Today I made some further updates to the rules. This concerns Rules #5, #9, #18 and #22.
Athletes who have enquiries regarding these updates can use Facebook or email to ask questions.
The changes have not yet been translated into German. So, all German speakers please refer to the set of Rules as shown on the English part of the arcticultra.de website.
Information for all MYAU 2019 athletes regarding paperwork:
Please find below a link to a pdf-file with an overview that shows which forms I have got the originals of. So, basically if there is a “Yes” in a box it’s all taken care of. If a box has got “Copy” in it or is blank, then you need to give me the original in the Yukon. And it is very important that I have the originals of everything. Without the paperwork being settled a race start is impossible.
You may have sent me insurance information via email and I did not put “Copy” in your box. So, do not let that irritate you. Please bring whatever Insurance Information you printed out with you to the Yukon and hand it in if that box does not have a “Yes” in it.
The attached has not taken it into account if you gave or sent your original forms to Shelley Gellatly. This often applies to Canadian and specifically local athletes.
Also, just to clarify for the marathon runners, what we mainly need from you is the Application (pages 3 to 6), the “Standard Release Form Actor / Model” and the “Medical Information”. I do not insist on the “Medical Certificate” for marathon runners. However, I strongly recommend it to people who are not from the Yukon and/or anybody who is not 100% sure about their current status of health. Please keep in mind that running a marathon in very cold temperatures will be a lot harder on your body than it already is in normal temperatures!
Two emails with some news have gone out to all MYAU 2019 participants this week – one on January 21st and one on January 23rd. Just in case some of you did not get these emails I am also posting the content here:
Using private SPOTs
Some of you are using private SPOTs. Here are just a few reminders if you are one of these athletes:
SPOT tracking through Trackleaders.com
Trackleaders.com once more is the company providing the SPOT service for us. They will set up a page with all the details. The link to the tracking page is prominently placed on arcticultra.de.
Please tell your friends and family that even if you have the right batteries and are not doing anything wrong, a SPOT may not always work and send a position. Obviously, if you do something wrong it won’t work at all. So, if back home your SPOT is not moving or not sending everyone should stay calm. If they can see it, we can see it. And we will always deal with it as soon as possible.
News during the race
The place with the most frequency of news will be our facebook group. More detailed but less frequent will be the news on arcticultra.de. Apart from that, there is of course the SPOT tracking page and our detailed results table that will show everyone’s progress. This time we will also try to be more active on Instagram. We will see how that works out. Last but not least we will have our image gallery and of course Yann’s and Thilo’s videos.
Teams
All athletes who want to be also ranked as part of a team please send me a reminder of your Team Name and the Team Members. It will then be included in the results table. As a reminder all team athletes do remain individual athletes, i.e. if someone in a team as to quit, the team is a DNF but the team members who continue will still be ranked as individual athletes.
Contact information
For those athletes using a sat phone and/or Garmin inReach or similar during the race, we have a full race contact sheet available pre-race in the Yukon. Please just approach me if you need one.
Gear check
After my last update I have not received an email from anybody who would like to do the gear check as part of option #1 on Feb. 1st from 17:00 – 21:00 during an outing. That is absolutely fine. If by January 28th I still do not have anybody wanting to join this, it will be cancelled. And all athletes who are not part of one of the survival courses will then get their gear checked on Feb. 2nd 11:30 – 14:00 Coast High Country Inn (Library and Room B).
The trail
The Canadian Rangers have sent in a first trail report. To sum it up, it has been challenging for them due to lack of snow in some places. That is affecting dog teams more than it is affecting us. It has been particularly challenging where the trail comes off a lake or river. Without enough snow the Rangers can’t prepare a smooth and gentle slope. That makes it very difficult for mushers and their dogs. Therefore, the Quest has changed the route for the YQ 300. The YQ 1000 stays on the regular trail. Unless of course something new happens and the Quest organization decides to make changes here, too.
So, right now, we are on the regular trail. No changes. The going for the guys on foot should be good. For bikes it should be very good and for xc-skiing it’s tough. HOWEVER, we still have some time left and we will hopefully see some more snowfall. If at the same time temperatures remain cold, we are all set to go.
UPDATE: Shortly after I had sent this email, the Quest did decide to also change the trail for the YQ1000. Mushers and their teams will take the regular route to Braeburn but will then be transported to Carmacks where their race re-starts.
At this point we are keeping a close eye on any further developments and we will inform all MYAU athletes if we will also be forced to make changes.
Transfers for local marathon runners
Could all local marathon runners please send me a quick email to let me know if they need a transfer from the finish line back to Whitehorse?
Visiting Muktuk
As you all know Muktuk is the finish line for our marathon. Locals are more than welcome to visit. To local athletes, please tell your friends and family who want to greet you at Muktuk the following:
Changes at Muktuk CP
I believe I did already inform about this but just in case I want to repeat it here. Last year all athletes were allowed inside at Muktuk. That was of course nice. However, it also caused some issues, e.g. moisture in clothing and shoes that was not too much of a problem outside, turned everything wet once inside the warm house. Also, as hard as having to stay outside is, in previous years it had served as an early reminder what it means to sweat and then being forced to stop. Therefore, all athletes, except for the marathon runners, have to stay outside at Muktuk. We will have a very close look at how sweaty/icy the ultra-athletes arrive. If we notice that stopping outside at Muktuk gets you in trouble, we will only let you go again if you have shown us that you can handle the situation. This may include an enforced stay of up to 4 hours; time that will not be credited.
Remember: Try to avoid sweating and have enough spare clothing as drying things during the first 100 miles will be very difficult.
Gear check
As you likely all have seen there are 2 options for the gear check this year. If you are doing one of the 4-day survival courses you do not need to come to either. You get your gear checked as part of your course. All other ultra-athletes not doing a course can join us for option #1 on Feb. 1st from 17:00 – 21:00 (meet in front of Coast High Country Inn Lobby) for a little outing, i.e. you bring your full sleeping system and stove (that is what will be checked) and whatever else you want to test. Obviously, you need take whatever is important to stay warm as we will be outside for about 2 to 3 hours. Since this gear check may require a transfer, please send me an email if you want to join.
Option #2 is Feb. 2nd 11:30 – 14:00 Coast High Country Inn (Library and Room B); i.e. this gear check does not involve us going anywhere. You bring your full sleeping system and your stove and we check it at the hotel. Stove lighting will of course be outside – MYAU crew will show you where.
Travelling drop bag
The 300 and 430 mile athletes, please remember that this year we will have a travelling drop bag, i.e. you will have access to one and the same drop bag at Braeburn, Carmacks and Pelly Crossing (300 milers)/Pelly Farm (430 milers). This drop bag can have max. 80 litres volume. A second (and smaller!) drop bag you can hand in and it will be brought to the finish line in Dawson City.
Insurance
I have received a lot of insurance paperwork and will get more in Whitehorse I am sure. I just want to remind you that I won’t be able to read all the small print. I get your insurance certificates and that means I can tick the box. It remains your job to make sure that your respective insurance is the right one for the participation in an event like the MYAU.
Please also remember to have your insurance information with you when you need to go to the hospital in Whitehorse. Also, you will need your credit card!
Labelling your food
Please remember to label all your food items with you race number.
From 2019 onwards Allied Feather & Down will be a new main sponsor for the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra. This US company was founded in 1987 in Vernon, CA, specializing in the manufacture of the highest quality down and feather product. They are a family-run operation constantly innovating their products and processes to ensure they remain the quality leader. The Allied Feather & Down commitment extends to safeguarding the environment and the welfare of animals. Thanks in part to their ethical measures, they have earned the prestigious bluesign® approval.
Today, Allied is the world leader in the manufacture of the highest quality downs and their blends. They are proud to be the fill of choice for top-tier brands in the outdoor industry. Allied also plays an active role in setting global industry standards for down. They are a founding member of the International Alliance for the Pro Down Initiative and a member of the International Down and Feather Bureau (IDFB).
To have Allied Feather & Down as a new main sponsor is truly an honor. When it comes to extremely cold temperatures, down filled products to this day are the ones with the best warmth to weight ratio. That is why all MYAU participants have at least one down product with them. As outdoor athletes we love nature and we are very aware of the impact, products we use, have on our environment. So, it’s great to know a company like Allied has this at its core. We really welcome their support and look forward to giving them emotional content for their brand.
To find out more about Allied Feather & Down and how they make sure they are leading in environmental standards please have a look at alliedfeather.com.
I updated rule #11 that deals with drop bags.
In 2019 we will try something new by having a “travelling” drop bag for the 300 and 430 mile athletes. For the marathon runners and 100 mile athletes nothing will change, they still get one drop bag for their respective finish lines.
In our facebook group I asked athletes if they prefer to A) bring their own bag, B) rent one from MYAU or C) buy one from MYAU. Most people answered they prefer to bring their own. So, all MYAU 2019 participants are more than welcome to bring their own drop bag. Please note that the bag can have a maximum volume of 80 litres, i.e. it’s okay if the bag is smaller but it can’t be larger.
Montane makes a very nice 60 litre duffle bag, the Transition 60. Should this volume be sufficient for you, it’s a great solution because it is light and still super robust. Participants are entitled to a 20% on it (and any other Montane gear). If you are interested, please contact me for the updated discount code.
I will further look into renting out and selling an 80 litre drop bag for those who prefer one of these options. I should have an update on it soon.
I have just updated the information on our usage of SPOT in the FAQ section. Please read it carefully.
The most important changes in a short overview:
“Baby it’s cold outside” (BICO) is an online awareness and educational program about hypothermia and cold injuries developed for professional Search & Rescue responders.
This program is so informative and important that I decided that all future MYAU participant need to do it as part of their preparation.
Even though athletes are not the primary target group of this training, there is a lot to be learned. It will help MYAU athletes better understand some of the things that will happen to their bodies out there in the cold. And of course there always is the possibility that an athlete becomes a first responder when encountering another athlete in trouble on the trail. If the trouble is cold related, this training will help in taking the right steps.
BICO has got several advantages which make it great for athletes:
So, any MYAU participant is asked to go to bicorescue.com to register and do the program. Upon completion please either email me the certificate to info@thegreatoutdoors.de or print it out and take it with you to the Yukon to hand in when we deal with any paperwork pre-race.
I do suggest you don’t do the training too soon or that you repeat it a week or two before the races. That way your memory of the program is still fresh when you are at the start line in Whitehorse.
Racelite is an online shop specialized in trail running. I actually started it in 2005 as a consequence to organising the MYAU and having to deal a lot with questions and issues regarding clothing and gear for the Arctic. Over the years the product range offered on Racelite has grown significantly. Thus it has become increasingly challenging to actually filter through to the products that are relevant for cold to extremely cold temperatures. In order to change that, from now on there is an MYAU Shop-in-Shop on Racelite that focuses 100% on (ultra) running in cold weather. It is called MYAU shop but of course the product featured in it is relevant for any cold weather training or event.
In addition on Racelite you will find an updated gear list with many interesting tips for winter ultra running in an event like the MYAU.
From next year onwards we will rent out Exped DownMat XP 9 sleeping mats. These mats have an R-value of 8 and are rated down to – 38° Celsius. With the help of the included pumpbag you can inflate this mat in no time and you won’t get humidity inside.
To have the best possible sleeping mat is absolutely vital for a sleeping system that needs to work in even the most extreme temperatures. And that is not to say that at – 40 or colder this sleeping mat will guarantee you a warm and cozy night. You still need to have picked the right spot for your camp, be well hydrated, have the right liner and bivouac bag or tent. Your sleeping bag needs to be dry and you may need to build a wood fire. But if you do not have a good piece of insulation between your sleeping bag and the ground these temperatures will be dangerous and there is no way you will get any rest.
For all the information on the product and the rental price please check out Rentals in our Service section.
You are wondering what the Yukon is like in the summer? And while you check it out you would like to run an ultra? How about entering the Reckless raven?
The Reckless raven is a 50 miles race with beautiful single track trails, quad roads, 3 ridges, 2 peaks, about 2,361 m of elevation gain, water crossings and fun aid stations. You can participate solo or as a team of 2 runners. The third edition will be held on June 30th, 2019 with a start in Whitehorse. Registration will open in October. You can follow the Raven on facebook and of course there is a website, too: recklessraven.runforlife.ca.
