Editor’s note: Jason Loutitt is an ultra marathon competitor, formerly of Squamish, who has been featured in these pages both for his racing successes and for overcoming a drug addiction.
On July 20, I embarked on a European journey with a bicycle and all I owned on it. Although in a free-spirited attitude I didn't know where I was really going, I knew the direction. It was toward a better, healthier and fitter life.
I had until the 2018 100K World Championships on Sept. 8 to get to northern Croatia and a small, beautiful town called Sveti Martin Na Muri.
As it turned out, my tour turned it into full-fledged training and 140 kilometres a day, for 20 days, got me there and across five countries. This has been a dream of mine over the past year, even while dealing with personal obstacles and a broken leg. While in Squamish or the Whistler village, I was in part preparing by having all I owned on a bicycle and getting used to handling it. I never thought it would morph into a future career consideration, but with that mileage on the bike, I will pursue professional riding after these championships, teaching spin classes or I will try to continue my journey by cycling around the world solo. After running around the world in 2007 with the Blue Planet Run: The Race to Provide Safe Drinking Water to the World, I feel it is essential to try to do something for those who might get inspiration from my story. Be it returning to the Sea to Sky Corridor and training others or delaying this by cycling around the world, I am happy.
I have been lucky to find support here.
Thanks to the support of the Life Class Terme Sveti Martin host golf hotel and wellness centre here in veti Martin Na Muri Croatia, I am now better able to get ready for the race.
With the help of this place, I am able to make ends meet and get better prepared to represent Canada again at the world championships.
Jason Loutitt
Croatia
