Altra becomes the Official Shoe of the 5 Peaks Trail Running Series in Canada.

Altra Zero Drop has signed a 3 year sponsorship deal with 5 Peaks heading into the 2015 season. “With Altra’s strong roots in trail running, the 5 Peak Trail Running Series was a natural fit for us. Altra’s focus on its Zero DropTM, fully cushioned platform and foot-shaped toe box has garnered significant attention since we launched in Canada in 2013 and we see this sponsorship as a key step in getting the word out to more of the trail community,” said Chris Jones, President of Entrix Sports, the Canadian distributor for Altra.

The sponsorship will include hundreds of shoes for prizing, long sleeve t-shirts for season ticket holders and demo fleets at many races, so the athletes can get a feel for the comfortable shoe brand first-hand, or ‘first-foot!’ Many happy feet are ahead of us due to this deal!

For more information on Altra’s incredible lineup, check out their site!

Welcome Altra!

What’s up with the Suunto Ambit 2R?

Suunto has had success with their popular Ambit watch and followed it up with a second generation series with 3 different models.  The Ambit 2R is designed for athletes that want GPS functionality but don’t need all of the (many) features of the 2 or the 2S, and want a lower price to go with it.

After using the first generation Ambit, and all 3 of the 2nd series units, I can say that the 2R technically works as well as the other watches – it is usually quick to pick up satellites and external ant+ sensors.  The user interface is identical to that of the other Ambit watches which made it easy to learn for existing users, but is intuitive for new users once you understand what all of the buttons do.

In terms of features, the Ambit 2R has the basic stuff that you will need as an athlete.  You can connect it to a heartrate strap to monitor your effort, and a footpod if you want to know your stride cadence.  Of course the GPS will tell you what you pace/speed is, and everything is recorded so you can download it to see where you went, and how you performed.  You can have up to 10 sport modes with 8 data displays (each with multiple data fields) on the watch at a time.  This is all customizable using the Movescount/Moveslink software.

The 2R has a shorter battery life than the 2 or the 2S, but still claims 8hrs at the most precise GPS tracking level (recording once per second), up to 25 hrs at the least precise (recording once per minute.)  For many runners, cyclists and swimmers, 8 hours is plenty long enough! If it isn’t, and you want precise data, you may want to consider the 2S or the 2.  I haven’t tested the actual life on mine, but Suunto is generally accurate on their claims.

Suunto uses their own Movescount application for uploading and storage of user data, and has recently been better integrated into the popular Strava platform.  Both of these offer social connectivity with other users, and Strava allows you to connect with friends and athletes regardless of the type of GPS they are using.

The whole Suunto Ambit lineup is great, and if you want a solid watch but don’t need all the features of the 2 or 2S, you can save some cash with the 2R and have a great GPS heart rate monitor.

By Ontario Ambassador Kent Keeler – runbikerace.com

Running Safe with Bears

A great way to avoid negative encounters with wildlife while you’re training, or racing, in the outdoors is to remove your ear buds. Two runners in Alaska recently suffered “defensive bear attacks” because they were running with earbuds and not fully aware of their surroundings (story here).  When you wear ear buds, you are less aware of your surroundings and might not hear nearby wildlife that may be warning you of their presence. It is safer for runners and wildlife to not wear ear buds.

In addition to not wearing ear buds, wildlife officials and WildSmart strongly suggest you carry bear spray and know how to use it, as well as shout regularly to let wildlife know where you are; it will prevent them from being surprised and give them a chance to move elsewhere. Let the training begin!

Find out more about running safe in bear country at www.wildsmart.ca or call us at 403.678.3445 ext. 2

What is the most effective form of defensive against a feisty bear?  Bear Spray!  Read more about it here.

5 Peaks Hosts Successful National Mountain Running Championships

Monday, June 30 2014 – Gerth and Setlack win national titles This past Saturday in Golden, BC, Sjaan Gerth and Emily Setlack were crowned the 2014 Canadian Mountain Running Champions.

Although poor weather was forecast, it ended up being the course that was the true challenge in this contest between mountain and runner. With over 1000m of elevation gain and an unrelenting 10% grade up Kicking Horse Ski resort, this race was not for the faint of heart.

In the women’s 8km race, Emily Setlack pulled away from the field early and never relinquished her lead. She was chased up the mountain by Nadine Mueller and Chessa Adsit-Morris who battled throughout the race, with Nadine ultimately capturing second position. New mother Lauren King showed her strength by finishing fourth in her first mountain race on this continent and Catrin Jones finished in fifth after only recently returning from injury.

… read the rest of the story here…

5 Peaks Adventures Launches Kids Run Canada

Adding to its trail running races by including 3km, timed races for youth in all regional 2014 summer events.

Start-up funding for Kids Run Canada has been generously provided by Dr. Grant Bartlett, Calgary businessman and supporter of health and wellness. Dr. Bartlett ‘ran’ at the opportunity to help. “I was asked to support a program to get more kids running in the forest. My young grandchildren, and so many others, can participate and grow from this opportunity so my response was a wholehearted ‘yes’.”

Many of Canada’s best trail runners were introduced to the sport through the 5 Peaks series; incepted in Vancouver in 1998, and now hosting 12,000 racers annually, in five Canadian provinces. Getting off the road and on to the trails provides a venue for runners to experience nature, interact with fellow athletes, and become part of a community while enjoying health benefits.

Kids Run Canada participants will be introduced to these same benefits and values, laying the foundation for a lifelong active lifestyle. Kids Run Canada will enable youth to explore sport within a warm and welcoming community while removing many traditional barriers to participation.

5 Peaks CEO, Amy Golumbia, had this to say: “Running and playing in the forest are natural for kids. With the introduction of Kids Run Canada, whole families can run and have fun in Canada’s great natural places while interacting with other trail enthusiasts.”

5 Peaks works in concert with Tree Canada and 60 Minutes Kids Club to get Canadians outdoors. Kids Run Canada is an expression of that shared goal.

For more information on Kids Run Canada, regional race times and locations, go to Kids Run Canada at www.kidsrun.ca.