It’s difficult to impart the majesty of Mount Everest: nearly nine kilometres from the bottom to the very, very top. It’s the highest peak above sea level and makes for a daunting challenge to even the most experienced hiker.
Now imagine running an ultramarathon around it while wearing a gorilla costume.
That’s exactly what local legend Raemonde Bezenar is set to do next week. She is participating in the 6th annual Mount Everest Extreme 60K Ultra Trail Run and yes, she will be dressed up like a gorilla as a way of supporting a good cause.
“Wearing the gorilla suit is a great way to promote the importance of gorilla conservation,” she wrote in an email from base camp, which she already spent nearly two weeks to reach. “On a personal level, wearing my gorilla suit is who I am.”
For many years, she has run on St. Albert trails to draw attention to the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, now called Gorilla Doctors. The project works to save both the mountain and eastern lowland (Grauer’s) gorilla species from extinction. Its veterinarians offer medical care to the ill and injured animals living in the national parks of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sadly, there are only 880 mountain gorillas and a diminishing number of Grauer’s gorillas left.
As the executive director of the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Society of Canada, Bezenar often goes to extremes to raise awareness. She even worked out six days a week to prepare for this ultramarathon. Still, nothing can compare to running at an altitude of 5,365 m.
“I will need all of the oxygen I can get,” she said, noting that she will only start and finish with her mask on but will need full visibility in between, as the route varies from a glacier to large rock obstacles to sand and very rocky terrain.
The 60-km course winds its way “along yak and yeti trails” from the famous Khumbu Icefall through Sherpa villages, past Buddhist monasteries, across long suspension bridges and within a beautiful mountain landscape. It is mostly downhill, interestingly, but includes one of the world’s highest uphill sections of trail running: 10-km that ascends more than half a kilometre.
She is gathering pledges through www.gofundme.com/gorillaclimbseverest to help provide scholarships and financial assistance to students pursuing a university degree in veterinary medicine for the survival of gorillas in their natural habitat.
When she returns to the prairies at only 689 metres above sea level, she will prepare for the Edmonton Ice Cream Run in July. The Edmonton Gorilla Run took place two weeks ago.
For now, she just has her sights set on making the distance in 12 hours or less, and still be standing when she finishes.
“I am hoping that on race day no one mistakes me for a yeti and wants to mount me on their wall.”
Gaming for a good cause
Game OVR is powering up to help the Plugged In Community Centre Organization (PICCO) with a pop-up fundraising gaming event today.From 1 to 4 p.m., people can play solo or against others in more than 40 games and 20 per cent of the proceeds from admissions of this all-ages event are going to the community organization. Plugged In is a charitable organization that is working to finance a multi-use facility that will rent office and programming space to other inclusion-minded organizations on a cost-recovery basis.
Game OVR is located at #129, 1 Hebert Rd. Tickets are available at the door or at www.gameovr.ca. A standard room costs $25 per hour.
Camp means Hope
Hope Mission is asking the public’s help to make a week-long summer camping trip wonderful for local children from struggling families. They are collecting stuffed animals and shoebox kits to give to the anticipated 1,500 children upon their arrival at Hope’s camps.Items for kits include basic supplies such as toiletries and activity supplies (like art supplies, Lego and skipping ropes) to first aid items, sunscreen, hats and bug spray.
The deadline for collecting items is Friday, June 1. Drop-off locations include Hope Mission (9908 106 Ave.), Hope’s Bargain Shoppe (2403 Ellwood Dr. SW) and the Tegler Youth Centre (3805 118 Ave.). Visit www.hopemission.com for more information and a full list of requested items.
