Red Bull Divide & Conquer 2005

Munro masters ‘Divide and Conquer’



By Kim Thompson

Reporter

Local runner challenges limits in high-altitude Colorado eventWhistler’s Duncan Munro stretched the definition of trail running during his latest exploit at the Red Bull Divide and Conquer race in Durango, Colo. Munro was a member of the Rocky Mountain Oysters, a four-person team with the mission to complete the one-day mountain sports relay. The goal was to run, paraglide, kayak, and mountain bike to the finish line. At sunrise on June 18, Munro laced up his shoes and ran 7.5 miles up Kendall Mountain. The route started at an elevation of 9,300 feet and finished at 12,200 feet, with a total elevation gain of 4,125 feet. Munro held the lead for the first three kilometres of the race before altitude reared its ugly head. The course changed with steep pitches up shale slopes and glacial traverses. Each footstep was precious because there were no ropes to prevent a fatal tumble. “My lungs finally recovered a couple of days after getting back to Whistler,” Munro said. “P hysically and mentally, it was the hardest thing I have ever done. It went from trail running to mountaineering to speed climbing.”At the most heinous parts on the course, runners pulled themselves along a rope, but harnesses were not a part of the deal. Munro he scrambled the equivalent of a 5.6 rock climb without a rope. While running across a glacier, Munro could not help but think it was the greatest experience of his life.“Honestly, it was the best race of my life. Every ounce of my lungs begged me to stop and I had to dig deep. I thought about my friends, supporters and teammates,” Munro said. “I wore a mountain bike helmet and ran with the rope beside me. My pulse was 180 and it was like trying to breathe through a straw.”Although Munro slept in an altitude tent two weeks before the event, the effects were minimal, and runners with high-altitude experience passed Munro on the steep section. Munro finished well off pace with a time of 2 hours, 17 minutes, 4 seconds.Bernie Boettcher of Team Bull Riders won the running portion in 1:39:59. Regardless, Munro was stoked by the experience.“Twenty-four teams started the race but only 16 finished, so I am so proud of my teammates. The potential for the human spirit is immense and it shines at these events,” Munro said.Other members of the Rocky Mountain Oysters included kayaker Tao Berman, Marla Streb, a mountain bike legend, and Abe Laguna, a world-class paraglider. The team finished 11th overall in 9:22:44. Specialized/Riversports won in 7:37:34, Adventure Sport Magazine placed second in 7:45:16 and The Bull Riders placed third in 8:07:38.“Marla had a great race against some of the best guys in the world. These athletes are the best of the best, so you know where you sit on a world level,” Munro said.Although it seems mild in comparison, Munro’s next race is the Knee Knacker North Shore Trail Run. The 50-kilometre trail race is part of Munro’s training plan for his next epic adventure, the Kazakhstan 100 miler. He will b e running in difficult, high-altitude terrain, but Munro insists it is a great way to see the world.“A lot of times people ask me why I do these things and I tell them that people do a million amazing things everyday. Some learn to paint. I want to learn how to mentally and physically push my body to the limits.”