2025 Whitefish Trailblazer 50K

Gavin running at the top of Big Mountain.
Thank you Seth Anderson. for the photo!

Race Information

Goals

Goal Description Completed?
A Crack the top 10 No
B Sub 5:30 No
C Sub 6 Yes

Splits

Kilometer Time
1 6:42
2 6:58
3 7:23
4 7:04
5 7:18
6 6:47
7 8:37
8 10:37
9 6:13
10 5:38
11 7:39
12 7:55
13 5:28
14 5:13
15 5:13
16 5:05
17 5:04
18 5:57
19 6:07
20 6:03
21 4:15
22 4:50
23 4:47
24 6:02
25 6:19
26 5:41
27 5:15
28 4:53
29 4:45
30 5:05
31 8:08
32 8:14
33 9:13
34 8:52
35 8:03
36 5:33
37 5:30
38 6:04
39 8:42
40 9:11
41 9:32
41 9:32
42 7:54
43 9:39
44 11:21
45 10:29
46 11:55
47 9:45
48 5:13
49 5:35
50 5:01

Training

  • Plan: 16-week plan I created with ChatGpt.
  • Equipment: Solomon Active Skin 8, Black Diamond Distance FLZ Carbon Trekking Poles, Garmin Forerunner 255s, and a mix of shoes (Brooks Catamount, Novablast 3, New Balance Rebel v4, Saucony Endorphin Speed 4).
  • Supplements: Huma Gels, Electrolyte Pills, Honeystinger chews, Waffles, & LMT
  • Total Training Milage: 971.79 km
  • Total Training Elevation: 16,455 m
  • VO2 Max: 55 ml/kg/min

This training block was unlike anything I’d done before. For starters, it was my first time preparing for an ultramarathon, so I had no idea what to expect. I was a bit wary about the back-to-back long runs and the amount of elevation gain required—they sounded brutal on paper.

Coming off the Garmin Coach plan I’d used for the Vancouver Marathon, I knew I wanted something more flexible. Garmin Coach was great for structure, but I found it a little restrictive. This time, I decided to use ChatGPT as my coach so I could design my own plan around my schedule and the specific demands of the race.

That decision made a big difference. With heart-rate-based training, ChatGPT could adapt my workouts in real time based on my HRV and recovery status. It also allowed me to create workouts tailored specifically to the Whitefish Trailblazer course—something no off-the-shelf plan could do.

Pre-race

  • Accommodations: Airbnb.
  • Race Package: Got a nice finisher sticker and buff.
  • Dinner: Spaghetti.
  • Sleep: Pretty good, 7-8 hours.
  • Breakfast: Coffee, LMT, eggs, bagel with jam, and a cliff bar.
  • Travel to the Start Line: 10 minutes.
  • Strategy: High zone 2/low zone 3 for the first 30k and then reassess.

We didn't do much the day before the race besides hangout at the pool and hot tub.

Race

  • Start Time: 07:30 AM
  • Shoes: Brooks Catamount 3.
  • Watch: Garmin Forerunner 255s.
  • Apparel: Nike Flex 7" shorts, old Banff race t-shirt, Ciele running hat, and Solomon Active Skin 8.
  • Supplements: Huma gels, Honeystinger waffles/chews, and electrolyte pills.
  • Hydration: I went through 5-6 liters of water.
  • Aid Stations: The aid stations were fully stocked and the volunteers were great. I ate mostly pretzels and watermelon.
  • Potty Breaks: Nope, but I peed on the course around 35k.

It was a cool morning, but I felt great. We cut it a little close, arriving at the start line with less than five minutes to spare. I loved that the race began with the roar of a chainsaw instead of a starter pistol—it was the perfect mountain touch.

The course started with single track climbing up the mountain, and I quickly found myself in a fast group. My heart rate shot up into Zone 4 almost immediately, so I decided to step aside and let the faster runners go. At some point, the cold weather must have interfered with my heart rate sensor, because it showed Zone 1 even though I felt like I was pushing hard.

On the descent, I tucked in behind a small pack of three runners. I wanted to pass, but the trail was too narrow—so I used it as an opportunity to relax a bit. Once we hit the first aid station and the trail widened, I opened up and passed quite a few runners. I did lose a couple of minutes after missing a trail marker and going off course, but I quickly corrected and got back into rhythm.

Between 20K and 30K, I felt unstoppable. I passed a ton of runners, and only one managed to reel me back in later in the race.

The second half was almost entirely uphill. I ran, but at a crawl. My nutrition plan was solid overall, but around 38K, the nausea hit. I think it was sugar fatigue—my stomach just couldn’t take any more gels. I skipped one to avoid vomiting and switched to real food at the next aid station: watermelon and pretzels, which gave me just enough to push through the final climb.

That last section was brutal—nearly 300 meters of elevation in less than 3K. I got passed twice on the way up and felt weak, both mentally and physically. But as soon as I summited, everything changed. My energy came roaring back, and I flew down the final 2.5K like a mountain goat, passing everyone who’d overtaken me on the climb. I crossed the finish line strong, still feeling like I had gas in the tank.

Post-race

  • Finish Time: 05:49:09
  • Average Pace: 6:55/km
  • Overall Placement: 32nd of 172
  • Category Placement: 7th of 37
  • Recovery Meal: Bacon smashburger with fries and a beer.

I went into this race expecting to feel completely destroyed at the finish line—but surprisingly, I still had gas left in the tank. According to my watch - that I can't guarantee is accurate - I spent most of the race in Zones 1 and 2, which tells me I could have pushed harder. Still, for my first ultramarathon, it was exactly what I needed: a great learning experience and an incredibly enjoyable day on a stunning, well-organized course.

What I learned:

  • I need to fine-tune my nutrition strategy to avoid mid-race nausea.
  • Wrist-based heart rate monitors aren’t reliable in cold conditions—I need to switch to an armband monitor.
  • I’m a strong downhill trail runner, but my uphill game needs work. That’s something I can train and improve.

Strava

Made with a new (slightly modified by me) race report generator created by /u/herumph.