Matagalls Montserrat 2024 - 84k

 My main goals with this resistance march were to get through it all without stomach issues and improve on last years result, if possible running a low 13h march. The fact that you can from one place to another really far apart means I had to park my car at the end location, Montserrat. Last year I had no problem finding a parking spot, but this year well before even getting to the entrance of the large parking there was a very slow moving queue so I decided to turn around and find a place to park which I did soon at Sant Benet, also nicely in the shade the my after run drinks would not get overly hot.

I could walk up to Montserrat and take the "Cremallera" down or see if there was a path down from here to the parking lot from where buses would take us to the starting area. I chose the second option, adding more exercise to the event, but apart from a few rocky sections the downhill was easy and soon I was on my chatting with another runner, Oscar, about Matagalls Montserrat and life in general. Once at the starting area I went to a little road I discovered last year where there was no noise and waited in silence untill about one hour before my start, eating and drinking and doing the last preparations.

At 16h05 is was my time and I quickly settled into an easy 6m/km pace all the way to Aiguafreda where I filled up my water bottles and removed some stones from my running shoes and in about a minute I was on my way again. In hindsight I guess I enjoyed this first easy part too much and should have taken it more easy, as well as the steep climb that comes after it. Since the first part of the whole route has a lot of runnable sections I did not take out my poles and powered my way up on leg strenght and once at the top right away started running again and ran slightly uphill parts as well. Soon after the 3rd climb I started to feel worse and worse and it would stay that way up to the half way Aid Station in Sant Llorenç Savall. I more or less managed to run the downhill leading into there, but I knew I was going slow. I drank some Coca Cola in the aid station, prepared for the night and got under way again. Last year it was hear I started to have serious stomach problems so I was very aware of how my stomach was feeling this year. I continued to run flat and downhill and hold back a bit in the uphills but at least I started to feel better and was moving again. Eventhough I trained this section last year most of the time had no clue where I was and how far it was untill the aid station in Matadepera. Eventually I got there in the same time as last year, but feeling better. I did not spend much time and soon was on my way again. The next section is uphill and after an easy trail going slighly up and down. The uphill was tough and felt slow, the more runnable section was quite ok and after a quick stop at the small aid station in Casa Nova del Obac we had a runnable section on asphalt up to some point where we turned on the trail going downhill. Here I feel mostly ok and make good progress and also the next uphill with sections of natural stone stairs like parts I go somewhat better than previous uphills. When running into Vacarisses I don't see any indication and someone sends me the wrong way, so I loose some time here. The stop here this year was rather short and the next part through the very long and stretched out village is mostly on asphalt and runnable. My running pace is only slightly faster than walking here, but I tried to at least run since it is somewhat more easy on the body than walking for me. After quite some time we leave the village with a short uphill and after a longer downhill with lots of jumps and loose stones. Soon we enter Monistrol de Montserrat, the village at the bottom of the last climb. Here I try to take another gel, but I nearly vomited when the gel entered my mouth, but was able to stop that. So I knew my stomach was at his limit now. After some winding through the streets of the village we start the real climb that consists of many half meter step-ups mixed with short sections of path. Slowly my stomach gets worse and my pace slows a bit, but I manage to keep moving up and after a bit more than an hour I reach the finish after 14h05m41. 

I tried some soup and at least that entered and rested a bit before starting the walk to where I parked the car. I did not really know how long I would take (I later checked and it is about 3km) and it took me quite a while, but eventually I made it to conclude the adventure.

Back to shorter races now and I will try and train for longer races next year.

Trail Moixeró - 36km

Race day!! Finally!! Eventhough not yet fully recovered I can run longer distances again. Recovering from a calf strain has been a long process, and this race has been a test of where I am at really. After debating the different options I decided to not sleep near Bagá but wake up early and drive up there early Sunday morning. With some 20km to go it started to rain, from time to time heavily, and I did the last preparations all in the car and geared up for rain when I went looking for my bibnumber. After picking that up along with the goodie bag I walked back to the car to store the latter and then walked back again to the starting area, which was also a good warm up for my left achilles tendon and surrounding area. The tendon itself seems to be ok, but something is off still, since I tend to get aches from time to time. 

 Around 7 am we huddled up at the start line. The rain was down to a very light drizzle and I had put my raincoat back in the backpack again. At 7 am we started our run through the streets of Baga. The first kilometer was flat and then we left the village and started the first climb which right away had some very narrow paths that ofcourse slowed down the pace a lot. The forest was very wet still and slippery , but the path itself was not too steep and in general quite good to walk or run on depending on the incline. After about one hour we reached the top and the views opened up to an amazing landscape with the Pedraforca in the distance.

Soon after we reached the first aidstation, which this early was a really quick stop.

From there on to the second aidstation was some really nice single track that was mostly runnable.

 

Somewhere on a rocky section I slipped and got a deep cut on my right elbow. Apart from the cut I was ok and when running on easy terrain I arranged one of my bandanas as a bandage and it stopped the bleeding nicely. At the next aid station I completely filled up with water, eventhough we would have a small aid station in about 3 kilometers. I was feeling good with from time to time a bit sensitive in the left achilles tendon, but nothing to worry about. 

At the next aidstation I only picked up a piece of banana and then started the long and steep uphill to the highest point of the race. To make sure I did not load the achilles tendon too much I had decided to go very easy eventhough I would take longer, knowing that from the top onwards the path would be basically all downhill and hopefully I could run it all.

Once out of the woods the views were amazing and I steadily walked up enjoying the landscape. Eventhough the sky was with less clouds now it was still not too warm.

At the top we only had a time control and the next few meters I walked and drank water, took a gel and then slowly started to run.

Once again the views were incredible and the terrain for the most part runnable apart from some very rocky sections.

Soon we arrived at the 4th aid station at Coll de Pendis. Here I started to feel tired, but apart from that I felt good and I soon left for a more complicated downhill back to Baga.

This part is very slippery and in the lower part the path goes right trough a small creek that flows trough the valley. At points we can jump from stone to stone, at other points it is safer to just walk right through the water. The risk of getting wet feet is high anyway and slipping and falling is much worse.

Right at the end of this tricky downhill we get to the next aid station. From there on only 6 kilometers left to the finish line. 

The next part is very warm, and also I am tired by now. I still run all the flat sections, but at a slow pace, also to make sure I would not push my left lower leg too much. After some slight up and downhill running on a single track we run onto the "Via del Nicolau", an old path used by miners in the area in the past. This part is warm, but almost completely flat and easy to run. We cross 2 tunnels and soon we arrive back in Baga again. I push the last few hundred meters to go under 6h30 and finnish 6h28m37s!! In spite of holding back, much quicker than I expected and very happy with how it went.

Place 202, which is not last and knowing I can improve quite a bit on that and also I will certainly repeat. As always many thanks to the organization and the volunteers!!!

Cursa de Tardor de Sant Andreu de la Barca - 10k

 After many years of mountain running almost the whole year, this year I wanted to try and go back to an "off-season" more road race oriented training. I made it through the long distance season without real injuries, just some sensitive tendons, but I can run, while taking care of that and working more on speed and also having the races last only 45 minutes for the 10k's and 1h30 for half marathon is also great for a change. I already have plans for the mountains for next year, but for now it will be "short" distance for some months.

The first 10k was in a town about 30 minutes from Barcelona (less in the very early sunday morning trafic), Sant Andreu de la Barca. I think some 10 years ago I already did a mountain run here, this time 10k on asphalt. I arrived nice and early and first picked by bib-number. I explored the area a bit and then around 8:30 am started my warmup and other race preparations. I have been ill for a week and only had 3 runs and a cross training session this week to get somewhat in shape again, but I knew I was far from ready to go hard. The plan was to follow the 45min pacer and see how far that would get me. After a nice performance of local drummers around 9:30 we were counted down and first had a very wide avenue to run on and get into a pace. The first 2k went by in exactly 4m30 pace and I felt quite ok. After the course had some 180 degree turns and some uphills that made maintaining that pace more difficult but at least up to 5k I was able to do so and I more or less passed in 22m30. The second round I could keep up with the pacer up to about the 7k marker, but from there on, on the uphills I had to be more conservative to not completely blow up and after a good last kilometer I finished in 45m30, which I was very happy with. I hope the coming weeks training will become better and the next 10k can already be just under 45m.

Matagalls - Montserrat 2023

After finishing my last mountain marathon I felt I was not fully ready for stepping up to any ultra race with the typical D+ of 5000 meters or more. So I decided to sign up for the Matagalls Montserrat, which is long, 84 km, but has less total climbing, so in race time it would be just "somewhat" longer than running a mountain marathon.

Since the plan was to finish around 7am early Sunday morning I drove up to the Montserrat Monastery on Saturday morning, took the "Cremallera" down to Monistrol de Montserrat from where the organization had organized transport to the starting area in Brull. The previous editions I started from Coll Formic, but that point has little to no room and is hard to get to either by bus or by car, and Brull is much easier, though over 3000 people is still a lot and when we got to the start area it was already very busy and somewhat chaotic.

After checking out the start area I sat down in the shadow and had dinner and after wandered off to a more quiet place and wait for my time to start at 16h44. The first people would start this resistance march (it is not a race) just before 15h00 and after every minute a new group of people would start.

When the first people get under way I find a spot in the starting area and after a while by pure coincidence a friend, Barend and his wife Ingrid come to the same spot to wait for their moment to get under way, about one hore before me. We have a nice chat and then they go down and start walking. I do some last drinking and eating and then go down to the start and at 16h44 I start my 4th MM, as always running the first part. If the first part was easy in earlier editions, this time it was even more easy since the first 3km where all on asphalt and after a wide easy gravel road, so my pace was between 5m and 6m per km depending on the slight up and downhills of this section. Soon we start the descent into Aïguafreda and after a few switch backs we enter town, meanwhile chatting with people. Here I only make sure to have enough water, pick up an energy bar and some banana and continue my way onto the first climb. Just after leaving town we enter a single trail for a while and it is still crowded so for some minutes we go very slow. After that turn onto a much wider trail and everyone can go at their own pace, though as you can see in the pictures it is still very crowded here. Up higher the views of the cliffs here are amazing.

After the climb a short flatter section follows with a nice trail that winds through fields and then a second shorter and more easy climb up a rocky trail follows. Here I pass Barend and Ingrid and after fotos and wishing eachother good luck I am on my way again. 

From there on 

Finished in 14h28m52s

Long run in the Obac area

 In preparation for the Matagalls Montserrat later this year I decided to run part of it by daylight. The MM starts in the afternoon, so most of scenery we never see and I know from other visits to the area it is really beautiful out there.

I parked my car near the small hermitage, Mare de Deu de les Arenes, the path passes nearby but at night we would not see this at all. 

The first section is a winding path through the forest that slowly climbs up. At times you get a glimpse of "la Mola" though the route is not going up that far but passing on the left.

At some point it started to rain so I changed into the "bad-weather" gear quickly and continued. So far I have been running everything, at easy pace, but running, which during the MM most likely will be hiking on the uphills.

When I reach the highest point of this section it more or less stopped raining. The downhill is through a small village called Matadepera. For a training run it is not very interesting, during the race it is a welcome break of rocky mountain paths going down on asphalt for a while.

The section just after leaving the village is really beautiful, it is easy to run and the landscape is amazing and when you reach the highest point and cross into the next valley the views are amazing. At night you see the lights of Montserrat briefly.

The last part up to La Casa Nova d'Obac is relatively flat and very runnable. I take some time here to drink and eat and then turn back. I seems to be raining up ahead still and I see a rainbow very often and the dark back drop makes for spectacular views.

Near the end I of the training it is completely dark already so I get some running with a headlamp too during this training. Really happy to have gone out and do this, from now on it is a matter of taking it easy and prepare for race day, eventhough officially Matagalls Montserrat is not a race, but a resistance march.

Trail Catllarás - Marató 42k

 After the last race being cancelled after only 18km I looked for another I could fit into my schedule, and Trail Catllarás was perfect. After a few more weeks of training and a night of camping I arrived early in La Pobla de Lillet to prepare for a very warm day of trail running in complete contrast to the snowy adventure some weeks ago.

Sports Centre of La Pobla de Lillet

The finish and start area in Carrer del Verger

Early morning in La Pobla de Lillet

At 8 o'clock just over 70 runners left the village to not see much of civilization until many hours after. The route is almost completely through the woods and mountains. After less than 1 kilometer we hit the trails already. The sun is already out and though not running too fast I am feeling warm almost right away. Luckily the first part is alternating between sunny and shadowy trails. Most of them are single track but since we were not too many runners there is room for everybody and we don't have to wait in queue. The climb up to the first aid station especially near the top is very beautiful with the sunlight trickling through the rather dense forest and from time to time we pass massive rockwalls on our right. When back out in the open for a second the group I am running with lost the markers since one was displaced by the wind. Soon we see runners way higher up and find our way again and shortly after have a quick stop at the first aid station. Since the second aid station is only six kilometers after I make it short here.

First aid station - Monclús at 9km

After a while of very runnable climbing a long steep downhill follows. The downhill goes very well zig-zagging throug the woods, but right away after that we have an even steeper uphill without any sun cover and here, even though we are only two hours into the race I start to feel tired. Normally I can push hard on the uphills but today I feel I have no strength and go easy to make sure I just make it to the top. After an easy downhill follows which I can run again and shortly after we reach the second aidstation. This time I take some more time to eat and drink before I get underway again.

Second aid station - Xalet at 16km

I loose contact at this point with the group of people I had been running with for quite some time. I am still not feeling too well, and have to take it more easy and lower the pace. The next uphill is very gradual though and the landscape is very nice, changing all the time and when we get higher up a light breeze gives some much needed cooling and also most of the time we run under trees or in the shadow of rockwalls again. I make it to the next aid station without much change, but at least I can eat and drink well so I fill up again and get going again.

Third aid station - Collada de St. Miquel - 22km

The next part is the most technical one. Even though it is mostly downhill we are following a very narrow ridge and we have jump up and down rocks for a long time and at times have to climb down more steeper rock formations. Even though I start to feel better I am progressing much slower than I expected, but on the other hand I enjoy the adventure and the spectacular views the ridge offers from time to time. The very last part up to the next aid station is more easy and runnable again. The volunteers at the aid station here in St. Julià de Cerdanyola are very helpfull and even offer to poor water over my head at the small water fountain they have right there, which seems an excellent idea, since indeed I still feel very warm and the next part is a steep uphill without any shade.

Fourth aid station - Sant Julià de Cerdanyola 29km

Sant Julià de Cerdanyola.. and the next climb onto the ridge on the left

I did some calculations and since even go under 8 hours is no longer possible I take it easy on the next climb. The path is steep and rocky and crosses through grape terraces on the hills untill we hit the crest and continue climbing on a narrow trail through the moutains with some shadow from time to time, even though it is warm. The last uphill is more easy on the feet on a very wide path and the downhill the leads to the next aid station is very runnable.

Fifth aid station - Falgars 38km

Very tired, but still smiling

From here to the finish is only about 4km and mostly downhill. Just when I leave the aid station my watch, that can only handle detailed recording for 8 hours stops, so it is really a matter of head down and keep running from there on. We switch between rather steep and rocky trails to very wide and easy trails very often untill we start coming near to La Pobla de Lillet. The trails are very muddy and slippery here so it must have rained here before. On the other side of the valley a serious thunderstorm is developing and I hope to finish before it arrives. After some last winding throught the village I finished in 8h24m21s and headed straight for the Sports Centre. Soon afterwards it starts to rain very very hard so luckily I made it just before that.

Thunderstorm, hiding in the Sports Centre

video that shows more of the landscape and the adventure of today

As always many thanks to the organization and all the volunteers!!!