In her day-to-day life as a registered nurse and a mother of three, Caitlin Schindel sees her schedule on a daily basis fill up quickly.
She always finds time to run, however, and it’s that dedication to improving her pace that has brought the Saskatoon product a milestone win in her first international marathon competition.
Running in the Puerto Vallarta UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc) trail marathon in Mexico on Sunday, Schindel trounced the field to cross the finish line as the top woman in the 50-kilometre category.
“I didn’t expect to win,” said Schindel. “I just recently got into trail running last year. It’s just been such a fun adventure and it was fun going through the jungles and mountains of Mexico.”
Schindel didn’t just win, she was dominant in victory finishing the race in a time of 5:40:11 which was over half an hour quicker than her closest competitor in the female 50-kilometre division.
Starting out as a road runner, Schindel has transitioned over the last year into trail running which involves steeper climbs and more mountainous terrain.
Even though she’s admits to being a relative newcomer to the discipline, it’s a style of running that she’s quickly caught on to.
“It’s a neat way to push myself to the next level and see what I can do,” said Schindel. “Try to see what I’m capable of in training and in racing.”
Along with her victory in Puerto Vallarta, she’s also earned a win at the Beaver Flat 50K competition at Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park and was a third-place finisher at the Nesters Market Squamish 50K in British Columbia.
Her running journey began over a decade ago, however, as a member of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, with whom she claimed a Canada West title back in 2010.
“I ran for the Huskies cross-country and track teams,” said Schindel. “I have some of my best life-long friends from that and it’s just a really good, tight-knit community.”
“I feel like the trail community is just super friendly, down to earth.”
With her victory in Mexico, Schindel has qualified for the prestigious UTMB World Series Finals in Chamonix, France, which will wind its way through a trio of bordering countries in the French Alps.
“I’m so excited to go there,” said Schindel. “I think I’m going to be a little awestruck at all the elite athletes that I follow. To be able to have a chance to meet them, that will be cool. It will be beautiful in those mountains in France, Italy and Switzerland.
“We run through all those countries in the race, so it will be cool to see all of that.”
Along with racing in the UTMB World Series Finals next August, Schindel has also qualified for the 2024 Boston Marathon and will take place in the iconic race for the first time in April.