Haven Johnson found running as she quit drinking and the allure of trail kilometres and the community around it was so strong she felt supported and strong enough to stay sober. She felt safe amongst those trails and runners in a way she had never before. When Amanda Palmer met her at a local Capra group run, the pair hit it off. As Amanda learned more of Haven’s story, it was clear that this was a story that needed to be told. Haven trusted Amanda enough to green light the project and now the two have a beautiful film called “Haven” that will debut this Thursday, April 2, as part of our Trail Running Film Festival evening at the Rio Theatre, and Chantelle and I were so grateful to hear more about it. This was a fun and emotional chat, and we’re thrilled to share it.

Haven started a sober run club:

Pink Cloud Run Club

Amanda shouted out the fund for their great support:

Women’s Trailrunning Fund

Film Description:

Directed by Amanda Palmer, the film follows a 43-year-old single mother named Haven, who finds sobriety and an unexpected lifeline in trail running. What begins as a way to quiet the chaos inside becomes a two-year journey toward her first 50km ultramarathon, The Squamish 50. Along the way, Haven discovers a trail-running community that lifts her up and refuses to let her journey be a solitary one. This is a story of resilience and the power of community that keeps showing up.

The Last Episode:

The Trail Running Film Festival:

The Miller Minutes:

Crossing Lines:

Food Fight Friday:

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Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay

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If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be, and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)

Community Trail Running is presented by Altitude Sports!

We are so lucky to have Cassandra de Winter on our latest version of The Long Run! Chantelle Erickson and I were so thrilled to chat with Cassandra about her family life and her running. She’s been finishing on podiums and setting course records (Black Spur Ultra), but none of that has been her goal, and that’s what makes her story so interesting and unique. It was so great hearing her insights and how she kicks so much ass!

🔥 Shop now at Altitude Sports and enjoy up to 20% off your first order with the promo code “communitytrailrunning”. Click here to order 👉 https://bit.ly/altitude-communitytrailrunning

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Cassandra is very light-hearted and humble, and this conversation was a lot of fun for Chantelle and me to be a part of! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Let us know what you think in the comments :)

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The previous Long Run:

The previous Community Trail Running:

Listen where you listen

Spotify: Click Here

Apple Podcasts: Click Here

Music by Paolo Argentino from Pixabay

We’re on the journey to 2,000 subscribers, help us get there!

If you enjoy this podcast, I would really appreciate it if you could like, share, subscribe, or comment! I’m trying to make this the best trail running podcast it can be and I certainly appreciate your time. Thank you all and happy trails :)

Chantelle and I were super stoked to have Jacob Puzey on the latest episode of The Long Run! Jacob is a race director of many events, including the 5 Peaks race series, and he reached out recently with some race cancellations happening and wanted to chat with us about the back-end of races and how those sorts of decisions are made. He also sheds some light on what his event costs look like, including this cool breakdown of his expenses:

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Jacob also let us know that his insurance claim from the 5 Peaks race that was cancelled has been approved. It’s the first time they’ve used that, and it allows the event to refund all the runners. This is an expense, of course, that made the race more expensive to begin with, so it’s awesome that they were able to use it and get it approved! Would you mind paying a few more dollars up front if it meant you get a refund due to cancellation? It seems smart to me!

We’re super stoked you were able to join us for this episode with Jacob. We’re grateful to have you all here and for your support. We look forward to working more together. If you missed the last episode, catch up now:

Brandon Regier is a huge fan of running. He loves it so much he’s made it his career and he chases huge goals on the weekends too. He’s also a proud new father and someone who values time with family. He was a pleasure to chat with and I’m so glad Chantelle made this happen! Drop by Runners Soul in Lethbridge and meet him yourself.

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We learned a lot about why he loves the sport, some advice he has for people thinking about it, and all kinds more! He’s another legend of Lethbridge and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as Chantelle and I did.

Speaking of Chantelle and I…

The Trail Running Film Festival

Chantelle is my guest in Crowsnest Pass this Saturday May 3 at Frank Slide Interpretive Centre! I’m so excited for my new hometown show and to hang out with trail runners all over Alberta.

Edmonton, we will see you Thursday!! Calgary, see you on Friday!! Get your tickets:

• Edmonton, AB – Thursday, May 1 | Metro Cinema

• Calgary, AB – Friday May 2 | Cardel Theatre

• Crowsnest Pass, AB – Saturday, May 3 | Frank Slide Interpretive Centre

• Jasper, AB – Saturday, May 17 | The Legion

• Canmore, AB – Thursday, June 5 | artsPlace

Wayne Cassidy's Tajik Mountain Traverse is an awesome sounding race that takes place in the Mountains of Tajikistan. It offers runners a unique mix of history, culture, and natural beauty. The race is designed to challenge endurance athletes and immerse them in the culture of the Tajik people.

"The Tajik people are just some of the warmest, most hospitable people," Wayne shares. "Strangers will be inviting you to come in for tea. That’s just an amazing experience to have." The event takes runners through an environment steeped in history, from the ancient Silk Road to the footsteps of explorers like Alexander the Great and Marco Polo​.

The nine-day format is a blend of adventure and cultural exploration, with participants dealing with high altitude mountain passes and enjoying stunning turquoise lakes. Wayne describes it as a beautiful and majestic place. It’s clear that the location is one he loves and a key feature that sets this race apart​.

Wayne hopes to see growing participation in the future, with the aim of including more and more athletes from around the world, all drawn to this hidden gem in Central Asia. The race already garners interest from international runners, with the goal of creating a community that shares both the passion for endurance sports and an appreciation for the unique cultural heritage of Tajikistan​​.

It was awesome to have Wayne on and learn more about this place and his race! Chantelle and I enjoyed it thoroughly, and you can even catch an article that Chantelle has prepared in the next edition of Canadian Running Magazine!

What do you think of the race? Is it something you’d want to check out? Let us know what you think!

More from The Long Run:

“Our ancestors would pass messages along by running from community to community. To this day, we still teach that, especially to our youth.”

Apologies for the late release, I had some major technical issues to sort through!

For Marlinda Bedonie, running is more than a sport. It’s a way of life, a cultural tradition, and a means of connecting with her community. As an Indigenous ultrarunner, mother of four, coach, and health advocate, Marlinda has worked running into every aspect of her life. Through her work with Native Women Running and Renew Earth Running, she is inspiring others to move. Not just for themselves, but for something greater.

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“Our medicine is out on the land. Our traditional foods that we pick, that we harvest, it’s all connected… I just take it one step at a time. I don’t always know what’s ahead, but I know that I’m running for more than just myself.”

Marlinda was a fantastic guest and we really enjoyed hearing her story. These Long Run episodes have been so rewarding to dig deeper with our guests, and we’re so grateful they’ve been able to come on and share! What do you think of the episode?

"We're definitely trying to remove barriers to get more people to the start line. At the essence, that's it. Whatever those barriers happen to be, we're doing our best to try to remove those." - Matt Geofroy

Crossing Lines is an initiative focused on increasing representation and breaking down barriers for people of colour in the ultra-trail running community. Two of the co-founders, Matt Geofroy and Kortnee Borden, joined us to chat about the group and how they were inspired. They spoke about how much Parkdale Roadrunners meant to them and wanted to bring that inclusivity and energy to trail and ultra running.

Crossing Lines is looking to get more people of colour to start lines by addressing knowledge gaps, logistical challenges, and financial obstacles that might deter potential runners. The group collaborates with race directors to advocate for better diversity practices. They also organized a group of 30 athletes at Run Woodstock who competed in various distances. They had a chance to really absorb the whole experience on the Sunday morning after everyone had run when they organized a group brunch.

"Seeing everybody there on Sunday morning after the race, just so happy and trading stories. It was amazing. We had people from New York, New Orleans, BC, Toronto, and Barcelona, all connected. It was just phenomenal." - Kortnee Borden

It was an honour for us to have Kortnee and Matt on the cast to share about Crossing Lines. We’re grateful for their time and think you will enjoy the show as much as we did!

Learn about “Water First” here.

More about representation in Trail Running:

Running Industry Diversity Coalition

Racial Diversity in Trail Running Study

More Long Run’s:

“I knew that I was going to die and that was made very clear to me by people in the hospital and by a doctor that I had seen. And I knew I had very limited time. I was having a lot of seizures. Whenever alcohol got out of my system, I would have a seizure. So I was having to drink, even though I didn't want to.”

Keeley Milne has faced difficult challenges in life. She’s persevered through dark times to lead the life she does today. She’s incredibly grateful for the support she’s had to get there and through that support she’s lived a sober life for the last 11 + years. She recognizes that everyone’s journey is different, but that everyone deserves another chance.

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“I guess that is, it's never ever too late and it's always worth it. There are people that care and will help even if you don't know them. It doesn't have to be AA, there's people out there, there's 24 hour hotlines that people will get you through until you can see somebody else. There are, there, there are people out there who care. And It's really never too late, no matter how many bridges you burn, no matter what you've done.”

Keeley has done nothing but fall more in love with the sport of running during the last 11 years and is looking to attempt a 200 miler in Alberta. She’s always enjoyed challenging herself which is why she’s also working towards becoming a librarian, a childhood dream she’s getting closer to accomplishing. She’s also appreciated being an active mom to her son and having family in her life.

All of it has given Keeley a unique perspective for her writing at Canadian Running Magazine. Chantelle and I were really grateful to have her on and share so openly about her struggles and triumphs. Her story is an inspiring one, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Alcohol addiction support:

https://helpwithdrinking.ca/

Alberta Addiction Support

Treatment for Alcohol Problems: Finding and Getting Help

More Long Run:

“I would run all through there when I was younger and my grandfather knew I'd love to run, he would get me to round up the horses. So I'd have to go spend some time out there in the buttes rounding up the horses and bringing them into the corral. So it was actually out there where he really realized I loved running.”

Tarrant Cross Child grew up running and credits his grandfather, Dan Weasel Moccasin, for encouraging him to take it more seriously. It was his grandfather who bought him his first pair of shoes, and his grandfather also brought him to his first track meet. That encouragement from family and his love for the sport was all the more important as Tarrant went through life.

His journey led down some dark paths, eventually to the point where Tarrant attempted suicide. Thankfully it wasn’t his time to go, and a year long rehab program, where he was able to run and dial into that love of running again, followed. What’s come of his second life is truly remarkable. Tarrant is an ambassador for the sport in many ways, including running “Prairie Run Crew”, which helps Indigenous youth get involved in the sport. Running has been a life changer and saver for Tarrant, and he wants to share that as much as he can.

“When I was in rehab, I was gifted a pair of gently used shoes. Celeste didn't have any money. We're just barely making it by. I was on social assistance. We had nothing. So the shoes that were gifted to me while I was in rehab were like a lifeline. It just meant so much on two levels. One, that somebody from the outside was thinking about me. And then number two is that I can now run in a good pair of shoes. And that gave me that inspiration to be able to get out, to keep running to the shed, to keep running over to the train, to the tracks. I started hearing about the youth suicide crisis in Indigenous communities. So I thought, you know what, since running's helped me, maybe it'll help them.”

That inspiration is where it all started for Tarrant and Prairie Run Crew. He’s been working on it ever since he finished his rehab and today the group is doing more than he could have ever imagined. Tarrant has created a group that shares hope with his community and it was all accomplished through the sport of running. He’s a truly incredible person making a difference in the world each and every day. We salute Tarrant and all he has done, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for him, his family, and the incredible Prairie Run Club.

Tarrant was an incredible first guest for us on the Long Run. We’re so grateful he shared his time and story with us and we hope you enjoy hearing it as much as we did. Make sure to check out Prairie Run Crew and find out how you can get involved!

You can learn more about National Truth and Reconciliation day here:

The Indigenous Foundation

National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation

Government of Alberta information

Government of Canada information

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