We will once again have access to the chalet. This means flushable bathrooms, and hot showers. Donations welcome!
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New route, but not what you think
After some deliberations, I’ve concluded that the Falcon Fatass route should try and be as rugged as possible. That means there won’t be any running on the Trans Canada Trail loop. So the route this year will be mostly unchanged. It will consist entirely of seven loops of the Five of Diamonds trail (https://www.trailforks.com/route/five-of-diamonds/).
Date for 2018
Falcon Fatass will be returning in 2018! The date, as always, will be the first Saturday after the August long weekend. That is, August 11.
The chalet rental was a success last year, even if few people took advantage of the showers, I believe the bathrooms were a welcome luxury.
A new route will be tried out. The first 3/4 of the route will remain the same. The change will be a simpler return to the parking lot as many people got turned around. Expect to run the Top of the World trail in the opposite direction (or not at all), and a small foray onto the Trans Canada Trail. The loop will be longer.
Registration is open until August 1.
2017 Results are up
Sorry for the long delay. I have no real excuse other than sheer laziness and lack of motivation.
Nonetheless, the results for the 2017 Falcon Fatass have been uploaded to Ultrasignup.
I would like to thank everybody who made the 2017 Falcon Fatass a success. Thanks to your donations, we broke even for the chalet.
Chalet Will Be Open
Great news: The chalet will be open for the race. What does this mean to you? There will be bathrooms and showers available at the start line. In the event of inclement weather, we will be able to take shelter inside.
Now for the bad news: The chalet isn’t free. I figured the benefits outweigh the costs, and it would be in everybody’s best interest to have it available. If you can find a bit of spare change to donate for the chalet rental, it would be greatly appreciated.
This Year’s Course
Once again, we will be mostly following the Five Of Diamonds trail. There are only three places where we will deviate (mostly to get extra mileage out of each loop). Each time we deviate, it will be a left-hand turn.
The first deviation will be at the “Buffalo Jump” sign. This was missed a lot last year, as it’s difficult to mark in an obvious way. You’ll have the option to jump straight down the rock, or take the short ramp right after it. I recommend the ramp. You’ll know you’re on the right trail when you see a “Wild Willy” sign immediately after.
The second deviation will be shortly after the “Wild Willy” section rejoins the main trail. This one is much more noticeable, and leads into the biathlon range (and towards the outhouses). You will probably get one foot wet on the approach to the bridge.
The third deviation is about two-thirds of the way through the loop, and it just to make the marking on the way to/from the Top of the World section easier.
One last thing to note: There will be far fewer flags out on the course than last year. The main trail is much better marked now than it was in the past. All key turns will have extra flagging. Pay extra attention at the end of the loop (when you’re predominantly going downhill), as the main trail isn’t necessarily the obvious path.
2017 Registration Now Open
The date for 2017 is official: August 12. Registration is now open at Ultrasignup.
The course is going to mostly be the same as last year. The only things that might change are the hard left turn at Wild Willy which many runners missed (I blame the guy who marked the course), and the biathlon shooting range. It really depends upon the condition of the trail this year, and it’s far too early to tell. There will be updates well before the run date.
Date for 2017
With all the positive feedback, I’ve decided to hold the Falcon Fatass again in 2017. The tentative date is Saturday, August 12.
2016 Recap
The inaugural 2016 Falcon Fatass was a smashing success! In total, 18 runners started which is well over half of the registered participants. Not bad for a free event!
We had 8 50k finishers, and 10 did-something-differents. I believe I can speak for everyone when I say that we all had a great time. Even the weather was smiling on us.
The trail proved to be on the slow size, due to the massive (for Manitoba) elevation change and technical footing. It probably didn’t help times out too much that there was a party going on in the parking lot which the runners had to pass through 6 times on the way to the finish.
Results are now up on Ultrasignup for those who completed the full 50k. For everything who did something different, I figured it wouldn’t be fair for them to have a DNF on their record.
Last Minute Update
Nothing earth-shattering, just a few things to note:
I’ve been asked by a few runners what the terrain was like. In my opinion, it’s typical Canadian Shield terrain, perhaps with a bit “easier” running due to the ski hill nature of it (as in, it’s had rocks removed). Rest assured there are plenty of rocks and roots on the back half of the course.
The hills are generally larger but fewer than those at Spruce Woods Ultra. Most of the elevation gain is in 3 hills in the first half of the course.
The course will be flagged. Thanks go out to Trail Run Manitoba for lending the flags. All flags will follow the usual TRM modus operandi: Keep the flags on the left. If they are on your right, you’re going the wrong way. The course is a clockwise loop, so if you see flags going off in different directions (and you will in at least three places), go left. I will be reminding everybody of the above right before the run starts.
Try to get to the run a bit early (about 15 minutes) so you have time to get last-minute instructions.
Don’t forget to bring water. Ice might be a good idea too, as the high is 26C.
There will be a sign-in/out sheet so we can keep track of numbers still out on the course and know when we can start pulling flags. If you plan on doing something different (DSD), please mark that down on the sign-in sheet.
Lastly, there are no bathrooms available at the parking lot. There is a small chance they might be open, but don’t count on it. Your best best is the public outhouses in the picnic area after you cross the causeway. https://www.google.ca/maps/place/49%C2%B040’44.1%22N+95%C2%B018’48.6%22W/@49.678916,-95.315693,499m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d49.678916!4d-95.313499?hl=en
Have fun!
