The North Face - Endurance Challenge

THE ENDURANCE EXPERIENCE

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE TRAIL - MADISON, WI - 2009

Friendly, Fast and Fun: The North Face® Endurance Challenge Madison 2009

By: Helen Cospolich, The North Face Athlete® and Winner of the GORE-TEX® 50 Mile Run

Ottawa Lake - Kettle Moraine State Park - Eagle, WI (October 24, 2009) – As I arrived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Friday in preparation for The North Face® Endurance Challenge Madison, I have to admit I was a bit discouraged by the rain and dreary conditions that greeted me. It was a dark day, made more dismal by the cold and wet weather that blanketed the area. I needed a cup of coffee. But more than that, I needed a good, hard run to wake my body out of its pre-winter hibernation.

The short drive to the host hotel in Delafield was easy. I settled in and prepared for the challenge ahead. Those hours prior to the start of the race are always the hardest... too many thoughts for a restless mind and body. As I made my way to packet pickup that evening, the nervousness had intensified, the way it always does up to the pre-race briefing. What a pleasant surprise to see so many faces of runners filled with anticipation at the event that night. So many people eager to learn about what their first, or 20th, ultra or trail running experience in the Kettle Moraine might be like. Surprisingly, of all the tips given that night by the panel of speakers, two things I suggested stuck with me the next day: be prepared for the conditions and don't go out too fast. Needless to say, I could have better followed my own advice.

I woke to a bitingly cold race morning with enough drizzle and wind to make any kind of “warm up” completely uncomfortable. So, with only a few minutes until race start, I pried myself out of my cozy car and headed to the start line with a couple hundred other 50-mile runners. The mood was jovial and a little surreal with the complete start/finish line festival set up and humming with race organizers and hardcore spectators in the dark, wet field in which it was organized like a mini city.

At the starting gun, we headed out along the road, our headlamps bobbing in rhythm. We hit the Nordic trails quickly and - in the dark - covered the undulating terrain of the first several miles without incident, and without many words either. Running in the dark has a certain mystical quality: speed is tough to sense, and you spend more time focusing on the ground directly in front of you than on anything else. The lead two or three runners went out fast from the start, leaving the rest of us to follow only their distant lights.

By the time the sun rose, we had covered the ups and downs of two wooded loops and were headed to the Ice Age Trail. Soon, the path opened up out of the forest to reveal scenic fields filled with high grasses and bordered by colored trees. The rain stopped and the skies cleared. At this point, I had to force myself to concentrate on the task at hand instead of gazing at the scenery and slowing down. It helped that the breeze was cold enough to keep me motivated to get to the next aid station, and my hands, which had thawed in the tree sections, started to ice up again.

I was happy to get to the next portion of Nordic trails, though by that point I realized I had not heeded my own words of caution about going out too fast at the start. Coming from altitude and accustomed to running mountains, the first 15 miles of the course felt like a track meet to me... a track meet that unfortunately had 35 more miles to go. At the aid station at mile 21 I took in more calories and gathered my thoughts. I also dropped my jacket - not a good idea with the cold wind. I really didn't know where I stood in the competition, where the next women were and what pace I was running.

One of the great things about this scenic Wisconsin course is occasionally you double back for a section and come across other runners. It's always inspiring to see others in their journey to the finish line, and I enjoy encouraging them with a simple, albeit out of breath, “nice job” or “great run”. I had the sense the group that joined me out there for this race was just as excited to be there as I was.

At the turnaround point about 30 miles in, I had my first glimpse of the leaders and my competition. The leading man was flying, but close behind him was the eventual winner, Sal Bautista, who made up ample time in the second half of the race. Kim Holak was on my heels, so I decided to dig in and get back to racing. Having a specific and attainable goal in mind tends to help me focus during the longer races when I might otherwise relax and spend a little too much time enjoying the scenery.

Up and down we went through the wooded trails once again, occasionally opening up into beautiful fields. I pushed the pace, knowing that whatever climbing I encountered at this point would only feed my strength. Leaves covered the ground for almost every step, and I concentrated on keeping myself upright through the remainder of the race. Before long, we were back on familiar trails near the start and I could sense the finish line adrenaline rush that comes at the end of every ultra. As at all the aid stations, at the finish line I was greeted by smiling faces and friendly comments from other runners, race staff, friends and family.

Crossing the line, I was pleased to have had the opportunity to compete at The North Face Endurance Challenge Madison. The scenery was beautiful, the company was good, the race was incredibly well organized, and the course was fast and fun. Overall it was an outstanding experience, both for seasoned ultrarunners and for those new to the sport. I can only hope that the others out there enjoyed this event as much as I did. I'm looking forward to the next time I can return to Wisconsin to run.

The North Face® Endurance Challenge series totals four regional races and one Championship event. From May through December 2009, five endurance events will span the country, starting in Bear Mountain, NY, passing through the Seattle area in Bellingham, WA, then traveling to Washington, D.C., and Madison, WI, before culminating with the championship in San Francisco, Calif. The four race distances at each event are 10K, Half-Marathon, 50K and 50 Miles. Each men’s and women’s regional GORE-TEX® 50 Mile champion will take home $1,000 and a complimentary entry to the Endurance Challenge Championship in San Francisco in December, where $10,000 – the largest prize purse in ultrarunning -- will go to the top male and female GORE-TEX® 50 Mile finisher. Winners of The North Face® Endurance Challenge Championship (U.S.), and winners of The North Face® Canadian Death Race (Canada), The North Face® 100 (China), The North Face® Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc® (Europe), and The North Face® Ultra Maratón de los Andes (South America) will all receive an expenses-paid trip to race at their choice one of the other four races.

For more information, to register for the event or join your local The North Face® Endurance Challenge running club, visit www.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge.

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