Posted by & filed under 2022.

15k Time Trial.

Start Name Event
8:00 Sara Blanchett Ultimate
8:01 Ron Stuurman Ultimate
8:02 Maureen Pecknold Ultimate
8:03 Katelin Ditner Ultimate
8:04 Mark Roest Ultimate
8:05 Ronald Irwin Ultimate
8:06 Christoph Kessel Ultimate
8:07 Chris Ladubec Ultimate
8:08 Jorja Ditner Ultimate
8:09 Sharon Ditner Ultimate
8:10 Tony Martin Ultimate
8:11 Patrick Robitaille Ultimate
8:12 Patrick Kelly Ultimate
8:13 Lumi Duca Ultimate
8:14 Tim Coleman Ultimate
8:15 Tyler Dalton Ultimate
8:16 Merlin Frey Ultimate
8:17 Jonah Istifan Ultimate
8:18 Jack Kilislian Ultimate
8:19 Antoine Gauthier Ultimate
8:20 Denis Allen Ultimate
8:21 Joe Bell Ultimate
8:22 Vicki Zandbergen Ultimate
8:23 Tica Simmons Relay
8:24 Caroline Samson-Belair Ultimate
8:25 Mark McDonald Ultimate
8:26 Sebastian Warner Ultimate
8:27 Valery Hobson Ultimate
8:28 Alexander Tohivsky Ultimate
8:29 👑 Rebecca Kruisselbrink Ultimate
8:30 Ian Grzegorczyk Ultimate
8:31 Ryan Kruizenga Ultimate
8:32 Jordan Schmidt Ultimate
8:33 Christian Belair Ultimate
8:34 👑 Robert Brouillette Ultimate
8:35 Aidan Rutherford Relay
8:36 Alex Ullman Relay

Posted by & filed under 2022, Recaps, Results.

Over the years, we spent a lot of time and effort developing a richly interactive results experience for ENDURrun.

Everything you need is found at https://results.runwaterloo.com/endurrun/

You can find simple results for single Stages (for example, today’s Stage 1 Half Marathon) and you can find all sorts of cumulative standings (which get more interesting as the week progresses). Check the filters to be able to compare against all previous years, and sort by various demographics. As photos are uploaded, they will also be found linked from the results.

Congratulations to all participants in the race under today’s heat advisory. That was quite an experience. A lot was new, but what hasn’t changed is the quality of the people involved.

Since there wasn’t an official Gold Jersey presentation today, please elet us focus on the winners for a minute…5-time defending champion Robert Brouillette is no stranger to the Gold Club, but we have a new member in Rebecca Kruisselbrink!!

The start list for Stage 2, 15k Time Trial will be posted shortly. The first runner starts at 8:00am, working backwards each minute for about an hour. You can predict your start time quite accurately by looking at how many people are behind you in the cumulative standings.

Posted by & filed under 2022.

OK, so we’re doing this!

So much changed for 2022, and suddenly, that it was difficult to maintain every page on this website. Rest assured these are the key what/where/when details that you need.

Stage 0 – Saturday August 6 – 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. – Social/Kit pickup/Pre-Race Meeting, 2 Weberlyn Cres, Conestogo, ON

Stage 1 – Sunday August 7 – 8:00 a.m. – Half Marathon, Grey Silo Trail at RIM Park, 2001 University Ave E, Waterloo, ON3 loops course on paved bike trail

Stage 2 – Monday August 8 – 8:00 a.m. – 15 KM Time Trial, Grand Trunk Trail at Moyer’s Landing, 780 Fountain St S, Cambridge, ONOut and back paved/gravel trail (Note: first runner starts at 8:00am; one minute time trial start gaps will be published Sunday afternoon)

Stage 3 – Tuesday August 9 – 8:00 a.m. – 30 KM Cross Country Run, Shade’s Mills Conservation Area, 450 Avenue Rd, Cambridge, ON6 loops of varying trail surfaces

Stage 4 – Wednesday August 10 – 6:00 p.m. – 10 Mile Hill Run, Walter Bean Trail, park in the Coldwell Banker Peter Benninger Realty parking lot at 508 Riverbend Dr Kitchener, ON2 hilly crushed gravel loops

Stage 5 – Friday August 12 – 8:00 a.m. – 25.6 KM Technical Trail Run, Baden Hills, 2733 Sandhills Rd, Wilmot, ON10 loops

Stage 6 – Saturday August 13 – 7:00 am – 10 KM Time Trial, Track Race at St David Catholic Secondary School synthetic track, 4 High St, Waterloo, ON – 2 or 3 heats, fastest heat first based on cumulative time to this Stage

Stage 7 – Sunday August 14 – 7:30 a.m. – Marathon, Grey Silo Trail at RIM Park, 2001 University Ave E, Waterloo, ON5 loops

Posted by & filed under 2022.

We’re back. After a 2-year hiatus, we are bullish on events for summer 2022 and have opened registration for two events:

The ENDURrun Ultimate, back for it’s 23rd year. 8 Days, 7 Stages, 160 KM, One Tough Runner.
August 7-14, 2022.

ENDURrun Sport, a training program for Ultimate.
Ending July 17, 2022. Format TBA.

Note that if you were registered for either of these events in 2020, your registration has carried forward to the 2022 event. Please reach out with any questions.

Lots has changed since we last met. Lower participant caps, heightened protocols, changes to features (especially food), and vaccine requirements. But what hasn’t changed is the quality of the people that make this event possible: participants, volunteers, sponsors, family. We can’t wait to see you again.

Posted by & filed under 2020.

From Lloyd Schmidt, Race Director

Long Post – I have been working on this for months.

The original concept and vision of The ENDURrun was to create a uniquely individual test of strength, determination and will. A solitary journey designed to take you to your physical and mental limit, and then demand more. Once you reach that limit, the battle is within.

But The ENDURrun evolved into something much different than I envisioned. From training together in preparation for the event, pacing with other participants during the event, pre and post race support and encouragement, social activities throughout the week, and a close, caring, celebratory awards ceremony with those who shared your pain, The ENDURrun is very much the opposite of social distancing.

To mandate social distancing during this event, and to eliminate pre and post race gatherings including food and awards, I think would undermine what’s at the very core of The ENDURrun. As much as I stubbornly held out hope for the remote possibility of at least holding the run-only aspect of The ENDURrun, the event just wouldn’t be the same without the social aspect.

And, I can only base my decision on facts.

Fact:

  • COVID-19 is serious.
  • Gatherings of more than 10 are prohibited at this time.
  • No one can predict the future.
  • Provincial and Local rules and regulations can change quickly.
  • Participants require an assurance that the event will take place and require adequate lead time to prepare.

Based on the facts, and without further direction or assurances from authorities, it is with great regret that The 2020 ENDURrun will be cancelled.

I very much appreciated your patience during this delay, and if you have continued to train, at least you are in great shape now because of your efforts and commitment.

We are deferring all Ultimate entries to The 2021 ENDURrun and hope that your interest, enthusiasm and support remain for our event. With this extra year of training and preparations, we are expecting big things from you in 2021. For Relay Teams and Guests, we will be offering a full refund or deferral to 2021.

For our new Sport event, we will be offering a full refund or deferral to 2021.
As mentioned above, my original concept of The ENDURrun was entirely an individual challenge. Decades ago, I ran something like this by myself in training blocks – no cheering, no aid, no fanfare. Maybe this is an opportunity to go back to that concept this year. We are in the process of forming a working group which will establish a framework for staging a smaller participation Ultimate and Sport event that complies with all official regulatory rules and regulations with respect to safety. More details to follow. Maybe keep up your training just a bit longer, just in case.

Thanks again, stay safe, and please let me know if you have any questions.

View on Facebook

Participants will be emailed with actionable instructions.

Posted by & filed under 2020.

From Lloyd Schmidt, Race Director:

I apologize for the lack of communication. You deserve better. But these are complicated times, and please know that the fate of The ENDURrun is always on our minds.

My opinion is that my opinion doesn’t matter. I am not an epidemic expert or authority. I am relying entirely on the rules and restrictions as set by the authorities. If the authorities say that we can proceed with our event, then I will rely on their judgment that it is safe to do so. Presently, all events in Waterloo Region are prohibited to the end of June. It is meaningless for me to say that I think events will be allowed in August, or to say that I think all events will be cancelled for the remainder of the year.

I will proceed based on the present rules and restrictions, and events in August have not been officially prohibited.

As organizers, we need a minimum two months to prepare for the event. We will make our final decision on whether The ENDURrun will take place this year, no later than June 9. Hopefully the authorities will announce by June 9 whether events will be prohibited for the remainder of the summer, or whether limited events with restrictions can take place.

Where it gets complicated is the access or lack of access to the tremendous amount of resources required for The ENDURrun. Not only supplies (medals, shirts, etc.), but also venue availability, travel restrictions, and most importantly, the safety of our volunteers. We will take everything into consideration, and we have a big decision to make by June 9. Unless, of course, if the decision is made for us by the authorities.

Sorry that I cannot be more specific at this time. Things can change very quickly and we do not have a crystal ball. If you can hang in there and keep training and preparing, you will know one way or another no later than June 9. Thanks for your understanding and support, and please let me know if you have any questions.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/endurrun/permalink/10156903854086143/

This applies to the Ultimate and Relay (August) and Sport (July) events.

Posted by & filed under 2020.

Ultimate isn’t the only way to participate.

The 8 day, 7 stage, 160 km challenge is the featured event at ENDURrun. But Relay and Guest offer smaller and flexible ways to get involved.

Relay is a team of 2 to 7 individuals who run at least one Stage. Guest are solo stages. Both are limited in number and great ways to introduce yourself to the community without signing up for an entire week.

Click here to register

These start out at $60 for Relay and $50 for Guest, and the prices do jump substantially between now and August.

Posted by & filed under 2019, 2020.

At once, ENDURrun is so many things.

To us, it’s the ultimate test of running in the best possible environment. #thisisENDURrun.

But it’s so much more.

Whether you made a wrong turn, or ran a whole loop extra, and smiled the whole time … This is ENDURrun.
If you entered the race at the last minute … again … This is ENDURrun.
If you finally crossed this off your bucket list after years of anticipation.
If you bowed out to injury, or persevered through injury. That was ENDURrun.
If your entire club came together to deliver so much effort towards a common goal, and totally nailed it.
If you comically undertrained for the race, but did it anyway.
If you bounced back in a big way in 2019! Or you plan an even bigger bounce back in 2020! This is ENDURrun.
You wore that white singlet proudly during the week, and since.
Whether you’ve now completed your 9th ultimate, or just ran your very first marathon …
Whether you set massive PBs or EBs or recent EBs or don’t even know what that is (and don’t care!)
If you gave it your all but came up short, this is ENDURrun.
When you have already signed up for next year, which isn’t crazy, is it? This is ENDURrun.
If this was the highlight of your summer. This is ENDURrun.
If you ran a fundraiser that blew away expectations and made everyone proud. This is ENDURrun.
If you are a trail runner who hates roads, or a road runner who hates trails, or have never run on a track before.
If you had to be back at work Monday matin.
When you finally earned One Tough Runner after so much time and effort.
Whether you won your fifth consecutive title, or don’t even know where to find the results.
If you achieved the Ultimate redemption. This is ENDURrun.
Whether you motivated the community all year long, or showed up to Stage 1 as a brand new face.
Even though it’s kind of strange, if you wore a pink bib on your back. You are ENDURrun.
Sleeping in. Two days in a row!
Participating in the context of immeasurable personal trauma.
The exact moment you knew that everything clicked.
Those hours you spent on the massage table. That was ENDURrun.
If we’ve witnessed your family grow over the years, as our family has also grown.
If you got so little sleep, but it was so worth it.
If you surprised everyone with MASSIVE pbs (everyone, except your dad!)
If you spent way too much time at Lloyd’s house.
Whether this was beyond extraordinary, or just an average mileage week for you.
If your efforts weren’t publicly appreciated, but totally made someone’s week. Thank you. Because this is ENDURrun.

Special shoutouts to KW Health Connection, WR REACT, Running Rarebits, Runners’ Choice, Health + Performance, Chicopee, the neon shirts, the Nutty Nines, the Guests, and everyone who liked one of Jack’s posts all year long. That’s it for 2019.

What is your #thisisENDURrun?

Posted by & filed under 2019.

The H+P Men’s A team put together an incredible week in 2019.

The Health + Performance (H+P) team, organized by head coach Sean Delanghe, ran 11:04:36 to beat the previous record, which had stood since 2012, by 43 seconds.

The winning roster includes Sean Delanghe (half marathon), Nick Burt (15k TT), Graham Stonebridge (30k XC), Gregory Cartmell (10mi hills), Greg Dyce (25.6k trails), Brendan Hancock (10,000m), Aidan Rutherford (marathon), and alternate Jonathan Redfearn. Nick and Aidan also placed 5th and 2nd in the Ultimate competition.

Pictured: Nick, Sean, Aidan, Graham, Gregory. Missing: Greg, Brendan, Jon. All quotes below are from Sean.

For the club, the week was a roller coaster of expectations as the roster was reconfigured multiple times.

“The week started off with a decent 1:17 half marathon, but then we lost one of our faster guys in the 15K due to a back injury. Nick did his best to fill in last minute, but he was too beat up to run close to his best and in one stage we lost approximately 7 minutes. The week was salvaged by massive PB performances by Graham (2:03 Bechtel) and Greg Cartmell (58 Wilmot) back-to-back. Greg Dyce hung on for dear life at Chicopee where he salvaged a 2:18 (about 8-10 minutes slower than his ability) again showing the challenge of this event. Brendan ran a solid 35 10K to put us 1 minute behind record pace which meant Aidan would have to PB the marathon by 4 minutes to make it happen – which he somehow did with 43s to spare!”

Anyone who has been following this pursuit knows it’s a hard task. Unlike Ultimates who spend the year training for ENDURrun as an ‘A’ race (consider that Aidan beat the team), Relay teams require having multiple athletes available for weekday morning stages, who all peak in condition and performance in August. It’s incredibly difficult.

“We thought we had a good chance in 2013 but ended up missing the record by over an hour! We quickly learned that even if we had individuals more than fast enough, it was a challenge to line up 7 people for such a diversity of stages with no back-ups if injuries or blow-ups happen mid-race.”

The team took an adjusted approach in 2019 by bringing along 8 athletes to allow for a backup, which was required before the first day was over. The roster of eight included top club performers mixed with stage experience and availability.

“Generally these 8 athletes posted the fastest times across the board from 5K- marathon in the ~8 months leading into the race, and they also proved fitness in the 4 weeks leading in. Five of the 8 have run a 15-something 5Ks, and the ones who didn’t have major course experience or impressive recent performances at longer distances (i.e. 2:37 marathon for Greg C, 5x Chicopee for Greg D).”

It’s also impressive to note that H+P was able to compose the roster exclusively of long-term club members.

This comes in the context of H+P teams setting and breaking their own Relay records for several years in the Female and Masters divisions, which is impressive in its own right, but also a testament to the difficulty of the Open record. H+P now owns the top 9 fastest female teams and the top 8 fastest masters teams.

“Both of these performances were awesome to see. The men’s masters team really is starting to go next level. We now have 3 men who can break 17 for 5K and a few more knocking at the door. There still is room for that record to get faster, but that margin is getting very slim because of how fast these boys are getting. The women’s team knocked their race out of the park. Despite missing our fastest runner of all-time in Erin McClure, these ladies had consistently strong performances across the board to crush the event record. Vicky Siemon was a huge asset with her 1:25 half and last-minute 2:18 Chicopee performance. With adding Erin back on the team, and with all of these women in general getting faster, I still think there is room to see this record plummet.”

One other fun dynamic to this record comes from the unique pacing rules at ENDURrun, where Sean and Gregory joined in for the second half of Aidan’s marathon.

“We ran consistent ~4:01 K’s all the way through to hit a near perfect even split marathon [+6 seconds]. It was insanely exciting and impressive to experience him pulling it off and solidifying the record as it happened.”

That’s incredible teamwork, pictured below.

2019-08-18 - EndurRun Stage 7 - 441

Health + Performance has entered 52 of the 117 teams in ENDURrun Relay history, including 12 in 2019.