Cursa DIR Diagonal - 10k

 After about a week of a mild summer cold and thus not really the best preparation today another 10k. The start was a bit further up Diagonal than the previous 10k over a month ago but also we would leave it earlier to only turn back onto it for the last few kilometers.

This time too I ran down to the start area as part of my warm up. This time no injuries or other reasons to hold back but also knowing that my lungs and condition would likely be to up to full capacity yet.

At 8h30 we were counted down for the start and I tried to quickly settle into a good pace. The good thing of the Diagonal is that it is very wide so almost immediately you have room to run. After a first kilometer in 4m06 and a second in 4m00 I guessed I probably went out to fast, but without much pace training lately that is understandable. Up to 5k in 21m20 I was feeling ok, but from there on I could no longer sustain pace below 4m30 and finished seconds over the 45m barrier in 45m06. Still quite ok considering having had the health issues. From here on it is back to mountain training for the next Trail Race probably in October.

La Directa Tibidabo - 5k

 Eventhough I have not completely recovered yet from the marathon 2 weeks ago, running a short race that passes through the street where we live and is much like the route I do for mountain training almost every weekend was ofcourse something I couldn't resist. I knew that I would likely start well and struggle near the end since the climb as soon as it hits the trails is steep up, but doing such a short race from time to time is great fun. I had some lower back pain during the past week and eventhough I have done some run training I was not sure how I would feel this morning and went out early to do a long warmup and test some higher pace accelerations before huddling up in the start area. 

I knew that it would be good to go out hard to have some space when we hit the trails, so I line up up front and at 9am we start at the beginning of the street where we live and in minutes I pass and greet Montse who was standing nearby our door. 

The first kilometer I run in 4m18 and the second with already more climbing but still in the city in 5m00. During the 3rd kilometer we leave the city and enter Collserola and start the steep climb to the top of the Tibidabo over a track I know very well, since most of my training is done there. Since I had been running on the edge of my aerobic capacity from the very start maintaining run pace uphill soon becomes impossible and I powerhike the steep parts. The very last part near the top I was still ok, but breathing heavily. When reaching the small square at the top I sprint the last meters and finish in 34m37s. in a 26th place which I am very happy with. I might do some 10k in the coming weeks. As always many thanks to the organization and very likely until next year!!

Trail Vall de Ribes Marató - 42k - 3400D+

 After not finishing my last Ultra, in part because of still recovering from injury, my plan was to not go back to Ultra distances until I felt comfortable finishing a mountain marathon. Today, saturday 30th of April, was a first good test. Having 3400D+ on only 42k means it will likely be very steep quite often.

Go here for the race video

I arrived in Ribes de Freser on friday afternoon. The initial idea was to spend the whole weekend here, with my wife, but the weather forecast was bad, so we changed plans and she would come on saturday with one of her brothers and parents. After installing myself in my room in Hotel Catalunya I went for my bibnumber and T-shirt. The rest of the evening I spent preparing the backpack and race gear so getting up was going to be quick and easy. I woke up at 5h30 to have breakfast and after I rested until 7 o'clock when it was time to leave the hotel, leave the luggage in the car and start to warm easily.

The highest point of the race, Mount Taga, well visible in the distance

the start area, that would only fill quicly with runners some 20 minutes before the start

It was not as cold as I expected and it was a morning with mostly clear skies. At 8am we were counted down for the start and with Thunderstruck by AC/DC getting the adrenaline going we first did a 1k in the town before starting what directly was a rather steep climb. I had decided to do the first part without poles since after the first climb there would be a very runnable section. 

somewhere on the first uphill

Up to the first aid station is was only 4k and we get there rather quickly, for me without the need to take anything. 

The first aid station "Conivella" after only 4km

running along, still fresh here

Afterwards we run mostly down the at times across mountain fields where not always there is a clear path untill come close to a small town called Bruguera. From there we have a few steep climbs with runnable sections up to the next aid station at Saltor around 12k. Just before this I already unstrapped my poles since the climb afterwards was going to be rather steep. I arrived here in just under 2 hours, already slower than I thought would be possible, but going faster would only mean going much slower in the second half of the race. 

The second aid station "Saltor" after 12km

The first part of the climb is not too steep and at parts even runnable, but the steep part is really steep. I about 40 minutes I reach the summit of Mount Amand (1851m) and a long downhill starts. Upto the next aid station at la Tuta I am doing ok, but the next part downhill is even steeper and I start to have cramps in just about all my upper leg muscles. 

The third aid station "La Tuta" at 16,2km

I try to maintain pace and hope they will fade away. The bottom of the valley is very beautiful with a small creek we have to cross several times. My muscles are still hurting a bit, but I can move, and slowly we make it to the next aid station in a village called Ogassa at 23,6k. My time there is 4h11 and I know that making it to the finish on time is not going to be easy. After a quick break to refill, send a message to my family and eat a bit and drink some soupe I am on my way again. 

The fourth aid station in a small village called Ogassa after 23,6km

The break inmediately had blocked my muscles again, and I cannot even run the first kilometer. Once out of town the path is muddy and slippery and has some short very steep climbs up and on one of those my inner thigh muscles completely cramp up and I decide to sit down and try to relax them. After a couple of minutes I decide to give it a try and if I have more severe cramps it would be better to call it a day there, but luckily the cramps and pain slowly fade away and I can move at decent pace. From time to time it is raining a bit now so I put on my raincoat. At some point we reach an intermediate summit on our way to Coll del Pal. Here at least I can see there is people near me up front and later I also can look back to the same point to see there is at least 2 runners behind me. In the next long climb of 1000m uphill they slowly catch up with me and together we reach the aid station at Coll del Pal after 6h17m. Visibility is very poor here due to mist and finding the next flag or ribbon indicating the route is not easy. We have 2 more climbs and a long downhill to go to the finishline.

The fifth aid station at Coll del Pal after 30,4km

The first climb is the typical never ending one, pretty steep with many points where you seem to reach the summit, but when getting there see you can go higher. Finally we reach Puig Estela (2011m). The mist is very dense, soon after I even turned back to make sure I was going in the right direction, since the next route indicator was just too far away. After an easy part of downhill a typical crest part starts which is basically jumping from rock to rock or in between rocks if that makes for a more safe landing. After a more easy runnable part starts all the way up to the start of the climb of last mountain. This is only some 200 meters up, but without visibility it was much a matter of head down and keep on pushing untill we finally reach the cross at the Taga summit (2040m). After having someone take a picture of me at the summit I start the downhill. 

The highest point of the race, Mount Taga (2040m)

My muscles are still somewhat painfull and also my toes touch the front of my running shoes at times which is not very pleasant, but I keep running. I pass the last aid station without stopping and enter the last part of the course we already did in the beginning, winding through the forest on a narrow steep and slippery trail. I fell down twice here, but without consequences. Just before reaching Ribes de Freser runners from the organization that go with the last runner on the course catch up with me. We have some laughs and after a few more turns, now on more easy terrain I enter the village. Montse is waiting for me on the last stretch and soon after I cross the finish being the last runner, but still just as happy.

Many thanks to the organization and all volunteers. Many thanks to my family for supporting. Since my goal was getting my fitness to a level where I can "comfortably" run a mountain marathon I will repeat a similar distance after summer and work on strength in my legs and doing some longer training runs leading up to that race.