Poland… My
homeland, which I left 8 years ago, following my heart, my passion and my
dreams of big adventures. Since that time I’ve found home in Finland and I’ve
had so many mixed thoughts about Poland on the other hand. Sometimes I miss it and in the same time I feel that there’s nothing for me anymore.
Sometimes I think that I’m still too Polish for Finland and already too Finnish
for Poland, that actually I don't belong anywhere. However, the truth is that I belong to both. What's more, I came to the point, when I see lots of great things about both and I feel a need to share them with others! Inviting Finns to Poland was a really big thing for me. I've already had many guests from Poland, but it's never worked to the other direction before. What can I show to the Finns about my homeland?
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| Bieszczady Mountains, XII Butcher Run Photo by Julita Chudko |
First thing
is that Poland has beautiful mountains that offer A LOT to runners and nature
lovers. There are great running events all year round in the most stunning
places, with friendly atmosphere, good organisation, cheap prices, delicious
food and drinks, safe surroundings, comfortable hotels and cottages in nature. I’m on a mission to share it with Finns, as it wouldn’t be fair to keep
such a treasure only for myself!
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| View from our hotel "Pod Źródełkiem" in Cisna on Butcher Run |
My first
proposition was Butcher Run – Bieg Rzeźnika, held for 12th time
05.06.2015, on the distance of 78km in traditional version, with about 3800
elevation gain and 100km in Hardcore version, with about 4400 elevation gain.
There’s a special rule about the Butcher: it must be run in two-person teams,
whether man + man, man + woman or woman + woman. Team members are to co-operate
with each other from start to finish and the maximum distance between them
during the race is 100m. The event won a price for the best ultra of Poland in
2014. It’s already a legend in Poland: there’s some magic in Bieszczady Mountains and
Butcher Run that people want to go back there to do it again and again every
year; every runner in Poland knows: you’re a real runner, when you’ve run the
Butcher. A dream for many, difficult to achieve also because of very limited
places, distributed in lottery. This time we were very lucky though, as the organisers promised
5 places for the teams from Finland.
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| Route profile of Butcher Run |
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| Finnish Teams ready for the Butcher! Teams from the left: Remi&Agata, Tero&Petri, Veikko&Outi, Antti&Pekka, Laura&Tuula |
Our journey
started on Wednesday morning, 03.06.2015, with flight from Helsinki to Warsaw
and after that we had an extremely long bus travel to Cisna-village in
Bieszczady Mountains. Routs in Poland, especially in the mountain region, are
still in pretty bad condition and they go through every little town’s traffic.
Average speed is usually like 60km/h, so it’s good to remember that travelling
in Poland takes time and costs lots of patience. There was already 30C degrees
hot outside and we were exhausted after the journey, but the beautiful mountain
view from our hotel and the promise of a great run adventure kept the morale
high.
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| On a trip to a traditional honey bee farm near Cisna-village. |
We had whole Thursday to visit the village, collect the bibs and running
packs from the expo, rethink running tactics and drop-bags. The run was to
start on Friday 05.06.2015, at 3:00 in the morning and 00:45 we were already walking
from our hotel to Cisna- centre. There was bus transportation from there to the
start line in Komańcza at 1:30. The little mountain village was filled with
more than 1200 runners, cars, lights, emotions, chaos and live music at the
start line. And then, at 3:00 we started our 78-km of adventure…
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| Friday 05.06.2015, 3:00 in the morning. Agata&Remi, as Anaconda Team, waiting for the start. |
There were
4 time check points with their cut-offs and 2 aid stations/ drop-bags on the
route. The time limit for 78km (and also for 100km!) was 16 hours. The first
8km were an easy asphalt road, but in very nice surroundings. It was a pleasure
to witness the morning sunlight coming into the forests and the river. After 8km we
found ourselves in the forest route, which was turning into more difficult and
technical with every kilometre. The climbs were still quite mild though. We
passed first time check point at 17km (in 2 hours 42 minutes) and continued our
way to the next one, in Cisna at the 32-km, which was also a drop-bag. Sun was
already high and the village was full of people, cheering up the runners. We
reached Cisna as the third Finnish team in 4 hours 59 minutes. We collected our
drop-bags and trekking poles. The course felt quite easy until now, but from
the route profile we knew that some steep climbs were waiting for us, combined
with very technical paths, just after Cisna.
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| Trailbusters Team: Antti & Pekka reaching Cisna check point Photo by Rafał Sadowski |
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| Team Tuska: Veikko & Outi before Cisna check point Photo by Magdalena Jagielska |
Next 10km
we were climbing almost all the time, but with elevation gain there appeared
also stunning views of sunny Bieszczady mountains. At that point we still had
lots of strength and our journey was a real pleasure. What’s more, we knew that
there’s already half of the distance behind us. From Fereczeta peak (1102m,
46-km) there started very steep, difficult downhill and after that straight
6-km long route to another drop-bag and aid station in Smerek. There was
already extremely hot on the paths, around 30C degrees and running felt quite tough for me.
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| Petri at Połonina Wetlińska Photo by Beata Smolińska |
After 9 hours and 10 minutes of run we found
ourselves at 56-km in Smerek. There was tomato soup, cheese bread, cola, gatorade and
water on the aid station. It was really nice to eat normal food after so many energy gels and
bars. It gave me lots of strength, which I needed for the last "half-marathon".
Not a long journey to the finish line, huh? But those 21km were to turn out the
most difficult part of the Butcher. Many people say that Smerek is the place,
where real butchery actually starts.
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| Antti rocking the downhill Photo by Andrzej Szczor |
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| Tero on the steep downhill Photo by Andrzej Szczot |
Leaving Smerek
we were to climb 5km on technically difficult paths, with more than 600 vertical
meters, to reach three peaks: Smerek (1222m), Osadzki Wierch (1253m) and Chatka
Puchatka (1228m). With lots of energy after the meal, the climbing mission went
quite well, but at the end of it I could hardly run on the downhills. I felt
pain in my right knee and ankle (not to mention the whole body!). What’s more, while running on the heights I
could clearly see the last peak – Połonina Caryńska, which we had to climb, just on
the last 8 kilometres before the finish line. It was just impossible to believe
that it contains only 8km, as it seemed so enormous that I couldn’t even
imagine that I’m capable of reaching in in the time limit!
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| Pekka enjoying the trails of Bieszczady Mountains Photo by Julita Chudko |
After a
very difficult and painful downhill to the last aid station and time check
point in Berehy Górne I understood that there’s only 8 tough kilometres left and
we’ll be in Ustrzyki Górne on the finish line. I was ready to give everything
during the last climb. I started it fast. I was passing by many exhausted
runners walking the hill like zombies. Many of big men were almost crying of
pain and fatigue, but I was determined to reach the peak. In extreme exhaustion and pain I was concentrated only on doing small steps forward… Up, Up! I turned around maybe 200m before the top and I couldn’t
believe my eyes: there was almost nobody
behind me! All the big guys were still in the forest, far behind me! Reaching
the summit I was in tears of emotions and pain, but all the difficulties of
72km of the Butcher I had already behind. Also, we were really happy to realise
that still we have plenty of time to the 16 hours cut-off. The last downhills were
not that technically difficult. We were flying down powered by positive
emotions and every move was a step of pure joy. Finally, after 15
hours and 20 minutes, as the third Finnish team, we crossed the finish line of
the famous Butcher Run!
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| Laura & Tuula at the finish line of the Butcher! |
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| Veikko & Outi at the finish line, accompanied by their son Juho-Kusti |
Before us
came Trailbusters: Pekka and Antti in 11
hours 30 minutes and Petri and Tero in 12 hours 46 minutes. 7 minutes after us
Outi and Veikko appeared on the finish line (15 hours 27 minutes) and after
them wonder women Tuula and Laura in 15 hours 50 minutes. I’m so happy that all
Finnish teams did it without any bigger problems in the time limit, enjoying
their run from start to finish line.
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| My parents Marek & Ewa before Little Butcher race |
Next day
was a Little Butcher race: 27km route on difficult trails with time limit of 5
hours 30 minutes. In the morning I accompanied my parents, who run the shorter
distance. Both did great: my wonder Mom in 4 hours 27 minutes and my Dad just in time: 5 hours 30 minutes. During their run there were also kid’s races, which my 7-year old
daughter Helena participated in. Also, in the afternoon there was an official
closing of Butcher Run Festival. The Finns were invited to the stage and
received thanks for the participation and a little Butcher-presents from the
organisers.
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| Antti, Pekka, Laura & Tuula giving a speech on the podium |
As I
mentioned at the beginning, this trip was really special for me. It was the
first time I had an occasion to show my homeland to the Finns. I think
everything turned out great and it’s not
only my opinion, as already some of the participants asked me to book the
places for them for the next year’s edition of the Butcher. We had a wonderful
adventure, great memories for the rest of our lives.
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| Butcher medals |
I really look
forward to organise more trips like this in the future. Already, I have some
plans for the October 2015 and I think about doing 2-3 trips to Poland during
2016. I organise also trips to Finland for Polish runners. In 2014 we participated in Vaarojen Maraton 43 & 86km in Koli, Central-East Finland, and this year in July 6 Polish runners are
participating in NUTS Pallas 55 & 125km in far Lapland. Please, feel free to contact me if
you’re interested in running experiences in beautiful Polish mountains or wild
Finnish forests! Both are close to my heart and I’d be more than happy to share
it with you. Here are the contact details to me:
Agata
Wiaterek
www.facebook.com/agata.wiaterek
phone
number: +358445189323
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| Anaconda Team: Remi & Agata |
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