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Staying True to Your Vision


Love him or hate him, Simon Sinek has a lot of outstanding insights into the nature of work and how people interact (although, admittedly, he seems really harsh on Millenials). A number of years ago I saw a TED Talk where he said something that really resonated with me. It has informed virtually every decision we make as an organization, and it's also the title of one of his books: Start with Why. 

My background is in Industrial Design – designing the goods we use in our daily lives. I am a creator but I need some kind of outside pressure to spur me on, kind of like how a bit of sand irritates an oyster into creating a pearl. I have always had a strong sense of being true to my craft and making sure that I actually felt passionate about the things I was creating. I remember sitting in my office in Calgary, staring at the mountains and thinking "if I really want to be there, why am I here?" So when I quit working for "The Man" and started working full-time as an event organizer, it was a surprisingly easy transition. I was able to continue using my problem-solving skills and that passion for doing great things, and merge it with this devotion we all share with our athletic community. 

At Sinister Sports, we have a lot of outstanding people working with us, some full-time, some part-time or seasonal; with the season starting anew, we recently had a sit-down to talk about who we are as an organization. This is who we are, and why we do what we do: 

WE BELIEVE

We believe in people. We believe in their ability to push their bodies farther than they ever thought possible. To break records. To inspire others to step up. To rise over and over, despite the odds, and give it every drop of energy and passion that they have. Whether it is a seasoned athlete who wants to be the best, or a beginner athlete who wants to be a better version of themselves, these are our people.

These amazing people need venues to push themselves – they need places that inspire them. This compels us to create the most challenging, most professionally run endurance events in Canada. We are always true to our people, and we celebrate our Rocky Mountain Heritage by highlighting the natural splendour that surrounds us.

When people ask us why we do it, why we keep on hosting races despite the challenges and hard times (like the pandemic that shall not be named)... these two paragraphs say it perfectly. I used to get about six calls a year from new race directors asking for help starting out, and the first thing I always say is, "That's great. Why?" (as in, why do you want to host a race?). Because when the going gets tough, you need something to fall back on, and that vision is so fundamental to carrying you through. 

Over the last 20 years, we have evolved as an organization, and I feel that we've always done so while staying true to this vision (even though it wasn't always formally written down). Throughout those years we have been challenged by sponsors, racers, bureaucrats, and detractors to become something we are not. While being responsive is a virtue, sometimes it just feels like you are wearing someone else's clothes; can you ever really feel good about your work when you are doing that? When we first started Sinister 7 Ultra, I was told, to my face, "It will never work in this community; nobody will ever support something like this here". It hasn't been without challenges but I'd say we've done pretty well, and S7 is now an integral part of our community, not to mention a point of pride of many locals, even if they don't run in the race. 

We believe in what we do. 

I'd like to introduce everyone to some of our crew who work with us throughout the year. These are the people who make it happen. https://www.sinistersports.ca/about 

As to the "why". Well, you're all the why. This big, bold, supportive community of trail runners. 


Brian Gallant
Owner + Director | Sinister Sports

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