Ultra Trail Emmona - 110k

This is the second ultra I did not finish, but this time I am not really disappointed. I gave it all I had, enjoyed it a lot, untill hours of very cold and hard wind made me decide that for my health it was better to end the adventure before finishing.

Check out this video for more impressions!!!

After leaving around 4h15 in the morning from Ribes de Freser where I was staying in a bungalow with my family I drove to Sant Joan de les Abadesses. I was lucky enough to find a place to park right away and soon was on my way to pick up my bib number.

Sant Joan is a really nice old village in the Pyrenees with many historical buildings, and in one of them they had us picking up our numbers and outside a bag with merchandize and the dropbag we would pick up at two thirds of the race.

After the regular preparations we were "warmed up" by great music and just after six o'clock in the smoke of many firecrackers we were shot counted down to the start. After leaving the village by the old bridge we soon left the urban area and entered a nice forest and started our first ascent. Most part of up to the first check point was quite runnable though we were climbing fast and soon were high enough to great the sun.

Gooooodmorning!!!

At the first checkpoint I quickly ate some fruit and continued.

First checkpoint

Next was the steeper part of the first ascent. Soon we were out of the forest and climbing slowly in a long line of runners, or hikers at this point.

Climbing Puig Estela (2013m)

Without to much effort I reached the summit and after a first easy downhill part we encountered a really really steep kind of meadow where we had to go down.

At the top of Puig Estela

It was still early morning and the grass was slippery. Luckily there were not too many stones here so the unavoidable falls did not hurt too much, only made us slow down even more to keep our footing.

Pardines

After a while the downhill was becoming more easy and then we were back on trails and advancing fast to the next checkpoint in a little village called Pardines.

Check 3 at Pardines

Once again I ate some fruit and refilled my bottles and soon was on my way again to continue with a longer and steeper ascent than the first one.

Serra de la Canya

Somewhere halfway between Pardines and Coll de la Marrana, the fourth checkpoint is set up. Once again only a short stop to eat and refill. I am still feeling ok, though already feeling the 2000 meters we have been climbing so far. A bit more than 6000 meters of climbing to go.

The morning was very bright and gave spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and valleys!!!

The first patches of snow. Soon we would cross one. Somewhere here we have to pass a rather inclined part where I loose my footing for a second and in the slip bump and cut my knee. Luckily it was nothing to worry about and after 20 meters of walking slow and rubbing my knee I continue running whenever I can.

Before starting the final ascent to the second highest mountain of the race, we enter a long valley where the river Freser is born. Here I am starting to feel tired and eventhough it is going slowly downhill and the path is runnable from time to time I walk more often to rest for the climb to come.

The valley is very very nice!!!

Then the real climb starts, going up really steep!!!

About half way we pass the next checkpoint, Coll de la Marana. It is colder here and I put on my windstopper. After eating, drinking and refilling I continue to what is said to be the most difficult part of the race.

Coll de la Marrana

The first of the summits of the ridge we will be following is the Bastiments (2881m). It is the second highest of the whole course. Mainly the whole range is a pile of stones at some parts filled up in between so there is some sort of path. The going is very irregular, you have to take good care of each step and also very steep and once up we can see most of the range we will go along up and down for next few hours.

At the top of Bastiments (2881m)

A "selfie" at the top of Bastiments

For hours at best the path will be like this

Following the ridge to Pic del Freser (2835m)

Pic de l'Infern (2869m)

Breathtaking views

The descent to Vall de Nuria is slightly better, at some parts flat at other parts steep and stony, but I am rather tired and I walk most of this downhill.

Descent to Vall de Nuria

Down in the valley my family is waiting for me. Jordi was scouting and as soon as we met he sprinted back to warn Montse and Emma who were ready to make pictures. I really appreciated them being there, though it did not really show, since I was tired and needed a break and rest and eat. Also bearing in mind that the highest mountain was still to come.

Arrival at Vall de Nuria where my Super Support Team is waiting for me!!!

Tired ... time for a good rest and eating and drinking with my family!!!

Checkpoint before Puig de Finestrelles (2829m)

Vall de Nuria from the other side

Every time we reach a summit there is yet another one to climb

Finally the Puigmal (2914m) in direct sight

Eventhough the pictures look nice and sunny at this point it is very windy and rather cold up there. I am advancing slowly, though happy now to be more and more near the summit of Puigmal. By the time I get to the top, the wind has picked up in force and it is freezing cold. I tried to make a picture but my hands are too cold to get that done and it is not a place to stay for long. The downhill from there to the next aid-station and checkpoint is only 5 kilometers, but it is steep down and were others can run I can only walk and as such I advance little and am exposed for quite a while to the wind that picks up in force even more and becomes colder and colder as the sun sets. By the time the checkpoint is near I decide that it is better for me to abandon the race here. I can endure a lot, but under circumstances I prefer to conquer this course some other time. I do not regret anything, it is an amazing race and you really have to be in good shape and distribute your energy well and also have experience at these altitudes and with this terrain.

Gràcia - Montserrat 62k

Very happy with how this non-race went (Gràcia - Montserrat is a so called resistance march and there is no winner, all that matters is arriving). After a first rather fast part and a second very demanding part because of the climbs and downhills as well as the difficult trails I finished in 9h06. Many thanks to Sergi, a fellow runner who knew the route and I just tagged along untill the last steep climb to the Montserrat Monastery.

Of the first part I made a short video, during the second part I only took some pictures.

After picking up my control card we had to stamp underway and receiving a T-shirt we gathered around the Town Hall of the neighbourhood Gràcia in Barcelona to wait for 5 o'clock in the afternoon, meanwhile looking up to the dark sky. Minutes before the start it actually started to rain and many people took out their raincoats to put them on. I judged from the colour of the sky in the direction we would be heading that it wasn't going to be that bad and left my raincoat in my backpack.

At 5 o'clock we where "shot" away with a noisy firecracker, picked up our green plastic drinking cup and after fumbling it into my backpack I was underway. Contrary to the ultra-race starts only few people were running, after all it is a resistance march. A few were setting a very high pace, but I was determined to take it easy in order to save strength for the later stages of the course. It was strange to run through all the familiar streets, under the light rain, and making way to the edge of the city to enter the natural park Collserola.

Once across Ronda de Dalt we have a first short but steep uphill and I walk up. After a minute I start running again when the trail flattens and soon I am on the Carretera de les Aïgues where I do a lot of my training. It has stopped to rain by now. After about a kilometer of running flat we go up really steep and soon hit the stairs of la Font del Mont. From what I have seen at this moment there is only one person before me and one just behind. I expected to have more runners on the course. I kept nice pace going up the stairs and shortly after reaching the top we have the first checkpoint. Here I went the wrong way, but the runner behind called me back and we enter Collserola passing el Font de la Budellera heading towards Vil.la Joana.
When we pass there people are still setting up what will be the first aid station, but having plenty of water we both continue on to a short downhill. A long uphill follows, starting with a really narrow trail that later becomes wider, no sign anymore of any runners, what suprises me. I keep an easy pace and once at the top following the crest started running again. Just behind a landhouse called "Can Pascual" we start a very narrow trail. This part is new to me. It is a very nice dense and humid forest and is harder than I thought going up and down and after the rain being very slippery so I once again take it easy untill we come out of the forest already very near the next Checkpoint near another landhouse "Can Calopa". At some point in the forest a runner passes me, going way faster than me. He was before me at the first checkpoint, but told me he lost his way at some point. At the next checkpoint he already left, but the runner that warned me before was still resting a bit here.  I refuel and eat some watermelon and soon after I am on my way again. Only 50 meters out I have a few minutes of confusion since the path is barred with some plastic bands and I am not sure whether to continue or not. After a few minutes another runner comes down the same path and he tells me has done the Gràcia-Montserrat several times and he is pretty sure that we have to cross the bands. This runner, Sergi, goes more or less at the same pace as me and we stay together and talk from time to time.

The trail to the third checkpoint is wider at most points and we walk the uphill at good pace and run the downhill. From time to time we can see Montserrat still far away. Soon we arrive at checkpoint Can Maimó and refill all "liquids" and eat some banana and on we go. We crossed underneath the highway to pass through a less beautifull part winding through an industrial area "Rubi Sud" for a few kilometers but soon we are back on a path again for some time. The asphalt stretch in Castellbisbal is even shorter and after a right turn leaving the town we meet some people that are setting up and aidstation for the shorter course (about 40km instead of 62) coming from "el Papiol", and after exchanging a few words we continue with more views of Montserrat from time to time.

Near Ca n'Olivero we have a good sight of Montserrat

Somewhere at an open place, people are preparing a Pasta Party for those who walk this course and will arrive here around midnight. We continue running and just before nine o'clock we arrived at the 4th checkpoint "Ca n'Oliveró".

Checkpoint Ca n'Olivero after almost 35km

Once again we drink and refill bottles and eat some watermelon and continue onto "Ullastrell". At some point here we come to a big landhouse and we can go left or right, but without indication. Sergi and I both feel we have to go right, but only many kilometers further we find indications of being still on the right course. Slowly the sun is setting giving us great views of Montserrat backlit by the sun.

Sunset over Montserrat near Ullastrell

Entering Ullastrell we are about two thirds in, but with the more difficult part starting from there on. I phone home and prepare for the night putting on my windstopper and headlamp. It is not really cold, but surely at the higher points wearing only a T-shirt will not be enough. I eat some bread with hazelnut-chocolate spreading, happy to feel my stomach is perfectly ok with that. Drinking a lot seems to guarantee my stomach accepts food and gels without problem.

Checkpoint Ullasterell time to prepare for the night

In the steep downhill along a very narrow and stony trail it is clear that Sergi is going stronger than I do. He keeps slowly pullling ahead from me but seems fine with letting me catch up from time to time. Once down it is almost fully dark and we cross a part through a creek. We jump from dry patch to dry patch though from time to time dip into water or mud. After a while we start to climb and after crossing some local roads twice we arrive at the 5th checkpoint "Coll d'Olesa". We only stopped very briefly here and soon start the for me most difficult part of this course. First a long uphill with loose stones winding through dense bushes untill we pass the top marked by a huge cross that stands black against the starry night. And then a really steep very technical downhill where we had to concentrate a lot to have the right balance between running down and have time to place our feet at the right spot.
The checkpoint here is unmanned and we stamp our controlcard ourselves and continue downhill. Some kilometers after there is an aidstation but we hardly stop here. Soon a runner passes us, going much faster downhill than we do and another group seems to catch up with us too. We continue and slowly the path becomes more easy until finally we are running almost level again into the valley below Montserrat. Since leaving Ullastrell from time to time we could see the monastery's brightly lit windows against the black silhouette of the Montserrat mountains and it was coming closer and closer now. The group we saw behind us earlier passed us, though shortly after we all coincide at the aidstation and checkpoint at the parking of "Aeri de Montserrat". Here I only get more water and eat some banana and then we cross the bridge over the river Llobregat to start the most steep uphill of the course. I tell Sergi to go at his own pace and meet up at the finish. He slowly dissappears into the night though from time to time his and other runner's headlamps flare up higher up the mountain. The trail is narrow and very steep, but I feel very well and keep pushing at good pace. Half way there is a flatter part, before starting the so called Wall, a part that is mainly stairs going up very steep. Just after two o'clock I arrive at the Monastery of Montserrat a few minutes behind Sergi and a few other runners.
I was tired, but with good sensations in general and happy with having done this well known resistance march from Gràcia to Montserrat. I still could eat without difficulty and enjoy two chocolate croissants and drink more water already thinking of my recovery.

At the finish 62km and tired but certainly not exhausted

The Monastery of Montserrat at night, quiet without the regular tourist crowd

Thanks to the organization and all the volunteers and also once again many thanks to Sergi! A very recommandable course, going through different landscapes and offering great views!!!

Mix it up - training for the upcoming ultras

In the past few years I have searched and read a lot about run training and ultra-marathon training. The latter is no science yet and after following different approaches in previous seasons, this season I have made up my own mix of training sessions and next saturday I will have my first test. Ofcourse there were a few reasons underlying the different approach this year:

• back to back long runs made me very prone to injury
• most schedules care less for VO2max training
• last year I did not feel strong in the up and downhills of UTMB
• continue doing some forefoot running

So my training of the last few weeks has consisted of the following:

Sunday: paced long run on hilly terrain, up to max 2 hours and increasing pace
Monday: rest or easy 8k with optionally some forefoot running at higher tempo
Tuesday: 15x200m sprints purely forefoot running
Wednesday: High intensity up and downhill training on stairs and steep mountain trail
Thursday: rest or easy 8k with optionally some forefoot running at higher tempo
Friday: 5x2k with 2 minutes rest, the typical 10k to marathon training series
Saturday: rest or easy 8k with optionally some forefoot running at higher tempo

The rest days depended on work and feeling, being at most 2 any week.

The results in training seem to be positive, this week, already tapering I did a 6x1k series training and could easily run times I only had during my peak 10k training so the speed is there and during the last long run, I could easily run even the steepest uphills and still have some breath left at the top.

So next saturday I will run some 62k as a test, not only for training, but also for fueling.

Cursa dels Bombers - 10k

Sometimes it just isn't your day. I trained well last week, but still, this morning as soon as I started to warm up I felt like it was going to be struggle. I finished my warmup well, but had not understood that the race started at 10am, thinking it was a quarter before. Anyway, as usual, this race has a nice show before and during the start and at least I was in a good position at the front and finally we were shot away.

The first meters were very crowded, I did not look back, but it seemed like a few people tripped and I just started slowly looking for the right space to move onwards. After a few hundred meters we started to settle in a pace and the first kilometer went by in 3m47. The second was more relaxed and 7m20 was quite ok, but like I felt in the beginning, things were not going easy. The third kilometer goes uphill and I came closer to the 4m/k limit passing in 11m17. Just about when I arrived at the Gran Via, starting a long stretch that was flat I was passed by the 37 minutes pacer and I knew I could not follow. The group that went with the pacer very slowly pulled away from me and I passed the 5k in 18m40, just like last week, but without hills today. The rest of the race I just maintained pace just under four minutes per kilometer and when I look onto the final stretch I looked for Montse and Jordi. Jordi was the photographer today and made this nice shot of me, sports photography is not easy!!!

All in all, I guess the warm weather and travelling the week before did not help in my performance today. I will "play" with other variables, though the mountain season is here and I think I will concentrate fully on that this year, while continuing to practice forefoot running.