This is what this trail event truly is. The Hyner Trail Challenge has been around now
for 5 years and up until this year has only had a 25k (16.4 mile) event which
has grown immensely in popularity since it began. They have sold out the last few years with
over 1000 participants. It is arguably
the most popular trail event in central PA.
The Megatransect, affectionately known as the “Mega”, is another popular
event which sold out this year within hours of registration opening. While Hyner cannot boast that, it still sells
out and gets 1000+ participants. The
trails of Hyner are remote and very technical located in the “middle of
nowhere” in central Pennsylvania. This
event has attracted folks of all ages and abilities from hikers to the some
really strong trail runners. Take for
example the winning time last year of 2:22 (in bad conditions) and the last
person came in at 7:42 (and 9+ hours in years past). But yet at the start, everyone is equal.
In 2011, I entered in this event and ran (well ran some,
hiked some, slogged some) a time of 4:21 in what has become known as “the year
of the monsoon”. The conditions were
cold, rainy, windy and mud beyond mud.
For trail runners, it’s just another day on the trails but truly not
ideal. It certainly didn’t slow the
front runners down but by the time I got through the trails (with 300 or so in
front of me) it was a royal mess. I
vowed to be back someday and prove I could run a much better time on a brutal
and beautiful course.
In the summer of 2011, a rumor was spreading that the folks
that put on this race (the trail dawgs) were working on putting on a 50k
version. My first thought was “No Way!” As I read more about the rumors, it soon
became a reality. They opened
registration in August 2011 for a course that wasn’t even finished. The more I thought about it, the more I was
scared to even become serious about it.
This was also during the time I was training for and running my first
ultras (two 50K races in October and a 50 miler in November). I thoroughly enjoyed those experiences and
then got serious about doing what I thought would be an epic event. I signed up in January and solidified my
place in the first running of the Hyner Trail Challenge 50k.
Training: For me all I wanted to do was to continue what I
had going for my ultra experiences in the fall of 2011. After I ran the Stone Mill 50 in November, I
eased up my running in December to “recover”.
I was in good shape from the 50 except for my right hip. I had taken a nasty fall early in the 50 and
it remained sore (mostly on runs) for months.
In January, I ramped up the long runs again and made sure I got out to
some similar terrain as Hyner. I used
some trails north of Harrisburg which has become known as the Buzzards Marathon
Course. It contains a series of trails
linked together with big climbs. It was just what I needed. With the warmest and driest winter I can
remember, I was getting in some decent runs.
I wasn’t pushing my weekly mileage but on weekends I was able to get out
for easy 2-4 hour runs. I worked my way
up to March 11, 2012 where I did what is unofficially known as the Buzzards
marathon. It essentially was a training
run for me – 6 hours, 26 miles, rocks, climbs, downhill, and a chilly creek
crossing. What a nice run except for one
thing. My knee had really been bothering
me during the second half. I had no
choice but to continue. To make a long
story short, this was the beginning of a bout with tendonitis. After that 26 miler, I had intended on
getting in another 22-26 mile run on the same trails. But no dice! I reluctantly had to dial down
the mileage and long runs and ended up even taking a week off from
running. A week before Hyner, I felt
mentally unprepared. It had been 5 weeks
since my last real training run – nothing over 11 miles since that 26
miler. So I went out for a 19 mile trail
run. Felt pretty good up until I fell at
the halfway point. I landed on – wait
for it – my ailing knee. I am unsure if
the blow to the knee or the tripping over the rock with my right foot which
sent a vibration through my joints caused the pain but the rest of the run was
hampered by the same tendonitis pain. No
runs for me the week leading to Hyner. I
look back and ask “was it worth it?” to get out and run 19 miles because my
weak little mind needed it to feel
confident again?
Fast forward to race day: Because Hyner is in the middle of
nowhere, runners either camp near the start/finish, get a hotel in Lock Haven
(30 minutes south) or drive to the site that morning. Last year I stayed with a friend 40 minutes
north of the site. I didn’t sleep – at
all. So this year I made the decision to
just drive the 2.5 hours in the morning.
It’s not ideal but I don’t sleep well anywhere but my bed. So at 4am, I left the house and made the boring
drive north. Fortunately, I had learned
that I could do such a thing when I drove in the 2 hour range to two previous
ultras. So what does one do on a 2.5
hour drive to a race? Eat of course. I
spent the drive thinking about what the day had in store and feeding my face full
of yummy carbs, protein and powerade.
This event was awesome and horrible all rolled into one.
Here is why:
The weather was close to perfect. Forecast of rain said it would hold off
until midday. But the funny thing was –
the rain never came. It stayed in the
50’s – maybe crept into the 60’s the whole day.
Beautiful day to be on the trails.
Met up with some fellow trail runners prior to the race –
Kelly & his wife Jo, Marie, & Pat.
It was very nice to meet them.
Also caught up with a few runners I quite often see at some other
events.
Normally I would give
a blow by blow description of the race and describe how I was feeling and how I
dealt with various aspects. But I can
summarize the race very shortly: monster steep climb, followed by gnarly
downhill, followed by long slow trudge up through a hollow. Repeat x4 with occasional flat trail. Lots of rocks – big, little, pointed, round,
crushed – you name it, we ran/hiked over it.
Elevation Profile (for 25k only)
That was my day. This
event is not a running race. Let me
repeat. This race is not a running
race. It’s a test of endurance. I
chatted with many 50k participants who consider themselves good “runners” but
on this day and on this course, they were struggling. I am not sure if they underestimated the
course or were just used to plowing through 31 miles. This was not that kind of course. It took more than physical conditioning to
get through this. It took mental and
emotional fortitude. I really was at a
loss of how to predict a time on this thing.
I have run a 50k two others time - a 5:50 on a rolling hill trail course
(Blues Cruise) and 7 hours flat on a bit
more challenging trail course (Fire on the Mountain). I finished in around 8:20 or so. It was a long day. There are no excuses that
can be made. My knee held out ok
(probably thanks to ibuprofen). My lack
of training the last 6 weeks may have contributed but realistically maybe I
shave 20 minutes off that time if I had been able to run more. It was, simply, what it was on this day.
I have a few lowlights on this day. I don’t like to complain so I will keep it
short. The aid stations had a poor
variety of food. I ate way too many
bananas and PB & J squares. (If you
want to see an ultra with good food – see Blues Cruise 50k). Secondly, these hollows we have to meander
ourselves through really sucked! They were the worst part for me. I could deal with the big climbs but a slow
trudge in and out of the creek beds over and over (and over) again with blown
over trees was just so slow and annoying.
That’s it. I can’t complain about anything else. Ok maybe just one more – to the Trail Dawgs (who
put on this race) – can you please remove some of those darn rocks! Haha.
I have a bunch of highlights. First was meeting some fellow Runners World
trailers. Kelly and Marie had good days
on the trail – both are strong runners and humble. Also got to meet Pat – unsure how he did in
the 25k. One of the things I looked forward to most for this event was the
amazing scenery. It did not disappoint.
I only wish I had brought a camera out with me (the pics below I stole from someone else). There were beautiful waterfalls,
flowering trees, brilliant colored rows of wildflowers trail side and the views
– oh the views! My second favorite part
of the event was coming to a vista about the 10 mile mark where you see for
miles. To the right, you could see the
first big ridge we climbed. I almost
think I saw the 25k participants making their way up (since they started an
hour after us). But right in front of us
was a mountain that had three ridges coming out towards me all in a row – it
almost looked symmetrical. I stayed for
a couple minutes just to take it in. But
my favorite moment was another mile down the trail – I got to see a black bear
– my first. I had heard something
rambling down the ridge in the leaves toward the trail. I looked up and thought I would see a
deer. Nope. It was a young black bear playing around. He
clawed a tree a bit and then made his way back up the ridge. He was probably
100 yards away or so. The best part was
that I told myself the day before this event that I wanted to see a bear – not
actually believing it would happen. My
last highlight was finishing. This was
such a tough event. It was literally
half hiking, half some kind of running.
I beat the down hills to death and they beat my quads right back. (There
was one stretch of 2 mile downhill that was simply awesome! No other words for
it.)
Back to a “Kick in the Hyner.” That is what they refer to the 25k version. But the 50k… let’s call the 50k a double kick
in the hyner, or flat out just sick.
My recommendation is only do this event if you are a
demented & sick person who loves to inflict self-pain. Or as an easy training run for an event such
as Hardrock 100. Ask me if I would do it again? I think I distinctly said "no way" during and right after, but you never know.
