Polar bears, wolves and cold don't deter runners in annual Churchill marathon
The first Sayisi Dene First Nation woman to ever run the Polar Bear Marathon in Churchill, Man., says she's caught the "marathon bug" as she prepares to run the race for a second time Saturday.
Samantha Powderhorn, who lives in Winnipeg but grew up in Tadoule Lake — approximately 330 kilometres west of Churchill and 1,000 km north of Manitoba's capital — said the risk of encountering wildlife like polar bears and wolves doesn't faze her.
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Instead, she's motivated to participate in the race by the perseverance of her ancestors — nomadic people that followed the caribou and survived various challenges.
"If they could do that, I know I could do it, and it gives me so much power and courage and bravery," Powderhorn said.
"I feel like I'm home, if that makes sense, when I'm running there in Churchill."
Samantha Powderhorn from Sayisi Dene First Nation will run her second Polar Bear Marathon in Churchill Saturday. (Submitted by Samantha Powderhorn)
Powderhorn is one of roughly a dozen people participating in the 13th Polar Bear Marathon this weekend, which has a limit of 20 runners.
Participants are accompanied by a vehicle escort to protect them in the event of a health emergency or close polar bear sighting.
The race begins at Churchill's Seaport Hotel and goes along the Hudson Bay coast toward the Churchill Northern Studies Centre, turning around at different points depending on whether the athlete is running the half, full or ultramarathon, which is 50 kilometres.
Powderhorn said she started running three years ago as a way to cope with her struggles with addiction, mental illness and managing her physical health. She said running became integral to her healing journey and sobriety.
Powderhorn, who has completed seven half-marathons, said she didn't think she'd do the full one last year until her vehicle escort told her 21 kilometres in that she could go all the way.
As she approached the 30-kilometre mark, she could feel a piercing ache in her knees and shins and a flare-up of plantar fasciitis, but it didn't stop her.
"The gentleman that was with me … he rolls down the window and he says, 'Did you know, Sam, you're going to be the first Sayisi Dene First Nation woman to ever complete the full marathon?' And I'm like, 'Oh boy, now I got to finish this race,'" Powderhorn said.
She came in second place overall, completing the 42-kilometre run within five hours.
"It was such an honourable and exciting and healing run for me," she said. "I really want to empower and encourage and support women to do the same, especially from my reserve."
'The bears really don't scare most of the runners'
Organizer Albert Martens came up with the idea for the marathon after he moved to Canada from Germany in 2002.
Martens lives in Steinbach, a city in southern Manitoba, and flies to the polar bear capital of the world every November to help facilitate the event and connect with its participants — some coming from places like Morocco, Mexico, England and Italy.
"The bears really don't scare most of the runners. Maybe some runners are a bit afraid," he said.
"It's all conditional to the environment or the weather," and if Hudson Bay isn't frozen, "then chances are greater that the bears will still be on land," said Martens.
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A Polar Bear Marathon participant runs down a snow covered road in Churchill in November 2021. Organizer Albert Martens says athletes run in wintry conditions, including the possibility of high winds, slippery ice and freezing temperatures that can lead to frostbite. (Submitted by Albert Martens)
He has run the Polar Bear Marathon himself five times, and says one of the biggest obstacles runners face is the possibility of high winds, slippery ice and freezing temperatures that could lead to frostbite.
"One time I remember I had old socks and I put socks over my shoes to keep my feet warm," he said. "Wear a balaclava or … see if goggles will protect the face, and just to stop and warm up the cheeks and make sure you don't get frostbite."
Athletes are required to pay $650 to participate in the marathon. Churchill residents pay a reduced fee, which includes a T-shirt, medal, soapstone carving and awards dinner. Churchill runners also have to have their own support vehicle, while one is provided for people from elsewhere.
The funds go to the non-profit Athletes in Action, which helps First Nations sports programming and breakfast clubs in Tadoule Lake and Churchill, Martens said.
Martens said he's always nervous before the race starts because there's so many unexpected things that could happen. He said the best moment of all is when he gets to watch people cross the finish line.
"When you come to the finish — just the reaction and the expressions on the faces of these people — some fall over, some cry, some laugh, some smile. That's the time to take a photo."
This story, written by Tessa Adamski, was originally published by CBC News on November 23, 2024.
