Ep. 80 Bow Valley Dirtbag Runners. With Dr. Andy Reed

“In 2015, I think the first the first group that came, we had maybe six people showed up. We ran some intervals at Quarry Lake and it was kind of fun, we had a beer afterward and really from there it just it it it's grown and grown. I mean it's become a real fixture here in Canmore.”

Dr. Andy Reed started Dirt Bag Runners Bow Valley because he wanted some help to stay motivated while training. He didn’t realize that his group would be a weekly fixture for so many in the running community of Canmore, Alberta when it started, but he’s thrilled to be a part of it now. He’s quick to mention others who contribute and how everybody together makes Canmore special to him. He’s also quick to mention that his runs cater to all levels and he creates them with being social in mind.

“We have a huge variety of different abilities from, I mean we have ex-Olympic champions and world cup cross country skiers who come out and basically run away from everybody else and then we got new runners come out and hang out more at the back. We cater to everybody, I try and design the workouts so that we all pretty much stay together. It's very sociable even if you're not the fastest person out there. You're not gonna get left behind, we're together pretty much the whole time. We run for about an hour, we go all year round and we pride ourselves in that we've never actually missed a Thursday since we started.”

Dr. Reed is also a coach who has athletes all over the world and he simply loves the trail and outdoor community. It was a pleasure to chat with him and I’m excited to meet him and as many others as possible in Canmore on Thursday, June 6, as tickets to the Trail Running Film Festival at artsPlace go on sale this week! We’ve made sure to start the films at a time that gives all the dirtbags a chance to run and hang out with us 😁

Run Tri Bike Magazine feature

I’m really glad that Jason Bahamundi and I have met! He was awesome to have on the podcast and they recently featured me on their platform. Head over there to get the whole thing:

Finding Joy on the Trails: Adam Lee’s Trail Running Journey

The Road to Trail Running

In 2012, Adam moved from Victoria to Vancouver and found himself signing up for the local BMO half marathon, initially attracted by the idea of meeting new people. Little did he know that this decision would be the catalyst for a profound love for running. He became addicted to chasing times and participating in organized events every month, but it wasn’t until 2015 that he discovered the trails.

Adam recalls signing up for a local mountain eight-kilometer trail race. He mentioned, “It was marketed as Canada’s toughest 8k because how many 8ks are there.  When I got there the atmosphere and everything hooked me immediately.”  He instantly fell in love with the experience. Having grown up mountain biking in Ontario, the trails felt like a natural fit. The atmosphere, camaraderie, and scenic beauty of trail running captivated him. He realized that trail running wasn’t just a physical challenge but a holistic experience that allowed him to connect with nature and a supportive community.

Canmore on sale this week!

Canmore will come online on March 13 for artsPlace members and on March 15 for non-members. Calgary, Edmonton and Crowsnest Pass are on sale now as well. I’m incredibly excited to be able to hang out with more of you and share the film festival vibes. Our dates are:

Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Edmonton (Garneau Theatre) $25 (Early birds sold out in just over 72 hours!)

Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Calgary (Globe Cinema) $25

Thursday, June 6, 2024, Canmore (Partnering with artsPlace) Tickets on sale March 13/15 (members receive a discount/non-members $25)

Friday, June 7, 2024, Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore) (Frank Slide Interpretive Centre partnering with Sinister Sports) Limited (75) $25 tickets on sale now

Click on the links above for the FB event pages to keep up to date. Keep an eye peeled for official announcements as we will let you know the moment these become official and tickets are listed for sale. I’m so pumped to hang out with you all!

Vancouver tickets available

Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Rio Theatre. Doors at 6, show at 7.

Bring your noisemakers!

I’m so excited to host all of you amazing trail runners once again here in Vancouver, BC! The Rio Theatre is booked for Thursday, April 4, 2024, with the doors opening at 6 and the show starting at 7. We’re gonna do it bigger and better than last year and give this thing a festival vibe.

We have amazing sponsors lined up once again, we’ll have some great giveaways, an awesome guest, and we will be announcing our show opener that you’ll want to make noise for. Bring your cowbells, tambourines, or whatever you have to get loud, and let’s rock the Rio together!

Tickets are on sale now for $30/$35 at the door.

Our local sponsors:

5 Peaks

Coast Mountain Trail Running Conquer the Vedder

Distance Runwear

Ridgeline Athletics

Peaks N Valleys

Beast of Big Creek

Heads or Trails

RunGo

Naak

Mum’s the Word

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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay

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