Chilliwack ultrarunner Ihor Verys, 30, was the first Canadian to complete 鈥� and win 鈥� the Barkley Marathons in 2024.
That accomplishment and many others, along with his unwavering positivity, has earned him the highest recognition at the upcoming B.C. Athlete of the Year Awards.
The awards will be handed out in Vancouver on March 6, and organizer Sport BC has recently released a story about Verys in anticipation of the event. He will receive the Best of B.C. Award.
Verys "knew he was in for the challenge of a lifetime when he received his invitation to take part in the 2024 Barkley Marathons," the story said. "The invitation-only ultrarunning event is infamous for many reasons 鈥� few participants ever finish the 100-mile event and those who have a chance to complete the five-loop journey must do so in under 60 hours."
There is no set trail, no GPS or phone guidance allowed at all, and severe inclines and steep descents in rural Tennessee.
鈥淲hen I got invited, I was super excited at first, then it was all a bit scary because the odds are completely against you,鈥� Verys told Sport BC. 鈥淭he probability of finishing is maybe one per cent. Mentally, that plays jokes on you. But if you do your homework and put your heart and mind to something you can accomplish everything.鈥�
Verys finished the race in 58 hours, 44 minutes and 59 seconds.
The Best of B.C. Award is presented annually to an individual or team deemed to have best represented the province in national or international competition, in a professional or amateur sport.
Born in Ukraine, Verys came to Canada in 2015. He first arrived in Manitobat to study at Assiniboine College, and came to Chilliwack in 2021.
While he didn't like running as a youth, he's learned to embrace it as a way to deal with the stress that can come with making a new life in a new country.
鈥淩unning started out as a mental health tool and it is still my main mechanism for dealing with stress and anxiety,鈥� he said.
He discovered ultrarunning after COVID pushed many runners to the trails.
鈥淥n the trails I met some like-minded people who told me there were distances longer than marathons,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how I discovered the world of ultrarunning 鈥� where you can go for hundreds of miles, over multiple days and nights. Then I got to wondering are they special people or can I be one of them? So, I dove down that wormhole to explore all the beauties of ultrarunning.鈥�
Verys has made a name for himself in the running world, including taking second-place at the 2023 Bigs Backyard Ultra World Championships and winning the Canadian Death Race.
Tickets for the Sport BC Athlete of the Year Awards are available at tickets/sportbcregistration.com/registration
