Q & A with Chaz Sheya

Q. The UTMB World Series is no joke! How do the Canyons Endurance Runs compare to other races in terms of difficulty and terrain?

A. The UTMB World Series covers all different types of terrains and climates. The Canyons Endurance Runs is not the most difficult, but it has a history behind it that draws people from all over who want to participate and connect with it. The Canyons Endurance Runs is where trail running started so it has the appeal that other trails do not have.

Q. As an organizer, what is your favorite part of the event, and what keeps you motivated year after year?

A. There are several aspects that are my favorite, the most important one is giving people the opportunity to set and achieve goals. Being able to give people the courage to tackle something like the 100 miler and then seeing them complete it, along with giving the global community an opportunity to come out and run the western trails. Another aspect is the way that the running community comes together to share one common goal, which is completing the race. You have the ability to connect with people near and far to dominate the trail and give each other motivation to finish it. It is rewarding to see people come from all over the globe to be able to share this journey together.

Q. Do you have any predictions for how many athletes will participate this year, and where they might be from?

A. There are 1,950 runners registered for the 4 different runs. These runners will be coming from 33 different countries such as; Europe, Africa, South America, Asia, and Australia.

Q. Can you speak to the role that volunteers play in organizing and executing the Canyons Endurance Runs, and how can people get involved?

A. Volunteers are a vital part of this run, they help foster a sense of community that motivates the runners, which we are grateful for. Volunteering for an event like this is rewarding, you get to help people tackle one of their biggest goals and be there to cheer them on. We are still in need of volunteers, if you would like to volunteer, please go to https://canyons.utmb.world/become-a-volunteer.

Q. Is there anything else about the upcoming Canyons Endurance Runs that you'd like the public to know?

A. Important things to know are that all distances will be starting and finishing in Downtown Auburn. With the historic amount of snowfall this year we had to change the course’s start and finish. There will be thousands of people in and around Downtown Auburn from Thursday-Saturday to cheer runners on as they start and finish. High Street which is between Loomis and Lincoln will be closed as a result of the race, along with the American River Confluence due to the safety of the runners. There will also be no shuttles available for the public, the only ones in use will be for runners.

You can learn more about the Canyons Endurance Runs here: https://canyons.utmb.world/