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