A.T.'s observations at the Canadian Ski Marathon

After many years of thinking about it, rather than doing it. I finally took the plunge and signed up for the Canadian Ski Marathon.   Although I had heard about it  from many people who had participated, without first hand experience I really did not know what to expect.  I figured I would do a taster, get up early in Montreal, drive to the event and ski the first two sections (there are a total of ten sections, conveniently labelled in reverse order) before heading home.

The first thing I learned is that one does not drive directly to the starting points. Instead the marathoners gather before in Montebello and nearby towns.  Buses take them to the various starting points of the marathon, and after completing sections buses return them to Montebello.  The earliest buses take marathoners to the distant starting points and later ones go to the closer sections.  The elite skiers, the Coureur des Bois, do all the sections and start before the regular tourers who only do some of the sections.

My choice, was to leave from Montreal and start at the first section.  This meant departing home at 4:00 am, picking up the marathon bib at the Château Montebello and catching the 6:05 am bus for the 70 minute ride to the starting point.   In retrospect maybe no the best possible choice!

Pre dawn low light attempt at photographing bus ride up

Post dawn ski bus approaching the starting point

     There were a number of MBC members taking part in this year's marathon, many of whom were multiple year CSM veterans.  Along with another relative newbie Birdie Munger, we had a loose plan to meet at the starting point and ski the first few sections together.  The temperature was a brisk -20 deg C, and the various buses arrive at different times.  Rather than hang about at the starting line both of us felt an overwhelming need to begin skiing immediately.

Setting off on Section 10

Further along section 10

Although there large number of participants in the marathon. because of the distances involved the skiers soon separate into small groups of people who move at similar speeds.

The first section of 10 km went by fairly quickly and there is an outdoor rest stop manned by volunteers who supply frozen bagels and hot chillie  with a smile.  There is also the option on returning to Montebello by bus from that point.  I took  the decision to continue on for the next 22 km section.

I told myself that I was stopping every so often to take a photo, but in truth I really did need to take a rest now and then.  After a total of 32 km I was quite ready to take a bus at the end of second section back and look for some familiar faces by the bar at the Château Montebello.  I finished a few feet behind the same person as the earlier photos.

MBC member Alice Hawkins seen at the Château lobby

Yes, I did run into some members, Birdie Munger had his wife and daughter with him. Dorothy Cole, whom everyone at the marathon knows, was in her element.  The only one I seemed not to bump into was Daisy Greville. She was away somewhere at that moment.   We were all in high spirits that comes with a feeling of accomplishment of conquering a given section.

After dinner with Birdie and his family, again spotting Dorothy with skiing colleagues, I drove back to Montreal giving a lift to Alice.