Curious what it’s like to race on the trails of Norway? Runner Amy Woolridge Sunde did just that at the Tromso SkyRace. Read Amy’s race report below.
Tromso Sky Race 28k Report
by Amy Woolridge Sunde
Why this race? A lot of people have asked me that since I signed up for this race in February. After attending so many of Erik’s (Amy’s husband) ultras and seeing every walk of life running (or hiking), I was inspired to find my own trail race that could challenge my physical and mental limits. Distance trail running was new to me, so I decided on a 28k (17.4 miles… turned out to be 20.4, but who’s counting?) race in Norway. Planning a fun trip around the run was the perfect motivation!
The first couple of miles were through town and over the bridge. Then we began the climb to Floya mountain. Nice single track that snaked its way above tree line leading so some spectacular views. In the first six miles I climbed about 2,500 feet.
This was followed by an amazing downhill on a dirt trail. I couldn’t stop thinking, “this is the most beautiful place I have ever seen… “
Then the rain set in. And then hail. For over an hour. The next climb every step was a challenge trying to make it up the now muddy trail. It evened out for a bit before the next big climb to Tromsdalstind. While not a particularly technical climb, the steepness and rockiness definitely slowed me down. That, and turning around to take in all the insanely gorgeous views. 🙂
After making it across the ridgeline to the checkpoint it was time to descend. I would find out later this descent was 1,700 feet in about two miles! It was incredibly rocky on an exposed ridge, so I took my time as one wrong step would literally result in going head first into a boulder field below.
At the bottom, I reached a valley where it was a couple of miles of downhill on soft terrain. While this should have been a highlight, the river crossings and sticky, deep mud made it treacherous! After watching a couple of the 58k guys blow past me in the river and mud, I decided to take a page out of their play book and embrace the water and mud. It was unavoidable, so you may as well take it at full speed!
Miles 15-17 almost broke me. I knew there would be a slight climb (a slight 750 feet haha) back to the aid station, but this one was full of mud, mosquitos, and false summits. I knew Erik was waiting for me and I just wanted to get there.
Upon arriving I gave Erik a hug and wolfed down some cheddar chips. Nothing has ever tasted better! I had been eating things that were on the mostly sweet side so this was a nice change.
Erik ran the last 3.5 miles down with me, and while the downhill should have been nice, my quads were aching so it was painful. Crossing the finish line with a cheering crowd was incredible and I immediately burst into tears! All of my hours, weeks, and months of training were over and it was emotional to complete the epic journey.
