Polar Opposites

Or the tale of two races 

I just finished up the Zugspitz Ultra Trail (ZUT) and the thüringenULTRA (TU) which occurred two weeks apart from one another here in late June and the first weekend in July.  Different races, yes...  The ZUT takes place out of Grainau in the Alps while the TU goes in the Thüringenwald in central Germany.  One is an Alpine event while the other is a “friendly” ultra that transits over the Rennsteig through the forest of Thüringen.  The ZUT has approximately 5000 meters of elevation change while the TU contains 2150.  Their 2015 distinct differences lay in the weather extremes that characterized each.

Grainau, 20 June, 50F/10C, rain.  About 500 friends and I lined up for a 0715 start of this 100KM mountain ultra.  The weather in town was cold and rainy.  At elevation was below freezing and snowing.  Seeking to limit considerable risk to participants the organization team, Plan B, made the decision early on to alter the ZUT course to avoid two summits that had gained a significant amount of snow overnight.  In my mind this was an exceptional call as the weather would continue to deteriorate over the next twenty-four hours.

With the ZUT start gun Lutz and I headed off to transit around the Zugspitze massif.  He and I had been talking about doing this race together since April.  I was excited to have him along as a partner as we both had scores to settle with the ZUT and I think we make a superb running team.  This race like many previous certainly contained its challenges associated with elevation gained and lost, the distance, nutrition and the endurance necessary to finish.  Going into an event like this I always question where I am with my training and if some unknown will raise its ugly head and kick my ass.  As the rain continued to fall and following my experience in April at the Hexenstieg of being so cold for so long I was very concerned about either having to drop or suffering a cold weather injury.

 Courtesy of Lutz K

The ZUT unfolded for Lutz and I nicely as we progressed along the course.  That rain though, it was coming down and would not stop.  As we reached the first quarter or so Lutz and I were both suffering.  Neither of us could feel or really use our fingers.  I had again made a mistake on my packing list and not brought a pair of waterproof gloves with me.  For the ZUT I wore a Gore-Tex jacket to avoid the mistake I made in April.  Like most other materials Gore-Tex will soak through given enough rain.  We reached the soak through point earlier than I had hoped for.  My only real options by that point were to either drop (No) or to continue to move to generate enough heat to endure.  This latter option ensured that we maintained a solid pace and that we did not linger in any aid stations.  So…  The ZUT became a suck fest – another score to settle.

By VP5 (KM 55) at Reindlau or Hubertushof the rain had stopped, people were saying that we would see no more rain through the evening and I was feeling like nothing could prevent us from finishing.  Fleeting thoughts…  After eating, drinking and resupplying from our drop bags Lutz and I headed out to take on a little more than a marathon.   

With about thirty kilometers to go the weather changed on us again.  It started raining and temperatures hovered around freezing.  This stretch of the ZUT course was tough in 2014.  In 2015 it was soundly miserable.  The leg between Stuibenwald and the aid station at KM88 starts “pleasantly”, but quickly transitions to a serpentine course gaining about 800 meters over a very short distance.  With the rain and accumulated ground water  we quickly transitioned from moving along a hiking path to a path that had become a stream.  I’m not certain where Lutz got it from, but he was in top form going up.  Mentally I drew on his energy to get to the aid station at KM88.

Generally VP9 also serves as VP10 as during “normal” years you must pass through going up to the Alpspitz and back out going down.  Because of the weather and the amount of snow that had accumulated at elevation we did not transit up in 2015.  Instead we refueld at VP9 and headed back down.  This last leg was a “walk in the park” as well as we also moved down a hiking path that had become a stream.  I was treated to a nice surprise when my left toe stuck on a rock and I somersaulted into an actual stream bed and soaked myself yet again.  Joyous!  Simply joyous!  I had been droning to this point.  I was definitely awake from this point forward.

Seems that the last five kilometers of any ultra event are the most challenging.  Lutz and I pushed to get back into Grainau.  Both wanting to finish and finally get warm and dry.

Plan B, the volunteers that support the ZUT and the local Grainau community put on a superb event.  The ZUT will remain on my planning list for future race seasons.
   
Fröttstädt, 4 July, 68F/20C, waning full moon.  About 250 friends and I lined up for a 0400 start of this 100KM ultra through Germany’s green center.  The weather was balmy and had not cooled much from the day prior.  The forecast for the day called for more than sixteen hours of sunshine.  My personal outlook was one of trepdition.  In 2014 I was able to complete both the ZUT and TU with the same amount of time between the two.  I went into the TU this year having not trained at all the week following the ZUT and having only gotten in thirty odd kilometers the week prior.  The evening before the TU much of our discussion and thinking was focused on the heat that would certainly accompany us and tactics to have a succesful race.  Getting ready to run I narrowed my focus for the day to simply finishing.  No PRs would be a part of my 2015 TU calculus. 

The morning hours unfolded nicely.  I got a short run in with Aschu and Sanna; had a chance to chat with Micha and Udo going into the first VP at Sondra; and spent a bit of time with the race director Gunter Rothe starting at Schmerbach.  To this point temperatures were warm, but tolerable.  It was not until we got to the VP at KM33/Brotterode/am Gehege that I began to recognize that this was going to be one hell of a hot day.  From this point forward we would see the temperatures rise and simmer at 104F/40C.  

From this point forward the TU became one of those ultras where you run, hike, walk from aid station to aid station.  Fortunately, much of the course from Brotterode to Kleinschmalkalden was in the forest and shade providing a moderate 100F/38C temperature.  Time to hydrate, get and stay wet in anticipation for the old rail line that runs from Kleinschmalkalden to the half-way point at Floh-Seligenthal.  This stretch of the course has always been a challenge as it’s a mix of forest and field along a tar bike/hiking path leading to the half-way point and the mental pressure and release that comes with that.

The coolest place on the course!

 
At Floh-Seligenthal I ran into Harald who had just arrived.  He was not running because of an injury, but was at the TU to spectate and support.  It was great to chat with him, but troubling to hear what he had to say.  In no uncertain terms he told me that I looked like “shit” and probably should sit down, eat and have something to drink.  I told him that I felt pretty darn good, it was damn hot and that I was going to have a seat on the toilet to get some relief and take a break.  All good…  Drink!  Drink!  Drink!

From Floh-Seligenthal I headed off to my second least favorite leg of the TU.  This portion courses through some lovely forests and concludes just shy of Tambach-Dietharz meandering along what seems to be an unending, mind altering stretch along the Spittergrund.  As I was running along working to focus on retaining a positive mental attitude an elderly gentlemen stepped onto the trail just shy of the Löwen-Born spring.  In his hand he held a large garden watering can.  With a smile he asked if I’d like to get watered down.  I thought to myself – “Dude, hell yes.  You are a God send.  This is going to be freaking amazing!”  I asked him to pour water over my head and down my back.  He warned that the water was going to be cold as he’d just gotten it out of the Löwen-Born.  COLD was an understatement.  As the water flowed down my neck and back it was breathtakingly delicious.  I had to stop myself from bellowing “PHUCK!  That’s some cold ass water”.  I don’t know if Gunter and his team organized this watering hole, but this gentleman and many others that just “appeared” along the way helped ensure that I finished the 2015 TU.

Aid Station in Tambach-Dietharz

I didn’t remain long at the VP in Tambach-Dietharz; just enough time to dump trash and guzzle a couple of cups of water.  From here I headed off to the VP at Neues Haus.  Like VP 11 I did not want to remain at Neues Haus very long in order to make up time and space.  This was the first VP where I experienced other runners falling apart.  VP 12 was not a good place to rest as dropping from a race is a contagious disease and spreads very rapidly.  Getting away from here and reducing the remaining kilometers were my focused thoughts.  Off to Finsterbergen and the aid station at the Sports Platz!

Finsterbergen!  Shit!  This VP is another wasteland with runners talking among themselves about how to drop and the VP Team not knowing how to facilitate that happening.  This is getting uglier by the minute.  I took another shower to get ready for the next leg and wished several runners all the best on their decision and headed out as quickly as I could.  My focus – finish this damn thing!  It is now all a mental game.  Drink, stay wet and finish.

The course from Finsterbergen to Friedrichroda to Tabarz is a blur for me.  I had plugged in my Ipod and tuned out.  Tabarz, kilometer 81 and we’re headed out into the open fields and an oven.  This stretch is one of those where you have to put your head down and simply push.  My thoughts slipped between the music I was listening to, drinking and counting on get wet at the VP at Langenhain.

Hydrated, dumped trash, wet…  Time to move from kilometer 92 to the world famous aid station at kilometer 95.  As a runner it’s a wonderful thing to get up on the crest of the ridgeline about a kilometer away from the KM95 aid station.  From this point you can hear the see the “Mad Max Thunder Dome” like set up and hear the announcer and the stations music.  Rolling into the station it was a tremendous boost to hear your name called, the music get cranked and to have the cheerleaders fire you up.  The Team at KM95 played a big part in my making it over the last five kilometers of the 2015 TU Furnace.

Passing under the autobahn headed into the “lovely” industrial park that sits astride Waltershausen and Fröttstädt I slipped through my Ipod playlist, and punched up AC/DC.  There’s not much else like punching through the last gasps of an ultra jamming out to “Highway to Hell”, “Big Balls”, “Thunderstruck” and the like to finish off a scorcher of an event like the 2015 TU. 

Rolling into the finish line I felt a more sense of relief vice one of accomplishment.  I was an hour off of my usual TU finish time, but was glad to have passed through what is one of Germany’s hottest July weekends.  Huge congrats to all of the finishers and to everyone that attempted this “Highway to Hell”.

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 the ten year anniversary event in 2016!

Hexenstieg Ultra 2015

2015 saw the fourth running of the Hexenstieg Ultra.  The Hexenstieg Ultra Race Director, Michael Frenz, has established a phenomenal event that generally follows the course of the Harzer Hexenstieg Hiking Trail.  The race course begins and ends in Osterode am Harz; traveling through the Harz National Park and Harz Mountains.  For the casual hiker this course ends in Thale.  For participants in the Hexenstieg Ultra, Thale marks the 112KM aid station and turn around point facilitating an actual course distance of 216KM or approximately 135 miles.  The race opens on Friday morning at 0600 and closes on Sunday morning at 0600 limiting the course cut off time to 48 hours.

So let’s step back for a minute…  A go at a distance of 216KM is a challenge; clearly an ultra-distance.  But dear reader, like a number of other uniquely challenging events, it is not the distance alone that makes the Hexenstieg Ultra one of a kind.  Adding to “the sweetness” of this ultra are a number of other dynamic factors.  In addition to the distance runners face 4,500 meters or 14,764 feet of elevation change including summiting the Brocken.  Late April weather conditions in the Harz are best described as dramatically unpredictable.  2015 conditions included sunshine, blue skies and mild temperatures on Friday, 24 April.  Friday night was cool and relatively clear.  Saturday and early Sunday morning included low temperatures, rain, sleet and snow and very high wind at elevation.  Harzer weather conditions were to come back to haunt me later in my 2015 attempt.  More on that later…  Oh, we can’t also lose sight of the distance between aid stations (sometimes up to 30KM) and the roughness of some of the trails (when there was a trail). 

As the old saying goes, no good plan survives initial contact…  In this case my plans going into the Hexenstieg 2015 did not survey my work issues three weeks prior to the event.  I had initially planned to take Thursday, 23 April off in order to leisurely travel to Osterode to take part in pre-race activities.  Instead, I faced either not starting at all or traveling after a full work day Thursday evening.  After talking with Micha and Lutz, my running partner, I decided to give the journey a go.  I finally got out of Stuttgart and into classic German traffic jams at 1800 Thursday evening.  The trip to Osterode took me until about 2215.  My reception by Coni, Stefan and Micha that evening was simply fantastic and a clear reminder why I prefer running these small, friendly venues.  Coni had my starter kit set up, Stefan offered me dinner and Micha provided a personal brief on the course and event.  I remain very appreciative for Lutz’s gracious attitude in our hotel room.  He allowed me to keep him awake until 2300 organizing my running kit and getting caught up with him.   

Friday morning came much too early with the only saving grace being the great breakfast spread that Stefan and his team at the Hotel Harzer Hof provided for us.  I can’t say enough about Stefan and the Hotel Harzer Hof crew.  Annually, Stefan turns the Harzer Hof into the headquarters for the Hexenstieg Event days and all that comes with them.  Many thanks Stefan! 

After gathering in front of the hotel for a short final briefing and a couple of pictures we set out for a group run to the start of the Hexenstieg trail.  From the trail head Simon Gfeller and Michael Wagner led early and would dominate the race over the next thirty-plus hours.  Simone and Michael tied the finish with a new course record in 31:24.  Steffi Praher had am an amazing race finishing for the ladies in 41:55.  Lutz and I had planned a slow deliberate approach to the next couple of days.  Our investment in patience paid dividends for us over the long run.

Friday was simply amazing with blue skies and ideal running temperatures.  Watching the barometer and the weather over the course of the day it was hard to imagine anything but a wonderful event.

Lutz and I coursed over the route with few worries until we departed the Goetheweg to the west of the Brocken Mountain and got onto the track along the Eckar stream.  From here we were challenged by a good bit of deadfall and extremely wet surface conditions caused by snow melt.  My thinking at the time…  “It’s not an ultra unless you have wet, trashed feet!”  Passing the Eckartalsperre it was great to look south and know that the Brocken loomed out there.

Highpoints of my 2015 Hexenstieg included a number of different locations and experiences starting with the Brocken.  The Brocken is a magical mountain.  Yep, it takes some time to get there on foot, particularly if you leave the Goetheweg and head off in the opposite direction to the Eckartalsperre.  The approach to the summit up the old Kolonnenweg is in and of itself a gut check.  Upon finally arriving, Lutz introduced me to the Brocken Bahnhof Gastaette which was a real treat.  A bowl of pea stew never tasted better!

From the Brocken we traveled 26KM to Ruebeland and the aid station within the Gasthaus, Tannengrund another of my highlights.  It was here that I discovered the joy associated with drinking an alcohol free Hefeweissen in 2014.  I enjoyed the same again this year with some of the open faced sandwiches that were on hand for our culinary delight.  Evening and darkness were approaching as we left the warmth of the Tannengrund.  Our next aid station objective was the Hotel Bodeblick in Treseburg.

Unlike 2014 I was not hurting as badly as I had in the past when coursing to the Hotel Bodeblick.  The course travels 21KM from Ruebeland to Thale and the turnaround point.  This year I was more anxious than not to pass through Treseburg and close on Thale and an opportunity to reset for my approach to the second half. 

Die Sonne versinkt,                           The sun goes down,
der Himmel wird Pink.                        the sky turns pink.
Die Nacht beginnt,                             The night begins,
dein Leben macht wieder Sinn.          your life makes sense again.
-Seeed Molotov                                -Seeed Molotov

The aid station in Thale run by Gabi, Simone and Simone’s husband was phenomenal!  Here we had the opportunity to shower, switch out or take on additional gear/clothing, sleep and eat.  I took advantage of the station and did some preventative maintenance on my feet, changed tee-shirts and ate.  I did not sleep.  I also committed my largest mistake of the 2015 Hexenstieg by not picking up my Gore-Tex jacket and rain pants.  Looking back this was a distinctly amateur mistake having now hiked and run in the Harz for going on six years.

From the aid station at Thale Lutz and I headed up to the Hexentanzplatz enroute to the aid station at Treseburg.  Going back out we didn’t spend much time at the Hotel Bodeblick only enough to check in, grab a bite and a drink and we were on our way through the night to Hasselfelde.  Oh the night…  It’s funny what happens within the orb of light cast by a headlamp.  I can’t say that I experienced any hallucinations this first night, but do recall going deep within and very nearly, if not actually sleeping while we moved.

Saturday morning we arrived in Hasselfelde and instead of visiting the Total Gas Station we stopped at a bakery and had a fantastic breakfast – probably the best coffee I had all weekend!  From breakfast we faced another 20KM trek to Mandelholz and the Hotel Gruene Tanne.  We arrived in Mandelholz in time for lunch – my tanks definitely needed a fill up prior to the 19KM stretch to our second drop bag at Saint Andreasberg. 

The stretch between Mandelholz and Saint Andreasberg was one of the most challenging for me mentally.  The Wendeltreppe just to the west of the Rinderstall and just shy of the aid station was physically challenging, but not the cause of my difficulty.  Moving into Saint Andreasberg I was mentally spent and having sever motivation issues.  Adding to my difficulties was the fact that it had started raining and was not to stop doing so for much of the remainder of the race.

The aid station at Saint Andreasberg afforded me an opportunity to again maintain my feet, eat and restock from my second drop bag.  Lutz and I did not remain long in order to work through the remaining 41KMs left on the course.  The rain, exhaustion and cold really began to take a toll on me at this point.  With our pace I was unable to gain or retain any warmth.  I cursed myself for not packing or wearing my Gore-Tex kit.  While transiting the alternate route around the Oderteich I told Lutz that I would either need to drop from the race or dramatically increase our pace.  He told me to take off on my own, which although unhappy about leaving Lutz, I did.

The approach up the Bruchberg and Wolfswarter provided me the ideal opportunity to gain some heat as it was steep and rough, following the course of a creek bed.  My movement to the Wolfswarter was relatively uneventful until I arrived at the summit.  Lovely Harzer weather brought in very strong winds which were pushing sleet and snow almost horizontally.  The hiking stamp station on the Wolfswarter was one of our check points and required either a stamp or a photo of the stamp station.  In 2014 we searched to no end to locate the stamp station.  With the weather closing in and getting worse I decided to simply take a picture of the Wolfswarter summit and move back down as quickly as I could.  Picture taken I began my decent down the Oberer Bruchbergweg to the next aid station at Altenau.  The transit down the Oberer Bruchbergweg was eerie as about half way through the fog moved in and rapidly reduced my scope of vision.

Rolling into Altenau and the self-serve aid station at the Hotel Sachsenross I was filled with a bit of trepidation knowing what awaited me over the course and the night itself.  Locating the Sachsenross was no issue.  In 2014 Lutz, Andreas and I spent literally hours wondering around Altenau attempting to locate the street that took us to the 7Km long old rail line that runs between Altenau and Clausthal-Zellerfeld.  As I left the aid station I was keenly focused on staying on track to avoid 2014’s frustration.  Although I initially missed the sharp left hand turn in Altenau (ran 100 meters past it), I quickly doubled back, found the right path and headed out.

The old rail line is known within Hexenstieg circles as the “Bahndamms das grauens” or “Rail Line of Misery”.  The path is seven kilometers of almost straight going with an ever so slight incline.  On any other day it represents an easy run between the two towns.  After completing nearly 195KM of movement it represents a significant physical and mental challenge.  As I began my movement along it significant fog began to move in closing my visible world in around me even tighter.  Going over things in my mind…  I had not slept in a darn long time, I was cold, and now I could not see anything but my feet in front of me.  “What to do?”  MUSIC!  I’d carried by IPod with me the entire time and not yet used it.  I was alone, in the fog and coursing over the Hexenstieg through the night.  Not much of a better opportunity to “Turn on, Tune in and Drop out”!  I can’t say that my music shortened the transit along the “Bahndamms das grauens”, but it sure did make it more interesting.  And I can tell you that Timothy Leary would have approved of my state of mind. 

I didn’t stay long at Jens’ in Clausthal-Zellerfeld.  I saw Jens, Micha and a couple of other race supporters, but no runners.  I had a cup of coffee, dumped my trash and headed out to finish up the last 14KM of the race.  The going was foggy and slow getting to Buntenbock because of the fog.  I stopped for a BIO call just prior to the village and saw someone coming down off of the ridge line I’d just left.  When they got down to where I was standing we greeted one another and much to my surprise it was Lutz!  Our reunion was perfectly timed to head into Freiheit and Osterode together.

My 2015 take-aways...  (These are presented now after having had the opportunity to consider the Hexenstieg experience for a couple of weeks.  Just long enough not to have the pain and bad memories escape me.)  Do the Hexenstieg in 2016!  I know, I told myself, Lutz and a couple of others that I would take a break from the Hexenstieg.  However, 2016 marks the fifth anniversary AND the Hexenstieg is simply an amazing adventure.  Don’t ever consider the finish of an endurance event until you have one aid station between you and it.  I was able to manage time, distance and exhaustion by breaking the race down into the current aid station leg I was on.  Nutrition!  Nutrition!  Nutrition!  Food is fuel; you’ve got to have it to keep going physically and for me it is essential to my positive motivational wellbeing.  In an endurance event like the Hexenstieg you require both early, consistently and over the long haul.  Before attempting one of Michael Frenz’s or a similar event that includes a course that is not marked, know and understand your GPS.  Lutz and I discovered some quality features associated with our GPS that ensured we didn’t stray too far off of the race course.  Weather happens – it is neither good nor bad, it just is.  Waste little time and energy lamenting about this and instead focus on aspects within your control such as suitable clothing and gear.

The 2015 Hexenstieg was a phenomenal event!  It represents one of Europe’s toughest endurance events with a small, familiar starting field, super organization and volunteer support.  Count me in for 2016!

Schneewittchen Trail 2015 – Over the Hills, where the Seven Dwarfs Dwell

Snow White is still alive and well…

Please forgive me as I’m experiencing a bit of Writer’s Cramp and don’t have many details to share about the Schneewittchen Trail hosted by Indie-Trail other than…  Michael, Susanne, Mario and the rest of the crew put on a super event!  I hope to gain another invitation to join them for this or another of their well organized and executed running events.

I had originally asked to run the 80KM (4000 HM) EisenZwerg. When I arrived at Race Headquarters Friday evening Susanne asked if that remained my intent.  Given my continuing struggle with my right Achilles and a wrestling match the week prior with a cold I asked if there was an issue with me shifting to the 53KM (3000 HM) Schneewittchen Trail.  Turned out that there was absolutely no issue with doing so and that’s exactly what I did.

Saturday morning I was awoken by runners preparing to head out for the EisenZwerg which started at 0600.  I wished them good luck in my mind and rolled back over and slept for another hour.  Decadent, yes, I know…  Shortly thereafter I got up and finished up what needed to be organized and went over for breakfast.

At 0800 twenty of the original twenty-two Schneewittchen runners lined up to head out onto the course.  The day opened perfectly for a day of running with cool temperatures and tasty hill to kick a day of hill running off.

The first aid station (Unmanned)

I spent the first twenty-five or so kilometers measuring things out in my head; listening for and passing the Monkey Mind on.  I met up with Stefanie Aaronson at the aid station at kilometer twenty and spent some time running with her.  We lost one another on one of the many up or down hill traces that led us back to main aid station at the Hotel Eule.  At some point before heading back into Alsfeld Hanno Recke and I linked up.  We spent the rest of the day running the remainder of the course together.  It was great to get to know him, and hope that we have the opportunity to run together again sometime soon.

Schneewittchen Trail Headquarters - Hotel Eule

Saint Katharina Church in Alfeld/Hoersum
The Brothers Grimm tell a story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs that live beyond the Seven Mountains.  Highlights of the Schneewittchen Trail included for me running the Seven Mountains.  3000 meters of elevation change is a lot of going up and down over a 53KM course.  As Tim Scott mentioned prior to me heading off for this event, “Sounds like a very runable course.”  Sure Tim!  Additional highlights included the running field - a great set of people; the Orga Team and their helpers; and the course itself.  Alsfeld is out there in what we would describe as “Bum Fuck Egypt” or “Way out in the Sticks”; in German “am Arsch der Welt”.  The village of Alfeld/Hoersum is at least an hour’s drive from the Autobahn along country roads.  Friday evening I was convinced that my GPS was dead wrong.  This distance and placement takes you out into superior trail running country.

"Unmarked" single track trail

Rennsteig - Single Track

The 53KM Schneewittchen Trail included twenty starters.  Michael Wagner, Philipp Westphal, Jogi Winkler and Hubertus Kohlrautz led the run from the get-go.  Michael Wagner took finished out in 5:20 while Lana Rockmann led the women’s field in 10:06.  Hanno and I finished the day’s run 7:34.  I had a super day and although when we got to the aid station at the Adamishuette and KM46 I felt great and as if I could have reached for and completed the EisenZwerg I was glad that I’d run the Schneewittchen instead.  Doing so allowed me to kick back and really enjoy the day.

Aid Station at Adamishuette,46KM
Michael, Susanne and Mario put on a super running event.  Count me in for future events with Indie-Trail!

The Postman

They say the Postman always rings twice...  She stopped by yesterday and didn't ring at all.

Next Saturday is going to be an interesting day!

The Essence of Life

“There is nothing quite so gentle, deep and irrational as running – and nothing quite so savage, so wild.”  - Bernd Heinrich

So I have to admit…  I’ve been thinking about my race report for the 2015 Brocken-Challenge (BC) since I headed to Göttingen the morning of 13 February.  Going into the 2015 BC I had run this superlative event six times and enjoyed each occasion immensely.  So my thoughts have been, “where do you go with this report after the seventh turn?  What more can I add other than a summary of the event and perhaps some statistics on the winners and finishers?”  As I sit here and type I continue to struggle with where this report is going to go.  If you care to; let’s wander a bit…

Going into the 2015 BC I was not prepared to run.  As I mentioned in an earlier post I am suffering from an insertional Achilles tendinopathy injury.  Work and life in general has been a bear since I ran my last ultra in December.  I organized my kit for the BC two weekends prior to the event as I would have no time or mental capacity to do so at the last minute.   Given the Achilles niggle I have and my inability to relax and focus on the BC I seriously considered not starting.  If you’ve read any of my previous BC reports that would come as a surprise as the BC is on my list of “Must Do” events each year.  I made my final decision to run Friday morning committing to myself as I got in the car that I would unwind from the rest of my life as soon as we started running Saturday morning.

“Movement is the essence of life.” - Heinrich

In 2015 I arrived in Göttingen much earlier than in previous years to meet with Aschu who was kind enough to put me up for a night or two.  This early arrival enabled the opportunity to also arrive at the Check-in/Briefing site way ahead of schedule.  After feebly “helping” out a bit I adjourned to a seating area in the foyer of the hall where we were located.  This area in which ultimately found a rather large group of us sitting became referred to as the “BC Lounge”.  We were all sitting facing the stairwell where everyone had to enter to get checked in and it became a place to reunite, chill, talk about things runners talk about (shoes, equipment, physical well being, race plans, etc.) and share many laughs.  Following the race briefing which introduced the event, the organization, beneficiaries, and a Carnival like run down of the race itself, Aschu and I headed back to his place.

Thankfully, Friday evening included a simple, but delicious (seriously) dinner and much delightful discussion with Aschu.  We collectively went through our gear one last time and braced for a restless pre-race evening.  Saturday morning I was relieved that I had gotten a good night’s sleep on Thursday night as I was hyped up and did not sleep well Friday.  We had set alarms for 0400, but I think that both of us were awake and ready to go well before the alarm rang.  After a few cups of Yogi tea and a banana to knock the remnants of the night we set out for the BC start.

We arrived at the old Dance Hall at Kehr and the start location as breakfast was cranking up and runners were signing in.  Over the past seven years I’ve admired the volunteers and runners that brave the cold of this old Dance Hall (It’s really more like a barn.), particularly the volunteers led by Juliette Mallison.  2015’s breakfast layout was exceptional.  We were even treated to portable heaters which drew crowds of runners to them much like bar patrons to bistro tables with dishes of peanuts.  The breakfast buffet was second to none with my favorite including the fresh fruit salad and cereal.  Breakfast was another opportunity to connect with friends and acquaintances.  It was great to see Michael, Sabine, Uli, Werner and many others.  Werner, you’re insane running the BC on Valentines Day and your anniversary to boot!  Gutsy my friend.  Very gutsy!  Before I knew it, it was time to head outside to assemble to get ready for the 0600 start.

Photo courtesy of Ralph Benz

I think that many people, particularly the BC uninitiated, run the BC and other events of this nature as purely athletic events that offer an extreme test of endurance.  The draw to the distance and the challenge of a winter ultra were without a doubt the reason I signed up for my first BCs in 2009 and 2010. The BC is certainly that, but there’s more.  I view ultrarunning as a shift in paradigms that affords an opportunity to experience the wild, tribal and ascetic way of life we have generally become numb to in our “modern” world.  Endurance running is one of the few remaining doors through which we can step and embrace risk in the raw.  It is as the great Alpinist, Lionel Terray once wrote, “… these are moments of exultation and bliss, which in the monotonous, materialistic existence of modern times nothing else can approach…”

Photo courtesy of Michael Hartmann

Terray’s words rang true throughout my 2015 BC experience.  Unlike previous years, I can’t say that I had to fight through any particular low points of pain, suffering or mental anguish.  Yes, there were low points...

The section from Wasserheide along the Steinaer Bach leading up to the wonderful aid station at Jagkopf.  But these periods were off set by the incredible weather and the opportunity to spend some time alone and with friends like Rolli.

During my last few running seasons I have learned much about myself, running and life for that matter.  Key truths for me include:

-  Never attempt an ultra as a whole.  Instead, you must view it in its parts or elements, thinking only as far ahead as the next aid station.  Doing so allows you to manage the whole without being overcome by the WHOLE.

-  To manage an ultra in its parts is to remain in the present.  This presence of mind allows me to slip out of the monotony of life and into the bliss that Terray so aptly described from his experiences in the mountains.

-  Negativity breeds negativity in both the psychological and physical sense.  For me, even the smallest, most quaint negative thought streams impact my well being.  I actually work to cast negative thoughts from my mind like little clouds.  I attempt to accept them for what they are and move on.  Only so am I able to remain focused on my goal and the presence of the moment.

-  I have found that my mental and physical state are driven by the energy in my tank.  During an ultra I require a steady intake of both fluids and fuel.  Although the BC offers a delightful variety of organic, vegan fare, I found that I could not get what was offered in 2015 to either fuel me, much less stay down.  I literally blew up at the half way point.  I felt like a new man after emptying my gut.  From Barbis forward I stuck with my own gels and energy bars and drank the bouillon soup and ate apples over the course of the rest of the race. 

My final push from Oderbrueck (72.4KM) to the Brocken summit was dedicated to James Sedberry.  James was a lifelong friend that lived through an eternity of life with multiple sclerosis.  He passed away on 7 January 2015.  James’ childhood nickname was “Happy” as he was never without a smile.  Happy was in his element outside.  I think he would have enjoyed the Harz much like I do if not more.  The memory of his smile carried me the last 7.5 kilometers to the finish line.

The 2015 Race…
Registration for the 2015 BC opened in early November 2014 via a lottery.  Application to the lottery was submitted via the BC web site.  Results of this lottery were published on the first of December 2014.

Weather conditions leading up to the 2015 were promising with a good bit of snow in late December into January.  Low temperatures were consistent almost up to the week prior to the BC.  A warming trend occurred this last week before the event causing significant snow melt below 300 meters.  The snow and ice line retreated primarily into the Harz National Park after the mid-point aid station.  On race day temperatures hovered just at freezing with slightly colder temperatures beyond Jagkopf.  Blue skies and sunshine were to rule the day on the 14th.

Photo courtesy of Martin Woitynek

On 14 February 2015 170 BC starters lined up at Hainholzhof (Kehr) in Göttingen to give the course a go; 160 runners finished!  Antje Mueller of Rötha won the women’s category with a blistering 8:52 finish.  Florian Reichert of Göttingen set a new men’s course record in 6:33!  I had a sensational day besting my 2013 time by 32 minutes in 11:21.

Considering Running?
 
The Brocken-Challenge is a winter charity ultramarathon of approximately 80 – 85KM with a positive change of 1900 meters in altitude that takes place over a mixed surface course between the city of Göttingen and the finish on the Brocken Summit (1142m) in the Harz. All donations for the BC benefit a number of local, regional and international organizations details of which can be found here.

The BC route travels over farm roads, forest, hiking and cross-country ski trails.  The route varies each year based on the amount of snow in the Harz National Park.  The course originates in Göttingen and passes checkpoints/aid stations at Landolfshausen (10.9KM), Rollshausen (21.8KM), Rhumequelle (30.7KM) and Barbis (Dreymanns Muehle) (42.5KM) over what is a large bowl like terrain feature.  The ULTRA in the BC begins at Barbis where the course enters the Harz National Park passing through aid stations at Jagkopf (53.8KM), Lausebuche (63.1KM), Koenigskrug (68.5KM), Oderbrueck (72.4KM) before proceeding to the finish line on the summit of the Brocken.  The leg between Barbis – Jagkopf – Lausebuche is best characterized as the Gut Check of the entire course as the Jagkopf is only accessable by foot with no opportunity to drop at this aid station if you were to become so inclined.

The Brocken, the easternmost mountain in Northern Germany is surrounded by the Harz National Park.  The mountain illustrates a unique terrain feature in that it is completely exposed to the North German Plain.  Largely based on this exporsure its microclimate resembles that of mountains of 2,000 meters or higher.  The Brocken rises above the tree line and experiences extreme temperature and climate impacts.  The highest recorded temperature was 28.2C on 12 AUG 2003 and the lowest temperature was recorded on 1 FEB 1956 at -28.4C.  In 1973 the summit was covered in snow for 205 days of the year.    The Brocken was ensrowded in fog for 330 days in 1958.  Traveling along a straight line east, the next prominent geographic elevation change is in the Ural Mountains!  (WIKI URL)
 
BC organization, volunteer support and aid stations are simply among the best I’ve experienced particularly when you consider that all of this is accomplished via volunteers and donations.  Aid stations are second to none and have been characterized as the Longest Organic Food Convention in the World.
 
The 2016 Brocken Challenge date is set for 13 FEB 2016.  My calendar is marked and I’m watching for when applications for the 2015 lottery will be taken.  Count me in!