I have always been in love with the north. Not just one place but the entire north. It is not a destination; it is a feeling of being home, spiritually. I first found that feeling on a trip to Moosenee and Moose Factory years ago. I was drawn to it for some reason that I have yet to figure out but still want to explore until I find the answer. I also find great enjoyment of pushing my physical limits as far as I can which is why I decided to start training for my first race and run the half marathon in Churchill Manitoba in November. A pretty lofty goal for an inexperienced runner I know but totally worth it to see a real live polar bear up close.
The Polar Bear Marathon was started by Albert Martens in 2010. Albert is a very experienced runner with a very large heart. The marathon benefits Athletes in Action which supports bringing baseball camps to remote northern communities. More information on Albert, Athletes in Action and the Polar Bear Marathon can be found on his website: albertmartens.com. I am tempted to go back this year to try the full. The harsh weather conditions may keep you from getting a “personal best time” but the experience is what you really come for.
Friday morning we boarded a small private plane with 9 other runners from all over Canada and America. I was shocked at the varying ages and the amount of experience some of these runners had. (Sitting next to a 65 year old doctor, running her 378th marathon made me wonder if I had bit off more than I could chew.) Flying into Churchill and seeing the sparse landscape takes your breath away, instantly the race was no longer a worry. My wanderlust took over and I was anxious to ditch my stuff and get out exploring. I soon found out from some locals that with the early arrival of the sea ice the bears were all gone back to their hunting grounds and that had cut 2 weeks off the tourist season that the locals depend on for income. After an amazing dinner at the Lazy Bear Lodge with some of the runners we had met on the plane, we made our way back to the hotel for some rest before the big race Saturday.
Saturday brought the harshest weather that the race has seen in its 8 years of running. They were thinking of changing the course last minute due to the near whiteout conditions but runners are a different breed and they were having no part of that. As we set out that morning it was -20 with gusts of wind up to 70km an hour. Runners are set up in pairs with an emergency vehicle to follow them in case of any stray bears or misfortunate events along the way. Running along the coast of the Hudson Bay safety is first. About 4km in I started to cry, not because of the weather but because my heart was so overwhelmed with just being there and on the land. We finished the run in 2 hours 35 minutes and 29 seconds. We hugged and cheered on other runners, no one was there to win, we were all there to experience this together. It was amazing.
Churchill may be struggling due to hard times and a broken rail line but the 800 people who call this place home will never have their spirits broken. The funny thing is that most of the people I met were actually not from Churchill but went there for one reason or another and never left. I totally get it, I did not want to leave either. During our awards dinner Saturday night a distinct sound of train whistle could be heard. Mayor Mike Spence who had joined us for dinner proudly made the announcement that the first train had rolled into town after 15 months of no service. Finally some good news for Churchill.
Our final day was Sunday and it was a full day. We had some guides take us to the Hudson Bay where we could actually stand on the sea ice. From there we checked out the Churchill Northern Studies Centre, Miss Piggy and the Polar Bear jail. Sadly we still did not see any bears but I left Churchill with my heart full, my soul renewed and my legs sore. I know I will go back, maybe a summer excursion to see the whales and still hope for a chance to see the great white bear.