After being cancelled for the past two years due to COVID-19, qathet’s beloved Marathon Shuffle is back for 2022.
At 9 am on Sunday, April 24, outdoor enthusiasts will kick off spring in west-coast style with a vigorous adventure on the Sunshine Coast Trail, according to a media release. The classic 29-kilometre event will start at Malaspina Road and follow the Sunshine Coast Trail through Tla’amin territory, to the Shinglemill Pub and Bistro.
“It’s been a tough couple of years for outdoor events,” stated Ean Jackson, one of the organizers. “We’re optimistic that health restrictions will ease enough to at least allow us to keep the 29-year tradition alive by putting on a slimmed-down version of the shuffle this year.”
The tradition of the Marathon Shuffle dates back to 2003 when pioneering trail builders Eagle Walz, Scott Glaspey and friends invited fellow hikers and their families to get out and enjoy the trail on the last Sunday of April. The event has grown in popularity as the Sunshine Coast Trail has become known to hikers and runners from Vancouver Island, BC’s lower mainland and beyond. In 2017 the event attracted a record 331 participants.
“There will be changes as we rebuild the event,” added Jackson. “The Marathon Shuffle is world class. People pay $200 or more to participate in events like this.
"We want to keep the shuffle accessible to people of all ages and abilities. We'd like to see the shuffle bring locals and visitors together in our backyard to experience the best of qathet's forests and trails, and we want to keep it free. That means buses to the start, race numbers, aid stations and prizes - things people who pay come to expect - may not be possible for us to provide this year unless we get a lot of last-minute sponsorship.”
Registration opened on March 1. The field will be limited to 100, so those who are interested are strongly encouraged to sign up early. Detailed information about the Marathon Shuffle can be found at sunshinecoast-trail.com/events.
