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14TuesdayApril82014ByMEAGANWOHLBERGNorthernultra-marathonrunnerBradCaribouLegsFirthbeganhis1200kmjourneybyfootfromInu-viktoWhitehorselastweektopresentYukonPremierDarrellPasloskiwithlettersfrompeopleacrossthePeelwatershedopposedtothegovernmentsnewlanduseplanfortheregion.EscortedbyasupportvehicledrivenbyGwichinTribalCouncilpresidentRobertA.AlexiehimselftheInuvik-bornrunnerlefthishometownonApr.2withhisdogTrixiemakingittoTsiigehtchicbyThursdayCaribouLegsbegins1200-kmruntoprotectthePeelwherethecommunityheldafeastinhishonourandFortMcPhersonbyFridaynight.AsofMondayafternoonFirthwasenroutetoEaglePlainsintheYukonthoughstillusingFortMcPhersonashisbasecamp.Ifeelupforthechal-lengehewroteonhisface-bookpageMondaymorning.MybodyisrechargedandprimedformoremountainroadrunningAspotGPSdeviceismap-pinghisprogressonlineinrealtimesoavidfollowerscantrackhisadvanceinadditiontotheenthusiasticdailyupdatesFirthispostingonhisCaribouLegsface-bookpage.Ateachcommunityheispickingupmorelettersaswellassomeyouthfulcom-panyfortherun.Hewasjoinedby15year-oldJaredBlakefreshfromtheArcticWinterGamesinAlaskaonhiswayoutofTsiigehtchicandhadanotheryouthJo-sephKayfromInuvikescorthimtotheInuvikairport.OutsideofFortMcPher-sonhewasgreetedbytheentireHanthornfamilywhoranintotownwithhimwherehewaswelcomedbyalargepartofthecommunity.Hewasalsogiventhespe-cialgiftofOlympianSharonFirthsuorescentyellowcross-countryskiracingbibwhichsheworeinSarajevo.Thebibhasa2ndlifeItkeepsmesafeanddisplaysapowerfulmessageThankyouSharonFirthwroteonhisfacebookpage.Firthannouncedhisintenttohand-delivermessagesfrompeoplethroughouttheNWTsideofthePeelwater-shedshortlyaftertheYukonGovernmentremovedthestakingbanandputforthitscontroversiallanduseplanforthepreviouslyun-touched68000-squarekmlandmass.Hesaidheisconcernedabouttheimpactsofminingandoilandgasdevelopmentonhisancestralterritory.Whilethelanduseplan-ningcommissionhadrec-ommended80percentoftheareabeprotectedfromindustrialdevelopmentbasedonyearsofconsultationwithcommunitiesonboththeYukonandNWTsidesofthewatershedtheYukonGovernmentputforwarditsownplanrecommendingtheopposite29percentprotec-tionand71percentopenfordevelopment.Therunnerintendstoar-riveinWhitehorsebyApr.22wherehewillreadthelettersaloudoutsideoftheYukonLegislaturebuildingatapub-licgatheringbeforehandingthemofftothepremier.FirthplanstotraveltoVan-couverafterthejourneyisoverbeforerunningallthewayfromtheWestCoastbacktoInuviktoraisena-tionalawarenessaboutthePeelwatershed.TofollowFirthonhisjour-neybyGPSvisithttpshare.ndmespot.comsharedfacesviewspots.jspglId0i38OkaafP2mIBW4pdkqGZI7Bz1kTQQNYIfeelupforthechallengeMybodyisrechargedandprimedformoremountainroadrunningBradCaribouLegsFirthPhotosRobertA.AlexieEnvironmentWatershedsCaribouLegsisgiftedwithaProtectthePeelcakeatacommunityfeastinTsiigehtchic.JosephKayayouthfromInuvikhelpstosendCaribouLegsoffontherstmorningofhisrun.CaribouLegsandhistrustydogTrixiearejoinedbyJaredBlake15ontheruntoFortMcPherson.