Rewind '23: Meet the shirtless Glenmore jogger

We've selected some of our best stories of the year and are bringing them to you over this festive season.

These stories encapsulate the inspirational, uplifting, quirky, or the just downright fun that makes Kelowna10 so different.

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If you drive or walk around Glenmore, or nip into a coffee shop, you may have seen a man who takes his love of running to a whole new level.

Whether it's -25C or 40C, Steve Jairath loves running…period!

He runs 15 kilometers, seven days a week.

“I’m a huge believer in being active. For me, it’s both pushing yourself physically, and strengthening yourself mentally,” he told Kelowna10. “There’s that link between the physical body and the mind and pushing your body past limits and past what you think you can do is going to strengthen your mind.”

Originally from Calgary, Jairath, who is in his 40s and works in IT, moved to Kelowna four years ago after coming here for some vacations. He loved the area and felt it was a great place to live the lifestyle he sees for himself.

That lifestyle includes getting outdoors and running, in all weather conditions.

And, as long as it's not below zero, he does it shirtless. That's what makes his presence memorable to those who've watched his daily exploits.

But he doesn't give it much thought.

“Running without my shirt for me, it’s not a thing, it’s typically if the weather is above zero and the wind isn’t crazy,” he explained. “I like the fresh air; I like how the cold air touches your skin and then when I run I naturally heat up. It creates this equilibrium of temperature where I’m heating up and cooling off at the same time.”

Jairath had some solid advice for anyone who wants to start living an active and healthy lifestyle: be disciplined for the first 30 days and be able to adapt and change if required.

“If you’re going to try something, I would try and stick with it. But then also learning to pivot,” he said. “Try and push yourself beyond the limits and if it doesn’t work, pivot, and try something else.”

Pit stop

Near the end of his daily trek, he makes his all-important Starbucks pit stop to help him for the last few kilometers.

“It’s always the same thing,” he laughed. “Half the time it’s ready before I get to the cash register. I get a solo espresso with Stevia and a little bit of water.”

When asked about what it’s like to be an inspiration, Jairath was very humble, saying he does see the encouragement from locals, including some cheers from the nearby school he runs past, but for him, he just loves running: plain and simple.

“For me it’s pure enjoyment. And if I can inspire someone to do something and push themselves beyond what they think their limits are, that for me is running,” he said.

“Running on days where I don’t think I can run or running that extra two kilometers when I don’t think I have anything left and just going beyond the limits of what I set for myself. That for me is the joy of running.”