Adelle Densham
Adelle Densham Cam (Trapline Marathon 2009)
(larger version)
Post Race Report
Late last year I read an article in Canadian Running Magazine about the Trappers Running Club in Labrador and the Trapline Marathon they put on during Thanksgiving Weekend. Steve and I have always wanted to go to Labrador and the fact that there was a marathon too...well that was just too much for the "flight of fancy" mind I am so often accused of having .and I registered in January.
The Trapline Marathon became my "A" race of the year. I worked hard all year with Rick Hellard on my running and was able to take a lot of time off both my Boilermaker and Half-Marathon times. Things were looking promising for the marathon.
As we started preparing for our trip a few weeks ago life happened and I became quite ill with the flu for three weeks. No running, no working....by the time our flight left for Goose Bay from Halifax I was prepared to switch my event down to the 10k.
Landing in Labrador was amazing. It is truly Big Land country: trees, lakes and clear clean air. We were met by members of the Trappers Running Club at the airport and driven to our hotel. They were so friendly and welcoming. That evening their club had a 5k social run and we all got to meet each other. Everyone was so positive and very excited to put on their second marathon weekend.
Friday: race-kit pick-up. Just before we leave our room to volunteer for a few hours and collect my kit for the 10k Steve asks me if I think I can run the marathon. I said yes I think I could. He tells me to run it, "you'll be so disappointed to go home not having done it". I collect my marathon race-kit. My number is 001.
The pasta dinner Friday evening is terrific. We are seated with two women who are doing their first ever event, a 10k. Roxanne is so excited she says it "feels just like Christmas". Their enthusiasm is contagious. An Inuit Metis Elder is the MC and all are introduced to runners from here and the "come from aways". Everything goes off like clockwork and the generosity of the aboriginal running community is very special. There are last minute reminders for race day and the evening is over.
Saturday morning is cool and cloudy. Perfect for running. I think about Dan in Hawaii and wish him well from Labrador and Julia racing in Florida. The bus picks us marathoners up at our hotel and all 17 of us drive together up to the start at Northwest River. The marathon starts at the Trappers Monument in this historical town. We are met by an Inuit Metis Elder dressed in traditional trapper gear and he gives us a little history of what a trapper had to endure during his many months away from home. The group is photographed, fresh muffins and coffee are offered and at 8am sharp the Elder fires his rifle and we are off.
Only seven of the seventeen running are women and I am the lone Ontario representative. After a few kilometers I am on my own and it is so beautiful. The views of the Mealy Mountains and Lake Melville are lovely and the scent of pine and birch is unmistakeable. Every 5km there are aid stations and enthusiastic volunteers. Medics cycle the course and because I am near the back, I have my own escort in a red car; an old fella who offers me mittens, extra drinks, anything else I need, stats on how far in front someone is, how far back etc. He was a great distraction and so nice.
At 20km it got hard and I struggled with the next 22. I tell myself this is "just like Christmas"...I would look at the view, jump over fresh bear dung covered in berries (no kidding) and keep pushing. My little friend in the red car came by and asked what I needed...please make sure there is some soup left for me at the finish line.
The course comes back into Goose Bay and into the Kinsmen Park where the finish line is. I can see Steve and I finally get there. My medal is lovely....a snowshoe hand-crafted by a local artisan. Steve was right, I am so glad I ran it!
The finish line is spectacular. 8 traditional Labradorian cooking tents with bear soup, caribou soup, fish and brewis, toutons, flummies....not a dried bagel in site. The Innu, Inuit and Inuit Metis are happy to answer questions and share this wonderful feast. The tents are warm and the generosity overwhelming...
That evening there is a banquet for the runners along with entertainment. The male and female members in each of the 3 events are honoured and the evening is a lot of fun with new friends. Pierre Rousseau from Quebec wins the marathon in 3:01:58. 5 of the 17 qualify for Boston.
The Trapline Marathon is all about an intimate running event that shares the history of the Trapper in one of the world's last frontiers while making sure you have a great experience. I hope I can go back and do it again.
Thanks so much to Steve. Dana, Terry, Wendy and Tanya...your friendship and support really mean't a lot especially the last 3 weeks! And to the wonderful Trappers Running Club: you did awesome, thank-you for a wonderful experience and until we meet again, keep running Full Tilt!
Adelle Densham
The Trapline Marathon became my "A" race of the year. I worked hard all year with Rick Hellard on my running and was able to take a lot of time off both my Boilermaker and Half-Marathon times. Things were looking promising for the marathon.
As we started preparing for our trip a few weeks ago life happened and I became quite ill with the flu for three weeks. No running, no working....by the time our flight left for Goose Bay from Halifax I was prepared to switch my event down to the 10k.
Landing in Labrador was amazing. It is truly Big Land country: trees, lakes and clear clean air. We were met by members of the Trappers Running Club at the airport and driven to our hotel. They were so friendly and welcoming. That evening their club had a 5k social run and we all got to meet each other. Everyone was so positive and very excited to put on their second marathon weekend.
Friday: race-kit pick-up. Just before we leave our room to volunteer for a few hours and collect my kit for the 10k Steve asks me if I think I can run the marathon. I said yes I think I could. He tells me to run it, "you'll be so disappointed to go home not having done it". I collect my marathon race-kit. My number is 001.
The pasta dinner Friday evening is terrific. We are seated with two women who are doing their first ever event, a 10k. Roxanne is so excited she says it "feels just like Christmas". Their enthusiasm is contagious. An Inuit Metis Elder is the MC and all are introduced to runners from here and the "come from aways". Everything goes off like clockwork and the generosity of the aboriginal running community is very special. There are last minute reminders for race day and the evening is over.
Saturday morning is cool and cloudy. Perfect for running. I think about Dan in Hawaii and wish him well from Labrador and Julia racing in Florida. The bus picks us marathoners up at our hotel and all 17 of us drive together up to the start at Northwest River. The marathon starts at the Trappers Monument in this historical town. We are met by an Inuit Metis Elder dressed in traditional trapper gear and he gives us a little history of what a trapper had to endure during his many months away from home. The group is photographed, fresh muffins and coffee are offered and at 8am sharp the Elder fires his rifle and we are off.
Only seven of the seventeen running are women and I am the lone Ontario representative. After a few kilometers I am on my own and it is so beautiful. The views of the Mealy Mountains and Lake Melville are lovely and the scent of pine and birch is unmistakeable. Every 5km there are aid stations and enthusiastic volunteers. Medics cycle the course and because I am near the back, I have my own escort in a red car; an old fella who offers me mittens, extra drinks, anything else I need, stats on how far in front someone is, how far back etc. He was a great distraction and so nice.
At 20km it got hard and I struggled with the next 22. I tell myself this is "just like Christmas"...I would look at the view, jump over fresh bear dung covered in berries (no kidding) and keep pushing. My little friend in the red car came by and asked what I needed...please make sure there is some soup left for me at the finish line.
The course comes back into Goose Bay and into the Kinsmen Park where the finish line is. I can see Steve and I finally get there. My medal is lovely....a snowshoe hand-crafted by a local artisan. Steve was right, I am so glad I ran it!
The finish line is spectacular. 8 traditional Labradorian cooking tents with bear soup, caribou soup, fish and brewis, toutons, flummies....not a dried bagel in site. The Innu, Inuit and Inuit Metis are happy to answer questions and share this wonderful feast. The tents are warm and the generosity overwhelming...
That evening there is a banquet for the runners along with entertainment. The male and female members in each of the 3 events are honoured and the evening is a lot of fun with new friends. Pierre Rousseau from Quebec wins the marathon in 3:01:58. 5 of the 17 qualify for Boston.
The Trapline Marathon is all about an intimate running event that shares the history of the Trapper in one of the world's last frontiers while making sure you have a great experience. I hope I can go back and do it again.
Thanks so much to Steve. Dana, Terry, Wendy and Tanya...your friendship and support really mean't a lot especially the last 3 weeks! And to the wonderful Trappers Running Club: you did awesome, thank-you for a wonderful experience and until we meet again, keep running Full Tilt!
Adelle Densham
Adelle Densham, 2008 Female Runner of the Year, Cornwall Multisport Club and 2009 Trapline Marathoner!
(larger version)
Pre Race Feature Story
The following submission from Adelle Densham speaks for itself, so enjoy!
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Several years ago I became seriously and critically ill and was diagnosed with Crohns Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. There were many painful flare-ups and for years life was difficult both for myself and for my family. During one of my battles with this disease I was watching on TV a womens 10 000m track event and I became fascinated. Running was everything I wasn't: healthy, strong, simple, freeing. I told myself if I ever got better I would learn to run.
Eventually I needed surgery and have been mostly symptom-free since. Once my health started to return I kept thinking about learning to run but would find excuses to put it off. It was after a visit to my doctor that I started. He had been running for a year and gave me a book on running.
I began in fall of 2005 and I hated it. It felt uncomfortable and I didn't think I was going to be able to run for 5 minutes let alone 5km! But I stuck it out and if a week seemed a little hard I would repeat that week. 6 weeks into my program I was completely hooked. I started to have more energy, I felt stronger and I discovered the power of endorphins!
In 2006 I joined the newly formed Cornwall Multisport Club. It is the largest multisport club in Eastern Ontario with over 260 members. We are a diverse group. There are Ironman athletes, Boston Marathoners, new 5k athletes and Learn to Run members. A lot of my friendships come from our club and no matter what you are preparing for, or your level of ability, members of the CMC encourage you to pursue your own goals.
I graduated from our club's first Learn to Run program in 2006 and haven't looked back. In the fall of 2006 I ran my first half marathon and stayed at that distance for the next year mixing it up with shorter distances. I love the half marathon but wanted to challenge myself with 42.2km. Last May I ran my first marathon in Ottawa. What an unbelieveable feeling to cross the finish line! My marathon partner and I decided to tackle a 50k Ultra last fall and we ran a trail race called Run for the Toad. It was brutal and it was fabulous! I was completely overwhelmed last fall to be presented with Female Runner of the Year for the Cornwall Multisport Club.
2009 has 2 highlights for me: the first one I have already done and that is the Goofy Challenge in Disney this past January. 4 members from our club did the event: the half marathon on Saturday and the full marathon on Sunday. The training was tough with weekly back to back long runs but worth it in the end! Finishing the marathon on Sunday I put my head on my friends shoulder at the finish line and cried. 63.3km in 2 days was such an accomplishment.
My next highlight is the Trapline Marathon on October 10th in Labrador! I remember reading an article about this event late last fall and was very intrigued. After e-mailing the race director with several questions, I am now registered and training has started! Friends have asked me why I would want to run this event. I think the remoteness, the history and community spirit have all played a part in the appeal of the Trapline. I think to line-up at a marathon start with a small number of runners is quite special. A friend told me that running the Trapline Marathon would be good for your heart and soul. I agree.
Adelle Densham
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Several years ago I became seriously and critically ill and was diagnosed with Crohns Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. There were many painful flare-ups and for years life was difficult both for myself and for my family. During one of my battles with this disease I was watching on TV a womens 10 000m track event and I became fascinated. Running was everything I wasn't: healthy, strong, simple, freeing. I told myself if I ever got better I would learn to run.
Eventually I needed surgery and have been mostly symptom-free since. Once my health started to return I kept thinking about learning to run but would find excuses to put it off. It was after a visit to my doctor that I started. He had been running for a year and gave me a book on running.
I began in fall of 2005 and I hated it. It felt uncomfortable and I didn't think I was going to be able to run for 5 minutes let alone 5km! But I stuck it out and if a week seemed a little hard I would repeat that week. 6 weeks into my program I was completely hooked. I started to have more energy, I felt stronger and I discovered the power of endorphins!
In 2006 I joined the newly formed Cornwall Multisport Club. It is the largest multisport club in Eastern Ontario with over 260 members. We are a diverse group. There are Ironman athletes, Boston Marathoners, new 5k athletes and Learn to Run members. A lot of my friendships come from our club and no matter what you are preparing for, or your level of ability, members of the CMC encourage you to pursue your own goals.
I graduated from our club's first Learn to Run program in 2006 and haven't looked back. In the fall of 2006 I ran my first half marathon and stayed at that distance for the next year mixing it up with shorter distances. I love the half marathon but wanted to challenge myself with 42.2km. Last May I ran my first marathon in Ottawa. What an unbelieveable feeling to cross the finish line! My marathon partner and I decided to tackle a 50k Ultra last fall and we ran a trail race called Run for the Toad. It was brutal and it was fabulous! I was completely overwhelmed last fall to be presented with Female Runner of the Year for the Cornwall Multisport Club.
2009 has 2 highlights for me: the first one I have already done and that is the Goofy Challenge in Disney this past January. 4 members from our club did the event: the half marathon on Saturday and the full marathon on Sunday. The training was tough with weekly back to back long runs but worth it in the end! Finishing the marathon on Sunday I put my head on my friends shoulder at the finish line and cried. 63.3km in 2 days was such an accomplishment.
My next highlight is the Trapline Marathon on October 10th in Labrador! I remember reading an article about this event late last fall and was very intrigued. After e-mailing the race director with several questions, I am now registered and training has started! Friends have asked me why I would want to run this event. I think the remoteness, the history and community spirit have all played a part in the appeal of the Trapline. I think to line-up at a marathon start with a small number of runners is quite special. A friend told me that running the Trapline Marathon would be good for your heart and soul. I agree.
Adelle Densham