This is the Sixth time I have run this beauty! It’s usually held on the second Sunday in November at the Battawa Ski Hill in Trenton. You really can’t predict weather this time of year, which is why I love this race so much! Haha! There’s years I’ve raced this with a foot of snow, to years with high mud, to this year, perfect footing and an amazing 5 degree day. The race hosts distances from 5 k, 7.5 k, 10 k , 16.5 k, 25 k, 50 k, bad ass 6 hour, and even a 1 km kid’s race! Yes you read that correct, this race was inspired to include and empower as many people as possible in their pursuits and offers a ton of distances for any palate! Race directors Erin and Naomi are also the duo of Dirty Soles Racing. They have a few other wicked races throughout the year; Boomerang, and Sugarbush Shenanigans, to name a few! They are veteran runners also, so they understand all the special ingredients that go into these races that truly make a lasting impression!
This year I ran the 50 k. The courses aren’t all on the same track, which makes this race very unique. The badass 6 hour and 7.5 and 25 all incorporates the South track. Where the 10 and 50 k are on the North track.
The 50 k is the 10 k North loop repeated 5 times. I really do love loop courses and for many reasons. Firstly the biggest advantage is you don’t need crew. You come back to the start finish and all your gear is dropped there so you take only what you need that loop and get goin! For runners who depend on aid stations, there was one almost at half way, so aid every 5 ish k. I believe there’s one of the South loop for distances on that side of the hill too. Then the main aid at the start finish which connects all courses.
They switched the track up the past few years to avoid some muddier or saturated marshy areas, and it includes a few more climbs and descents, so super fun, challenging, and just enough variety to keep your senses entertained! I had about 240 metres of vert on my watch per loop. I know that seems like a lot, but I did find the descents in particular to be very low pitched, so you could really let the legs fly, without sketchy footing or technical spots. The trails on both sides of the Battawa ski hill are quite mixed. Flat sections, hard packed gravel, single track, double track, meadow stretches, soft earthy sections, rocky sections (not super technical though), and very runnable downs.
This year they had registrations in the Sacred Hearts school, very warm area, and offered coffee from a local brewery Epic North, and this is where you’d pick up your pre-order sub or sandwich from Flossies! The roast beef was incredible!
For runners who are chasing Outrace points, it’s a part of the series! Fat Ass is a great way to close the season off as there’s literally no other races after this one in Ontario!
I ended up placing third overall. BARELY! I am pleased with how I ran it, given I raced just two weeks prior, so by the fourth loop I kind of fizzled out, but luckily I had some cushion between the wolves tracking me and used my experience to make sure they couldn’t see me ahead so tactics persevered!
The volunteers out at the aid station on the North loop were hollering and waving cowbells and singing at me every time I ran by, so I pictured them doing that for all 650 runners on course all day! It’s always humbling to me to see people get out here on cold days and giving their everything to make sure racers have a good experience! It’s partly why I volunteer at least one race per year to paying it forward for all the amazing souls that support us! This community rocks, you can feel the solidarity and positive inclusion in the atmosphere. RD Erin too is a big part of this, he’s just a great human and ambassador for this sport I love so much!
For anyone that hasn’t raced this one, sign up, if you don’t enjoy yourself, I’ll pay for your next registration, it’s a guarantee haha!
Happy trails! What ever you pursue, Get after it!
