Hello Cumby fans,

Thank you for your interest in our event…and thank you for your patience.

We are indeed hosting a Cumby race this year with two routes to choose from. This is an unsupported race on a marked trail near Cumberland BC. It’s virtual by the fact that there is no particular start time or date – except that you will run it anytime between Saturday, May 1st and Sunday, May 9th at a time and date of your choosing. We know it will look different than our usual race as we work through the details. However, one thing hasn’t changed: The Cumby is a fundraiser for a very worthy cause, The Cumberland Community Forest Society. All proceeds go to the CCFS.

We know it is a bit of a test of one’s patience as we all wait patiently for the time we can gather and have a mass start. That time is not now and we cannot gather yet. It’s a pandemic year and our first priority is to keep you safe from being exposed to the virus or sharing the virus with others. So we will be strictly adhering to the current BC Public Health Orders (PHO).

This year is special. We want to focus on the lands and wet spaces that runners have helped the Cumberland Community Forest Society preserve. “Celebrate This Land” is our theme for 2021. Our race routes (there are two!) will highlight and show off Coal Creek Historic Park and Japanese Town and the recent acquisitions up Perseverance Creek and through some of the older sections of the forest.

The 13.5 km route has 335 meters of elevation gain. The 7.3 km route has a lovely little “short snapper” at the end too with 137 meters of gain. Post your results and see if you get 1st, 2nd or 3rd place age category handmade medals. Medals will be sent to the winners via Canada Post.

But wait for it. We also have the Cumby Combo. What is that? You get to run both routes within the 9 days and post your results on Race Roster. Special prizes for the Cumby Combo winners.

Children and youth must be accompanied by an adult. No further discussion during pandemic year. It is an unsupported race. We do not want kids out there on their own.

Travelling to the Cumby during a pandemic year may not a good choice for everyone. If you want to support the Cumberland Community Forest but don’t want to travel, we have a special idea for you. Donate some dollars and run a 7.3 km (137 meters gain) or a 13.5 km (with 335 m gain) in your favourite protected space and send us a short paragraph and a picture of that place and we will post it on our Facebook site. It is a good year to celebrate all of our protected spaces.

Registration opens on March 15. Follow the link below for more information and to register!

Stay tuned, keep running those hills and check in on our Facebook page. We look forward to not necessarily seeing you but hearing about your run between May 1st and May 9th, 2021

Take good care

Cathy Clark
Race Director,
The Cumby,
on behalf of the Comox Valley Road Runners

Link to the Official “Cumby” Website:

www.thecumby.ca