Calgary is in the throes of yet another “deep freeze”,
the type where those that venture outdoors become encrusted in ice after a
short period of time, with eyelashes and eyebrows freezing, hair and clothes
becoming rigid with ice, and even the ladies end up with beards and moustaches
as their faces freeze in the cold air. The good news is that despite the cold,
the snow hasn’t been too frequent in recent weeks and most days we are greeted
by the bluest skies and brightest sunshine which certainly helps to make the
long winter months somewhat more bearable. We're also fortunate to experience many
natural wonders – snow capped mountains, icy rivers, sightings of wildlife searching for
any scraps of food they can find beneath the snow and ice, as well as “sun
dogs” that are formed by ice crystals in the air that reflect off the light to
create beautiful golden arcs and rainbows around the sun. I tried to
photograph this phenomenon whilst out on a run recently but couldn’t quite
capture what a wonderful sight these are and the beauty they emit.
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| Del's photo attempt of a Sun Dog - just about see halo and rainbow effect :-) |
Not
surprisingly, racing in such chilly temperatures is tough – breathing becomes
even more laboured as the cold air hits the lungs, and the whole body feels
like a lead weight as the blood thickens, making it more difficult to fuel the
muscles when running at an effort. When waking up on Saturday morning
with full intentions of running a cross country race, I knew that it was going to be hard
work.
We’d been spoilt at previous cross country races this
winter as things had been much warmer – we’d even raced in shorts and t-shirt
at the previous 2 races - but with a maximum of -16 expected for today’s race
at Nose Hill, it was going to be the coldest race this season and so the race
director’s warning the night before was kind of expected:
“ ….. just finished
flagging the course for tomorrow on Nose Hill. The wind is extremely extreme!
We made the decision to make the course two loops in consideration of the
volunteers and staying closer to the cars. PLEASE wear lots of layers tomorrow.
There isn't much ice but if the wind is anything like it is right now, BUNDLE
UP!! ….”
Being a former Girl Guide, I was definitely prepared,
and yet despite arriving at the start in 2 pairs of thermal running tights, 4
top layers, 2 pairs of gloves and a balaclava, I could still feel the cold, with
my fingers and toes already feeling numb before we had even started.
With a 2 lap course this year rather than the usual 1,
it wasn’t going to be as hilly although there was still a good hill to climb at
the start of each lap to take us to the top and on to the plateau. I was
feeling pretty relaxed about the race today and after a swift start, I settled
into a steady pace up the hill. Conditions underfoot were pretty good with just
small sections of deeper, softer snow and patches of ice, but in general, it
was good running and it really helped me to pick up the pace, pleasantly
surprising myself with a few 4.30 km splits. I overtook a few chaps once I’d
hit the top, although it was hard to tell the boys from the girls as everybody
was dressed like a ninja and barely recognisable from previous races, but I
figured I was 2nd lady as I could still see the bright pink jacket
of Kim just ahead. I knew that I wouldn’t catch her – particularly with another
jaunt up the hill at the start of the second lap – so my main aim was to keep the
pace going and hope that I didn’t get caught from behind by another lady.
After a couple of km in the open, we dropped down into
a clump of trees to follow a narrow, snowy pathway, ducking and diving between
tree branches and trying to stay upright, before hitting the main pathway for
the start of lap 2. Sadly I didn’t see the porcupine this year, although
apparently he was lurking in those trees and was spotted by several runners as
they ran through.
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| Freezing cold Nose Hill XC Race and heading through the trees - still smiling :-) |
The second lap was pretty much the same – I was
feeling good and could tell that my marathon training and speed sessions are
already starting to pay off. Kim had by now opened up a good lead and so with
no other ladies to chase, I focused on trying to stay ahead of the men and
trying to catch any in front of me.
A fast downhill finish gave me 2nd lady and
17th overall, along with one of my fastest paced cross country races for a long
time. OK, the course suited me with some good flat and downhill running, but it
still gave me confidence that training is going in the right direction and that
the pain and effort is worth it. The result means that I’m currently lying 1st
in my age group this year and 2nd lady overall, and it’s highly
unlikely that these positions will change with just 2 races remaining.
Next weekend I have the Frozen Ass 50km which I won
last year in 3 hours 56 minutes. I already know that there are some far
speedier ladies taking part this year and assuming they still turn up, I don’t
expect to “defend my title”. With so much treadmill running over the past few
weeks, I really have no idea how I will cope running outdoors for that sort of
distance on the roads, and as ever, much will be dictated by the weather and
pathway conditions on the day. What I do know though is that the cross country has
given me a little more confidence and I’m hoping that I’ll have a good run in the
50km that will give me a good indication of my current fitness level. I’d love
to run a little faster than last year, if only by a minute or so, but whatever
happens, I fully intend to enjoy the racing and giving it my best shot – after
all, that’s what running is all about.
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