Get ready to add crazy onto your bucket list.
The 2017 Diez Vista Race, one of the most historic ultra (a footrace longer than a traditional 42 km marathon) in the country, is back for its 20th season.
The race was founded by local runners to showcase the trails and terrain around Port Moody, which has developed a loyal following and has attracted notable names in its history.
The trail starts and ends at Sasamat Lake in Belcarra Regional Park, taking runners over 6,000 feet of elevation gain and loss in the notable 50 km run.
However, they’ve pushed the limits this year.
The Diez Vista is launching the 100 km trail, where runners will have a second lap of the original trail.
Gary Robbins, one of the most notable marathon runners in the world, took over alongside Geoff Langford as a director for this year’s Diez Vista.
He is the catalyst for taking the already crazy race to another level.
“He’s as extreme as they come and he likes to make his races especially tough, so it’s a real challenge,” said Steve Chapman, Diez Vista’s map maker and 50 km race participant. “Doubling the 50 k when he took it over was probably a given for him.”
The participation and following is undeniable, with this year’s event peaking at approximately 300 overall racers, doubling the amount of participants from last year and the highest amount in its history.
This year, Chapman hopes to break a personal goal of eight hours, a mark he set since just missing the time last year. This will be his third year participating.
Renee Caesar, a resident in the Tri-Cities, will take on the first 100 km Diez Vista, after finishing third last year in the women’s 50 km race.
Caesar has been trail running and participating in ultras for over four years and has been doing it enough to the point where she has built enough mental toughness to finish the distance.
“It’s a game of chess in your head,” said Chapman. “It’s a challenge and a lot if it’s in the head.”
There are also some hazards and tolls post-race and Caesar felt every bit of it when she completed her first ultra.
“The next day, I could not get off the toilet seat without using my arms,” she said. “Your legs just don’t work. Your body goes, ‘oh my god.’ It panics.”
But Chapman, who is also with the Coquitlam Search and Rescue, said that injuries are rare and tend to be fairly minor when they do occur.
The worst injury he heard about was a runner tripping on a rock and hitting their head, sustaining a concussion.
“It’s just minor strains, cuts, bruises — that type of thing,” he said. “It’s different for everyone.”
For this year’s race, Chapman said they are anticipating an increase in possible injuries and accidents because runners will be required to climb through some parts of the trail and there is wet weather forecast this weekend.
Despite the intimidating run, participants and the community can take a lot from the experience, more than just feeling good about completing a very difficult race.
“I want to see how far I can go, how long is my body going to hold, how am I going to hold up mentally,” said Caesar. “There’s a saying, 10% physical, 90% mental.”
Caesar has a mission and will be putting her mental toughness to the test.
The race will start on Saturday, April 8 with 100 km runners starting at 6 a.m. and 50 km runners starting at 8 a.m. The start location will be at the first parking lot on Sasamat Lake on White Pine Beach Road.
