120km
5:30 am on Saturday September 21st, I woke up after a bit of a sleepless night, going in to the longest race, with the most amount of elevation gain of my first season of ultra running. I geared up, and went on my warm up run to get my legs moving and my mind in the game while my fiancé Lex drove to Tims to grab me a breakfast sandwich coffee and honey cruller doughnut. Ounce consuming the fine fuel for the day. We headed downtown to the start line. Just before the beginning of the race the sun came up and turned the low laying clouds pink around the start line.
@7:30 am there gun went off, and the race began. I stayed at the front with two other runners doing the 120, as we watched the top three 60km runners take off. 10km in we hit our fist aid station which I planned skipping because the following aid station was only 6km later. When Alex Petroski (another 120 runner) stopped, I continued, and that was the last I saw another runner in the 120 race. Shortly after passing my second AS we began the super steep ascent to the top of Mt. Seven.
I caught up with the third place runner in the 60km race, and we ended up running together for the duration of the 60 km course. Once we ran through his finish line, that was when I was totally alone for the last 60km. The next loop of the course was a super steep section ending up on the top of Kicking Horse mountain with insane 360 degree views. Than had a satewewp descent from the top of the Gondola down to town. About 100km in with 15km left. I had my Pacer Phil Tarchuck bring me home on some sweet single track. @8:07 pm I ran through the finish line and became the first finisher of the Golden 120km! This was by far the most incredible race I had this season, I felt good from beginning to the end, stayed on top of nutrition, shooting back at least 15 Endurance Tap gels. Maintained my hydration, and kept my spirits high. Could not have asked for a better way to end the season.
