We knew our first Dogtrekking Bílé Karpaty (Dogtrekking Mid category) wouldn’t be a walk in the park. But an adrenaline-fueled grind like *this*? We had no idea! Today, Brixie and I crossed the finish line, an insane 62.4 km and nearly 13 hours on our feet later. And man, what an unbelievable feeling!
The day kicked off early – 4:47 AM, to be exact. A quick wake-up, a Mamut Pre-run Drink for Brixie, and a failed attempt at more sleep, thanks to the countdown outside. By 5:30, the party was officially on. After breakfast and a quick potty break, we headed to registration for our bib number and GPS tracker. We snagged number 216. Five minutes before the start, I suddenly realized my trekking poles were missing. A mad dash back to our lodging and then a sprint back! Seriously, how would we have survived without them?
7:00 AM Mass Start: Runners vs. Walkers
At 7:00, the mass start gun went off. Brixie and I settled into the latter half of the pack, among the “strollers” with bigger backpacks, and kept to our own pace. It was pretty funny to watch the difference: the runners shot off with tiny packs, while we stuck to our philosophy – this is dogtrekking, not dogrunning.
By 7:40, the rain caught us for the first time. It poured with varying intensity until about nine, bringing with it cold and strong winds. The drizzle eventually stopped, but the damage was already done: MUD!
First Crisis on Velká Javořina and the Lopeník Ascent
The trail was moving along pretty well at first, but then the first major crisis hit us on Velká Javořina. Between the rain and fog, it was tough to communicate with Brixie about where to go. The terrain, to top it off, transformed into a hellish combo of high embankments, rocks, roots, and unbelievably slick, sticky mud. And in that slippery mess, it happened: I pulled my groin. What a fantastic start, right?
It wasn’t long before we slammed into Lopeník – what *was* that climb?! That was the second big crisis of the day. Luckily, Brixie at least helped me out a bit by pulling uphill. She gave it her absolute maximum! While she pulled, I was puffing like a steam engine, which later that evening resulted in a sore throat. We finally got a break from the climbs down in Nová Bošáca, where Brixie got to eat, and I treated myself to some chocolate and non-alcoholic beer.
Lost in the Night: When the Phone Goes Missing
After refueling, we pushed on. The sun was out, but it slowly started to cool down. As dusk settled, we strapped on our headlamps, but even their strong beams couldn’t save us from a blunder. We got lost.
In the midst of the biggest confusion, as I was backtracking, searching for trail markers, and battling overgrown terrain and darkness “as thick as a cave,” my wireless headphones suddenly disconnected. It took me a moment to realize the worst: my phone was gone! Thankfully, I retraced my steps and found it – lying on the ground. If it weren’t for those headphones, who knows how that would have ended up.
Luckily, a light appeared in the distance. It was Zdeněk, whom we’d met a few times during the day and hiked with for a bit. He saved our bacon! Together, we waded through a stream, thrashed through the tangled mess, and finally found the right path. We lost at least 30 minutes and added some extra kilometers, but we were back on track! You know the best cure for getting lost? A good trail buddy!
Finish Line in Nivnice and Absolute Exhaustion
The trek back to Nivnice was thankfully navigation-error-free. Right before the finish, my headlamp made it clear its limits were being tested, and its power dimmed. We had to finish with minimal light!
We did it: 62.4 km (according to GPS) in 12 hours, 42 minutes, and 39 seconds. We climbed 2,052 m and burned 5,898 calories. We were absolutely spent! I’m off to get Brixie some water, food, and rinse off the mud. My gear? It’s completely caked in mud and going straight into an IKEA bag for the trip home. I’ll deal with it tomorrow.
What an incredible experience! I’ve never covered such a huge distance in one go, and I don’t think Brixie has either. For the last few hours, my right foot was giving me grief, especially on descents, but we pushed through.
Thanks to everyone for the support, especially my family and their phone calls, which gave me the strength to keep going. Tomorrow, we’ll share an update on our recovery. What are your toughest experiences getting lost on a night hike? Share them with us!
And finally, a few photos
Day’s Stats: Dogtrekking Bílé Karpaty
- Distance Covered Today: 62.4 km
- Total Trail Time: 12:42:39 hours
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 2,052 m / 2,054 m
- Calories Burned: 5,898 kcal
- Category: Dogtrekking Mid
- Start: Mass Start, 7:00 AM
- Biggest Crises: Velká Javořina (mud, pulled groin), Lopeník (the climb), and getting lost at night with a missing phone.
- Highlight of the Day: Finding Zdeněk in the dark, who saved us from having to backtrack even further.
- Food Supply Status: Replenished with chocolate and Birell (non-alcoholic beer) in Nová Bošáca.
- Foot Status: Pain in the arch of the right foot during descents in the final hours.
