After a busy week I have finally time to share my story of the Ultra Pirineu 2021 with you. As said in previous posts, the preparation for this 100k - 6600D+ race was far from perfect and though I had no pain or serious doubts about my right achilles tendon, I was in it for just running through the mountains for as long as I could without compromising the tendon.
After a short night sleeping at the Bagà Balsareny Campsite I woke up just before 4am, ate some breakfast, and got ready for the 15 minute walk to the start area. I arrived nice and early eventhough there were quite a few runners there already and soon the small square in the center of Bagà, la Plaça Porxada, was full, music was started and at 5h30 am we were shot away. In spite of being in the second starter group we started moving quickly and after some minutes of walking through the narrow main street we entered a bigger square and after a wider street where we could easily run. Ofcourse my goal was to go easy without having too many runners pass me either, since I suspected that at some point some narrow path would create a traffic jam. For at least 30 minutes though we moved with a lot of room and alternated running and walking fast depending on the slope. At some point indeed we made a left turn onto a narrow path and also steep up on a very rocky section and here the whole pack slowed down considerably, but passing was impossible, so it was just a matter of following the run in front of you. It was still pitch dark, though the many headtorches made finding your way easy. The path passes a road twice and in spite of the early hour there is people cheering the runners on and somewhat sooner than expected I arrived at the first aid station, Refugi de Rebost, 10k and 1100 D+ done. The stop here ofcourse was minimal and just after there was a pretty steep section. By now we had spread out more and each runner could move at his own pace. Also at times we can see the horizon now where the black is turning into shades of dark blue. After the steep section the path still goes up but we can walk at a very good pace and enjoy the early morning and the sun slowly coming out just in front of us. About 2km before reaching the highest point of the race all of a sudden we are much more exposed and the temperature drops quickly with the combination of an at times strong breeze and the cold at altitude. We no longer need our headlamps and after not too long we can see the next aid station Niu d'Aguila in the distance.
Refugi Niu d'Aliga - 2520m
When I get there I eat and drink and fill up my bottles, but decide not to stay long because of the cold. Standing still is you cool down very quickly and also we would go downhill and be once again protected against the wind. 3 hours and 20 minutes have passed since the start and in the downhill I start to have my first low energy moment. This is quite normal for me, around 3 and 8 hours into a race that happens to me, so I just bear with it and run downhill as fast as I can. I expected this part to be harder, but also the next section that goes through a rather dense forest to be more runnable, for me at least, but it is too irregular and inclined most of the times in order for me to run. I guess this is also because of lack of training, I clearly feel I don't have the same strength, but I do enjoy the experience. Slowly we are approaching a intermediate summit, Penyes Altes de Moixeró, both the uphill before and the downhill after are very rocky and technical, and as such also very slow. At one point we even rappel down a big rocky section. After quite some time of jumping rocks we enter a first mountain meadow and we can run again, but here I start to feel tired already. After another forest section a long meadow section follows and I try to run as much as I can, but also feel I am not advancing very fast. After the meadow we turn onto a wide path until we take a right turn and go steep down into the forest again for some 2km. We end up on a winding path through the low part of a valley and at the end cross a small creek and climb up a few hundred meters to where the third aid station is, Refugi el Serrat de les Esposes. I arrive here on schedule, though it felt like having lost a lot of time.
It is mid day now, and I take somewhat more time to eat and drink. I also take off my second layer since it is quite sunny and the next uphill is right in front of us and looking very hot. The next section should be easy apart from the first steep climb, but that very uphill takes a long long time. And after I have not too much energy to run at good pace and what should be a less than 1 hour section turns into 1h30 hours. When I arrive at Refugi Cortals de l'Ingla there is not much that I would like to eat, they offer many things, but just nothing seems to be right for me at that moment, so I decide to concentrate on swallowing down gels over the coming hours to get some energy in. The pace up to hear has been slow and the only good thing is that I am at least in good company with a few other runners that go at about the same pace. After the quick stop a long and steep section follows, up to Coll de Pendis. Arriving at the pass is not the highest point and the next section along a mountain ridge is very nice, but slow. It is around 2 p.m. now and both my feet are painful, my left foot hurts below the bump that is the end of the Tibia and my right foot hurts at my big toe and somewhere in the Tallus area on the right. I am running in rather new shoes and also my feet maybe just aren't much used to running long after all the injuries since last year december. Slowly we reach the highest point of the ridge and the downhill at parts is runnable. We are a group of about 6 now and stay together untill just before the next aid station, Refugi de Prat d'Aguiló. This is the last aid station before meeting up with my family in Gosol.
The weather in a short period of time has changed from rather sunny to very cloudy and it is freezing cold at the next aid station. The people there urge us to put on clothes and after drinking and eating and preparing for the steepest climb of the race I put my self in motion again. The first steps are the hardest and with the strong wind blowing here it is rather cold. After some minutes I start to feel much better and decide to not take out my gloves and other even more warm clothing. The first half of the climb I go alone. Tired, but knowing that I will arrive much later than planned in Gosol I try to keep good pace up. The energy low is not as strong anymore and actually this steep part is very entertaining to do. The views are also amazing. Near the end I am once again in a group of several runners and soon I arrive at the second highest point of the race around 2400m altitude. After a quick moment of enjoying the views I continue. Most people can run here, but for me that is harder and harder, so I alternate running and walking as much as I can. The first part here is almost flat and after while a very long downhill starts. Here I force my self to run, it is slow, but faster than walking. Meanwhile I enjoy de scenery of this valley behind a very well know mountain in this area, el Pedraforca. After what seem an eternity I arrive at the lower part of the valley, but have no idea how long I need to arrive in Gosol, but keep contact with my family and try to give them hints of my progress. After still quite a while some indications say 2km what at my pace could be 30 minutes still, I try to run as much as possible on a very rocky path that leads downhill through the woods straight to the village of Gosol. I arrive there just before 20h, 2 hours behind schedule and only 1 hour before the time limit. Montse is waiting for me at the edge of the village and together we walk to where her brother and parents are waiting for me as well. I sit down a minute on a bench and we talk a bit. Then I enter the aid station, and after a while inside I decide not to continue. All in all I was very happy already with being able to do what I had done so far, with 60km of high mountains and with the night starting and under time pressure the risk of injury for me was just too high, but still very happy and certainly to be repeated some day, though before I will do shorter races until I feel fully ready for such a long run.
As always many thanks to the organization, the volunteers in all the aid stations and to my family for supporting me up to the race and during the race.
Click here to see a video of moments throughout the race.
