Current Location: North Vancouver, BC
Brand: XACT Nutrition
Distances: Short-Trail / 50K / Sub-Ultra
Strava: Rhys Desmond | Profile
UltraSignup: Results
ITRA: Results
2026
4️⃣ Whistler Half Marathon
5️⃣ Run Ridge Run 25K
9️⃣ Squamish 23K
2025
4️⃣ Javelina Jackass 31K
4️⃣ Trail Coureur des Bois de Duchesnay 34K
6️⃣ Ultra-Trail Harricana 28K
6️⃣ Historic Half Marathon 21K
🔟 Gorge Waterfalls 30K
2024
🥇 Sulphur Springs 20K
🥈 Ultra-Trail Harricana 42K Classique
7️⃣ Quebec Mega Trail 50K
9️⃣ Gorge Waterfalls 50K
⏸️ Squamish 50K – National Championships
2023
🥇 The Bad Thing 50K
🥈 Falling Water Trail Marathon 42K
🥉 Sulphur Springs 50K
RACES
Squamish 23K – Race Recap
This year, I made an intentional decision to go down in distance on the trails, working on fundamental speed and efficiency over total vertical gain, long training weekends, and all the extra layers that go into ultras. Along the way, I’ve relearned what I’ve always known: I’m much better when races get longer. This would…
Whistler Half Marathon – Race Recap
The Whistler Half Marathon had the makings of something special. I’d been on course enough in the month leading into the race, and had the experience of running fast along several key sections. But I just couldn’t execute on race day. In the end it was back in my usual spot, with another fourth place…
Kalie McCrystal
It’s been almost two weeks since Kalie went missing on the Matterhorn. By now, we would have all hoped to have some form of an answer.
Like Hillary Gerardi said this week in City News, Kalie is symbolic for what so many trail runners aspire to be and dream of doing. The dream of…
Newsletter – Three things I do before and AFTER every run
The hallmark of a good runner lies within the ability to not only have good routines around the run itself, but within everything that surrounds it. Growing as an endurance athlete does not only happen within the repeated movement patterns of the activity itself, but within the adaptations that happen when the body stops moving.…
The training behind Laurence Laplante’s 3-hour marathon
Laurence’s consistency in training has been down to her own dedication to recovery and looking after herself; and three training tweaks within the last year. Here are the training approaches that helped Laurence to execute a 2:58 marathon PB, and a 3:02 day in Ottawa.
Inside Rachel Bolognone’s silver medal at Sulphur Springs 50K 🥈
Rachel just ran 4:58 for the Sulphur Springs 50K, landing on the podium! Here are the training approaches and self-belief strategies we adopted close to race day; and the lessons other runners can take away!
Trail des Collines 16K Recap
Normally when I finish a race, I’m jumping for joy (or limping through the airport with joy), excited to write a post-race recap of my experience. But truth be told, I’ve never wanted to pretend a race didn’t exist more.
Controversy over start-line access continues at Gorge Waterfalls 50K
Race organizers of the Gorge Waterfalls 30K granted special start-line access to Nike ACG athletes, raising questions about fairness and consistency in rule enforcement at one of North America’s premier trail events.
Weekly Newsletter
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How different trail races handle shuttle buses to avoid rule-breaking
Gorge Waterfalls has kicked off with controversy to start their 2026 event, after ACG sent their athletes to the start-line early, ahead of the mandatory race shuttle buses. What initially seemed like a cheating scandal outside of the race organization’s control has quickly turned into one more about transparency and fairness, as Freetrail admitted on…
Nike ACG athletes granted alternate start-line access at Gorge Waterfalls 30K
Race organizers of the Gorge Waterfalls 30K granted special start-line access to Nike ACG athletes, raising questions about fairness and consistency in rule enforcement at one of North America’s premier trail events.
How to pass in a trail race
One of the best parts about racing is the chance to see where you stack up against other people. While the focus always needs to be on you and your race, the dynamics of racing against other people is often what can make racing memorable and fun. But it can sometimes be difficult to pass…
Newsletter – Do down weeks negatively affect fitness?
While we’d all love to have a consistent string of weeks where everything comes together perfectly and everything clicks into place; it’s never that easy to hold onto that success for months on end. It’s natural for a dip to occur. It’s good for a dip to occur.
Those super good weeks are only…
Newsletter: How much trail time do you really need for trail races?
In any sport, I’ve long been a proponent of “game-realistic training”. The notion is that you need to prepare for the specific demands of what the game actually looks like. When it comes to endurance sports, this becomes more complex. What we need to develop as athletes is a well-rounded skillset.
Run Ridge Run 25K – Recap
I’ve never been so close to not starting a race. Had it been the day earlier, or the two or three prior, I might not have. But I’m so glad I started this race, as it was one of my best in years.
Newsletter – Making the treadmill more fun!
The treadmill simply can’t compare to the thrill of running outdoors, enjoying nature, and the fun challenge of varying terrain. I enjoy treadmill workouts, but I don’t think I’d be alone in saying that I enjoy an outdoor workout ten times more in ideal conditions. With that, here are some of my top tips to…
Weekly Newsletter – Adapting your training in the winter
As you approach the Christmas season and the year comes to a close, it’s normal to fall into a bit of a slump with training. Here is how to adapt your training and stay motivated over the holidays and winter season!
Weekly Newsletter: Giving yourself an off-season
Last Sunday, I concluded my season with a historic half marathon (literally called the Historic Half Marathon).
I think I’ve often looked at this year’s races as somewhere within the ‘B’ tier, with no standout results, no podium finishes and no ‘A+’ days.
I’m inevitably hungry for what’s to come in 2026 and to put…
Historic Half Marathon – Race Recap
I don’t know what it is with my body. Why it always chooses the week of a race to get sick. Racing while sick isn’t easy, but I also need to get better at being uncomfortable. Here is what I learned from Vancouver’s Historic Half Marathon.
Weekly Newsletter – The Strava metrics that actually matter
Recently, I’ve noticed a wonderful trend with my fitness. My heart rate has continued to lower by the month, both on easy runs and workouts. Faster paces are more manageable than they’ve been in years. Yet Strava has continuously shown a downward trajectory in my “Fitness”. It’s easy to see that this isn’t correct. But…
Weekly Newsletter – The best fitness stems from a variety of stimuli
My greatest transformation this year has been really loving running on flat ground again. Running on roads in particular (which, actually, aren’t flat at all where I live), and the flatter paths that I might have previously avoided. And it’s completely showed up in my fitness! Here is why you need a variety of work…
Weekly Newsletter – Dealing with low motivation
As the 2025 racing season comes to a close and the distant goals of next year feel oh so far away, it’s important to continously check on your moitvation levels and ensure that you’re in a good place for when training starts to get serious again. Here is how you can resolve feelings of low…
Jackass 31K @ Javelina – Race Recap – Alone in the dark 🔦
I treated this trip like an adventure. I didn’t have an exact time or place goal. I just wanted to have fun. And despite all the darkness of the race, there was a whole lot of adventure light. Here is my race recap of my 4th place finish at Javelina Jackass 31K!
Weekly Newsletter – Constructing your 2026 Racing Calendar
As 2025 comes to a close, many of you have already given your racing plans for 2026 some significant and serious thought. After making sure you’ve taken enough time to celebrate the season that was, here is what you should keep in mind when constructing your 2026 racing calendar!
Weekly Newsletter: My favourite workouts of 2025
As the year starts to come to a close, I reflect upon my favourite workouts of 2025.
Rhys Desmond 