Tag: Squamish 50
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My unsolicited takes on elite trail running culture & racing in Canada – 2025 Edition
Here’s an article no one asked for, and perhaps one that could spark debate and maybe even hate! But I’ve seen a lot of stuff this year that gives me pause, and none of it could make for an entire article on its own. So here are my top takes in the elite trail running…
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Squamish 50K – Training Plan
The Squamish 50K is one of the biggest and best events in any calendar year inside Canada’s trail and ultra running scene. It’s a demanding course with varying terrain, significant elevation change, and a steep history rooted in competition. So with that, I’m releasing a trail 50K training plan for intermediate / advanced runners to…
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ITRA Rankings are so silly silly
I woke up to an email this morning. A ‘congratulations!!’ email. Not one where I won a trip. In fact, not one where I won anything at all. But it WAS a congratulations email. A congratulations email where I was ranked 16th in Canada for 2024 based on ITRA’s metrics. That is to say, via…
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How I trained for Squamish & Quebec Mega Trail without any mountains
Two weeks ago, I finished as the top Ontario athlete at the Canadian National Championships – Squamish 50K, behind a host of names from Quebec, BC and Alberta. Of the top twenty-one finishers, Steph and I are the only Ontario outliers. One of the reasons why it’s such a rarity to see any athletes outside…
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Lessons from the 2024 Squamish 50K
According to Strava, I’ve never raced harder. Racing toward a near top-ten finish at a National Championship through injury, I shouldn’t be surprised. But with so many positives to take away from the race, I wanted to detail a dossier of what worked and what didn’t. It’s a library of information for myself, that hopefully…
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Squamish 50K Recap – Front row seat
For the past two weeks, I had two main concerns: Not starting. Not finishing. I just did both. & had the most fun I’ve ever managed to do when racing on the trails. Here is my recap of the Squamish 50K – including my front row seat to the battle for first in the women’s…
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Squamish 50K Preview
Next weekend, I will compete on the grandest stage of Canadian trail running. It will be not only the most competitive trail race I’ve ever done, but what I’m proclaiming to be the most competitive trail race in Canadian history.
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The ultimate Canadian ultramarathon & trail race bucket list
As the second largest country in the world on land mass, filled with Great Lakes, mountains, and stunning Trans-Canada trails, Canada makes for an ideal race destination. As a native to the country who loves to explore the beautiful nature close to home, I have several races on my bucket list that I will be…
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Hidden Gem – My Canadian ultramarathon bucket list
As the second largest country in the world on land mass, filled with Great Lakes, mountains, and stunning Trans-Canada trails, Canada makes for an ideal race destination. As a native to the country who loves to explore the beautiful nature close to home, I have several races on my bucket list that I will be…
Rhys Desmond 