This year’s Marathon Shuffle – an annual rite of spring in Powell River – takes place on Sunday, April 30. Participants in the full 29-kilometre Shuffle travel the Sunshine Coast Trail from Malaspina Road to the Shinglemill. Those who prefer the Half Shuffle start from Wilde Road.
Registration numbers for this year’s Shuffle have already shattered the expectations of the event’s organizing committee. Four days after registration opened, numbers were approaching the 450-participant cap.
“Every year this event gets more and more popular,” registration coordinator Emma Larocque said. “It’s a reflection of how well-known and loved the Sunshine Coast Trail has become in Powell River, and around the province as well.”
Powell River Parks and Wilderness Society (PAWS) members started the Shuffle in 1993, as a way to showcase the wonders of the Sunshine Coast Trail. While most choose to hike, trail runners also participate – with some eyeing Graham Cocksedge’s 2016 record time for the full Shuffle of two hours and 13 minutes. Female runners hope to better the record set by Nicola Gildersleeve in 2015 of two hours 52 minutes.
The event attracts runners and hikers from across the province and farther afield. Last year, a record number of 300 people participated, with half of those travelling to Powell River from out of town.
This year, organizers are highlighting the fact that the event takes place, rain or shine. “We are reminding people that if they register, to please attend,” PAWS president Eagle Walz said. “If they can’t make it, we’re asking that they let us know.”
The event helps to boost Powell River’s economy by attracting out-of-town participants, Eagle said. “When people register, then change their minds at the last minute, they are likely keeping visitors to our community from experiencing the Sunshine Coast Trail.”
People who want to cancel their registration should email [email protected].
While the event is free, donations to PAWS are encouraged. All donations go towards trail maintenance and development, with all the work done by volunteers.
With a record number of participants, more volunteers than ever are needed. Emily Walz is managing the large number of volunteers who make the event successful year after year. Walz matches people with the tasks they most enjoy and also arranges for an orientation meeting. People interested in volunteering can email [email protected].
Members of the public can cheer on participants at key intersections of the Sunshine Coast Trail or on access roads, or applaud them as they reach the finish line at the Shinglemill.
For more information or to add your name to the waiting list, visit www.sunshinecoast-trail.com/events.
