Today's race starts at 7h30 a.m. and in order to be there on time and pick up my bib number I had to wake up early, since the village, Sant Quirze de Besora, is just over an hour driving from Barcelona. Somewhere half way driving, somehow something in my low back shifted and without even having run one step I was already in pain, though I have ran before with the same issue, it is just less fun.
The mountains of the Besora area - foto by Jordi Costa
When arriving at the start area it is still dark. Somehow I forgot to pack my headlamp, but luckily the local trail running shop, Non Stop Sports, had opened very early, so after picking up my bib number and bringing back the runners bag that was full of goodies, I bought a cheap one, just in case my back would force me to slow down so much it would be dark again when running or walking the last kilometers. In the mountains it is always better to be safe than sorry.
Foto by Gil Ayats
Shortly before 7h30 we all enter the start box and then we are counted down and get under way acompanied by the noise of a chainsaw and firecrackers and the cheers of the people gathered near the start area. Soon we leave town and run slightly up and down on a wide path to the neighbouring town Montesquiu were we cross the river Ter and start running on a more narrow path. By then the group of runners is already spread out and the risk of bottlenecks is low. Soon we arrive at the first aid station and since it is not very warm I don't have to eat or refill bottles yet. I did want to stick to strictly taking salt and gels every hour unless that would coincide with stopping at an aid station. Running has been somewhat uncomfortable so far, but I feel I can manage the low back for the many hours ahead.
Aid station 1 - La Farga de Bebié - 7km
The next part is winding through a forest and then passes a last section near a highway before finally heading up to the mountains.
foto by Gil Ayats
The valley of the Baga de Sant Moi is a nice, gloomy and humid forest and eventhough I still cannot really find a good pace at least it is entertaining to run.
foto by Arnau Sidera
At the end of the valley we go up a steep hill and soon after arrive at the second aid station.
Aid station 2 - Bar Beví 11,5km
Shortly after the steep climbing continues up to Els Bufadors de Beví, a narrow passage in between rocks covered with moss, the perfect fairy tale area.
Els Bufadors - foto by Montse Casas
After a descent and a long climb I make it to Castell Llaés in about 2h30. I still have not really found any good pace yet and feel tired. I eat some bread and fruit, drink water and fill up my bottles and continue without spending too much time here.
Aid station 3 - Castell de Llaers 16,5km
The next section has some fun climbs up with ropes. We have to queue a little here, but not too long. Around 3 hours in I start feeling very low on energy. This is quite normal, though hard nonetheless, but I push through and try to not think about it and just continue.
Climbing a steeper section - foto by Jordi Costa
foto by Jordi Costa
The next aid station at Bauma del Teixidor - 21km, I pass with only quickly drinking some water. Next up is another climb with some very steep and somewhat tricky sections. On the next photo's you can more or less see my weary face.
foto by Martí Miro
foto by Martí Miro
Then a more easy flat section follows and slowly my mood and energy is improving. Changing from climbing to running flat is hard on the back in the first minutes, but after that I can relax and move at a decent pace, not as fast as normal, but not too slow either. The climb up to the highest point of the race, Castell Milany (1550m), is only very steep at the very end where once again ropes are fixed and a somewhat longer queue has formed, so it takes quite some time to finally make it to the top. The views from there are amazing (see the video, link at the end), but I don't really stop and continue on to the aid station a few hundred meters below.
Aid station 5 - Castell de Milany 26
The next part is more or less downhill for many kilometers, sometimes going down very steep and tricky trails or even rappeling down using ropes. This part specially goes much slower than normal, but I try to focus on just running along even on slightly uphill parts.
aid station 6 - El Pujol 30km
I arrived in Vidrà after about 6h50, already 50 minutes slower than I hoped for, but maybe 50 minutes wasn't all that bad. After all my main goal today, apart from finishing, was not arrive as the last runner as I did in the last mountain race and for now I certainly wasn't the last one out on the trails. I stop a bit longer here, eat some pasta, and drink more and ask the medical assistance for a painkiller. Since I am no longer feeling very tired I do not really need to take extra rest here, so after refilling bottle I am on my way again. First we continue to go more downhill and after we will take on a very steep uphill on a mountain ridge.
aid station 7 - Vidrà - 36 km
The downhill part is very beautiful and also, since it is a very sunny day, it is nice to run through a dense forest in the shade.
Salt del Molí
Then I start the uphill of Cresta de Canemars, really steep, with ropes at times, but climbing so far has been good, I have strength to keep pushing and even the tricky downhill sections on the ridge I can handle without issues This is a very slow section where my pace drops below 2km per hour at times. Finally I arrive at the Bellmunt aid station, take a quick moment of taking in the views and continue on a nice single track sloping downhill winding through the forest. It seems that the painkiller did ease my low back a little and I can run a bit better now.
aid station 8 - Bellmunt - 41km
At some point during this downhill we start hearing music. I suspect that is from the next aid station and from judging the distance, eventhough sound carries far in the mountains, the music must be quite loud. When we finally arrive there we are indeed greeted by a DJ behind a turntable with people dancing.
aid station 9 - Bosquetell - 44,5
a volunteer offered to make a picture - all smiles by now
Right out of the aid station we have a short climb and soon after a more or less flat section that at some point offers a nice view over the valley, with a singular mountain in the middle. I didn't know the area, and thought that looked "too far away", but it turns out that later we will climb it, shortly after the next aid station.
Castell Besora - in about an hour I will be climbing up there
I arrive in Santa Maria de Besora (50km) feeling quite ok. I chat a little with the people at the aid station and then walk out the village to start the last climb. We don't really see the castle that is on the top and continue onto a nice section with grey soil and funny shaped little hills. When arriving at the last aid station before the finish, El Revell (53km), the sun is already setting, I don't really stop here since there are only 3km left. It is all downhill from here, on a mostly wide path, but with many loose rocks and some steep sections. On this section 2 runners catch up with me, on the steeper sections they pass me and on the flatter sections I pass them. And then we enter Sant Quirze de Besora running down concrete stairs until hitting the river Ter again. After crossing the river more stairs and then, suprise surprise two enormous wooden logs to jump over before crossing the finish line.
Mission accomplished!! I finished in 11h48m10s which I am very happy with after running with lower back pain the whole 56km. Far from last and feeling much better than after the last race.
A huge thanks to the organization and volunteers!! Finishing 259th and being recognized by several of you shows how much you cared, not just for me but for all runners!!
Since I knew this race had many steep sections with ropes or scrambling I designed and 3D printed a mouth mount for my GoPro. Someday I hope to get my hands on a newer version of GoPro since they now come with stabilized images. For now here goes another somewhat shaky video to give an impression of the race. Many times throughout the race I had the thought of "Oh my, I have to get out the GoPro again". The full experience can only be had by exploring the track itself, either some year in race form or in a less competitive hiking way. Truly recomendable!!!
