Svoboda Road Trail Run

The online entry for the Svaboda Road trail run is up and running "click here". The course will be the same as last year roughly 12km's in length. Paper entries can be picked up at Gericks on Baker street in Nelson. Completed entries can be dropped off one hour before the race start. Please note that the Kokannee Glacier Run is by donation only but you will need to sign a waiver on race morning.


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"The woods are lovely dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." - Robert Frost

"There are as many reasons for running as there are days in the year, years in my life. But mostly I run because I am an animal and a child, an artist and a saint. So, too, are you. Find your own play, your own self-renewing compulsion, and you will become the person you are meant to be." - George Sheehan

Kokanee Glacier Mountain Run Info.

The following should be all the information you'll require for the Kokanee Glacier Mountain Run:

Race start: Sunday September 12, 2010 at 10am sharp from the Gibson Lake Parking Lot in Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park (please allow a 35minute drive up the park dirt road).

Registration: Registration while open at 9am in the Gibson Lake parking Lot- the start of the race

Directions: 20km N.E. of Nelson on HWY 3A. Just past Kokanee Creek Park (500m) turn left and drive 16km up Kokanee Glacier Rd. (At 2 1/2 km stay left- should be a small sign too) The road is okay for most vehicles, although it is a little rough in a few sections- leave your Porsche at home! It is very advisable to car pool up this road- there is an area to park at the bottom.

Course: 18.6km out and back route with 100% of the run on trails with 2500' of elevation gain/loss. There are world class sections of absolutely beautiful alpine terrain- rolling up and down through meadows and sub alpine forests. For most runners 95% of the trail is runable, with only a few short sections you'd probably elect to walk. See July 26th post below for some photos. Plan on a finishing time of just under 2 hours for the winners and 3 hours for the back of the pack. There will be a cut off time to get to the 9.3km turn around at the Slocan Chief Cabin of 1:45.

Mandatory Equipment: This is a high mountain race so a long sleeve rain jacket/shell is required. There will be no aid stations along the route so plan to bring any food/water you'll need for the entire race with you. There are numerous fresh creeks for water on the route. I personally drink from them all, but if you do not like doing that, bring a water purification system of your choosing. Please bring a small first aid kit with band aids, tape for blisters and disinfectant cleaning swabs.

Route Description: An 18.6 km out and back course from Gibson Lake to the Slocan Chief Cabin. The first 3.8km of the race is the main grunt gaining over 1300' as you rise up above Gibson Lake. The rest of the course is rolling ups and downs- passing Kokanee Lake, Garland Lake and Kaslo Lake. At Kaslo lake is the only junction in the route. There is a huge parks sign that shows you the right turn to the Slocan Chief Cabin. (Note: You are not going to the kokanee Cabin on Kaslo Lake, although you come to within a few 100 metres of it, but bi passing it to go on to the Slocan Chief Cabin)

Cost: The race is by donation only. That said; 100% of the donations for this race will go towards local trail building for a new run/bike singletrack in the Nelson area. All costs for the race have been born by local business such as Spearhead, Snowpack & Gerick Cycle. You've all done races before, so you know what they cost. So for those that can donate more- GREAT and for those that don't have much- such as starving students- that's GREAT too.

If you require any other info please feel free to contact me by e-mail- randy@spearheadtimberworks.com

2010 Races

This year we have deleted the Pulpit Rock Challenge from our calendar and replaced it with the Kokanne Glacier Mountain Run on September 12th. This race is by donation only with all proceeds going to local trail improvements. See Randy's post below for a description of the route. I will try to run it this weekend with my GPS for more accurate specifications.
The Svaboda Rd Trail Run will be on October 17, the same course as last year except for an addition 3 km's at the top. The route incorporates Logjam, Frogjam and Squealer. All proceed from this race go to Habitat for Humanity.
Last year we raised $1,500.00 for the CT Scanner at KLH. Our costs for the two races was $200.00. A special thanks to Snowpack, Gericks and Hellmans Canoe and Kayaks.

I have a friend - Steve "Burner' Turner who lives in Victoria and volunteers time and energy for the Kidsport program there. If you plan on running the Royal Victoria Marathon please consider joining the Kidsport pledge program. Steve guarantees a PR if you do. Pledge Information