An Okotoks ultra-runner has been checking the weather forecast more often these days than his heart rate or daily mileage.
David Proctor is trying to pick the three best consecutive days for weather in Lake Louise, Calgary, Brooks and Medicine Hat as he attempts to complete his Trans-Alberta run in a time of less than 72 hours.
“I thought I would go around May 1, there was a small weather window but the window was too small,” Proctor said. “It’s not just finding three good weather days it’s finding good weather days in succession in Canmore, the next day in Calgary and Brooks and then the next day in Medicine Hat.
“It’s tricky.”
It is even trickier when making the west to east 537km trek solo without any support.
Those who have seen Proctor running around town or to High River and back to Okotoks pushing a stroller will be surprised to find there’s no baby in there. It’s part of his training, as he plans to keep his supplies in the stroller as he runs from the B.C. border near Lake Louise to the Saskatchewan border along the Trans-Canada Highway.
“I have my stroller all set up,” Proctor said. “I have a solar panel on top, I have a 19-litre reservoir for water. I can run for 100 miles without having to stop at a convenience store to load up.
“It will be 100-per-cent self-supported... hopefully, I will get some sunny days to recharge my phone, my watch, my earphones and things like that.”
He plans to drink about 12 litres of water a day and eat approximately 100 G2G protein bars for the entire three days. He will eat a bar every 45 minutes to an hour.
“It is going to be a really simple diet,” Proctor said. “I’m not going to have many options because I am doing it self-supported. I won’t have a vehicle stopping every 10km barbecuing a burger or something.”
He would like to break his Canadian record of longest distance run at just over 500km.
“I will take some extended naps in that time period,” Proctor said. “I think if I can really push it knowing that I am going to stop after 72 hours.”
He has run the Trans-Alberta route before. Proctor ran across the province in 2018 during his Cross-Canada attempt.
Proctor had planned to attempt to run across Canada again with a start date of May 1, in an effort to raise money for rare disease research. That run was put on hold until 2022 due to COVID.
“There are no races, so you have to create your own race,” Proctor said. “I really want to do something hard... I find myself softening during this pandemic. I need something to harden myself up again.”
The Trans-Alberta is not a fundraising effort – it's just something for Proctor to do during a pandemic.
Proctor said people can come out and watch or support him. However, because it is an attempt at a record, he does not recommend anyone trying to run with him.
He will be running at good clip.
He estimates his first marathon, 42.2km, will be around three hours and 25 minutes.
He also said running along a major highway has its dangers and should only be done by experienced runners.
He said there will be a live-tracker of the run at www.g2gbar.ca. As well he will do updates on either his Facebook or Instagram.
