Iron Horse Trail, Pt. 1: Waskatenau to Smoky Lake

Ever since I completed the Iron Horse Ultra I've been wanting to explore more of the Iron Horse Trail. So, over the next several months (or years) I will endeavour to cover the full 300 km from west to east.

 I set off on Sunday from the eastern-most end of the tracks in the town of Waskatenau.

 

I got a late start so the temperature was already above 20C when I set out. Because the forecast was for 28C, my only training goal for the day was to pee. Sounds simple enough, right, maybe even unavoidable? Not necessarily so, especially when the temperature climbs. Running in the summer heat is something I have little experience with and that may prove to be the most important factor deciding the outcome of my next two races. Distance running has been described as 'an eating and drinking contest with a bit of running thrown in'. Fueling, and in particular hydration, is extremely important. It's also a real struggle to continually stuff food and fluid into a stomach that is constantly in motion without threat of a revolt. I'm hoping this is something I can train for.

The Iron Horse, at least in this region, is as flat and straight as you might expect a rail bed-come-trail to be. It's so straight, in fact, that I passed through the town of Warspite (11 km from Waskatenau) before reaching the first bend in the trail.

The trail beyond Warspite was lined with thicker and taller trees. This was functionally irrelevant on my outbound leg when the sun was high in the sky. The trees did provide some sporadic shading later in the afternoon that allowed me to occasionally escape the sun on my return trip. There also were lots of birds and deer in the trees, which was a nice distraction from the farm fields.

The trail was in great shape but I can't say that it was a great running trail, not this first leg at least. The Iron Horse was designed for snowmobiles and ATVs, not runners, which meant the footing was less than ideal. From Waskatenau to past Warspite the gravel was coarse and the bottoms of my feet eventually became sore from the constant jabs through the soles of my shoes. Between Warspite and Smoky Lake the gravel turned to sand. The foot was loose in spots but traction could be found on the edges and in the worn tracks. Trail consistency was at its best just west of Smoky Lake. However, there was an offensive smell of oil that was overwhelming at times. At first I thought the trail was surfaced in recycled asphalt that was melting in the hot sun but it was probably just treated with something. Either way, I was glad to spend little time on it.

My overall impression of this first leg was mixed. It wouldn't be my first recommendation to runners because of the rockiness and sore feet issues. Among self-propelled sports, this leg might be better suited to cycling or x-country skiing. You also require an appreciation of prairie landscapes. Still I wouldn't discourage anyone from running it. The novelty, lack of crowds, and proximity to Edmonton make it worth the trip. Just carry lots of water. Sadly, today's training goal was a failure. I consumed 6 litres of water, nuun, and gatorade over the course of 4.5 hours and I returned less than two shot glasses of fluid. All that remained of all that liquid was a thick salt crust on my hat, shirt, and shoulder straps of my backpack. I'll hope for cooler racing temperatures while I continue my hot weather training.