if not now, then when
100 mile-races are often held on challenging trails in spectacular nature - this race is no exception. For the very first time, in 2006, there was a race being held in the Nordic countries. The gax 100 miles starts in Ystad at Österlen - the plains in south east Scania, which may be the most beautiful part of Sweden. It is rich in ancient monuments and scenery such as Ales Stenar and the Stenshuvud Nature Reserve - both are included in the gax 100 miles as well as a tough and very challenging trail. The earliest (known) 100-mile race took place in 1847 in Birmingham in England between only two people. Many solo efforts preceded them. As early as 1737 an unknown carpenter journeyman tried to cover 100 miles on foot in 24 hours (and missed the goal by four minutes).
you are tougher than you think you are
What: the gax 100 miles is a 100 (and 50) mile race with a cut off time of 32 hours.
When: 2006-2009. Continued as THE GAX 100 miles and Full moon race by other directors.
Where: Start and finish at S:t Knuts Torg in Ystad, southern Sweden.
How: You are capable of so much more than you know you are.
Who: You.
Why: Some running is good, more is better, and too much is just enough.
Inspiration: Plain 100 Endurance Run.
Fee: 50 €.
Prizes: Medal, diploma, trophy, patch, sticker and more.
Register: Pay, fill in a registration form and mail it to me.
Water: At 42, 66, 80, 118 and 128 km as well at 17 other possible water sources.
Service stations: 42, 66, 80, 118 and 128 km
Support: You can have any support, pacer or friends you like.
DNF: All runners are finishers with accomplished kilometres.
Map: You will get a detailed black and white copy of the route with some instructions.
Route: One loop through forrests and meadows, coast and hills.
Qualification: Race of 100 km/12 hours (50 miles a marathon or ultra)
Equipment: You'll need quite a bit of gear to come through this unsupported.
Accomodation: There are many Youth Hostels as well as both cheap and expensive hotels.
Shower: 600 metres from the finish there is a possibility to have a shower.
Getting there: Ystad is a very central hub with all possibilities with train and bus.
Rules: Cheating or littering is not allowed. To help a fellow runner is mandatory.
Weather: Swedish summer weather, mild night, maybe just a tad rain.
Animals: Elk, fox, stoat, deer, snake, lama, harbour porpoise etc. have been seen during gax.
Dangers: Traffic and fatigue.
Medical staff: There will be a medical specialist on call via phone during the whole run.
Force majeure: Does not apply unless there is less than one participant.
Miscallenous: Qualifying for Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (4 credits) and Spartathlon.
Questions: stefanphonsavan (a) hotmail.com.
Race Director: Stefan Samuelsson.
Saturday 15 August 08:00 2009 - fourth edition
# name div. 42 km 80 km 128 km 161 km
1 Jan Vajhøj (DK) M45 4:19:56 (4) 9:05:30 (1) 15:58:22 (1) 20:37:00 (1)
2 Christian Nilsson (SE) M45 4:22:40 (7) 9:05:30 (1) 16:58:10 (3) 22:13:14 (2)
3 Emelie Andersson (SE) WS 4:26:02 (8) 9:06:29 (4) 16:23:20 (2) 22:25:50 (3)
4 Rikard Hallgren (SE) M40 4:19:49 (3) 9:06:46 (5) 17:05:40 (4) 22:53:15 (4)
4 Stefan Lindvall (SE) M40 4:19:39 (2) 9:06:04 (3) 17:05:40 (4) 22:53:15 (4)
6 Camilla Ringström (SE) W35 4:37:32 (15) 9:43:00 (6) 18:40:10 (6) 24:34:10 (6)
7 Stefan Samuelsson (SE) M35 4:33:27 (11) 9:52:09 (9) 20:45:10 (10) 26:17:30 (7)
8 Jan-Erik Ramström (SE) M45 4:29:44 (10) 10:11:09 (12) 20:41:00 (9) 26:41:58 (8)
9 Erik Grafström (SE) MS 4:37:00 (13) 9:49:10 (7) 20:19:45 (7) 27:38:51 (9)
10 Jan Mortensen (DK) M55 4:26:18 (9) 10:42:30 (14) 21:15:50 (14) 27:43:48 (10)
10 Björn Svensson (SE) M40 4:48:20 (16) 10:42:35 (15) 21:10:15 (13) 27:43:48 (10)
12 Jan Söderkvist (SE) M45 4:34:49 (12) 10:06:08 (11) 20:58:25 (12) 28:18:00 (12)
13 Maria Thomsen (SE) W35 4:55:40 (18) 10:44:40 (16) 22:02:00 (16) 28:18:15 (13)
13 Staffan Ring (SE) M35 4:55:40 (18) 10:44:40 (16) 22:02:00 (16) 28:18:15 (13)
15 Boel de Geer (SE) W50 5:30:58 (26) 11:40:01 (23) 21:58:30 (15) 28:52:20 (15)
16 Stefan Erlandsson (SE) MS 4:37:00 (13) 9:49:10 (7) 20:19:45 (7) 29:32:34 (16)
17 Barbro Nilsson (SE) W60 5:34:35 (27) 12:35:50 (25) 24:16:30 (23) 29:43:32 (17)
18 Aleksy Szablicki (PL) M45 5:05:37 (22) 11:09:30 (18) 23:05:10 (20) 30:05:47 (18)
19 Stefan Olsson (SE) M40 5:03:15 (20) 11:19:19 (19) 22:40:20 (18) 30:15:01 (19)
20 Esa Rotinen (SE) M35 5:17:05 (25) 11:37:01 (22) 22:40:20 (18) 30:34:14 (20)
21 Christine Schroeder (DE) W50 5:57:30 (32) 12:41:30 (26) 23:10:20 (21) 30:58:56 (21)
21 Christian Hottas (DE) M50 5:55:30 (30) 12:41:30 (26) 23:10:20 (21) 30:58:56 (21)
23 Helmut Rosieka (DE) M60 5:55:30 (30) 12:41:30 (26) 24:22:30 (24) 139 km (23)
24 Urban Ljungberg (SE) M35 4:20:15 (5) 9:55:21 (10)20:57:10 (11) 128 km (24)
24 Calle Robertsson (SE) M40 5:37:10 (28) 12:05:01 (24) 24:40:00 (25) 128 km (24)
26 Peter Karlsson (SE) M40 4:49:20 (17) 10:24:50 (13) - (26) 113 km (26)
27 Charlotta Schönsbeck (SE) WS 5:05:20 (21) 11:26:40 (20) - (27) 97 km (27)
27 Anders Bennrup (SE) MS 5:05:20 (21) 11:26:40 (20) - (27) 97 km (27)
29 Hans-Heiko Müller (DE) M45 5:54:50 (29) 13:42:01 (29) - (29) 80 km (29)
30 Mats Magnusson (SE) M45 4:20:22 (6) - (30) - (30) 78 km (30)
31 Mikkel Gormsen (DK) M35 4:08:55 (1) - (31) - (31) 72 km (31)
32 Sebastian Lauterbach (SE) M35 5:07:49 (24) - (32) - (32) 63 km (32)
# name div. 48 km 80,5 km
1 Jan Hansson (SE) M35 5:49:00 (2) 10:53:45 (1)
2 Felix Thümmel (DE) M40 5:47:30 (1) 10:55:30 (2)
3 Fredrika Gullfot (SE) W40 7:39:50 (6) 12:28:18 (3)
3 Ross Nugent (SE/UK) MS 7:09:40 (3) 12:28:18 (3)
5 Stefan Boman (SE) MS 7:09:40 (3) 13:17:15 (5)
6 Cecilia Petersson (SE) W45 8:03:10 (8) 13:17:30 (6)
6 Staffan Åkerblom (SE) M35 7:35:10 (5) 13:17:30 (6)
8 Zingo Andersen (SE) M35 7:39:50 (6) 13:41:58 (8)
9 Kristina Paltén (SE) W35 8:03:10 (8) 15:18:00 (9)
After the gax 100 miles had been won by a Norwegian, a Finn, a Swede it was now time for a Dane to take first honors. The weather forecasts had been very bad but in the end the weather turned out to be perfect. The race started of with about seven hours of summer drizzle and then continued with just the right amount of sunshine for the rest of the day. The night was pleasantly cool and on the second day the weather was absolutely perfect warm and sunny, almost too hot. The results were the best ever and almost 70 % reached the finish line (100 % in the 50 miles). The course record still stands but five people "buckled". A Swedish woman record were set in the 100 miles. This fourth race had a cut off of 32 hours and service stations at 42, 66, 80, 118 and 128 km.
Saturday 16 August 08:00 2008 - third edition
# name div. 42 km 80 km 128 km 161 km
1 Mikko Luusalo (FI) MS 4:05:39 (1) 8:32:34 (1) 15:44:15 (1) 20:13:20 (1)
2 Stefan Samuelsson (SE) M35 4:47:40 (5) 9:47:54 (3) 19:02:30 (2) 24:19:30 (2)
3 Jan Söderkvist (SE) M45 4:35.10 (4) 9:49:48 (4) 19:23:10 (3) 24:34:28 (3)
4 Jan Westerberg (FI) M45 4.20:48 (3) 9:12:00 (2) 20:17:15 (4) 26:14:32 (4)
5 Stefan Olsson (SE) M40 5:04:00 (6) 11:10:30 (6) 22:46:20 (6) 30:23:48 (5)
6 Urban Ljungberg (SE) M35 5:09:32 (8) 11:21:59 (7) 22:44:10 (5) 30:31:15 (6)
6 Kristian Palm (SE) M35 5.09.25 (7) 11:21:59 (7) 22:50:15 (7) 30:31:15 (6)
8 Alexander Lomako (RU) M55 5:52:50 (13) 13:40:00 (10) - (8) 148 km (8)
9 Christian Hottas (DE) M50 5:52:54 (14) 13:40:00 (10) - (9) 126 km (9)
10 Peter Bøgevig (DK) M35 4:20:01 (2) 10:17:13 (5) - (10) 109 km (10)
11 Peter Nilsson (SE) M45 5:27:15 (12) 13:40:00 (10) - (11) 105 km (11)
12 Kåre Ravnskov (DK) M45 5:22:10 (11) 12:12:50 (9) - (12) 80 km (12)
13 Federico Hernandez (SE) M40 5:12.04 (9) - (13) - (13) 42 km (13)
13 Beatrice Edvardsson (SE) W35 5:12.04 (9) - (13) - (13) 42 km (13)
# name div. 48 km 80,5 km
1 Niels Holm (DK) M35 6:02:30 (1) 10:18:38 (1)
2 Johan Åqvist (SE) M35 7:45:10 (2) 12:25:15 (2)
2 Calle Robertsson (SE) M40 7:45:10 (2) 12:25:15 (2)
4 Staffan Åkerblom (SE) M35 7:45:10 (2) 12:55:50 (4)
5 Martin Klages (DE) M45 12:12:10 (6) 17:38:38 (5)
5 Christine Schroeder (DE) W50 12:12:10 (6) 17:38:38 (5)
7 Karin Rydman (SE) W35 11:15:10 (5) 18:16:50 (7)
Yet another time it was just perfect weather, this time almost too perfect - sunny, cloudy and with a few hours of soothing rain in the morning. In both the 50 and 100 miles there were real good times presented and despite that only 50 % (100 % på 50 miles) finished the whole 100 miles everybody seemed to be pleased. Five Swedes reached the finish line which is the highest number so far. This third race had a cut off of 32 hours and service stations at 42, 66, 80, 118 and 128 km of which two were unmanned.
Saturday 4 August 08:00 2007 - third edition
# name div. 42 km 80 km 128 km 161 km
1 Otto Elmgart (SE) M35 4:20:35 (3) 8:45:40 (1) 14:57:00 (1) 18:49:18 (1)
2 Adrian Dahlquist (SE) MS 4:15:25 (2) 9:01:30 (2) 15:23:00 (2) 21:23:50 (2)
3 Carsten Schneehage (DE) MS 4:27:11 (5) 9:39:10 (5) 19:36:00 (6) 24:20:40 (3)
3 Ken Fancett (UK) M55 4:27:30 (6) 9:44:50 (7) 18:25:00 (4) 24:20:40 (3)
5 Giovanni Torelli (IT) M50 4:12:33 (1) 9:30:40 (3) 17:54:00 (3) 24:54:58 (5)
6 Jan Söderkvist (SE) M45 4:37:50 (11) 9:39:10 (5) 18:51:00 (5) 25:34:56 (6)
7 Rüdiger Schmidt (DE) MS 4:29:10 (7) 10:51:00 (8) 21:31:00 (8) 26:48:29 (7)
8 Gunnar Faehn (NO) M55 5:14:00 (13) 11:34:36 (11) 21:28:00 (7) 26:56:49 (8)
9 Constantin Schaaf (DE) MS 4:29:10 (7) 10:51:00 (8) 21:31:00 (8) 28:33:15 (9)
10 Stefan Samuelsson (SE) M35 4:37:00 (10) 10:56:50 (10) 23:56:00 (10) 29:31:01 (10)
11 Stefan Olsson (SE) M40 5:52:20 (15) 12:43:50 (13) - (11) 124 km (11)
12 Tomas Olsson (SE) M45 5:52:20 (15) 12:44:00 (14) - (12) 117 km (12)
13 Bengt-Åke Permats (SE) M60 5:29:20 (14) 13:03:00 (15) - (13) 116 km (13)
14 Gunnar Nilsson (SE) M50 5:13:47 (12) 11:34:40 (12) - (14) 109 km (14)
15 Federico Hernandez (SE) M35 4:21:10 (4) 9:38:25 (4) - (15) 103 km (15)
16 Kåre Ravnskov (DK) M404 :35:20 (9) - (16) - (16) 70 km (16)
# name div. 48 km 80,5 km
1 Paul Westesson (SE) M35 6:04:00 (1) 10:04:03 (1)
2 Franklin Wood (US) M35 6:06:00 (2) 10:53:05 (2)
3 Barbro Nilsson (SE) K55 6:55:00 (3) 11:15:26 (3)
4 Christian Nilsson (SE) M40 6:55:00 (3) 11:26:40 (4)
5 Nils Pistora (SE) M35 6:58:00 (5) 11:51:49 (5)
6 Ross Nugent (UK) MS 6:58:00 (5) 12:39:03 (6)
7 Daniel Gillberg (SE) MS 7:30:00 (7) 12:56:49 (7)
8 Jan Brågård (SE) M60 9:31:00 (8) 16:18:54 (8)
8 Kent Mattson (SE) M50 9:31:00 (8) 16:18:54 (8)
# name div. 42,195 km
1 Jan Astermark (SE) M45 4:38:40 (1)
The weather was perfect this weekend - for a day on the beach drinking a cold one, not for running 100 miles in tropical heat. Some of the achievements this year were amazing with new Swedish records being set for 100 and 50 miles of trail. Just like last year the mood of the participants could not have been better - everybody seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves despite the heat, pain and distance, more pain for some as they got injured. This second race had a cut off of 32 hours and service stations at 42, 80, and 128 km.
Saturday 16 September 08:00 2006 - first edition
# name div. 42 km 122 km 161 km
1 Sharon Broadwell (NO) K45 7:30:00 (1) 18:26:00 (1) 25:40:14 (1)
2 Jan Söderkvist (SE) M45 7:40:00 (2) 19:20:00 (2) 27:21:00 (2)
3 Andreas Johansson (SE) M35 8:29:40 (5) 22:20:00 (4) 28:49:10 (3)
4 Stefan Samuelsson (SE) M35 7:45:00 (4) 21:31:00 (3) 29:51:40 (4)
5 Stefan Olsson (SE) M40 9:54:10 (6) 25:09:00 (5) 122 km (5)
6 Ivan Bretan (SE) M40 7:45:00 (3) - (6) 102 km (6)
Despite the Swedish election and a very tough trail most of the runners followed through with good finishing times. The weather and the geist of the runners could not have been better. The first part which was run in daylight was easy (!) and well marked but as soon as darkness set in all markings seemd to disappear and instead quite a few steep hills took their place. When daylight came most had 34 km of running in the sand left besides yet another set of cruel hills as well as a few run ins with cows and a moose. Everybody vowed to came back next year. This first race had a cut off of 36 hours and service stations at 66 and 122 km.