My
wounds started the day before my big race, as you’ve seen in my pre-race post..
The crash that gauged my shin out nicely (even with compression socks on) the
scrapes on my knee and the start of the bruising and swelling. Let’s just say
it’s gotten even more beautiful after racing on it on June 1st, but
the body is an amazing thing! I had hoped the adrenaline and our bodies ability
to adapt to pain would make my race pain free and sure enough.. IT DID! Yeeeee!
Go body go! It’s incredible.
I
couldn’t sleep in the morning as I was so excited for the race. I think I woke
up first at 4:45am and then every 20 minutes on until I gave up and decided 7
was acceptable for a 10am race. Fueled up with my shake of greens, vitamins,
minerals and protein and got my carb fix of delicious multigrain bread with..
dare I admit.. a chocolate, hazelnut and caramel spread!! Talk about energy in
a jar!! YUUUUM then put on the racing garments and did some rolling. Warming up
at the site around 9:30am I ran into Mirabelle, Sean, Pat Boily and Penny and
we got all ready to roll! The excitement was huge with the big inflated start
line, helicopter and hundreds of people as the X-Trail 11.8km race was
happening at the same time as ours. There was about 400 people in our distance,
divided into three waves. We only had a small portion as the elites in the
Canadian Mountain Running Championships and all jumped up to the front to kick
off the race.
After
announcing the race was about to start Mirabelle, Pat and me headed to the
start line and ran into David le Porho (who was part of the National team with
me last year) Many good lucks and nervous jumps and then it was time! On the
count down from 10 (en francias), we were off and RUNNING! Holy smokes was it a
quick start! But we had been warned the night before that it was crucial to
pick your place first as passing on the single track is extremely difficult and
dangerous. Often runners just get stuck behind others. So I started off high
tailing it. Blah! Exhuasting! The race began on a gravel road with a downhill
slope which was nice for carrying speed, but it sure made it hard when we hit
the start of the uphill. Luckily it started off more gradual and I saw that
“wascally wrock” that destroyed me the previous day.. I gave it a gr and ran
around it (not this time buddy!) The climb started in earnest after and it was
grueling. Some people were running, most power hiking as it was just too
ineffective to try to run the incline. I was passed by a number of people, but
kept my head up and kept plowing. I know that uphill is always a grind for me
and knew we had downhill this year to make up some time. I ran wherever I could
find a breath and hiked those brutal portions inbetween. Sure enough, I started
passing those people who had passed me earlier on the hill as they burnt out.
There was a tough mix of terrain on this climb with loose rocks at the start,
some wooden stairs, and varying levels of incline. At the top I could really
feel that I had done a douzy, my legs were tired and feelin a bit sloppy as I
had a couple missteps, but the flats and downhills gave my muscles the chance
to recoup and then it was time to fly! I knew the worse was over and all I kept
thinking was that this was it! This was the race! I had to give it my all.
There was no other option. I two footed jumped down some drops to cut time,
clung and swung around trees to keep stabilized, splashed through mud puddles,
leap like a billy goat from rock to rock or plank to plank and played back and
forth with some fellow runners, but had a steady stream of passing them in the
last half. It was mostly men as I had passed the two girls that were
immediately infront of me on the climb. However, I did catch two more after
some fast feet after the climb. I knew then that there couldn’t be that many
girls left infront of me. It’s always a challenge trying to decided whether its
more effective to coast of someone else’s pace, follow their steps and avoid
their missteps or to make the pass and take the risk of finding your own speed
and step. This race wasn’t one to hang back though, I had to dive in head
first. By the time we finally reached the water station.. I couldn’t believe
it. It seemed like it was about 10km into the 11.8km race!! I had decided not
to bring my handheld and was happy with my choice as I definitely needed both
hands to run that race and stay on my feet, but it was sure hard running that
hard in the crazy heat without water. People were getting heat stroke and
exhaustion by the end of the race. But we did it! The last bit of the race both
flew and dragged by! It was almost all downhill or flat with some climbs here
and there, but wow technical!! I can’t believe I didn’t fall! Hahahah! I passed
Eric, our junior male from Nationals last year on the last few km and was told
that there was 2 women ahead of me by some of the volunteers so I knew that I
had to at least hold my position if I wanted to make the National Team. I
burned it out and really had to push myself up the last gravel road hill to the
finish line.. running that hill was the absolute last thing I wanted to do. I
remember looking up at it and just wanting to walk it SO badly. But NAY! What
goes down must go up? Maybe it’s the other way around, but that didn’t apply in
this case so I opted to believe my statement. Hahah! Well more like I knew the
finish was right there! I could hear the crowd and knew the route from when I
surveyed backwards the day before. After making it up the hill it was a grassy
finish into the Red Bull arch and I ran like I was the Gingerbread Man! I found
that little bit left in me and gave her coming through as fast as I could.
WOOOOOOW!!! Hearing them announce that I was the third woman
and instantly getting a medal around my neck, water, gaterade and orange slices
rocked, but the best part was seeing the friendly faces! Pat had finished just
before me (to whom I have to give crazy kudos to!! He ran with a broken hand
and claimed several battle wounds rolling down before he’d just back up and keep
running) and Sarah came right up to me and introduced herself and was full of
congrats! Sooooo nice! I was slightly overheated and overworked so I downed
about 5 cups of gaterade and chatted for a few mins before running to the
bathroom to have a cold shower in the sink to bring my temp down. Toooooo hawt
out there! But it was incredible!! Was it ever a rewarding run and course! It
was so challenging that to beat it truly gave you the freedom of flying. And in
case you are wondering.. I had mentioned in my interview with the Canadian
Mountain Running Association that sometimes I run like an airplane when I am
going down hill and no one is watching.. I snuck one in there!
Hahahahahhahah!!! I HAD TO! I waited til I coun’t hear any breathing behind me
or footfalls and let those arms fly out to the side..
NEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOORRRRRMMMM! Hahahha Oh man. Don’t worry, it was only a few
seconds then it was back to game face.
The National team looks like its going to be super strong
and amazing this year! It’s super funny with us ladies because we all look
identical. According to Tiffaney, she said that she “never knew what a runners
build was, but now she does and we all have it.” All small, lean blondes! The
talented Meggan Franks took first and Sarah Bergeron-Larouche took second and me 3rd! On the men’s side, David
le Porho took 1st this year, Jeff Gooselin 2nd, with Kris Swanson coming 3rd
(running on a pulled hamstring that he couldn’t walk on a day before), Calum Neff 4th and Alister Gardner 5th. Introducing the 2013 team Canada! :) 
Post race: Did a nice cool down with the ladies and got to
learn a bit more about both Sarah and Meggan! They are both such amazing girls
and I can’t wait to spend more time with them! A bunch of us including Kris,
Adrian Lambert, Pat, Penny, David, Sarah and a bunch others reveled in the day
post race with the great meal, awards and general feeling of cloud 9, minus all
the ice packs and gauze! Hahahah It was so much fun and they brought over
bottles of champagne, which the boys popped! There’s something so amazing about
the quality of the mountain and train running communities! Everyone is just
maybe of a different breed or maybe just amazing, but everyone is so friendly
and just genuine! It’s the most uplifting experience to be around so many
like-minded people! We might all be crazy, reveling in the burn and pain but I
like to think it’s just different! I can’t wait to be with everyone again in
POLAND for the World Mountain Running Championships in September.
And now, you’ve found me on the plane home after sharing a great evening with Pat and Penny (two of the most wonderful people), waking up early for a 10km run through Sutton then packing up and heading up to Brome Lake and Knowlton for some nice trail walking, exploring and lake front picnic. After that, I drove into Montreal and spent the afternoon exploring Old Montreal! Wow!! Talk about a beautiful place! I’m so happy I went and checked it out!! It is SO European and interesting. I treated myself to a frozen yogurt and enjoyed the afternoon at a leisurely pace before heading to the airport. Anyways, just wanted to say thank you so much for all of your support (I’m absolutely blown away by it all! It’s the fuel that drives me. Love and happiness is what makes the world go around (corny as it may sound, but it’s true).
Talk soon and keep those smiles on! Xo
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