Episode #477: Larry Malmgren

At 63, Prince George endurance athlete Larry Malmgren achieved one of ultrarunning’s ultimate challenges — finishing The Divide 200, a 200-mile mountain race in Alberta with an extraordinary 40,000 feet of elevation gain and loss.

Over four punishing days and nights, Larry battled sleep deprivation, harsh weather, and physical collapse to cross the finish line in 98 hours and 34 minutes, becoming one of the oldest finishers in the event’s history.

A longtime member of the Prince George Trench Runners, Larry has built a reputation for redefining what’s possible at any age. His running résumé includes the Canadian Death Race — a 118-kilometre test of grit and endurance — but The Divide 200 held deeper meaning. After collapsing just 60 miles from the finish in 2024 due to “runner’s lean,” Larry returned a year later with renewed determination, a five-person support crew, and guidance from high-performance coach Simon Lamarche.

What began as a solo pursuit evolved into something far greater: a story of teamwork, resilience, and human connection. “It stopped being about the run,” Larry reflects. “It became about the experience — the deepening of friendships and the new ones formed on the trail.”

Through 98 hours of near-continuous movement and only six and a half hours of sleep, Larry faced searing heat, freezing rain, and his own physical limits — all in search of the answer to a timeless question: Why? For him, it’s simple — because pushing through the unknown brings us closer to what it means to be alive.

Now, after more than a decade of ultrarunning, Larry has shifted his focus to fastpacking — blending endurance running with ultralight backpacking — trading race medals for mountaintops and competition for connection with nature. His journey is one of courage, evolution, and the quiet power of perseverance.