We need your help to make this year’s Subaru Western Triathlon Series the best yet! We rely on a dedicated group of volunteer committee members and 200 invaluable race support volunteers to make these events fun, safe and memorable for everyone involved, from participants and their families to sponsors and spectators.

Elite and recreational triathletes from around the world and from your own community will gather to test their endurance and compete for prizes and medals, all while enjoying the magnificent settings of these five great race venues. Some athletes will be preparing for the famous Hawaii Ironman this fall, while others will be completing their first triathlon – by becoming a volunteer for the Series, not only will you help these athletes reach their goals, but also help make the overall events a great success! All volunteers get a great technical K-Swiss t-shirt, food and beverages, lots of appreciation from triathlon participants and organizers and a day of fun, inspiration and excitement! You can register now as a volunteer at www.triseries.ca/Volunteer.php. Many positions are available!

All Volunteers will receive the following:

• Souvenir Custom Technical “Race Support” Shirt
• Lunch
• Volunteer Recognition Party
• Valuable Volunteer Draw Prizes
• Satisfaction of helping triathletes achieve their goals!

Volunteers are needed in the following areas:

• Bike Course Marshals
• Site Set Up (1 and 2 days before the race)
• Site Take Down (after race is finished)
• Run Course Marshals
• Water Stations
• Transition area
• Start/Finish Area
• Swim Course
• Kids Run (day before race)
• Registration (day before the race)

Groups of 15+ are eligible for cash donations in certain areas. Please see the attached volunteer policies for more information on volunteering, eligibility criteria for donations, etc. Should you have any further questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact us at volunteer@triseries.ca.

We hope to have your group involved!

Volunteer Policies

• All Volunteers need to register online at www.triseries.ca
• Volunteers under 18 years of age will also need download the Volunteer Application Form in PDF, complete the form and fax it to 1- 866-287-9465
• All Volunteers will be insured under the event insurance provided by Triathlon British Columbia
• Bike Course Marshals must be 18 years of age or older, unless accompanied by an adult
• Volunteers are asked to attend a short Volunteer Briefing/Training Session on a designated evening of the event week
• Volunteers will report to a designated Race Committee Captain in their designated area
• Volunteer shirts, lunches, and appropriate equipment will be distributed on race morning (or the day before if working in set up, registration, or Kids Run areas)
• Shirt size is not guaranteed, it is a first-come first-served basis
• General Event Information (check with Captain for specific times closer to the race):

Set-Up: Friday 9:00am – 5:00pm

Finale set-up/Pre Check in/Expo/Kids Run: Saturdays, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm Race day: Sundays, 5:00am to 2:00pm Take down: 2:00 pm to 6:00pm

Volunteers Should Bring:

• Sunscreen
• Appropriate clothing for weather conditions (rain gear is advised)
• Bug spray
• Additional snacks/water
• Any maps or documentation that was given in the Volunteer Orientation
• Cell phone
• Whistle (may be appropriate in some positions)
• Lawn chair (may be appropriate in some positions)
• Anything else related to nature of volunteer position

Community Group Honorarium Program

• Honorariums are available for larger groups of volunteers. For a community group to be eligible for an honorarium the following conditions apply:
• A group representative must fill out a Group Volunteer Form that includes a listing of the group members (members must also register through the volunteer online registration process)
• Must be a local group (no individuals can be paid)
• The groups must be allocated to the following positions: Bike marshals, run marshals, set up, or take down. The other volunteer positions are not eligible
• A volunteer can only represent 1 group
• Each participant must work at least a minimum 4 hour shift
• Honorariums will donated as follows: $300: Groups of 15+, $500: Groups of 25+, for groups of 50+ please contact the Series Communications/Volunteer Coordinator directly
• A representative should be made available for a cheque presentation will be made at a later date

Should you have any further questions or suggestions contact volunteer@triseries.ca.

Pre register now to see the difference yoga will make in your training.

• When: Wednesdays, May 9 until June 27
• Time: 6:15 – 7:15 pm
• Where: Balance Yoga, #105 – 4338 Main Street, Vancouver
• Cost: $90 for all 8 classes
• Drop-ins are $15 per class space permitting.

To register: Contact Corina at 604-871-9027 or Balance at 604-873-3717 (www.balanceam.com)

email: moonbeamstudio@telus.net

Yoga mats, blocks, bolsters and straps are all provided.

Cash, Visa, Mastercard and debit accepted.

The 2012 BMO Vancouver Marathon now includes a separate marathon and half marathon course encompassing a combined total of 63 kilometres of some of the most stunning views and landmarks in Vancouver. Starting from Queen Elizabeth Park and finishing downtown near the waterfront at Canada Place, each course takes runners on a different journey through the city.

“The new courses are the first re-design of the marathon and half-marathon routes in over a decade. Runners, spectators and supporters all agreed it was time to better showcase the running city we have become,” adds Charlene Krepiakevich, Executive Director of the Vancouver International Marathon Society. “Approval of the new courses took nearly two years and I am grateful to our Volunteer Race Committee who persevered through an extensive consultative process to gain support from dozens of business organizations, government agencies and community groups.”

For 2012, the courses were capped at 5,000 participants for the marathon and 10,000 for the half-marathon to deliver a safe and memorable experience for participants, spectators, volunteers and local residents. Nearly 4,000 volunteers will cheer, motivate and help at the 37 aid stations, 10 BMO Cheer Stations, 12 Music Stations, along the course, and, at the start and finish line.

The sell-out represents a 22% increase in registrations over 2011, with runners travelling from Bosnia, Cambodia, China, Belguim, Costa Rica, South Africa, Venezuela, Korea, Peru, Brazil, Australia, Japan and the US. The Canadian contingent remains the largest group representing about 75 per cent of all runners.

Runners who didn’t register in time can contact the organization to determine if spots become available as a result of cancellations, Krepiakevich adds. “We cannot guarantee openings at this time, but runners can check the website or enquire at the Health, Sports & Lifestyle Expo.”

The BMO Vancouver Marathon and Half Marathon is organized and operated by the Vancouver International Marathon Society, a non-profit organization. The event is one of Canada’s largest marathons and has a 40 year history within Vancouver and the running community internationally. On Sunday, May 6, 2012, the BMO Vancouver Marathon will feature two new point-to-point courses, showcasing the city’s famous landmarks, shorelines and neighbourhoods. The 2012 events is capped at 5,000 marathon participants and 10,000 half-marathon participants.

Don’t miss this opportunity to find out if you are tough enough!  Spartan Race, the world’s leading obstacle race series, is designed to test your strength, endurance, and sense of humour.  This crazy race is taking the world by storm, don’t get left behind.

To register; click on this link http://spartanracevancouver2012-spartanracehomepage.eventbrite.com/ and enter the promotional code VancouverSpartan to get a 15% discount off individual or team registrations.

Check out the official race website www.spartanrace.com for more information.

If you choose to participate you will get a free VO2MAX test, in addition to performing  three 5km TT’s on a Velotron cycle ergometer.

Qualification Criteria:

• 19-40 years of age
• Non-smoking
• Healthy (free of cardio-pulmonary disease, exercise-induced asthma, cancer etc.)

If interested please contact Sabrina Wilkie at sreeve@interchange.ubc.ca or at 604.822.4384 for more information.

Each team will be composed of three competitors: a mountain runner, a mountain biker, and a kayaker. They will push their limits in a mix of locations on the North Shore of Vancouver, including Grouse Mountain. The river portion takes the course from North to West Vancouver, finishing in Ambleside Park. The anticipated race time is between five and seven hours. The first divided team to conquer the course takes the win. Categories will include women, men and mixed but once everything is said and done, the first kayaker to cross the finish line will be crowned the champ, regardless of team dynamics.

Mountain Run
Runners will kick off the race from the incredibly scenic Cleveland Park on Vancouver’s North Shore with The Lions, the most iconic peaks in British Columbia’s lower mainland. With almost 6,000 feet of climbing and a near double ascent of Grouse Mountain, runners will navigate the legendary technicality of the North Shore’s Baden Powell Trail and will push their limits until reaching the top of the Grouse Mountain ski area, where they will tag their teammate mountain biker.

Mountain Bike
Physically and technically challenged by the mountain bike section of the Red Bull Divide and Conquer course, the mountain bikers will sharpen their skills and bring a good set of lungs with a five-kilometre-section of fireroad to begin at the top of Grouse Mountain. The competitors will enter the first single track on Mount Fromme, followed by the Baden Powell trail, which is a popular training spot. These climbs will give the riders an open connection to the legendary trails of the North Shore before the initial descent with a number of newly reworked trails giving speed and flow over the natural rock and root that define the North Shore. The door is open for any bike to win; it could be a four, five or a six inch steed, but the pilot who wins this segment will most certainly be an All Mountain stallion.

Paddle
Paddling the drop and pool Capilano River is an unforgettable and challenging ten-kilometer plus read and run course that will transport the kayakers far from the urban environment that surrounds it. The run offers a variety of small feature playspots ranging from the occasional surf wave to the odd lateral spin/cartwheel pourover. Red Bull Divide and Conquer kayakers will put in with a seal launch off the rocky riverbank at the Capilano Salmon Hatchery in the shadow of the imposing Cleveland Dam. Water levels are high and reliable in June and can reach class IV but can also fluctuate quickly, depending on the dam and Mother Nature. Kayakers will close out the race, finishing an ocean leg upon completion of the Capilano River. This is the final stretch completing the circuit in Ambleside Park.

Register your team now!
Registration will be open until May 15, 2012 or until all 100 team spots are filled. Competitors must be 19 years of age or older. The cost per team is $275 and includes the official Red Bull Divide and Conquer/The North Face tee plus a voucher for food and drink at the post-event BBQ at Ambleside Park.

Teams of three competitors can register online now at https://redbull-divideandconquer-registration.raidthenorth.com/ or a competitor – mountain runner, mountain biker, or whitewater kayaker – can find a team mate on the event website via the team finder. Open categories are welcome: men, women, or mixed. Red Bull Divide and Conquer will run rain or shine.

Red Bull Divide and Conquer is a multi discipline endurance race on Vancouver’s breathtaking North Shore and will test the competitors’ mettle on the mountains, rivers, and shores of Canada’s unparalleled West Coast.

What: Red Bull Divide and Conquer
Who: Teams of three competitors: one mountain runner, one mountain biker, and a whitewater kayaker
Where: North and West Vancouver, BC
When: Saturday, June 16, 2012 at 10 a.m.

* Team check in is mandatory on Friday, June 15th from 6-7 p.m. at Grouse Mountain parking lot.

Prizes for 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd in both the men’s and women’s categories, as well as an amazing assortment of door prizes.

The race starts at 9:30 am, at Lochside ELementary School, located at 1145 Royal Oak Drive, Victoria. Sign up before Friday, April 20.  Free car parking and free secure bike parking.

Route map:

http://www.runningahead.com/maps/793236ee89f44e8d96ecbae59a9601bc?unit=km

Unlike other running races, bike courses and triathlons, the first time the competitors see the course is on the day, and this is part of the excitement.  The Spartan Race, which will take place on May 12^th, is a 5km run through the mud, with 10 or more crazy obstacles, which can include jumping over fire, crawling through mud under barbed wire and climbing over walls.  The battlefield location is Inter River Park, and out there, it’s survival of the fittest.  Over two thousand Spartans of all age, are currently out there running in the streets and trails, building up their stamina, and flooding the gyms of the Lower Mainland to build up their strength.  Elite athletes start at 9am, and at 9.30am teams and individual entrants from Police Stations and Fire Halls will go head to head on the gruelling course.  The main heats start at 10.30am and every half an hour thereafter until 2.30pm.  The race has great spectator-value, but be prepared to get muddy!

The mission of the Spartan Race is to get everyone off their couches and out into the outdoors, encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle.  Many people thrive under pressure, and the race is designed to push participants to their limits while testing resilience, strength, stamina and, on occasions, sense of humour.  The unique obstacle course will demand every ounce of strength, and ingenuity – and will give a deep sense of achievement on completion.

For more information on the Spartan Race, the website is www.spartanrace.com.

21k Winners

On March 25 the first race of the Dirty Feet Trail Race Series took place in Kamloops, BC under sunny and blue skies.

Participants had the option of running in either the 5K, 10K or 21K, and as always Trainharder has its top reporter, Dirk TIGER Handke, on the scene to document the festivities.

There are a few locations where you can see photos from the races, on the official website here, and on Dirk’s Facebook page here.

Dirk has also prepared a race video from the 21k race, which he ran and filmed the entire way. You can view it here.

Finally results can be viewed here.

For more information on the race series visit www.dirtyfeet.ca.

The 5 races are:

• Round the Mountain – Kimberley (24th June – 20km) – www.roundthemountain.ca
• Crazy Soles Nipika Trail Run – Invermere (21st July – 25km) ‐ www.nipika.com/crazy‐soles‐nipika‐trail‐run
• Heiko’s Hellish Half – Fernie (25th August – 25km) ‐ www.heikoshalf.com
• Tears & Gears: Enduro Trail Run – Fernie (9th September – 22km) ‐ www.fernietearsandgears.com
• Headbanger Trail Challenge – Radium (22nd September – 10km) ‐ www.headbangertrailchallenge.ca

From the new series official press release:

Within this ever‐growing collection of trail races making their mark throughout the East Kootenays lies a small number who have recently joined forces for the 2012 Spring/Fall race season. Subsequently, this five race collaboration is excited to present TREKS: Trail Races of the East Kootenay Series.

The five races in question? Staring off the season is Round the mountain in Kimberley, a 20km trail, new in June 2011 offering both running and biking. Then a race favorite but in a new timeslot, the Crazy Soles Nipika Trail Run in Invermere, a 25km predominantly single track and stunning trail race in late July. Next up is Next comes the toughest challenge in the form of Heiko’s Hellish Half in Fernie, a deceptively difficult 25km trail run utilising the well known and mind‐blowing Heiko’s Trail late August. Fourth is Tears & Gears: Enduro Trail Run again in Fernie, showcasing a new 22km route added to the existing T&G Mountain Duathlon route in early September. And lastly comes the much loved Headbanger Trail Challenge in Radium, a quick paced and competitive 10km race along the Columbia River. Each race showcasing what the East Kootenays have to offer – impressive, varied and challenging terrain.

Despite being primarily individual races with separate race entry systems and entry fees, organisers, timing systems, sponsors and formats, this new and exciting series creates a connection between these wellorganized
and much loved trail running events which hopefully will benefit both race organizers and most importantly, racers. As with many other race series, participants will collect points for running each race’s TREK certified distance (shown below), which will accumulate over the five races. Each race will have four categories – Men under 40, Men over 40, Women under 40 and Women over 40, of which, upon entry, racers can opt to have results count towards TREKS.

In short, 2012 is set to bring about an exciting number of additions to many a racers’ season. More information, race entry details, developments and updates are yet to come.

For more information visit the series website: www.trekseries.com.