Kahnawake Athlete In 100k Black Canyon Footrace
Written by Paul Graif on 20 February 2023
Tehorakwaneken Goodleaf of Kahnawake took part in The Black Canyon Ultras 100k race over the weekend in Arizona. Goodleaf finished the 100k race with a time of 15:56:44 (15 hours, 56 minutes, 44 seconds), making him eligible for the next step up in the series, the Western States Qualifier in 2024.
So how does someone get started running 100k races Goodleaf was primarily a hockey and lacrosse guy until Covid hit.
“I started taking running more seriously for two to three years now. I started off running just twenty kilometres. then did a marathon. then 55 then 60.”
There were 900 racers in the event, running in waves of three hundred initially starting an hour apart.
Racers like Goodleaf with a time under 17 hours in this weekend’s race have their names entered into a lottery to take part in the 2024 100 MILE race.
Its not 100K of nothing but running.
“There’s a lot of walking and hiking at some points you are just trying to move.”
They do it for the love of the event. Goodleaf doesn’t even know if there is a pot of gold at the end for the winner.
“I am actually not one hundred per cent sure. Maybe there is a check at the end, I have no clue.”
Goodleaf was joined for the final 20k of the race by his girlfriend, Audrey Leborgne who helped him keep pace.
It was Goodleaf’s first 100k trail race.
