A well-known veterans' advocate who has climbed mountains and dug trenches to raise awareness about the contributions of Canadian soldiers is taking on a new challenge.
Port Moody's Guy Black will attempt to climb the Coquitlam Crunch as many times as possible in a 24-hour period.
The overnight marathon takes place this Friday, Sept. 9, the day before the annual Coquitlam Crunch Diversity Challenge.
“Guy approached us with the idea in support of this year’s event and we thought it very brave of him,” said Brian Kenny, co-chair of the Coquitlam Crunch Challenge‘s organizing committee. “The Challenge is hard enough at four hours but to do 24 almost seems crazy.”
Black has trained hard to get himself ready for this unique challenge by running, walking and weightlifting, and through his martial arts practice (he is a member of Coquitlam’s Kang-Ho Hapkido Martial Arts Academy, whose owner, Diane Lee, will be acting as his support team).
"I like to challenge myself physically," said Black who walked from Port Moody to Victoria — a distance of 100 km — in 2014 to commemorate the centennial of the First World War.
And while he says there is no guarantee he'll finish the 24-hour challenge he's given himself, he believes he has it in him to try. "I know already it will be the hardest thing I have ever done."
The Coquitlam Crunch trail will remain open as usual while Black is on the route as well as during the Saturday official event. Registration for the Coquitlam Crunch Diversity Challenge starts at 7 a.m. and medal presentations should wrap up by 1:30 p.m. The stairs will only close from 8 to 8:30 a.m. for the Stair Master challenge, but the side path will still be accessible during that time.
The seventh annual Coquitlam Crunch Diversity Challenge raises funds, administered by the Coquitlam Foundation, for programs aimed at improving integration and participation of individuals and groups considered social or financially marginalized. To date, it has collected $16,000.
• The challenge includes a variety of challenging and recreational events. For more information, visit www.coquitlamcrunch.com.
