Sea to Sky stamina: Vancouver man to run 122km from Vancouver to Whistler

For some people, when an idea takes root, it’s hard to shake off. That’s what led a Vancouver man to attempt to run an ultramarathon from downtown Vancouver to Whistler this coming weekend.

“I’m just a regular guy that had an idea and I thought I’d give it a shot.“

Collin Zwickel will start his 122-kilometre journey on Friday, September 15 at 8 pm. This means he’ll be running up the long and winding Sea to Sky Highway in the dark. To Zwickel and his team, safety is of utmost concern.

“I’ll be lit up like a Christmas tree.”

Jon Hunwick/Magnafire

Zwickel says that he and his team are taking all the necessary precautions, which include a support vehicle and a small crew providing him with the hydration and fuel he’ll need. This amount of support is crucial for this massive effort. He says it will take him approximately 18 to 20 hours to complete this daunting route with 2,200 meters of elevation gain.

Jon Hunwick / Magnafire

“My running journey has been non-existent. I don’t consider myself an endurance athlete at all.“

It was a surprise to hear that Zwickel didn’t start running seriously until earlier this year. He persevered and went from five short runs in one year to five 10k runs a week for three months straight.

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“I thought to myself, it may be a glimpse of a possibility for me to get this done.”

This ultramarathon attempt is more than just a fitness test. Zwickel says he’s doing it for the kids. He started a foundation called Happy Kids Foundation and 100% of its proceeds will be donated to Zajac Ranch and Backpack Buddies, two local organizations that help children in need.

“There’s underprivileged kids that don’t have the basics, the necessities. I want to inspire kids that a regular guy like myself can go out and accomplish something big, even if it’s just being able to allow a kid to do normal kid stuff and stargaze at night at the ranch and have big dreams or, you know, have the opportunity to rock climb or ride horses or just interact in a fun and safe environment with other kids. That’s a key driver for us.”

Photo credit: Jon Hunwick/Magnafire

As of last Friday evening, Zwickel says he has raised more than $44,000 for the organizations and is aiming to hit $60,000 by the end of the year. He says he is blown away by the generosity of the running community and people he has shared his story with. It’s one of the things he will take with him when he needs to dig deep to get to the finish line.

“Running has been very challenging for me. And there’s a lot of life lessons that are passed through running. There’s good days, there’s bad days. In order to really appreciate the good days, you have to go through some challenging times. And I’ve learned a lot on the road.”

If you’d like to donate to his cause, visit the Happy Kids Foundation website. Zwickel aims to finish his ultramarathon journey at Whistler Village between 2 and 4 P.M. on Saturday, September 16th. You can follow his journey on Strava.