Have you ever dreamt of climbing a mountain? How about running one? That’s exactly what a group runners did at the 35 annual Mt. Pope Adventure Race in Fort St. James earlier this month.
Taking place on Oct. 19, runners were met with great weather for the around 22 km race.
14 runners and 14 walkers participated in the mountain race which began at Cottonwood Park beach and continued along Stones Bay Rd. to the Mt. Pope trail at the base of the mountain.
From the trail entrance, runners and walkers ran (or walked) up to the mountain’s peak where they rested briefly. posed for a photograph and then ran back down the mountain.
Keith Gordon, one of the runners who participated in the adventure race, said that the winds at the peak of the mountain were “easily 60 km/h.”
While simply completing the race is a feat for anyone, some runners managed to complete the race in record time.
Nick Bartell, of Prince George, took home the first place prize after he finished the race in just under the two hour mark with a finishing time of one hour and 58 minutes. Bartell’s impressive time earned him a place among just a handful of runners in the last 35 years to have competed the race in under two hours.
Tim Dunkley, of Fort St. James, finished his race with a time of two hours and 26 minutes. Dunkley finished sixth overall but was the fastest local participant to complete the race.
Lisa Spingle finished in first place in the women’s category improving her time last year by 30 minutes.
35th Annual Pope’s Peak Adventure Run
October 19, 2014