Ian Robertson already holds a record for the leg-burning Grouse Grind in Vancouver so running up the intensely steep ski jump at the Red Bull 400 in Whistler, he should hardly break a sweat. 

That statement may be a touch hyperbolic, but in all seriousness, the veteran cyclist is experienced in this kind of thing. The Red Bull 400 is a 400-metre climb up the ski jump in Whistler Olympic Park. The sight is used to seeing skiers clad in skin-tight apparel point their skis and head downwards, but in just over a week, runners and endurance athletes of all kinds will work against gravity to make their way to the top.

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Robertson has competed in the event for the past two years. As a former cyclist, he excels in it as he has the muscle strength to combat the burn. This year, he hopes to finish in the top ten and expects to finish in the teens at least. After catching up with Robertson this week, it became apparent that this event stands in a category of its own, and that this guy has some worthwhile notes to help other athletes get to the top of this painful course faster. 

“There are so many interesting places and interesting things – both man-made and natural – that are off limits all the time.”

Exploring the unknown

First of all, where talk about this event usually revolves around the steepness of the curve or the burn in the legs, Robertson brings up a worthwhile point not to be overlooked: the course itself is usually blocked off to the public. “There’s no way to approach it unless you’re part of the ski jump team,” he says, as in the public is not allowed to  go there. Why would one want to run up it though? “Because it’s there. Why not?” he says. To that point, he adds that it’s an exciting challenge and that hosting a race on this course opens the door to similar events that want to allow people to better explore cordoned off zones. “There are so many interesting places and interesting things – both man-made and natural – that are off limits all the time,” he says. Red Bull 400 gives folks a chance to venture to where they’re usually not allowed to go. 

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Why cyclists trump all

As mentioned by triathlete Rachel McBride, the winner of last year’s event, being a cyclist translates well to an event like this. Why? Robertson can explain this. “It’s a similar time, duration and intensity,” he says. If you excel on the bike, don’t assume you can’t do well in a running race – it’s just a matter of finding the right one. “Cycling is an asset to trail-running any time the trail goes up significantly,” says Robertson explaining that this type of racing targets muscle groups that cyclists have built up. “That’s why Grouse Grind records are all cyclists,” he adds. He can make that claim: the guy has run up the Grouse Grind 17 in 19 hours and yes, that’s a record. 

“You’re best prepared to be a bit daunted at the start.”

Words of advice

Run the Red Bull 400 once or twice and you’ll absolutely have nuggets of wisdom to those who show up fresh-faced and timid at the start line. Word of advice: start slower than what feels natural because most people go out too fast, he explains. If you see the steep drop and your stomach does a flip, don’t worry. “You’re best prepared to be a bit daunted at the start. Because of the flat section, it makes the wall look that much more imposing,” he says. And ahead of time, athletes who want to do well would be smart to run inclines with weights. “Doing weighted training is actually a really good idea for it because you can’t train on anything as steep – even stairs aren’t as steep,” says Robertson.   

The Red Bull 400 takes place on Aug. 5. Canadian Running will be there punishing our legs on course as well. Are you ready?

Red Bull 400 Whistler coverage is brought to you by Red Bull.