on those days too.  I’ll ski a bit in the winter too and bike a bit in the summer – nothing too serious of either but I truly believe that even a little bit of something different gives the body a bit of balance.  At the moment I run more on time that distance as I’m running new routes, don’t have a GPS and it was too demoralizing to know how slowly I was going in the snow in winter!  Plus I’m a big believer in time on feet….

RTNS: What would be your ultimate racing goals going forward? What big events might we see you at in the coming years?

EG: Tough question as there are so many awesome ultras out there!  I have just got a spot in Canadian Death Race 125km in July which is the longest and toughest race I will have run so I’ll see how much I enjoy that and therefore if I decide to do more of that style of real mountain running. Races that are on my ‘wish list’ are Trans Rockies, Comrades and some of the races in the Alps (I lived in Switzerland for 3 summers and love the trails there).  I would also like to fit in more marathons and specifically a fast course to try better my PB, I am pretty confident I can get sub 2:50 and that is a real goal for me.  And before you ask – I guess I’ll do a 100 miler some day, but not quite yet.