Interprovincial marathon underway this weekend

By JAMES TUBB on June 9, 2022.

Runners will have the ultimate challenge this weekend across two provinces.

The Hidden Oasis 100 ultra race gets underway this weekend as the first interprovincial 100-mile event, and it takes place in Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park. Starting at the Elkwater townsite, runners will traverse 168.25 Kilometres in six legs, completed by a solo athlete or a relay team of up to six. Runners have 30 hours to complete the event, with legs varying in length from 23-32 kilometres and a total elevation gain of 3,300 metres.

Race organizer Rita Pasiciel said they had been planning the race since 2018 but this year will be the first due to COVID-19. She said it’s almost overwhelming that it’s finally going to happen.

“I said to my daughter, I hope I don’t start crying,” Pasiciel said. “It’s been amazing, the last six months have been a real push and everybody’s been so great. Helping and stepping up together and being a team, it’s been amazing, just this super experience.”

She said the idea for the race sparked when she returned to Canada after retiring in Kenya and discovered the Hills.

Pasiciel said she is excited to see the runners at the starting line and push through the challenges along the course.

“Just seeing it happen, because that’s our mission statement to promote the Cypress Hills because they are world class running material, all kinds of sporting event material,” Pasiciel said. “To promote that and hopefully other people can see wonder how beautiful it is like and how it’s such a great place to run and do all these physical activities.”

Runners starting in Elkwater will run into Saskatchewan before returning on an oval shaped route back to Alberta.

She said her advice to any runners is to pace themselves and enjoy the sights around them.

“Ultra runners often they start with a walk and people say to me, ‘you run slow’ and I say, I want to do the whole thing,” Pasiciel said. “It’s about pacing and enjoying it. Besides the racing part I hope people actually enjoy the scenery and enjoy how powerful it is to see.”

She encourages anyone interested to either register for the race at hiddenoasis.com or be there to cheer on the runners as spectators.

The race gets underway Saturday at 7 a.m.

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