Course description
Here’s
a first description of the course. This
is a 100 mile run. Even though finishing after leg 2 would give you the
opportunity to have a 100K race done – please don’t make plans for
doing only a 100K run. The
course Our
own ‘Death Valley’: Distances
of each leg: 1st
leg (“The Mountain
Whip”) The
first leg is the most challenging of the race. Very soon in the race –
after a cozy beginning on paved roads – you’re entering the woods
with a steep uphill section. You’re running up and down on jeep trails
now. You’ll find a lot them in this forest: check the course marking
watchfully. At K8 you’ll come to a gorge called “Wettenser Schlei”
(and nicknamed ‘Roadrunner’s Hell’) in which you’ll have to run
run downhill for now (the uphill here will be at K42). You’ll come to
a wide valley of the River ‘Leine’, passing the village of Godenau,
crossing the river on a wooden bridge, heading to the first manned aid
station. You’ll come to a railroad crossing and to the “Federal
Highway 3” (it’s like a state highway in the US). You’ll have to
cross the highway at your own risk. But it’s not too dangerous.
The
2nd
leg The
second leg is a big 50K loop with points of scenic overvlook to the
mountain range of the “Harz” (some 50K south) and to the valley of
the river “Leine”. On
the very first kilometers the beginning of the loop is the same as of
leg 1. But don’t take the turn-off to the right at the junction at
K53,6 (as you did before in leg 1). Watch out for the course marking.
You have to turn off to the left at this junction, following a trail
which is additionally marked with an “R”-sign for a hiking trail
called the “Rennstieg”. Enjoy running on a beautiful single trail in
a forest for some kilometers. Then you’ll have to cross a small public
roads (with not much traffic – but be nevertheless watchful). Watch
out for our course marking and the “R”-signs on the other side of
the road and take the dirt road/jeep trail section which is coming now
for the nexts few kilometers. Just
behind a next small road you had to cross (at K59,6) you’ll enjoy a
scenic overlook to the mountain range of the “Harz” (which is the
highest range in northern Germany with its highest peak “Brocken” of
3,750 feet) – if the waether is fine and you like to take a few
seconds for the look. Dont’s miss the turn-off to the right 3.6
kilometers behind this point (at the highest point of the course with
it’s 1.217 feet). There will be a next turn-off to right 50 meters
behind this point – don’t take this turn-off and stay on the ridge
instead. Follow the single trail section and later the jeep road section
down to the village of “Everode”. You’ll have to face a very steep
uphill section behind the village - about 800 meters long - with a
freshly made pavement of 'graveyard-cobblestones'. You can still read
names on these broken tombstones. (If you mean to read your own name on
one of these bricks - don't mind and have a coke or a coffee at the next
AS. You're apparently tired.) When this piece of work is done you’ll
come to a beautiful trail on the ridge of this hill with an overlook the
the valley of the river “Leine”. The next section is the ‘Death
Valley’-section as mentioned above with it’s flat paved 15
kilometers. You’ll come to the railroad crossing with the AS (which
you took already on the first loop). But this time you’ll have to head
on straight in the valley. At K92 you’ll have to turn off to the
right, slightly coming to new uphill sections in the forest. As always,
please watch out for the course marking carefully. There are some wrong
ways in this section. You’ll come to the village of “Eberholzen”
and at K100 you’ll come to Sibbesse’s soccer field for the second
time. Have some refreshments there and be prepared for the 3rd
leg. The
3rd leg (“Nighmare on
Tosmarberg”) Out
to the village of “Diekholzen” (K100-K116) followed by a loop of 10K
in a forest up and down the hill of “Tosmarberg”. Back to the soccer
field the same as the first 16 kilometers. You may have encounters with
your fellow runners in the out and back section of the 3rd
leg. You’ll
have to start this leg the same way you just came in - of course, in the
opposite direction. Before “Eberholzen” you’ll have to turn off to
the right now, cross a small public road (very less traffic in the
evening/night hours). The nexts kilometers are easy to run, they went
flat or slightly downhill on dirt roads (some are paved, some are not).
You’ll pass the villages
of “Nienstedt” and “Eitzum”. Check the marking carefully behind
Eitzum! When leaving the next village of “Barfelde” you’ll have to
climb a long uphill section. You’ll leave the open plains and come to
a forest section for the next kilometers with jeep trails until the
village of Diekholzen. When entering this village – after about a
kilometer - watch out for some stairs leading down from the road
you’re on to the right side. Behind these stairs cross the main raod
and head on to the right. A little later at a turn-off to a dirt road on
the left you’ll come to a trailer. That’s the aid station (you’ll
come to this station again after the 10K loop mentionend above).
You’ll have to run the next kilometers on a wide dirt road which
finally is climbing steeper and steeper uphill to the top of “Tosmarberg”.
Always look out for the course marking in the forest section! There are
some wrong turn-offs. That’s the toughest part for the night. You’ll
have the opportunity to relax in the next downhill section of 3
kilometers. When coming to the edge of the forest (there’s a
restaurant called “Söhrer Forsthaus” with a big parking lot in
front of it) turn to the left. Do not head down beneath the restaurant.
Follow the (nearly) flat dirt road and trail section at the edge of the
forest/or just in it. Enjoy the single trail section here (if you still
can enjoy something) – it’s a beautiful trail. You’ll come again
to the aid station with the trailer after about 2.5 kilometers. Now
you’ll have to take the 16 kilometers back to Sibbesse you’ve
already taken some hours before. The
4th leg (“The
Finishing Dash”) There
are only 17.6 kilometers left. It’s out to the well-known aid station
in Diekholzen – on a new way this time – and back to the soccer
field this way. When
leaving the soccer field you’ll have to turn to the left (for the
first time in this race) and cross the road beneath. Follow the course
marking on dirt roads to the pedestrian tunnel leading you under the
railroad tracks (designated for Germany’s high speed train, the ICE). Head
on straight for 200 meters and turn to the left beneath a fence above
the railroad tracks. You’ll come to the edge of the forest and have to
run slightly uphill and a little later on a moderate downhill section to
the turning point at the aid station. You’ll have to take just the
same way back to the soccer field now for the very last 8.8 kilometers. Congratulations!
You’ve just finished a(nother) 100 mile run. We’ll call you a ‘Stunt’-men
or ‘Stunt’-woman now.
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