Sam Dickie

This past spring I was planning to attempt the fastest known time (FKT) of the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. After months of training and preparing the trip was canceled due to the shutdown of Covid-19. After a brief period of cancelation depression I knew I needed to make another project to train and keep myself busy. I ended up choosing to run the 230km Icefields Parkway from Lake Louise to Jasper. The Annapurna Cicuit is nearly the same distance so I was already prepared to take on this challenge. A week prior to the run, I started to feel some discomfort in my knee during a training session. I went to Physio a few days later as the pain did not subside, only to hear that I shouldn’t be thinking of attempting this run for a couple weeks at least. I felt crushed thinking that the opportunity to finally test myself at this distance was once again taken from me. I decided to run it anyways, knowing it could take me twice as long as long as anticipated. This was something I needed to finish. That decision turned into the most painful experience of my life. I ended up finishing the 230km in 31 hours and went to places in my mind I did not know existed. Even though it’s been four months since and I have only just recovered, I do not regret the decision I made and I cannot wait to run farther next year.
Thanks again to my amazing pit crew that dealt with my incredibly slow pace and stuck by my side for 31 hours.