Race: White Lakes Ultra
Runner: Robert H
Race Date: 05/04/2019
Location: Tamworth, NH
Results: 50.4Miles
3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?
- Well organized race.
- Welcoming and easy logistics for a beginner looking to do first 50M
- Very positive vibe
Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you
I either need to get faster or slower. Spent most of the race running by myself.
Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?
- The aid station volunteers after many hours of volunteering became a very interesting group to watch.
- Found out afterwards that during my last lap as I kept thinking it would suck to get eaten by a bear and stop 1 mile short of my goal that someone had actually seen a couple of bears out on the course earlier in the day.
Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?
- Completed my first 50Miles
- Talked with several great people
- Hot Grilled Cheese Sandwiches!
- Tacos!
Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner
- Stay at the local hotel. It was a whopping 8 minutes from the start. Super accommodating for late check out.
- Course has several large water crossing due to rain. So bring extra shoes, etc
- There was plenty of room for more runners
Lessons you learned that will help you next time around
I had set a mental goal of wanting to get 50 miles. I expected it to take longer than it did. In all my preps, I had only thought about what if cases for if I couldn’t meet my main goal. I didn’t have a goal beyond 50M so lost my drive to continue.
Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race
None. This is not a hard technical course. A little bit of technical work, but most of it was very runnable.
Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?
Nice course in a park.
Difficulty – Is it a tough course?
No.
Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
This was year 2. The organizers seemed to have their game face on and it ran well.
Competition – Is there a strong field?
Not sure. Winner did 86 miles.
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 closes out the field fairly early. No race day sign up.
Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?
1 aid station because it was a looped course
Weather and typical race conditions
It had been raining all week, but was clear and comfortable for race day
Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next guy?
Nothing special
Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?
Loop course so get to see you every loop.
Loop was about 2.8 miles
How’s the Swag?
Good
The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?
5