Photo: Castanet

Maximilian Ruther (L), Michael Potestio (centre) and Aaron Schultze (R) get ready to start spring training for Boogie the Bridge on Tuesday, March 11.

Join columnists Aaron Schulze, Maximilian Ruther and Michael Potestio each Friday morning as they lace up their running shoes to take part in RUNClub training for Boogie the Bridge. Follow their progress as they prepare for the big event, which will kick off on Sunday, April 27, in downtown Kamloops.

Run it back

It didn’t take until Boogie the Bridge day to decide I want to take part in it again next year.

I made the call internally. It's hard to verbally commit when you’re devouring a post-run beer and burger like they’re nectar from the gods.

The amount of gas I had remaining for our final 10K sweet session running interval made me realize how far I've come since tweaking my foot after week one. Or maybe the dopamine rush from later sunsets blocks out the pain.

Our group went our separate ways before the typical post-run stretch. Because these calves and hamstrings didn’t feel like loosening up on their own, I asked another group if I could join in halfway through their stretch and was welcomed with open arms.

From there, two wholesome moments organically took place. A sincere round of applause for one of our group’s members following through on the deepest, closest to normal stretch they’ve had since a serious injury the year prior and a heartfelt adieu for a RUNClub homie who was moving to another city.

Heading into Tuesday with the odd bout of general burnout and seclusion, I valued these experiences to help me get back on track for the week.

I don’t know if I’ll be a full-time RUNClubber in the near future. There are new physical activities in my fitness journey that I want to experience now that the mental floodgates are open.

But Boogie training for 2026? I’m ready to run it back.

-Aaron Schultze, CFJC News

A week to remember

I started last week with some easy cycling and mobility work to give my legs a proper break after racing on trail. It felt good to just move gently and recharge a bit.

Thursday turned into a huge day. After 11 years in this beautiful country, I officially became a Canadian citizen. To celebrate, I went for a hike with friends up Peterson Creek and soaked it all in. It was one of those moments where you realize how far you’ve come.

On Friday, I took a quick trip up to Revelstoke to train for my upcoming Stoked Ultra. One of the biggest challenges in that race is the infamous Kill the Banker climb, which follows the gondola up a very steep section of the ski resort. I gave it a go and pushed as far as I could until the snow got too deep. Still, it gave me a solid perspective on the effort that section will require.

Saturday morning, I joined the second-ever Revelstoke ParkRun. It was great to see a new ParkRun pop up in British Columbia, and the course was beautiful, winding along the Columbia River with mountain views in every direction.

Back home on Sunday, I met up with RUNClub for one of our final Boogie the Bridge training runs. We kept it light and had lots of fun, like we usually do.

I’ve decided to race the 10K at Boogie this year and I’m excited to see how all the training pays off on race day.

-Maximilian Ruther, RUNClubber

Stretch it out — the training, not the column

I thought this week was going to be a disaster.

The night before starting week seven — the penultimate week of RUNClub training before Boogie The Bridge — I hurt myself. At least that’s what I thought at first.

I was foam rolling my often-sore calf muscles when they began to feel worse.

I ended up going to bed with soreness in my right calf muscle that wasn’t there before and I wondered if I’d even be able to make it to RUNClub in the morning.

Come the dawn, my leg still hurts, but I’m able to get in some stretching before leaving the house. I’m one of the first to arrive at the meeting spot in Riverside Park and get in even more stretching there.

To my surprise, I felt great, and this week’s power walk seemed the easiest yet — a testament to stretching and foam rolling.

Coach Jo Berry walked with me for a bit and explained that pain I felt was a normal part of the foam rolling process, and the stretching ahead of the run has proved key to better training days for me.

It may be time-consuming and monotonous, but every time I’ve taken enough time to stretch ahead of RUNClub, the training has been easier to handle than days I've gone into it cold.

Shannon and I once again power walked the five-kilometre route we’ll take next week, and Boogie no longer seems as daunting as it did in week one.

-Michael Potestio, Castanet Kamloops

Photo: Contributed

Shannon Mitchell (right) walks with her best friend of 42 years Lita during Boogie The Bridge training on April 20.

Are you ready to Boogie? You can still register for Sunday's event in-person at the Boogie Expo, at Moccasin Square Gardens (357 Chief Alex Thomas Way), and on race day at Riverside Park until 8 a.m. Learn more here.