Is this ride over? I'd like to get off - Ultra-Trail Harricana 28km

Please do not interpret the title of this post. (Got your attention, didn't I?)

I'd wanted to run Ultra-Trail Harricana for several seasons, except something annoying called the Killington Spartan Beast would fall within the same month. 2019 I would not be denied to return to the Charlevoix region - a beautiful region in Quebec - and run Harricana. I've heard only good things about it.

"The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry" - Robert Burns

...I'm not a man, so that makes me a mouse! Yaaa!

First of all, during the first half of the summer, I was dealing with foot pain. As in, I'd run a short, easy 5K; afterwards for the rest of the day, feel like I was walking on Legos and glass shards taped to my soles. Was pretty much unable to accumulate any kind of serious long distance...a shoe change and some manual therapy helped me out, but we were already in mid-July. Had I not already learned previously about cramming running for a race??

Start corral moment courtesy Lawrence Colsell

If only my finish line race was like my start line face..

What happened, you ask?

First part of the run (about 13km), a nasty up and down, legs feel pretty good.

Second part (next 7km), pass by a huge sign that says La Montagne Noire (The Black Mountain), this was where the race took a huge chunk out of me. Enough little ups and downs to break my rhythm.

Last part: 8km's of downhill, downhill...oh hey, downhill.

After thinking back and digesting this less than ideal outing, some of my thoughts:

- I could have definitely gotten a couple of more long 21+km outings before Harricana.

- stairs. Maybe more stair workouts. With my 50lb Wreck Bag.

- weekend off running because of my cousin's wedding is not ideal, but post-wedding pizza at 2am with more cousins = NO RAGRETS 

- even though everything else was pretty much on point - nutrition, hydration, sleep - your body can and will play a trick or two on you, on race day. 

Usually, I'm a cerebral DJ and play songs in my head (ranging from Disney, to epic classical, to classic rock of course), but when it's a shitty outing that's not getting any better...

Legs: This sucks.
Brain: This sucks.
Running Brain: Hey! Shut up you two..
Legs + Brain: THIS SUCKSSS
Running Brain: ok let's try this: one foot in front of the other!
Legs + Brain: Left-right-left-right-STILL SUCKS-left-right-left-right...

You get the idea. I wasn't able to really dial in any tunes in my head to block the suckage out. I was reminded of my last crappy race which happened in 2015 (a Spartan Beast...that's a long time of "This Sucks")

I avoided looking at the kilometer markers simply because I would backwards calculate how much was left of self-imposed misery....until it came to the last 2km. Then I was definitely keeping an eye out!

Did not make my projected 4h10 finish, but that's ok, next time (hopefully next year) I'll be able to redeem myself.

Trail runners, please have a go at Harricana. The trails are a real treat to run on, with very little rocks or boulders to navigate. There are really good runners from different countries, which is inspiring to see. A Belgian by the name of Raphael Daco conquers the 125km, then runs the 28km. He breezes by me at the 7km mark, none worse for wear, and I do not see him again as he saunters off.

Bonus: showers for the racers! (Another bonus: finding out you chafed! OUUUUCCCHHHHH)

That sock and flip-flop life after the showers. Hell yes.

It seems I'm in the Quebec City/Charlevoix region about once a year, so I make my pilgrimage to Ashton and chomp on a poutine before the last part of the drive home. Harricana finishers spot me (wearing finisher medal) and we share a grin. 

It's not easy, but a great outdoor experience. Highly recommended.