Tech and the Art of Running in Remote Places
HOW TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED THE WAY WE APPROACH THE WILDERNESS
“When I started trail running, I stuck my nose up at Strava. I didn’t need any kudos or segment records to enjoy my runs. I did my best to hold out, I really did. But within a year of being a purist, my curiosity got the best of me and I’ve never looked back.”
Iwheezed and grimaced as I pulled myself to t he crest of the ridge. The summit was in sight. With sweat pouring out of me, I scrambled over boulders and dashed through the alpine until I was standing victoriously at the highest point, taking in the views of the expansive glacier-carved valley below. I was only an hour south of Whitehorse, Yukon’s capital, but already I was out of cell range. I wondered at that moment where the nearest human might be from me. I estimated between 10 to 15 kilometres. Other than the disinterested
black bear I saw foraging for berries an hour earlier, I was truly alone. Or was I? Although my phone could not call or text, the Strava app was recording data and mapping my entire run. Should bad weather roll-in, I could simply check the Strava f ile and find the path I’d ran up on. What’s more, I was carrying a Garmin InReach on my trail pack. Should I need it, I could see my location on a digital topographic map with the ability to text via satellite should an emergency strike. So, there I stood, catching my breath on an isolated peak, juxtaposed with the most advanced backcountry technology available.
Until recently, I was a bit cynical about the f lood of new running gear. I tried not to buy into the idea that gear makes a big difference in performance (keeping in mind that I am not a professional trail runner) but rather it’s your work ethic. So, it brings me great joy when I hear success stories of runners using the OG running staples; shoes and water. María Lorena Ramírez for example, a 22 year old Mexican ingenious woman won the Ultra Trail Cerro Rojo 50 in Puebla, Mexico with little more than her traditional clothing (she wore a skirt) and sandals fashioned out of rubber from old car tires. Standing at the start line, María looked as if she had been photoshopped into the frame. Surrounding her, a mass of runners dawned the latest and greatest gear including carbon fibre poles, water f lasks, trail packs, salt pills and of course, smart watches.
While Maria’s story is heartwarming, it is an exception. For the rest of us average runners, the evolution in running gear has certainly helped us to go faster and optimize our training plans. But of all these technologies, none have been more transformative than the proliferation of smart watches and gps (global positioning system) communication devices.
Indeed, smart watches have become ubiquitous in running; and why wouldn’t they? Rather than having vague methods of assessing our runs, we now have accurate, easy to read training logs, which are summarized on one intuitive interface. Team Canada runner, Ally Thompson, who competed at the 2019 Trail World Championships in Miranda do Corvo, Portugal this past June, recalls that before having her smartwatch, she would have to “map out my runs on a computer and then write it down on a piece of paper to take with her.” Smartwatches have made training programs far more efficient. “I can now upload routes or program intervals (time or distance) to my watch and go.” Most smartwatches are now equipped with heart monitors which can provide insight into a ll sort s of healt h diag nost ics. The
Apple Watch Series 4 & 5 can detect heart beat irregularities and notify you of this problem. It can also sense when you’ve fallen down and contact local emergency services on your behalf if you fall to respond
to the watches’ prompts. No doubt, future technological advancements in smart watches will only expand the range of what health benefits these watches can offer.
I must admit, when I started trail running, I stuck my nose up at Strava. I didn’t need any kudos or segment records to enjoy my runs. I found it strange that my friends would pour over their elevation gains and fastest kilometres after each run. I did my best to hold out, I really did. But within a year of being a purist, my curiosity got the best of me and I downloaded Strava – and I’ve never looked back. Whether it’s Strava, Nike Plus, smartwatches or any number of running apps, these tools have ultimately changed how we approach running; more drastically in isolated areas. The term isolated is used lightly. It can mean anywhere from the Yukon, to the North Shore in Vancouver or Algonquin Park, Ont. You don’t have to go far to find yourself in a relatively remote location.
Prior to these gps technologies, there was a lot more risk of going for a remote run. By its nature, trail running is a minimalist sport. This means that you’re only packing enough gear to get you in and out safely. If plans are to change due to weather, injury or getting lost, you’ll have little support from your trail pack. What’s more, most trails are unmarked and unmaintained in remote areas. Unmapped forks in the trail are not uncommon which increase your chances of getting disoriented and lost. The
YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO FAR TO FIND YOURSELF IN A RELATIVELY REMOTE LOCATION.
use of gps devices have all but eliminated these concerns. Jeff Pelletier, a trail runner based in North Vancouver, uses preloaded routes on his Suunto 9 Baro before doing any race or long adventure run to avoid any potential of getting lost . Pelletier recently completed the Tahoe Rim Trail (165 mile loop with 7,400 m of elevation gain) which was made possible through uploading the route to his watch. “There was lots of snow on the ground so you couldn’t see the trial and there were no trail markings,” Pelletier says. “Without having the route on my watch, there was no way we could have completed it without slowing right down and tediously going over a map and a compass to stay on course.” Pelletier is also the president and founder of Run Wild Vancouver – an ngo that provides education around backcountr y safet y. In addition to having gps technologies, Pelletier notes that “it’s important to not rely entirely on technology. Always have a backup plan, like a map and a compass and learn how to use them before heading into the backcountry. Carrying the 10 essentials (food and water, headlamp, clothes, navigational aids, fire starter, fire aid, emergency blanket, sun protection, pocket knife and communication device) is also important.”
The soc ia l component of Strava has also helped shed light on unknown running routes. The runs that we share online become tantalizing proposals to our friends to take on. However, this copycat syndrome is also where we can run into trouble. Like most of what we see on social media, we’re only seeing one side of the story – the highlights. When we see a post of an epic mountain run, we see the route and the photos but most likely you won’t have any idea of the logistics it took to complete the run. Logistics such as, are there major river crossings? Is there cell reception? How technical is the route? This information is needed for you to understand what you should pack or whether the trail is something within your skill set. Leaving without this knowledge can put ill-prepared runners into dangerous situations. Runners should do their homework before taking on a remote trail run, which of course they should. However, often there is little to no information on remote trail routes, making social media the most informative and up to date information you have. “I always contact the person who put up the post before I go and do it,” says Pelletier. “I want to know what the trail is like, if there is anything I should be aware of and how long it actually took them to do the run because Strava has a sneaky way of only displaying ‘moving time’ on the app, which can be really misleading.”
Another technology that has become more popular for remote advent ures a re spot a nd InReach devices – a one or twoway satellite communication tool that can contain topographic maps, receive weather forecasts and have texting capability. Yet, even the most basic of these devices will have an sos function, which will alert local police and Search and Rescue that you need help and provides your location. Jason Hudson, president of Search and Rescue Yukon says that “the use of satellite communication tools often reduce extraction time because the location of the person is known right away. And with two-way communication, we [Search and Rescue] can stay in contact with them and tell them to stay calm, stay put, start a fire, etc.” Speaking with Ally Thompson about running in the Yukon and Northwest Territories, she says “For longer, remote runs, I’ll bring my InReach Mini and put it on tracking mode [which continually updates her location] so that my friends and family have peace of mind and can follow along.” This
IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOT RELY ENTIRELY ON TECHNOLOGY. ALWAYS HAVE A BACKUP PLAN, LIKE A MAP AND A COMPASS AND LEARN HOW TO USE THEM BEFORE HEADING INTO THE BACKCOUNTRY. _Jeff Pelletier ADVENTURE TR AIL RUNNER BASED I N N O R T H VA N C O U V E R
is an incredible technology which saves many lives each year, however, these devices can also lull people into a false sense of security.
Search and Rescue promotes always having the 10 essentials in your pack when heading outdoors. A communication device is one of those ten items. “What we find is that people may have the 10 essentials but lack the knowledge of how to use them, which means they’re relying heavily on the communication device when things go wrong,” Hudson says.
“The problem is, is that the other nine essentials will help you stay safe, warm and fed until help arrives. If you don’t have those items or know how to use them, then they’re just dead weight in your pack.”
So, if you break your leg and you push the sos button, help will come. But the reality is, it can take a long time before anyone can reach you. “It is not uncommon to wait over 24 hours to be extracted,” Hudson says. And a lot can happen in those 2 4 hours. You’ll quickly find that the contents in your running pack are not sufficient to keep you warm in the mountains overnight and now your broken leg is one of many concerns you’re facing.
Another variable that makes technology a potential liability is battery life. It’s the bane of battery’s existence. I’ve seen many a Strava runs with titles like “Half my run before my watch died” or “Forgot to charge my watch.” Cold weather shortens battery life dramatically. I’ve had my fully charged phone completely die after being exposed for a few seconds to the winter elements. During the Yukon Arctic Ultra 100 Mile in 2019, I had to place my phone, InReach and GoPro on or near my body inorder to keep them working. It should be noted that battery life technology is continually improving. The Suunto 9 Baro for example can continuously track for 150 hours, which is impressive. Nevertheless, battery life is still a factor you must be cognisant of before heading outdoors. You never want to be put in a situation where you’re completely relying on a device to get you back to your car and it only has two per cent battery left.
Gone are the days of the minimalist runner. It’s safe to say that technology has secured its digital foot in the running world. It is something that has changed the way we view the wilderness but it is something that requires a fine balance of having faith in the equipment but being prepared for its limitations. At it’s best, this technology helps us run faster, and explore further while providing valuable communication and safety features. At its worst, it makes us complacent and completely dependent on technology to keep us safe. In the end it is up to us to do our own due diligence and appreciate this technology for what it can and can not do. It is not the be-all and end-all. At least not yet, anyways.
I opened my phone and check Strava, 15 kilometres to the car. I message my wife with the InReach to let her know I’m on my way home and then head down the path – back into wilderness.