2013 Sulphur Springs Trail UltraMarathon Report

By Wayne Pinel

From the moment I registered for the Sulphur Springs race, I decided that my mantra would be "Never give up!"
I am 45 years old and I have a little streak going in that I have never DNF'd; so even though I only had 5 months to train for it, I wanted to make sure my # 1 goal was to finish. I knew that in addition to putting in the appropriate milage, I would need to construct and implement a very detailed nutrition/hydration plan and purchase the necessary technical wear. The assistance in choosing technical wear from Trysport's amazing selection of premium clothing (base layers, compression wear, hydration vests and outerwear) enabled me to survive the elements comfortably. This was critical at this race as the temperature at the start was 4 degrees Celsius then climbed to a sunny 14, and then back down to 0 degrees at night. In fact, I stopped in at Trysports on the way to the race when I found out how cold it was going to be and purchased Gore Leg Warmers, which allowed for quick changes in the drop bag area.

The coaching that Barb and Wolf have given me was absolutely instrumental in being able to complete my goal. They are not just able to provide coaching at any level, you are always met with a positive attitude and a belief that anything is possible. I owe big THANK YOU to Barb and Wolf at Trysports Niagara for their help and encouragement.



Other essentials for a successful 100 miler:

Know the course ahead of time
Have good pain management skills "I sprained my ankle and crushed my big toe at the 36 km mark of the 162 km race, and then a few more times after that because you always kick rocks/roots with the same foot you just hurt."

Push all negative thoughts immediately out of your head!!Don't allow even a moment of self-doubt. You will have plenty of time to talk to yourself so keep it positive.
DIG DEEP... You have a lot of inner strength!
Set smaller attainable goals; so that periodically you can pat yourself on the back by meeting or exceeding them.
Stick to the plan!! I thought of deviating from it a few times; but then I would remember the disastrous implications when I did not listen to Wolf's advice in the past.
Focus on the support and encouragement from the volunteers, family, and YOUR RUNNING CLUB, and fellow ultra runners as they will all help you to believe in yourself!
Know that you will likely experience every human emotion out on the course... and use them to enhance your determination and focus.
Have a good cruise control/autopilot (Preferably one that does not guide you into the same damn rock/root every time!)
Have dry clothing and more Eload... waiting for you as you cross the finish line. Big thank you to the best one person CREW... SOPHIE RAVAILHE!

In the end, all of the above was critical in not just finishing but exceeding my 50 mile goal in 9 hours and 18 minutes and exceeding my 100 mile finish goal with a time of 21 hours 29 min, good for 4th place in my age group and 19th overall. This course was not super technical but has 13,900 feet of climbing and descending. I could not be happier. Thanks everyone!!!