Its Saturday and as soon as Karen picked me up we were off to the races. This would be Karen’s first time doing this course. She missed last years race due to a cold. The Hwy was busy but we still made it to the race in plenty of time despite making a couple of wrong turns. I helped Karen set up the Calgary Roadrunners clothing display and then we went through our backpacks deciding what layers we needed to wear for the cold temperatures.
Other runners arrived and did some stretching or relaxing. We all have our own way of preparing for a race.
Karen tried a couple of different ideas of what to wear. I think she finally settled on the aerodymic red hat.
I decided on thin gloves with mits over top along with my extra sleeves I could easily remove. I also added an oversided pink tube thingy that pulls up over my head. Below you see me with some friends layering up. Are we runners or bank robbers?
Before too long it was time to head over to the start line. Oh yeah with all this snow and possibly ice hiding underneath its best to have either spikes or yaktraks. The pink gators also work well to keep the snow off my calves and add some warmth to my lower legs.
Behind us the rest of the runners headed to the start line as well. It was a long trek acrossed a snowy field to the starting area.
The first part of the course led us back across the field and then down a hill. I yelled “Where’s my toboggan?” and barrelled down the hill with a Karen style “YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOO”. Those just ahead laughed. Of course it wasn’t too long before the runners were out of site and I could hear the breathing of the one runner left behind me.
From the downhill section we ran along a treed area with gentle rolling hills and then up a steeper hill. I walked that. At the top of the hill we ran a wide road. Just past the volunteers we headed down another hill (lower right) and then back up another hill on the otherside of the frozen river. I walked that hill as well. The runner that had been behind me passed me somewhere in that section. Cool, she’s wearing pink pants! I had talked to her before the start. Today was her first XC race. We had joked about who was the slower runner and who would be last. Looks like it will be me.
As I ran along the next flat section I heard a runner yell “YAHOO” behind me. I looked back to see the lead runner headed towards me and soon he was past me. This was somewhere around the 25 minute mark.
After the flat stretch we head back into another treed and rolling uphill area. More runners ran past. Thankfully this course has a nice wide path so I didn’t have to hug any trees today.
I could feel my eyelids freezing shut. They say this is a good sign its time to quit. I didn’t feel cold and had long ago removed my extra mits, the sleeves and pink tube thingy. They were all pinned to various parts of my outer vest. My camera battery said it was low but I managed to snap a picture of my frozen face. I have white hair…lol.
As I neared the finish line my friend Harvey ran out to join me. He had past me and finished already. I think he came back to egg on his brother but decided to motivate me instead. He ran just ahead bugging me to move faster and finish strong. It worked. I ran through the snow but laughed when he told me to sprint “I am sprinting”. He laughed too. It was great of him to help me finish. As you can see below he was pretty frosty looking too. This is the same guy that was to my right in the picture near the beginning. I finished just after the 50 minute mark. Not my best time, but not my worst and for a change there were still 8km runners out on the course. Karen hadn’t lapped me like at the Edworthy XC.
I waited at the finish for a few minutes to see if Karen was coming in but then decided it was too cold. Heck even the finish line volunteers sat inside a heated car while waiting for the remaining runners…lol.
Inside I removed some of my damp layers and found my way to the soup. I chose the chicken soup and headed for the treat table. I had decided I would pick one treat. So many choices it was hard to decide so when I spotted a broken cookie I picked it and took a real small piece of Karen’s chocolate cake. It was all great. Karen came in as I sat down. When they anounced the winners I discovered there had only been 2 runners in my age group for the 8km. Dang it if I had done 8, I might still be out there but I would have gotten 3rd. Karen took 3rd in her age group. Yeah Karen!
On the way home we made a quick trip to the mall for some shopping. Can’t say what we got as the recipients might be reading this. 
After Karen dropped me off at home I headed to the neighbors to pick up Kiki. We’re dog sitting again until Monday. The one on the left is mine, LeBut and Kiki (his girlfriend) is on the right. They are so cute together. Both are Shitzu crosses.
The little one is over for the night as well. We’re going to set up and decorate the Christmas tree so I better go. Hope everyone else is having a great weekend. I will catch up on my reading tomorrow I guess.
Great report and pictures as usual! I love the white hair thing. It sounds like you had an amazing time and shared it with good friends. Have fun decorating the tree and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Excellent pics! Love the white frost on your eyelashes. Thanks for a fun day together!
Great job on the run and thanks for the great pics and thorough race report – I get to sit by my warm computer and still feel like I was at the race (less the windchill). Enjoy your Sunday basking in the thrill of completion!
[...] always up for shopping, so we had more fun and then headed home for supper. Dawn has some fabulous pictures in her report. Go see!
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Nice pic’s! You guys really are kind of nuts to be doing this when you could stay inside by the fire!
OMG! It’s coming up to summer here in Oz so I’m thinking how to rearrange my training to deal with the heat – and you’re running in a blizzard (ok, ok, but we don’t have much snow here and none near me ever! So I’m very impressed at your intrepidness)
PS huge congratulations on having the discipline to lose 10lb, wow
Frozen eyelashes, brrrrr…I haven’t had that problem since I was back on the farm in the 1970’s. Sounds like a fun race despite the cold, I had to suffer with +8?C and rain
for my HM on Saturday.
P.S. You are doing an awesome job with your diet!
I don’t know how you do it, Dawn, running all those races in those conditions. It’s around freezing temperature when I do my runs, but I don’t have to worry about ice or snow. This would certainly put me off.
Look at you with your frozen face! But what a beautiful place for a race!!
[...] of those 58 8k racers were women. Kathy’s got more pictures, including one of Dawn up at the Calgary Roadrunners website here.
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OMG that is just incredible. Is it slippery? Do you fall over a lot, isn’t it deep?
I am amazed by those photos, it is just so unbelievably gorgeous
You all are my inspiration for running in winter.
Wow! Great race report & pics! I love the ones of all the frozen faces. How many people participate in these super cold races? All the snow is beautiful. Our high today won’t even be 30 but we don’t have snow. Keep up the great racing!!
Way to go, Dawn! You are truly my hero! I start whine when it’s 40 degrees with no snow, I can’t imagine running what you went through! Great job!
And congratulations on your weight loss!
You Rock Woman……excellant report and no doubt you were responsible for my getting my butt in gear this chilly am!!!
Awesome! Nice pictures, thanks. Talk about dedicated runners. No more excuses for me now..ha ha. You guys put alot of us to shame!
HOly cow. You really are a penquin! I have run in alaska and had frozen hair before…it’s crazy. It was also the only place where I never ever regretted one layer. I always needed all of them. Rock on you stud.
just looking at those pictures made me want a put on another sweater!!
I’m late to the party as usual, Dawn, but it looks like it was a great race. Some beautiful shots as always. I can’t believe the frost on your face and eyes! I remember some days cold enough that my eyes would stick closed but not many. As much as you guys joke about it, I have to believe it really is not a race for the weak or uninitiated. I really have to admire your stamina for conditions like that.
Although, coming south to run might make you melt!
[...] This time last year when we ran this race it was pretty darn cold. You can check out last year’s report and compare some of the photos. Of course, this year I also have a better camera. [...]