blackfoot ultra

4:59:30 am - The race director pointed at me and shouted, "the starting line is here". Everyone dutifully lined up behind me. This was the only time that I would lead this race. At the "GO" much of the group shot past me like it was a 10k, not the 100k that I thought we'd all signed up for. I knew the first race of the season was going to be tough. I knew I hadn't logged enough miles during spring training but the skiing was just too good this winter. I also knew that I was going to be tired from working in the bush all last week but that, too, was unavoidable. As more and more runners passed me I had a sinking feeling that this was going to be a long day.

Still, it was a great morning to be outdoors. No wind, blue sky and crisp temperature meant the forest was ringing with bird song. I had so much fun birding that the first two 25 km laps passed surprisingly quickly and easily.

The last two laps didn't go nearly as well. Blackfoot's trails are surprisingly challenging for the prairies. There are plenty of hills, most of which aren't steep enough to walk but are sufficiently tiring to run, especially over 100 km. By 10am the sun was well overhead and the temperature climbed rapidly. This was my first run of the year in temperatures above mid-teens and I quickly began to feel the heat. The cool morning temperatures likely lulled me into mild dehydration, which I was now paying for. My right heel was also giving me grief. This is really annoying. I never had a serious blister last season and now I am wincing on each hill climb. Something has changed, my foot or my shoe, and I need to figure it out before my next race.

I was happy to finish in 11:08 (unofficially 10th place). I was hoping for under 11 hours but that was not to be. Now I have my first goal for next year.