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Latest reviews by Jenny
Jenny recommends this race
(2016)
"5 Peaks Cypress Mountain "
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management
Package Pickup & Swag: Package pick up could be done either before the race at Distance Runwear in North Vancouver or the day of the race at the sign in tables. I have not done the package pickup at Distance Runwear yet, as it is a bit out of my way, but I have heard nothing but great things about everyone at the store! Race day package pick up was quick and easy. Say your name, grab your bib, grab your swag! This time the swag was a flexy plastic water cup, great for taking on any race to reduce wasted cups! I love this idea as it is not an item I would necessarily look to purchase, but I know it will get put to excellent use.
Course & Aid Stations: The race started at the Cypress Nordic area and looped through various wide rocky roads and beautiful technical single track. The SPORT course was roughly 8km and the ENDURO was about 11km. The 8km course was mostly on rolling rocky wide trails with segments of single track. The 11km covered the same course with an additional 3km looping extremely technical (roots/wooden planks/rocks/mud) trail. This was a fun add on for the trail runners and an excellent opportunity for those who are new to trail running to check out a smaller portion of technical trail! The Sport course hit the aid station once about half way through and the enduro hit it twice, once before the technical loop and once after. In this distance I personally did not stop either time, but it is nice knowing the option is there.
Post-Race: At 5 Peaks the post race is always remarkable. You can cruise between the food station (with more than plenty options of fruit, candy, brownies, bagels and spread etc.) to the RunGo tent with Ice cream sandwiches or over to Kintec with chocolate milk! I definitely have to say a big thank you to all of those sponsors and volunteers at the food tent for essentially supplying the racers with lunch and snacks post race! Then the games start and countless prizes are given away. Typically the awards start before noon, however they were delayed due to technical difficulties that eventually were resolved. Post race is always fun at 5 Peaks and worth sticking around for, you'll likely leave with something!!
Overall this race was really well organize, the trail was marked exceptionally well and volunteers were well spread out on the trails. I thought it was a smart decision to have small (extremely small) waves from the start line to allow for safe and friendly passing on the single track trail that was only 20 meters from the start line. The racers on course were wonderful and from my experience were friendly and very considerate with passing and allowing people by.
For more on this race or others: https://wordpress.com/stats/day/runstrongrunfar.wordpress.com?startDate=2016-07-15
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Jenny recommends this race
(2016)
"Small beautiful town, BIG beautiful mountain! "
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management
2016 was the 12th annual Kusam Klimb in Sayward, British Columbia. Sayward is a small town on Vancouver Island with a population of roughly 341 people, but on race weekend that number sky rockets when an additional 487 runners come to town!
The Kusam Klimb is 23km long with a strenuous 1496 meters of elevation gain in 8km. It starts off at the Heritage Hall, where you can also pick up your race package (bib, shirt, magnet and local honey snappers) either the morning of or night before the race. The race gives you a gentle 2km on the road to warm up and though trail runners often shudder at road running I truly appreciated the warm up. Then onto the trail for the next 6km to the top! There was 1 aid station about 4km in and after just 300m of elevation. The aid station was nicely stocked with water, electrolytes, and encouraging volunteers.
From the aid station it was up, up, and up above the snow line and over the saddle of Mt. H'Kusam. Not to be forgotten by the views at the top, there were multiple rock faces, the use of ropes, and technical root sections on the way up. Also on the ascent there is one false summit forgivable because of the beautiful alpine lake you wind around, but from there up one more time through the snow.
Once you reach the top it is a tricky and steep way down for the next few kilometers, again with multiple ropes. I chose for the most part to hold the rope loosely (gloves on for this) and use it as a guide, but let my feet do most of the work. The single track trail at this part takes the runners down alongside a rushing creek and out to an open old logging road. Here there was a 2nd and 3rd aid station. The 3rd aid station had the most plentiful selection of snacks and drinks including nanaimo bars and pre-portioned trailmix runners could grab to take along if they wanted. I thought this was an excellent idea!
From the 3rd aid station there was one more short downhill dash of single track, followed by an open winding, rocky road to the next aid station quite a ways down! With 6km to go runners could again grab electrolytes or water for the push to the finish. Back onto wide rocky road, a short jaunt down a single track and back onto the road for the last 2km to the finish.
The finish line was wonderful for many reasons (of course the main one being the great achievement it marked) but also the crowed of locals and races alike that cheered every person on from those who took just over 2 hours through to 8 plus hours to finish!
Many people take the Kusam Klimb as an opportunity to hit the trails with a group of people and set out with the intention to spend the day outside. The average time this year was just over 6 hours and in previous years it has been around 8 hours. It is a great 'race' if you are interested in checking out an otherwise quite remote trail, while challenging yourself to some serious, steep climbing!