Runner Carries Sister's Ashes to Victory

Saskatoon runner Mandy Currie achieved a significant victory in the Hikuri 81K race, held in Mexico's Sierra Madre Occidental mountains. She completed the grueling 81-kilometer course, which included 4,000 meters of elevation gain and endured 35°C heat and high humidity, in 12 hours, 1 minute, and 35 seconds. Currie bested 28 other female competitors to claim first place.

This remarkable win has qualified Currie for the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) final, an elite ultramarathon in France. Her performance was deeply personal, as she carried a pendant containing a small portion of her late sister Lisa's ashes. Lisa, who passed away from cancer last year, had expressed a desire to experience her sister's running journeys.

Currie found a way to fulfill her sister's wish by engravin g a turtle pendant with the words 'Here with you' and placing some of Lisa's ashes inside. Clutching the pendant at the finish line, Currie felt an profound connection, describing it as "almost as if we were crossing the finish line together."

Lisa herself was an avid runner, even participating in races after her 2014 lung cancer diagnosis. Currie continues to honor her sister's memory in her running endeavors, having previously scattered some of Lisa's ashes on trails in Switzerland, Italy, and France during last year's UTMB race. Her husband, Jeff, noted that Currie draws strength from conversations with Lisa during difficult race moments.