Hellgate 100K

December 9, 2006

“The Tradition Continues – Extreme Cold, Wind and Leaves”

By David Horton

 In a short time of just 4 years, the Hellgate 100K has developed a reputation and tradition of tough, brutal and REWARDING conditions and performances. In 2003, we had about a foot of snow and temperatures in the low teens; cold but dry in 2004, snow and ice last year and temperatures around 12º with winds of 20-30 mph this year.  If you don’t believe how rewarding finishing the Hellgate 100K is, go to our website (extremeultrarunning.com) and read the accounts from this and other years about finishes and non-finishes.  If this course is dry and the temperatures and leaves cooperate (not this time of year anyway), I think the veterans would be disappointed.  Most runners who ran on the ice-covered course last year thought that it was better than the leaves on the ground this year.

 This race is unlike the majority of ultras.  A 12:01 a.m. starting time with over 13,000 feet of elevation gain on some technical trails, with only 9 aid stations and a time limit of 18 hours, make for a race that is definitely not for everyone.  Runners have to be much more self-sufficient and consider eating a lot more, as well as the issues of lighting and clothing. 

 The pre-race and finish site of Camp Bethel is perfect. It is a small, but intimate setting that is nostalgic.  The pre-race meal by the staff at Camp Bethel is outstanding. Right at the finish there is food, showers, bathrooms, beds, and WARMTH immediately available.

 Because of the many challenges of the course, the aid stations and transporting runners, we have had to (and will continue) to keep the runner limit at 100.  Please don’t ever enter Hellgate if you don’t think you have a realistic chance of finishing.  We filled up six weeks prior to race day this year.

 The shirts that all runners receive for entering the race is a classic.  It is a picture of a runner entering the gates of Hell with fire all round.  Every year we have a new quote printed on the front of the shirt. This year’s quote was from a Roman poet who said, “The gates of Hell are open night and day.”  Finishers received either a mid-weight Capilene or wool zip-t made by Patagonia.

 There were 9 males and one female who had finished the Hellgate the first three years and were going for finish #4.  Many of the runners entered, had completed Hellgate before or at least attempted it.  There were also many runners who had just run the Mountain Masochist five weeks earlier.  This turned out to be a problem for many runners.  Please take this into consideration before attempting to run both races in 2007.

 Prior to the start of the race, I had predicted that there would be new course records set for both the men and women.  Serge England-Arbona (Baltimore, MD) won in 2005 and was back to defend this title.  Eric Grossman (Emory, VA) was second in the 2005 Hellgate and was coming off a 6:53 win at this years’ MMTR 50 Miler.  Legendary Courtney Campbell (Berryville, VA) was also on hand.

 The women’s field was also up for the challenge. Krissy Moehl (Seattle, VA) who has become one of the top 4 or 5 best female ultra runners in the nation was topping the field. The 2005 Hellgate winner, Justine Morrison (Washington, DC) was back, along with Bethany Patterson (Richmond, VA), and a new face to the ultrarunning community, Sarah (Space) Johnston (Lynchburg, VA) who had finished 4^th and 5^th respectively at the 2006 Mountain Masochist.

 By aid station 3 (Camping Gap – 13.1 miles) a lead pack of four runners checked in six minutes ahead of record pace.  Two runners were expected...Arbona and Grossman, but two were unexpected. John Price (Virginia Beach, VA) had told me of a dark horse that I might watch ... Steve Slaby (Virginia Beach, VA).  Slaby had run his first marathon three weeks earlier (2:29) and Hellgate was his first ultra.  Also in the lead pack was Bradley Mongold (Morgantown, WV) with limited, but successful ultra experience.

 By aid station 4 (Headforemost Mountain – 21.9 miles) Grossman and Slaby checked in at 3:47, 19 minutes up on record pace, with Arbona 11 minutes back and Mongold 14 minutes back. From there on out, Grossman maintained his pace to break Sean Andrish’s (Leesburg, VA) course record time of 11:23, finishing in a new record time of 11:03.  Grossman has clearly established himself as a national class ultra runner with victories at the Promise Land 50 Miler, MMTR 50 Miler and Hellgate 100K, as well as many other races.  He was also winner of the 2006 Montrail Ultra Cup.  As a result, he is on Montrail’s 2007 National Ultrarunning Team.  He will be a force to be reckoned with in the future.

 Slaby ran consistently through the rest of the race to finish in 2^nd place with a time of 11:42.  Arbona took 3^rd in 12:08, edging out Mongold who finished 4^th in 12:10.

 As expected, Moehl took the lead from the start.  But unexpectedly, she was joined by training partners Patterson and Johnston.  At 13.1 miles, Moehl had a 3 minute lead over Johnston and a 6 minute lead over Patterson.  At this point, Moehl was in 17^th place overall. But, by the next aid station, Moehl was in 6^th place overall with Johnson only 3 minutes back.  Johnston ran her first ultra at this past February’s Holiday Lake 50K, where she finished in 121^st place.  Hellgate was her 9^th ultra of 2006.  What was she doing so close to Moehl?  Patterson, like many others in the race, had really bad vision problems, due to the coldest and windiest parts of the course.  With no eye protection, and wind chills around zero and below... it was understandable.

 With daylight coming, Moehl used her superior speed and experience to forge a 37  minute lead over Johnston by aid station 7 (Bearwallow Gap – 42.5 miles).  Moehl was also suffering from a slight case of blurred vision, but ran strong from there on to finish in 13:01, breaking Catherine Phillips course record of 13:15 set in 2003.  Only 4 male runners ran faster than Moehl.

 Johnston stayed very strong to the finish completing the race in 2^nd place with a time of 13:37, the third fastest female ever at Hellgate.  This was definitely a breakthrough race for the little “space cadet.”  She was the only woman to finish the Horton Slam (Holiday Lake 50K, Promise Land 50K, MMTR 50 Miler and the Hellgate 100K) in 2006.

 Arbona was the winning masters, as well as finishing 3^rd overall. Sophie Speidel (Charlottesville, VA) also finished 3^rd overall (15:16) as well as finishing 1^st masters.  The grand masters titles went to Doug Blackford ( Todd, NC ) with a time of 15:42 and Barbara Isom (Silver Springs MD) and Vicki Kendall (Arlington, VA) tied with a time of 17:51.

 The following runners have now finished all four Hellgate 100K’s – Jerry Turk, Aaron Schwartzbard, Jeff Garstecki, Neal Jamison, Ryan Henry, Kevin Bligan, Paul Ralyea, Dan Lehmann and Darrin Dunham. I know where these runners will be on December 8, 2007!!!!

 The following six males officially completed the Horton Slam:  Steven Baker, Michael Stratton, Byron Backer, Kevin Townsend, Rick Gray and David Snipes.

 The real heroes were the three aid station crews who each worked 3 aid stations...they leap-frogged throughout the course.  They suffered hours on end, STANDING (or running in place) in high winds and freezing temperatures to meet the needs of the runners. One runner told me this incredible story ... When he came into a particular aid station, he couldn’t get his shoes untied because of frozen fingers.  He asked for help, and the young lady tried, but her fingers were so cold she couldn’t get them undone either. At this point, she raised his foot and untied his shoe with her TEETH!  Now that’s what I call above and beyond the call of duty!!  We have fantastic aid crews for all our races - Thank you volunteers!

 What will December 8, 2007 bring?  Who knows!?!?!?  Be there and find out!!!!