Cody Taylor, a 32-year-old ultrarunner from Cornwall, Ont., has set a new unsupported quickest identified time (FKT) at the Bruce Path, finishing the gruelling 900-kilometre trek in an excellent 14 days and half-hour–sporting all of his meals and power, filtering water alongside the way in which and tenting out at the path each and every night time, without a exterior help. Taylor’s success is outstanding taking into account he handiest started working two years in the past and were given into ultrarunning simply final 12 months. He’s coached via Canadian ultrarunning legend Ray Zahab,
Taylor, who could also be a drummer within the steel band Sicksense, became to working throughout the pandemic, striking his song profession on halt. “I noticed fast growth and beloved repeatedly pushing my very own limits,” Taylor mentioned. His first ultramarathon used to be an 80K race on the Quebec Mega Path in 2022.
The Bruce Path, which follows Ontario’s Niagara Escarpment from Niagara to Tobermory, is understood for its up-and-down terrain. Taylor adopted the the path from south to north, beginning in Queenston and travelling thru Hamilton, Burlington, Halton, Caledon, the Blue Mountains and up the Bruce Peninsula. For his try to qualify as an unsupported run, Taylor needed to beat the time set via Jamieson Hatt of McGregor, Ont., in 2022 at 14 days, 5 hours and 20 mins.
“It’s cool to be speedy, however in reality cool to do that self-sufficient,” Taylor mentioned. He started the expedition with 13 days’ value of diet packed in his 52.6-pound backpack. His base weight used to be round 20 kilos, with the remaining being diet. He mentioned he idea he had introduced extra meals than he wanted, and located himself throwing numerous it out to lighten his pack via Day 7. At the ultimate day, Taylor had run out of meals with 90 kilometres nonetheless to move. “I simply stored telling myself to transport ahead,” he says.
“I felt I used to be good concerning the diet I introduced,” Taylor added. “I had numerous high-density bars, low-calorie cookies, and sweet, which all labored for me.”
Taylor’s day-to-day regimen used to be excessive. He would start each and every morning at 3:30 a.m. and run till 10 or 11 p.m. “I used to be very sleep-deprived, handiest getting two to a few hours of sleep according to day,” Taylor mentioned. “I didn’t see many of us in the market, so I slept at the path.”
In preparation for the strive, Taylor spent his weekends coaching within the Adirondack Mountains in New York, which is understood for its rocky terrain, and visited the Bruce Path’s northern and southern terminus to familiarize himself with the path.
Taylor credit a lot of his luck to his trainer, Zahab. “I had no enjoy getting into, and spent 5 weekends coaching for it. Ray helped me get ready with all of the equipment I wanted,” he mentioned. “If it wasn’t for him, this wouldn’t had been conceivable. The Bruce Path FKT wouldn’t had been an concept with out him. I’m tremendous thankful.”
As for what’s subsequent, Taylor plans to tackle any other loopy problem subsequent 12 months. “I’m no longer constructed for pace,” he mentioned. “I’m extra of a knuckle grinder who can move without end.”