Whistler Alpine Meadows 25K Race Report – Rohit E

August 15, 2020November 11, 2019

Runner: Rohit E

Race Date: 09/21/2019

Location: Whistler

Results: https://racedaytiming.ca/results/search.html?name=RohitEipe&fullName=true

Strava Activity Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/2728996747

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

Small field, so trail wasn’t crowded.
The 1 aid station they had was well stocked. I went back for seconds of the bacon.
The trail was rugged and beautiful, if you’re looking for a challenge.

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

There was just 1 aid station and it was 19k into the race, which sucked.

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

Coming off a slow year, I was just happy to finish.

Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner

Carry a hydration pack with water.

Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?

It was pretty nice, particularly the last 6k, which had views of a lake, but not the greatest.

Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

Pretty rugged. Elevation is moderate (~2600 ft in a 25k), but it was hard going.

Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

It was fairly well run, course length was accurate. But having just 1 aid station was disappointing.

Competition – Is there a strong field?

Pretty strong.

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.

Does sell out pretty early as it had a very small field.
Hotels are expensive, but Airbnb can work well if you have a big group (even that is a bit expensive though). Book early.

Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?

Well stocked, but just 1, at 19k out of 25.

Weather and typical race conditions

Weather was fairly good for the 25k. Can be pretty rainy at this time of the year in Whistler, so 25k runners were pretty lucky. The 55k runners got rained on the very next day. It felt warmer than the thermostat indicated – maybe due to humidity?

Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next guy?

Trail shoes for sure, and a hydration backpack with 2L of water and lots of fuel.

Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?

Not very – hard for spectators to access the course other than at start / finish.

How’s the Swag?

There was a nice medal.

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

I’d give this 3 stars out of 5. It was really well run and a good challenge, but a bit of work to get to from Seattle, Whistler is expensive, and there are plenty of other options in WA state.

Buckin’ Hell 50k Race Report – Heather LeFriec

August 9, 2020August 7, 2019

Race: Buckin’ Hell 50k

Runner: Heather LeFriec

Race Date: 07/27/2019

Location: North Vancouver, BC

Results: FINISHED-10:15

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

This was my first 50k and I was not expecting the climb and how long it was going to take me! Even though I was not expecting the it

The technicality of the route was the best
The location-North Vancouver (Deep Cove) is spectacular
The climbing (8,500 ft)

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

The amount of time it took me to finish! Even though I loved how challenging the route and how technical the course was– I was not expecting it to be so technical so I thought I’d be finished a lot sooner –I was not prepared to be out there for 10 hours

Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?

The weirdest thing for me was how quiet the trail runners are (especially compared to road runners)- I was running with my friend and we can get pretty chatty, so everyone we’d encounter with during the race, we wanted to start a conversation with, most were not interested in talking. ;-///

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

I love endurance events so (even though it took me way longer than I was expecting) I did start to enjoy myself more at about 6 hours into the race. Mentally I start to get tougher the longer I’m out there so second 5 hours were much more enjoyable than the first 5 hours.

Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner

You should definitely be prepared for technical climbing–I’d spend a lot of time on the Stair Mill if I were to do it again! This race is not just a trail 50k. I’d suggest researching Gary Robbins races (incredible but so hard). You would definitely benefit from poles in this race.

Lessons you learned that will help you next time around

I learned that I need good trail shoes. I also learned that the aid stations have most of what I need and I way over packed on food/fuel. I also learned that you need to run when you can because there is a lot of climbing up and descent in this race that really slowed me down.

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

8,500 feet of technical climbing and descent, train for technical climbing

Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?

Beautiful! Its was one of the most beautiful areas I’ve ever run in. British Colombia is always beautiful but most of this course was in the middle of a plush, lush, green forest

Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

YES!!! it was a beast —I’d say very hard! This was my first 50k and I had no idea how much climbing this particular race had. I learned that Gary Robbins’ races are HARD!

Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

YES!! It was excellent on all levels. The course markings were incredible. You never went more than 60 seconds without seeing flagging so there was no chance of going off course. The aid stations were so great too, and helpful– well stocked and I discovered how much I like pickle juice! GREAT RACE!

Competition – Is there a strong field?

Even though I was in the back of the pack –there seemed to be competitive women and I know it counts for 3 UTMB points (I only know this because my husband is trying to gather points)

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.

The race did fill and cap but it didn’t cap until a week before race day! I was supposed to do Broken Goat 50k the weekend before but I didn’t make it there because my husband couldn’t go so I scoured the internet and found Buckin Hell 50k and registered 7 days before race day but there were only a few spots left at that point. We secured an airbnb just 10 minutes from race start no problem! Deep Cove (North Vancouver) is so beautiful and easy to get to (besides the 5 pm Friday traffic through downtown Vancouver)

Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?

They were great! Well stocked and the volunteers were so helpful–they even grabbed my bottles and filled them at every station- is that normal?

Weather and typical race conditions

75? Humid but since you’re in the forest, no sun which was nice! I did hear that the year before was SUPER HOT and in 2017 there was ice !!

Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next guy?

No, but I did wish I had poles in just a few spots and better trail shoes!

Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?

Not really? I only noticed spectators at the start and finish, and a few at Mt. Seymour (about 20 miles in)

How’s the Swag?

Finisher’s medal and a beer glass. The medal is a bottle opener! I was bummed no shirt! They had several items for sale!

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

10/10 YES!!! Now we want to do the Broken Goat 50k!

Heather LeFriec is a coach with Team RunRun. To learn more about her or to work with Coach Heather, check out her coaching page.

Squamish 50/50 Race Report – Mark Cliggett

August 14, 2020August 22, 2018

Race: Squamish 50/50

Runner: Mark Cliggett

Race Date: 08/18/2018

Location: Squamish BC

Results: 14:36:59/10:16:46

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

Amazing volunteers. The challenge of running 50 miles and 50k on back-to-back days. Finishing the 50/50 so I don’t have to do it again.

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

The aid station food was pretty much the same from start to finish – fine for a short one day race but getting monotonous already by the end of the 50 mile race and I had to face it again through the 50k.

Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?

A lot of the downhills are on technical mountain bike trails and have wooden ramps – some of the ramps are so steep you have to pick your way down them.

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

Finishing, in spite of various issues.

Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner

The hardest thing about the 50/50 – aside from the miles – is managing the time between the two races, especially if you aren’t fast. There is a lot to do in a small number of hours (including sleep) and crew/support probably would help. I didn’t have that and I was exhausted by the end of the 50k – probably more so than in some 100 mile races.

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

The trails are all mountain bike trails – technical, difficult, and slow.

Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?

For me, there are are much prettier courses. At Squamish, you spend a lot of time in the woods and occasionally in clear cuts that are growing back. There weren’t a lot of views. It’s like running in the woods at Cougar/Tiger Mountain – not the worst thing in the world but certainly not the prettiest.

Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

Uh, yeah. The technical trails take it out of you .

Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

Definitely well run.

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.

The races sold out in less than 8 hours this year. One of those races where you have to sign up the moment it opens.

Weather and typical race conditions

This year it was smoky due to BC fires. Given how things are going, this may become an annual problem for the race.

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

If you like really hard, technical trails, this is a great race.

Read more about Mark’s race at:

https://pointlenana.wordpress.com/2018/08/22/squamish-50-50-august-2018/

Squamish 50M & 50K Race Info

January 19, 2023June 19, 2018

Squamish 50 mile and 50k are difficult courses across the board, run on technical singletrack trails. The 50M starts relatively flat for the first 6 miles and then the final mile, but has lots of climbing in between, with the largest climb being roughly 2500 feet. The 50k course is nearly as difficult, also having flatter sections on the front and back end, but the main climb is near the beginning of the race, as it’s the last 50k of the 50M course, and so is a point to point race, whereas the 50M is a loop. Then there are the brave souls who run the 50/50, 50M on Saturday, 50k on Sunday. New for 2018 is a 23km race on Sunday.

Race Details

50m Detailed Course Description

50k Detailed Course Description

Lessons Learned from Race Reports

No poles allowed
All 50M runners must start with a headlamp, which you can drop at Aid Station 2 to be transported by the race staff to Aid Station 7
Since the 50k is a point to point course, not a loop like the 50M, have your transportation sorted out to the start; there is a race bus that can take you there.
Very difficult courses, so you need just as much of a strong mental game as a physical one
Exposed sections – wear sunscreen and a hat!
Lots of super technical, non-runnable trails
Likely to to be hot, having a neck cooler or a buff to help keep you cool on the climbs
With how slow the course is, accept that you’ll likely need a headlamp the second time in the evening for the 50M
Hard to find a flow in the race because the lack of runnability of so much of the course
The terrain makes the course more challenging than the elevation gain
Last 10k of the course is very challenging and easy to have a very low point physically and mentally
Be sure to carry enough fueling given the slow course and mileage between aid stations
Use the course preview runs if you have the chance
If you’re in Seattle, trails for good race simulation are Tiger and Rattlesnake for good climbing and power hiking, Poo Poo Point for technical descending, and Shangri La Trail for running faster on both ups and downs
Aid Station #1, Canadian Tire, tends to be very crowded for crew, as they are all heading there at the same time and may experience parking delays, so don’t rely too heavily on your crew here
Practice technical descents as much as possible
Lots of people leave the last aid station (Farside) at mile 43 pushing hard to the finish, and even though there is only “one more climb” up Phlem, there are still climbs on the way to Phlem
See Matt K’s race report on the 50/50 for details about the course, the aid, his lessons learned, and what he’d do differently for training to prepare for those hairy, technical descents.

Elevation

Total gain/loss:

50M: 11000/11000

50k: 8500/9000

Total climbs:

50M: 1×2555, 1×1400, 1×900, 1×400, 4×200-400 feet

50k: 1×2600, 1×1400, 3×200-400 feet

Longest climb:

50M: 2555 feet in 6.5 miles from mile 20.7-27.2

50k: 2600 feet in 9.4 miles from mile 0.0-9.4

Steepest climb:

50M: 1223 in 1.7 miles from mile 8.4-10.1 (13.6% grade)

50k: 2037 in 3.3 miles from mile 5.9-9.2 (11.7%grade)

Elevation profile:

50M: http://squamish50.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Squamish50M-1.jpg

50k: http://squamish50.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Squamish50K.jpg

Aid stations

Total aid stations: (50M) 8, (50k) 5

Furthest distance apart: (50M) 7 miles, (50k) 6.2 miles

Locations:

50M: Mile 6 / 12 / 17 / 23 / 30 / 33 / 38 / 43

50k: Mile 5 / 11 / 14 / 20 / 25

What’s available: Mix of Hammergel and Heed electrolyte drink mix, fruits such as oranges, bananas, watermelon, chips, both potato and gluten-free, snacks such as salted pretzels, gummies, cookies, salted potatoes, etc., water and Coke, other gluten-free options

Crew access

50M: Able to crew at AS #1, #2, #5 and #7 (miles 6, 12, 30, and 38)

50k: Able to crew at AS #3 and #5 (miles 14 and 25)

Crew Driving Directions:

50 Mile Start at Squamish Oceanfront to Aid Station #1 at Escape Route

Aid Station #1 at Escape Route to Aid Station #2 at Alice Lake

Aid Station #2 at Alice Lake to Aid Station #5 at Quest

Aid Station #5 at Quest to Aid Station #7 at Far Side

Aid Station #7 at Far Side to Finish Line in downtown Squamish

Pacers

None allowed

Race qualifiers

UTMB – 50M: 4 points, 50k: 3 points, 23k: 1 point

Race reports

50M:

Mark Cliggett’s 2018 50/50 Race Report

Mark Cliggett’s 2018 50/50 Race Report (more detailed)

Matt K’s 2017 50/50 Race report

http://gingerrunner.com/2013/08/27/race-recap-the-squamish-50-miler/ (Check out the likes and dislikes at the bottom of his race report for a summary)

https://krisandnotsodeepthoughts.wordpress.com/2016/08/23/squamish-50-race-report/

50k:

http://jeffpelletier.com/squamish-50k-2014-race-report/

Strava activities and GPX files

50M:

https://www.strava.com/activities/375335917/overview

https://www.strava.com/activities/185426409

50k:

https://www.strava.com/activities/376837387

https://www.strava.com/activities/684412091/overview

Race Website

http://squamish50.com/

Whistler Alpine Meadows 55K Race Report – Stephen D

August 15, 2020October 12, 2017

Race: Whistler Alpine Meadows 55k

Runner: Stephen

Date: 9/23/17

Location: Whistler, Canada

Results: 9:13:30, 60th out of 175 runners

3 Bests –

The absolutely beautiful terrain. I likened it to running the crystal mountain marathon mixed with a run in the enchantments. Gorgeous. Absolutely amazing.
Whistler provides lots to do for family and friends, and a mini vacation
You get to meet some amazing people – Gary Robbins is the race director for instance! And there were volunteers at EVERY single turn on the course to ensure no one got lost. They were all very friendly and cheerful.

Not so much –

When the pre race email and the pre race briefing discuss issues, take them seriously. Wasps and ice was mentioned in both. Lots of people slipped and fell on the ice at the top (very small section) (I didn’t fall) and lots of folks got stung (I did – twice)
Pay attention to the locations of things, the start is in a different place than the finish, I provided some feedback to Gary that us Americans don’t have working cell phones for directions and he promised to improve the instructions in the emails.
Did I mention I got stung? Seriously though – that was my only complaint for 34 miles.

Weirdest thing –

I think it is more cool than weird, but the top aid station is helicopter dropped in. Who wouldn’t want to drink coke and eat chips in the presence of a glacier… twice ☺

Highlights

I took this race as an opportunity to travel to whistler during the summer (I had only been for skiing). So I did not “race” as much as use it for a supported long run. Plus the idea of running to a glacier twice sounded cool as hell. I am a bit of a sucker for hard, very vertical oriented ultras, so this fit the bill. I managed my nutrition very well, and stayed relaxed the entire time. I ended up running a lot with a lady training for the Moab 200 and thus picked her mind for my upcoming Javalina Jundred. There are a lot of highlights:

The cushy trails leading up the first climb were really nice.
There were funny things all over the place like someone wrote “Don’t hate Gary” on the last trail down to the finish (at that point most folks had quads blown to smithereens).
Jared Campbell (the only 3 time Barkley finisher) was there too – which was neat to simply be in the presence of an athlete like that.
Lots of the volunteers had puppy dogs that kept licking my knees. (it was awesome)
The first time popping out of the tree line and seeing the whistler mountain line was fantastic
Running through the actual alpine meadows was really pretty and the very small part of the race that was not crazy vertical.
The weather was perfect, couldn’t have asked for better.
Did I mention that we were mere feet from a glacier at the top?
The climbs and descents were uber technical which I think actually helped prevent worse leg damage.
The swag is pretty good, a finisher medal, a shirt, free bbq food, and free Hammer nutrition recovery drinks.

Lessons for others

BRING A CAMERA, and plan to lose some time to taking pictures.
If you run the 25k, you see the same route as the 55k, just doing the climb one time rather than twice, for those that think 55k is too much, that option works. The 12.5k does NOT see the awesome stuff.
Prepare to hike, a lot. My time was about 2-3 hours more than my normal 50k time. Partially due to the terrain technicality and partially due to the pure vertical nature of this course.

Lessons for next time

I will probably do the 25k so I can enjoy the race more and reduce my likelihood of being stung. Plus I will get to see everything I want to see!

Most Important Course specific knowledge

Easily the most important is to be sure to have the required gear.
The top portion is heavy on the Granite type rocks and boulders so shoes with really good grip are paramount, and then the lower sections are largely dirt and rooty, so again good grip is paramount since there is so much vert.

Aesthetics

If you haven’t picked up on the fact that this course is stunning, then I don’t know what to tell you. This course is absolutely phenomenal, the effort is worth it.

Difficulty

Yes this is probably one of the toughest courses out there for a 55k. 12k ft of gain and 12k ft of loss. It is no joke.
I can see this course being even worse if it were wet, but we were lucky and it was mostly dry.

Organized and well run

Very well run. Gary puts on a great event.

Competition

There were some serious competitors out there. As I mentioned before Jared Campbell was out there and he placed top ten, but didn’t win it, and that dude is a BEAST!

Logistics

It is about 4-5 miles from Whistler village. That is where we stayed and it worked out great.
There was also a camping option which many people I chatted with used, and like it.

Aid Stations

Great aid stations, my recommendation is to check out what is on the website. I didn’t and when I got to the first one and realized there was no PB&J (my staple) I went to other stuff like potatoes, chips, pretzels, and some gels.

Weather and typical race conditions

This is only the second year of this race, and it already has grown, but the two races that have happened have had great weather. It is in BC and it is almost fall at race time, so nothing is guaranteed. It is usually 15 degrees cooler at the top.

Gear

Yes there was mandatory gear listed on the signup sheet. MUST BRING IT.
I would plan on poles. I ran without them and did fine, but quite a few times I wish I had them.
I would also suggest at least a vest or something. The aid stations are far enough apart that I used two bottles and never felt like I was lacking anything.

Spectators

This is not a spectator friendly course.
They can only see you at the half way point and the finish.

Awards

Everyone of the 55k finishers got a medal. It’s a nice medal.

Overall Score

I give this race a 11 out of 10. I love gritty, hard, woop your butt kind of races, and this was exactly that. The fact that they heli drop an aid station is really cool too.

Whistler Apline Meadows 55k Race Info

August 29, 2020August 7, 2017

Date

9/23/17

Avg Temps f.

39/59

Gain/Loss in ft

11,000/11,000

Furthest Aid

~9.5 miles

Highest Elev.

5905 ft

Start

6:30am

Surface

Trail

Time Limit

12 hours

Sunrise/set

6:59/7:08

Longest Climb

3800ft/8.2 miles

Summary: The Whistler Alpine Meadows trail races (WAM) happen on the Northwest side of Whistler, on terrain that has only been opened up in the last two years. Runners will be treated to alpine meadows, waterfalls, wildflowers, glaciers and mountain views. The course is mainly three loops, climbing one big up to start, a small down and up, one big down back to the starting elevation, followed by another big up and back down again. Expect lots of power hiking, steep terrain, technical terrain as you go further up, and beautiful views up top near the glaciers and down again near the meadows.

Race Details

Lessons Learned from Race Reports

Aid stations that are heli-drop are weather dependent, so don’t rely on them and be prepared to not have aid there
Aid stations are cupless
Poles are allowed and used by quite a few runners
Required gear list: Emergency bivy, like this one OR survival blanket, like this one OR TWO space blankets, like these 2) hooded jacket OR rain poncho 3) gloves and toque or buff 4) whistle 5) fire starting kit which can be as simple as a lighter in a ziplock bag 6) headlamp of at least 100 lumens
Start and Finish are close to each other, but still different locations
Terrain looks rocky and exposed in many of the pictures, above treeline and with varying weather. More photos and video here.
Very technical trails with rocks, loose rocks, and twisty single track
Be ready for climbing and for power hiking
Fairly big difference in terrain from the high up alpine (more technical, rocky) to the lower meadows, which has softer and more forgiving terrain and likely faster sections
Trail gets colder and rockier the higher you climb and the closer you get to the glacier
Could be wasps lower down in the meadows