Montserrat - Collbató to St. Jeroni

Another day in the mountains!! This time alone. Since the previous visits to the Collbató area helped me to find my way today I can share the track.

http://es.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=10166888



I started to run around 6 o'clock in the afternoon. It was still warm and I took 2,5 litres of liquids with me to make sure hidration was not going to be a problem.

After a short while I reached the part where the path started to go up very steeply and where running is impossible since most of the time you scramble up using both hands and feet.

After 20 minutes I reach the path I will later follow down on the way back and from now on most of the way up is runnable. Soon I have a first peek the St. Joan hermitage which is the first clear landmark way uphill.

Some 10 minutes later I pass the sign post that shows the way up.

Soon after the St. Joan hermitage is very near already.

This time I don't go al the way up there and continue on to the station of the funicular where I meet a desperate tourist who came late for the last train down. Luckily I have my map with me and I show her the way down. The fact that the last funicular went down also means that there are very very few people up here, what makes being here even nicer. It is quiet, a fresh wind makes running very pleasant and the remaining part up to St. Jeroni is rather flat and easy to run while enjoying amazing views!!!

Shortly after the funicular station you have a good view of the Montserrat monastery down below.

 The last meters up to St. Jeroni are amazing. It is a long stairs going up and up untill the view point on the top.

I spend a few minutes up there, eating and drinking and making pictures and just enjoying!!

The next picture shows why they made the stairs and viewpoint construction. Without that, this area is very steep and hard to access.

On the downhill I go fast and soon I am back at the point near Collbató at the end of the first steep uphill. For going down I take a path that goes more to the right and is not so steep and great to run. Many parts are like on the next picture, flat rock of the red stone type that is typical for this area.

After 2 and a half hours I am back at the starting point. Evening is falling on Collbató and I head back to Barcelona.

Cursa la Maquinista - 10k

This was the last 10k in the 10k.cat series of this season. I ran today just for points. Doing well enough hopefully for once again entering in the first 250 male runners of this competition.

It was very warm today and after the 2 mountain training sessions earlier this week I was mainly running to complete 10k in good fashion, but certainly had no hopes for a spectacular time.

This year we started inside the shopping mall that organizes this race. Very crowded and very narrow, though on the other hand it emphasizes the popular run spirit. I start easy and soon know that under 4 minutes pace today would be to fast. The course is going up and down a lot and between that and the heat I passed 5k well above 20 minutes, and a negative split was not in my mind. I just kept running as fast as I could without going really deep and finished in 41m41, what considering everything I am happy with.

Montserrat - training

Last week I visited Montserrat - a beautiful mountainous area near Barcelona - twice with my family to continue my training for longer mountain runs. Both started from the parking area near the hermitage "La Salut" in Collbató.

The first day we went walking, my wife Montse, Jordi and me, first along the edge of the mountains and then going up. I loaded my backpack with extra water and carried some 8kg extra weight to add a training component to the walk.

Jordi balancing on a big flat rock

Time for "bocata" and drinking water

Going up

Here we are!!!  And in the picture above as well ...

High enough to see most of Catalunya

Almost back in the village Collbató

The second day I went with Emma running and scrambling. After initially not finding the right path we went up very steep and then I made a mistake taking the wrong path what cost us half an hour. Once back on the track we maintained good pace and soon the hermitage of St. Joan was close enough for a good picture.

St. Joan

Emma in front of St. Joan
 

After the hermitage St. Joan the road is easier. First we run down to the place where the funicular ends that goes up from the Montserrat monastery. And there we take the path to the highest mountain in the area, St. Jeroni. In the end I miss the indication that indicates the last climb to this top and we end up on the top just next to it, but for today reaching summit at 1200 high and doing more than 1000m climbing is enough and we leave that St. Jeroni summit for another day.

Emma at the summit, behind her on the left the mountains near St. Joan

 Amazing views up here

Going back down, now knowing the way went quickly though it was very very warm and we arrived at the village Collbató rather tired, but very happy with the experience.

Collbató

Cursa dels Bombers - 10k

Running at night. Very warm. 40m14 unofficial time. Hopefully better next time.

Cursa DIR - 10k

Two weeks of recuparation and finally better feelings when running. Ofcourse the lack of speed training makes good times hard to accomplish, but running without fear for recurring injury is a big change.

Todays race started early at 8h30 am, which was good, since it was going to be a warm and sunny day and this way we avoided excessive heat and associated problems. Eventhough the start area is not very near where we live I went there running at easy pace to warm up. I dropped my bag and did some more warmup exercises and then entered my box at the start. At the sounds of Thunder by AC/DC we were counted down and shot away.


39m04

Cursa de Nou Barris - 10k + 1k

Still bothered by my soleus injury today was a test run to see if the muscle/tendon could withstand 40 minutes of continuous load. I lost condition but at least the injury is now back to sensitive but no longer painful. Two more easy weeks with short runs and strenghtening excersises for the lower legs hopefully will make the next 10k more fun. Considering the hilly course of this race finishing in 41m21 was not bad at all.

Yesterday Jordi ran a 1k at the track of the athletic club Nou Barris. He finished in 4m02 in 13th place. This was his first experience doing a full track event.

Cursa del Corte Inglés - 10k

Time to run again!! After recovering from the marathon and still struggling with some small aches that I somehow picked up in the weeks after, today it was a family outing in the most attended popular run in Barcelona, La Cursa del Corte Inglés, which is free and is a tradition for many many people. And since we all went with a yellow chip for the timing I can already proudly post the following image:

 

 We ran in pairs, Jordi with me and Emma with a friend and eventhough the weatherforecast said cloudy in the end it was rather warm, which on this course with two climbs in it makes running quite a different experience. 

We arrived nicely on time at the start area and did a little warmup while waiting for the start at 9h30. It took a while to get moving since we were not upfront, but at least there was no pushing and we could start our slalom through the masses without any problem. Untill the 4th kilometer we were continously avoiding people that walked, in this massive popular run many people do not start at the startline but at some point further ahead in the course, in spite of the efforts of the organization to avoid this people continue doing so. During the first climb this is quickly sorted out and on top we have the first water-station where we take 2 bottles each, since it was really warm. We are running just above 5m30 per k pace, quite fast, and in the next more steeper climb just before entering the Olympic Stadium we slow down. Jordi is tired of the 2 climbs so we take it easy. I sprint ahead to make som pictures here.

At the second aid-station once again we take a lot of water on board and then start the long downhill back to the city centre. Jordi tells me he his right shoe is shaving on his big toe, but he does not want to slow down too much. We pass the 10k marker under the hour in 57m27!!! And from there we just roll on to the finish, we knew for quite a while that doing the whole race under an hour was not possible today, so we took it easy. Montse was waiting for us near Plaça Catalunya and made pictures from us.

Emma had started later and took it more easy. She did not have her day she said and took it easy.

Jordi afterwards is really happy with how he ran but is also tired and while have sore muscles tomorrow. Back to training, slowly gearing up for the mountain season.