One of Whistler’s favourite running races is back for another year.
From June 2 to 4, the Whistler Half Marathon, which serves as a fundraising event for Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, will bring thousands of visitors from across the province to pound the pavement on the resort's extensive trail network. Whistler residents and visitors are advised that the Lost Lake trail network will have runners on it throughout the day on Sat., June 3.
If you’re participating in the event this year, package pick-up begins on Friday, June 2, at Whistler Olympic Plaza and is open from 1 to 9 p.m. Organizers recommend participants arrive earlier, as lineups for the race kits are generally shorter earlier in the day. The race kits include a bib for timing, Smartwool socks, and Scandinave Spa and Smartwool discounts.
Several events are slated for June 2 to get runners prepared for the marathon. A course orientation seminar with race director Dave Clark will occur at 4 and 8 p.m. At 4:30 p.m., an active stretch session will take place at the Scandinave Spa booth. Meanwhile, a guided trail run with Jeanelle Hazlett starts at 5 p.m. at Whistler Olympic Plaza, as well as a forest therapy session at the plaza beginning at 5:45 p.m. Pre-registration in these sessions is required.
The race officially starts on June 3, with half marathon walkers slated to start at 7:10 a.m. The first wave of the 10k starts at 7:30 a.m.; organizers recommend runners aiming for times of under an hour participate in this wave, with those striving for times over an hour going with Wave 2 at 7:35 a.m.
Wave 1 of the Half Marathon, as well as the 30K start, are slated for 7:45 a.m., followed by Wave 2 at 7:50 a.m.
The 5k race begins at 7:55 am, with the Whistler Kids Run starting at 10:30 am.
Following the race, there will be a beer garden and athlete celebration at Whistler Olympic Plaza (beginning at 11:15 a.m.) featuring awards and prizes for runners. Later, at 1 p.m., runners can also take part in a post-race forest therapy recovery session. Finally, the day will conclude with the Trails in Motion Film Festival at 7 p.m.
A “Recoverun” is also slated for 9 a.m. the following day to help participants recover from the marathon. The non-timed, non-competitive run will tour the trails near Whistler Village, with a trainer offering tips for recovery. The Recoverun is followed by an opportunity to practise recovery stretches and self-massage using foam rollers.
For a complete list of events and to donate, check out whistlerhalfmarathon.com
