Canazei: The Middle
Golden Trail World Series 2021
The view from the top of Piz Boé
After my night in Vermiglio, I had a very long and tiring travel day of 5 buses and 3 trains to get to Canazei, but that gave me a chance to plan my next moves. I knew if I didn’t change something quickly then the next two weeks would follow on just as bad as the previous, but I was still stuck in my dogged determination of trying to fix it myself with lists and routines and all the things I usually turn to, except people. I really do like learning some of the toughest lessons over and over again it seems.
Just being in a new environment was already helping though, and Italy really did feel much more like home to me. I’m not sure what it was, but something about the clear flowing water, the colour of the greens, and the shape of the mountains seemed to calm my anxious and tired body straight away.
I will never forget my first run through the valley from the tiny little town I would call home for the next two weeks, Fontanozzo. It was early morning only two days post Marathon Du Mont Blanc so I was still unsure about my ankle. But found if I wore my most supportive shoes and taped it up to prevent any sideways movement, it actually felt pretty good. This run then became one of those runs where the high of running freely and being in another place I had dreamed of was such a stark contrast to the lows of the previous few days that I found myself crying happy tears as I ran longer and faster than planned because it just felt so… right.
I then spent that afternoon hiking the entire 22km of the Dolomyths Run course, which took me 6 long hours. I found myself getting entirely overwhelmed by the length of the climb, the terrain, the altitude, and the descent that really didn’t make any sense to me as to how people actually run it. It was beautiful, but this race course truly is something else and looking back, it was probably a mistake to first experience it on legs still tired from MDMB two days prior and with a mind as fragile as mine felt at the time.
On the other hand though, it helped in a roundabout way by breaking me down further. I was so exhausted after finally getting back to my accommodation at 8:30pm. After cooking and eating a much needed dinner, I went through the usual routine to prepare for bed, but could feel the anxiety rising as it got closer to me actually turning the light out and going to sleep. My anxiety built up to point of complete melt-down, and I had a full blown panic attack as soon as I even tried to get into bed. I was too scared to go to sleep in case the nightmares returned, and I wanted nothing more than to just have someone there to give me a hug and tell me everything was going to be okay. This really was a huge turning point on the trip for me. There I was, reduced to a shaking crying mess all alone in a foreign country not knowing a single person or the language, with everyone I did know and love fast asleep halfway across the world.
I cried, I screamed, I cursed at the world and the things I had experienced, at the people that have hurt me and even at the people who had fixed me for helping me survive only to keep experiencing this. It really was one of those messy moments in my life that not many people get to see from me, and I often scare myself during them. But they also have a huge amount of relief that comes with them. By releasing it all, I was able to think more clearly again. I was able to remind myself that I have been here before and made it through on my own so I can do it again.
After an hour or so, I got out my essential oils, put on classical music, and finally, phoned in a friend. It was only 6am in Aus but I knew the one person I needed to hear right then because they understood everything I was going through would answer my call. Hearing the voice of someone I love deeply that could not just empathise, but could truly help remind me that these times pass was everything I needed. I talked, and cried again, and started to process. After another phone call to Matt, who then stayed on the phone until after I fell asleep, I slept peacefully for 10 hours without a single nightmare.
Canazei was full of lively colours, intricately decorated wood buildings, and had a never ending backdrop of mountains.
From there it was not an entirely smooth process, but I booked in a psych appointment, I talked to more people and told everyone what was going on, and I started writing. I actually wrote a blog post explaining everything and almost posted it, but then decided I wasn’t quite ready to open up to a wider audience about everything. From that night though, things really did start to improve. I started to find my usual self again, the self that wasn’t overwhelmed by the challenges of the race but excited by them. The me that would push hard in my runs and sessions out of determination, not fear. The me that still has a little voice telling me I’m not good enough, but refuses to listen and has a much bigger voice fighting back.
I ran through the valley, climbed Piz Boé 4 times, got caught in hail storms and thunderstorms that had me hiding under rocks at 3000m altitude, and thanks to the writing/talking/psych combo, I slept 8-10 peaceful hours a night most nights for the rest of my time in Canazei.
I went on to have some of the best times of my trip in this beautiful Italian town. One of my favourite experiences was the time I found Stian and Anders at the top of Piz Boé and got to follow them down the Dolomyths course as they searched for the fastest and most direct route. The amount of confidence and knowledge I gained just from following people who knew what they were doing was truly invaluable, and the fact they were so welcoming and so much fun to be around at the same time made such a huge difference to me at a time I really needed company. This then followed on with dinner at a local Canazei restaurant with Stian and Anders, after which we found ourselves in the Canazei town square, among people setting up to watch the Euro Cup final that Italy were playing England in. To be in the open mountain air surrounded by passionate Italians watching a game I have loved since I was little was one of those pinch-me moments that is truly indescribable, especially when Italy won. Running home along the dark main highway at midnight, jumping into ditches at times to avoid cars full of screaming Italians beeping horns and blowing vuvuzelas, was an epic way to end the night.
Then there was the run to Passo Fedaia where I spent almost more time sitting enjoying the view or showing off my surroundings on facetime to loved ones than I did running; complete with a mid-run swim in the clearest, coldest water I have ever been in. It was during this run I tapped right back in to my love of adventure and exploration, with running just being an enabling factor for a much bigger picture. Though it was 5 hours out exploring at high altitudes, I ended this run with way more energy than I started.
In the end, without even realising it because of my gradual flip in mentality and the better sleep, I ran over 230km with 7500m +/- in the 12 days leading up to Dolomyths run and had not felt so strong, happy and determined since the first week of being in Chamonix. I had gained some momentum and turned things around to find myself heading in to Dolomyths run ready and excited to race. I had not only found me the person again, which was of course the most important part, but I had also found me the athlete again, and geez did that feel good.
Some of my favourite memories - Mountain hotels and refuges; Mid-run swims in ice cold snow melt; and watching the Euro-Cup final in the Canzei town square.
I didn’t travel too far from during my time in Canazei, but there were plenty of special places to explore close to town. Here are some of my favourite places and trails.
Favourite Places:
Passo Fedaia - Just visiting this place by any means is very special. With the colour of the water and backdrop of Marmolada, it really is a sight to behold especially from the views of the balcony trails around the dam.
Lago di Soraga - A beautiful lake in the town of Soraga di Fassa you can run to through the valley and sit by for a picturesque lunch.
Piz Boé - I got to spend a lot of time on this summit memorizing the views. The feeling of satisfaction that it was the highest my own two legs had ever gotten me to in my life thus far paired with the challenge it was to get there are memories I will never forget.
Photos 1-3: Passo Fedaia; Photos 4-6: Lago Di Soraga; Photos 7-10: Piz Boé
Favourite Trails:
Valley Trail - A flat and runnable trail connecting all the small towns along the valley. It runs right by the river the whole way, with epic views of the surrounding dolomites. One of my many run maps on this trail Here.
Passo Pordoi to Passo Fedaia - A beautiful balcony trail that is smooth and runnable with views that are indescribable. The continuation from Passo Fedaia back to Canazei is also a gem of waterfalls and winding downhill forest trails that are a joy to run. Be prepared to stop many times to enjoy the view, it’s worth it. My running adventure Here.
Passo Pordoi to Piz Boé - Definitely a love/hate thing going on here because this is one beast of a climb, but the views more than make up for it and the strength gains are real. Doing a loop from the top and coming back down is extra fun. My loop to the top and back Here.
Piz Boé to Canazei - Some parts of this descent are exhilarating and scary, but you also get to run through some incredible surroundings with waterfalls and streams and mountain views galore. The second half of the descent is less technical and more just a way to get back because I’m not sure there are any buses, but it is worth it to get the first part from the peak of Piz Boé to Rifugio Monti Pallidi. One of my downhill advetures Here.
Photos 1-4: The valley Trail; Photos 5-9: Passo Pordoi to Passo Fedaia; Photos 10-14: Passo Podoi to Piz Boé; Photos 15-18: Part of the descent from Piz Boé or Canazei
Next Post: Race Report of Dolomyths Skyrace