The sea to sky highway from Vancouver to Whistler is known for its natural beauty and now for sparking inspiration. When Collin Zwickel, an Investment Advisor for RBC Dominion Securities in Vancouver, drove this gem he had a thought – would it be possible to run this? He couldn’t get this idea out of his head; it haunted him. That thought ignited his competitive spirit, and without any running experience, Collin decided he’d lace up his runners and hit the pavement for an ultra-marathon.
Collin started his training the first week of January 2023, braving the 5am workouts for 5 days a week. The early mornings in the cold were challenging, but the battle between mind and body presented a whole other challenge.
“The mind plays tricks on you. Telling you that you aren’t a runner. Your body isn’t ready for this. I had to overcome that and dive in headfirst,” said Collin. He battled through aches and pains along the way, but with motivation and persistence, he reached a point where he was mentally and physically strong enough to take on the ultramarathon.
Collin completed the 122 km run from Vancouver to Whistler on September 15th. The daunting route with 2,200 meters of elevation gain took him 18 hours and 40 minutes to complete.
This was more than a fitness challenge for Collin, though. In partnership with Happy Kids Foundation, which he founded, he raised $65,000 for Zajac Ranch and Backpack Buddies, which are two local charities that support underprivileged children.
Zajac Ranch operates camps for youth who would not otherwise have the opportunity to attend, while Backpack Buddies supports children experiencing food insecurity.
“I was able to go to camp as a kid and wanted to give that experience to other kids that may not have access to it. It’s a challenging time, coming out of COVID, where kids didn’t have a ton of social interaction. And because of the challenging economic environment, less kids will have access to these opportunities. I wanted to change that,” Collin said.
What did Collin learn from his journey? That the physical and mental toll was worth the overwhelming sense of community and support he felt and the impact he’s been able to make on children in need. He was so inspired by the support he received that he is planning another endurance challenge for charity. While the details remain a secret, “it will be bigger”, he said.
RBC is proud of its strong culture of supporting the communities that we live and work in. But many don't know where to start or how they can make an impact. “Don’t worry about having every single detail of how you want to support your community figured out – just start. Do it. Support the community in any way you can.” Collin encourages.
Donations for the Happy Kids Foundation remain open, if you would like to donate to Collin’s cause please visit happykidsfoundation.ca.