Tag: trailrunning

  • Why I didn’t PR at Race the North Face 2026

    Race the North Face is one of those annual reunion races for the Manitoba trailrunning community. So many familiar faces among the 470+ runners, volunteers, and associated friends and family. I had the chance to run the 25k this year for the first time since 2022. I learned lessons back then, and still had more…

  • How to be lost in Normandy

    In hindsight, when my wife called to check in when I was gone longer than expected on my morning run, instead of, “I’m fine, just taking a little longer than expected,” I might more accurately have stated, “I’m lost.” In my defense, at the time I thought I had been lost (past tense), but was…

  • Birds Hill Trail Series

    On Thursday summer nights, a group of runners gather to chase the trails. The Birds Hill Trail Series, hosted by Joel Toews, offers up a great change of pace for the running routine – midweek race (taper?), in the evening (it’ll be how hot? what do I eat??) and short-ish distances (meaning, everyone starts off…

  • Race the North Face

    A few short miles south of the city, the Brandon Hills tower above the surrounding farmland. Equally beautiful and cruel (to the unacclimatized flatlander) singletrack trails weave throughout this impressive landscape, and play host to the annual Race the North Face. I raced the course in 2022, and both thoroughly enjoyed the race and was…

  • Puddle Rating System

    On the weekend participants of Suffer on Centennial, trail race in Manitoba’s Whiteshell Provincial Park, learned that while the English language has only one word for “puddle”, it can mean oh so many things. I have compiled the extensive research and data contributions to devise an initial proposal for a Puddle Rating System. My hope…

  • Bedford Ridge

    When you’re a runner looking for practice running upward and downward, but live in a landscape geared towards running horizontally (for miles and miles), where do you go? Local runners have found one answer to be Bedford Ridge in the Sandilands. Off the beaten path of the “yellow” XC ski trail lies a little singletrack…

  • Suffer on Centennial 25KM Map

    Here’s a guide for all the runners challenging the 25KM distance in two weeks at Suffer on Centennial. The route starts and ends at the Falcon Ridge Resort, and leads runners on Five of Diamonds, Top of the World, South Whiteshell, and Pierre’s Poetry trails, over both technical and smooth rolling terrain, with several beautiful…

  • Make Your Own Race Plan for Suffer on Centennial

    After getting a lot of feedback on last week’s Top Secret Race Plan I realized – there’s a small group of people who have signed up for a crazy adventure on May 25, Suffer on Centennial 100km. Each of us are thinking ahead to race day on a daily basis, either with excitement or dread,…

  • Winter Run on the Rat River

    Every year, nestled among the wrinkles between bald winter fields, southern Manitoba’s meandering rivers emerge as a network of ice- and snow-covered trails. In what has become an annual tradition, Gord and I took to the Rat River early on a Sunday morning in February as the full moon set in the west and sunrise…

  • 100 Reasons to Run 100

    Many making plans for 2024 races, here’s a little reminder of why you should chase your dreams and go big next year! This zine goes out to Greg Penner on his birthday, who in 2023 tackled his first 100 miler (and threw in 100km as well). Wishing you many future kudos. Also special mention to…