NANAIMO, British Columbia — I first heard about the Snow to Surf race in a casual conversation with new friends at a Halloween Party at Pacific Shores in 2018 and was immediately hooked. A nine leg, multi-sport relay that starts at the top of Mount Washington and ends at the Comox marina? Sign me up!

The Royal Lepage Snow to Surf Adventure Relay Race is held in the Comox Valley and has been running since 1982. I didn’t know much else about the race, but I knew that I had to be part of it. Since I was new to the area, I didn’t even have nine friends at the time, but I was determined to make a team. All I had to do was find people who like to alpine ski, nordic ski, road run, trail run, mountain bike, kayak, road bike and canoe!  As the saying goes: where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Our first team came together. It was a mix of new friends that didn’t know each other very well.  We each picked a leg of the race and some of us even started training. We planned the race as a kid-free weekend getaway and booked a cabin up at the ski hill.

I would say the most challenging part for us first timers were the logistics of getting everyone (and their equipment) to where they needed to be. Everyone was super friendly and helpful, giving us tips on how to shuttle people to the various start lines and encouraging us along the way. The best part of the race was being amongst like-minded people who love the outdoors. The energy of over 100 teams and over 800 participants is electric.

We learned a lot that first year and were excited to do it again. But as with many other events, the race was canceled for 2020 and 2021. So, you can imagine our excitement when it was announced that the race was back on for May 1, 2022! Many of our original team members stepped up and we recruited a few newbies.

It’s quite remarkable to complete a human powered relay from the snowy top of Mount Washington to the shores of the Comox Marina. Most teams finish in four to five hours, with the top competitors clocking in at just over three hours. What is most endearing about this race is the diversity of participants among the 121 teams, from the junior racers at age 16 to the great grand master teams with an average age of 65. Every transition area is an opportunity to meet new people from other teams.

There is nothing quite like the jittery energy of the starting line up and the celebratory feeling at the end of the race with your team. Great memories are made when incredible people come together for an event like this. We are so grateful to live in such a gorgeous part of the planet, where an event like this is possible.

We must also recognize the incredible community of volunteers, including groups from Mount Washington Ski Resort, local canoe clubs, schools, search and rescue teams, the RCMP, fire departments and many others.

For me, it is a social event, where new friends become dear friends through a shared goal: crossing the finish line! If you’re thinking about participating next year, here’s some advice. Just do it!

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