Harry Marshall sets Icefields Parkway
Ultrarunner Harry Marshall ran the 230km Icefields Parkway in 30:02:31, breaking the previous record by over an hour and a half.
Whistler ultrarunner Harry Marshall has set a new fastest known time (FKT) on Alberta's Icefields Parkway. Marshall covered the 230-kilometre route from the Lake Louise park gates to Jasper in 30 hours, two minutes, and 31 seconds last week.
He began his run on August 27 and finished the following day. His time lowers the previous record of 31 hours and 38 minutes, which was set by Banff runner Samuel Dickie in 2020. The route features more than 2,200 metres of elevation gain.
Support crew and personal motivation
A six-person support crew split between two vehicles assisted Marshall's effort. They met him approximately every 10 kilometres to provide food and water. Crew members also accompanied him by bike and on foot for sections of the run.
"I have never had to dig as deep as I did these past couple of days and I had to go places I didn't even know existed," Marshall wrote on Instagram. He credited his crew for the successful attempt.
The run was part of a longer personal project for Marshall. He began running after losing his brother to suicide and, later, his mother to heart failure. He started with a challenge of running five kilometres every day for a year, beginning on his brother's birthday. He has since completed seven marathons in seven days and 10 marathons in 10 countries.
"This was another one of those challenges, but I thought what better way of honouring their memories than writing their names in the history books," Marshall told Canadian Running.
Battling extreme conditions
Marshall faced severe and shifting weather during the attempt. He dealt with heat and dehydration early on. About 40 kilometres into the run, he encountered a major storm.
"After dealing with heat and dehydration 10km before, [I was] then hit with the worst thunderstorm I've ever seen and having sheets of ice from the freezing rain all over my jacket," he said. Despite the conditions, he called it "great fun."
The relentless pavement also proved punishing. Marshall identified the final 20 kilometres as the hardest part. His legs were too damaged from the hard surface to run consistently.
"I was still really mentally switched on and with it, but my legs were so beat up from the pavement I couldn't string more than a couple hundred metres together," he explained. He power-hiked to the finish as another storm arrived.
Memorable moments and future plans
One highlight occurred overnight. Marshall and his crew ran under a full moon and witnessed a partial lunar eclipse. "That was amazing and something I'll remember forever," he said.
In a lighter moment, Marshall found $250 at the side of the road on a big bend near the highest point of the route. He called it BBQ and beer money sorted for his crew.
While his next project is not finalized, Marshall said he is considering an attempt on Vancouver Island's Spine Trail. That route is approximately 800 kilometres long, running from the north to the south of the island.
