Trail running really is a total body workout

Runners and mountains are two things Vancouver boasts in abundance. Blend them together and you get mountain trail running, a concoction that outdoor enthusiast Kathryn Stanton took to in a big way, so much so that four years ago she and her husband, Mark Warsaba, purchased 5 Peaks Adventures, a company that began staging trail runs locally in 1998.

When interviewed in East Vancouver recently, Stanton explained 5 Peaks's evolution to the Georgia Straight. "Locally, mountain running evolved as an arm of adventure racing in the 1990s. It had an extreme-sport feel in those days. Runners started at the bottom of a peak and ran 10 kilometres in as straight a route as possible to the top."

Stanton cheerfully admitted that she hasn't always been a runner. "When I lived in Ontario, I was content to plop myself down on the couch on the weekends, watch hockey, and smoke cigarettes." That all changed a decade ago when the 39-year-old moved to Vancouver. In search of a healthier life, she started running. "I saw all this wonderful scenery and I wanted to be part of what B.C. is so famous for." Training for the Sun Run led to half- and then full-marathon runs. In 2002, Stanton journeyed to Golden Ears Provincial Park in Maple Ridge to enter her first 5 Peaks race. "The experience really humbled me, especially as I'd just run a marathon and thought 'How hard could this be?'"

That initial exposure, plus the compelling fact that she met her partner-to-be at the event, intrigued her enough to enter another mountain race. And then another. "By the end of the season, I was like Victor Kiam [of Remington razor fame]—Mark and I liked 5 Peaks so much, we bought the company." Not content with the status quo, which saw races attract a field of just 60 competitors, the twosome set their sights on making trail running friendly to everyone. "We changed the format to appeal to a broader range of runners, those who like to meander through the forest rather than from valley to peak. This made it less aggressive and more manageable for the average runner, who enjoys the views just as much or more than the workout." In response, registration jumped 40 percent in 2004 and has grown 30 percent annually since then. This year, the 5 Peaks races in B.C., as well as in Alberta and Ontario, are capped at 600 entrants per race.

Although organized trail running is relatively new to Canada, the sport drew international attention in 1984, when the inaugural World Mountain Running Trophy race was held in Europe. Part of trail running's appeal is the price: all you need are a decent pair of shoes and the ability to handle uphill and downhill terrain with at least a 10 percent grade. And maybe a little help from your friends along the way. That's what Shaun Stephens-Whale credits with getting him to the WMRT held in Turkey last September. On the phone from his home in Roberts Creek on the Sunshine Coast, the 17-year-old student was quick to praise the support he got from 5 Peaks organizers in raising money to pay for his airfare. "They have been great to me, even putting on 50/50 draws after the races."

In Turkey, the talented junior—who was the overall winner of the 5 Peaks race at Buntzen Lake Recreation Area in Port Moody in 2005—placed 41 out of a field of 80 runners. As for his future, "I'm going to take trail running as far as my body will allow." When queried about potential injuries, Stephens-Whale said the most common complaint is a twisted ankle, and contends that trail running is much easier on the body than road or track running. "There's no pounding, plus it doesn't require the same speed, which over time can also wear you out. It's more a question of strength than speed when you're running uphill."

One comment heard repeatedly at races is that, compared to street running, trail running offers a total body workout. Brian Barber echoes that line of thought. Three years ago, the 51-year-old wanted to get into better shape. He gradually worked his way up from walking to street running. Then he was diagnosed with interior compartment syndrome. "That means I can't run on hard surfaces," the vice-president of acquisitions with Emaar Properties in Vancouver told the Straight on the phone from his office. "I never enjoyed running in the first place," he admitted, "but trail running changed my mind. The first 10 minutes are uncomfortable and you wonder why you're doing it. Then you begin to pick up on the energy of the forest. It's definitely different than the seawall."

Exercise not only helped Barber shed 20 pounds, he also credits his regular workouts on North Vancouver's Bridle Path Trail with uncluttering his mind as well. "It's like defragging a computer. Running straightens out a lot of issues around work and family."

Not that trail running doesn't have special risks, especially when doing it on your own. Kathryn Stanton sees 5 Peaks as ensuring a "way to safely run in the mountains. We hand it to runners on a platter. Bright-orange trail markers and stakes are always within the line of sight. There are volunteer marshals at every intersection, plus we do a complete sweep of the course after the race to make sure no one is left in the forest." Which means that everyone gets to enjoy the postrace party, where the celebration, like the race itself, focuses more on camaraderie than competition.

ACCESS: In B.C., the 5 Peaks trail-running series begins April 28 in Golden Ears Provincial Park in Maple Ridge. For more information, visit 5peaks.com/ . For information on the Canadian Trail and Mountain Running Association and the World Mountain Running Trophy race in September in Ovronnaz, Switzerland, visit www.mountainrunning.ca/ .