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Old Tom Backyard
Last year we went in unawares, most of us having never running a Backyard Ultra before (as my race plan might have suggested). This year, we’re smarter, though possibly not wiser. Old Tom Backyard enters its second year, and we look forward to nearly endless loops around the barns and through the woods, followed by…
No time to spare in Beaudry
“You’re late.” In 2019 I signed up to run loops of this beautiful little trail along the Assiniboine River west of Winnipeg during the annual Beaudry Fall Classic. This particular year, the race was preceded by a couple weeks of heavy rain, and as I drove out on a dark fall morning, the windshield wipers…
The Barkmans 2025 Recap
On a beautiful spring day, almost too nice by Barkman Marathons standards, 28 runners gathered at KR Barkman Park in Steinbach to look for books. When the dust settled, 16 kissed the rock to finish their mission, 12 were ceremoniously tapped out for failing to finish. Thanks David (Awaken Collective) for both participating and putting…
Walking Distance
“Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time.”– Steven Wright I read this quote a few years ago, and in my memory attributed it to Thoreau. If Thoreau said it, of course, it was automatically profound. Now Thoreau did write a book called Walking, and did have profound things to say on the topic,…
Actif Epica
I’d been curious about the Actif Epica, an annual race along the Crow Wing Trail, for several years, and 2025 was my year to finally be part of it. As the day approached, the forecast continued to promise “classic Manitoba winter” temperatures below -20° C. The race bills itself as a “celebration of human resilience,”…
Drifting
Believe it or not, each of these techniques have been personally tested. And all in one fateful day. My regular running route includes a stretch of park path along the north side of a shelterbelt. Depending on snowfall and wind direction, this path can vary from day to day as snow piles in before plow…
Reasons to Run in Deep Winter
Deep winter divides runners into two camps – those who turn to the treadmill, and those who layer up and brave the cold. Then there’s a third camp, those who hang up the shoes till more reasonable temperatures return… Which are you? For myself, I started in the third camp, avoiding winter running. Then I…
Happy New Year
I’ve done my best in this holiday week to unplug, slow routines, spend time with family, and generally not be “doing” in the regular sense for a bit. Not easy, and our whole family routine’s been off, but I think it’s been good. I hope you’ve been able to have some rest as well. Reflecting…