An Encouraging Word From "Big E"

Eric Lorenz, 2011 Race Director,
Seek The Peak Relay

Hi there folks, my name is Eric Lorenz. I'm the 2011 Race Director for the Seek the Peak Relay in support of Rethink Breast Cancer, and I'd like to challenge you to take part in this awesome fixture of the British Columbia trail-running scene - while perhaps paradoxically hoping to convince you that you don't have to be a trail-runner to take on this challenge. All you need is a little bit of heart, determination, and perhaps some inspiration from loved ones who have been affected by cancer.


First of all, I'd like to make a nod to my friend and former colleague Eric Langhjelm, who created this race eight years ago, has won it previously, and will be racing again this year. When he and I both worked for Grouse Mountain, we joked that we could either distinguish ourselves from each other with either the monikers "Big E. and Little E." on one hand, or "Slow E. and Fast E." on the other. For perhaps obvious reasons, we settled on an amalgamation of these two, so in regards to this year's race I will now simply say: Good luck Fast E.!

Over the past few years, I've had the privilege of being involved in Seek the Peak as the Start Line Emcee, as an Orientation Run Leader (Two more Orientation Runs coming up so join us if you can!), and as an event participant. In order to both emcee at the Start Line AND run the race, this meant that I would send the racers off from the Ambleside Park Start Line and then start dead last to begin my solo running trek up to the Peak of Grouse Mountain 16 kilometres later. This has allowed me a unique perspective on the race.

My first time doing this a few years ago, my attitude was "let's see how many people I can pass." Not very magnanimous, I know, but as I began to see and briefly chat with some of those runners and walkers at the back of the pack, this quickly changed. I met people who were overcoming far bigger challenges than I've ever had. One racer was out for his very first time doing a trail-running event, with both knees in braces and walking more than running, but wearing a shirts with a photo of his mom who he'd lost to breast cancer. Another racer was a cancer survivor who had the chipper attitude that, compared to the disease itself, climbing from sea level to Grouse Mountain was not nearly so challenging. Who could disagree? More inspiring still, these two and many others - running, walking, and even hobbling along - told me they were not relay participants, but solo runners!

All of these individuals certainly changed my attitude. Instead of counting how many people I could pass, I realized I cared more about making sure I said something encouraging to each and every person I passed, and said thank you to each volunteer along the way. Above all, I realized I needed to help Rethink Breast Cancer, in my own small way, to encourage participants to fundraise as part of this charity event. I can't claim that I know about every aspect of what cancer patients and their families go through - although losing my own mother to endometrial cancer in 2008 gave me some idea - or where cutting edge cancer research is at this time. But I do know that nonprofit organizations like Rethink Breast Cancer fill a much-needed gap, and that they need our help to do so.
Challenge yourselves and sign up for Seek the Peak 2011, and set a meaningful and manageable fundraising goal for yourself. I guarantee that doing so will make your race-day success, be your goals physical or psychological, all that much more profound.


Eric P. Lorenz, MSc
Race Director, 2011 Seek The Peak Relay