Below is a great race report from AL Club member Kathy McKay as she ripped her way to being the first place woman in the Tenderfoot Boogie on May 15 - way to go Kathy!
The tenderfoot boogie was my first ultra marathon, so my goal was just to finish feeling half decent! I was hoping for a relaxed atmosphere with great scenery, and the course definitely delivered!The first half took us from the Tenderfoot Hatchery in Squamish to Brandywine Falls through the Checkamus Canyon. The views and trails along the way were spectacular! Just before the midway point I started to feel I had taken a wrong turn so I decided to be safe and double back to the last intersection. After 3 or 4 minutes however, I ran into two friends who confirmed that I was going the right way (it turns out that the tape was a different colour in just that section. argh!) In a way I'm glad I had to double back because I was starting to struggle a bit being on my own for so long. The fun company with similar-paced people was a great addition.
There were 3 major climbs in the race, the largest being the last of course! After a quick but uplifting visit with my boyfriend and friends near Function Junction, we started the 500m climb up the Rainbow-Sproat-Flank trail. Soon into the climb one of my friends ran out of gas. Since I was out there to have fun, I decided to stick with him rather than push on ahead. Luckily a lot of the snow at the top had melted since our pre-run a few weeks earlier, so we made fairly good time... despite Pat's imitation of Frankenstein as his legs cramped! Two kms from the finish we had one last surprise when we saw a bear grazing in the grass only 20ft to our side! Luckily we were tired and sweaty enough that the grass seemed more tempting to him than we did!
I can't believe I'm saying this, but by ending with an easier pace for the final 15km, my body actually felt pretty good as we crossed the finish line and met up with our other friends who did the 26km option!
What a fantastic day, beautiful weather and amazing scenery! I'm so thrilled to have finished the race and had so much fun. (Being the first female was an added bonus!) There is nothing like a great trail and great friends!
Posts
