Meet Jeremy Deere
FAVOURITE TRAIL: ‘The Ridges’
Jeremy is pretty busy as managing partner of Strides Running Stores (in Calgary and Canmore), but he manages to get away on Monday mornings where you will often find him on the WBC trails running with his dog Lucy and Lucy’s friend Ken Young (BCT’s Treasurer). Also on Thursday evenings during the summer, Jeremy picks up the pace leading a pack of hardy Bow Valley Harriers runners up and down the ridges. This usually concludes with a bit of a tail gate party in the parking lot as the sun sets over Moose Mountain.
We love Jeremy and we love Lucy!
Where should we run?
A lot of the trails at WBC involve a healthy serving of climbing and descents such as Boundary Ridge, Ranger Summit, Reconnect or Merlin View. Getting to a ridgetop definitely has its rewards but if you are more of a trail running novice, you might want to start on a more gentle or shorter option such as a loop on the XC ski trails – try Mountain Road, Moose Connector and back along West Crystal Line or design your own loop!
If you’re looking for a challenge, local company 54Blue has created vaporrace.com (and climbduro.com for cyclists) as a way of getting more runners onto Calgary and area trails this summer. Just sign up at vaporrace.com, link your Strava account and join the Challenges. All are free of charge, the sponsors will donate to local charities (including BCT) for every Challenge completed and you can win awesome prizes just for participating! Watch vaporrace.com for the first WBC Running Challenge, which will be loaded this month (hint: it may involve a climb up Ranger Summit!).
What should we wear, what should we bring?
Here are some recommendations from our friends at Strides:
Trail Running Shoes: These are essential gear in WBC, especially during the fringe seasons (spring & fall), when the trails are softer or covered in fallen leaves. Trail shoes offer better grip than a standard road running shoe and also a more weather/debris-resistant upper. While many brands offer GoreTex or waterproof shoe options, these aren’t really necessary in WBC, unless it’s raining or during the spring melt. Head to your local running store to get properly fitted for the right trail shoe for you!
Trail Running Pack: These are more compact than a conventional day pack and they sit higher so you don’t get that annoying rubbing on your lower back. While a bit of an investment, higher end styles come in sizes, so you can get the right fit to avoid bouncing and chafing. Handy for a few essentials like water, some nutrition, your bear spray and an extra jacket and hat. And of course your phone so you can take photos and track your run on Strava!
Water: Many of the running packs include a water bladder but there are also good options for collapsible water bottles that are carries at many of the running stores and outdoor gear stores.
Bear spray: WBC is bear country and carrying bear spray is prudent, especially if you are running alone. Many packs and belts have a pocket specifically designed to hold a bear spray canister for easy access.
Nutrition: Unless you are running an ultra distance you shouldn’t need much for nutrition but an energy bar or gel in your pocket or pack is a good idea in the event that you feel like you are running out of energy on the way up a climb or for those days you’re feeling great and end up running farther than planned!
Poles: Collapsible hiking poles can be useful for trail running too. Some runners swear by them, especially on longer runs that involve big climbs.
