Vancouver long-distance running events seeing registration uptick

Andrea Moir is running the Vancouver Half Marathon on Sunday. It's the first time she's attempting to run 21 kilometres.

"I've always been quite active and I want to test myself, to see if I can run longer distances." she said. "I enjoy the pursuit of the goal and getting a taste of what that world feels like."

She's not alone. About 4,600 people are signed up to run the half marathon, up nearly 50 per cent from 3,100 last year. Last month, the BMO Vancouver Marathon saw a record-high 23,000 registrants. 

Kri Shier, Canada Running Series West race director, said it's a sign new runners want to test themselves. 

"There's a cross-Canada running boom," she said. "There is a trend there and definitely we're seeing more runners."

In its annual year-end report, fitness tracking app Strava says the share of athletes uploading runs last year increased by four per cent.

Shier said she suspects many people who took up running during the pandemic are finally ready to test their skills.

"People might not have been as comfortable, in those first years coming out of COVID-19, joining those mass-participation events," Shier said. "But people are comfortable now, and they're racing."

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She added the running series is seeing lots of younger new registrants — a hint that young runners may be driving the jump in participation. 

But the boom might not be here to stay. Shier said Canada Running Series has seen registrations rise, fall and rise again in a "cyclical" way.

"We're definitely seeing that peak coming now," Shier said. "We just hope it continues."

Moir, a competitive ultimate Frisbee athlete, said as reaches her mid-20s, she is seeing more people pick up individual sports like running, cycling, and triathlon. She said it's easier to train for these events than to organize a team practice. 

Ahead of her race, Moir said she's feeling ready to go the distance.

"If you have an event like a race that you're training for, it gives you some purpose in your day-to-day," she said. "It's a nice goal to have and a memory to make… it's a rewarding kind of pursuit."