Bruce Trail Niagara End-to-End-to-End 100 Mile – Race Report
Saturday, August 23 – 5:00 PM Start
At 5:08 PM on Saturday, August 23, with late-summer heat still hanging in the air, we set off on a supported Niagara End-to-End-to-End of the Bruce Trail. One hundred miles. Niagara Terminus to Grimsby and back again. Two crossings of every root, rock and escarpment climb, every stretch of vineyard and shaded forest.
The light was golden, and the trails dry. Crew were leapfrogging ahead to predetermined mobile aid stations, pre filling hydration bottles and preparing calories while Hanna tried to settle into something sustainable. The first 2 legs went smoothly and fast with Amanda McLeod pacing. Arrival at the second aid station at Decew House was well ahead of schedule but Hanna began dealing with some stomach issues that threatened to derail things quickly. We took a few extra minutes before setting off again to try to settle things down but Hanna had no desire to eat. We knew there would be low moments like this but we weren't expecting it so early. We knew things could go downhill quickly. Hanna left Decew House with headlamps clicked on and headed towards our next pit stop at Rockway Conservation. Doug Cooper and Jackie Carter jumped in to pace with Amanda finished her pacing duties. The three of us settled in to a very easy run/walk through Short HIlls PP, hoping to ride out the stomach issues. After about 30 minutes, things improved and Hanna was feeling much better. With her confidence back we resumed a steady paced run through Short Hills arriving at Rockway where Jackie headed home to catch a few hours of sleep before she would return in the early morning hours to help crew.
It was just the 2 of us now until the morning sunrise. Doug set the early tone, steady, controlled pacing on the climbs, keeping effort honest but sustainable. He climbed with purpose, hiking the steep pitches and rolling the smoother sections. His calm presence anchored the rhythm. Hanna flowed through the technical descents with focus and patience. Where the trail pitched down over limestone shelves, she kept things smooth and efficient. No wasted motion. No rushed footing. Just quiet competence under the darkness of night. What feels runnable by day becomes technical and deliberate as the trail narrows to just the width of a beam of light and the pace inevitably slows.
As late night turned into early morning, this was where the real work began. The Bruce Trail at night is intimate and relentless under normal circumstances. However with the late start, we knew fatigue would start to set in early. With a light rain shower welcoming us, we arrived at our Victoria Ave aid station where we were met by Christine with a friendly smile and much needed fuel and hydration.
As the hours passed by, we grinded through the night waiting for the first sign of light to appear through the trees. We moved at a steady but cautious pace, one foot in front of the other. Mountainview Conservation (72kms) was the next stop with an ETA of approximately 6:30am. We arrived here just as the sky started to brighten. Kristen jumped in to pace with Doug and added some much needed new energy to the fold.
By the time the first hint of dawn appeared, we were still moving well. Tired, but focused on what was ahead. The turnaround at Gibson St. was about 10kms away and with the sun now up, the thought of surpassing the halfway point gave us a bit of an energy boost. The 100-mile distance was no longer abstract. It was real, measurable. Manageable in pieces and we knew it was now within sight. At the turnaround point, Doug needed some rest. Finishing up his approx. 50km pacing duties, Kristen took over for him and paced Hanna for the first leg of the return trip.
The return trip was mentally different. Every landmark carried memories from the outbound journey. The familiarity helped, but it also emphasized the cumulative fatigue. By late morning, the heat returned. The easy confidence of the early miles was gone, replaced by deliberate forward progress. I focused on small goals: the next aid stop, the next climb, the next runnable stretch.
With fatigue accumulating, the pace started to slow slightly but Hanna kept moving with an arrival at Mountainview around 9:30am. As Kristen finished her 20kms of pacing, it was Christine's turn to pace for the next two legs. With Hanna having now been up for over 24 hours, lack of sleep was now the biggest obstacle moving forward. We knew the real grind was still ahead of us. Pacers main goal now was to keep Hanna motivated and moving forward.
Christine and Hanna pushed ahead for 25kms as the sun became more intense and the heat and humidity started to become a factor. Hanna arrived back at Rockway Conservation (117kms) for the next scheduled pit stop for much need hydration. Doug then jumped back in to replace Christine to pace the next 2 legs from Rockway to Woodend. Fatigue became a real factor here. Our pace slowed down until a much needed virtual pep talk from our smallest supporter arrived on our phones. Its funny how something so small as a message from family can rewire and refocus the brain on the goal. Right after this video message, Hanna got a burst of energy, propelling her at a blistering pace all the way to our Decew house pit stop, where we were met by a large group of friends ready to get Hanna refueled quickly and back out on course for the final leg. We picked up Steve at Decew house who's fresh legs and mindset added a much needed mental boost for the final push and the 3 of us rallied together for the next 15kms. With tired legs, Hanna was moving and moving well. The added energy from supporters at the previous pit stop seemed to offer a tangible energy boost that carried her for the entire leg.
After reaching Woodend Conservation, Doug had to drop from his pacing duties but Hanna was left in extremely capable hands for the final leg with Steve. Steve was calm, steady, but determined, exactly the presence you want for the final push back to the Niagara Terminus.
The Final Push
The legs were predictably wrecked. Quads shot from the descents. Feet tender from endless limestone. Hips tight from the constant torque of Niagara’s rolling terrain. But nothing was broken. Steve set a rhythm that felt sustainable, but also ambitious.
As we approached the Niagara River corridor, the air shifted. Even in darkness, you could feel the proximity to the finish. The last technical sections demanded full attention. One careless step this late would be costly. Steve stayed sharp, calling out tricky footing when needed, keeping the rhythm steady.
Then, finally, the trail softened and the under the cheers of her crew and supporters, the terminus emerged out of the darkness. No Crowds, just a small group of friends cheering on an incredible achievement by a fellow runner and friend.
Supported, yes — but still deeply personal to Hanna who had trained for 6 months to run the Capes100 miles in Nova Scotia, only to have it canceled due to forest fires only days before. Hanna was devasted at first but quickly refocused and set her eyes on a different challenge. The Bruce
The crew, pacers, and consistent steady decisions made the difference between surviving the distance and managing it well.
The Bruce Trail doesn’t celebrate you loudly. It simply allows passage if you respect it.
On August 23–24, the passage was earned.
Support Crew/Pacers
Christine Goodall, Jackie Carter, Amanda McLeod, Steve Grochot, Kristen Johnson, Doug Cooper