Second annual Trail Races of the East Kootenay Series

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Posted: April 9, 2013

Second annual Trail Races of the East Kootenay Series

The East Kootenay has long been an athlete’s paradise. Endless trails to discover, mountains to climb, targets to attain and races to either check off the list or set out to dominate. Over the past few years, an increasing number of trail races have appeared on the map, all growing in popularity year-on-year, resulting in capped entries, exciting challenges and increasingly tough competition.

Within this ever-growing collection of trail races making their mark throughout the East Kootenay are a small number who in 2012, joined forces to bring about TREKS: Trail Races of the East Kootenay Series.

In 2012 there were five well-known races that took part.

Kicking off with Round the Mountain in Kimberley; a 20-km or 10-km race, new in June 2011, offering both running and biking. Crazy Soles Nipika Trail Run near Radium Hot Springs, a 25-km or 10-km predominantly single track and stunning trail race. Heiko’s Hellish Half in Fernie, a deceptively difficult 25-km trail race utilising the well-known and mind-blowing Heiko’s Trail in late August. Next was Fernie Tears & Gears, showcasing a new 22-km route added to the existing T&G Mountain Duathlon 12-km route, in early September.

And lastly Headbanger Trail Challenge in Radium, a quick paced and competitive 12-km race along the Columbia River mid-September.

Each race showcased what the East Kootenay has to offer – impressive, varied and challenging terrain. With a strong audience and a strong core group of people completing the TREKSeries, gaining a TREKSeries Belt Buckle, 2012 was a great start and the 2013 series is returning bigger and better.

New to 2013, a start-up race called the Swansea Run/Hike in Invermere is joining the series, a short yet steep 10-km promising deep breathing and incredible vistas. And after a great first year, the TREKS team are eager to improve to 2012′s efforts as a Trail Race Series. They will be adding a sixth race, with competitors completing five out of six races to get the TREKSeries Belt Buckle. The TREKS points system will be developed, to better to take into account different distances and race difficulty ratings and keep things competitive!

Despite being primarily individual races with separate race entry systems and fees, as well as organisers, timing systems, sponsors and formats, TREKS creates a connection between these well-organized and much loved trail running events, to benefit individual races and racers. As with many other race series, participants will collect points for running each race’s TREKS certified distances (shown below), which will accumulate over the series.

TREKSeries 2013 registrations are fast opening and race season is on! More information, registration and race entry details can be found at www.trekseries.com, TREKS facebook page or on individual race websites. And to be a part of TREKS: Trail Races of the East Kootenays Series 2013, mark the below in your calendar.