No Go Barbarossa

Within my training plan for this summer I had registered, paid and trained for, der Hexer's Barbarossa Stage Race, 14 - 20 July.  Unfortunately, work is getting in the way of my plans and I will not be running.

The weather, route and plans are set.  The race briefing goes this evening and the runners set out on what I'm certain will be an incredible event tomorrow morning.  Best of luck to all of you!  Look forward to seeing you at Micha's next event or on a trail out there somewhere...

ThüringenULTRA 2013

I ran my fifth ThüringenULTRA a week or so ago and after each TU I’ve written and posted a race report.  2013’s TU was yet another hit and a brief report is a must!

Let me open by saying that Lauffeuer Fröttstädt, the village of Fröttstädt, all the volunteers and the Race Director Gunter Rothe put on one heck of a good ultra.  Highlights for me this year included the friendly spirit of the race, the countless volunteers and all of their efforts to ensure that the runners had a great event, seeing old friends and making new ones.  The TU is one of my favorite ultras – count me in for 2014!  See this link for last year's report with details on logistics and conduct of the race.

I went into the 2013 TU having just run the Cortina Trail in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy the week prior.  Doing so is part of a training plan I’m participating in leading up to an event in late August.  The idea in running back-to-back (B2B) races like this was to experience running on “race tired” legs and a tired mind.  The TU certainly tested my mettle in this regard.

 I anticipated Gunter’s 2012 TU course changes going into this year’s event.  The first half of the TU is a bit longer and a bit hillier than the second.  The early climbs forced me to expend a bit more energy than I had initially anticipated.  Just prior to kilometer 46 and the rest stop at Bergwacht Hohlebron my legs had become very heavy.  I decided to blow through this water point and keep pushing through over this relatively flat portion of the course.  When I came into kilometer 54 and the Sportplatz at Floh-Selingenthal I was smoked.  By this point I was running low on water and needed to take a few minutes to restock my running pack’s front pouches.  I spent a bit more time at the Sportplatz than I had originally planned.  Watching the minutes tick by I finally grabbed a bunch of stuff to eat on the trail and moved out at a fast walk.

Gunter caught up to me as I was coursing between the Sportplatz and Jobsstein and we had the opportunity to catch up on things.  As usual I probably held him back, but it was great chatting.  At kilometer 59 and the rest stop at Jobsstein I decided not to stop and found that I had regained some energy I was missing back at the Sportplatz.  I left Gunter (hope that he was not aggravated at me for just taking off) chatting with the support crew at the rest stop.  I was able to maintain a relatively consistent pace through kilometer 68 and the rest stop in Tambach Dietharz, but again found that upon arrival there I was running low on gas and needed to eat.

 I think I’ve mentioned this previously, but I continue to re-learn lessons from previous events when it comes to diet and energy.  Failing to hydrate and maintain a certain level of food intake over the course of an event leads to trouble.  The TU and the kilometers after Tambach Dietharz again demonstrated this issue.  I was drinking and eating a gel or other food at hour intervals.  I need to tweak that a bit and perhaps reduce to forty-five minute intervals to maintain a consistent level of physical and mental energy.  I’m also going to experiment with some solid foods, minus caffeine during my next long training events.

Because of the B2B nature of this event and my lack of consistent fueling things got tough as I drew near Tabarz and the 86 kilometer mark.  I found myself walking all of the uphills and struggling mentally to move over the flats.  I was able to talk myself into running while in the forest to gain some time prior to entering what I knew was going to be a scorcher over the fields between Klauenberg and the water point at Langenhain.  

From Langenhain I narrowed the scope of the TU down to the space between kilometer 92, the world famous rest stop at kilometer 95 and the finish line.  The crew at kilometer 95 were on their game again this year rocking to AC/DC and firing runners up with cheerleaders and all kinds of goodies.  After exiting the stop here I finished the TU on will power alone

My mental and physical states at kilometer 96 were exactly where I wanted to be in this event and as part of my training regime.  I was physically tired, growing mentally weak and my will to finish this thing quickly was waning.  It was interesting to follow my cognitive processes as I drew up to finish.  I was able to recognize the seemingly endless chatter that goes on in my head and focus it into a stream of positive self-talk.  It was stimulating to recognize and slip into the here and now of the pain, weakness, hunger and desire to finish.  I’ve never been one to focus on a mantra.  I tend to come up with one and by race time I’ve forgotten it, or allow negative thoughts to carry it away.  During the final stage of the 2013 TU I focused simply on finishing.  I repeated to myself, “Yes, you are going to finish.  And yes, you are going to finish this bugger running.”  Looking back the last five kilometers of the TU were my most rewarding.  I was in a place my mind and body told me I should not be and I was able to overcome both with my will.  Like running itself, I recognize that I need to practice these mental exercises and hope to incorporate them into future training.

The ThüringenULTRA is a tremendous 100KM ultra event that takes place in the Thüringer Wald the first weekend in July.  Many thanks go out to Lauffeuer Fröttstädt, the town of Fröttstädt, all the volunteers and RD Gunter Rothe.  Can’t wait to sign up for 2014!

The Day After - Hiking Cortina

And I've got to tell you the hiking around Cortina d'Ampezzo is simply fantastic...

You either did...  Or you didn't! 

Speed Metal Racing - The Cortina Trail

Running loose and low right now between work, family and races, but thought I’d share a super race experience I just had in Cortina d'Ampezzo Italy.

A year or so ago a friend proposed that we race together again.  Her idea included traveling to Cortina d'Ampezzo to join in on The North Face’s Lavaredo Ultra Trail brother the Cortina Trail.  It seemed like a super idea to get together with she and her family, spend a little time in Italy on vacation (always good) and run a 50KM mountain race as part of my 2013 race program!  So we signed up…

We traveled to Cortina the Thursday prior to the race to get settled in and meet up with two sets of friends.  When we arrived in Cortina and into the Friday preceding the race, the weather left a great deal to be desired.  Thursday night it snowed 30cm over much of the course of both races providing an interesting challenge to the organization team and to the runners.  Reports on the Lavaredo Ultra Trail web site throughout Friday illustrated that the team was working hard towards solutions to start the event.  By Friday evening and the race briefing the organizational team had come up with a plan that reduced the length of the Lavaredo Ultra Trail (85KM versus 118KM) and significantly changed the Cortina Trail (47.5KM) course.  Start times for both events were shifted to Saturday morning with the hope that the weather would stabilize enough to allow for a safe running of both courses.

After a couple of days of snow, rain and overcast skies Saturday dawned with blue skies and cool to moderate temperatures.  

Christine and I met shortly after the start of the Lavaredo Ultra Trail to get lined up and organized for the Cortina Trail.  An additional friend joined us as a bandit to run the first ten kilometers of the course.  The three of us were joined by another 743 runners who jumped off at 0900 to enjoy a challenging course over some of the Dolomites most incredible terrain.

The Cortina Trail course was a blast to run.  The first seven or so kilometers were almost straight up an 1800 meter climb.

  

The back side of this climb was about a two kilometer decent of more than 500 meters.  I have to chalk this portion of the race up as my favorite leg as it covered incredible single track trail that blasted its way down off the mountain.  Going down was like jamming to speed metal – it was a blast!  The next significant climb took us from about kilometer 21 to kilometer 26 and Forcola Lerosa at 2200 meters.

From Lerosa we blasted down almost 900 meters of elevation change and ten kilometers to Malga Ra Stua.  At this point in the race you’ might have been tempted to think, “Wow!  I’ve made it to the rest stop and cut off point at Malga Ra Stua it’s cake from here…”  Not to be friends!  From Malga Ra Stua and kilometer 32 we headed back up to 1800 meters and kilometer 41 before heading all the way back down into Cortina d'Ampezzo and the finish line.

The race course itself was a spectacular mix of mountain single track, hiking and logging trails.  The scenery and environment are simply phenomenal. 

The 2013 Cortina Trail course consisted of two major support areas or check points with two additional smaller stops that only served beverages.  Each support area was very well staffed; organized and outfitted with food, water, and caffeinated beverages to include Red Bull (I drank four over the course of the race!).

The Cortina Trail started with 745 registered runners.  696 runners finished.  The Women’s Winner, Kasia Zajac of Poland came in at 05:03:03, while the Men’s Winner, Oliver Utting of Canada came in at 04:02:21.  The final runner, Giorigo Giacomelli of Italy came in at 12:35:05 – A tremendous effort!

I’ll be straight with you.  After several disappointments associated with The North Face’s UTMB management I had my doubts about any races associated with them.  The organization team of the Lavaredo Ultra Trail is simply phenomenal.  I highly recommend either of these races.  The organization, planning, conduct and support of both of these events are fantastic.  The Lavaredo Ultra Trail is on my 2014 list of must do races!

How can DNFing be so much fun!?! Or, A Race Report on the 2013 Hexenstieg Ultra

First...

A bit of background in a frequently asked questions (FAQ) format:

- What was the distance of the 2013 Hexenstieg Ultra?  216KM Plus!
- What is the Ultra course?  It generally travels along the Hexenstieg Hiking Trail from Osterode am Harz over the Brocken summit to Thale and return. 
- What is the course like?  The Hexenstieg Ultra course is made up of 65% hiking trail, 25% single track and 10% gravel or asphalt surfaced paths or road.  The course had 4,500 meters of elevation change.  For a perspective on this elevation its approximately equivalent to running up and down the Empire State Building ten times.  The highest point of the course is at the Brocken Summit at 1141 meters or 3743 feet. 
- How many runners participated?  31 started
- How many runners finished?  13 finished
- How hard is the Hexenstieg Ultra?  With no race specific marked trails, a limited number of check points or rest stops, no pacers, no medical support and the environment of the Harz National Park, simply stated this is a very difficult event.  I do not recommend it as a first, second or even third 100 mile ultra event.  Run several 100 milers prior to attempting!
- Are there cut off times and a maximum number of hours available to spend on the course?  Yes, cut off times were established at Thale (117KM, 20 hours), Waldgaststätte Rinderstall (170KM, 38 hours), and Osterode (216KM, 48 hours).  During this year’s event Michael Frenz, the Race Director (RD), extended the cut off times two hours because of the weather for a total run time of 50 hours.
- How many drop bags were allowed?  A total of three.
- How many aid stations were available?  A total of twelve manned and unmanned stations with a varying fare of different beverages and food.  One unmanned check point at the Eckertalsperre where you had to stamp your starter number with the trail marking stamp to ensure that you approached the Brocken from the old convoy route versus following the shorter “ramp” route.
- Was there a packing list?  There was no specified packing list.  The RD did however recommend a packing list similar to that used in the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc which included a pack, a stock of water, two headlamps with spare batteries, survival blanket, whistle, first aid kit, food reserve, protective wind and rain jacket, running trousers or leggings, spare shirt, gloves, and hat.
- How many nights of sleep did you miss out on?  Two.  The race started on Friday morning at 0800 and you had to complete by Sunday at 0800.

Pre-Race:
 

My training for the Hexenstieg Ultra was on track until about a month prior to the event.  I came down with a butt kicking infection that laid me out for about four days.  This set back slowed down my ramp up to the event and cast doubt on my ability to participate.  As it turns out many of the runners that I spoke with prior to the event indicated that they had experienced the same.  I got a 21.4 KM run on 21 April which was my last long run prior to the main event.

Packing for the event I framed my list around what I could carry with me and those things I could place into each of the three drop bags and where they would be located.  After running the Hexenstieg in 2012 I packed for spring weather versus the icy winter conditions that were to unfold.  My drop bags included short sleeve shirts, one set of long running leggings, additional food and beverage mix and a shower kit for use at the turn around point in Thale. 

I left home on Thursday morning, 25 April to get to Osterode am Harz that afternoon.  Like 2012, race headquarters, billeting and meals were served through the Hotel Harzer Hof.  Stephen Zirbus and his staff afford the ideal location and environment for a race of this nature.  They catered to our every need with the hotel providing rooms, food and the race headquarters all in one location.  A super set-up!

The evening of 25 April was spent socializing with other runners, getting in-processed, settled in the hotel, participating in the race briefing and dinner.  I shared a room with Peter Kaminsky.  We all rose early on 26 April to enjoy a buffet breakfast in the hotel at 0530 and a 0740 group run to the Hexenstieg starting point.

The Race

At 0800 on Friday morning under blue skies, sunshine and mild spring temperatures thirty-one of us set off on an adventure through the Harz.  

The early part of the course was over hard surface paths and trail.  The first aid station was located in Clausthal Zellerfeld at Adrenalin Tours, 16KM.  Jens runs a first class aid station serving BBQ, beverages and various other snacks.  From Clausthal Zellerfeld we navigated over to Torfhaus where the crew served us out of the back of Stephan’s van.  

From here the distance opened way up between aid stations with the next available on the Brocken summit.   Up there…

Micha established a circuitous route to the Brocken summit which is well laid out in the next series of pictures.  It included super single track trail that if you weren’t carefully navigating over you were going to get your butt lost (speaking from experience).  

One of the highlights of running an event of this nature is the people that you can spend time with.  It’s up to you, you can chat for a while and move on, or you can join up with someone and spend the day getting to know them.  I was thrilled to link up with Gunter Rothe an old acquaintance and the RD of the ThüringenULTRA.  As it turned out, he and I share many of the same interests and he makes a great Ultra running partner.  

Brocken Summit

As we approached the Brocken I began to watch the barometer on my watch as the weather forecast had called for rain.  Climbing the old convoy road up the Brocken you could actually feel the front moving in.  At the time we did not recognize the severity of the change that was about to take place.

We arrived at the Brocken Summit at approximatly 1705.  This aid station was only scheduled to be open until 1700 as it was tied to the operating hours of the Brockenwirt.  Without this aid station we were faced with another 26KM to the next opportunity to refuel and restock our water supplies.  Fortunately, Gunter bumped into a friend that was on the Summit.  This friend knows the owner of the Brockenwirt and called him.  Within a few minutes the snack bar was opened up again and we were afforded the opportunity to purchase beverages at horribly outrageous prices (I paid 5 Euro for a liter of water.  For that price I could have purchased three cases or 36 liters of water at home!.)  Anyway - Micha indicated later that he would correct this shortfall with an additional aid station in 2014. 

We spent about twenty minutes using the facilities at the Brockenwirt, drinking something and having a bite to eat from what we were carrying.  You can imagine our surprise and concern as we watchted the weather roll in on us.  In about twenty minutes we were enshrouded in fog, wind and rain.  Gunter and I decided to leave the rest of the group and get a start on heading down.  

Looking back at the Brocken summit!

As we left the shelter of the Brockenwirt we were assaulted by winds raging on the Beaufort Scale at 11, or 103 – 117KPH, (The Beaufort Scale characterizes these winds as a hurricane like storm.).  We were definitely rocken the Brocken.  Weather conditions continued to deterioriate with rain, fog, sleet, snow and temperatures bouncing around at freezing.  It was definitely time to get down off of the Brocken and back into the shelter of the forest to cover the next 26KM to the Tannengrund in Rübeland where a warm soup and a drop bag awaited us.  

Gunter and I sucked it up and moved with the motivation that we could change clothes in Rübeland.  We rolled into the Tannengrund at about 2130 Friday evening soaked through.  After changing, restocking packs and getting warm we headed back out into the storm on our way to Treseburg a movement of seventeen kilometers over single track trails and what was to prove no trail at all.  By the time we arrived in Treseburg I was feeling the depth of the cold that had moved in on us.  

In Treseburg we were able to briefly warm up with another bowl of soup in the Hotel Bodeblick.  It took a great deal of will power not to ask for a room to get a shower and relax for the evening there in the hotel.  After about a half hour we headed back out into the night and the depths of its cold, wind and rain for a ten kilometer move to Thale and the turn around point. 

Our move to Thale took us almost two hours.  During this time I was unsuccessful at getting warm and felt my core slowly succumbing to the cold.  I became concerned that with no medical assistance available on the course and the distance, time and energy it would take to return to Osterode over the next twenty-four plus hours I could run problem.  At the same time Gunter had developed a sever case of shin splints and indicated that he was not going to go beyond Thale.  As we made our way into town I too confirmed my decision to withdraw from the race.

When we finally arrived at the multipurpose center in Thale we walked into the building to applause and pleasant faces.  Gunter and I announced that we were not going in.  Ronald Musil, one of the aid station leaders announced “DNF" which briefly kicked me where it hurt.  I thought of the Barkley Marathon and how it must feel coming off of one of the loops. 

After dropping, things seemed to speed up.  I was slightly concerned about doing so, but chalked that up to ego.  After getting back to the Harzer Hof I got a room, a shower, a bite to eat and slept…  When I went down to the reception area late that afternoon I was surprised to see so many of the racers that I respect and admire had also withdrawn.  We spent the afternoon and early evening talking about our experiences and the impact of the crazy storm that had moved in on us.  As things turned out, temperatures continued to drop, the rain turned to snow and ice and it was a miserable event.   

My hat is off to those that were able to gut it out and finish.  Well done – a Herculean effort!

Breakdown of the 2013 Hexenstieg Ultra Finishers:

Lars Donath, 31:40 – Men’s Winner
Petra Rösler, 42:58 – Women’s Winner
Eugeni Roselló Solé, 33:28
Peter Kaminsky, 33:28
Joel Jou, 36:50
Stefan Beckmann, 38:36
Sven Winkelmann, 38:36
Volker Krause, 40:42
Eckhardt Seher, 40:42
Ralf Lohrke, 42:56
Frank Nicklisch, 46:10
Stephen Hloucal, 46:10
Marcus Reiter, 46:10

So where does this leave me?  

Will I be back for another taste of what Michael Frenz (Der Hexer) can dream up for us?  You bet I will.  Running the Hexenstieg Ultra is an amazing experience filled with adventure and friendship.  Micha – it’s great that the field remains so small and so personal.

Many thanks to the volunteers that made this year’s Hexenstieg Ultra possible.   They are made up of family, friends and the curious.  Without you all this event would not be possible.

DNF or Finish – the Hexenstieg Ultra is a great event.  It’s been three days since it came to a close and I already yearn to go again.

B2B

Had a great running weekend and thought I share several impressions from my travels.  Have recently started exploring the western half of the Schönbuch.  Really have had no what I've been missing out on until yesterday.  I was so motivated that I got in a 25KM yesterday and a 21KM this morning.

Have fun out there!

Thanks to Herr Peter Goebell and his excellent web site on monuments, fountains and history in the Schönbuch.  Denksteine im Naturpark Schönbuch.

Brocken-Challenge X 2013 Race Report

Five of ten… 

On 1 December Lady Luck smiled on me and I was one of the few that got registered for the tenth anniversary running of the Brocken-Challenge.  Registration was full after a fast and furious ten minutes.

The Brocken-Challenge is among my absolute favorite ultra events.  Getting to it each year is much like a pilgrimage with thoughts on the course, the hosting organization and their charity work, race volunteers and the racers.  The entire event is a simple and lasting pleasure!  While running the B-C and in the immediate hours following the race you ask yourself “Why?, why put yourself through the cold, the distance, and the pain?”  It doesn’t take long for this wonderful event to wander back into your thoughts.  And, you begin to ask yourself, “Why not?”  And those thoughts transition to a longing, a longing to experience the wonder of the course as it spans from Göttingen, into the Harz and up to the Brocken summit. 

On 9 February 2013 I ran my fifth Brocken-Challenge.  While enjoying its highs and toiling through its lows my thoughts often journeyed to what I might write here, what I might share beyond that which I’d already written in 2012 and prior.  As the center toe on my left foot slowly has its toenail turn black and my recovery diet slows down I’d like to share several random B-C thoughts with you.

The Brocken-Challenge highlights the start of my running year.  I know of no other race event where the kinship and friendliness extend full circle among the organizers, race volunteers, and racers themselves.  It’s not your typical race where commercialism and high octane egos get in the way.  Instead it’s an event where you can spend hours running with a friend, kilometers enjoying the scenery and environment, time making new friends or simply plugging into an MP3 player for some motivation. 

The B-C occurs at a unique time of the year where winter still has its cold grip on the environment and how the day is going to unfold weather wise is anyone’s guess.  2013 was no exception with this B-C as my second coldest.  Temperatures ranged from -2C/28F, light snow flurries and no wind in Göttingen and -9C/15F and winds at 39 – 49 KM/H on the Brocken summit.  These temperatures and wind actually contributed to a comfortable running day with the cold really setting in over the last 10 or so kilometers of the race.  For an old boy from Texas these unique weather conditions and the natural environment of the Harz National Park and Brocken are a uniquely rewarding experience.

The course of the B-C is laid out over 80KMs that winds itself largely downhill over the first forty odd kilometers and then in the second half gains elevation into the Harz National Park and up Brocken massif.  The “ultra” nature of the B-C really started for me at about km 53.  Combined with the fact that I neglected to discipline my intake of fuel and the fact that the trail surface was characterized by fresh/churned snow I was sucking.  Because of the trail surface I couldn’t run and with a lack of fuel in my gut I was feeling down on myself. 

It’s during these low points that you must recognize an ultra event for what it is.  The old saying that, “90% of ultrarunning is 100% mental” is spot on.  In order to get through this part of the B-C I broke down things to their elemental pieces.  For the running surface I attempted to relax into the fact that I was not going to change it; I could not run it; I’d just walk it until I was physically capable of running again.    The food that I consumed at the mid-way station at Barbis was obviously not enough for what my body needed.  In fact I was ravished.  In a matter of minutes I ate two energy bars and a couple of pieces of jerky and took a couple of good long drinks.  And finally, as I moved over what seemed like an endless beach volley ball court trail I tuned into so good music.

There are three songs that I have used to get motivated here in the depths of the B-C.  These include the Aggie War Hymn, Noble Men of Kyle and Juli’s Dieses Leben.  With some carbs coursing through my body and the Aggie Band playing in my head my worries of gutting this leg of the B-C were swept away.  It’s funny how emotionally raw an endurance event of this nature can make you.  I have a special tie to the Aggie music described above.  Listening to it takes me back to my days in the Corps at A&M, friends and experiences.  Hearing, “RECALL!  Step off on Hullabaloo….”  gives me goose bumps, puts a smile on my face and gets me moving forward.

There are several odds and ends that will remain a pleasurable memory for me from this anniversary Brocken-Challenge.  These include:  Breakfast at 0500 in the Old Dance Hall.  And actually, the entire food plan which was simply amazing.  All of it organic and oriented towards a vegan diet.  I wish that I could eat like that every day!  Running with Rolli, Sandra, Udo, Martin, Volker, Micha and many others.  Rolli and I generally meet about the same place on the course each year and spend a couple of hours catching up on things.  I had hoped to finish up, as we had the last two years, with Werner, but never made the linkup between Königskrug and Oderbrück.  I hope to do so next year!  The party atmosphere after in the Brockenwirt.  And believe it or not, the 10KM hike down to Schierke after the event.  I don’t know anyone’s names, but it was fantastic to walk with our group of eight.  Hope to run into you all again either at the B-C or another ultra event.  Runners actually do talk about much more than running.

Each event seems to have its motto or mantra.  For the Brocken-Challenge the Ausdauersport für Menschlichkeit e.V., Göttingen (ASFM) drew from J.W. v Goethe’s “Secrets”, “Von der Gewalt, die alle Wesen Bendet, befreit der Mensch sich, der sich überwindet.”  Or…  “From the great powers that each creature binds, the man who conquers self will freedom find.”  I gave this idea some passing thought each time I’ve run the Brocken-Challenge, but never really considered it in detail until this year.  Its depth was revealed to me ironically along the Goetheweg as I made my final approach to the Brocken summit.

Several statistics…  In past years the running field has been limited to 150 starters.  This year the ASFM expanded that field twice because of the growing interest in this event.  On Monday, 4 February there were 204 people fully registered to participate.  On Saturday morning, 9 February 183 runners started the event.  Of these runners 172 completed. 

It was tremendous to take part in the tenth running of the Brocken-Challenge.  The host, ASFM, is an incredible group with an admirable mission of fostering sport and channeling their efforts towards charitable ends.  Unlike past years where it either a point in the course where I knew I was going to finish, or a couple of days of recovery, I have been planning to sign up for the 2014 B-C since 1 DEC 2012!