Image credit: cfjctoday

By Earl Seitz

David Sutherland

Kamloops’ 90 year old ultra marathon man.

Jun 19, 2020 | 6:30 PM

KAMLOOPS —- In these days of distancing and shut-in during the pandemic, people are finding different ways to keep active.

An Edmonton based company formed a worldwide Quarantine Backyard Ultra Marathon.

The first one in April was a huge success with 2435 participants from 60 different countries.

Each participant has his or her own route. A 6.706 kilometer or 4.167 mile circuit.

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You have one hour to complete each time around the circuit.

Over the hour on any circuit and the participant is disqualified.

The last man standing in the April completed 63 loops — or 63 hours.

The only rest time is if a loop is finished in less than an hour — say 45 minutes —- then 15 minutes of rest, eat, bathroom time —- before the bell sounds to start the next hour.

The first Backyard Ultra in April was so successful, another one is planned for July 11

With entries now closing in on one thousand from 33 countries, there is one, from Kamloops, who stands out from the rest.

David Sutherland has been training hard for the July 11 Quarantine Backyard Ultra.

“It’s very special, because it’s happening during the pandemic, and it’s a real challenge for everyone.”

David is 90 years old, and has a pacemaker.

A resident of the Mayfair Manor in Brocklehurst, he is the oldest registered participant from entries around the world for next month’s ultra.

The event, for David, is special for a couple of other reasons.

“I got an email from my son, and he said this event is happening on July 11.” says David. “He said his son Ryan and himself are participating.”

David will be the senior member of three generations of the same family taking part in the Quarentine Backyard Ultra.

David Jr., and David Srs. grandson Ryan, live in Boulder, Colorado, where they’ll be doing their backyard ultra at the same time David Sr. is doing his at McArthur Island in Kamloops.

July 11 is another signifcant day for David and his wife Margaret.

It was 50 years ago, July 11, 1970…… “I got married to my beautiful nurse Margaret Sutherland. She was a matron in the hospital in Hazelton. She had come back to UBC in 1969 — just before my final year I met Margaret. So that turned my life around — being a bachelor for so many years.”

Margaret will be there on backyard ultra day providing inspiration and support for David, who has no misconceptions about his participaton in the ultra.

“If I can do it in an hour and ten to fifteen minutes I’ll be very happy.” says David Sr. “I’m not there to break world records.”

For David Sutherland it is about maintaining a healthy lifestyle —– with a message.

“One of the challenges is not to get into a sedentary lifestyle. Keep active and keep the heart strong. I think that’s the big message I would say to people. Keep exercising. There is a real danger during the pandemic to simply staying in a room, sitting there and worrying about it —– I wasn’t about to do that.”