Training secrets from the 2018 Trail Runner of the Year

In case you missed it, Darbykai Standrick is our 2018 Golden Shoe Award Trail Runner of the Year. The Vancouver athlete has had an incredible year, to say the least. Darbykai (or DK) is a silent crusher. She works hard, but keeps a low profile. Since you won’t find her on social media, we got the inside scoop to her training secrets. 

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In her 2018 race season she has achieved six course records, seven female wins, and two overall wins. In 2018 she won overall and set course records at the Lost Lake 50K, Light at the end of the Tunnel 42.2K, Wandering Moose 42K, and the Valley Vertikiller 25K. She also won the Knee Knacker 50K and currently has the third fastest time on the course in its history. She was second behind Courtney Dauwalter at the Squamish 50 miler, and also set the third fastest time in course history. A few weeks later, she won Finlayson Arm 50K and set a new course record. In her spare time, DK also likes to run fast on the roads. She raced the East Side 10K in Vancouver this year in 34:58 and placed 4th female. She also has the Cumby 50K course record on Vancouver Island. 

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So how does she do it? DK’s training plan is not what you think. She is self directed and trains with very little structure. “I don’t have a training plan, ever.” 

What else does DK recommend? “Run when you want. Run when you don’t want with the option of going home. Try and go fast sometimes and try not to sweat other times.” Despite her low profile, you will find her working hard training and racing on the trails.

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