Tim L
The ball continues to roll with the introduction of my second featured runner, Michael Markowski. Michael is a great example of a guy that has had a pretty amazing evolution as a runner over the years and also someone I’d sum up as an outstanding person. I’ve known Michael my whole life and remember when I was 11 or 12 and first noticed how fast he was. He moved from being a middle distance track athlete in High School and University, setting really impressive times in the 400 and 800m, to getting into longer distance runs after that. Years ago he was the first guy to mention to me about runners competing in the Canadian Death Race, which blew my mind that people could run 125km at once, let alone on a course that takes you over mountain tops and through rivers and valleys. While I’m still trying to finish that course, Mike has done it a couple of times and has really established himself as a pretty competent ultramarathoner.
As part of the featured runner segment, they get to choose any route of any distance if they so desire and Mike and I went for a run on the Edmonton river valley paved trails. We headed east from Hermitage park out in Clairview out to around 17th street before turning back. These trails were a bit newer and I hadn’t been down there before, but what a great outing. The paved trail system is getting unbelievably extensive and my hat is off to the River Valley Alliance for their work on making the system as good as it is. I’ll definitely be going back to explore out there a bit more in 2021. Thanks for both the run and your support Mike!
