“So close no matter how far. Couldn’t be much more from the heart. Forever trust in who we are. And, nothing else matters…”
I am likely breaking a rule by
publishing this blog post. At the same
time I think that you will find that this report provides a view to a wonderful
little trail race that goes in late summer in northern Germany.
The STUNT 100 is a non-commercial, invitational,
100 mile trail race that courses through the Leinebergland region of northern Germany. It is likely one of the friendliest, most
accommodating, yet challenging 100 mile events I’ve participated in. I’m thrilled to report that my perspective
this past Sunday morning at 0430 was a little skewed when I settled with myself
that I would “never” attempt the STUNT 100 again. As I’ve had an opportunity to recover and
savor finishing; my thinking has become much clearer. Count me in!
I’ll be back for more of this great little BIG event.
Before I get too far down the road with
this STUNT 100 report I have to back up a month or two where I last left you
here. As you may recall I attempted the
WiBoLT in late May. During that attempt
I really jacked my left calf and knee up.
This injury derailed my summer race plans forcing me to focus on
recovery and healing while not starting the Zugspitz Ultratrail in June and the
ThueringenULTRA in July. I still am not
certain what to attribute this calf and knee injury to. I did a number of weeks of physical therapy
and have adopted a stretching and rolling regime that have helped eliminate
much of the inflammation and pain I experienced.
While attempting to avoid a chronic
injury I slowly reintegrated a training plan into my routine. I was not at all confident that this plan
could help me achieve my summer goals or get me through the STUNT 100. My STUNT 100 training plan culminated with a
marathon the final two weekends prior to the event. I was unable to train beyond the marathon
distance because of work obligations and a desire to avoid dramatically
injuring my calf.
So…
With some trepidation I watched the days wind down prior to the 3
September start of the STUNT 100. I made
reservations for a room at Gasthof Jörns in Diekholzen
and organized my kit for the race.
I took the day off on Friday 2 September
to make my way to Sibbesse to get settled in.
I checked into Gasthof Jörns after arriving in the area. While checking in it appeared that I was the
only guest at the hotel (Think Bates Motel!) and actually asked if that was the
case. The very friendly and helpful
receptionist insisted that I was not, but that they had just finished a two
week holiday period where the hotel was closed.
It was creppy all the same with no other apparent guests around that
evening. Just as an aside... I recommend Gasthof Jörns and will stay there again for my
next STUNT attempt. It is simple, very
clean, offers fantasitc service, affords good parking and is just down the road
from Sibbesse. Although I certainly camp
at other race venues it is hard to beat Gasthof
Jörns for the price, cleanliness, hot shower and
comfortable bed, before and after the STUNT 100.
After settling at Gasthof
Jörns I headed over to the Sportsplatz in Sibbesse to get
checked into the race, meet and chat with other runners, take part in the race
briefing and have dinner. The first
indication of what a great affair the STUNT 100 is happened when I
arrived. Elke, one of the race
assistances immediately introduced herself, gave me a pre-printed nametag and
asked me to verify my registration information on a spreadsheet. She also offered me coffee and cake. It does’nt get much better than that! This level of personal, familiar care would
characterize the entire STUNT 100 weekend.
After a bit of initial socializing with the race support team and other
runners, Race Director Hansi-Kohler, asked everyone to join him within the
Sportplatz Club House for the race briefing and pasta diner. Hansi delivered on his promise and kept the
briefing to the absolute essential with a repeated focus that the race course
was entirely unmarked and that runners must be prepared to navigate on their
own. Hansi’s selection of music for the
briefing video, “Nothing Else Matters“ by Metallica was sensational and set the
tone for the entire event...
“So close, no matter how far. Couldn’t be much more from the heart. Forever trust in who we are. And, nothing else matters…”
The STUNT 100 course is defined by four
different out and back loops or legs with the Sportsplatz in Sibbesse acting as
the race hub. Despite short sections of
farm roads or farm field paths the STUNT 100 is largely a trail run. Most elements are on single track trail or
minimally maintained forest paths that course up and down steep creek valleys,
over rolling hills and among fields and meadows. Each leg looks something like this:
Loop
1 – “Trailrunners
Paradise”, 48.4KM, 1377HM. Fantastic
trails; deep in the forest.
Loop 2 – “Mogul Slope”, 54KM, 1609HM. Now things get serious… You miss the trails. Shitty elevation change! Shitty dirt roads! Shitty Sunshine! Everything is Shit!
Loop
3 – “Külf Crossing”, 37.8KM, 853HM. A dream or a nightmare!?! A lot of trails and
unmaintained paths that take you through briar and nettle patches and roots
that reach up and grab you in the darkness.
Loop 4 – “Time to Chill”, 20.6KM, 538HM. Relax, take it easy along forest paths with a
lovely view of the valley. Can we be
done!?!
Running with Metallica through the STUNT
100…
Loop 1, “So close, no matter how
far.” We started this loop Saturday
morning at 0800 in the counterclockwise direction. This leg has a twist at about kilometer 19
that you run an additional clockwise loop around the Tosmarberg. I got lost going into this and coming back
out. Yeah! Nonetheless.
Loop 1 is an early warm up or test of
your navigation skills. We started this
loop as a group of 13 with real definition of how the race field was going to
flow happening at the Tosmarberg crossing.
After running around the Tosmarberg I got lost with two others, Dennis and
Henner. We “oriented” our way back on
course and remained together throughout the remainder of the STUNT.
Loop 2, “Couldn’t be much more from the
heart.” There are a lot fewer single
track trails here, but on the sunny side (no pun intended) so much more
elevation change. Do you remember the
Brothers Grimm and their story of Snow White?
“The Seven Dwarfs that live out beyond the Seven Mountains”? You do!
Well… Loop 2 plays out before,
across and then behind those Seven
Mountains!
Loop 3, “Forever trust in who we are.” So while we’re playing with the Brothers
Grimm Loop 3 took us back out among the Seven Mountains,
back out along single track trails and deep into the night. For me Loop
3 was the test and the test has an evil name and face, “Külf”.
The Külf consists primarily of a ten kilometer long
ridge line that includes seven main summits, lying in a triangle formed by the
settlements of Gronau, Alfeld and Duingen.
Progress along the Külf varies depending on the season. Unlike the trails of the better known ridges
and hills of the Seven
Mountains those of the Külf
are less frequently used. This was
obvious as Dennis, Henner and I worked our way through. The trails were overgrown and plagued with
shoulder high nettles, briars and clinging seed pods that we named “Arschlöcher”
as they would grab ahold of you and if broken off would leave irritating thorns
in your legs, waist and arms. For the
uninitiated Arschlöcher grow on an Arschlochbaum. Not seen one?
I can send you a picture…
Loop 4, “And nothing else matters.” Dennis, Henner and I arrived back in Sibbesse
at 0850 Sunday morning. The finale of
the STUNT 100 is an out and back stretch that runs along the forest edge, in
and out of the forest towards the village
of Barfelde. This final leg included its own navigation
challenges in several places where you had to slip through overgrowth to find a
short stretch of single track trail to make a leap to the next forest
path. The turn around point for this
final leg was located in a garage supported by one race volunteer and some
light snacks. As this leg was an out and
back it was great to see people in front of us and behind us as we coursed out
and then towards the finish.
Dennis, Henner and I rolled back into Sibbesse
finishing in 29:09 on Sunday morning. We
had linked up after getting lost at about kilometer 28 or so and stayed
together over the next 132 kilometers.
We shared many laughs, learned a lot about one another and simply, had a
kick ass time. Running the STUNT 100
without them would have been much harder particularly in the deep of the night
up on the Külf fighting off the Arschlöcher.
There is a bit of information about the STUNT 100
out on the race’s web site. Included, there
is a guideline taken from the Wild Oak 100 Mile Trail race in Virginia that really sets the tone of this
super race. The list below provides a
broad definition of those that are not invited to participate in the STUNT 100:
1. If you are
even the least bit worried or concerned about getting lost, don’t come.
2. If you
have questions, don’t come.
3. If you
need a crew, don’t come.
4. If you
need toilet paper, don’t come.
5. If you
expect to be pampered in any way shape or form, don’t come.
6. If you’re
a whiner, don’t come.
7. If you’re a
freeloader, don’t come.
8. If you’re
seeking fame and/or fortune, don’t come.
9. If you’re
thinking about writing a report about your experience at the STUNT 100, don’t
come.
10. If you
crave abuse, if you yearn for abuse, if you are addicted to abuse in any way
shape or form (be it physical, mental, sexual, verbal, mathematical, artistic
or whatever) BY ALL MEANS, BE MY GUEST.
(This applies to abusees only.
Abusers are not welcome. The only
abuser allowed is the trail.)
The 2016 STUNT 100 was a
phenomenal event! The trails abused the
hell out of us while the organizational and support team were amazingly
friendly, supportive; simply fantastic! I’ll
be back to the STUNT 100 to explore, expand friendships and make new ones. Hansi and Co., thanks for an incredible
weekend!
Final results of the
2016 STUNT 100
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