Malcolm Konik is running the triple crown of Vacation Races 100-mile races as a charity bib in support of the Trails and Open Spaces Coalition, which operates out of his home region of Pikes Peak, Colorado. This idea came to Malcolm last year as he was eyeing the Vacation Races calendar and noticed the three 100-mile events were all a month apart (plenty of time to recover) and that he could run all of them as a charity bib. Selecting a cause close to his heart, he has been crushing miles on the trails and raising funds for the trails he cares deeply about.
At Malcolm’s first of the three 100-milers, Antelope Canyon, Wander Project’s Executive Director, Zander, was able to catch him at an aid station around 3:30 am. It was the depths of the night, and Zander hopped in to help pace Malcolm until sunrise. As they spent hours shuffling along the trails Zander got the unfiltered insight into what motivates Malcolm to do ultramarathons and push his body to the brink.
Malcolm opted to run a “Your Choice” charity bib, meaning he could select any 501c3 charity in the US or the international equivalent. His journey this year is fueled by his passion to give back to the trail community that has done so much for him and in making the Pikes Peak region such a trail mecca. “We all use the trails, but we don’t often think about paying it back so this is a way to support them and show them that we care about the work that they do and that the work they do is a tangible benefit to our community.” – Malcolm quote from mile 84 at 4:00 am.
Trails and Open Spaces Coalition is a trail advocacy group that works with local and regional governments, community organizations, and individuals who share the vision of an interconnected network of trails, greenways, and open space. They advocate, educate, build connections with other groups, fund projects, and create and support volunteer projects. Learn more about some of their key projects and support them on their website.
As Malcolm approaches the final event of the triple crown you can show your support to get him across the finish line by supporting his fundraiser.
Malcolm is also a recent member of our inaugural ambassador program. He joined to help spread the word that “you can make a positive difference in the community you run in.” When you join as a charity bib we’re there with you throughout the journey, and give you the support needed to get across the finish line. Malcolm is a great resource if you have any questions about running a charity bib (or three 100-milers!)