After a bit of deliberation, I figured that it would probably be best not to rent the chalet this year. Word on the street is that there are now outhouses at the parking lot, so we won’t need the chalet for toilets. And the lake is right there, so we won’t need showers to de-stink.
As an added bonus, I won’t be begging for money.
Manitoba’s favourite fatass named after a bird is returning in 2019! I haven’t had a chance to scope out the trails, but Joel assures me they’re awesome. As usual, it will take place the first Saturday after August long weekend: August 10. Registration link is here. Investigations into renting the chalet are ongoing.
We will once again have access to the chalet. This means flushable bathrooms, and hot showers. Donations welcome!
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/).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
With all the positive feedback, I’ve decided to hold the Falcon Fatass again in 2017. The tentative date is Saturday, August 12.
