I’m letting you in a little not so secret. I’m running the 50+ mile at the Capes 100 in Cape Breton next Saturday.
This will be my first big race since injuring my butt in June 2025. By no means I am “healed” but I am (somewhat) ready to tackle this distance. I was on the waitlist and I got in earlier this year.
My goal is to finish (and not get injured or re-injured). Thankfully with a generous cut off time of 22 hours, I can do it. The distance is roughly 87 km with 3,400 metre gain. From what I could tell on the race profile, there’s rolling hills of about 330 metre gain and no big climbs. My dilemma? Should I bring my poles? Most of the time I end up carrying them but it’s always good to have them for back up.
Over the last couple of months, I’ve gotten in some longer run/hikes – mostly time on feet runs. It’s crazy how long this injury has taken to heal. My endurance is there but I don’t have the legs to run-run. I’m almost running pain free so that is a big win.
Friends that I met in Grande Prairie – Lorna and Robert – are running too. Turns out the race director is their good friend. They have since relocated back to Cape Breton. Also Joanna and Eric also moved back to Prince Edward Island, and they will be running too.
It’s been a few years since I ran a big race (excluding Powderface in July). I’m nervous for the obvious reasons but excited at the same time. Cape Breton island is going to be beautiful. After the race I am going to drive the world famous Cabot Trail, and do some hikes along the shoreline.
Capes 100 highlights
The Capes 100 features three distances: 46k, 87k and 100 miles. It takes place around the Mabou Highlands along the Atlantic Ocean. Originally I had signed up for the 100 mile but you know how that went. Thankfully the race director adjusted the distance without any fuss. In fact, he said I could move up to the 100 mile up until race weekend.
There are eight aidstations about 10 kilometres apart with two drop bag locations (35 kilometres and 76 kilometres). I don’t love that the second drop bag is 10 kilometres from the finish. I never know what to put in drop bags anyway. For mandatory gear, I must carry a basic first aid kit including a knife, emergency blanket and a lighter. My waterproof jacket must be seam-sealed/welded. I had to look that one up but thankfully my Patagonia jacket fits the bill.
I signed up for the 100‑mile originally because I wanted to chase a big, scary goal. Now, after a year of injury, the 87 km feels just as big (and scary). After this year of setbacks, rehab and slow build, I’m excited to see what my body can do, and maybe put this injury behind me once and for all.