Hello everybody. Ok, so it's like a week and a bit before the Niagara ultra which has a bevvy of choices for distances from the 10km up to the re-introduced 100km race which is going to be a double out-and-back from the Kinsmen Scout Hall in Niagara-On-The-Lake (on the Common) to just past the Horseshoe Falls. If you've been here and done any of the distances before all that follows will be old hat but for you newbies perhaps a little course description will help on the day.
For me this is my training grounds and I've done the full 50km course several times with several marathons also completed when I can't be arsed dodging the aimless tourists at the Falls themselves. If you love off-road races than this is not the course for you and while it is scenic it is all on paved footpath along the Niagara River. Not to let that put you off because the scenery is stunning, following the Niagara River from pretty much where it empties into Lake Ontario all the way to the Falls themselves. If you are not a speed merchant I can recommend taking a camera with you on your bum bag and taking a moment or two at the falls to remember the occassion.
The weather in 2011's race was hot and humid and if you are going to be out there a long time bring a hat and sunglasses and wear sunscreen because there are alot of open sunny sections. As others have mentioned there is not allot of spectator support but we don't do ultras for crowd support. There is certainly a cheering section in the final 100 feet to the finish so save your energy for that. You are sharing the footpath with the public and in nice weather you can expect to see alot of cyclists and dog walkers at certain sections closer to the start/finish so be aware.
My recollection of the aid stations was that there were not enough of them - for my liking anyway - they are a few tables set up by volunteers and I can't recall exactly the positions of each but it was hot out last year and I found I would have liked a few more but perhaps for others it was ok.
My 50km race last year was disaster. I went out too quickly, suffered in the heat and my walk became a death march. I went from 6th place at the 1/2 way point to 66th at the finish (of 160 I think). Note to self: remember to pace yourself! Duhhhhhhh.
THE START
OK, so the course starts at the Kinsmen Scott Hall and parking is tight but they do open up the field for cars. You can pick up your race pack the day before inside the Hall, but you don't get your timing chip until the morning. [Note: after 2012 they introduced an integrated chip on the number]. They have a line of porta-cabins behind the Hall and the start-line is on the grass at the front of the hall. For about 100 feet you run on grass until you join the footpath which takes a sharp right and then goes through a tree-lined section until you get out into the open sun as you pass through the Commons. All flat.
You cross a road and are in the trees and the parking lot for Fort George and then it's a sharp right as you exit the trees and see Fort George on your left. You are now out in the open sun and it's about 1/4km beside the fort until you go back into trees for about 10 seconds and emerge at another road (Niagara Parkway) which you cross and take a sharp right. You are now following the Niagara River and at this point you've run 1 mile. This is the only point you'll see a mile marking and shortly after this you'll see a 2km mark. All flat still.
2-5KM
The path is lovely here and the road is right beside you until you veer away from it slightly while staying beside the river. There is a slight gradient for about 200m and you'll be back in amoung the trees again passing an open park on your right with trees along the river to your left.
The 3km mark is on a short steep uphill (literally 10 footfalls and you are up) and I believe there is an aid station here. You'll see the path turn left at a bridge but you stay to the right and follow the path around and then there is a short downhill followed immediately by an uphill and a sharp right past the Macfarlen teahouse. You're out in the open again for a short stretch and then back against those trees along the river which depending on the time of day can give you periods of shading on the path. This part is very flat with a final slight uphill at about 4.5km. You'll then hit your first of four wood bridges in about a 2km stretch. Just past the first bridge there is the 5km mark and turn-around point for the 10km runners.
5-7KM
Almost all this stretch is dead flat and it's not until you are at about 6.8km there is a short down that is a private road for some of the big posh houses right on the river. This section is pretty and partially tree-covered on the river side. You'll pass 3 more wood bridges after the 5km mark. The 6km mark is the 3rd bridge of 4 I believe.
7-10.5KM
After the 7km mark which is in a dip you then have to go up your first real incline. It is short and sharp so take it easy and then you are out and easy again, back into the trees. There is alot more tree cover after this for about 1km and enjoy it although the path here is on a camber so be careful of your ankles and as it is tree covered can get mossy and slippery so if it's rainy be aware of that. Just before 8km mark you'll join with another path and bear right (this path went down closer to the river but you don't take it on the way back). After the 8km mark you have one more small dip down and then incline and then you are flat until the 9km mark . Then you have a nice longish slowly decending downhill under pine trees with more posh houses as you enter Queenston. Of course with any downhill there is an uphill to follow and this one is gentle. There is a huge stone on your right and shortly past it on that up incline you'll hit the 10km mark. This feels a bit tough because you can't see further. Stick with it because you are almost flat again. You are right beside the road now and it's flat with a little bend until you see a monument infront of you and on the sidewalk just before the monument is the 10.5km mark (1/2 marathon turnaround).
10.5-13KM
Immediately after the 1/2 marathon marker you are off the footpath and onto road and you make a sharp left and an immediate sharp downhill over a little bridge. Pay attention to this section because you can really screw up your race if you get it wrong here. This is the hilliest part of the course and it goes up the Niagara escarpment. Earlier in the course at about 8.5km there is a lovely vantage through the trees where you can see the first bridge to the US and you can see Brock's Monument at the top of the escarpment. It is to these lofty height which you are now heading. . . at the bottom of this road you'll see for a long way ahead and it is uphill but it doesn't look too bad but it's deceiving. There is the 11km mark on the right side of the road but I often miss it.
The first little bit past the park on your left feels not too shabby but then you get to the stop sign and holy shit, you realise that you're beat and it just seems to keep getting worse and worse. I don't know why but this section just sucks the life out of you. If you need to walk then this is one section to do it on. Right at the top of this rise you'll see an old printing house I think it is - I've never stopped to read the sign. Reduce your speed and save your energy. You'll then be turning sharply right up the road as it bends around. You can breathe a sigh of relief. It still goes up here to a T-junction but compared to the bit you just did it is a relief for about 100 feet. Then it starts to feel hard again as you are almost at the T-junction. Be CAREFUL at this interection.
Cars are coming fast down the escarpment and the intersection as you join the footpath is a bit awkward here as another road merges into it. You have to cross the road here which will likely have volunteers to help but on your way back they may not be there anymore. You're pretty beat by this point but you have a short reprieve as you enter the footpath on the other side of the road and it's tree covered all the way up the rest of the escarpment. So as I said, there is a short flat section and then you take a sharp left up the path which is quite wide going up and you'll feel the coolness thanks to the tree cover and there is always such a lovely fresh 'foresty' kind of smell.
This incline is not as bad I find as the first stretch up to that intersection but it does seem to go on and on and on. You'll pass a big transformer box on your right and then a last section until you pop out of the trees and pass by the stairs on your right up to the Monument. You don't go up there. Follow the path and it's still going up and you're beggining and thinking, DAMN, when is this going to end. Just persevere a bit longer. It continues and then you cross the road again and there is a final uphill with one cheeky bastard 10 foot uphill just to finish you off at the end. Sigh. . . . gasp. . . look at that watch, quaff that water, squeeze that gel. . . you've finished the steepest section of the course.
After about 50ft you'll see the 13km marker. If your watch reads 1 hour or less at this point and you can keep it up you will place in the top 5 very likely. If your watch reads 59 minutes and 43 seconds and you are me you are going too bloody fast and need to take the rocket out of your ass but it's probably already too late! Just be happy that you have a very long completely flat section infront of you now.
13-17km
Ok, after this climb I find this section a big relief and I soon recover. It's nice and flat now and after about 0.4km you go under the first bridge across to the US. The gorge is very impressive here but don't worry, there are better vantage points. Directly past the bridge there is a crumbly car park which you enter and then at the top end join the footpath again and do a sharp left past the floral clock. The 14km mark is here. You are now flat as a pancake and running beside the Hydro Power Plant with huge cables crossing the gorge and if the weather is right you'll see giant eagles playing in the updrafts and if it's wet or been rainy sometimes they land in the trees and open their wings to dry off which is pretty cool and you can have a great view way down into the gorge thinking that you climbed all the way up here!
The views into the gorge here are really spectacular and the seagulls seem to be waaaayyyyy down there. The path is very straight. At the other end there is a small area for cars to pull up so be careful of cars which may be pulling out. It's a small section and then you are back in the trees past some more big power lines and then it's all quiet. The 15km mark is here and then it's more quiet running until you do a sharp right across the road into another huge extended parking lot for the Butterfly Gallery.
Across the road it's a sharp left and after about 100 feet there is the 16km mark - you are on the edge of the car park and just past here you run across the main entrance to the parking lot so be careful - the double length busses also use this area to drop off/pick up people and ferry them along the Parkway into Niagara Falls. After crossing this parking lot you'll enter a final parking lot on your left and then you are out with the road on your left and a golf course on your right. It's all open here and the 17km mark is immediately before you take a sharp left and cross the road once again. This section is all flat.
17-21km
You're back on the river side again and it's flattish here until about 17.6km where you cross another car park on the road with a big vantage point across the gorge (this is the point where the cable car runs and it is a lovely viewing point but you're too far from it to see clearly). You get back onto the footpath and it's now a gentle uphill for about 0.3-0.4km. You get to 18km mark on your way up here. You are in the tree cover again and it's a relief.
At the top you do a gentle left hand turn and you're flat and somewhere along here is 19km. You then pass the intersection to the road which heads off to The Great Wolf Lodge and there is a helicopter pad which you may here some activity on. You pass on by the traffic lights on the sidewalk and come to yet another parking lot which you need to be careful crossing. It is a dip down and then a slight up. This is the entrance for a viewing gallery and for the rides on the cable car across the gorge. You get back on the path for a short bit and then there is the 20km marking. There is an aid station here. It is here that I get on the road facing the traffic. The sidewalk is quite narrow and I find it gets a bit uneven.
The painted line for the curb is very large and you are on the road but you can see traffic coming. There are a few longer climbs uphill now as you enter Niagara Falls proper and you are out in the open from this point on. It is getting busier and busier and more built up and there is a high wall on the left so if you are on the road you won't see anything. You have one final climb and then you pass another car park with one of the bridges that crosses from the US but this area usually is pretty quiet. You'll see the 21km mark and then you'll be at the 21.1km turnaround point. Lucky bastards ONLY running the marathon! ha ha.
21-25km
OK, this part is less familiar to me as I've only done it in training about 3-4 times but it's built up and you stay on the road or sidewalk as you choose. You'll pass under the final huge bridge across to the US and the sidewalk here is quite narrow and you'll see down into the gorge. It smells a bit dank and like piss actually - sorry but it's true. Damn it's a long way down. After you get under this bridge it's likely to start getting busy with tourists and they can be a total pain in the butt. It's like lemmings who have lost their leader and they get in your way even when they see you coming! You'll be doing alot of veering and trying to guess which way they are likely to move. Depending on the day you might have a lovely cool mist from the Falls or it could be scorching hot.
There is one tricky section where I went wrong last year. Immediately after the traffic lights there seems to be a 'split' where you can go left along the river or semi-follow the road on the sidewalk/footpath. Don't follow the left as it takes you to the entrance to the Maid of the Mist ticket booths. If you do this you can get out, you just have to take the 5-7 stairs to the right and join the path you should be on. Stick to the right and you will pass by the ticket booths and veer back to the path along the wall looking down into the gorge. I mentioned it to the race director so maybe they'll have a sign at this point.
You are almost there. . . at the main viewing area for the Horseshoe Falls with the fixed binoculars and such and the big tourist centre and there will be the most people right at this point. You follow it around the Falls and about 50 feet past is the turn-around point and an aid station with water and such. Well done, you're half way there. . . Now the hard part. . .
The Way Back
There are several 'worst points' for me on the way back. I find the hills which brought you into Niagara Falls proper get to feel very steep and hard work on the way back. I then always hit the wall or get an empty feeling back at the Butterfly Gallery at the 17-16km point and I try to grit my teeth to get past this. I always try to push myself just to get back to that 13km marker because I know I then have 3km of downhill back to what feels like the homestretch. That downhill to the bottom of the escarpment is bliss in some ways and painful in others. Your quads are burning by now and it hurts allot both to be running downhill and to be picking up the pace which inveriably you do.
At the bottom you have a short incline which can hurt but don't give up and get back up to the 10.5km marker. I then will myself to run again and I find 8-5km is the hardest section. When you get to that 3km marker you know you're on the homestretch so grit your teeth and when you cross that final road onto the home stretch it's an amazing feeling as you come into the trees again, turn left and then right onto the grass for the final rush into the finshing chute past cheering people.
Once you have your finishing medal and have recovered your equalibrium you have 8 more stairs to climb to get inside the Hall and grab pizza and beer and find a chair. Or you can recover under some trees in the shade and cheer everybody else on. Whatever you do, congratulations on your achievement!
I hope the above description helps. I'm going to sign off now and in another hour I'll be out there on this course doing one of my last 26km training runs on the this course before next weekends race. Look forward to seeing you all there next weekend.
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