Haliburton Race Report

By Paula Burchat

Hi Folks,

This isn't the War and Peace version, but it's close.

I absolutely love this sport! For all the pain and misery we suffer at times, this weekend at Haliburton is prime example of what makes what we do so fun. I brought some friends with me who had never been involved in ultra running before and it was great to them enjoying their time as well.

Joanne came back to do the 50K again. Rudy had fallen into doing the 50 M more by dare than desire. We had jokingly made a drunken deal that I would do the Rudy Award only if he would do a 50 Miler (The award is named after Rudy "The Godfather of Triathlon in Ottawa", the award requires you do a series of 5 events including an Ironman). Unfortunately for me, he agreed!

On race morning, I wandered down to check in at 5:45 and greeted a few friends. Once again, John Prohira's morning prayer left me with some words of wisdom and some thoughts to contemplate throughout my long day of adventure.

En masse all the runners gently headed out in the dark, quietly speaking with friends or making new ones. Over the next 5 miles the pace spread out as the speedier folks in the 50k pulled ahead, the 50milers found their pace, and the 100 milers relaxed and put in their time. Except for Victor Hickey and Joe Hildebrand who were racing for the top spot in the 100 Miler!

The first few miles were relaxed and very enjoyable – running Krista Trail, the Lookout Trail and the King and James Trail is a great way to start the morning and I'm no morning person! I had a chance to catch up with Gord, Mike and Brian Magee along the way and meet Joy Valvano and a few others. As we were shuffling up the hill on King and James, I looked up and saw Joanne flying back at us from the 25k turn around! Lord, was she on a great pace and looking like it was effortless. She ultimately finished in 4:49:00 - a 40 minute PR and 1st place for women!

I was absolutely pumped when Jo ran by and made my first mistake of the day – I sped up and pushed on the downhill into the aid station! I'd been working hard to stay slow and relaxed, and I let the adrenaline get out of hand. My race strategy was to go out at 5 hour pace for each of the first three 25 mile sections and then see what I had left. I thought 21-22 hours was possible if I kept to this pace.

I met Mike, my crew, and Adrian, my pacer, at the aid station and made my second mistake of the day – I didn't take my time and rushed out of the aid station even though I was a few minutes ahead of my pace time. I just wanted to run – I felt good!

Five miles later, after navigating Osprey Trail, (where I later learned that Rudy made friends with some piles of dirt on couple of occasions) I entered the 20 mile aid station as Monica was leaving.

Part of my strategy was to stay behind Monica until 75 miles as she would likely set a very even and balanced pace. I hadn't thought I'd catch up with her for quite a while so I tried to slow up a bit. This turned out to be difficult as my left quad would tighten up a bit when I slowed. Mastering a slow shuffle this early on in the race when your energy levels are high is a difficult thing to do!

About a half mile outside of the aid station, Victor Hickey flew by me heading back to Base Camp. Over the first 30 miles he'd put 9 miles on me! Joe Hildebrand went by 2 minutes later. Don't they know you're supposed to take the first half of the 100 M at an easy pace!

Quite a while later the first 50 milers went by and Rudy was a minute back of the two young bucks leading the charge. He looked great! Easy stride, smiling and looking like he was enjoying it. A quick high five and a cheer and then we are gone in our separate directions.

At this point I caught up with Monica and we headed into the 25 mile aid station in 4:45. Monica was in and out like a flash while I loitered. It was very hot and I needed to replace my single water bottle for my 1.5 litre Camel Bak to make sure I was drinking enough between aid stations.

A couple miles down the road and I caught up with her again. I moved ahead and lead the way into the 30 mile aid station and left just as she arrived. For the next 20 miles we repeated this reunion at each aid station. I had a bit of a shock at mile 35 when I ran into the aid station to find Joan and Mike there and they informed me that Rudy was lost. Nobody had seen him since the last aid station. Thankfully, as I was heading out news came down the road that he had been located and appeared to be okay.

I was moving well and the hilly Krista Trail was a joy to run at this point. I went into 50 miles with a bit of a larger lead than normal and tried to get out faster to maintain the advantage. Joanne, Andy, Joan, Mike, Adrian and Rudy were all out to cheer me through. I was really glad to see them and it gave me boost of energy.

It was just before 50 miles that I sidestepped my race plan and started concentrated on how to win the race. That was my third mistake of the day. Instead of paying close enough attention to my nutrition, hydration and the small signs my body was sending me, I was calculating how much time I should be taking at aid stations and how long it should take to get through certain trail sections. I was feeling good and I was in first place. What the heck – there was only what 50 miles left!

I maintained a very comfortable pace through the next 15 miles. My gap over Monica was slowly increasing – 3, 5, 7 minutes. Then it started to decrease – rapidly! With news that Monica was picking up the pace, I rushed through the 65 mile aid station and stupidly left my food sitting on the table when I left. D'oh!

A few miles down the road I started up Osprey Trail. I was walking the hills at a steady pace, but I could feel my energy begin to wane. On the second hill, I looked over my shoulder and there she was, running up the hill behind me. I had nothing left in the tank to compete with that sort of skill. We exchanged a few words and Monica cruised easily by half way up the climb before she started to walk and then she was gone. Oh, dejection! Almost as good as a swift kick in the gut.

I suppose if I could have kept my head in the game as this point I could have made a run at her again later. Somehow, she made it through the rugged Osprey Trail without any lights while I staggered along using my headlamp. Just as I wandered into the 70 mile aid station she pulled out. I could have gone after her, but I was bonking in a big way and needed food.

I still managed to put in a good pace to 75 miles and arrived in 15:45. I'd passed Monica on her way home about a half mile back outside the aid station and there would be no catching up with her. Now, I just needed to find a way to survive the night and get home to finish it as well.

Again, everyone was at the 75 mile aid station to cheer me on. My brain wasn't function very well and I think about 4 people were trying to help get me into my long running tights and long sleeved shirt! I was quite glad they were there. Joan pointed out the Northern Lights and I tried to look up to see them, but my neck and back had spasmed so badly I had to tilt my whole body to look up. It was a beautiful night for a run though. The stars were incredible and just a glimpse of the Northern Lights is an inspiration.

Adrian and I headed out together. He started to run immediately. Apparently, he done a few minutes of warm up running before I got there as well. He didn't quite know what he'd gotten himself into at all! I reigned him in and we walked for a few minutes while I munched a cookie. It was nice to have company again as I'd been running solo for the last 50 miles.

A few minutes later things turned bad, my stomach was upset and I needed all contents out. With 23 miles to go as I wobbled down the road, I told Adrian we were in for a long night! (When we finished the race, someone asked Adrian when he knew he was in for a long night and he responded "When Paula told me we're in for a long night!")

We got into the 80 mile aid station and I was falling apart. I didn't know what I needed, just that my stomach was in revolt. John Prohira kindly offered me a Pepcid-AC and within minutes I was feeling a lot better. I managed to take in some food and my head cleared as well.

Last year, while running the 100 for the first time, I sang rather than using a bear bell. Unfortunately, the only song I remembered at that time for some unknown reason was Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler". (Growing up in the Ottawa Valley can leave lasting damage obviously!) Well, Adrian wanted me to sing it to prove I knew the words. So, I did. He joined in on the chorus. No bears in sight for miles around, I'm sure!

Once we got through Osprey, we were able to start running a bit, but it was mostly a fast hike pace to the 85 mile aid station. I was feeling relatively good and looking forward to seeing Mike and getting some more food. Here, I made the fourth mistake of the day – bacon! I ate bacon! What was I thinking? It tasted good, but there went my stomach again and no John Prohira to save me. King and James trail was a nasty trip. I couldn't believe how hard my system had to work to digest the bacon. It felt like all the blood had rushed from my head to my stomach!

We finally got through the trail and onto the road again. I was tired, bone tired. I needed some sleep. As we walked along I was looking for a soft place to lie down. Finally, I turned to Adrian and said "I have to sleep." He didn't want to let me do it because he didn't think I'd get going again, but he could see I was serious. I just wanted a few minutes to shut down for a while. He finally agreed and said he'd wake me in 5 minutes. Perfect! I lay down in the middle to the road and I was out like a light. R.E.M. sleep in 2 seconds flat! I had some crazy dreams and then a voice was telling me to get up and it got louder and louder until I opened my eyes. It felt like I'd been asleep for at least half an hour. But, according to the watch it was only 4 minutes. I was up and we were off.

Heading up that lovely hill on Lookout Trail, Kevin Sayers went bounding by. We finally pulled into Gary Black's aid station at 90 miles. Unfortunately, I was unable to take advantage of the beer and excellent offerings he had. But, we did sit and chat for a while before we headed out.

After a grueling slog up Krista Trail marked by glow sticks, emphasizing just how much farther you had to climb on each hill, we made it to the 95 mile aid station. Jim Morrison caught up with us just before the aid station and was looking really strong and moving very well. There was no way we'd be heading in to the finish together again this year. The next five miles felt like forever. The sun was coming up and falling into bed was all I really wanted to do.

Finally, we climbed the last hill and made the turn for home. A dedicated crew was out waiting for us at the finish line. I managed to find a bit of energy left to jog in the last 100 metres or so to a rousing round of applause. To have people up at 6:45 in the morning cheering you on to finish an insane endeavour is a powerful motivator.

As always, Helen put on an excellent event. All the volunteers were wonderful. It was a tough day for 100 milers in Haliburton Forest and Victor and Monica truly earned their titles as Canadian 100 Mile Champions. Victor's course record is astounding (I wasn't even at the 75 mile turn around when he finished!)

It looks like a I have made a few converts who will be coming back with me next year to do one of the races – Adrian thinks the 50K "tri-a-trail" would be fun in the daylight and Mike is interested in doing it as well.

I am extremely happy with my weekend result given all that happened in the weeks leading up to the race – Joanne and I getting hit by a car, Mike falling off a cliff and unable to pace me and then at the last minute Adrian volunteering to help. Just being able to start and finish the race was important for me. The fact that I was able to put everything I had on the line and enjoy a little competition was a bonus. I made a few mistakes along the way and learned some very good lessons from it all. One day soon maybe I'll give Monica a better challenge.