My trainers at Tecnirunner are collaborating in organizing a trail run in Vallirana, near Barcelona, and handed out two free bibs to their trainees. I was one of the lucky ones. Running half a marathon through the mountains so soon after the Rialp Matxicots ofcourse had me in doubt about whether I would be fine all the way through, but in the training sessions I felt quite ok so I wanted to go out and enjoy. The special thing about this run lies in the fact that, as its name already suggests "Night of the owl", it is a run in the dark.
When I left Barcelona, more or less heading west, it was raining heavily. When arriving in Vallirana the rain was just about stopping and after a while I found a place to park the car and searched for the start area.
Start area in the sportcomplex of Vallirana
Hot sausages after the race!!!!
After picking up my bib number I started my warmup thinking that we would start at 19h00. But when that hour passed without any visible activity I asked, to learn they postponed the start for half an hour, which in the end turned out to be almost 40 minutes. So finally after a long wait we were shot counted down and started, with dawn setting in already. Luckily I already had put on my headlamp so I was prepared for the dark to set in.
The first kilometer leaving the village was along some streets of asphalt and then running along the edge on terrain that seemed not to be a regular path, more like a clearing in the bushes and we had to be very careful to not trip on trunks and roots. Then after a few more meters of asphalt we hit the regular trails. I went out fast to avoid any congestion so I could go at my own pace all the time. The first uphill is fairly steep with some almost flat parts in between. Near the top we have a first point of incertainty about where to go and the indications of the volunteer did not help much either, but we assumed we went the right way. After reaching the top a long and winding downhill followed along a very narrow trail. At a certain point when stepping aside to let some faster runners pass I slip and fall. Luckily the fall only produces some scratches and tiny wounds, but "the running parts" are intact and I continue at pretty high pace and soon make it to the first aid station. A quick drink of some isotonic and on we go. Soon I miss a direction marker at a part where the course makes a loop and I meetup with people at a much slower pace. I asked them if they passed any checkpoint and since they said no I understood I went off course and headed back. Since I was running alone and it was very dark from then on this would be the continuous doubt, since not at all points it was clear where to go.
The course itself is very demanding, along narrow rather technical trails and I fall a second time bruising my knees and almost a third time nearly cramping up in the movements I made to recover my balance. After passing the second and last aid station and loosing my way again I slowed down.
Trying to finish in a good time with bad indications is pretty frustrating. Finally I arrived back in the village and picked up pace a bit to finish in 2h43h20 in 24th place. Not bad knowing about all the time I lost to find my way. All in all I have to say that, as the organizers state in the publicity, a race for experts, very demanding and technical where you have to be 100% attentive all the time, but also very beautiful. Knowing this was the first time they did the longer run I think it is very recomendable.
After months of specific trail training with emphasis on improving running form in order to reduce the chance on injury it was Race Day again. Or on this occasion two race days in a row. "La Combinada" de Rialp Matxicots has split the longer ultra trail of 80k in two parts this year. The first part on saturday, 57km, has been made tougher, and the second part on sunday, 23km, has a more runnable course.
I arrived in Rialp friday evening, and it was cold. From the village, far away in the distance, one could see the highest mountain the Montsent de Pallars we would climb tomorrow. It was almost completely covered with snow. Luckily the organization decided it was safe enough to maintain the original course. At least on saturday morning the weather would be good, cold, sunny and not too much wind.
After the briefing it is time for a quick dinner, and going to bed early.
After a slightly restless night I wake up at 4am in the morning, to have breakfast, do the last preparations and leave the hostal in Sort to drive to Rialp and walk to the start area after parking the car. It is cold. We are all moving to stay warm until we are counted down to get underway. Without overdoing the pace I try to stay up front a bit in order to not get cought in the traffic. After some 30 minutes we pass through Altron and start to climb up to the village with the first aid station, Seurí, where I arrive after 1h14m. From there we have a very steep climb of some 1200m up. Luckily I dressed warmly and already was wearing gloves from the start, because the higher we go the colder it becomes. On this first climb I never really feel comfortable. I maintain rather good pace, but my legs are complaining already. Once we get to the top the views are really amazing and there is hardly any wind. I made a few photos quickly and without my gloves my hands freeze up in no time. So I put them on again quickly and continue with the short downhill to the next aid station at Coll del Triador where they have put up a big tent to give some shelter. I arrive here after 3h36m. Time for some hot soup and eating and refilling fluids, without taking too long.
Montsent de Pallars in full glory
Next up is the spectacular climb to the highest peak of the race, Montsent de Pallars, 2883 m. As soon as the steep part of the climb starts I feel like being out of breath. From the latest training sessions I learned that controlling my breath was key to controlling my hartrate so I try to figure out a way to maintain pace but also control my breathing. After a while I am moving up better, enjoying the spectacular surroundings. Near the top we have to pass a short stretch where we have to scramble up using our hands and soon after I make it to the top with breathtaking views all around of snowcovered mountains. With 4h57 in the legs the steepest climb with parts of 40% incline is done.
As always the volunteers were cheering us on and clearly enjoying as much as we did
Next up is a tricky part. A steep downhill with slippery snow. After some slips and nearly falling a few times I decide to approach the snow part in a more unorthodox way, lowering my bum to the path and sliding down pushing with my hands on the ground while still holding my walking poles. They call that "kulembachen" here what sounds german to me, but still is the local word to describe this technique. That way I advance a lot quicker and avoid injury. Soon after when I thought the path was becoming better I did slip and though I could break my fall without problems I slowed down untill the snowy patches really were gone. And then it was up again to climb the Montorroio. This climb is not too long and soon we reach the top.
Thanks Olga Bergua for those 2 nice pictures arriving at the Montorroio
On the downhill to the next aid station it is time to face my first time of running a "tartera". It turns out to be actually quite funny. You more or less go jumping down a river of small stones and have to balance each time you hit the rocks since you slide down continuously. Apart from some tiny stones in my shoes that part went smooth. At the bottom, when I sit down to quickly empty my shoes, I have near cramps in my adductors, but I manage to avoid them and luckily don't notice anything when I am on my feet again. It doesn't take to long to get to the next aid station at Pas de Mainera. Outside a younger runner is lying on a stretcher covered in blankets and a few others abandon here. I feel lucky to have survived this part without problems and after quickly eating and drinking and refilling liquids I am on my way again for the last long steep climb to "les Picardes".
moving through the snow brings out huge smiles for most runners
Once again I focus on keeping my breath under control and steadily advance upwards. After getting to the highest point we run through the snow along a wide ridge. After a while we reach the part where the second "tartera" downhill starts. A volunteer explains us that the race organization decided to close the regular path because it was to slippery, but after having done the first "tartera", doing the second one was even more fun. Once again I empty my shoes at the bottom, no more signals of cramps this time and on we go. After a while of running a nice single track path that slopes down rather easy we arrive at the ski area of Espot Esqui. The last part to the aid station there is down a ski piste. Halfway down I run into Pau Vidal, a mountain runner from Barcelona who is waiting there to cheer for a friend.
After a quick chat and some pictures I continue and soon run into the aid station and have my second surprise encounter with Silvia Mora who is crewing her husband, so some more chatting and pictures before I go in and quickly go through all the bigger aid station moves. I change into lighter clothes here, since it was getting warmer. When we leave we have a material check and when coming outside the weather has suddenly changed and I quickly put on a windstopper and the say goodbye to Silvia and run down to where the next climb will start. Everywhere I look, clouds are gathering and the wind is picking up quite a bit.
Last year this climb and also the long downhill afterwards were very hard for me but not so this time. When climbing up it starts hail, but the soft kind the people here call "aigüa-neu". It is not really persistant so for now I continue with only wearing the windstopper. The uphill goes pretty fast and the downhill I go running all the time. Along this stretch I meet the same people back and forth since I go somewhat slower but very steady and others stop from time to time. Since I knew this part would feel endless I just focused on moving forward not thinking too much and drink and eat and then the hermitage Mare de Deu de la Muntanya shows up way below and soon before getting there the path becomes wide and easy. Here I meet Amaia, a female runner, again and I cheer her on to at least keep running. Soon after another runner, Toni, is resting at the side of the path and I asked him to join us. He said he was tired and so we continued, but some time later looking back it seemed that at least he was up and running again. Soon we arrived at Caregue. After having fun talking with the volunteers here we quickly continued. For a while we heard thunder in the air and from time to time it slightly hailed but the real thunderstorm had not reached us yet. A quick downhill follows, and then an uphill following a creek, that takes longer than expected, but finally we reach the highest point. From there we can look into the Rialp valley to see dark clouds everywhere and rain falling down in a dense curtain up ahead. The next village, Surp, is not too far away and just when we get there it starts to rain more seriously. There is a small aidstation here so under the cover I change into my waterproof jacket and on we go to the last climb. Once again this takes longer than expected, also because we don't see where we have to go. Finally we reach the highest point where we have a time checkpoint and then go down. The last downhill. The first part is easy, zigzagging down a wide easy path, but at some point we change onto a narrow path that goes much more steeper. We run to Rodés and continue downhill. Both Amaia and Toni are really tired now and after a while we decided to walk down untill we came onto a better path. And soon we were arriving at the edge of Rialp and then crossed the line the three of us together. Me knowing that I still had to do 23 more kilometers tomorrow. So I ate and drank and then went quickly back to the hostal to rest and get ready for tomorrow, but very happy with how the first part was for me. I finished in 13h27m52s.
The next day I stepped out of bed around 6h45. Outside the dark black of the sky was slightly turning to darkblue already and when I was done with breakfast and the preparation, the sun, though still hiding behind the mountains is already anouncing herself. Once again I drive to Rialp and huddle up with the runners in the start area untill we are shot away. With some muscle stiffness I decide to take it easy the first kilometers. Maybe that was not very smart.
in the middle "hiding" with the yellow headband
After running along the paved road that leads into Rialp for a while we take a turn left crossing a bridge and soon after we enter a path that still allows for 2 people running next to each other, but some hundred meters after there is a short steep downhill causing us to jam up. And the single track afterwards is the same. We slowly climb up and my pace is higher than the people in front of me but passing is difficult. Only shortly before arriving in Sort around the 6km mark I feel like running at my own pace finally. Next up is a somewhat steeper climb and another time checkpoint very soon after the one in Sort. The next part alternates climbs with horizontal and downhill running through the woods and fields, which is really a great feeling. And soon I arrive in Altron with only 7 km of 23km left. One more uphill, which we already did yesterday and then a steep downhill and I am back in Rialp crossing the finishline in 3:54:08 and a total time of part 1 and 2 of 17:22:00. 56th in the overall ranking and 21st of the veterans.
Near the highest point of the last climb
Thanks to the organization and volunteers for making it happen again!! And thanks to all the runners I shared the experience with. I enjoyed the experience from the first to the last second!!!
