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!!!

Trepitja Garrotxa - 110k

And once again Finisher!!!! The third and final part of my Ultra Trilogy. For starters I am very happy to have pulled it off. Running 3 ultras in two months is crazy. So why do it?

In May earlier this year I could not even walk normal and without pain. Physiotherapy from Pol Soria got me running again and soon after I decided I wanted to have a third try at completing the Ultra trail du Mont Blanc. The first step to get there is gathering qualifying points by completing Ultratrail races. After going through the list of available races that still allowed for subscription, juggling with dates to allow for at least some training if the progress of my injury would allow me to do so, I also decided that my way of training would not get me there and that I would need help. So somewhere mid July I receive my first training schedule from TecniRunner. They pushed me to my limits and into different directions of training and though hard, it really paid off, though I also know I still have many things to work on.

All three races were held at considerable distance from Barcelona, so Montse suggested we would go there the day before. Many thanks for making all the arrangements and for making the "trilogy" a very much shared experience!!!

So here we are. Third Ultra, and still the "must finish" tagged to it. Training went well but in the last week I had a cold and didn't do much training and didn't feel well. We stayed at a hotel in Oix that has the start of the race literally at its doorstep. After a good night's sleep I go down and have a good breakfast at 6am. Apparently the clean air in this remote area has good effects on my cold, since the symptoms were a lot less this morning. There is still lots of time untill the start at 8 o'clock. Around 7am I pick up my bibnumber, 45, and then go back to our room and start to get ready for the race. It is rather chilly outside so I put on my windstopper. The raceplan today is to go fast in the beginning to get as far as possible with daylight, because I expected the second half to have a lot of difficult stony paths which are a lot more easy to run/walk by daylight. Also I wanted to try and take my homemade gel every 45 minutes to learn how my stomach takes that. So far I only took some every 90 minutes or even less.

Around 7:30 I wake up Emma who said she wanted to make pictures when I left and then went down to pass the material check and then waited for the start while talking with Emma and having shot some photo's in the start area. At the sound of the church bells we get underway at 8 o'clock.

We are only 67 runners and the path in the beginning was wide so no queues and no pace problems at all today. After a while of more or less flat countryside running the first climb starts, though until kilometer 40 the climbs are short and easy.

In just a bit more than an hour I reach the first checkpoint.

Soon after we go higher up and the landscape and views are amazing.

45 minutes later I arrive at the second checkpoint. Since it is still cloudy and cold the stops are short, since I don't have to drink as much as when it is warm and sunny, so much less refilling and only quickly eating fruit, bread and biscuits and continue.

Amazing views of la Garrotxa

Autumn colours

After 3 hours and some minutes I arrive at the third checkpoint.

Sometimes feeling strong and going fast has its drawbacks too. Luckily doing 3 ultras in a row made me very keen on checking the last track marker and at some point I know that I lost my way and inmediately go back, having done only 200 meters extra. Others runners didn't see the change in direction either and indeed it is not the most clearly marked point, but soon we are on the right path and continue down. Soon after there is a second point with a sudden change of direction, but this time we notice it even faster and after no more doubts upto Checkpoint 4, Bolós. In spite of going down hill I am not going as fast as I thought I could. The paths are complicated and full of loose stones at stretches and that breaks the fast running pace.

 Arriving at Beget, 40km

Clearly enjoying the run

I reach the checkpoint in Beget, 40km into the race, after some 5 hourse and 40 minutes. My family is waiting for me here and it is time to eat more and have a little break before continuing. Ofcourse I feel I have done 40km, but I am not tired and only when getting up I notice my muscle are a bit stiff during the first steps. I say goodbye to my family and head out for a 1000m climb.

 

Material check at the Control post in Beget

Bye, bye Beget, the last village for many many hours

Next up is a long climb to the highest peak of the race, the Comanegra. From here on until kilometer 83 the landscape is much more mountainous and steeper, and the paths are narrow and often covered with loose stones, a type of terrain I no longer worry about, but it does slow me down, most of all on the downhills.

 Climbing up to Comanegra - Foto by Josep Maria Montaner

After 90 minutes of climbing I arrive at the next Checkpoint Coll del Boix. Most of the climb is done now, only as you can see in the pictures, the weather up there is very very foggy.

 Arriving at Coll del Boix, it is getting foggy up here

The people at the checkpoint and some minutes later another person that comes walking downhill warn us that at the top it is rather chilly and also very slippery, so we have to be carefull and cautious up there. Soon I am surrounded by a thick fog and the higher up we go the stronger the wind and indeed it is time to put back on my windstopper that I had taken off hours ago.

The experience of walking and running here for me is very enjoyable, not easy, since it is indeed very slippery at some parts, but still, it is nature in its raw form and somehow that is something I can appreciate a lot.

The ridge we follow without any visual reference makes me think I reach the summit before we actually get there. So I made more pictures than necesarry, but it gives a good impression of the area. On one side a rather steep rocky part and on the other a sloping forest of enormous beech trees, that trapped the mist with their leaves and more or less caused rain underneath and a very very wet and slippery soil.

A "selfie" at the top of the Comanegra

The downhill was also long, steep and at points slippery, so all in all rather slow. When I finally get to the next checkpoint, 3 and a half hours after Beget I know that at most I would get to the highest point of the next climb with daylight. The long uphill and downhill make me feel tired, but still I don't stay too long here.

Talaixa, one of the many hermitages in the area

After eating, drinking and refilling I am quickly on my way again

At somepoint in the downhill we pass a house that is under construction. Here a group of runners passes me and one of them, Samuel, tells me their pace was just too fast and we start the next climb to Coll de Bassegoda together. We already shared the downhill to Beget earlier in the race so I knew he was a bit stronger than me in the downhill and he said I was better in uphill, so we started to alternate leading our pace according to that, meanwhile talking about running, family, life and from time to time just breathing in silence while the night was slowly creeping up on us changing the foggy forest into a place of scary fairytales.It is time to start using our headlamps. The fog takes away part of the visibility, but at least we can better see where we put down our feet. During this climb we start using Samuel's watch to measure how much longer it will take until the next checkpoint. Clearly a sign of fatigue, but we keep pushing and finally make our way up to the Checkpoint at Coll de Bassegoda. It is somewhat passed eight o'clock now and already completely dark. Since at the next point we will have our "life bags" we quickly continue after refilling.

Coll de Bassegoda

After another loose stone path downhill we reach a normal road that leads almost upto the next checkpoint. We could have run this part, but since we have one more climb to go and a long steep downhill afterwards we just walk at high pace to save some energy. At the next Checkpoint , Casalot, it is time for eating pasta and putting on a long sleeve shirt. They say it will be cold when we get to the next checkpoint. Samuel tries to make a phone call here, but just as my Whatsup messages are not being sent, he is not able to establish connection. Probably at the next checkpoint that will improve.

Casalot

The climb to Mare de Deu del Mont is a matter of stamina. We are both tired, so we talk less and just breath and push our bodies uphill. After reaching an intermediate highest point we can see the lights of where we have to go way up, but not too far. After a short downhill we reach the path that zig-zags uphill. Steep but doable and soon we are at this landmark that is worthwhile a visit if you are ever in the area. People from the organization indicate us we have to go around the main building and enter from the other side, in order to keep ingoing and outgoing runners separated. The Checkpoint is set up inside, so for a change we can warm up a bit, though it is not as cold as people told us it would be.

Here Samuel can make his phone call and I take some time for Whatsup messages. When leaving we are warned for the first part of the downhill, which is steep and wet and as such slippery. 

Mare de Deu del Mont

Actually this is only a very short stretch and the rest of the downhill is much better doable than I expected. From time to time we cross the regular road and walk a few hundred meters on asphalt before continuing on narrow paths again. We both arrive at Checkpoint Beuda with sore feet, in my case most of all my right foot. It is just past one o'clock now and we still have quite a while to go. We take some time to take care of our feet and the prepare for the last stretch of the race. Two more checkpoints to go before arriving at Oix, and some 26 kilometers. At the end one more hill to conquer and that's it.

Beuda

When leaving Beuda, a group of 4 runners passes us jogging and soon after I suggest Samuel to try and jog a bit too. Actually this goes well for both, only very soon after we have to do a short climb and go back to walking again. From there on we will run at easy pace most of the downhill parts. Also because most of the paths are good to run on. Just before reaching the next Checkpoint at Tortellá we are back on asphalt again. Flat but also very hard surface, but certainly runnable. We hoped to have some bread with tomatoe, catalan style, here, but they tell us we have to run to the next aidstation for that. Since we are only 16km away now we soon leave and continue.

Tortellá

At some points we have doubts whether there is a village up ahead. The night is utterly silent, and no light of civilization is seen anywhere. Only a million stars overhead and half a moon and some owl that breaks the silence from time to time.

At the next checkpoint we find people sleeping next to a campfire while others attend us with whatever we need to make it to Oix. Indeed they have bread with tomatoe and we eat a view pieces and fill up liquids for the last time. And off we go, for the final 9km, with a not too steep climb and downhill between us and the finish. We still have the group of four runners just ahead of us, which helps us knowing where we go, since there headlamps clearly light up in the dark forest ahead of us. When we reach the highest point we catch up with 2 of the group of 4, one of them a woman, who is sitting on the ground and clearly not feeling to well. Stomach problems she says, mad and much wanting it all to be over. Somehow the exchange of words we have there makes here get up on her feet again and of we go. Samuel feels like running and down we go at good pace. At some point we have a first glimpse of Oix, clearly visible. Also, the headlamps of other runners indicate we are not going there straight away but around a valley in a long curve down. We alternate walking and running and reach Oix after 23h13m13s.

Montse and Jordi are there for pictures and sharing the moment of completing the first part of the quest for finishing UTMB, getting my qualifying points. Thanks a lot for being there!!

Thanks Samuel for running along the second part of the race. Good recovery and who knows we will meet again at some other ultra in the future!!!

The final aidstation serves us a delicous hamburger and more pasta!! We take time to eat and then say goodbye.. time to rest a bit.

Many thanks to the organization!! I very much enjoyed the race and the good atmosphere in all the aidstations.

Rialp Matxicots Extrem - 82k

 Part two my Ultra Trail Trilogy. Rialp Matxicots Extrem. 82km and 6000m of positive meters. After getting up very early again, but this time at walking distance from the start area, together with Andrés and Silvia, I walk to the point where we can drop off our "life bag". After the rainy experience two weeks ago, having the possibility to change to dry clothes if necessary is an interesting detail. It is windy this morning and a bit cold and since we were early and the hotel was really nearby we went back there. After a while we returned to the start area and figure out we have to enter the box from the opposite side and walk around a block of houses and pass the material check. Soon we have fireworks, the countdown and at 5:30 am it is time to get moving. According to the speaker, about 1000 runners of the Trail and Extrem get underway through a narrow street. Coming out of there, Montse and Jordi are waiting for me and then quickly run to the second crossing of the main street where they shoot some fotos.

And then I am really underway.

As always the first part is crowded and I am not at all going at my own pace. I try to pass other runners, but the narrow path only from time to time allows for doing that. After a first few climbs pretty steep up, climbs and flat or even slightly downhill start to alternate and the path is wider and allows me to quickly find my pace and soon I arrive at the first aidstation in Saurí. From there the real climb starts. Soon we can switch of our headlamps eventhough the sun is still hiding. After a typical long climb up through a sloping meadow I reach Checkpoint 1 Coll del Triador in about 3 hours, ahead of schedule. There is a strong wind blowing here and it is all of a sudden freezing cold. While eating and drinking I put on my rainjacket and gloves and quickly get underway again. For a while I have really cold hands in spite of the gloves, but slowly I get warmed up again and push my way up. From time to time it is snowing really tiny flocks of snow. This part is really really steep, and also very beautiful, but the cold stops me from making pictures until a more shielded part really near the top where we enter a channel. In the channel volunteers guide us, since this is a slightly more tricky part where we scramble up. The top of Montsent the Pallar is only minutes away after that.

Going up to the channel of Montsent de Pallars

Looking down to Check Point 1 Coll del Triador

I make it in good time to Checkpoint 2 at the top of the Montsent del Pallars at 2883m. The views are absolutely spectacular and in spite the cold I quickly take some pictures and then start the rather tricky downhill.

The National Park Aïgues Tortes is know for its many, many lakes

Montsent de Pallars 2883m

Next up is the climb to the second highest peak of the course, the Montorroio, 2863m. Though steep it is not as hard as the first climb and soon I make it to the top, shoot some more pictures and then start the first long downhill. The first part once again is really tricky zig-zagging down very very steep on a stony path, where sometimes it feels more like skiing down than walking down. It is still snowing from time to time so the surface is wet and more slippery. As soon as the path eases in incline I start to run again.

View from Montorroio 2863m at Estanys de la Mainera

I arrive at Checkpoint 3 Pas de la Mainera still with a good margin on my schedule. I take some time to eat and drink. The warm soup is great here!! I decide to take of my raincoat and gloves and then get underway again for another long and pretty steep climb. In the beginning it is still quite cold and from time to time some flocks of snow fall down in small bursts, but it looks like soon the sun will come out. The last part of this climb, hardly following any path anymore, just straight up the mountain is tough, but I have strength enough to keep pushing step after step until we make it to the Coll de Muntanyó at 2748m, after once again a short stretch of steep downhill the path soon becomes much more easy and I can run almost all the way down to the next Checkpoint Espot Esqui that we can see way down which at this point helps greatly to advance. And indeed the clouds slowly open up and though still windy at this altitude it is no longer cold.

At Checkpoint 4 Espot Esqui I spent more time eating. I am starting to feel tired now but in general still pretty much ok. I am still somewhat ahead of my schedule. The next part is the longest stretch without aid stations. And it is also the part that felt like eternal. After a first once again steep climb a long downhill through the forest follows and here many other runners pass me since they simply have better training and technique running the trail down.

It felt like forever to arrive at Checkpoint 5 in a small village called Caregue. I meet up with Montse, Jordi and Silvia here. Since we will meet again at the next checkpoint I don't stay too long here.

After a short downhill and a not too long uphill we can see Rialp down in the valley. Before that we first go to another small village Surp and from there it is straight down to Rialp, where just outside the village a bigger checkpoint and aid station is set up and where I can pick up my life bag.

Checkpoint 6 Baraca dels Caçadors

The main river of the valley of Rialp the Noguera Palleresa from near CP6

I still am on schedule when arriving here. To enjoy the daylight as much as possible, since it makes moving a lot more easy, I leave here at 18h00, after changing some clothes and eating and drinking as always.

Just after leaving we have to cross the main road of the valley and just before that we have to go 10 meters down a slope of the type I really don't like, very very steep and full of little stones and hardly any footholds. I guess that is something I will have to work on and learn how to deal with such tricky parts and not loose time there. I make it down without slipping and after crossing the road I guess for the first time I walk where I could have run, since I feel tired and next up is a long uphill with Checkpoint 7 in the village Beraní in the middle. The approach to the village is also flat and I run that part and still am on schedule arriving there. It is time to take out my headlamp again and then I continue the climb up to the before last highest point of the course. This part mainly winds through the forest and quite often we have to jump little creeks. Soon it gets dark and I switch on my headlamp and keep pushing up and up and up. I knew this part would take quite some time and eventhough we no longer had any visual reference I was not really having the "this is taking forever" feeling. Eventually we hit a bigger path and since I studied the map of the the last part I knew that from there it was not too long untill the next
Checkpoint 8 Penyes de Auló set up in the middle of the forest. Quite a few now known faces are gathered here and most of us are quite ok and smiling and joking, knowing that changes are high of finishing on time now. Soon I start the long downhill to the next village Roni. The first part is tricky straight downhill through the forest and a few times I allmost trip over a branch or loose stone, but I manage to stay on my two feet. Then we enter a more easy part of a long zig-zag down. Though not too fast I run here also to just advance as quick as possible in spite of being really tired. When I receive the message of Montse I can reply that I will arrive at the village pretty soon. Jordi is waiting on the edge and like in the other checkpoints me meet with a good high five and a big smile.

I arrive at the actual Checkpoint 9 in Roní some 20 minutes behind schedule now, confirming that going down is not my strongest point and also that I should not rest too long here. So soon I am on my way again.

Simulating to be running for the photo :D

The next Checkpoint 10 Gulleri is not very far away and is mainly set up as cutting point, but arrive here way before 0h15 and on it goes. Uphill, for the last time. And what an uphill!!! Steep and mainly like a stairs of irregular stones alternating with more path-like stretches and no reference at all about when I get to the highest point. Supposedly we will arrive at an abandoned village and at some point against the sky I can see the silouttes of something else the trees and rocks. Now it is only a flatter part and a downhill to the finish. The flatter part is however not at all easy, most of the time the path is narrow with a risk of sliding down and loose stones everywhere, so I take it easy. Once again it takes quite a while untill I see indications of civilization what probable will be the village we are going to, Rodés.

Checkpoint 11 Rodés is just that, a checkpoint. It is here that another runner, an italian called Giulio, catches up with me again, since he is faster in downhills. We cross the little village and head down into the night again. Not the easiest path, but now so close to the finish I am ok with it. Soon I am back at checkpoint Checkpoint 6 Baraca dels Caçadors. And a few minutes later I meet up with Montse, Jordi and Silvia again and we walk the last few hundred meters to the finish.

Finisher!!!! In 20h52m32s!!!

Thanks Jordi!!! For waking up early and holding out till so late and cheer me on all day!!!!

Thanks Montse for cheering me on and making pictures all day :D !!!

Soon after me Andrés finished as well!!!

Finisher in 20h52m32!! Matxicots Extrem is quite an experience!!! Very well organized, great ambience in the aid stations and I never had any doubts of where to go. Thanks a lot to the organization and all the volunteers!!! Thanks a lot to Montse and Jordi for cheering me on and for all the pictures!! Thanks Silvia for driving and cheering me on as well. And thanks Andrés for giving me chase :D !!! Soon the third chapter!!!