Hornby Island 50K – Inaugural | March 14, 2026

Follow the pink flags. Photo credit David Marlor

The Hornby Island 50K was more than just a race. It was a day of running on beautiful, flowing trails — with sparkles, small detours, and a steady push to the finish line.

Going back to Hornby Island feels like stepping into a memory.

Hornby Then: Bike Fest in the 1990s

Back in the 1990s, there was a three-day mountain biking event called Bike Fest, held in Strachan Valley on Tig Croft’s family property. It was a full weekend of cross-country, dual slalom, downhill, and trials — plus camping, dancing, and live music — all for $50. It brought together families, kids of all ages and abilities, and a real sense of community.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=780661928985076

Mountain biking back then wasn’t just a sport — it was a lifestyle, a feeling, a state of mind. I was into cross-country riding at the time. Not the most technical rider, but the Hornby trails were smooth, fast, and fun. I still remember launching my Trek 7000 aluminum mountain bike off a cliff above what we called Brad’s Dad’s land the day before a race. We found the bike — not a scratch on it — and I raced on it the next day without issue.

Coming back now feels like reliving those memories in a completely different way.

Hornby During COVID 2020
Another adventure on Hornby came during the summer of 2020, in the middle of COVID. I went with David Marlor, Lisa Fehr, Kent Ainscough, and Jade Carter. We parked on Denman, ferried over, and ran straight from the ferry into the trails.

David had planned the route, but our group split up. Long story short, he and I came across a drunk driver who had somehow driven up a fire road and crashed his van into a tree. He didn’t speak English, but thankfully wasn’t injured. We called Search and Rescue and waited until they arrived. After that, we still had 5 km to run to catch the ferry — and just barely made it in time. The others had taken a shorter route and were already there. It was quite the day!

Founded by HIAA in 1985,. Joe King is the un-official patron saint of Hornby Island

Signing Up for the Inaugural Race

So when I heard about the inaugural Hornby Island trail race, hosted by Myke Labelle of Coastline Running, I knew I had to sign up. I convinced David to register too, and thanks to volunteering at events like Finlayson Arm, we were able to get early entry. By popular demand, the 50K and 25K distances sold out in 15 minutes — I felt lucky to be in.

The trip over was smooth sailing from Buckley Bay to Denman, then on to Hornby. We picked up a volunteer, Brett from Squamish, who had offered his weekend to help at an aid station. Thanks, Brett! These volunteers, along with Myke’s tireless organization, made the event feel seamless and welcoming.

Forest Dwellers volunteers and pre race crew !

Race Day

First race of the year — and I had butterflies.

Celina Hailey and Lisa B ( first 50 km ) pre race sparkles on !

I was excited to be back on those fun, flowing trails. Fifty kilometer's is no joke, but I felt confident in my training — as long as my niggles cooperated. Purple hair (because purple is the new grey) , thanks to Nicole Ballard at Field Day Salon , and face sparkles on, I felt ready.

The sun was out and the vibes were high.

The race started at Joe King Park (not joking), and took us across 50 km of runnable trails — climbing up Mount Geoffrey, along the bench trails, through mossy forests and grassy fields, then out toward Tribune Bay and Helliwell Park (my favorite part of the course).

Trail names like Four Aliens, Chasm Spasm, and Test Tube made me laugh. Wildlife was everywhere — herring spawn drawing flocks of seagulls, wild turkeys, bald eagles, and huge vultures.

We followed the pink flagging — though despite having the course on my watch, I still managed to go off course briefly. I corrected quickly… shit happens.

Leapfrogging with Doris Leong, Karen Labaree, and the Badass Chicks made the day even more fun. For some, it was their first 50K — which made it even more special to share.

My fueling was solid. I used Tailwind for most of my calories, with some Coke at the last aid station. The final 5 km, I was running on fumes — but I had just enough left. I got passed by a woman and a man in the last couple of kilometer's and didn’t have the speed to stay with them . I caught up to another runner in the final stretch , crossing at the finish line together .

Finish Line

I crossed the line in 7:07:19 , placing first in my age group. At 57 this year, I feel incredibly grateful to still be running these distances. Getting to the start line is a win — finishing is a gift.

Hornby has been part of my life in different ways — from mountain biking in my 20s to trail running in my 50s. The pace has changed, but the joy of being out there hasn’t. Even in the struggle, there is joy — and that’s what keeps me coming back.

A huge thank you to race director Myke Labelle, the Coastline Running volunteers for putting on such a well -organized and welcoming event . I’m also grateful to my coach Matt Cecil, who I’ve been working with since 2019 - his steady guidance has been a big part of getting me to the start line . It was special to also share the course with his wife, Alex , in the 50 km .

Grateful to share the trails, the sparkles, and the “ old school “ finish line with everyone who participated. Here’s to many more adventures on Hornby Island