Race Day!

For athletes the fun of YellowKnife is over, it’s time to race. Yep, it’s cold again and with the windchill, it’s somewhere in the minus twenties range. I feel fortunate to be bundled up each day with Goose feathers unlike the Ultra athletes who are trying to figure out what gear will work for these harsh conditions event though it’s suppose to be spring!

Today’s blog is 90% about the race and full of words from the racers. Strap on your snowshoes or skiis, do you have your survival gear in your backpack, what about your face cover gear? Do you have enough food, fluids and an extra pair of gloves in your backpack? Move your way to the start line please….

As I work my way around the athlete’s pre-race area, here’s what I notice and hear…racer number (RN) 10 is having her pant legs duct taped to her ankles to prevent snow build up, RN 420 is re-doing the wax on his skiis, the Aussie RN 403 who has raised over 250 K for a hospital in his home by racing all over the world, tells me, it’s mind over matter, so if you don’t mind it, it doesn’t matter! Race Director Scott Smith is very excited! RN 414 love this race and he’s from Japan! RN 203 a female Japanese racer has a whole crew with her cheering her on. RN 424 from Ottawa can’t wait to see 6 days of Yellowknife backcountry, RN 5 let’s kick ass, RN 11 just finish, RN 003 let’s get going, RN 223 Woo Hoo!

Bang goes the gun they are off and are you? Don’t worry Mike from arctic response and his team have you covered just in case (www.arcticresponse.ca)

As media dude I’m off in a helicopter to take photos and to catch up with the athletes. Great for us to fly in the direction of the athletes BUT the athletes will be facing an headwind for 95% of the day today with little relief. Todays’ terrain features some protected forest areas but he majority is crossing frozen exposed lake. Yikes I hate racing in cold windy weather and I don’t have to carry a backpack or pull a ski pulk.

We reach the first major checkpoint, RN 408 I’m hungry! RN 404 from England, a delightful race, I’m a long way from home but it’s better than the tube, Checkpoint Manager Andrea tells me some frost bitten noses are coming by but we have duct tape to fix that! OWWWW! RN 48 from Ireland, no problems with me or my equipment, RN 105 in the relay with bunny ears is pumped to do her part, however within the next 30 minutes of leaving this checkpoint the weather turns and not only do we have a head wind but we also have a snow storm and low visibility added in for fun.

I am now at the finish point of today’s stage at Powder Point, the first person to cross the line is RN 224, competing in the 3 day Ultra race, approximately 5 hours and 50 minutes after the race start and he looks fresh. No wonder why, he trains with the Canadian Nordic Team and he is a local. The first 6 day diamond athlete RN 419 comes in 10 minutes later.

These superstar athletes are concerned that their hydration systems are freezing up, the worst wind they have ever faced and the soft snow they are traveling on.

Big cheers go out to RN 005, Craig Scott a local that has won the single day cold foot race of the Rock and Ice Ultra. He also couldn’t believe the head wind.

Now your thinking has anyone dropped out, yes there have been. Reasons: frostbite, snow blindness, broken equipment and hypothermia.

We leave the stage on finish eight and a half hours after race start and only 25 % of the athletes have finished and it’s starting to get dark.

You can find official results for all the races and stages at: www.sleepmonsters.com and for race information, www.rockandiceultra.com . I will supply the human stories so check back again for the next 6 days. Be an internet Ultra athlete to follow me.