Handloggers Half Marathon Mountain Trail Race is back live and in person this year on September 4 after a virtual event in 2020. This 21 km trail adventure on Bowen Island is a perfect way to kickoff trail racing again and to enjoy the fun and camaraderie of a homegrown trail event. Registration for the event is now open and we are very excited by the response so far. So far Kintec and Bob Schultz are supporting us with some fantastic prizes for the top men, women, masters, youths and relay teams and Cocoa West will be helping us with a treat for all finishers and volunteers. The race will include an open event as well as a three-person relay on the traditional course, which involves a loop around Mount Gardner.
We’re also very excited to be co-hosting the national mountain running championships, which will operate as the qualifying race for the 2021 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand in mid-November. Handloggers Half Marathon Association will be working with the Canadian Trail & Mountain Running Association, BC Athletics and Athletics Canada to host the Classic Uphill & Downhill Races for both seniors (20 and over) and juniors (under 20). This event will be run concurrently with Handloggers Half Marathon on a special course that overlaps partially with the Half Marathon course. The Classic Uphill & Downhill Race requires a 10 km long route with at least 750 metres of climbing and Bowen’s Mount Gardner offers that up very nicely with a challenging route that will take in the south summit. The race is open to anyone.
We couldn’t do all this without a lot of help from our friends! Again this year, the proceeds will be going to the Bowen Island Trail Society in support of some exciting projects that will continue to improve the Island trails. Proceeds are also getting a boost again this year from the Race Day Ready training clinic, which has been running since mid-June.
We are so grateful for the support of all of our sponsors that donate prizes, food, and water and to the amazing group of volunteers that come together to organize, prepare and administer the race. For more information and to register online for either Handloggers or the Canadian Mountain Running Events before August 31, visit handloggershalf.com/register. There will be no day of race registration this year. For anyone who can help as a volunteer – please send an email to [email protected]. We look forward to seeing you there!
