GARMIN EPIC TRAIL SKY 24K

Since the last race I gradually was able to start doing more quality training sessions and todays race, the GARMIN EPIC TRAIL SKY 24K, was an excellent test to see where exactly I am in my fitness. The race starts in a small town, Barruera, in the spanish Pyrenees in an area that is widely know as Vall de Boí, which is situated on the west side of the Aïgues Tortes National Park, a very beautiful alpine area with many many lakes, streams and pretty extreme mountains.

The track of the race was typical of the "Sky race" format, steep up steep down with quite technical terrain. We stayed in an appartment very near the start area, and I say "we" because in this race I was joined by my son Jordi. Sunday around 8 o'clock we walked to the start area, I was not feeling too great in my stomach so I did not do a warmup, Jordi did and after we went through the material check into the starting box and waited until it was our turn to start. The women started 15 minutes before us. Which helps in spreading out runners in the first kilometers. At 9h05 it was our time to start. The first kilometer is rather flat, for the same reason to stretch the field a bit, but as soon as we hit the first trail we had to stop running completely because of the jam the change of rhythm caused. Jordi started more up ahead than me so I hoped he had better luck and could move better here. After quite some time we started to get some sort of pace going. The trail is mostly narrow and climbs up to a village called Durro. On the uphill we will not enter the village, but cross just outside onto a more steep and rocky section. Some stopped here to drink water, but I still had plenty of water on me so I went straight passed. After the more section we turn onto some sort of ridge that does climb slowly and then flattens out until we come up to the next aid station at the foot of the long and steep climb to the top of the Corronco. I quickly will up my waterbottles and start the climb which is basically just walking up a mountain slope. There is not really a path eventhough all the feet that have passed here more or less created some sort of path but the steep incline will make it that with rain and snow everything moves around again. Many people start to struggle here, but I feel quite comfortable with my pace walking up step by step. It is the typical steep climb that seems neverending, in part because progress is slow when you go up very steep. At times the pace will drop to 50 minutes per kilometer because of the gradient of more than 40 percent. I reached  the summit of the Corronco in just over 2h30. Once again I quickly filled up my bottles and continued onwards, not knowing exactly how difficult the terrain would be on the crest of about four kilometers that lied ahead of us. The first thing that I already more or less expected was that would looks like a rather flat crest is actually rather steep down and then once again steep up and the terrain is only partly runnable for me. At points the path is so steep we have to use hands to climb up and climb down and at a few points the organization had put in place some ropes to assure a safe passage, but all in all I made decent progress. What helped a lot too is that up here there is a rather cool and strong wind blowing so I no longer feel very hot. The last part of the crest is somewhat more easy and then we start the downhill into the valley of the Boí-Taüll ski resort. Only the first few meters are somewhat tricky, the rest was just very steep downhill running with quick and short steps and I managed to run the whole part upto the next aid station in the ski resort where we were warned that the cut-off time was in somewhat less than 15 minutes. So I once again filled up my bottles and eventhough I took a bit more time here the fact that the cut-off time was very soon pushed me to just go. The next "small" uphill was way longer and steeper than expected. On the profile it looks way less than in reality but still I make good progress in spite of starting to feel tired. After that a long downhill section followed. First along a grass covered path and at some point we just go straight through the fields downhill. I can still run most of the section but at times I have to take some breaks to catch my breath a little bit. My pace is rather slow but going faster would not help to get to the finish faster, so I just tried to run as much as possible untill finally we are near Durro and run on asphalt for a while. By then I knew that I would go just past 6 hours. The passage through Durro is quick. Once again someone was spraying those who wanted with cold water. It is very warm and it helps to cool down a little. Leaving the village we enter a cobble stone path, so we have to watch out and carefully place our feet. Just after we pass a creek and before and after is quite muddy. At a water crossing the organization placed wooden planks, but in general I try to avoid wood, because it can become very slippery. A runner that passed at the same moment, indeed slid down when one of the planks moved out of place and luckily he managed to stay on his feet. The final part of the downhill is at least in the shade, though the forest is very humid. I was very happy to finally come out of the woods onto the last flat kilometer. My family was waiting at the end of the walking bridge just before the finish line and Jordi who arrived some 20 minutes before me ran with some meters before I entered the last meters to the finish line. I finished in 6h06m54s, very tired, but also quite happy since in general I had good sensations. After drinking and catching my breath for a while I joined my family to walk back to the appartment.

Jordi 5h45:24.94

Lurretza Gueñes Skyrace - 20k

For work I stayed in the Bilbao region for the weekend and found this 20k race in Gueñes that runs up to the Eretza mountain and back. I have done some training going up and down that mountain and I know it is both very steep and very beautiful.

After an early breakfast I made my way to this small town and it was still somewhat damp and misty when I arrived there. I seemed to have rained a bit during the night, but the weather forecast for during the race promised decent weather.

I walked to the start area and lined up for picking up my bib number. It is still cold this morning, but 

i decide to straight away go for just a T-Shirt guessing that it would be warm enough to run without a second layer. My plan for today was to try and run again for the first time in more than 2 months. To get a good feel for how my muscles are today I go for an easy warmup heading out of town a bit to do some up and downhill running. Just before 9h30 I am back at the start area and soon we are on our way.

The first stretch is on an old road, quite steep uphill, but wide which allows for the group to spread out. At some point we turn on to a smaller dirt path and we still are too many bunched up, but luckily this narrow path is short and soon after we are back to a wider path and from then on we are spread out enough to no longer have to queue on the uphills.

After a short climb on an asphalt road we start the real climbing for the first time. I feel perfectly fine and really happy to be out for a run today.

The last part of the climb to the first summit is really technical and the first section of the downhill is just the same. I take it slow and let other runners pass. Today most of all I want to finish without falls and losing some time is not a problem at all. After some slippery sections we finally make it to a much more runnable part.

From time to time we can see where we are going next, the peak of the Eretza. This part is really nice. Rolling single track paths that are very runnable and it doesn't take to long before we start the long climb to the top of the Eretza.

The second aid station is right at the bottom of the climb and we can see faster runners come down a very narrow and steep path that looks very tricky, but we start the climb on a wide path untill we take a left onto a what is a called a "Pedrera" a slope with loose rocks going up very steep.

 I scrambled my way up and have power enough in my legs to keep pushing in spite of the incline. Once at the top of this rocky section we continue on a narrow path with steep sections and gradually we climb above the tree line.

The last part to the top there is no path, just running and walking across the green grass surrounded by cows and horses. 

After a very short stop at the top it is time for the downhill. For a long time it is between steep and very steep, first on grass, then onto the narrow very technical path I mentioned before. Luckily there are things to grap a hold of to make sure I don't slip and fall and I make it safe back to the same aid station where I drink some water and then continue. 

The rest of the downhill is more easy to run with some flat sections and short uphills in between. I take it easy to make sure I don't push my body harder than I already did with this run and finished in 3h22m20s. Quite a bit faster than I expected and I am double happy with that.

As always many thank yous for the organization and volunteers for making the race possible and I will certainly come back if the calendars align.

Trail Vallforners - 28km

 For more than a month I have an issue with my left soleus. It is not torn, but inflamed, in spite of resting and after building up strength, running made it flare up twice, so I have to crosstrain for now. I already tested walking on a treadmill with a decent incline and that goes well and is ofcourse good mountain trail training since many uphills I will walk. I also tried on a local steep hill how downhill fastwalking plays out and that too does not bother affect the injury, so I wanted to try and see what that was like in a real trail race I had signed up for before the injury.

In the description of the race it was mentioned that it was not at all easy, so I hoped I could do a 5km/h average and make it back in less than de max time of 6h30 the organization gave us. The Trail Vallforners starts in a small town, Canoves - Samalus, on the south edge the Montseny Natural Park. I arrived early to pick up my bib and prepare for the race. It was very cold and also wind gusts and more cold was expected in the afternoon, so I put on 3 layers to at least leave and walk the first kilometers in warm clothes. Other runners were wearing gloves, but I didn't think I would need them. 

At 8 am we started and since I expected to go last anyway I started at the back of the pack with the sweeper crew just behind me. Soon I passed another guy that started out even slower and in the more steeper uphill section I passed many people. But most of them made up the time in the downhill, since walking downhill is just not fast at all. After passing the first aidstation at 5km in under the hour we started a second much more steeper and technical climb and the downhill afterwards was also very tricky until we turned onto a winding single track trail al the way to the second aid station around 12km.

 I was still doing a bit better than 5km/h on average and the winding trail continued for quite some time. All the way down to the Vallforners valley and then we started the second long climb of the day. 

Also very steep and technicall and at times my pace dropped well below 4km/h. At the end of the steep part of the uphill we arrive at  the "Ermita de Sant Salvador de Terrades". People dressed up as monks and were commenting every move of the runners and cheering us up with funny comments. Right next to the "Ermita" I briefly stopped at the aid-station. 

Almost 3 hours in now and soon after I have my first low. Luckily it only lasted for some 10 minutes and afterwards I feel normal again. The downhill is once again complicated and the fatigue results in sometimes almost loosing my footing, but I make it without falls to the the part where we enter a wider more easy path. Around 22km I arrive at the last aid station. 

Tired but still well on schedule for finishing under 6 hours. The last climb once again is tricky and steep as well as part of the downhill. At some point I was forced to briefly run downhill just to keep my footing, but I did not fall and continued. All foot muscles in the foot and ankle are on the edge of cramping. Very technical terrain and lack of training is a good combination for that. Finally we reached the end of the downhill and entered an almost flat and wide and easy trail.

I keep up the high pace walking eventhough it is somewhat slower than in the beginning and soon I arrive at the edge of Canoves were we first have to cross the creek that comes down from the Vallforners valley.

After that it is not long before we arrive at the finish and I was happy to have gone out and give it a go. I finished in 5h36m16s

Cursa Sant Antoni - 10k

 After the half marathon of last week today an easy 10k run near home. Recovery has been slow ofcourse and I have no expectations for todays run. The fun part is that Jordi, my son, also signed up and he was going to try and break 40 minutes. After yet another very very rainy day, today luckily we woke up to a rather cloudless sky, though it was very windy and cold. We left early and got off the metro at Plaça Catalunya to run to the  start area from there. We took of the warmer layers and left them in a backpack since we would certainly need them after finishing. In the drop off area I see one of my trail buddies, Barend den Drooge. He is running as an assistant runner with a visually handicapped runner.

The warmup was just some easy running and soon we entered our start boxes. I had arranged for Jordi to be able to start in the green box, but he forgot his bracelet so he would start more at the back. In the end that would not matter too much since his box was the first of the second wave, meaning he would have a clear road ahead of him as well.

At 9am we started our run and the first 2k is mainly being carefull and not fall since there are people that go slow up front and others that go fast coming from behind pushing and cutting you off. As soon as we turn on to Gran Via. As always I went out quite fast but I just went with it and up to 5k I was just behind 45 minutes pace. Just before the 5k marker Jordi passed me saying he was doing ok. After the 5k I slowly had to let the 4m35 pace go and around 9k I was close to 5m per kilometer pace. I saw on my watch that with a 4m50 I maybe could just go under 48 minutes, so the last kilometer I pushed a little bit and indeed just managed to finished under 48 minutes with a time of  47m59s. Jordi accomplished his goal and ran 39m25s, which for the amount of training he does is a very good result. Also this will help to get into a better box for upcoming races.

The coming weeks I will start training for the next Ultra season, but maybe I can slot in some shorter races.

La Mitja de Granollers - 21km

On the 29th of January, the day after the race in Castelldefels I made a wrong move training in the gym and injured my lower back. The day after I had an appointment with a Physiotherapist at KINEA, so instead of doing leg work we fully focused on the lower back. With a list of exercises to do every day and no running for what I expected to be at least a month my first concern was to at least be able to travel for work on the 12th of January.  The first week all movement was complicated and a week later at the PT and more release massage on the whole of my back the PT suggested to try some running to see if the body would tolerate that counting on muscle memory. So the next day I went to the gym to do an easy upper workout and then tried to run one kilometer. It was very uncomfortable, but at least I could finish 1k. Two days after I repeated and this time it was slightly more easy to finish 1k. The week after I did some slightly long runs of around 4k with some strength training in between and eventhough I was not at all sure I could run on sunday I did pick up my bib number for the half marathon of Granollers on saturday.

Back home I went to the gym to try and run 3k on the treadmill at a normal pace, and much to my surprise that went very well. So I decided to try for the impossible and go and run 21km.

The weather forecast was not too good, predicting rain througout the morning. On saturday it already had been raining very hard, so hopefully it was just less rain than the day before.

When I arrived and parked my car it was already raining, so I was happy to have taken with me full gear for bad weather.

I walked to the sports center where we could drop of a bag and changed into my running gear, more or less dressed as I would do for an ultra. 

Some people in spite of the cold and rain still went out in minimal clothing, but I did not want to risk catching a cold today.

Just about when I arrived at the door to see if it was still raining it seemed to have stopped so I left for a a short warmup run. It soon started raining again, and it didn't seem to be stopping soon. I went to the starting area and around 10h30 am we started our run.

My plan was to first just go slow and see what pace that would be. After the first very crowded kilometers it seemed like a good pace was around 5m15, which maybe would allow a sub 2h time. I passed the first 5k in 26m21 and I was just mainly trying to go easy and avoid the puddles that were everywhere. Slowly we left Granollers on our way to La Garriga, where we would turn around and go the same way back. Around 7km the front runners came by already heading back to Granollers. Meanwhile I was battling the short uphill stretches before reaching that town and passed the 10k marker in 54m13 already running 5m30 pace, but still feeling quite ok. The way back was more downhill though in the first kilometers upto about 16km we still had a few short climbs. I passed the 15k mark in 1h21m42s still feeling ok, but soon after I gradually had to slow down and when entering Granollers again, still under the pooring rain, I slowly lost pace and the final kilometers I did near 6m/km pace. I did manage to finish just under 2 hours, in 1h57m15s, which given the total lack of training I was very happy with. Also I did not have any pain in my lower back, which also was a good sign.

Next week a shorter run of only 10k, after hopefully a good recovery.

La Cursa El Capó Puja al Castell - 6,5k

 In stead of running one of the typical "last day of the year" races for several reasons I decided to such race a few days earlier. After quite a few days of really really bad weather in Catalunya we were very lucky to have being able to run without rain. I arrived early the Olympic Rowing Canal on the edge of Castelldefels near where my son goes to the UPC University. I picked up my bib number and slowly started my warmup. 

I had some small aches of the previous races and also my right foot had a stitching pain from time to time, buy luckily it seemed that I could run ok and the strides during the warm up felt ok, though not great, probably because of lack of speed training. Around 8h45 I handed over my backpack that the organization would carry to the finish area, since this race is not circular and eventhough it was rather good weather it was quite cold and putting on some extra layers when finished seemed like a good idea.

At 9am we where counted down and after a first few hundred meters of doing a slalom to advance slower runners I finally settled into a more constant pace. The first kilometer, because of all the passes I made went by very quickly in 4m11 (time on watch) which is very fast for me nowadays. The second kilometer I still could maintain that pace with 4m15 and then I slowed down a little bit to at least being able to breath and not overdo it and struggle to much to the end. The first kilometers we ran around the "Canal Olimpic", which is very flat and straight and after a bit more than a full round we turned right to go in direction of the center of Castelldefels and run up to the castle there. My pace dropped slightly to around 4m30 which I could hold without too much effort until we start the zig-zag climb to the castle which I could maintain in just under 6m pace. I finished with a decent sprint in 28m06. Very happy with how it went and also enjoyed the race a lot, maybe I will repeat in the coming years.

Jean Bouin - 10k

 Similar to last year, the Jean Bouin 10k fitted well into my agenda and we got up early to get to the starting area with time to drop of my bag and do a long warm-up. In the past week, after a very low volume week before, I did quite a bit of running and even some faster than 5k/min pace training. Just like last year I had no clue of where what my 10k pace is so I just tried to go on my feelings. The warm-up went quite well and with some 15 minutes to go I entered my box and tried to get as far up front as possible, knowing from last year that this race is very crowded and thus slow in the first kilometers. At nine o'clock we started our run and I managed a 4m40 first kilometer running very aware because of tight space we had to run in. Soon after we turn up to Gran Via which is very wide and allows for a more steady pace. The second kilometer, like last year, I ran at 4m30 pace and this time I could quite easily hold that up to the 5km mark where I passed in 22m36. Since I did not really do any training at this pace it was inevitable I had to slow done, but at least up to 7km I did maintain pace. With only 3km to go and also with the uphill of the Avinguda Parallel I slowed down a bit and only picked up pace in the last 500 meters to finish in 46m07s which I am very happy with. I expected to actually struggle go under 50 minutes so being close to 45m felt really good. More races in the coming weeks, enjoying the cold weather.