A marathoner who ran 7,000 kilometres across the Sahara has set himself a new challenge: to run the West Coast Trail in 24 hours as part of an odyssey of running the toughest 400 km to be found on Canada’s three coastlines.

Ray Zahab of Ottawa, who ran 70 km a day for 111 straight days through the desert partly to draw attention to water-quality issues, says he will start his epic journey with a 222-km run along the rocky East Coast Trail in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Then he’ll fly to Vancouver Island to run the 75-km West Coast Trail. Immediately after that, he wants to fly to Baffin Island to run the 100-km Akshayuk Pass, north of Iqaluit. All without getting any more sleep than he can grab during his cross-Canada flights.

“The three trails have just absolutely captured my imagination,” said Zahab, who plans to begin his feat in August or September. “Especially the West Coast Trail. I’ve read about it for years now and I’m fascinated by it. It’s just such a cool part of Canada.”

Zahab will take water and a purification system, as well as sport gels and his favourite fuel for ultra-distance runs: Dehydrated mashed potatoes and gravy.

He’s still working out the details, but wants to use the challenge as a fundraiser for one of the causes he supports. He’s currently backing three charities: Spread the Net, Ryan’s Well Foundation and H2O Africa.

Hiking guide Jeff Hunter-Smith said it’s possible to do the West Coast Trail in 24 hours.

He and other hikers have done it in three eight-hour days.

“It sounds like he has the physical conditioning,” said Hunter-Smith. “But I have people who are in excellent physical shape who can’t hike very far on these trails because of the terrain.”

He advised careful planning to hit low tides, and to do the easiest parts in the dark and the trickier bits in daylight. “One little slip could really throw him for a loop,” Hunter-Smith said.

Parks Canada rescues about 100 people out of about 6,000 who use the trail during the May-to-September season, said Rick Holmes, the warden who runs West Coast trail operations for Parks Canada.

“We’ve seen lots of runners. I would say we get between two and six a year.”

It’s quite a challenge for someone who said he used to skip school to avoid gym class.

More at canada.com

Bookmark to: