Polar Paws 25k Trail Race - Saturday, January 21st, 2023

 After a three-year Polar Pause, we were back with a brand new location!

And a beautiful one, at that

Long Point Eco Adventures' property abuts Turkey Point Provincial Park's - it's off Turkey Point Road - on the north shore of Lake Erie. I hadn't been there before, though I've camped at Turkey Point many years ago (before I started running, though I did hike some of the trails in the park). Despite the lack of snow - more like No-lar Paws - we were in for a treat!

Signage on Front Rd at the top of the driveway

There was a big covered picnic area that would serve as the huge aid station for the 5-ish kilometer loop course.

Tank was pretty excited when he saw the fire pit (at left), but nothing came of it

The small building just visible below the water tower was race headquarters, where some friendly volunteers awaited to hand out race kits.

Photo by Sue Sitki

Bibs, safety pins, and registration gifts for everyone: some of Sue's wonderful soap and lip balm, plus little pots of paw balm for those registered in the doggy 5k race.

There was a non-doggo 5k option as well, plus a 10k option.
Dogs were only permitted in the doggy 5k

To minimize congestion on the trails - most of which were singletrack - the 5k and 10k human-only races started first. 

I see fast people

Eric asked if I could lend a hand directing traffic past the aid station for the first wave of runners, so I was able to get a couple of shots.

Tail end of the 5k/10k pack heading for the start of the trail

With a few minutes until the 25k start (the doggos and their humans would go last, with each wave about 5mins apart), I headed over to the start line with the handful of other runners. It was quite a small event: only 58 people total, plus a few puppers.

19 starters for the 25k

At 10:07am - because the 5k & 10k had been 2mins late starting - Eric told us to go, so we did. Along the gravel driveway past the aid station, then over a bit of grass and into the trails.

Last groomed surface for ~5km

Sun had been predicted, but never materialized

There were a large number of footbridges throughout the course, crossing streams and natural ditches

There is a short section of two-way traffic near the start of the loop, with course marshals at the entry and exit points of the shared section of trail to keep us all heading the right way.

These kind souls spent hours out in the damp, cold wind

They were wonderful at offering encouragement, too!

It was a good thing the loop was well marked, as there is apparently close to 100km of trail inter-linked in the area.

The green circled portion is the approximate area we covered, for scale

There was very little chance of going off-course, though, as everything was marked with the usual brightly-coloured pin flags, plus Eric's Crazy Cat Adventures signage at turns.

If anyone's going to tell me where to go, it might as well be Marvin the tuxie!

I'll try to talk you 'round some of the features of the loop, though I'm certain to miss some things.

Narrow singletrack curves around toward an uphill to the right near the start

There's a squidgy bit of mud before the first course marshal, who will direct you to the left. A bit further on, the second marshal will urge you up a hill slanting off to the left from the more main trail. Descending, you'll reach the little wooden footbridge shown earlier, then ascend the other side of the ravine.

This boardwalk is not in the best condition - a section in the middle by the tree trunk slants to the right about 30°

Flags and signage direct you to the left once more

It's a mix of deciduous and coniferous forest, and the wind has definitely taken its toll here just as everywhere else in the province in the last year.

Fallen trees abound

There are a number of straight, flat sections on which you could get a turn of speed
(assuming that - unlike me - that is something of which you're capable)

There are also a few spots where passing is highly inadvisable

A number of spots on the course bring you in view of a stream that winds like a dropped bit of string through the tract of trails.

I've made some attempts, but have not been able to find its name

It's quite pretty, though

Some bits warrant a bit of a cautious approach

One of the gems of the loop, though the bridge does bounce alarmingly when you run across it

Having come down almost to stream level, it is of course time to head back up again.

Despite only about 90m/300' of elevation per lap, there are a number of short but steep hills

Fortunately the crests offer some lovely views

Not a lot of vert, but a few little stingers

Interspersed with these flat sections

The post is a trail marker - there's one like it at almost every intersection of trails

..and more fallen trees.

While there was no ice to worry about, and I'd left my spikes back at race HQ, I was a bit concerned about things getting muddy with the side-sloped and steep sections.

Some bits did get a little squidgy, and it usually seemed to be on a hill..

Fortunately the small field - and most runners only completing one (5k) or two (10k) laps - meant there weren't so many feet to churn things up after the rainfall earlier in the week, so it never got really bad. If it were actually snowy on the trails, I'd definitely have worn spikes to ensure good traction.

Approaching the overlook of the Turkey Point marsh

This bit - about 3km into the loop - is pretty neat. You run along a narrow ridge that drops away quite sharply to each side.

The ridge is maybe 1m/3' wide at its crest

View of the marsh through the trees

A steep downhill follows, then continues to flow downhill gently for a couple of hundred metres

After a couple of curves, you hit the last of the sketchy bridges on the loop.

The trail infrastructure could definitely do with some upgrades

The whole thing felt quite rickety

..but did offer a lovely view of a tiny waterfall.

A bit more climbing, and then another flat section with a left-hand corner round the edge of another ravine.

This was actually where the first of the 5k doggo runners - with his sled dog-trained husky - passed me, after starting 5mins behind the 25k

Possibly because I spent some time taking photos of fungus, remarkably well-preserved for this time of year

Apparently Long Point Eco Adventures actually offers autumn fungi foraging tours

Some more winding and gently down-sloped trail offers another view of the ubiquitous stream.

It really is a lovely course

Then you enter one of two nearly consecutive sections where the trail sort of doubles back on itself, heading back toward the edge of the forest above the marsh and skirting around a ragged gulch in the cliff.

The trail then follows along the forest and cliff edge

Diving back into the heart of the forest, you follow a trail for a few minutes along the vaguely-north side of the stream's deep valley.

I can only imagine how powerful the stream must once have been to carve out this ravine

I'm not sure what's with the tire hanging between two trees there to the left of the trail

After traipsing along the top of the ravine on one side, you come down a hill and across a tiny footbridge.

A left turn at the far side, and things start to look familiar..

The trail onto which you turn will bring you back to the second course marshal, who will direct you toward the first course marshal, and you'll think you're nearly through! Except, you're not - the first marshal (when outbound) will send you off to the left.

Down a muddy trail littered with fallen twigs

As you run along the top of the ravine again, you may notice something familiar on the opposite side.

Yes, that's the same tire hanging between two trees.

..which allows Sue to get some shots like this from across the ravine.

It also takes you past this little logpile, and the tree with the impressive burl

If there was anywhere that you could go off course, this would probably be it, as the loop makes a hairpin turn to head uphill.

Fortunately it's signed so well even an idiot like me was able to stay on track

I don't use the term "hairpin turn" lightly here, though

Then - of course - one more solid climb.

The little dude on the sign might be running, but I wasn't.

As you reach the top, there's something a little disturbing:

Can you spot it?

How about now?

No - gravity hasn't glitched. That tree's top is wedged in the crotch of another tree on the other side of the trail, then locked in place by another tree that has been blown over by the roots.

That's it slanting up from the left

Already past 5k now - Eric told us the loop is 5.2km, but it's probably closer to 5.35km - there's just a little more meandering along the edge of the cliff overlooking the marsh.

You can just see the grassy edge of the Long Point Eco Adventures base camp property off to the right in the distance

Back onto gravel pathway, past the glamping accommodations

Once you make it out to the main driveway, the start/finish arch is in view to the right. 

The full loop - direction is mostly clockwise
I did my best with the arrows

If you're heading out for more than one lap, you'll go right past the big shelter with the aid station.

Where someone friendly and supportive will offer you food and drink

When you finish - which in my case was an hour and a half after the leaders, having sewn up last place within the first mile and only losing that distinction around the end of my second lap due to someone else's struggles - you can head into the (somewhat) heated race HQ building for hot soup and coffee, and some delicious macaroons from food sponsors Earth & City. 

I couldn't eat the soup due to food allergies, but their macaroons are amazing!

Official time: 3h47m48s

18/19 O/A - 11/12 Women

(Results are here - Garmin data is here)

While my own "performance" at this event was nothing to write home about, at least my splits were fairly even - a little slower in the last one, partly because things were starting to hurt a bit, and partly because I stopped for a minute or two just to watch the little waterfall from the sketchy bridge.

While snow fell around me

In any case, if you like beautiful trails and the chance to see some really cute dogs, I highly recommend this event! You should be able to get information each year from the Crazy Cat Adventures website, so you can go earn your own adorable medal.

Marvin is the cutest!