The busride is quick and after a short walk up to the centre square of Bellver de Cerdanya we wait untill it is 6 o'clock and can start to move. This time I did not carry the GoPro, since I wanted to concentrate on running and finishing. I was not at all sure whether I would be able to do so and shooting pictures takes time.
I only took a few with my mobile phone, though they are coming short in many aspects to show the beauty of the route and also the different aspects of the race.
When the church bells chant their 6 count we set off. It is still dark and have to use headlamps. After a short tour of the village we run down to the bridge that crosses the main river of the valley and then start the long climb with a first aidstation somewhere halfway. I try to take it easy, but still pass other runners in the first kilometers so I can move at my own pace. When we reach the first aidstation in a small village called Ordén I am well ahead of my schedule and eat something and fill up my waterbottle. We pass through a second small village, Talltendre, and then start a more inclined part up to the first summit of the course. Soon after the sun is making his slow but sure appearance.
It was hard to not make pictures all the time...
and on we go.. higher and higher.. to some 2500m and then back down
The uphill part went quite well, the downhill however was harder for me. With both achilles tendons and my left hip sensitive it takes a while to get into a rhythm for running downhill. When we are back on a trail this quickly improves and soon I arrive at the second aid station set up in the middle of a big field, Pla de Matons. Almost 2h30 for 15km and ahead of schedule. Yesterday during the briefing an expert in nutrition explained that eating solid food is very important. So far I would only drink a lot and eat fruit, but I wanted to try and follow the advice, so I ate a second piece of bread with peanut butter and some ham and toasted hazelnuts, along with banana and melon. I refilled my water and Powerade bottles and off we went to reach the highest point of the course.
after some more downhill and some creek-crossings we reach a bigger creek which we will follow upstream just about all the way.
for quite a while we follow a smaller branch of the creek really walking it as a path
soon we reach the tree limit and the aspect of the mountains changes, far away we can see Refugi J. Folch, where we will turn left for the steepest part.
past the mountain hut we pass a more shallow plane with a few mountain lakes, certainly a place to go back to some day hiking!!!
finally the highest point of the course is in sight, Portella d'Engorgs, 2691m, tough, but also very beautiful.
Once reaching the pass it is steep down again. Though I am not going as fast as quite a few other runners I am happy with the pace I can run down. I still feel a bit clumsy with the running poles and at some point almost trip myselft, but also they helped enormously when I slipped one time and almost completely could brake the fall as well as helping at points with bigger jump downs between rocks. Soon I arrive at the next aid station and I take some time to eat and drink and refill. I continued and then, luckily, after a minute or so discover I forgot my running poles that I had left on the ground when refilling, so I turned back and a friendly runner came up to me to hand them to me, saving me some 50 meters, and then it was downhill time again, for quite a while untill we would start a very steep though not too long uphill. I struggle a bit during that uphill. I was not completely recovered yet from the long uphill before and stopped for a few seconds from time to time to catch my breath. Once finished the uphill we run through the forests near a very well known mountain hut, Refugi de Cap del Rec. This part is almost flat and once again, I don't run fast, but at least I run. I did not completely memorize the whole course, so this part takes longer than I expected, but finally I arrive at the aid station. I am underway for 7h12m now and on schedule for what I thought would be the fastest possible, though I thought I would not be able to run that pace while not exhausting myself too much. So I took quite some time to eat, drink and rest and talked a while with Silvia, the wife of fellow runner Andrés, who was going at more easy pace behind me. Also finally I could contact with my support crew, my wife and son, since in the high mountains there was no coverage. And then on we went, with running poles - I quickly learned to double check that - mostly downhill to a small village, Viliella and after passing a nice waterfall a last not too steep climb to Coborriu which is more of less half way. Just over 9 hours and well over an hour faster than I expected. I don't spend too much time here and continue. Far away above the mountains dark clouds are appearing, but meanwhile where we are, the sun is now shining down on us in full force and the heat is very noticable, though not yet unbearable. Up next is a longer stretch with two steep uphills back to the second aid station Pla de Matons. The climb is going quite ok, but once at the higher and more flat part running feels like too much effort so I walk mostly. And then it starts to rain and in soon after we are in the middle of a thunderstorm with lightning all over the place. I took shelter for a while and changed into rainclothes but after a few other runners pass I decide that staying out there alone is not a good idea either so a go as fast as I can, forcing to run, to reach the next aid station as fast as possible. It starts to rain harder and harder and also the wind picks up and then I get to the aid station, hardly stopping, only eating some pasta and drinking a bit, and then going downhill to Meranges where my family is waiting for me. The path downhill has changed into a muddy river that I try to avoid as much as possible, soon I see Meranges at the other side of the valley. The last part is uphill on a paved road, and there Montse and Jordi are waiting for me. It is raining here, but not too hard. I am really happy to make it to this aid station.
After a while the parents of Montse also arrive at the aid station and soon after it starts to rain very very hard. Some runners quit here, others are in much doubt, but not me, so when someone of the organization announces that if the rain continues much longer they might call the next aid station as being the last one I quickly get ready and say goodbye and get on my way again, just when it seems to stop to rain.
I am quite tired now. The uphill is rather steep and higher up is like a long stairs of irregular stones. At the higher part we wind through a forest with huge stones scattered all over, and also the rain has changed this flatter part into rather muddy place. Once again this part takes a long time and since I don't have any reference it only takes longer. We pass a camp site next to a lake and then the Meranges mountain hut and on we go, past a almost dried out lake and higher up again in between big stones untill we reach Estany de Malniu, sometimes called lake the Meranges, which is covered with a faint fog and all quiet.
The path follows the border of the lake. But the rain has changed the path into water puddles and I carefully make my way to the point where we start the downhill to the next aid station. Soon it is getting dark. At quite a few points I find it hard to find the route winding through the dense forest and have to try left, right and straight ahead untill finding the next marker. I know I am loosing time here and even we I come to a more open part finding the route remains difficult. Most markers are quite far apart and I am in doubt many times up to a point where I really don't know how to go on. After trying to find the next marker I call the organization and after a while trying to explain where I am and figuring out which way to go I am back on track again. Soon I arrive at the next aid station Fontanera. Silvia is waiting for Andrés here. I lost a lot of time and now I am back at the original schedule and probably I will arrive later than planned, so I do not stay too long here. The next part up to Guils is all a matter of walking as fast as possible and going on and on. I think that at day time this is a beatiful forest but for me it was a constant worry of not missing any marker and even more so after having actually missed one and having to turn back after not seeing any for too long a time. After a last uphill and a long, very steep and very tricky downhill with loose stones I finally arrive at Guils. Leaving Guild once again I cannot find markers and in the village I get lost a bit trying to find my way back to the aid station. Once back there someone offers to show me the way and he agrees with me that a few more markers would help there. And then we are on our away to Puigcerda. What should be an easy 6k and a bit more than 1 hour, takes longer and longer and though I can more or less see Puigcerda it seems like I am not really getting any closer. When we finally go down, the approach is still going in zig zags that seem completely unnecesary and also judging the time needed we are covering much more distance than 6k.
When finally thinking that I am entering Puigcerda a police officer and another runner that had already finished told me I had to do 4 more kilometers and that made me mad. I no longer had any idea of what was going on and where exactly I was so even when I actually was almost near the finish line I still had the idea of having almost an hour to go, which would be close the maximum 22 hours. I called Montse and explained the situation. She was already waiting at "the Stairs" of Puigcerda and asked me to describe where I was, since she had stayed many summers in the city and knew it quite well. She told me I was almost there and soon we met, me still being very upset and not really able to enjoy the fact that I would finish another Ultra.
I am sorry to have spoiled that moment, though being so tired seems to make emotions less controllable. In hindsight I have learned many many lessons to do better next time and I think it was one of the best Ultras I ever ran, in spite of the lesser ending.
The last meters in Puigcerda, forgot to switch of the headlamp
and yes.. I felt hazy :D
Many thanks to the support team Montse and Jordi, Montse's parents, Emma from home, and Silvia and Andrés. Also many thanks to all the volunteers!!! The food was great, especially the melon, and you were great support throughout the day. And ofcourse thanks to the organization. Barring the extra 4k surprise in the end and the road markers I think the course is espectacular and exceeded my expectations.
So I finished in 21h03m44s. More to come soon!!!
Still a bit uncomfortable, but we are back to running after a month of injuries and other health problems.
