Al Howie's Ultrarunning Feats Revisited in Biography
A re-released biography revisits the life and extraordinary ultrarunning achievements of Al Howie, the Scottish-born Canadian who set transcontinental
Al Howie, a Scottish-born Canadian ultrarunner, ran across Canada in 72 days, 10 hours and 23 minutes in 1991. Two weeks later, he broke his own world record in a 1,300-mile race in New York.
His story is detailed in the re-released biography In Search of Al Howie by Jared Beasley. The book traces Howie's complicated life, which included battles with alcoholism and mental health, alongside his phenomenal running career. Beasley tells Canadian Running that a new source for the re-release is June, who was essentially Howie's partner for over five years and the mother of his daughter.
Record-Shattering Runs
Howie's 1991 trans-Canada run covered 7,295.5 kilometres from St. John's, Newfoundland, to Victoria, British Columbia, averaging roughly 100 kilometres daily. During this feat, he raised $750,000 for Canadian children with special needs. His ultrarunning prowess was established long before this. In 1982, he set a North American record by covering 150 miles and 395 yards in 24 hours. Six years later, he ran the 880-mile length of Britain in 11 days.
His first marathon in 1979 placed him in notable company. Howie finished third in the Prince George to Boston Marathon race, behind wheelchair athlete Rick Hansen and ahead of Terry Fox. This placed three future Canadian endurance icons in the same event.
A Complicated Life Off the Road
Beasley spent years researching Howie, eventually finding him in 2014 living in a permanent care facility in Duncan, B.C. In the book, Beasley recounts that doctors were stumped by Howie's case, having tried various medications and even electric shock treatments on two occasions. Several living arrangements failed, as "Howie was beyond saving," the biography states.
The narrative explores the dichotomy between the athlete capable of impossible distances and the deeply troubled individual. Howie's life included aliases, fake IDs, and turbulent relationships, defying the typical inspirational sports hero narrative.
The Changing Face of Ultrarunning
Ultrarunning has transformed since Howie's era. Today's elite runners benefit from sponsorships, advanced equipment like GPS watches and super shoes, professional crews, and social media. "Howie would love the sponsorship," says Beasley. "In his day, you were lucky to get a pair of shoes from a rep."
The sport's growth is illustrated by Canadian Dave Proctor breaking Howie's trans-Canada record in 2022, finishing in 67 days. Modern road running, with surfaces like asphalt and concrete, provides a consistent platform for such attempts, though Howie's runs often traversed varied and unpredictable terrain. These advances, however, make his largely unsupported achievements seem even more staggering.
The re-released biography aims to reintroduce Howie as a flawed human whose running accomplishments remain almost incomprehensible. He lacked modern support systems but possessed an extraordinary capacity to endure.
