TNT Hiawatha Trail Run

After coming off a great week last week, running the CdA ½ marathon, and my last long week of training for Ironman, I thought I would give back a little this weekend.  Our friend, Corey Haustein (also the event organizer of the Hayden View Triathon) was hosting a brand new race for the area.  Called The TNT Hiawatha (Tunnels N Trestles) Trail Run.  A 28.2-mile trail run on the Idaho/Montana border.  I was excited to be apart of this inaugural event.

I have biked this Route of the Hiawatha trail before with my family and it is magnificent.  Through the Bitterroot mountains of Idaho, and Montana on an old abandon rail bed, which spans from the Pacific Northwest all the way to the Midwest.  You wind through some gorgeous country on a fairly flat trail, with a slight grade heading down, climbing back up about 1000 feet towards the finish, passing through several train tunnels and trestles.  The most popular being the Taft Tunnel, which is 1.66 miles in length, tunneling under the Idaho/Montana border.  As you enter the tunnels, you can feel the cool air being breathed out of them.  Total darkness surrounds you, as you make your way through with only the dim light of your headlamp, which is required.  

  

The trestles are spectacular.  Spanning over huge valleys, and gorges. 

The wild life is amazing.  This morning coming to the trailhead we saw a moose having her morning meal.  The deer, and chipmunks were crazy darting everywhere in front of us on the trail.  Some of the brave ones even coming up and eating out of our hands at the aid station.

I was happy to take on my task with Greg of getting on my mountain bike, with our Burly (which hasn’t been used forever, w/out any small kids) and setting up mile marker signs along the course. 

We also worked the last, turn-around aid station along with some of the nicest volunteers I have ever known. 

 We love riding this trail, and every time it just takes my breath away. Massive green pine-treed forest, and snow-capped mountains.  Rivers, streams and waterfalls that seem to come right out of a movie.

  We got markers set up, and helped set up the aid station with pretzels, gummy bears, M&M’s, cookies, potato chips, and drinks, waiting for our runners.  One by one they filed in to refuel, looking great at the ½ way point.  All of them smiling, and commenting on what a beautiful run it had been.  As far as scenery, I don’t think you could get much better than this.

Our friend Brian exiting one of the many tunnels.

At the finish there was lunch, medals, T-shirts and GREAT schwag bags for the runners.  They all did so great!!  The racers had a mix of weather.  A chilly start, sun throughout the early morning, and some light rain towards the end.  It was a well-run race, and I was happy to help. Our friend, put a lot of time and energy into planning this great event, and it was fantastic to see his hard work pay off.

  I hear “rumblings” that there will be another, held possibly in September of this year, which I would LOVE to be a part of again, but this time as a participant. 

Grizzlyman!! What an Adventure! ~~Part One

 Many of you know that alongside training for Ironman, I have been training for my first adventure race.  Trying to wrap my mind around two very different types of training has been interesting to say the least.  Going from long miles on the road bike, to short but intense mountain bike climbs and single track.  Long runs, to shorter, steep, rocky, trail runs.  Not to mention all of the other training involved in two different kinds of racing.  So the day finally arrived.  Here’s how it went down.  My first adventure race.

We packed up Wednesday and Thursday night.  Going over and over the contents of our packs.  We were going to use a 3-pack system, dropping off backpacks as the race progressed. First run pack, kayak pack, and bike pack.  So I was packing 3 packs and a duffle of clothes for post race.  I think I may have gone over the packs 50 times.  Concentrating on what I would need for each leg.  Plus getting together my “Race Essential” bag, which are a few small items that are required to be on you at all times. 

Race Map/Passport (provided – one per racer), Compass, Headlamp with EXTRA batteries, Water carrying capacity of at least 64 oz. (can be combined between containers) Emergency Space Blanket, Fire starter (i.e. magnesium block w/striking flint; chemically-treated fire sticks, etc. Matches in waterproof container, Whistle (emergency type: pealess Oar/paddle/flipper powered watercraft Wetsuit or Drysuit, Type I, II, or III PFD, Bicycling helmet, Mountain Bike, Bicycling helmet.>  

We drove over to Missoula, MT and checked in for the race.  We then received our maps showing us how the race was going to run.  Up until this time, we had no idea what our race was going to look like.  We knew we would be running, white water kayaking on the Blackfoot River, mountain biking and doing orienteering and navigation, but didn’t know how long, how far, and in what type of order. Our boundaries were 50 thousand acres of Montana wilderness.  (Not a typo, 50 thousand acres) Can you imagine?  This was a hard pill for this Type-A gal to swallow.  NOT KNOWING!!! We took the kayaks over, blew them up, and staged our dry bags/and one pack. This pack was different from the first packs we would have.  Having things we would want coming from the run to the boat, and eventually onto the bike.  Wet/dry suits, paddle jackets, seal skin socks, helmets, and paddles.  We then took the bikes, dropped them at transition, which was a few miles from the kayaks, along with our transition tub with another pack, clothes, and towels, anything we would need for getting out of the water and onto the bike.   Also, once we dropped the kayaks…they were moved to an undisclosed location.  Another gulp!

 Later that night, we had a race meeting and they gave everyone their passports.  These are the cards that you have to stamp at every checkpoint.  We had 13 checkpoints and 2 bonus checkpoints.  (Checkpoints are spread out all over and miles apart.  They are not always visible from the roads, trails etc, and you have to navigate your way to them with compasses.)  We THEN could plot our courses.  We knew we were going to run 1^st and then white water kayak, after that the teams would spread out for the biking portion in any direction they saw fit.  We had a great dinner that night, plotted our courses and headed to bed to TRY and sleep.  HA!

Checkpoint 

Map after we plotted out course in the Lubrecht 

Coming from the Triathlon world this was so foreign to me.  Usually having ONE transition area, you know where you are coming and where you are going.  Not really the case here.  I lay in bed wondering how this was all going to work out.  Feeling kind of out of control, and nervous, about what the day was going to bring.  But trying to embrace the new challenge, the amazing experience, and allow myself to be ok, with that feeling of not being in control.

6am the next morning we were up and at’em.  Grabbing gear, getting ankles taped up, ATTEMPTING to eat some breakfast.  We headed to the START with our main pack full of our essentials and enough food, hydration, supplements etc. for the WHOLE day.  We could not leave food in the transition areas overnight, due to the bears wandering though who would find all these treats very satisfying. Gulp.  Also in the packs, extra jackets, gloves, socks, anything you “think” may come in handy for any weather.  Because we were climbing some pretty good-sized mountain peaks, you never know what you will encounter.  Luckily our weather was gorgeous, but there was also a lot of snow, ice, and mud on several of the trails, roads, etc. Also along for the ride, Yaktrax, trail gators, trekking poles which we would use on the first leg, 70 oz of H2O, and anything else we could think of, but not too much to make our packs overly heavy. 

When we lined up, and that shot gun blasted (yes, we were in Montana) I had no idea, the day I would be in for.  The amazing adventure I would have, the panic I would face, and the pain, agony, sweat, tears, joy, and accomplishment I would obtain during these next 10 hours of racing.

…continued