'Life is hard' and running, particularly trail running, is my antidote to the stresses I encounter as I go about my daily life. So, when I hit 60 in 2005 and found myself still relatively healthy in mind, body and spirit (despite of all those little nasties that life throws in your face now and again), I decided to celebrate that fact by entering the 2006 Mongolian Sunrise to Sunset 100Km race. A race described as 'The Worlds Most Beautiful 100Km Run' and a distance I had never run before, at least not in one go.
I initially thought I would write a report based on what it was like on the day, the day being the 28 June 2006, but I soon realised that I was on a loser, as my memories are so many and detailed that it would take me forever to write it all down in a clear and concise way. So my report now is more of a 'guide book' look at this particular race with maybe just a tad of what it was like for me added in. Read on...
The MS2S 100km race and its Marathon option, centered in Lake Hovsgol (Khovsgol) National Park in Northern Mongolia, takes place in June/July each year and is used to promote and preserve the national park as an eco tourism destination. The local Mongolian community are encouraged to enter the MS2S race and are also involved in helping out at water stops and aid stations, providing medical services (Doctors and massage), refreshments and horse mounted rescue assistance for lost runners. Yes, runners can go off course in this race but not this year though.
The 100K and the Marathon race both start and end at Camp Toilogt (alt. 5,400ft), a 'tourist' camp of Gers (Yurts) nestling on the shoreline of Lake Hovsgol. The Gers are comfortable and come with a centrally fitted metal stove; necessary even in the summer months, as evenings and mornings can be quite cold and damp. As a point of interest, Lake Hovsgol covers an area of 2,700sqk, is 800ft deep, manufactures its own weather system of daily thunderstorms and rain showers and holds 2% of the worlds drinking water. The Lonely Planet Guide has this to say about the place;
"this area is one of the most scenic places in Mongolia, with tall taiga forests, crystal-clear lakes, icy streams and lush meadows'. Add to that description the visual panorama of endless grassy steppes surrounded by distant 3000m peaks, herds of semi-wild horses running free over the steppes, nomadic herdsmen singing to their horses and children, Yaks wandering freely across alpine meadows and you can begin to sense the enchantment of this land."
The MS2S race starts at 4.30AM and the first 12K of the course takes runners through damp, moss covered pine woods, along rough dirt roads hugging the shoreline of Lake Hovsgol, past the semi-permanent camp of the Reindeer (Dukka) People and onto the first CP at Chichee Aid Station. This is where runners get their first sight of the sunrise and first taste of salted Tea before heading off inland towards the first and highest climb of the day, Chichee Pass at 17K/alt. 7,100ft.
At the entry to the pass, a smiling Mongolian horse rider directs runners towards an old mining road that swoops its way along a wooded ridge before plunging back down towards CP2 at Ongolog Aid Station at 25.5K/alt. 5,525ft. From here, the next section of the course consists of a gently inclining, long slow drag along single track (or no track in some places) that takes runners through pine woods, boggy alpine meadows, over dried river beds and on to the slopes of the second and steepest climb of the day, Khirvesteg Pass at 31K/alt. 6,825ft. This is no easy climb as there is no path on the lower slopes and runners have to negotiate their way through thick undergrowth and over fallen trees, while at the same time looking out for the next painted trail marker, painted at eye level on one of the many standing trees. If you miss the marker, you could be lost for some time! No one got lost in this place this year but the effort and the heat nearly ended my chances of completing the 100K. By the time I'd hit the pass summit and got down to the water station at 32K/alt. 6,175ft I was feeling totally exhausted and quite upset. What was I to do? I tried to find a way of mentally/emotionally dealing with the circumstances I found myself in but the thought of having a 42K Finishers T-shirt instead of a 100K Finishers T-shirt, which I'd come to get, was too much to bear and I ended up swearing rather a lot before I came up with a rescue strategy.
Because of the 'eco tourism' approach to this race, the organisers had issued runners with plastic bin bags, requesting that they pick up any plastic bottles/bags seen on the course and dump these at aid stations along the way. This activity was to be my rescue strategy; stuff the race, stuff the t-shirt, I'd collect rubbish instead! This single action allowed me to dump my disappointment and by the time I reached the marathon finish at CP3 Toilogt Aid Station, 42K/alt. 5400ft, I had fully recovered and was able to complete the 100k.
From Camp Toilogt, the next section of the 100K course follows the shoreline of Lake Hovsgol until CP4, Jankhia Aid Station at 55K/alt. 5,400ft. Here I was thoroughly checked over by a lady Mongolian Doctor who said, through an interpreter, that my blood pressure was high and because of the heat, I should slow down a little and perhaps take a rest. In light hearted reply, in other words, fearful that I could be pulled out of the race, I replied by saying that my blood pressure always went up when in the company of a good woman! As this aid station was used again at 88K, this banter continued with the Doctor and on leaving for the 100K finish I got my backside slapped, which caused great enjoyment to all those looking on.
From the Jankhia Aid Station, runners are accompanied by a mounted horse rider for a short distance, whose job it was to ensure that the way on was clearly seen. Here runners also start to make the third climb of the day up to Jankhia Pass at 59K/alt. 6,467ft. On reaching the pass, the views on offer to runners are simply stunning. The next CP at Uran Aid Station, 65K/alt. 5,850ft is also the official 12 hour cut off point for runners. I reached this aid station some minutes after the cut off time but because I looked (and felt) okay, I was allowed to continue to Modot Bulan Aid Station at 76K/alt. 5,400ft. This section of the course was also the hottest of the day, as runners have to cross dry rock strewn river beds and vast open grass steppes and there was no shade other than that provided by your hat. I had arranged to leave a 'drop bag' at Modot Bulan Aid Station and this proved to be a wise decision, as I was able to wash my feet and change my shoes and socks. The downside was that the chocolate I had looked forward to eating at this point, had melted into a liquid blob and was completely inedible. The next section of the course back to Jankhia Aid Station at 88K and the 100K finish at Camp Toilogt mainly followed the shoreline of Lake Hovsgol, taking runners across open meadows and along single track paths winding through damp and sometimes muddy floored pine forest and back onto the lake shoreline again and on to my 100K T-SHIRT!
I completed the 100K, finishing 9th overall and 3rd Vet. I was still at the back mind you but who cares about that. If I do this race again next year, all I can do is improve.
PS altitude measurements are not precise but I do know that over the 100K distance there was a total elevation gain/loss of 3365m/10,936ft. For someone from a small, flattish country I think that's pretty good going.
Full details of this event can be found at www.ultramongolia.com
