Ramble On… 2017 Pfälzer Weinsteig Ultratrail

Leaves are falling all around, it’s time I was on my way
Thanks to you, I’m much obliged for such a pleasant stay
But now it’s time for me to go.  The autumn moon lights my way…

Ramble On…

Led Zeppelin’s “Ramble On” provides a perfect introduction for the Pfälzer Weinsteig 100 Mile Ultratrail Race Event.  2017 marked the fourth running of what has become a fall ultratrail classic in the Pfälz in Germany.

This year’s Pfälzer Weinsteig fell on the weekend of 13 October.  The weather here in Germany leading up to the Weinsteig was simply amazing with mild temperatures, lots of sunshine and no rain.  Previous cooler weather and rain provided a beautiful tapestry of fall color.

The Pfälzer Weinsteig Ultratrail takes place in southwestern Germany in the Pfälz, a region known for its vineyards, sandstone mountains and the culinary delicacy “sow stomach”.  A good third of the Pfälz is covered by the Pfälzerwald, Germany’s largest contiguous forested area.  The Pfälzer Weinsteig is in itself a award winning hiking trail that traces the mountainous backbone of the Pfälz.    
The Pfälzer Weinsteig Ultratrail is a one hundred mile invitational trail race.  The race starts at the Deutsches Weintor in Schweigen-Rechtenbach and finishes at the Sport Club in Obersülzen.  The race is open for thirty-four hours with racers further challenged by relatively tight aid station cut offs.  A one hundred mile race poses enough challenges of its own simply given the distance.  What sets the mark here is the combination of the distance and delightful elevation change that occurs over the course.  There are 5,600 meters or 18,372 feet of elevation to climb and descend.  The Pfälzer Weinsteig travels along the sandstone mountain backbone of the central Pfälzerwald.  The course route is marked with red and white hiking trail markings.  These markings are however, a challenge to find and see in the darkness.  The event is semi-antonymous from a support perspective with aid stations situated twenty to thirty kilometers apart.  There are a number of additional unmanned water points and three deliberate check points that ensure that runners remain on course.  Because of my lack of familiarity with the area I was surprised to learn that the combination of the trail, distance, weather, elevation and other environmental factors contribute to a less than fifty-percent finisher rate on the Pfälzer Weinsteig Ultratrail.

(Source: Wikipedia.  Accessed 171022)

I arrived in Obersülzen on Friday afternoon wound up because of work, the horrific traffic conditions on the German roads and this being my first attempt at the Pfälzer Weinsteig.  Greetings from old friends and new ensured that any trepidation was quickly whisked away.

Friday evening we got settled into the Sports Club in Obersülzen where a number of us would attempt to get a few winks of sleep between the inevitable snoring.  After setting up our quarters for the night we drifted to the restaurant and bar area to enjoy a bit of pre-race conversation, find a seat for the race briefing and dinner.  I was pleasantly surprised to see Simon, Elke and Wolfraum whom I’d not seen in what seems like ages.  We had dinner together and talked about the upcoming adventure.  I didn’t hang long Friday evening as I wanted to get a head start on getting my race equipment ready and intuition told me that I would pull the lucky straw and stay awake next to the loudest snorer – fact!  I should buy a lottery ticket with this kind of intuition.

Saturday morning could not have come soon enough…  I was up shortly before 0400 to finalize my equipment and have a bit of breakfast before getting on the bus to travel south to Schweigen-Rechtenbach and our start.  I road the bus to Schweigen-Rechtenbach seated next to and talking with Elke, but was uncertain how I was going approach the next thirty-four hours and with whom I might run.  In the early morning darkness and chasing the need to pee really badly I lost Elke, but found Simon again.  And so…  

The 0700 Pfälzer Weinsteig 100 Mile Ultratrail start found Simon and I running together.  Simon and I had last spent any time together back in 2015 so this was a great opportunity to get caught back up and enjoy the start of a great race weekend.  We got caught up on the last couple of years and talked about loss, family, work, shoes, dream races and all the things that runners talk about when they run.

Simon and I got split up because of one of my many pee breaks – the coffee had made its way through me.  After I stopped for an alcohol free hefeweissen in a beer garden Elke and I teamed up at the second aid station and were to remain together for the remainder of the race.

(Photo:  Laufticker.de)

(Photo:  Laufticker.de)

(Photo:  Laufticker.de)

 Elke and I shared a tremendous adventure as the kilometers and unfolded under foot.  Athletes like she and Karen who sometimes trailed us, but generally led us, blow me away.  Elke and I made a terrific team that I hope to one day match back up again.  Although, she never admitted it, I hope that I was never rude or super negative.  Elke, if you’re reading this – please forgive me again for my propensity to “luft”.  There are things that happen on the trail that should stay out there on the trail (smile).

A hundred miles is a fickle playmate.  Running a hundred miles is joyful; peaceful; powerful; and at times, simple bliss…  In the blink of an eye the magic of 100 miles will shift and become pain; stress; sadness; darkness…  My darkness usually occurs, well, in the dark.  It’s in the hours after two in the morning that I slip into headlamp hypnosis and go to my deep dark place.  It’s here that I battle with suffering and frankly, the edge of sanity.  (Elke, forgive me again if I was talking in my sleep.  Although you and I were physically alone, I swear that there was a third runner with us that drifted in and out of my reality.)

Thich Nhat Hanh teaches that suffering brings about understanding and compassion, which are the true foundations of happiness.  For me this thought embodies part of the magic of trail running and pushing out to one hundred miles and beyond.

(Photo:  Christine Bruhn)

Sunday morning’s dawn saw the departure of my additional running mate and the passing of darkness.  As dawn approached we found ourselves shy of Deidesheim and running into a dense fog that effectively denied us the sun.  This was not necessarily a bad thing as it motivated us to return to elevation and the sun.

My outlook improved dramatically after we put Deidesheim and Bad Durkheim behind us.  I don’t know where it came from, but this is where I caught my second wind.  Aid station five was a wonderful stop.  I don’t know if I’ve ever been that completely pampered in an aid station.  Many thanks to the gentlemen that made me multiple sandwiches (bread, lots of butter, salt, meat spread and pickles.  Fantastic!) and the alcohol free hefeweissen for breakfast!  Oh – And the heated toilet paper was pure bliss!  Frank and his volunteer teammates in aid station six were also fantastic.  I wish that we could have stayed longer, but Elke and I had a rendezvous with a finish.

The last ten kilometers…  All down hill!  Wait…  No, the distance of ten kilometers in Pfalz is actually known as thirteen kilometers with hills elsewhere in the world.  All good…

Rolling into the stadium in Obersülzen was fantastic.  Günther greeted us like royalty and ran the final loop around the football field with us oblivious to the football game that was playing out its final few minutes.

(Photo:  Jürgen Baumann)

In 2017 Max Kirschbaum and Bianca Logé rocked the Pfälzer Weinsteig finishing in 20:52 and 22:58.  Simply phenomenal performances over this challenging, yet obviously, very runnable course.  Elke and I finished in a very proud 33:42! 

The Pfälzer Weinsteig Ultratrail is a truly amazing event.  I am deeply impressed by its warm and friendly atmosphere.  Günther and Christine Bruhn are the hosts, race directors, logisticians, coaches, volunteer coordinators and just down right wonderful people.  One of my favorite things about running trail and endurance events is being among the other runners on the same journey.  Many thanks to all of the people that made the Pfälzer Weinsteig Ultratrail possible.  Race volunteers and people that work aid stations blow me away.  To see you working a station for twelve – twenty-four hours is incredible.  Chapeau!

(Photo:  Jürgen Baumann)

Got no time for spreadin’ roots, the time has come to be gone
And to our health we drank a thousand times, it’s time to ramble on…

Highway to Hell – Jägerstein Ultra 2014

About four days have passed and a number of other reports have been written about this year’s Jägerstein Ultra (JU) making it somewhat difficult to formulate my own report…  This was my second running of this super season ending race.  For details on the race itself see my report from 2013 here.
 
Headed into the 2014 event I was not motivated to run.  I had too much going on at work and the rest of life to really concentrate on training and appropriately preparing for the JU following the SUT in October.  Thoughts on these issues caused me to waiver on my decision to go until the very last minute and traveled along with me as baggage until the first aid station at kilometer (KM) 25.  Nonetheless, I got in the car at work at noon on Friday, 12 December and dove into Germany’s Friday afternoon traffic.  Once I arrived in Fröttstädt and made my way to Sabine’s Horse Hostel some of that baggage immediately fell away.  Sabine met Karl (another running friend) and I at the door and we knew right away that the Rothes were going to make every effort to ensure that we had a super ultra weekend.

Unlike 2013 Gunter set the JU headquarters in the Fröttstädt Gemeindehaus where we would have more room for the briefing and dinner.  With thirty-nine starters it would become quickly obvious why Gunter had made this decision.  The Gemeindehaus offers the perfect space for this size of group and is actually more conducive for a briefing than the small dining room in Sabine’s Hostel.  Friday evening’s activities included the race briefing, dinner and an opportunity to socialize with new and old running mates.  Good times all around!  I ended the evening relatively early in order to organize my gear and get a good night’s sleep.  The gear thing was a bit troubling that evening as a storm front with very high winds and rain was moving through the area forcing many of us to pack and re-pack in hope that we would be set for the next day.
 
Saturday morning, 13 December arrived bright and early without an alarm at 0400.  That storm that had blown through most of the night was no longer blowing, but there was a steady rain falling that continued to plague my planning.  Unlike Karl and Connie I opted against donning rain trousers, but did go with a long sleeve shirt, long plants, Gore-Tex shoes and a Gore-Tex rain jacket (Desert Camouflage – to fit right in).  I had the opportunity to pick up a pair of water proof socks, but opted not to; instead I stuck with my toed wool socks.  (Fortunately in most cases wet wool equals warm wool!)  Sabine and Gunter served breakfast in the Gemeindehaus at 0500.  The breakfast buffet, although simple, left nothing to be desired.  With a little weaker constitution someone could have convinced me to stay in, and stay dry over a cup of Sabine’s delicious coffee!  Instead we lined up for the 0600 start… 

Photo courtesy of Martin Woitynek

Much like 2013 runners this year formed into small groups moving through the early morning hours into the Thüringer Wald.  This year’s winner, Andreas Schneidewind, blew away from the groups and wound up setting a new course record in 8:10.  (The guy even stopped to take pictures and walked…)  I slipped into a nice tempo with a group of four friends and two folks I’d not previously met.  We would remain together until about KM 35 following our passage through the Torstein.  It was with and through this group that I was finally able to stop the “Monkey Mind” that I mentioned earlier going into this race.  It was nice to get caught back up with the group and to mentally shift some of my baggage allowing me to slip my mind into the moment and this race.  A key element of my running mindfulness.  As our group split into smaller groups I connected with Udo and Michael, two runners that I admire and enjoy running with.  Our running effort during the JU seemed to mesh very nicely and would carry us over the next thirty-five kilometers.

Last year I mentioned Michael (Der Hexer’s) twisted since of humor as it related to the last leg of the JU which traversed through the Wolfsschluct or in the current vernacular “Hölle” (Hell in English) and how much of a challenge this passage was.  This year Der Hexer added a bit more fun to our journey in the form of the old slalom hang at kilometer 68 and the Schneetiegel.


Udo, Peter, Michael and I arrived at the base of the Schneetiegel at four-ish as the sun was going down.  It had rained all day and was getting dark and colder.  Other than some snacks at the two aid stations and whatever we’d brought along, we’d had nothing solid to eat all day.  Two more kilometers and we would have completed our quest for the Jägerstein.  Two kilometers… 

The Schneetiegel is the deepest valley in Thüringen. There are 600 meters of elevation change over less than two kilometers from the base of the Schneetiegel to the top of the Schneekopf where the Jägerstein is located.  Two kilometers to finish this ultra!  Historical records go on to indicate that the Schneetiegel was considered non-traversable until the late 1600s…  Ski fanatics built a slalom jump here on the Schneetiegel in the 1930s.  In 1960 the Soviets declared the area on top of the Schneekopf a military restricted area and shut down any leisure activities on the Schneetiegel.  That 600 meters of elevation change climbs an angle of 57 degrees!  Welcome to my personal Jägerstein Highway to Hell.

Wet, hungry, and really ready to be done with this ultra we began our assault on the Schneetiegel Slalom Hang.  The body will follow the mind – almost anywhere…  Let’s get this over with and we start our climb.  Up we go…  After taking two steps forward and one back I quickly came to the realization that this sucks!  Seriously – This sucks!  Two steps – slide…  Two steps – slide…  Damn it!  Mental pause…  Monkey mind in full gear now…  I’m not kidding anymore - this f**king really sucks.  I’m no longer on the highway hell – I’m friggen in hell and Die Hölle is about 580 meters from here.
 
After crawling, crab crawling, side stepping and slip sliding away for two to three hundred meters we finally arrived at a path that traversed across the slalom run.  What luck!  We thought we could now level off and begin our final climb into Hell.  NO SUCH LUCK!  Our GPS track and foot and finger prints in the snow indicated that our climb was not yet complete.  There were those among us that were now at the point of rebellion including me.  “F**K THIS I’m NOT going any further”, was a short lived, but quite popular expression.  With really no other options we made our way over the last fifty or so meters of the Slalom hang and finally arrived at a forest trail that would guide us into the joys and darkness of Hell ending our quest for the Jägerstein…

We ended the day in Schmücke at a traditional hiking hotel with a nice meal and a lot of laughs. It was this ending and the last couple of days that have settled the Jägerstein Ultra for me.  Micha – Bring it on – I look forward to your next nasty twist in this great little ultra.
 
The Jägerstein Ultra is a superb season ending ultramarathon.  The co-race directors Michael Frenz and the Rothe Family put on one hell of an ultra experience.  With seventy kilometers of country road and path and single track and more than 2200 meters of elevation change the Jägerstein is a nice gut check heading into that brief winter break in anticipation for the coming running year.  Although the 2014 runner’s field including thrity-nine runners it remains small and very friendly.  As I said in 2013 – Count me in for next year!

Hexenstieg Ultra 2014 – Heaven and Hell

The lover of life’s not a sinner
The ending is just a beginning
The closer you get to the meaning
The sooner you’ll know that you’re dreaming
So it’s on and on and on, oh it’ on and on and on
It goes on and on and on, Heaven and Hell…
 

Black Sabbath – Ronnie James Dio

The Hexenstieg Ultra is the brain child of Michael Frenz (Der Hexer) and generally follows the course of the Hexenstieg (Witch’s Trail or in German the Harzer Hexenstieg) hiking trail.  The trail runs from Osterode through the Harz Mountains, over its highest peak, the Brocken, to Thale and back to Osterode.  For casual hikers the trail is approximately 100km in length ending in Thale.  For the Hexenstieg Ultra runners the trail turns around at Thale and courses back to Osterode for a total of 216km or 135 miles.

From Osterode to Clausthal-Zellerfeld the Hexenstieg courses along the Upper Harz Ponds.  The ponds are part of a cultural monument of the former mining industry of the Harz, known as the Upper Harz Water Regale.  The Regale is a system of dams, reservoirs, ditches and other structures, much of which were built from the 16th to 19th centuries to divert and store water that drove the water wheels of the mines in the Upper Harz region of Germany.  The Upper Harz Water Regale is one of the largest and most important historic mining water management systems in the world and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  As you might imagine, a tremendous trail system that is the perfect setting for an ultra!

25 April 2014, marked the third annual Hexenstieg.  This ultra is designed to challenge runners with its distance over a broad mix of hiking trails, single track, and farm roads that traverse a wide range of terrain.  In addition to the distance and terrain the Upper Harz is known for its unstable and harsh weather conditions.  In April the weather can typically range from spring and summer temperatures to winter weather with snow, wind and rain.  Mother Nature smiled on the Hexenstieg runners in 2014 gracing us with mild temperatures, sunshine, several hours of light spring rain and wind and cool temperatures at night with lows around 3C.

Friday morning we started with forty runners.  Stefan Beckmann, Oliver Schoiber, and Michael Wagner led early and would dominate the race throughout the next thirty-plus hours.  Over the course of the event we lost eleven runners to various issues and at various distances, although thankfully there were no serious injuries or accidents.  Stefan and Oliver finished the race together for a tied first place in 31:39.  The women’s winner was Bianka Schwede who finished in 41:42.  Bianka’s amazing accomplishment is further highlighted by her women’s win of the Jurastieg Ultra (230KM) two weeks prior in 40:42! 

As the bit of Black Sabbath’s “Heaven and Hell” highlights above my race was just that…  Heaven and Hell.  The Hexenstieg and Harz region are two of my favorite locales in Germany.  The Brocken and the surrounding environs are magical to travel through.  In my mind this area is much like what I imagine Tolkien’s Middle Earth to be like.  Running along the Upper Harz Water Regale you expect to bump into a group of Dwarves finishing up a days work below in the mines.

This year I started my race intentionally at a very slow pace.  216-plus kilometers are a long way to go in one running…  I spent most, if not all of the race running with Lutz Kalitzsch.  Lutz and I have known and raced with one another for several years.  Joining us over the next couple of days were Ulrich Faust, Andreas Rumpelt and a couple of others.  Unfortunately, Ulrich had a tough time with GI issues and was forced to drop about half way into the race.  Andreas was to finish with Lutz and I.  Although an ultra undertaking is a singularly personal experience and endeavor, it’s always nice to work through the inevitable challenges in a group.  We agreed to go the distance together and enjoyed many laughs, getting to know one another and the other emotions and challenges that go along with crossing Heaven and Hell.

Highpoints of my race included a number of different locations and experiences.  Jens Habich and his crew from Adrenalintours in Clausthal-Zellerfeld (First and last Aid Station) were simply fantastic.  The single track course near the Wolfswarte and the valley to the east of Quitschenberg is a trail runners paradise!  The Brocken!  One word:  Magical.  Ruebelad, the Gasthaus, Tannegrund – An alcohol free Hefeweizen never tasted better!  The “High Moor” that surrounds the area around the Oderteich is simply a dreamscape.

And yes…  There were low points.  The night, no moon, a headlamp and kilometers and kilometers to go…  The little arch of light that a headlamp makes in front of an ultra runner can hypnotically narrow your world and thoughts in the deep of the night.  The challenge at this point is to avoid any negative thoughts.  For me, the simplest negativity can lead to a rapid slide into a dark morass that is hard to get back out of particularly if sunrise is a long way off.  I also learned that I can’t allow myself to think about the finish until I’ve gone through the last aid station and am headed in.  To consider it any earlier leads to frustration.  Follow me for a minute…

“When I finish I’m going to take a shower and get that massage.  I’ll drink a beer and sleep…  There are only XXkm left until then – you got this.  Shit, how many kilometers are left?  My knee hurts…  If I could get a message now my knee would stop hurting and I could get something to eat.  And, go to sleep…  This sucks.  This is hell.  Why am I doing this?  I have nothing to prove to anyone.  Damn I’m cold…  I could drop at the next aid station and get back before everyone else to get a shower and something to eat.  (Stop!  Focus on your mantra.  Screw that mantra!  It’s stupid anyway.)  I’ve got to catch a train tomorrow morning at 1100 which means if I dropped now I could get at least five hours of uninterrupted sleep.  Damn I’m tired.  I wish these guys would stop talking to me…  I don’t want to talk.  Don’t they know I’m damn tired?  These guys don’t care if I drop at the next aid station; they’d be rid of me and I could sleep!  (What was your mantra?  I don’t remember.  It was stupid anyway…)”
  
DON’T CONSIDER THE FINISH until you’re headed there after the last aid station.  I was able to manage the time, distance and sleeplessness by breaking the race down into whichever current leg we were on, running aid station to aid station, breaking the event down into manageable portions.

And in the end.  After 46:45…  I applied a bit of sound advice from an old friend.  Nothing beats a Hefeweizen and a dribble of a fine spirit to crown the event.  

Race headquarters in 2014 was again located at Stefan Zirbus’ Hotel Harzer Hof in Osterode.  Stefan and his team bent over backwards to accommodate the wants and needs of the Hexenstieg event.  A big thanks for all of your support Stefan!  I hope to get back out to the Harzer Hof again in the not too distant future.

Race support was generated solely by race volunteers.  In this case they are all friends of the event, family members and friends of runners.  This group demonstrated the true nature of “volunteerism” as they too were connected with the event.  I appreciate each and everyone one of the supporters and could not have finished without them.  

I’ve written and said this before…  Each event I’ve run in that was hosted by Michael Frenz has been a challenging yet rewarding success.  As time and experience unfold each subsequent event gets better – the 2014 Hexenstieg Ultra was no exception.  Micha’s events are minimally supported.  Although you are outfitted with a GPS track, road book and map there are no specific route markings and the distance between aid stations can be very challenging.  I strongly recommend Micha’s events, but you should go into them knowing that you will be running on your previous training and experience.  It’s a very singular experience. 

The Hexenstieg Ultra 2014 was a super event.  Nothing failed on organization, volunteers, friends, challenges and fun.  Count me in for 2015!

Alb Marathon 2013

Blue skies, mild temperatures, sunshine and a group of three hundred plus friends to run with through fifty kilometers of the Alb…  It’s difficult to get much better than that!  26 October 2013 saw the twenty-third running of the Sparkassen Alb Marathon in Schwäbisch Gmünd.  It was spectacular day. (And I just learned that I completed a personal best running 4:59:19!)  I look forward to running the Alb again in 2014!

 Race Headquarters and Check-in Area

A warm up into the Alb

The Alb

Two of the Three Kaiserberge now behind us...

The Ho Chi Minh Trail...  Found in the second half of the Alb Marathon led to my favorite leg of the course.

Great quads workout!

We're definitely not in Kansas anymore Toto...

Rocking with a band of drummers on the way to the finish line.  These guys were passionate about their music.  It was great to have them accompany us across the finish line.

2013 and the Beat Goes on...

Ah...  December and the racing season is winding down for the year.  Still up is the Nikolauslauf in Tübingen on 9 December, but otherwise time for good food, bad weather, planning and training.  As they say in Schwabeland...

While enjoying the short days and the occasional Christmas cookie it's time to start planning a bit for the upcoming year.  Work and the ability to get away is going to drive much of my plan and I'm certain there will be other distractions, but this is what I'm planning for 2013:

• Brocken-Challenge, 80KM, 9 February, Göttingen to the Brocken summit (Harz), Germany.
• This year marks my fifth running of the BC.  A super charity event!
• Bilstein Marathon, 53KM, 14 April, Kaufunger Wald, Germany.
• I'm new to the Bilstein and have not yet registered.  Looks like a great event!
• Hexenstieg, 216KM, 26 - 28 April, Harz, Germany.
• Second go for the Hexer.  Last year was fantastic!  Registration is complete.
• Le Grand Raid Dentelles Ventoux, 100KM, 18 - 19 May, Gigondas, France.
• I swore last year that I would not run this deliciously evil race again.  It's simply too wonderful not to.
• Cortina Trail, 46KM, 28 June, Dolomites, Italy.
• First year running the Cortina Trail.  A friend from Canada suggested it and we're going to give it a shot.
• ThueringenULTRA, 100KM, 6 July, Thueringen, Germany.
• Another of my annual favorites!
• Barbarossalauf, 323KM multi-stage, 14 - 19 July, Thueringen, Germany. 
• Yes...  323KM over five days.  First time giving this one a go.  Micha Frenz the organizer puts on super events and I thought I'd give this one a go.  Registration is complete.
• Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, 30 August - 1 September, Chamonix, France.
• The UTMB...  What more can I say.  I did not get a slot last year and have a guaranteed starter number this year.  2013 will be my third attempt.  Got to get this one behind me!

The year may see one or two additions or "did not register" and I've still go to settle on what comes in the Fall of 2013.  For now...  Time to focus on the Nikolauslauf and get ready for the Brocken-Challenge.  It's going to be a good year!

Le Grand Raid Dentelles Ventoux 2012 II

Gigondas; it’s still dark at 0430 on Saturday, 19 May 2012…  It’s drizzling and 119 of us kick off to "rescapé" Le Grand Raid Dentelles Ventoux.  As we set out my thoughts are not on this race.  I’m not motivated and allow a lot of negativity to creep in.  I spoke briefly with Geert Ceuppens and focused on getting my head in the game for the first eighteen kilometers of what looks like is going to be a long day.

About twenty minutes into the race I decide to pull off the trail and relieve myself.  As I do so I watch the course of head lights pass and think that I’m still in pretty good standing at mid-pack.  After getting straight I head back out on the trail and find myself alone…  Slowly as the sun creeps into the cracks, canyons and crannies of the Dentelles Montmirail I make out a woman in front of me.  I run behind her for some distance when she asks “Passe Vous”?  I respond in my pigeon French that no, I’m not interested in passing – all is good back here.  She and I get into a groove and come to a forest path where we can run side-by-side.  She introduces herself as Isabelle and kicks up a conversation.  Dear, Isabelle…  She could not speak a word of English and my French is horrible.  Nonetheless, Isabelle goes on and on as we pass over hill and dale.  Seems as if she's sharing her life story and much more...  Suddenly we arrived at a hardball road; there is no trail marking.  GREAT!  This takes me back to 2009 when Dino Verones and I got lost for hours.  Confidently, Isabelle takes off to the left and I follow.

Isabelle and I ran downhill for twenty minutes or so, talking, and I’m thinking none of this looks familiar...  Oh shit!  Do not panic...  OH SHIT!  We’re friggen lost.  We jog on for a bit when her husband shows up in an SUV and asks where we’re going.  Isabelle explains that we are lost and looking for the trail.  He suggests that we turn around and go back to where we last lost the trail which we did.  My mind is racing right along with the clock.  We must be at the check point at Lac du Paty completing the first eighteen kilometer leg by 0800.  This is not good!

We wonder about for what seems like forever and finally come across the dreaded sweeper and his team of trailer cleaners removing trail markings.  Isabelle spoke briefly with them; confirmed our route and we were off again.  This is one of my absolute dreaded points in any trail race.  The sweeper is here and very close to me; time is running out to the make the check point and there will be not time in the check point to drink or eat anything.  This is UTMB 2011 all over again! 

I ran with Isabelle for a while longer and have now found the motivation I was missing when the race started.  I bid Isabelle farewell and took off to attempt to gain some time.  I know this part of the course and know where I can kick it and where I need to take it easy.  Slowly, every so slowly I begin to gain some time back.  I passed one runner after another and have finally got six or eight people behind me when I roll into Lac du Paty.  I greeted everyone in the best Texas accent I could throw out; drank two cups of water; asked one of the race volunteers for a drag from his cigarette (he laughed, but refused) and I roll out of Lac du Paty headed out over the next twelve kilometers to the check point at Curnier where I’ve got to be by 1030.

Getting to Lac du Paty I gained a thirty minute buffer back into my race plan.  I don’t like running this close to the cut off times as the terrain or your physical condition is going to ultimately take a toll and steal it back from you.  This portion of the route to Curnier is good; rolling but good and I continue to gain on runners and the clock.  Prior to bounding into Curnier I meet again with Isabelle’s husband who cheers me on.  I ask about Isabelle and he tells me that she is still in the race.  The check point at Curnier is the last full scale rest stop prior to the assault up Mont Ventoux.  I know this check point well and know that my bags will be checked.  I have gained about a forty-five minute buffer on the time barriers and roll into Curnier with a plan to restock water; eat as much and as quickly as I can while organizing my stuff.  At Curnier I again use a Texas dialect to ensure that the fellas know that they must speak English with me so that we’re clear on what they want to see.  Check out was easy this year; dude asked to see my wind breaker and emergency blanket.  With that completed I blast back out of the check point with apples in hand.  Leaving Curnier I had approximately twenty runners behind me.

The assault on Mont Ventoux is ten kilometers long and moves up a vertical ascent of 1610 meters with an average gradient of 7.5% and a maximum gradient of greater than 12%.  Cut off time to get to the check point on the summit Mont Ventoux as 1415.  I set out to get there around noon in order to take back some more of the time allocated for the time barriers.  I knew that the course after coming off of Ventoux and after Brantes is what I term the doldrums.  The doldrums are long uneventful stretches that although not extremely physically demanding are certainly mentally demanding.

Traveling up Mont Ventoux I was able to pass a number of additional runners.  I think that the majority of those folks I passed were new to the course and relatively new to trail and mountain ultra running.  Many did not have the right equipment or were dragging way too early in this race.  At this point in the course I felt physically and mentally well.  I know the terrain and enjoyed the freedom and beauty of the environment.  On the way up I came across a runner laying on the ground appearing to stretch his quads.  I asked “Ça Va?” and he replied with no – his quads kept tightening up.  So, in broken French and English we worked out me stretching him a bit.  Turns out he and I would cross paths again…

Just prior to moving onto the talus field prior to the final assault on Mont Ventoux the Rotary Club posts a water station just within the last wood line.  Going into this station I planned to drink a couple of cups of water and keep moving.  I was a bit let down to watch and hear two or three runners working with the race volunteers to drop.  Seeing people drop is contagious and I decided to move on without looking back.

Moving up the last approach to the summit of Mont Ventoux as largely uneventful.  Although it was a beautiful day the wind was kicking as I increased my elevation.  My thoughts focused on getting to the summit, my plan for the rest stop (eat) and getting back down off of Mont Ventoux.  I arrived at the check point at about 1210; dropped my pack and immediately put on my jacket and moved into the garage the point was located in.  Although it was freezing on top of Mont Ventoux there were thousands of people there.  Pedestrians, bicyclists and many more were milling about doing whatever Frenchmen do on Mont Ventoux on a lovely spring day.  After restocking my pockets and water and eating a lot of fruit, cheese, chips and three cups of soup I decided to move onward to Brantes.  At this juncture I was about an hour ahead of cut off times and felt good other than freezing my butt off…

Djam and I headed into the check point at Brantes.

Oh the lovely fourteen kilometer descent into Brantes.  And, no we didn’t get to take the road – it was all hiking paths for us…  Once you get back down off of what seems like infinite switch backs you head into one of the first portions of this course that I call the doldrums.  The trail consists of logging roads that slowly wind their way down into a valley before heading dramatically back up to Brantes.  It was here that I was to meet Djamel Groiuez (the same guy I stretched out on the way up Mont Ventoux).  For some reason “Djam” and I hit it off immediately and stuck it out with one another through the completion of the race.  As it turns out Djam served twenty-two years with the French paratroopers so we had much to talk about.

From Brantes we traveled along the path of Le Toulourenc and the backbone of the Combe de Réchaume to the check point at Veaux.  Following Brantes Djam’s lovely wife met and cared for us at each following aid station and check point. 

From Veaux I began to have GI issues with a lot of gas and then various bouts of diarrhea.  I’m not certain what brought this distress on, whether it was something I’d eaten, the energy food I was eating or what.  Whatever it was it cursed me and unfortunately I could not express to Djam how much I appreciated him waiting on me each time I had to take a break for a couple of minutes.  Other than my unfolding battle with my gut the trail from Veaux to Le Rissas was relatively uneventful. 

Things again got exciting on our way down from La Rissas to Le Groseau.  You have to love the French and the way they mark trails, or not mark them.  Djam and I were cruising along making good time with lots of daylight and buffer time before the cut off of 2300 at Le Groseau when we ran into Malaucène.  Again, I did not recognize this part of the course, but knew yet again I needed to hit the wood line.  We jogged into town and Djam waved down a passing car.  He spoke with the driver and asked him to go find the check point at Le Groseau which was supposed to be located somewhere on the outskirts of Malaucène.  Unbelievably, the guy agreed to Djam’s demands and sped off.  A few minutes later he returned and told us that the check point was in fact in place; where it was and the distance.  With much joy Djam and I headed back out of town to go find where we’d last seen a race marker and attempt to find the course.  All told I wound up covering 110 – 115 kilometers of 100 kilometer race course.  That dear friends is cool!  (Note heavy sarcasm.) 

We finally closed on Le Groseau with about an hour and a half buffer.  Djam sat down and his wife started caring for us.  I had a cup of soup and told them both that I was off to hit the other side of the trail and the wood line.  I told Djam I’d wait for him there.

By the time Djam came up the trail looking for me darkness had again completely fallen and we started our movement to Saint-Amand with the aid of head lamps.  Movement during this part of the course is deceiving.  Your mind is focused on the fact that you are within twenty kilometers of finishing, the lure of your headlamp and the terrain.  Passing Clairer and Les Gippières you are lulled into thinking that the course is smooth going over undulating forest paths and roads.  And yes, this in fact is the case if you are a normal hiker as there is a straight path to Saint-Amand.  But no, Le Grand Raid Dentelles Ventoux is not for the “normal” or weak of disposition. 

Shortly before arriving at Vallat de la Chaine the course takes an immediate right turn and you abruptly head up hill oriented on Col de la Chaine where you take another abrupt turn left and head directly up and over Dentelles de Montmirail.  When we arrived at the summit the wind was honking and we hurried back down the other side to roll into the rest stop at Saint-Amand and kilometer 91.
The rest stop at Saint-Amand was this year’s highlight for me.  We arrived to the sound of drums, horns, disco lights, “Allez!  Allez!” and a warm blanket.  Saint-Amand was the first check point where anyone offered us cola and Djam and I drank several cups and ate a few snacks.

From Saint-Amand it’s a mere nine kilometers to Gigondas and the finish line.  Fortunately much of this part of the course moves through the Vallat de Fenouillet.  By this time of this year’s race I as burned hard.  I had horrible blisters again on both feet.  Think that they were caused by a combination of wearing shoes that were too large from the outset, gravel in my shoes and the condition of my feet going into this race following the Hexenstieg a few weeks earlier.  I could not keep up with Djam’s stride.  Although we were both moving at the same pace his stride was much longer than mine at this point and we were both getting tired of waiting for me.  As the course progressed he would get way out ahead of me; stop and wait; gather me up and we’d move out again. 

A kilometer or so out of town Djam’s wife and another guy met us in the dark.  It was great to see them!  Djam and I picked up a slow airborne shuffle and made our way over the cobblestones of Gigondas’ main street.  As we ran Catherine surprised me telling me that she’d met my wife.  I asked her where and she told me in Gigondas.  I could not believe my ears.  “Simone is in Gigondas?” I asked.  And she said, “Yes – at the Community Center”.  It was almost 0230 on Sunday morning and Simone as waiting for me...  That my friends was the crowning moment of the entire last twenty-one hours and fifty-six minutes.  

Djam and I finished the 2012 Le Grand Raid Dentelles Ventoux together taking the 73d and 74th places.  Of the original 119 starters 77 were to finish...  Super race.  Beautiful country!