Matt “Shep” Shepard

The Proof

• 701 km in six days at Across the Years: 2nd overall and the around-the-clock course record
• Two-time men's 48-hour champion at Across the Years (2022, 2023)
• First person to complete the 205 km Columbia Plateau Trail on foot, through a polar vortex
• Unsupported out and back FKT, Bob Marshall Traverse, Adirondacks: 108.8 km, 9,377 m, 40h 52m
• Standard Route FKT, Crowsnest High Five: 101.07 km, five summits, 21h 23m
• Five-time Team Canada athlete, Big Dog's Backyard Ultra
• U.S. Army combat medic, Alaska structural fire and EMT-II, oilfield safety professional
• Former Manager of Field Operations, Sinister Sports (Death Race, Sinister 7, Divide 200)

As Covered By

Canadian Running Magazine · CBC News · One Hundred Trail

About Shep

Before anyone paid him to speak, Shep was the person you call when hard things happen: a combat medic in the U.S. Army, then structural fire and emergency medical work in Sitka, Alaska, then health and safety in the Alberta oilfield. That work is where he learned to read risk, plan for what actually goes wrong, and keep a team moving when it does. As an athlete he has worn the Team Canada jersey five times at Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra, run 200-mile races in Wales and Brazil, and set Fastest Known Times across North America. Ask about his proudest achievement and he will tell you about the nine days he spent as the only crew and pacer on Dave Proctor’s cross-Canada record, putting 70 to 80 kilometres a day on his own feet while he did it.

The Keynote: The Mountain Method

A story-driven resilience keynote built on hormesis, the biology of how a system exposed to the right dose of stress and recovery grows stronger. Every story in it is one he has lived, with the routes, the weather, and the decisions named, and it is built to send every person in the room out with one concrete step small enough that they can take it that week.

• Be Bold, Start Cold: Begin before you feel ready, and let the work teach you the rest along the way.
• Respect the Gradient: The ground changes, so adjust the effort or the timeline. The goal stays where it is.
• Cut the Trail: Do the hard learning once, then hand the system over so the next person skips the bushwhack.

Also Booking

Planning for Single or Multi-Day Trail Efforts: a practical session for run clubs, race expos, and outdoor brands on planning the time, water, food, and kit for a long day in the mountains. It is the live version of his free planning checklist at goshep.run/resources.

“Shep was instrumental in creating the buzz to it being sold out. His sense of humour and approachability made Matt a fan fav, with many people asking if he’d come back next year. I’d highly recommend Shep if you’re looking for an engaging and knowledgeable speaker!”

Rooms He Has Spoken In

Lululemon: Love Your Run Season · Rotary International · Sinister Sports Canadian Mountain Race Series · Buffalo Runners Society · Great Minds Valleyview

Race briefings, community keynotes, workshops, and the trail planning talk. The Mountain Method is a new keynote and is booking now.