Part 4

July 12, 2024

Originally posted June 9, 2024

Two weeks until race day! I’m so excited and can’t wait to get out on the trail with all of you racers. Every race is special…a reward for all of the hard training. New friends are made on the trail and memories are created. On race days I always remind myself that it is a privilege to toe a start line and to stay calm and run happy!

The bulk of our training is done and it’s taper time! For this update I thought I’d share a bit of my race plan and what thoughts will be going through my head as I travel the course. Please take what you can from my ideas. They obviously won’t apply to everyone but you might pick up a few tips. My ultimate goal is to run the course in the 12 hour time limit however I hope I can complete it in 9-10 hours so my tips may not apply to you speedier runners.

• Warm-up: the SkyRace starts with 1 km of flat running before starting up the steepest climb on Bluff mountain. One kilometre is not enough warm-up for me so I will go for an easy 10 min jog, and do some mobility work, right before the start.
• Climb up Bluff mountain: “Calm, calm, calm”. I’m going to stay calm knowing that I may get behind some racers that are slower than me or I may have to wait to get on the single track. I’m going to be happy about this as I know that this is a very long race. Starting slow will pay off later in the race.
• Descent back side of Bluff: I’m going to love this soft steep down knowing rocks are coming next. Appreciate the soft ground!
• Forest road to Aid Station (AS)1: this is a beautiful shaded gradual up. Runnable for most but I plan to brisk walk a lot of it saving energy for the next steep climb.
• Minotaur Loop (AS 1 to AS 2): as soon as we leave AS 1 we are challenged by a very long steep climb. “Slow and steady” is my motto as I want to feel good as I traverse the top of the Livingstone Range. I know that it can be very windy up there so I may put on my light toque and wind shell. Next up is the Shoe Shredder scree slope, not my favorite section of the course! I’m planning to approach it with confidence knowing I can get down it and it won’t last forever haha!
• Morin Ridge and South Peak (AS 2 to AS 3): this is the longest section of the course and in my opinion the toughest. So knowing that I might take me 3.5-4 hours for this section I plan to leave AS 2 with 2 L of fluid and a good amount of fuel (for me about 1000 kcal). I know this is key for me to feel good. I will ensure that I am feeling good at the top of this third climb as Morin Ridge is the most technical part of the course and I want to have my wits about me. No bonking here. Travel the ridge with care staying on the line following the flags. From South Peak, it’s a long rocky and then soft forest descent to AS 3. Time to pick up the pace!
• Gold Creek trail and the community trail in town (AS 3 to the Finish): time to crush it…no holding back. Only 3 km of gradual down through soft forest and then the 3 km push on a gravel lane and sweet paved path along the Crowsnest River through town. Almost done! Soon I’ll get to experience the exhilaration that people who have completed the Minotaur SkyRace talk about.

Hope my thoughts are of some help. See you on June 21 at package pick-up and June 22 on RACE DAY!

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