SASKATCHEWAN LANDING PARK — Bishop Mark Hagemoen likened the process of reconciliation and healing to the Beaver Flat 50: a gruelling 50-kilometre course that has more than 2,000 meters of vertical gain inside the provincial park that is long, has lots of uphill climbs and narrow trails.
Hagemoen was among the 87 runners who finished Saturday’s race, coming in at 58th overall with a time of 9:29:21. He was the 48th men’s finisher and third among men over 60 years old. Cameron Mang (5:48:49) and Mandy Currie (6:56:20) were the top male and female finishers. Mike Sidic (4:37:21) and Brittany Steele (6:10:20) hold the course record in 2018.
“Praise God, I can't believe I finished. The journey is a bit like this run. This is a long run, and you don’t get over with quickly. There were some challenges on this run. There was a point that I didn’t think that I would finish, and it was only because my legs cramped up. I’ve never had cramps like this, and I could not walk for an hour. I was frozen on the hillside and it was just so dry and dehydrated,” the prelate said when interviewed by SASKTODAY minutes after crossing the finish line.
“Sometimes, like the journey of reconciliation, there's some obvious goals and there are some challenges. I think we're all grappling with that. I know I am, as a bishop and non-Indigenous man in all that. I’m so impressed, I’ve said this before, that there’s been a lot of good work done in Saskatoon and Saskatchewan in building Indigenous and non-Indigenous relationships. But there’s a lot more to do.”
Hagemoen, who turned 60 last Sept. 4, added that suffering cramps midway in the race is like things that stall the path in providing closure to the victims and those who suffered while attending residential schools.
“There are days it goes really well and some days it doesn’t. You cramp up and you can’t move at all.”
“I have talked to Indigenous people that kind of feel the same way. You know when the news came out of further discoveries of grave sites, it brought back all the trauma and anger. That they, some of them, told me that ‘I just can’t move right now on this and I just need to grieve.' I think they felt a little bit like I did on the hill, they cant move right now. It’s a long journey, but it is an important journey to make.”
The bishop said it was an epic race that’s laid out inside the provincial park 5,735 hectares in size.
“The run was very tough. It has very few trees and you are very exposed with the wind blowing full on today (Saturday). Frankly, I’ve never seen so much elevation in Saskatchewan. Apparently, you gained about 7,500 feet through the race because it is long.”
“There are a lot of hills — going up and down. And there are some parts that are quite technical. They are steep and you need to be careful because the trails are very narrow. It’s a really challenging race but it is a beautiful place. It is a place for spiritual work out as well as physical work out.”
Registered in the Beaver Flat 50 at last minute
Hagemoen, who runs four or five times a week in Saskatoon, grew up in British Columbia and managed to squeeze in training in the hills when he visited his family last month. “I did a lot of climbs and hikes because I was close to the mountains, and that is where I grew up. I didn’t know about this race until just two weeks ago. I registered at the last minute.”
He said that Regan King, who is studying law at the University of Saskatchewan and works part time at the Diocese of Saskatoon, had the role of being the support person in the aid stations where he helped in providing changes of clothes and food.
Hagemoen said he thought that it was a crazy idea when it was proposed to him of doing the 50K run.
“Then, it was kind of an intriguing event. I thought of it and if I put effort into it, I wanted to kind of promote something. So, with the Saskatchewan bishops launched the [Truth and Reconciliation Commission] Healing Fundraising at the request of a lot of our Catholic faithful.
“And we have runs [racing events] that are sponsored for different things. Our foundation office got right into it and they promoted it quite widely. I even have a few [Saskatchewan] bishops that sponsored me and it was nice. Prince Albert Bishop Stephen [Hero] sponsored me right away. That will go to Prince Albert’s TRC fundraising efforts.”
Hagemoen had requested any gift or donation be made to the Catholic Catholic Truth and Reconciliation Commission aside from being financial sponsors to help raise funds. Saskatchewan’s Catholic bishops made a province-wide appeal in mid-July this year to raise money to help residential school survivors and their respective communities, in consultation with Indigenous leaders. No goal for the appeal has been announced at this time.
Funds that will be raised are part of the commitment made by the Canadian Catholic Church in reaching out to Indigenous peoples. The money will fund education and cultural support of Indigenous communities affected by the Indian residential school system. The province’s bishops revived the fundraising efforts in July after previous attempts to raise the money were halted after coming up with only $3.9 million.
