X Warrior Challenge is elated to be back in the valley this weekend for the X Ultra 50 km race through the Badlands, and expect it to be a highlight event of the season.
The inaugural X Ultra played out in the hills in 2019. The 50-kilometre trail race, which is composed of four legs, proved to be a runner’s favourite, but with COVID they have not been able to resurrect the event until now. Organizer Darcy Chalifoux is excited about the unique event.
“This was my favourite event of the 2019 season,” said Chalifoux. “The magic for me was the entire process. I went out on some incredible lands out here with Moogie (local ultra runner Morgan Syvertsen), and just spending time with him is so neat, and the hospitality and the Christianson family. It is very unique to come to an area and host an event and just find these synergies off the bat.”
Chalifoux has been back and forth creating the course with Syvertsen and said he is like a kid out in the hills discovering new and unique routes.
This year the event goes on Saturday, June 4. On the previous night, there is a briefing and pasta dinner, and the event kicks off at 8 a.m. the following day.
This year the X Ultra will use Barney’s Adventure Park as the site for the briefing and base camp.
The race is a Barkey Book style, where the competitor has to pick a page out of a book at the midway point of the loop corresponding to their bib number and present it at base camp before they take on the next leg.
Each leg varies in length from 5.25 kilometres to 17.75 kilometres and can be done as a soloist or as a part of a team of four. Teams and soloists have 10 hours to complete the course.
The course has changed since the initial event and takes on even more exciting and scenic routes through the badlands. Maps of the course will be released 48 hours prior to the event. Chalifoux says the landscape is the highlight of the event.
You can’t find this anywhere else in Western Canada. That’s the beautiful thing about this event,” he said. Our goal is for people to make a weekend out of it.”
The event also includes 5 and 10-km runs and a 1k kid’s fun run.
The event will raise funds for the Drumheller Dragons AJHL hockey team and they will be volunteering to support the event.
He says it is exciting to have live events again and hopes the running community comes out for it.
“It is really neat to be around people who push themselves like this. Our hopes are people will very quickly remember these live events and how special they can be.
For more information or to register go to www. xwarriorchallenge.com/ events/x-ultra-50
