RED BULL Gaints of Rio

Munro stoked for ‘Red Bull of Rio’



By Kim Thompson

Reporter

Whistlerite to run 20K on sand at Dec. 5 competition Duncan Munro feels like he won the lottery after having been selected to join an elite group of athletes at the upcoming Red Bull of Rio. As one of eight Canadians selected to take part in what is already being called the toughest athletic competition in the world, Munro was surprised to get the call to participate in the Dec. 5 event “I am blown away because this is a huge opportunity for myself. Red Bull Giants of Rio is bigger than any marathon I have been in,” Munro said. “I think it is an honour to represent Canada as a runner.” It is an all-expenses paid trip to compete against more than 80 teams from 30 nations. The race is anything but a nice afternoon on the beach, as four-man teams test physical limits. The day begins in the Atlantic Ocean, where swimmers must battle four kilometres of surf just off the Copacabana. Mountain bikers take over from there for a 40-kilometre route that winds through the narrow streets of Rio de Janeiro and finish on the 842-metre peak of Pedra Bonita. The next task involves hang gliding in a circle around the famous Jesus statue before landing on the beach of Ipanema, wind permitting. The last leg is tortuous, 20 km sand run on the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana. The kicker is that Munro will be expected to run in mid-afternoon as temperatures peak in the mid-30s Celsius. He admits it won’t be pretty but said he has tailored his training to get ready for a couple hours of slogging through sand. Along with running at Meadow Park wearing full winter running gear, Munro has used his bathroom, steam, and a stationary bike in an attempt to simulate the expected red-hot Rio conditions. “In terms of sand training, I am heading down to Vancouver a couple of times to run along the beach,” Munro said. “I was tapering for the Haney to Harrison race at the time and my whole training program got scrapped when Rio came along.” Aside from long beach runs to convince his legs that sand running is easy, Munro created an intense, 21-day training cycle. It includes speed workouts, long runs, and plyometrics. The training does not end with physical feats as Munro checks the Red Bull website every day and has posted maps of Rio on his wall. As a result, Munro claims he is in the best shape of his life. “I try to visualize the first couple kilometres of my race where I will make my moves everyday,” Munro said. “I am mainly concerned about the humidity and pollution, but we will have a few days to get acclimatized.” Although estimating how long a 20 km sand slog will take is difficult, Munro said he hopes to finish in just under 90 minutes. Munro just started running seriously three years ago and attributes his success to an ability to listen to his body. Mainly a trail runner, Munro hopes the sand will help trail runners keep up with speedy road racers. “I think it is important to have a positive attitude and I don’t train unless I have a big grin plastered on my face,” Munro said. “The team manager told me that one of the reasons I was selected was of my ‘fun-hog’ attitude. It is about fun but I will be all business up until race day.” The competition is divided equally between amateur and professional teams and Munro said the depth of field is stunning. Munro is on the amateur Team East along with swimmer Shannon Bell, a Vancouver swim coach. Mathieu Toulouse of Quebec will mountain bike and Chris Muller of Calgary will hand glide around Jesus. Canada’s pro team, Team West, includes mountain biker Andreas Hestler, swimmer Dustin Hersee, and hang glider Dave Narona. The teams are flying to Rio on Dec. 1. While in Rio, Munro will be representing not only Canada but also his business, Whistler Running Experience. Along with his partner Scott Whalen, the two offer running tours, conduct weekly trail running clinics, hash runs, and help with races such as Cops for Cancer and Comfortably Numb. “Whistler is truly a running destination and our business is to show people why. When I see people running around the golf course, I think ‘If you only knew what is out there,’” Munro said. “Trail running is not for everyone but nothing gets your adrenaline going like a high alpine running experience.” While other runners trade shoes for cross-country skis, Whalen and Munro are forging ahead with a snowshoe running clinic to prepare for the Yeti Snowshoe Race in the spring. A few weeks after getting back from Rio, Munro plans to strap on snowshoes to teach a class in the sport at Meadow Park. “I think this magnitude of the Red Bull Giants might lead to other races which, in turn helps Whistler Running Experience,” Munro said. “I love the competition, but the sport has got to be fun to keep me interested.” For more information on the Red Bull Giants of Rio, log on to www.redbullgiantsofrio.com.