Coulee Cactus Crawl

All year I have been preparing for the upcoming Sinister 7 Ultramarathon in Crowsnest Pass, Alta. Part of this preparation has been avoiding racing, an exciting yet risky habit that has enveloped a lot of each year since 2012. Instead, I have spent the entire first half of 2015 training and getting out on the road and trails.

Training has been relentless with high volume and hard workouts. I have managed to stay, thankfully, healthy and uninjured. I have realized that I rather enjoy a large, uninterrupted block of training – an extended period of sculpting my body and honing my craft. However, I also realized it makes me a bit anxious about where I stand heading into one of the most difficult events in Canada.

Last month I traveled to Lethbridge, Alta., for a dry run, a dress rehearsal with everything I would wear and carry during Sinister 7. I learned about the  from a post shared on Facebook. I’m glad it caught my eye. The Crawl was perfect, a great event hosted by a tight-knit running community in southern Alberta. Runner’s Soul, Lethbridge’s local run shop, hosts a number of events in Lethbridge. The Crawl is one of their few trail events. It is a 35K course that runs on top, around and over the coulees in the Oldman River valley. Coulees are deceptively short yet steep hills that flow like waves from the river up to the city plateau. The coulees are covered in prairie grasses and cacti, with shrub and aspens lining the riverbank. In addition to helping me gauge myself heading into Sinister 7, the Crawl reminded me just how varied and beautiful trail-running is in Alberta.

Race day provided clear skies, a strong sun, and temperatures peaking at about 30C. My feet carried me across the traditional land of the Blood Tribe and the solitude of the single-track was balanced by the excitement of the hardy volunteers offering water and jujubes at aid stations. My favourite turn in the trail was where a solitary volunteer had parked her camp chair on the high point of the course, shielded from the midday sun by an umbrella. She shared quiet encouragement and held out a bag of chips as an offering to those running by.

The race ended where it began, at Indian Battle Park. The organizers and volunteers had prepared a grand spread with beer, watermelon and tacos for all. Their choice belied knowledge of home as the fare blended impeccably with the hills of swaying prairie grasses and cacti set under a blazing sun.

I went into the Crawl with hopes of testing my race kit for Sinister 7 and reassuring my mind the year of training had taken effect. The run through the coulees with the community in Lethbridge gifted me more than this simple reassurance. I came away grateful to have coursed along new trails close to home, more excited about exploring across Alberta, and encouraged by the positivity and inclusiveness of the growing community.

Readers: what great community events have you been introduced to this year?