As I drove home after 2025’s 50km Actif Epica, I looked out over the frozen fields to the south, curious about the southern half of the route.
In 2026, my curiosity was satiated, as I took on the full loop. Setting out from St. Pierre in thick morning fog which hung around for nearly the whole day, I was grateful for conditions vastly different than the frozen year before. The forecast predicted a blissful near-zero day, perfect for a nice run on the Crow Wing Trail.
The trail map to St. Malo is deceptive, showing a grid-mile course, while the reality was a beautiful nature trail with plenty of deep snow drifts to make things interesting.
Mid-afternoon, just before arriving back at St. Pierre before trekking north, the fog cleared and I realized down-side of warm temps… mud. Any bare section of dirt road turned to a sticky Red River gumbo clinging mercilessly to my shoes.
Unfortunately, the section from Crystal Springs to Niverville included several miles of this bare mud trail, slowing me down considerably as I tried to tiptoe around the muck.
Once I left Niverville, the sun set behind low cloud cover, temps dropped, and I was able to continue at an unobstructed pace, though slower due to fatigue. Flipping my headlamp on, I wandered through the fields to the sound of coyotes howling, drawn to the warm welcome of the last checkpoint at Crystal Springs.
The final section of the course was uneventful, but I admired the courage of those who were setting out for completion of their own races, including some 100-milers.
I finished the day grateful for the chance to explore this trail in my own backyard. While the day was mostly spent alone, I had the company of several other friends who were cheering on racers or chasing their own goals (including Ryan, who completed 100 miles!), some very helpful volunteers, great race directors, and family who encouraged me along the way.