Haliburton Forest 100 Miler - 12/13 September 2015 - The First Hundred Miler (AKA - A Long, Wet, Cold Night)

Haliburton Forest 100 Mile Trail Race – 12/13 September 15 – Haliburton ON

29:52:39
21/22 Overall and 17/18 Men
First Hundred Miler
527.4 Miles Raced in 2015

Once I had decided late in 2013 that I wanted to run ultra-marathons and a 100 miler in the next few years, I had started to look at options for my first 100 miler.  I was attracted to the Haliburton Forest 100 Mile Trail Race for a number of reasons.  I wanted first 100 miler to be a challenging trail race (and definitely is) along with its early September date that allowed for summer Ontario Ultra series races as training runs.  By mid-fall last year I had settled on HF 100 as my first 100 miler and built my race plan for the year around it. 

HF 100 Mile Course.  The HF 100 is a double out and back in the Haliburton Forest Wilderness andWildlife Preserve about three hours north-east of Toronto, ON and is situated along Algonquin Provincial Park’s south-west border.  I found the course was about 40% semi-technical single track, 30% abandoned forest road and 30% forest/gravel road with around 12 500 feet of cumulative climbing over the 100 miles.  The first four miles of the course are on gravel roads before transitioning into some good single track (Normac, Poachers, Vista and Bens trails) with short sections of gravel roads linking the trails.  The first section of the course looped MacDonald Lake so there was a small section of gravel road that you ran on twice. The single track section had a steady diet of solid hills as well. Around the 13-14 mile point the course transitioned to more of mix of the abandoned forest roads and gravel roads with the quality of forest roads varying from semi-technical to flat & smooth.  There were a few more flat sections but still plenty of climbing especially on the Kiska, Lookout and King & James trail.  There were six aid stations along the route with AS-2 at the loop point on the MacDonald Lake loop and AS-7 about 500 m before the turn-around point at 25 miles (there was no AS-1).  Link to my Garmin Connect File.

Water Crossing Along Poachers Trail



Relatively clear section of abandoned forest road on Lookout Trail

Clearer section of single track

You could bypass this - at least before the rains came

I was largely able to stay feet dry until it started raining

Creek alongside the course

Race Plan.  Putting my race plan together in weeks before the race I was trying balance my results from during the hot summer against likely cooler weather and stronger legs after a good taper.  I finally decided to set my goals at A: 26 hrs; B: 28 hrs and C: 30 hrs (Finish).  My plan was to aim to run the first two 25 mile segments in about six hours each and then final two 25 mile segments in 7-8 hours each.  I was planning to try and minimize my time in most aid stations by just refilling my water/electrolyte as well as quick graze on any attractive solid food with longer stops set for 25, 57 and 75 miles.  My nutrition plan was to aim for 1 gel every 45 minutes, graze a little on the aid station tables and at have a substantial snack at my three planned long stops.  I planned to put a drop bag at AS -2 since I would pass through it eight times during the race and at AS-7 just before the 25/75 mile turn-around.

Summary Race Plan

Pre-Race.  I travelled up early in the afternoon on the Friday for the packet pickup and the mandatory dinner for the 100 miler runners.  The packet pickup was well organized along with drop bag drop-off.  The race premium for the 100 milers was a nice hoodie (50 milers and down got a T-Shirt).  The pre-race dinner included a final course brief from the RD team as well as presenting a 1 000 mile buckle to Ontario Ultra Series standout Ron G recognizing his numerous completions of the race.  There was camping right at the Start/Finish and I availed myself of the SUV Tent option to avoid dealing with a wet tent in event the forecast rain showers arrived.  I didn’t have the best night sleep but did get enough to ensure I was functional the next morning.  I was up at 4 am on race morning to give enough time to eat some breakfast and let it settle before the 6 am gun.  The morning was cool and damp but the few rain showers overnight had ended before the start.

Camping by the Start/Finish

Haliburton Forest Base Camp

Packet Pickup

Remnants of the old saw mill

Start to 25 Miles (5:28).  I got off to a comfortable start and the gravel road allowed the pack to get nicely spread out before we hit the single track.  I had started the course in a short sleeve shirt with arms sleeves but by 7 miles I was warm enough to be able to peel them off.  I got the aid stations well and found the single track sections fairly runnable.  The Black Creek Trail section which was abandoned forest road included a few sections of old corduroy road which I decided to walk to avoid any ankle trouble.  Most of the abandoned forest road sections had been weed-wacked before the race and there was wasn’t some of the waist high vegetation that had made some sections challenging during my July training run on the course.  Given the length of the race, I was running my Garmin in Ultra-Track mode where it largely uses the watch's accelerometers as opposed to GPS, and I found that it was running about 10% short which meant trying to track my pace was a little more challenging.  I did find the descent toward AS-7 on the Red Trail a bit overgrown around the 23 mile point but comfortably hit the 25 mile turn-around point at 5:28. 

The crowd gathers

Ready to Race

Aid Station 6

My second favourite sign -seen at 25 &75 miles

Aid Station 7 - Just after the turn around

25 – 50 Miles (12:09).  I took about 10 minutes at AS-7 to empty some dirt out of my shoes and have a solid snack of a clif bar and an ensure.  I took it easy for the next 10-15 minutes or so to let my stomach settle but was soon moving on.  I was fairly comfortable for the next miles but I did struggle a little in the more technical Bens Trail section around 38 miles.  The most frustrating part of this section was when I finally hit the gravel road section at 46 miles and really struggled to run.  I’m not sure why I was so weak through this section but it definitely cost me 10-15 minutes before I hit to the 50 mile turn-around at the Start/Finish at 12:09.

Not only was the course well marked, the forest trails were well signed

Appropriate preparation for the second half

50-75 Miles (20:09).  After the turn around, I was soon pushing back around MacDonald Lake, thankfully, I found myself moving a little better on the gravel roads.  As a I hit the single track, I quickly found that I wasn't able to run the more technical single track trail sections on headlamp but I was able at this stage to power hike through it relatively well so I wasn't losing that much time.  I wasn't as organized as I should have been during my longer AS-2 stop at 57 miles and it probably cost me an extra 15 minutes getting myself setup for the night portion.  I felt reasonably strong until I hit about 65 miles when I started to struggle to run well again on the gravel road sections with my legs feeling rather sore.  At about 73 miles (about 1:30 am on Sunday morning) it started to rain and soon built up into a solid rain for the rest of the night.  I soon cruised past AS -7 and reach the 75 mile turn-around at 20:09.

75-100 Miles (29:52:39).  I kept my stop at AS-7 relatively quick (no more than 5-7 minutes) and was pushing on back to the Start/Finish line.  Although I had got my jacket on as soon as it has started to rain, with the rain's strength it was quickly soaked through.  I quickly found a big difference between a marathon and a long-ultra.  Where in a marathon, I'm moving quick enough to stay somewhat warm even when wet down to just above freezing, the slower pace of a 100 miler meant I wasn't generating anywhere near enough body heat despite my jacket and long-sleeve shirt.  The slog from 78 miles to 86 miles was very ugly for me.  I was quickly freezing cold which meant I was moving really slowly (thus not getting warmer) and I started to fall asleep on my feet.  Luckily the trail sections were relatively benign.  By time I staggered into AS-5 with about 14 miles to go it was 6 am and I was done and ready drop.  Luckily for me, the AS-5 got me seated out of the rain by a fire for 15-20 minutes to get warmed up and re-motivated.  Warmed up a little and armed with a light weight plastic poncho, I pushed out back onto to the Kiska trail and pointed in the direction of the finish line.  The last 14 miles or so were a grinding hike, highlighted by an excess of puddles and mud holes through the single track but I was able to gut out a finish not long before the 30 hour cut-off. 

Aid Station 5 - During the day - They saved my race that night

Post Race.  Once I crossed the finish line, I got a kind escort to the medic cabin to make sure that I had recovered from my mild hypothermia during night.  After they made sure I was warmed-up, dried out and cleaned up a little, I headed over to the post race brunch for the awards and 100 mile buckle presentations.  Thankfully, my loving wife, came up on Sunday morning to drive me home, since I was in no condition to drive. 

BUCKLE ACHIEVED

Lesson’s Learned.  I did have a number of take away points from my first 100 miler.  The first is I need to pack a heavier duty rain jacket and thicker long sleeve layer in my hydration vest in case of rain in order to stay warm late in the race.  Second, I need to continue to work on power hike for hills, more technical terrain and once my legs are trashed.  Over the last 3-4 hours of the race, I probably gave away two or three positions and 30 minutes to other runners that simply hiking better and faster than I was.  Third, although my nutrition plan largely worked, I never bonked and only had mild nausea, I still need to do better at eating more solid food through the race.  Lastly looking at how many more miles I have raced this year since I've been largely running ultras as opposed to road marathons, I probably need to do a better job watching my racing mileage through the year and hold myself to around the same amount as this year (~600 miles) as a consolidation year. 

Final Thoughts.  I am elated to having completed my first 100 miler and earned the buckle.  The HF 100 was a very well run race on a challenging course.  Big thanks to all of the staff and volunteers, particularly AS - 5 and the medical team for putting on a great race which allowed me to complete my first 100 miler.  Big thanks to my wife for allowing me the time train and prepare and importantly recovering my exhausted and some shattered body back from the Haliburton Forest on Sunday.  Next up its back to the Mid-Atlantic to run Patapsco Valley 50K and Marine Corps Marathon double on 24/25 Oct 15.