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Jolly good run in the midnight sun
by Ulf Widing
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Adak, 100 kilometers south of the Polar Circle. This is the place for the second
ultra marathon race in Sweden. The conditions for this race are in many ways different
from the yearly race held in Hultsfred. It is a 100 kilometer round trip on gravel and
asphalt roads in Lapland 2-3 July 1999, in the middle of the night without a head lamp.
The trip from Stockholm to Adak was in itself an adventure. First the night train and then buses to the inland. Safely arrived in Adak, I and the other 26 runners were met by genuine northern hospitality. Many of the guests came the day before the race or in the morning and the race started at 10.00 pm in the evening. Where do 27 hungry runners eat in the meantime? It turned out that the local school, which was in the village center, served breakfast, lunch and dinner to the organisers and runners at a low cost. It was the first year this race was arranged and somewhat of an experiment. It was not known, for example, how many runners that would show up. Because of this, the water holes along the race track were quite far apart. The runners could instead have the choice of a cyclist to follow them with the needed liquids and extra clothing. This was something I had to try and it had unexpected advantages. The main idea was of course to be able to run as fast as possible, but Stellan, my cyclist, also turned out to be sort of a private tour guide and history teller. The start and finish of the race is in the village Adak. You start running 13 kilometers, cross a bridge over a river and then it goes slightly upward in the terrain for about 50 kilometers after the bridge. The road is mainly a gravel road and it drains your strength. Finally you pass a dam and you are now on the southbound road back to Adak. It is now an asphalt road and it goes slightly downward. There are many straight parts where you can see if you are chasing another runner or being chased and it is an excellent opportunity for those who enjoy running fast to increase their speed. Except for the occasional villages, where a Lapland Ultra Carnival seemed to keep the Laps partying all night long and cheer on the runners when they pass through, the runners get to see an enormous amount of Swedish pine forest. On two occasions, Rudolph and his reindeer friends crossed my path without Santa Claus. Only a few mosquitoes in the air could it be the terrible odour that goes with the ultra runner? Maybe they all were in the village Kokträsk, where they actually arranged a Mosquito Safari in the evening! The midnight sun was a bit covered by clouds this particular night, but you still had light enough to read small type without problems. The light makes the runners alert and if you didn´t check the wrist watch, you would never think it was in the middle of the night The arrangement of the race is a cooperation between the three communities you run through. It struck me, that of the few people living up there, an incredible lot of them where involved in the race. It´s not just a race, but a lot of arrangements are going on when you run past the different villages. There is music, folk lore dancing, Swedish handicrafts, fishing competitions in a nearby lake and of course local food. Being in such a hurry as runner mostly is, just passing by a stand with the wonderful smell of warm crisp waffles, fresh caught fish or hot dogs being grilled was very tempting. What is a good finish time worth compared to a waffle with cloudberry jam? I debated for a moment with my inner self and my stomach yearned for a pause. Even though I love working my way up in steep slopes and speed in downward slopes, my stomach finally made me stop in a less pleasant way After 65 kilometers I enviously got to see the other runners from a bus window, going back to Adak. The first runner to finish is Lars Saetran, who takes his victory with him home to Norway. Congratulations Norway! I´m not sure if there are any other 100 kilometer races this far up north. The excitement you feel over the scenery at some points may be needed as fuel for the long gravel roads to follow. The weather can vary quite a bit, but as in this case light clothing can be used even if it rains. Do you feel like roughing it a little while running? Are you seeking big forests, untamed rivers and reindeer herds this is the right place for you. The first five runners to finish the race were: |
1. Lars Saetran, Norway 8.54.32
2. Anders Krappe 9.12.13
3. Åke Lindgren 9.24.03
4. Kjell-Ove Skoglund 9.32.42
5. Kjell Krans 9.57.43
After the race was over, I spoke with one of the locals and he inquired:
Did you have any problems with mosquitoes?
No, I replied, not much at all.
Did you see any reindeer then?
Oh, yes, twice I saw two big reindeer herds!
Did you see any bears then?
! BEARS?!