News
Vancouver, BC – October 17, 2025 – RUNVAN is excited to announce the return of the Great Trek, the finale of the 2025 RUNVAN Race Series. On Saturday, October 25, 2025, the event welcomes over 4,500 runners of all levels to take on scenic routes through UBC’s beautiful campus and along SW Marine Drive, for a jaunt through Musqueam Territory.
Event Highlights:
Event Name: Great Trek
Date: Saturday, October 25, 2025
Times: 8:30am Half Marathon, 10:30am 10KM, 12pm 5KM, 12:35pm UBC Relay
Location: UBC Campus, Vancouver, BC
Registration: SOLD OUT; Except UBC Students may still register for the UBC Relay
Distances: 21.1KM, 10KM, 5KM, UBC Relay, and RUNVAN Hat-Trick
Joining the Great Trek is Kyle Gieni, a wheelchair athlete and advocate for accessibility. Gieni will take on the RUNVAN Hat-Trick – completing the Half Marathon, 10KM, and 5KM events all by wheelchair. Gieni made history at the BMO Vancouver Marathon on May 7, 2023, by setting the fastest half marathon time in a non-racing wheelchair with poles. He is recognized for his advocacy in promoting adaptive sports, breaking down barriers for athletes with disabilities, and encouraging greater participation and visibility within the community.
Olympian Race Walker, Olivia Lundman, will also participate in the Great Trek. In August, Lundman broke a 39-year-old Canadian record in the Women’s 20,000m Race Walk. Lundman is also a rising star and mentee of Evan Dunfee, who made her Olympic debut last summer in Paris. Dunfee also has a win at this event, impressively running sub 70 minutes.
Andrew Davies, winner of the 2025 First Half half marathon (1:03:05) and 2025 BMO Vancouver Marathon Half (1:04:10) will join the Great Trek at the Finish Line to help hand out medals to some of the finishers.
Participants receive a race t-shirt or gloves if opted in and all finishers receive a beautifully crafted medal. This year, the Great Trek medal features illustrative work of the university campus and traditional Indigenous lands. New iconic landmarks from the UBC campus showcase the UBC Clock Tower, Library, and Fountain. The mystical Thunderbird created by Musqueam designer Darryl Blyth is also featured.
The Great Trek course will come alive with live music performed by UBC student groups along key points, adding a special energy to the race day atmosphere. Musqueam performances also return with Indigenous group Tsatsu Stalqayu – Coastal Wolf Pack.
Adding to the excitement, runners who set a new course record in any race distance will earn a prize.
Race Awards Schedule:
10:45am: Half Marathon Awards
11:45am: 10KM Awards
12:45pm: 5KM Awards
1:05pm: UBC Relay Awards
“We’re excited for the Great Trek – it’s a great race for runners to wrap up their season,” says Race Director Eric Chéné. “RUNVAN is incredibly grateful to our community, partners, and volunteers; without them, this racing season wouldn’t have been possible. We truly have an amazing community, and we can’t thank you enough. We look forward to the finale of our series and wish everyone an unforgettable race day.”
UBC students are still welcome to participate in the exclusive UBC Relay race. To join, UBC students are asked to contact UBC REC or email: [email protected].
Join us for this celebration of fitness, community, and Vancouver’s stunning natural beauty at the 2025 Great Trek. The Great Trek helps to support BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, and over $23,000 has already been raised by participants.
Thank you to the following partners: Musqueam Band, UBC, Alkiss Water, BigSteelBox, Forerunners, Fitness World, New Balance, Nuun Hydration, Stanley Park Brewing, XACT Nutrition, and Happy Planet.
