KNUT 100 UltraTrail KhekNoi

The Kheknoi Ultra Trail takes place in Kheknoi Hmong village, Thailand Phitsanoulok.  Actually the whole race takes you through the Phitsanoulok area and also to the Petchabun area.  Not the usuals for tourists who visits Thailand for the shopping and food in Bangkok, Phuket and Chiangmai.

I must say, I was hoping to do the Phayao Mountain race but due to some hiccups last year with Gede Pangrango but I missed it.  As such I started to scout around for races especially for those in Thailand.  As usual, I chanced upon this one on FaceBook.  What drew me was the race cause, organiser is doing up this race to empower the local community and also promote the culture of the Hmong village.  The place is really quite remote and quite difficult to get to.  I thought some in depth research has to be done for the logistics part.  It can be scary if things do not fall in.

Logistics

Sign up was on https://race.thai.run/kheknoiultratrail2024 website of race thai run, where many of the Thai races and events have the registration on.  At first I was thinking of doing just 70K, but after some contemplation.  I thought if I am going to go all the way to such a place with so much planning, I should be more adventurous.  It has also been a long while since I did a 100k which was in 2019 Dec.

At this point, the thought of having someone to join me was still not conceptualized as usually this kind of remote areas, I just thought me myself will be enough and I do not want to trouble other people.  There are also too many what if, I do not want my friends to be troubled by it.

Then I told Joey , a good friend who is also a trail runner about this.  Surprisingly she is keen to join me!  Although I mentally prepared her about the logistics and stuff.  Good thing is she being a trail runner, she understand that things are not fancy when it comes to trail race.   She was also kind enough to let me do the planning having it my way, totally not questioning me.

Race is at Kheknoi, there are really not many accommodation choices here.  I managed to find out resort near the start point.  However, after many tries I could not find it anywhere on the booking platforms.  Then I decided to use the listed phone number and found them on LINE.  The resort is called Sai Nam Tok Resort and it is only 80m-100m away from the race site.  Getting to Kheknoi was really quite challenging.  Travelling from Singapore to Bangkok, we stayed one night in Don Mueng and took the early flight at 7:25 am to Phitsanoulok.  Been a while since I went to a remote airport which has only one runway and the only plane around.  From there I had a prior contact with driving company called Rangthong tours.  They also provide tour services with car rental.  Took a while due to payment issues which had to be settled in the town itself, before we head to the Kheknoi village.  The ride is actually shorter about 1hour at most.  We checked into the resort which seemed like a home run business with a couple and their young daughter staying there.

The room was basic but had quite good amenities the view was not bad with a waterfall  facing every room.  There seem to be newer rooms on another level.  The hot water bath was reliable and pressure was good too.  They even provide towels, hairdryer and a fridge too.

Race Pack Collection

After we rested a while, we made our way to the Kheknoi sub district centre to collect the race pack.  While walking on the road, we could feel the place was really rustic and tranquil.  There were a lot of nature and the locals were chirpy and friendly.  They were very curious about foreign people, me and Joey were the only ones from overseas in this race.  Even in the village itself, there were no tourists too!  This was really a challenge for me to hone my Thai language again.

The town really does not have many things, there is not even a real restaurant, but small eateries selling local food, it turns out cheap and nice.  The most exciting shop is the 7-11 along the expressway, we need to walk about 1 k to that 7-11.  Surprisingly, it is big and has really a wide variety of stuff.  Somehow I felt this place was not that well established and people are still in their bare basics.  There were however schools and also a cultural centre in the area, but not very well maintained.

Race pack collection was also the start and end point, simple set up in a training shed, we also got our mandatory gear checked, bib tested and the race tee.  They had a little carnival created for runners to do some last minute shopping and also promoting some local produce.  There was also the traditional Hmong costume displayed.  I must say the Emcee is very excited and friendly, she kept walking around to chit chat with the runners.  There were many photographers too.

Race Day

Our 100K start in the morning of 13^th Jan, 4 am.  We woke up 2am plus to get ready, this time I start to use my new Zenone pole and brought the older Raidlight vest, thinking I will throw it away after the race.  Making our way in the dark with our headlamps on, we walked to the race site, it was already bustling with action at the race site.  There was breakfast served and hot coffee and tea too.

Looking around the 100k crowd, everyone seemed like a pro, new nice colorful equipment and some how they seem to know each other.  A few were spotted wearing slippers to run! I begin to feel worried that I signed up for the wrong thing!  This time I also wore long tights having learnt from the LKL last year.  Just before flag off, it started to drizzle.  The rain still continued even after the flag off at 4am.  We didn’t bother to take out the rain coat and continued.  I already took out the pole since the start while Joey kept hers, as her Kalias vest was very handy and could hold the pole.

A1-A10

Yes you heard it, total of 10 check points, longest one was a 15k A5 to A6. But more check points means better support.  There was a wide array of terrain, from the beginning we thought it was going to be mud tracks and simple off roads.  Turns out there was bouldering at the waterfall, and it was not just one time, there was also dense forest and river crossing quite a few times.

Looking back at all that ups and downs.  I felt A5 to A6 the most memorable,  although what came after is equally worth the remembrance.   It was already going to get dark, Joey and me thought we should be able to clear A5 to A6 which is a 15km by 08:45PM that day so that we will be able to meet our target of 25 hours plus in the morning.   A few km into it was still okay.  Just the usual forest stuff until we hit the river, and that was where the bouldering start.  These were really huge boulders and its not just about the legs getting tired, you have to climb.

The sky was getting dark, we followed 2 fellow runners who caught up and kindly allowed us to follow them.  It was getting tougher with the lack of light.  We really just thought of getting to A6 fast as it was where the drop bag was.  From there I could get my led lenser light which is brighter and better for sighting of the markers in the dark.  What came to my shock is as we were maneuvering the rocks, there were photographers taking pictures of us trying to clear the steep slippery rocks.  Tired legs, dim light, and boulders after boulders.  We were really getting tired, what’s more is that Joey’s strong head lamp went out of battery! We ended up relying on my dim Petz light, then we switched on our blinker lights too.  So happen that my blinder had white light so I passed Joey my blinker and the 2 blind bats took 6 hours plus just to clear this part.

A6 and the Cut Off

Joey told me about the cut off times, which I thought was only for A6, turns out the rest of the check points to the end all had cut off.  We rested at A6, it was a small tentage along a mud road.  It was windy and started to drizzle again.  By this time my vest’s 2 front pockets had already given way and torn, I had to squeeze everything to the back together with my 1.5L hydration pack.  The other two front pockets were already starting to give way, I thought to myself what could be worse!  But the back of my mind I thought that I really want to finish this race even if its going to take very long.  Joey was worried we won’t meet the cut off time.  She seemed to be still going strong, I had to quickly change up the socks as the previous one was soaked and had some quick food.   Filled up my hydration, drank a few cups of the rose syrup, and off we go for A7 which is 6km away.  Throughout the night portion, the coldness and sleepiness crept in.  Many a times, I had to hold my pole and bent down just for a quick close of the eyes.  Poor Joey had to wait for me , then at one point I told her lets just sleep for 5 minutes, although she is not that keen to snooze in the forest, I laid down the emergency blanket and I just concussed on the ground while she sat down to snooze for about ten minutes.

I must say thank god it was mainly road, by this time I had my led lenser and it was easier to see the markers.  I pucked myself up and ran or walked faster to A7.  We managed to reach A7 at 2am!

Organiser Support

Actually every check point is well stocked with some point serving real cooked food even phad thai.  There were also ma ma instant noodles and glutinous rice, local stuff included a ginger soft glutinous sweet wrapped in banana leaf.  The hydration were rose syrup, Pocari sweat , water ( cold and chilled) and Longa, which I only managed to drink once which is at A8, on top of the mountain.  Its a fizzy longan hydration drink，actually taste not bad.  The volunteers at the check points are all young students , it was fun chatting with them , some could speak mandarin too.  I was only quite taken aback that the drop bag part is not in a building which usually other races will do so , because drop bag point is usually where people will sleep and need some real proper toilets.

Must kudos to them for the very good marking system, runners were not lost and seriously you do not need to open the GPX and just follow the markers which were clear.  At the Y junctions, they will put a sign with “X” to prevent people going into the wrong direction.

Actually all the check points are tentages, so I guess that is why the race is really remote.  Other races had some points with buildings but not this one.  In terms of the markers , I must say they are well laid out and its very clear.  They also put signs for do not enter portions.  This is one race which I didnt really track back and judging it is a 100km.  Volunteers also at time drove around to check on the runners especially at night.  They also placed spot light at night at the more dangerous waterfall area.

The Ending

It will be never ending if I keep continue to write.  Just want to capture the crust, of the whole race.  Once we reach A7, we felt more relieved, it is another 9 km before the cut off at 11am at A8.  Still very dark but this time with better head lights things were lot more easier.  Good thing is there were no more water falls and boulders, mainly going through the forest.  I had a little sprain at the A6-A7 portion but pushing it on, seems like still okay to move but could feel some numbness in the feet.

A8 was the peak,ยอดผาตัด, I could see the Wat Phra That Pha Sorn Kaew, its the one with the many buddha faces, wanted to visit it but I guess I can only see from the back.  The peak was windy and cold when we reach just as the sun about to rise.  Joey and me had a quick rest, chatted with the volunteers, by now we kinda know the runners who are on our way back to the finish.  We were almost the same speed, just a few guys and originally a couple, but they were quite in front now.  A8 to A9 was not joke again, sharp down hill and towards the end another uphill.  A9, เนินรับแขก suspect to be this, to ending was the real killer, throwing in a road with never ending going up hill and by then was late morning scorching sun with no vegetation cover.  And finally another small corn field with a sharp ascent again.  The ending was winding road back to the Khek noi sub district centre.  By then I was really drained, Joey was in front of me still pretty jumpy, she kept saying to run a bit , but I ran only a few metres and the quartz were too tight to continue.  We walked all the way only 100 m or so towards the end, we started to run again.  Finally to the end.

I guess the majority had already finished and we were the last few coming back at 33 hrs.  There were some Hmong performers and also a small carnival at the ending, people are still coming in for the 70 km and 100km.    Took a little rest to regain my brain deadness, thank god the photographer helped us to capture the finishing shot as I was getting crossed eyed!

We were given our handmade Kheknoi special medal and also the finisher tee.  Collected our drop bag and had a simple lunch prepared at the ending point.  The Emcee was still very energetic cheering the crowd.  Some locals gave us free cucumber for us to taste too.

The rest of the day was about collapsing , chatting back about the event, resting and eating some small left over small snacks as we were all too tired to get to the 7-11.  That kind of sum up my 5th 100K in this lifetime.  To speak the truth, 100km is still doable in my opinion and although I complained , when the pain wears off, we still think about the next race again!

*Special thanks to Joey Chan for this memorable journey again , we made it!