North

Runner's challenge: Every street in Whitehorse

A Whitehorse runner has completed a challenge to run every single street in Whitehorse at least once. It took four months and about 650 kilometers.

Blair Phelps has run 650km, from Adit Lake to Zircon Lane and everything in between

Bluejay Way, check! The project saw Phelps run on every city street. A list provided by the City of Whitehorse lists 457 street names. (Philippe Morin/CBC)

A Whitehorse runner has completed a challenge to run every single street in Whitehorse at least once. 

It took Blair Phelps four months from Jan. 1 to April 30. 

The total distance is about 650 kilometres.

"It was a new years' resolution," he said.

Pushing it to the city limits: Phelps takes a cold selfie at the edge of Whitehorse. (Blair Phelps)

Collecting them all: 457 streets

 Phelps and his wife Carleen Kerr recently moved back to Whitehorse from Alberta.

He says the project was a way to explore the city. 

"I thought it would be a good way to see all the nooks and crannies that I hadn't before," he said. "I think one good thing about the pandemic is that it has made runners and athletes get creative, and take on new challenges ... I think this was a great one."

A list provided by the City of Whitehorse lists 457 streets in all.

Phelps used an app called CityStrides to track his progress on a digital map.

Got it covered: A screenshot from CityStrides app shows every street in Whitehorse tracked as being run. (Provided by CityStrides)

He thanks Kerr for being a support driver, taking him out to run specific remote streets and then picking him up.

After running every highway, street, avenue, cul-de-sac, and way, he's picked one favourite as an underrated running spot: Squatters' Road.

"It's just a great run," he said. "I had never been in that part of town before and it was spectacular. It's a quiet, narrow road within the city and you feel like you're in a remote backcountry," he said. 

Phelps said his next project will explore another aspect of the wilderness city.

He is going to try and run every city trail.