Day 3- Stairs, Caskets & Coke

Chantal was up after a nice long sleep and ready to go for 6am again today. We had some issues this morning with our Spot tracker- what a fun learning process ;)

Today has been a bit busy on our front- there are so many logistics that go into organizing something of this magnitude. Chantal has been planning for this event for months. A FKT isn't simply just go out and run; you have to plan out how far you will run each day, then break that down to figure out how far you can go before you will need an aid station and break. Weather plays a factor and you have to plan for every possible outcome.

There are also many people to coordinate. Chantal has pacers each day, people to help with errands (buying food for the day, moving cars ahead to checkpoints, taking pictures..). It truly takes a village. From Chantal, About 50 people or so have come forward and offered their assistance. I'm so grateful for everyone. This kind of journey would not be possible without these kind friends and new friends. .... Of course, I couldn’t imagine doing any of this without the support of my amazing spouse, family and friends.

What else has been going on behind the scenes? Lets talk food. For ultra runners, calories are key. Chantal tells me that potatoes, proteins and a variety of snacks are key. You sometimes get cravings for certain foods (ahem- bacon), and then in the next instant can't stand anything in your food bag. You may also notice a common drink if you look close in the pictures.... Coke! Not being an ultra runner myself I asked support team extraordinaire Joan and Keith... why the coke??? Simple! Sugar and caffeine. Two things that ultrarunners crave or need! Especially the longer they go. Problem with sugar is that you have to be careful how much you take in as it will upset your tummy!

Being a nutritionist is very helpful in this instance ... but knowing what is good for you is very different from executing on race day. That is why pacers and support crew are so vital; they ensure you are taking in enough calories, drinking water and even going to the bathroom! Sound glamorous?

In addition to Chantals eating, her training regimen has been carefully planned leading up to the run. Says Chantal,

Because I'm still racing ultras this year, not much has changed. I've had many back to back long running and hiking days and time on my feet. Being consistent in training has been a huge advantage. I have a great coach, Coach Mike Coughlin, who has been there supporting me every step of the way.

So back to today on the trail...

Today Chantal saw... well... its kinda hard to explain, so lets just show you:

A casket, pictured above. For real.

Above: Caves, rocks and roots aplenty

Above: Spiral staircase

Above: beautiful views

Above: Ruins at Spirit Rock

Thanks so much to Joan and Keith (pictured below) who have helped Chantal the past 3 days! Many of the pictures and Facebook live streams have been thanks to them!

Todays fun facts

Pacers- Keith, Craig, Alan

crew- Joan, Alan, Keith and Craig

kms completed today: 61.7

kms completed so far: 203

Cokes drank- a few ;)

special appearance by Tien and her paramedic crew. Your paramedic friends are all rooting for you Chantal!

Ok thats all for today folks. Time for Chantal to have much needed massage.... night night!

#fkt #ultra #discomfortzone #brucetrail