“Let’s have a look inside the Tickle Trunk” – Mr. Dressup
With another Around the Bay Road Race in the books, Geoff Sheppard has once again pleased thousands of cheering onlookers with another amusing costume. Every year Shep completes the 30Km course clad in a memorable disguise.
In recent years Shep has dressed as an enormous rocket made of cardboard which weighed significantly more at the finish after having soaked up rain for a few hours.
Rocket Man
He has carried a plastic mannequin on his shoulders to double as a giant alien. He’s worn 30 balloons (Balloon Man), a recycle box (Recycle Man), wigs, capes, flags, masks, a volleyball on his head and has even pulled an open parachute (yup, Parachute Man) for the entire 30Km and still finished well ahead of most runners.
Bubble Man
This year Shep posed as Bubble Man. His getup consisted of a large tank strapped to his back and he was armed with a toy machine gun with soapy bubbles for ammunition. Shep stratigically planned “refueling” stations along the course where family and friends had extra soap to reload his sudsy weaponry.
Although Shep doesn’t race much these days, I still consider him one of the most talented runners I know. Geoff started running ultras in the late 1980′s. He ran his first 100 miler, the prestigious Western States 100, in 1991 at the tender age of 24. As far as I know, he is one of few athletes who have run a 100-miler in 3 decades! He has completed several 100 mile races (usually in under 20 hours), dozens of ultras, 20 consecutive Around the Bay Races, but has yet to run a standard road marathon!
Recycle Man
Geoff has been a member of the Burlington Runners for several years and he encouraged me to join several years ago. Having run the original Bruce Trail Survival Run many times, he decided to take over the race directing duties from Cor Potma over a decade ago. The race has since been known as the Iroquoia Trail Test. Although he is an extremely busy person, every summer he finds time to organize this event. Many personal touches go into this race such as finding, cleaning and painting hundreds of rocks and cutting and stencilling plaques. Geoff’s passion for the legacy of this event prompted (read: suckered) me, along with Scott Myers, to get involved, as Co-RD’s some eight years ago. The 2010 edition of ITT will however be the last. Collectively, we concluded that it is time to put this race to rest. To quote Shep: “The ITT has allowed me to share a little bit of the values I promote about being active, but the Final Test needs to be written”.
Shep has been a teacher for the Halton District School Board for 20 years and he is currently employed at E.C. Drury Secondary School in Milton. In addition to teaching Healthy Active Living, he is also involved in the COOP education and Life Skills programs. Over the years, Geoff has coached or helped coach countless teams including: wrestling, field hockey, basketball, badminton, cross-country, and even skateboarding. He has organized numerous tournaments, both at the provincial and local levels. He has also hosted triathlon events at his school to encourage people who aren’t regularly active to get fit. He organizes and emcee’s the athletic banquet every spring, conducts the Spartan training camp at the start of every school year for all varsity athletes, and coordinates many pep rallies and school assemblies. His field hockey team has even travelled to British Columbia twice in recent years to compete.
Alien Man
On top of all his school involvement, Geoff shares his coaching expertise in the community. He was a military instructor with the Reserve Forces for years. Shep has coached the McMaster University racquetball team, offered golf lessons to women and seniors and even helped a friend who coaches tennis at Cedar Springs Health Club on occasion. Now that his children are involved in sports, Geoff helps out with his son’s soccer, hockey and football teams. Not enough? He was also a Cub Scout Leader, wearing the little scarf, badges and all (a future running costume perhaps?) and accompanied the kids on a few camping expeditions….and I’m sure I’m forgetting stuff.
The Lone Runner
When not in costume, Shep can still put up some impressive running times. How does he have time to train? As mentioned, Geoff doesn’t run many races, but when he picks one he’s interested in, he does most of his training late at night. For his most recent 100 miler (the Mohican in 2007), Geoff probably did 90 % of his training after 10PM. Geoff is also responsible for luring new runners into the sport, myself and Scott included. He regularly recruits friends, colleagues, and family, and before you know it, they’re running races, even ultras. He was my pacer on my first 100-mile attempt. At the 94-mile aid station when I complained that I thought my hip was going to seize, Shep dumped a pitcher of cold water on my head to help me snap out of it and keep moving.
Canadian Goofball
I know Geoff doesn’t care much for accolades, but he has recently won the Burlington Runners prestigious Gord McComb Award for encouraging running, fitness and for his unselfishness in the community. Based on what is presented above, you can’t argue that Shep isn’t a worthy recipient. Shep also coined the saying “Monumental Effort” and emailed me a runner-specific version of the poem “Do more than exist” when I was discouraged after failing to complete a 100-miler. A part of the new modified verse read: Do more than 75 miles – just another challenge. Now that I think of it, Geoff Sheppard should have been featured here long ago; but again, praise is not important to this runner and his many aliases.
Gotta run,
Vince
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice tribute to Geoff!
It will be sad to see ITT no more. As I’ve said in the past, after doing ITT, I knew that I wanted to move up and try a trail ultra…then got hooked.
Hey Derrick,
I’m sure after this year’s ITT, we will be sad to see it go too, but we figure the race has “run its course” so to speak. We have a couple of new touches to make ITT’s send-off special. Although we won’t be Race Directing anymore (for the time being) we do have other “projects” on the horizon to continue to give back to the running community.
Gotta run, Vince
Shep is one of the best! He was the man that introduced me to running which has shaped my life now for over a decade. Most of my friends and people I love have some relation to running. Shep and I ran my first 100 miler together and we finished in just under 20 hours. The last 20 miles was all shep getting me through. One foot in front of the other Dommer let’s go…shep I still use that mantra almost 10 years later and I use it in my daily life especially in tough times. Thanks shep!
That is a great tribute Vince. It’s funny because I actually met Geoff back in teacher’s college 20 years ago.
Our first conversation was about a race he had just completed. i was peppering him with questions. I still remember him telling me his strategy for running that 50 mile race (I had just met him and of course hearing that someone would willing want to run 50 miles automatically made him certifiably coo coo-in a good way-in my book)-he would walk up all the hills….funny I would remember that.
Years later you told me about this guy you met while running who would dress up in these crazy costumes. I thought it was awesome at the time…I love hearing stories of people who stand out and life live on their own terms being damn creative.
It was years later though when I put the pieces together and realized this was the same “crazy” dude from teachers college.
Judging by some of the comments GS has had an impact far greater than his wacky costumes. He is a legacy all unto himself.
Great post VC and Geoff keep doing what you are doing.
DD
What a small world! Not only has Shep taught me the importance of walking the hills, but he has shown me how to run the “flat up hills”! Funny story, but I guess you had to be there…
Gotta run,
Vince
Shep’s quirky, irreverent ways would seem out-of-place anywhere but the world of ultrarunning. Despite being a master of time-management, he sometimes has to resort to running vicariously through others such as myself, V$ and Dommer; he approaches our training with as much interest and care as he would his own. He has used an usual but effective technique to get not only his proteges through 100′s, but also otherwise hapless runners who managed to luck-out by being around. It is no mistake that he feels so comfortable wearing a cape.
Great article Vince..and well deserved Geoff has been an inspiration to many in the running community!
I really admire the way Shep lives life to the fullest. I remember way back in 1988(?) when he ran the Georgian Bay 50 mile in Owen Sound in what had to be one of his first ultras! He sure has inspired a lot of people over the years. Thanks for many great ITT races. Great article Vince.
Doug Barber
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