When she was a kid, Dawn Glover had a t-shirt that said Run For Your Life.

Today, the 46-year-old is personifying that mantra. Her life is her family, her faith and her community—all of which she was running for on July 7, helping her become the 2019 champion of the Sinister 7 ultra marathon in the Crowsnest Pass, one of the most punishing running races on the planet.

“I still can’t believe I did it,” she said.

Glover crossed the finish line 24 hours and 19 minutes after she set out, making her the fastest of 60 females to sign up as soloists. Only 10 other competitors crossed it before her. More than 200 soloists started the race; only 69 finished it. 

Could she have imagined she’d be racing in, let alone finishing, let alone winning, a 100 mile (161 km) event just five years ago? In a word, no.

“It sounded overwhelming,” she said. “It sounded impossible.”

But that was before she started training with her now good friend, Tracy Garneau. Since then, with Garneau’s guidance, running absurd distances didn’t seem so absurd anymore. It sounded fathomable. It sounded…fun?

“It sounds odd, but I really enjoyed myself out there,” she said. “I liked that this was a family adventure.”

Her family was definitely with her all the way. They were instrumental in her decision to register, they were cheering for her at the start line and they were making sure she had all the watermelon, potatoes and trail mix she needed whenever Glover came into an aid station. Glover said every time she neared a transition point, the excitement of seeing her three daughters, husband and parents—who flew in from Colorado—would propel her further and faster. After she fuelled up and set off again, she’d be briefly stricken with heartache as she ventured alone into the wilderness.

“Someone said they experienced post transition zone depression, I totally got that,” she said.

As Glover went deeper into the race, she was gradually moving up in the rankings. Her goal was to finish, not to win, but it was hard not to think of who was ahead of her and who was potentially catching up. 

“I couldn’t help wondering ‘where are they?’” she said.

At the 120 km mark, Glover’s biggest supporter, her husband Randy, reminded her to run her own race. But as the sky flickered with distant lightning and as Dawn set out on leg six, Randy was anxious. His wife had already been running for 16 hours. She was setting out on the longest, most gruelling leg of the entire course in the wettest, muddiest conditions the Sinister 7 had ever seen. And although Dawn didn’t know it, she was in second place.

“We had planned to get some sleep, [but] I did not,” Randy said.

He did pray, however. And on the course, his wife was also leaning on her faith to get her through the 32 km, 4,600 ft-elevation section. Glover said she often selects a Bible verse to ruminate on, to help keep her mind from wandering. 31:8 from the Book of Deuteronomy seemed apt for an ultra marathon, she said: “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Glover wasn’t afraid, nor was she discouraged. She crossed the finish line more than a day after she began the race. Her friends were ecstatic. Members of her community were sending well wishes. And her family was beaming. 

“It’s so exciting to share it with them,” she said. 

Running for her life, indeed.

Bob Covey // https://bob@thejasperlocal.com