Run in a coal mine for 24 hours to challenge your fears
Sinister Sports' latest race will have runners looping around a dark 500-metre track in an Alberta coal mine
For most people, running for 24 hours would be enough of an adventure. For the really intense folk who want even more of an edge to their race, Sinister Sports is taking ultrarunning up a notch with their newest ultra, The Dark 24, held from Dec. 2-3. Runners will spend six, 12 or 24 hours running on a loop course in Alberta’s Bellevue Underground Mine (BUM).
“Are you a child of the night? Are you longing for the warm embrace of a dark cavern?” Sinister Sports’ website asks. Known for hosting some of the toughest races in North America, including the Canadian Death Race and Sinister 7, the team is always looking for unique ways to take their races to the next level.
Runners will loop around a mine shaft that is 250 metres long, with a one per cent grade–so each loop is 500 metres. The Sinister Sports website explains that the mine shaft is approximately four metres wide for most of its length, so four people should be able to comfortably run side by side. “Competitors will run until they cannot run anymore within their six, 12, or 24-hour time limit. The goal is to complete as many laps to the end of the shaft in that time period,” the site says.
Crystal Olive, a resident of Fort Macleod, Alta., has participated in many of Sinister Sports’ events and is ready to tackle the six-hour portion of The Dark 24. “I signed up for this race to run with/support a friend who helped crew me this summer,” Olive says. “I’m afraid of the dark and small spaces, so this is a great opportunity to work on some mental toughness.” Olive says she’s looking forward to “a fun day underground with some great people.”
BUM is a historically designated underground mine in Crowsnest Pass, Alta. It offers guided tours during part of the year, where they take visitors 1,000 feet into the mine, 150 feet below the surface. Guests are shown the inner workings of the mine while learning the history that surrounds it.
Clearly, ultrarunners are willing to tackle any weird challenge that comes their way. One perk of running in a mine is that it is temperature-controlled, meaning runners know they’ll be running in a crisp 0 C to 2 CÂ continuously. “Probably the most predictable weather you’ll ever have at a race,” Sinister Sports says.
Because of the limited space in the mine, the race, beginning Dec. 2, will be capped at 100 runners. To learn more or to sign up, head here.
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