Hi |*FIRST_NAME*|,

COURSE CHANGES – LEG 1

It looks like we do not have much luck with leg 1 of this race. Last year we had to divert the course due to a bear feeding on a moose. This year, Castle Mountain Resort is doing construction on their new Haig chair. Some of the trails have been closed due to construction, and we were hoping they would be open by the race, but it does not look like that will happen. So we are biting the bullet and making the change now.

We have batted around a number of ideas, and the one that has won out is simply to run part of leg 3 backwards. No, not the whole thing! We are going to save the big climb to the top for leg 3. We are still verifying the details, but this snapshot below is what you can expect. It is a bit shorter than the existing leg 1, and with a wee bit less elevation. We will publish a GPX track next week with the confirmed route.

CANADIAN RUNNING MAGAZINE

Our friends at Canadian Running Magazine want to offer all of The Divide 200 competitors a complementary subscription for two months. The magazine offers all the great stuff you would expect, but with a big focus on Canadian content and the Canadian running scene. They always give great coverage to the outstanding races across the country, so I hope you will check them out. We hope you enjoy this perk. https://us7.campaign-archive.com/?e=%5bUNIQID%5d&u=5d673c4ff63b4fc3ac37c3118&id=20c0e970d1

POST-RACE MEALS FOR CREW AND SUPPORTERS

Registered competitors receive dinner on Saturday after the race as a part of their registration. This is a casual, fun dinner with a few different options to pick from.

You are also able to buy extra tickets for support crews, pacers, and others – tickets available here: https://dirtverthurt.com/collections/meal-tickets-for-all-races/products/2025-castle-alpine-trail-race-meal-ticket-post-race-meal

The T-Bar Pub is also open at 5pm-12am Friday, 10am-12am Saturday, and 10am-7pm Sunday.

GORD'S RUNNING STORE

Every year, we have a special spirit award at each of our races. This year, we will be dedicating the award to Gord Hobbins, who passed away last year, and left a massive hole in both the running community and our hearts. So keep in mind when you're out there that we do not just focus on the podium – we recognize other feats of greatness as well.

Make sure to check them out and say thanks for supporting the running community. https://gordsrunningstore.com/

ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS

In the last 24 years of race directing, we have had a large predator sighting at every race – sometimes more than one. Normally, it's just a "Hey! A bear!" as it runs away. We have also had a few more closer encounters, both at events, and personally. While bears and cougars are definitely out there, the first thing to remember is DON'T PANIC.

I will do an animal talk at the pre-race meeting, but here are my four key takeaways:

• Animals do not like groups of people (as long as they are not being fed)
• Make distance from the animal, without running
• Be alert – you are in the wilderness so you need to think about what is happening around you
• Make your presence known – alerting an animal in advance is a good way to encourage them to move along

People always ask about bear spray vs. bangers vs. other methods of deterrent. I am not a wildlife expert, but having studied this from the pros, and reading up on best practices, here is my humble opinion:

• Bear spray is really effective IF you know how to use it and the conditions are right – a large number of people do end up hurting themselves and the people around them when deploying bear spray
• Bangers are effective... IF you know how to use them – it is easy to scare a bear towards you or others, and we also know of people who have started fires with bear bangers
• Air horns are good at alerting the animal and giving it a chance to run – they are limited in effectiveness if the animal does charge, but they are relatively harmless to you, unless you trigger it near your ear
• Distance – make distance and done run

Check out this information on our website: https://www.sinistersports.ca/blackspur/racer_information_package#_Toc728

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR CAT AND DIVIDE

It takes a lot of volunteers to make this race a great experience, so make sure to volun-tell everyone you know to sign up! Volunteers get great swag, a fun experience, and dinner with the runners at the post-race celebrations. https://www.sinistersports.ca/castlealpine/volunteer

Since we have two races going at the same time, you can also volunteer at The Divide 200 and be a part of western Canada's only 200-miler: https://www.sinistersports.ca/divide200/volunteer

Kindest regards,

Brian Gallant
Owner + Director, Sinister Sports

Sinister 7 Ultra • Canadian Death Race • Black Spur Ultra • The Divide 200 • Castle Alpine Trail Race • The Dark: 24 Hours Underground • SOO 200 • Blue Bully Ultra