Training in Montserrat

Preparing for the marathon of Montseny last sunday (29/10) my training assignment for today was running 6 hours, goal distance 45km and do at least a full Vertical Kilometer close to race speed. Near Barcelona running a VK means either go to Montserrat or Montseny, or much further away to the Pyrenees, and Montserrat is by far the nearest place to go to and also has pretty good access by car. I also wanted to explore more in that area so I spent quite some time looking at maps and routes on the internet, having in the back of my mind that I might get lost, since maps and reality not always are easy to bring together. So there I was, somewhat after 6 in the morning. It was still dark and cold enough to decide and put on my jacket. Since I asked other runners about ways to drink water on my route and they all told me to bring water since some had had stomach issues with the water of the few fountains out there I started with a heavy backpack filled with water bottles and Powerade and some food. The first part was very easy, dark, but on a wide path slightly downhill from Vinya Nova where I parked my car to Collbató the nearest village. In Collbató I took a path that was unknown to me down the valley following a tiny stream. During the first kilometers that path was quite hard to run, with lots of small jumps, loose stones and bushes and other vegatation barring my way. It was starting to dawn now and slowly the path was becoming wider and more runnable and in the end was very comfortable up to the point where it ended at a small road. After a few hundred meters along that road and some exploring I found the next path that was almost fully overgrown which would take me to the Llobregat river.  Since it had not rained in many days the small dam was dry and I could cross without any problem.

At the other side of the dam I quickly took of my jacket and continued to run. The path  here is very easy and soon I have the Montserrat Monastery in my sight well above, with the first still reddish rays of sunlight making for spectacular views.

Soon I arrived at the Aeri of Montserrat where I have to climb up to the bridge to cross the Llobregat again to start my Vertical Kilometer. Just before I drank and ate since I didn't want to stop again untill reaching the summit of St. Jeroni. This part was more know to me so I concentrated on keeping the pace as high as possible without burning myself out. In half an hour I was at the Monastery still feeling strong and I continued for the second part of the climb that is not as steep as the first part having more almost horizontal stretches, but still the climbing parts are mostly steep stairs up and it was good mental training to keep running all the runnable parts. The last part up is quite unique, since this a very touristic area and without it the St. Jeroni summit would dangerous you climb up a very long concrete stairs to a small balcony with incredible views on all sides. Total time of the climb was 1h20. I think I can go a bit faster, but I still have many hours of running to go, so this should do for the VK training goal. Time to drink and eat and then go back down again.

On the downhill I continued the exploration following a path that was new to me, called el Cami dels Francesos. I was hoping to find a crossing with another path that would lead me to the far east part of the area, but I could not find where I had to change direction, so after stopping quite a few times and checking the map, I decided to go all the way down first and try to find the path from the other end. Between the Monastery and the St. Jeroni summit I had met quite a few people, running and walking, but in this area I was the first one to break the silence and after a few times of hearing mountain goats running way, suddenly I had 3 goats right in front of me. One was still very young and jumped away making screamy noises, but then the mother stopped after a few jumps and turned around and so did the other goat and the young goat and they stood still watching me. With gently moves I dug out my mobile phone and took a picture and then said goodbye to continue the way down along a very narrow path with loose stones, so I was happy when I finally arrived down.

 I am in a bit over three hours and have some 20k done now. I am near the place where I parked my car now, but I think I am still carrying enough water so I continue my way directly to Can Massana. The way up to this parking lot and picknick area is very runnable, always going up slightly, but along very easy paths.

That same day from Collbató they organised a local walking event so here I meet many people walking in the contrary direction following white plastic straps marking their route. Near Can Massana I literally run into one of the organizers who was checking those markers since someone had dedicated herself to removing them, so we had a chat will running up to Can Massana and the aid station they had set up there he invited me to some fruit and then it was time for good bye and heading for what I felt could be a difficult part. After going up a very wide and more easy path I found an indication for the PR-78, a much more narrow path, but at least very defined at that point. From the words I catch of conversations of the people I pass here, I understand that somewhere up ahead there was a mountain hut. But before reaching that hut suddenly the path goes up very steep in between rocks for maybe some 20 meters and half way people are stuck with two dogs. When reaching them climbing up I am not sure if I can help them, but then when climbing up I think that maybe I can, and soon after the dog that was resisting the climb is encouraged and after a fun moment of thank yous and happy dogs expressing their joy to be out in the mountains I continue my way to the mountain hut where I arrived very soon afterwards. From then onwards I learned that the east part of Montserrat is a whole different story. Following the route was hard, the paths where tough sometimes leading us over huge rocks with an impressive incline and at points all route markers disappeared and I stopped many many times to check my map and even went the wrong way at some point until I got the feeling that I was climbing too much and luckily found the path again after having turned back. I stay with other people that follow the same path here. I guessed I might loose more time loosing my way again, than when going at walking speed but having more eyes looking for the right direction. Finally I am back at el Camí dels Francesos, and understand why I couldn't find the PR-78 before, the marks on the rock that indicate the path are so much faded that it is impossible to know that you have to change direction at that point. Still the path itself has impressed me. It shows the more savage Montserrat and at many points has beautiful views.

The last part I run down at easy pace and after some 7h40m I am back at the car. My mobile was almost out of battery. I stopped the tracking app and somehow lost the part I did, but I have redrawn the route in wikilocs so for those interested here is the route, split up in four segments so they can be reused easily.

Vinya Nova - Aeri Montserrat
Aeri Montserrat - St. Jeroni - Vertical Kilometer
St. Jeroni - Can Jorba by Camí dels Francesos
Can Jorba - Can Massana - Camell de St. Jeroni

Vinya Nova - Aeri Montserrat
http://es.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=20661917


Aeri Montserrat - St. Jeroni - Vertical Kilometer
http://es.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=20663379


St. Jeroni - Can Jorba by Camí dels Francesos
http://es.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=20664716


Can Jorba - Can Massana - Camell de St. Jeroni
http://es.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=20666275

Nit del Mussol - 21k

My trainers at Tecnirunner are collaborating in organizing a trail run in Vallirana, near Barcelona, and handed out two free bibs to their trainees. I was one of the lucky ones. Running half a marathon through the mountains so soon after the Rialp Matxicots ofcourse had me in doubt about whether I would be fine all the way through, but in the training sessions I felt quite ok so I wanted to go out and enjoy. The special thing about this run lies in the fact that, as its name already suggests "Night of the owl", it is a run in the dark.

When I left Barcelona, more or less heading west, it was raining heavily. When arriving in Vallirana the rain was just about stopping and after a while I found a place to park the car and searched for the start area.

Start area in the sportcomplex of Vallirana

Hot sausages after the race!!!!

After picking up my bib number I started my warmup thinking that we would start at 19h00. But when that hour passed without any visible activity I asked, to learn they postponed the start for half an hour, which in the end turned out to be almost 40 minutes. So finally after a long wait we were shot counted down and started, with dawn setting in already. Luckily I already had put on my headlamp so I was prepared for the dark to set in.

The first kilometer leaving the village was along some streets of asphalt and then running along the edge on terrain that seemed not to be a regular path, more like a clearing in the bushes and we had to be very careful to not trip on trunks and roots. Then after a few more meters of asphalt we hit the regular trails. I went out fast to avoid any congestion so I could go at my own pace all the time. The first uphill is fairly steep with some almost flat parts in between. Near the top we have a first point of incertainty about where to go and the indications of the volunteer did not help much either, but we assumed we went the right way. After reaching the top a long and winding downhill followed along a very narrow trail. At a certain point when stepping aside to let some faster runners pass I slip and fall. Luckily the fall only produces some scratches and tiny wounds, but "the running parts" are intact and I continue at pretty high pace and soon make it to the first aid station. A quick drink of some isotonic and on we go. Soon I miss a direction marker at a part where the course makes a loop and I meetup with people at a much slower pace. I asked them if they passed any checkpoint and since they said no I understood I went off course and headed back. Since I was running alone and it was very dark from then on this would be the continuous doubt, since not at all points it was clear where to go.

 The course itself is very demanding, along narrow rather technical trails and I fall a second time bruising my knees and almost a third time nearly cramping up in the movements I made to recover my balance. After passing the second and last aid station and loosing my way again I slowed down.

Trying to finish in a good time with bad indications is pretty frustrating. Finally I arrived back in the village and picked up pace a bit to finish in 2h43h20 in 24th place. Not bad knowing about all the time I lost to find my way. All in all I have to say that, as the organizers state in the publicity, a race for experts, very demanding and technical where you have to be 100% attentive all the time, but also very beautiful. Knowing this was the first time they did the longer run I think it is very recomendable.

Rialp Matxicots 57k + 23k

After months of specific trail training with emphasis on improving running form in order to reduce the chance on injury it was Race Day again. Or on this occasion two race days in a row. "La Combinada" de Rialp Matxicots has split the longer ultra trail of 80k in two parts this year. The first part on saturday, 57km, has been made tougher, and the second part on sunday, 23km, has a more runnable course. I arrived in Rialp friday evening, and it was cold. From the village, far away in the distance, one could see the highest mountain the Montsent de Pallars we would climb tomorrow. It was almost completely covered with snow. Luckily the organization decided it was safe enough to maintain the original course. At least on saturday morning the weather would be good, cold, sunny and not too much wind. After the briefing it is time for a quick dinner, and going to bed early.

After a slightly restless night I wake up at 4am in the morning, to have breakfast, do the last preparations and leave the hostal in Sort to drive to Rialp and walk to the start area after parking the car. It is cold. We are all moving to stay warm until we are counted down to get underway. Without overdoing the pace I try to stay up front a bit in order to not get cought in the traffic. After some 30 minutes we pass through Altron and start to climb up to the village with the first aid station, Seurí, where I arrive after 1h14m. From there we have a very steep climb of some 1200m up. Luckily I dressed warmly and already was wearing gloves from the start, because the higher we go the colder it becomes. On this first climb I never really feel comfortable. I maintain rather good pace, but my legs are complaining already. Once we get to the top the views are really amazing and there is hardly any wind. I made a few photos quickly and without my gloves my hands freeze up in no time. So I put them on again quickly and continue with the short downhill to the next aid station at Coll del Triador where they have put up a big tent to give some shelter. I arrive here after 3h36m. Time for some hot soup and eating and refilling fluids, without taking too long.

Montsent de Pallars in full glory

Next up is the spectacular climb to the highest peak of the race, Montsent de Pallars, 2883 m. As soon as the steep part of the climb starts I feel like being out of breath. From the latest training sessions I learned that controlling my breath was key to controlling my hartrate so I try to figure out a way to maintain pace but also control my breathing. After a while I am moving up better, enjoying the spectacular surroundings. Near the top we have to pass a short stretch where we have to scramble up using our hands and soon after I make it to the top with breathtaking views all around of snowcovered mountains. With 4h57 in the legs the steepest climb with parts of 40% incline is done.

As always the volunteers were cheering us on and clearly enjoying as much as we did

Next up is a tricky part. A steep downhill with slippery snow. After some slips and nearly falling a few times I decide to approach the snow part in a more unorthodox way, lowering my bum to the path and sliding down pushing with my hands on the ground while still holding my walking poles. They call that "kulembachen" here what sounds german to me, but still is the local word to describe this technique. That way I advance a lot quicker and avoid injury. Soon after when I thought the path was becoming better I did slip and though I could break my fall without problems I slowed down untill the snowy patches really were gone. And then it was up again to climb the Montorroio. This climb is not too long and soon we reach the top.

 

 Thanks Olga Bergua for those 2 nice pictures arriving at the Montorroio

On the downhill to the next aid station it is time to face my first time of running a "tartera". It turns out to be actually quite funny. You more or less go jumping down a river of small stones and have to balance each time you hit the rocks since you slide down continuously. Apart from some tiny stones in my shoes that part went smooth. At the bottom, when I sit down to quickly empty my shoes, I have near cramps in my adductors, but I manage to avoid them and luckily don't notice anything when I am on my feet again. It doesn't take to long to get to the next aid station at Pas de Mainera. Outside a younger runner is lying on a stretcher covered in blankets and a few others abandon here. I feel lucky to have survived this part without problems and after quickly eating and drinking and refilling liquids I am on my way again for the last long steep climb to "les Picardes".

moving through the snow brings out huge smiles for most runners

Once again I focus on keeping my breath under control and steadily advance upwards. After getting to the highest point we run through the snow along a wide ridge. After a while we reach the part where the second "tartera" downhill starts. A volunteer explains us that the race organization decided to close the regular path because it was to slippery, but after having done the first "tartera", doing the second one was even more fun. Once again I empty my shoes at the bottom, no more signals of cramps this time and on we go. After a while of running a nice single track path that slopes down rather easy we arrive at the ski area of Espot Esqui. The last part to the aid station there is down a ski piste. Halfway down I run into Pau Vidal, a mountain runner from Barcelona who is waiting there to cheer for a friend.

After a quick chat and some pictures I continue and soon run into the aid station and have my second surprise encounter with Silvia Mora who is crewing her husband, so some more chatting and pictures before I go in and quickly go through all the bigger aid station moves. I change into lighter clothes here, since it was getting warmer. When we leave we have a material check and when coming outside the weather has suddenly changed and I quickly put on a windstopper and the say goodbye to Silvia and run down to where the next climb will start. Everywhere I look, clouds are gathering and the wind is picking up quite a bit.

Last year this climb and also the long downhill afterwards were very hard for me but not so this time. When climbing up it starts hail, but the soft kind the people here call "aigüa-neu". It is not really persistant so for now I continue with only wearing the windstopper. The uphill goes pretty fast and the downhill I go running all the time. Along this stretch I meet the same people back and forth since I go somewhat slower but very steady and others stop from time to time. Since I knew this part would feel endless I just focused on moving forward not thinking too much and drink and eat and then the hermitage Mare de Deu de la Muntanya shows up way below and soon before getting there the path becomes wide and easy. Here I meet Amaia, a female runner, again and I cheer her on to at least keep running. Soon after another runner, Toni, is resting at the side of the path and I asked him to join us. He said he was tired and so we continued, but some time later looking back it seemed that at least he was up and running again. Soon we arrived at Caregue. After having fun talking with the volunteers here we quickly continued. For a while we heard thunder in the air and from time to time it slightly hailed but the real thunderstorm had not reached us yet. A quick downhill follows, and then an uphill following a creek, that takes longer than expected, but finally we reach the highest point. From there we can look into the Rialp valley to see dark clouds everywhere and rain falling down in a dense curtain up ahead. The next village, Surp, is not too far away and just when we get there it starts to rain more seriously. There is a small aidstation here so under the cover I change into my waterproof jacket and on we go to the last climb. Once again this takes longer than expected, also because we don't see where we have to go. Finally we reach the highest point where we have a time checkpoint and then go down. The last downhill. The first part is easy, zigzagging down a wide easy path, but at some point we change onto a narrow path that goes much more steeper. We run to Rodés and continue downhill. Both Amaia and Toni are really tired now and after a while we decided to walk down untill we came onto a better path. And soon we were arriving at the edge of Rialp and then crossed the line the three of us together. Me knowing that I still had to do 23 more kilometers tomorrow. So I ate and drank and then went quickly back to the hostal to rest and get ready for tomorrow, but very happy with how the first part was for me. I finished in 13h27m52s.

The next day I stepped out of bed around 6h45. Outside the dark black of the sky was slightly turning to darkblue already and when I was done with breakfast and the preparation, the sun, though still hiding behind the mountains is already anouncing herself. Once again I drive to Rialp and huddle up with the runners in the start area untill we are shot away. With some muscle stiffness I decide to take it easy the first kilometers. Maybe that was not very smart.

in the middle "hiding" with the yellow headband

 After running along the paved road that leads into Rialp for a while we take a turn left crossing a bridge and soon after we enter a path that still allows for 2 people running next to each other, but some hundred meters after there is a short steep downhill causing us to jam up. And the single track afterwards is the same. We slowly climb up and my pace is higher than the people in front of me but passing is difficult. Only shortly before arriving in Sort around the 6km mark I feel like running at my own pace finally. Next up is a somewhat steeper climb and another time checkpoint very soon after the one in Sort. The next part alternates climbs with horizontal and downhill running through the woods and fields, which is really a great feeling. And soon I arrive in Altron with only 7 km of 23km left. One more uphill, which we already did yesterday and then a steep downhill and I am back in Rialp crossing the finishline in 3:54:08 and a total time of part 1 and 2 of 17:22:00. 56th in the overall ranking and 21st of the veterans.

 Near the highest point of the last climb

Thanks to the organization and volunteers for making it happen again!! And thanks to all the runners I shared the experience with. I enjoyed the experience from the first to the last second!!!

Cursa La Maquinista - 10k

The plan was to go for 39 minutes. But after a week of 35 ºC and above and less sleep than normal I was not sure what I could do this morning. Also the course has quite some climbs in it, so all in all not really good circumstances to run fast. I arrived on time at the other end of Barcelona do warm up and prepare for the race. Once again we started at the edge of the Commercial Centre La Maquinista, what makes for a less than perfect start since it is very narrow the first 100 meters, then a turn to the right and soon after that and a second turn into a wide street where we soon can settle for a pace. I pass the first km in exactly 3m54 and the second in 7m44, but I feel like I have to work to hard to maintain that pace. After 3k I am still on pace, but the next 3k is full of streets going up noticably and I have to slow down there. When reaching the highest point I am tired already and it is very very warm and humid so the last 4k to the finish I don't really push hard. Just running to finish, since breaking 39 minutes was clearly impossible today. In the end I finished in 41m48, considering all not too bad. Now back to the mountains for a race in september.

Cursa Diagonal DIR - 10k

After only one week of recovery another 10k on a course more flat so better for setting a Personal Best. I went running from home to the start area at the beginning of the Diagonal some 30 minutes at easy pace. I dropped my bag and did some more warm up exercises. Today it was really warm in spite of starting at 8h30 am. I am still far away from feeling strong at the start but at least some little pains I had during the week have subdued and I can run comfortably. The start is smooth and we have space inmediately, but to my surprise in spite of running fast I pass the first kilometer in 4 minutes. So I up my pace a bit and I am even more surprised to pass 2k in 8 minutes. I start to doubt about the validaty of those markers, also hearing more comments of runners around me. At 3k all of a sudden I am running near 37 minutes pace passing in 11m10. That is going to cost me later on, having started so fast, with the marker confusion. I try to stay relaxed and keep pace and pass 5k in 19m19s which is way to fast. Just after the 6k marker we leave the diagonal for a while and that part of the course goes up and down quite a bit, so I take it easy here going up to above 4m/k. Once back on the diagonal I am tired and try to get back at 4m/k pace. The kilometers are still marked chaotically so I can only run as fast as I can now and I will know at the finish line whether it was enough or not. So after the final turn I push out some sort of a sprint and finish in 39m41s. Judging the irregular pace I think that is a great time. In 3 weeks the next 10k race, though training will shift more to mountain running.

Cursa Nou Barris - 10k

While at the other side of planet Earth Kilian Jornet has started his run up the Mount Everest for me a more modest challenge, running another 10k two weeks after my first one in a long time and after some pretty good training. Eventhough I prepared well, I arrived later than planned at the start area and also with a suspicious rumble in my stomach. The regular visit to the toilet some 25 minutes before the start showed that indeed my digestive system was quite upset, so I was just hoping for the best today. After a minute of silence in remembrance of a woman, member of the organizing athletics club, who recently passed away, we were shot away. It was already warm and I was sweating in spite of very little warm before the start. The front group stretches out quickly and running is comfortable right away. Because of my stomach I took it easy and inmediately stayed with the 40m pacer, together with some 30 other runners. The first 2k go by in 7m50, and then kilometers 3 to 5 are the hard ones of this race, 2 sharp turns and some streets that are uphill make running at near 4m/k pace a tough thing to do. Still, with some struggle and practicing deep breathing at times as I did in some of the training sessions I managed to arrive at the midway point in 20m10 still in the group of the 40minute pacer, a very cheerful guy that is continuously talking and checking upon us and letting us recover during the 6th kilometer, which is flat. We pass that mark just under 4m/k pace and he anounces that during the next 2k he will up the pace a bit since we go downhill so we will arrive at 8k just under 40minutes schedule. Up to 8k I am following quite ok, but then I very very slowly start to tighten up and really have to push to follow the group that is only some 10 runners now. After the 9k marker, where we pass with 35m55 I know that as long a I don't blow up I can probably finish under forty minutes sprinting a bit at the end. So I let the group go though the gap is never more than 20 meters and when we enter the athletics stadium I push out a controlled but pretty fast sprint to break 40 minutes for the first time since january 2016 finishing in 39m54s. The coming weeks 2 more 10k races and then it is back to the mountains.

Cursa Bombers - 10k

Finally!!! Running again and starting to enjoy it!!! In spite of recovering well of the triple ultra trail effort last year I guess more deep down my body needed some rest. After many years of repeating 10k training during fall/winter/spring, changing into marathon training in spring and then into mountain running for summer and fall without any breaks somewhat before Christmas last year I had to stop. After a full break of about a month and then a slow and easy start combined with a rest squat program my knees accepted running again. Last month I already had a fun first appetizer, running the Cursa del Corte Ingles with Emma and Jordi. Last week I went to Montserrat with the Collserola Mountain Runners and today it was on!!! 10k. No clue about what pace I could hold sustainably and with sore muscles of last tuesday's sprint training, so my warm up mostly consisted of just running around in Parc de la Ciutadella near the start area with some easy accelerations and nothing else. Somehow they still give me access to the fastest start box, though my times of the last years no longer are compatible, but it allows for a much smoother start. Some five minutes after the firefighters were shot away (they run in full outfit!!!! hats off for them!!!) we were shot away and the first 2k went by quite ok, though the sore muscles don't allow for perfect smooth running. Today will be more like a training in many ways. The first 4k are mainly uphill, not much, but enough for making it noticable, and when I finally arrive at the highest point I know running under 40 minutes will be impossible. I pass the 5k marker in 19m56, but already somewhat tired. I can maintain the 4m/k pace untill the 7k marker, after that my hamstrings start sending signals that they are running at the limit so I slow down a bit and run the last 3k at a very steady pace but without sprinting to finish and as such my final time was 40m41 today. Last year around the same time I remember I also struggled to go under 40 minutes, so I am very happy with how I felt today. Two weeks of recovery and training and we will run the next 10k!!!