Only had 45mins of easy running in the plan. I had super hard time getting up. Very tired. I guess the second day after a big run is always worse. Well, went for it anyways. It was more like recovery shuffle tho, super slow. I was also supposed to do a 45min strength, but only had about 20mins to do something. So I did. Something is better than nothing right? I also had the physio today. And omg, was that ever absolutely horrible haha. Not sure why did I say yes to dry needling. It was so painful! I limped outta there :D. Was told it should definitely help. Well I'm not so sure about that. But if you say so haha.
I was still so sore when I woke up in the morning that I decided not to go for my run. My hips, especially the left one was sore through the whole day. I had weird pains through my legs/back. I was not excited about my run at all. Only 60mins but still. The weather didn't look good. It felt super uncomfortable. Both my hips. I even texted coach while running if that's normal cause I was almost positive it is not and maybe I shouldn't be pushing through. But he said it is and I can run through it. So I did. I was thinking that if this doesn't go away, how am I gonna do the race on Saturday?? Ugh. I got soaked too. Hopefully tomorrow is better.
Bit unexpected rest day. Still feel the pain/discomfort in my hip and glutes. It's better tho. I also thought about Saturday. Like I haven't really done much of elevation, why did I think I can easily run 60K with about 2900m of EG?? Like what was I thinking?? Last year when I did it, I trained for Minotaur so I did tons of elevation training prior to that. But I felt like I haven't done almost anything this year. Well luckily I went through my Strava and realized that Sinister a month ago had tons of elevation, I also did Prairie Triple not too long ago, that run around Lake Louise had decent elevation too so maybe I'm not gonna be as doomed as I think :D. But we shall see.
Shake out run went okay. Hips don't hurt anymore! Phew. I'm so not ready for tomorrow. With treating it like a training run and not a race, I didn't get anything ready in advance and now I'm just losing my sh*t. I don't know what to pack, I don't know what to wear, what shoes to start with, if I'm gonna change them later, etc... it's super late and I wanted to go to bed early cause I have to wake up at like 3am to leave by 4:30. Omg, this is gonna be bad!
It's a training run! How did I get here where I do 60K training runs?! Like what the heck :D. And why am I even doing it. Well, IronLegs was my first ever ultra (I even have a tattoo FFS!) and I have a soft spot for it. I just had to do it again, even as a training run. It was an early wake up call with only few hours of sleep. Had breakfast, got ready and was on my way. Parked my car and walked to the start to get my bib and drop off my drop bags. Asked which goes where but still was bit unsure about it as it was super confusing. Oh well, back to the car and get actually ready for the race. Did some warm up, packed everything I need and back to the start line with only few mins to spare. Asked about the drop bags again and almost missed the start haha. Didn't mind starting at the very back, it's a training run, not a race. We did this stupid short out&back in the beginning and it was only for us doing the 60K. There I saw how far back I actually am. Oh whatever. It felt different tho than last year, there were many more people to run with year ago, I already felt pretty alone here. No biggie. I felt hungry. Which was weird. I felt like there is nothing in my stomach hungry. I forgot to eat my waffle before the start but I didn't think at that time I wanna eat anything. So I started to sip on my drink mix pretty early to fill my stomach. The sunrise tho!? Freakin spectacular!!! What a show! I took it easy, maybe too easy but I told myself to really just try to enjoy it, maybe run with people, have some conversations etc. When we got to the first creek crossing, I took my time, took my shoes off, drier my feet after, chill. And I'm glad I did. Running in soaked shoes for the next 20kms? No thanks. I felt like it took me forever to get to the first aid. I refilled my bottles and noticed one of my drop bags. The one that I wanted at the other aid station. Fuck. It had my shoes and all my nutrition. So I took the time to try to figure out how it can be swapped. Luckily the main person was still there and going to the other aid station so he would do it for me. Amazing. I used the bathroom for the first time. Nothing that out of order. Onto Powderface. I wasn't feeling the best. Not sure why but just wasn't feeling it and already have been thinking that this is gonna take bit longer than I thought. My hips were okay, bit of a pain in my left knee. That Powderface climb on the new trail kicked my ass again. How I hate it haha. When I finally got to the ridge, out of the trees finally, I knew I'm gonna have to use bathroom, again. Weird, but okay. Did that, lost more time. Got to the top in almost 3.5hrs and thought, wtf. Why am I this slow tho? Saw Alan taking photos, did a pose and was on my way to Powderface East. And here comes the rain. It wasn't too bad but sprinkling enough to make you bit soaked. Finally arrived at the aid station in like 4:20. It was raining. Took my drop bag and started to change my shoes. Nowhere to sit, so found a spot where I was bit covered in the aid station tent. Took me way longer than I anticipated. Then I had to fill my bottles with more Maurten. Which again, took like forever that even the volunteers there asked me what the heck am I still doing there. Definitely something I have to think about for any next time cause I could've had the Maurten premixed in bottles and just dump it in those I was carrying and it would saved me SO much time. I also changed my tshirt and finally left the aid station. I knew there is a creek crossing just few meters after the aid but hoped I could go across some rocks like last year. But the water was way higher. So took my shoes off again. It was a cold one and it took me bit too long to cross it so my feet were frozen and painful haha. But that actually was a nice little reset. I knew there was a one guy somewhere in front of me. But I was alone otherwise. Up to Ford Knoll, the worst part of the race. I was about 27K in and I felt like I just wanna go home. Not even half way through the race. Awesome. I got also worried I didn't take enough water. And I didn't even have my filter. I was running mostly alone with noone in sight. Damn. I was bit scared. My stomach was not feeling okay. Another bathroom break. Drinking Maurten wasn't really going down, so I tried some of the new SIS gels. Almost threw up instantly, but kept it down and eventually finished the gel. Well, this is gonna be a looooong day. This part is so long and with so many steep climbs, you think you are finally there and there is no more climbling, it's gonna be just downhill now, but there is another climb, another little downhill and another climb again. I finally saw some people too, so that was nice to know there is someone behind me. I started to have serious thoughts about not finishing the race today, I felt like crap, I couldn't really eat much. And besides, it's just a training run right. I texted coach what is the deal with DNF here. If it's just broken bones or if shitty training run is good enough reason. He did not replied. He just ignored me. Cooool. F you too then. Hahah just kidding. I honestly just needed to vent that to someone cause after that I felt better. I finally got to the next aid station and had some ginger ale in hopes that would help me. And they had some boiled little potatoes so I took 2! With more ginger ale and potato in my hand I was on my way to the next aid, only about 10K. Easy peasy eh? My stomach was a mess. I was bloated and was not feeling good at all. But I was still climbing pretty well. When I made it to the top again and knew there is this nice rolling downhill, I put some music on to get me bit pumped and crush this part. I felt good! I was cruising! For about a kilometer...and then my stomach was like NOPE! Bitch! We are not doing this today. And I was pretty close to pooping my pants cause there was literally nowhere to go... fuckin great. At this point, I was getting pissed! I was getting into it, feeling it, crushing it and had to stop again, I lost all the gain I got on the people behind me and it was just very frustrating. I didn't really eat anything, I was obviously getting tired but my legs wanted to go but I just couldn't. What a shitshow. The last aid station. I spent some time there, used the bathroom, again. Got more ginger ale and was so ready to be done with this whole thing. I was not enjoying it at all. The first km or so was tough. But then I got into it again and was able to make some time on the uphills. Then the downhill came and fuck my life I had to stop, again!!! Down to the creek, I didn't bother to take my shoes off this time. And up this reaaaaaaally long hill. 54K in or so and still climbing...Based on the map they posted, it should've been only like 59K this year so I was kinda counting on that. I remember last year when I got about 4/5K left I was hurting really bad, my knee on the downhills was getting really really sore, but there I said F it and I put my music on and I freakin sent it! Some of the fastest kms in the whole race and I got that runners high. It was amazing! Well this time I was just getting more and more frustrated 😅. Also because there I realized it's not gonna be 59K and I thought I missed the turn and was going the wrong way as there were no flags for a really long time! I was pissed. Even more when I saw flags and knew I'm doing this part we did as that out&back in the morning AGAIN! Like fuck me, fuck this race and fuck everything and everyone! 🤣 I was so done when I finally crossed the road and was running back to the finish. I had only few minutes left to beat my time from last year. I gave it my all but only finished literally few seconds before the 11:10 time I got last year (in the end the official time was actually 20sec slower this year). I was DONE. Laid on the grass for a bit, then got my ass up and walked back to the car. Changed and drove to the finish to get my drop bags and have some food. Talked to some other runners, enjoyed the meal and was on my way home. Definitely not the race I wanted or even needed. I know I can do hard shit, I didn't need to be reminded of that, again. I also know I can run that long with basically nothing in my stomach. I found out later tho that I finished 5th female! Not that the 3rd&4th were anywhere close to me but that was the closest I've been and probably ever be to a podium hahah. Definitely wondered if I could if I didn't take it as a training run and didn't have such bad stomach issues cause I was hoping for like 9:30 time. There is always next year, right...maybe then I will actually try to race it. Will see.
Sunday was a Piglet's day. Left really late and hoped we would get parking spot at Upper Kananaskis lake still. We did. It was pretty warm when we started which was good cause Lucy was going really slow! 😅 Thankfully. Perfect for me to be able to keep up! We made it to Rawson lake, walked around a little bit and then just went back. Nice little 3hrs recovery hike. Another big week completed! Hopefully next one is gonna be bit easier.
95.2K / 16:55 TOF
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