Fernie athletes will be challenged to stand out from the pack in a new trail running event this weekend.
Hosted by Stag Leap Running Company, The Lone Wolf will be held on Saturday, June 16 at the Elk Valley Nordic Centre from 10 a.m.
The event is open to ages 14 and over, and will be run in a “last man standing” format, with competitors to start together on the hour and needing to finish the loop within the hour.
The aim is to complete as many laps as possible, while keeping within the time limit.
Prizes will be awarded to the “alpha male and female wolves” as well as the top three finishers in each category.
“After the success of last year’s Elk Valley Ultra, we wanted to add a second race to Stag Leap’s calendar,” said organizer Abi Moore.
“I heard of a similar race format in the UK, and thought it would be a fun option for the Fernie running scene.
“Of course, we’ve added a few new rules into the mix.”
On Monday, 136 people had signed up with more entries expected before registration closed on Wednesday afternoon.
Moore is keeping the exact running route under wraps but revealed the 6.5km loop would start and finish at the nordic centre, and was under 200m elevation.
She said the last man standing format made the event approachable by many.
“With the option of tackling as a soloist or team, as well as the manageable loop, easy self support and the whole race running as a pack, there are a lot of elements which appeal to runners who are new to racing as well as the seasoned racers,” she said.