'Caribou Legs' halts 3,200 km run just shy of Whitehorse

It was the weather that finally brought an end to Brad Firth's long distance run, asTuesday's snowstorm caused the Gwich'inman to stop his 3,200 kilometre runjust short of Whitehorse.

• UPDATE |Caribou Legs to go back and complete final stretch

The long-distance runner known as Caribou Legs was running from Vancouver to Whitehorse to bring attention to the Peel watershed.

He says most days he ran between 40 to 60 kilometres and spent most nights camped on the side of the road with little more than a tarp and the clothes he was wearing.

"I'm used to roughing it out here on these highways," he said while getting ready for his last night along Marsh Lake.

"It's been like that, you know, some days I've been blessed with some luck and shelter and other days you just gotta rough it and you just gotta make do."

Firth says there were a some Gwich'inpeople who helped out financially and paid for some motel rooms along the way.

A legacy to his runs this summer is the high-visibility vest he wore, given to him by his sister, Sharon Firth, whowore it during her cross-country ski events at the Sarajevo Olympics in 1984.

Firth says her vest has since seen a lot of wear and tear.

When she gave it to me last year it was brand new and as you can see, it's all tattered and weathered," Firth says. "I've put on 8,000 kilometres of running in one year so as a result, it doesn't look like a vest anymore."

Nonetheless, he says he plans to give it back to her.

Seven years ago Firth was an addict living on the streets of Vancouver. He says running helped turned his life around and now running for the Peel Watershed has been healing.

Firth plans to officially finish his runon Saturday by going back out to Marsh Lake and running the last leg into Whitehorse. He's inviting people to join him, and there will be a gathering at the totem pole on Front Streetat2 p.m.

Firth next plans to participate in the Yukon Arctic Ultra in February and saysnext Mayhe'll run from Vancouver to Ottawato again raise awareness about the Peel.