Team of 18 women begin Bruce Trail run in hopes of setting a new record
A record attempt on Ontario's Bruce Trail is currently underway with 18 women looking to set the fastest known time for an all-women's team.
A team of 18 women, known as the Wild Bruce Chase, began their attempt to set the fastest known time (FKT) on Ontario’s Bruce Trail on Canada Day. They’re aiming to better the previous FKT of five days, 17 hours and 56 minutes, which was set earlier this year.
Read the full backstory on the team here.
The current all-women’s relay record is held by a team of 15, the only time an all-women’s squad has completed the nearly 900-kilometre trip between the northern tip of the Bruce Peninsula and Niagara Falls. The Bruce Trail is one of the province’s most popular hiking trails.
“We’re just a group looking for a good challenge,” Erin Dasher, the group’s organizer, told Canadian Running in June. “For us, it’s about having a really cool team experience.”
The group of women, who have a few men on board to help with pacing and night running on the trails, began in Tobermory and are heading south towards Niagara. As of July 2 at 2 p.m. EDT, the team is just past Owen Sound and on the second day of running. They have covered more than 200 kilometres so far.
Shift one complete! Torrential downpour, seriously challenging terrain and no cell service. We also beat a bear. #crushingit #wildbrucechase
— Wild Bruce Chase (@wildbrucechase) July 1, 2016
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The relay is split into varying distances for each leg with runners being paired with terrain – technical terrain, hilly terrain, distance and time of day are all taken into account – that they’re comfortable with. A lead, “active” vehicle transports runners to their legs from base camp. Once the five to six runners in the van finish their legs, another portion of the team leapfrogs them.
Waiting at the exchange between leg 22 and 23. Swapping stories and checking maps. pic.twitter.com/oWImv0PPw3
— Wild Bruce Chase (@wildbrucechase) July 2, 2016
RELATED: Tips for running your first relay.
You can track the team’s progress with the use of this live tracker.
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