Canmore, 5peaks, doom, futility, and an extreme sense of adrenaline agitation…

The weather was spectacular! The trails were mostly beautiful. But I don’t think I will run this venue again for two reasons. The first is because I would rather do Moose Mountain which happens a week before the 5peaks race in Canmore. The second is complicated but here is my story:

We got to Calgary Friday night and stayed at my daughter’s apartment. We got up at 6:30 AM to drive to Canmore but unfortunately we did not get mobile soon enough to get there on time. We arrived at the Canmore Nordic Centre (after much wondering what roads to turn on once we got to Canmore). I had to drive right up to almost the starting area because I didn’t get there until 5 minutes before my 9 AM start time.

Unfortunately I also had to use the porta-potty before (no choice there!). I had jumped out of the car and Marilyn had to park it for me because I had no time except to grab my hydration pack out of the trunk and rush up to get my timing chip (I had my bib number already which had been picked up from MEC by my daughter earlier in the week). Then I found out I did not need to register because there was to be no chip timing. So I ran back to the porta-potty (I hadn’t used it yet). I gave Marilyn my ticket stubs I had ripped off my bib number, used the porta-potty, and ran to the start line with just one minute to spare before we started out.

I was too late to catch some probably important information about the course the director was announcing over the PA system so I just started out and hoped the course would become clear in time. I put on my hydration pack and fastened the belts as I was crossing the start line. I was totally freaked out and out of breath so I took it really slow, just keeping the last runner in sight. The typical 5peaks trail markers were reassuring but I was not sure about the occasional signs that indicated the Sports route vs. the Enduro route, and there were no indicators for the half marathon (which I heard over the PA was actually 20 km not 21) so it was not a true half.

I was familiar with these markings from my previous 4 trail runs in the Northern Alberta Series run by that fabulous and efficient race director Kamren Farr (what a great representative for 5peaks he is!). There, one usually ran the same route whether you were doing the Sports (about 7 km) event or the Enduro (about 14 km) events. If you were doing the Enduro you just ran two laps of the Sports loop. There were km markers usually every kilometer marked with the distance, so one would find a sign that said Sports = 3 km and Enduro = 10 km lap two or something similar.

Anyway, I began to get really confused about the markers that indicated direction changes such as Sports with a direction arrow, and so on. I ran through several switchbacks which took me almost back to the start area where I found my first race marshals. The runners ahead of me had already turned and were running up the first large hill so I stopped and asked the race marshals if the half route was unique or if I had to do three Sports loops or one Sports loop and one Enduro loop or what, and much to my dismay they did not know! I wanted to be clear on this and during the time I stopped to talk to them I lost sight of the last runner at the back of the pack. So I just shrugged and went on hoping to catch up to them and just follow them and maybe ask them what was going on.

I never caught up to them because I took a wrong turn and got totally lost. I followed the tracks of the runners up to a point then lost the trail and took a wrong turn and ended up I don’t know where, but I did see a few signs up ahead. By chance I met a race marshal on his way to his station (he was on a mountain bike) and told him I was totally lost. He said the other racers were still down on the Sports loop and I was somehow way ahead of them. I asked him what I should do and he radioed in to ask for help. He said he was at station 96 (I think) and he and the person on the other end of the radio conversation were trying to figure out which route I should take to get back on track. Well, to keep a long story short, I decided to withdraw from the race knowing that I could never properly find my way in time. The race marshal took out his map which he showed me and said he had not yet traced out the route on his map but there was the Enduro loop partly drawn in. Then he pointed out the Enduro loop entrance and noted that I missed it because the sign had fallen down and he and his partner picked it back up and put it back in place.

Since no one could help me find my way back in a reasonable time, my spirit hit rock bottom and my belly felt like jelly to be funny about it. And no one seemed to know the exact route protocol for the half! I decided to ask him to radio in that I would not be finishing the half, but that I would continue on and finish the Enduro loop.

And I did. My best estimate for the distance I ran that day would be about 13 km, but I cannot be sure. I have no choice but to accept that number for my yearly running log.

I was very disappointed and a little bitter too. But I put on a brave face and did what I could. As I approached the finish line I veered off and refused to cross it; I went around. I ripped off my stub from my bib and gave it to the finish line people telling them that I did not finish the half because I got lost.

I know it was partly my fault because I got there so late, yet other people seemed to have no trouble finding their way and finishing, including one person I know who finished even though he arrived and started a full half hour after I did. Did he know the way because he ran the same route last year, were there more race marshals out directing traffic by that time, or am I just stupid?

So, I had a devastatingly disappointing day in spite of the beauty of the location and the great weather. On the plus side, I did not re-injure my calf muscle because once I realized I could not hope to finish, I decided to take it easy and enjoy the scenery, including stopping to stretch out on a few bridges and pausing at an aid station clapping and cheering the other runners on who by that time had caught up to me. I had taken the top pins off of my bib so that it hung blank white side up on my shirt. I had been advised to keep it on even though I would not be finishing in case I needed aid.

All in all it was not a very pleasant event for me, and I really felt quite alone in the crowd, apart from my fan club which consisted of my daughter and my wife. And they told me that no one they talked to at the start line knew the half marathon protocol either and the route map posted there was undecipherable.

I would like to say that I am relating this from memory of events that occurred while I was in a state of extreme adrenaline agitation mixed with a sense of doom and futility, and so perhaps I did not quite get the facts right. For this, I apologize.

To end on a more positive note: I guess that is enough whining about that. It’s time to move on and I am really looking forward to my next half marathon October 8th in Devon and that is my home town so the route won’t be a problem!