run – Page 3 – Run With Dai

Interlaken planetary, Interlaken planetary

Published on July 27, 2024 by runwithdai1 Comment

A few years ago Paul did a solo adventure along the Hardergrat Trail in Switzerland. Ever since he’s been eager to go back with us to do it with him. We started scheming and found the time to form a plan and incorporate another visit to the Eiger Ultra Trail alongside the Hardergrat Trail. Paul, Matt and I did the E101 100km Eiger Ultra Trail back in 2022. Darryl and Natalia wanted to do the race too so it was perfect timing, to combine the Hardergrat with the E51 50km race the following day.

The plan seemed simple enough, fly to Switzerland on the Thursday, Do the Hardergrat Trail on the Friday, do the race on the Saturday and fly home on the Sunday. Efficient, although not the recommended approach for a race and a bunch of early mornings were for sure going to be tiring! We based ourselves out of Interlaken to take advantage of being closer to the Hardergrat Trail and more options for accommodation. We also had one shot at the Hardergrat Trail so were very dependent on the weather/ground conditions, which thankfully, were perfect…

Hardergrat Trail

The Hardergrat is a popular and well known hiking trail that runs along side the Brienzersee lake between Interlaken and Brienz. Although I say hiking trail, I don’t believe it is an official waymarked and maintained Swiss trail. Depending where you read, it is often described as one of the most dangerous hiking trails in the world. Whilst I don’t believe that myself and think there might be some dramatisation (I’ve felt less safe on some other trails I’ve done!), the risk is very real and it is well known that people have fallen, in some cases fatally, from the trail (there are many memorials and crosses along the trail!). It also isn’t for the faint hearted though and can be quite terrifying in parts. So if you are considering it, consider it carefully and plan appropriately!

All that said, we didn’t go into this lightly and had planned it very meticulously. Firstly we had Paul leading the way and he had completed the trail before. So we collectively knew the route and dangerous points and what to expect from first hand experience. Secondly we were only going to start if it was safe to do so. If it was wet, or indeed had been wet in the days leading up to our adventure, or windy, or any risk of the forecast changing unexpectedly for the worst, we wouldn’t be starting. We also planned to begin at 5am. The trial is over 25km long and has close to 3000m of elevation gain in total and finishes high up in the mountains where you either get a train back down, or descend over 1000m by foot. We didn’t want to feel any time pressure so we planned to start the hike from Interlaken up to Harder Kulm as early as possible (note, there is a vernacular that covers the ~1,000m climb to Harder Kulm, but this doesn’t start running till about 9am). We also planned to stop towards the end of the ridge and descend to Planalp and get the train to Brienz from there rather than continue all the way to Brienzer Rothorn. These trains finish around 4-5pm so you need to be ready to reach the end destination in time or face that huge descent on foot back to the lake (also worth noting it was about 40CHF for a single ticket down from Planalp!). Besides all that, the four of us consider ourselves to be well experienced on mountain trails and conditions and look out for one another. So we felt we were suitably prepared…

Our one concern was water. Given it is only really safe to attempt this trail in summer, and it is completely exposed along the top so was was going to be very warm, we wanted to carry as much water as possible, a minimum of 3 litres each. With the Harder Kulm being closed so early in the morning, there is no where along the trail to get water for pretty much the duration of the trail. Around Augstmatthorn I believe you could descend and then retrace back to the trail, but you’d be adding hundreds of metres of elevation and hours to your time, so you only really leave the trail here to start or finish a hike. We’d carry as much as we can and be sensible with the rationing.

We woke at 04:00 when our alarms disturbed our slumber. Had a quick breakfast and made our way outside around 04:30. It was a short run to the vernacular station where the trail to Harder Kulm starts. It is a forest trail winding up narrow switchbacks pretty much the whole way. I popped two Energy Bytes (caffeine sweets) here to help wake me up a bit and give me energy on the climb. It took us about 1 hr and a half to make the climb through the forests to Harder Kulm which was about 800m over 5km. From the restaurant and viewpoint here there is probably about another 300m or so along 2 km through the forest before the mountain ridge becomes visible. On the way, as we stopped and ate some sandwiches, a few others passed us including two brothers from America who we would see at various points as we leapfrogged each other along the trails.

It was beautiful seeing the sunrise through the forest and the morning mist giving way to these epic summits stretching way off into the distance. A long way below to your right, the lake looking like a gigantic hole in the ground. The mountain kept climbing until we reached Augstmatthorn around 14km in at some 2,100m up. Getting here we had our first taste of the ridge and some narrow sections. Many hikers stop at Augstmatthorn and make their way off the ridge. Another hiker we were talking to told us the route becomes much harder and more dangerous after this point (he had hiked it many times himself when he was younger he said). Somewhere along here there were also electric fences to one side of the trail to keep the cattle on the mountain side to the left. I know they are electric as at one point, whilst sitting down and resting, I brushed my arm against it and felt a tingle in my opposite ankle. This amused the others!

We carried on knowing we were a little under half way along the route we’d planned. What lay ahead now was a series of 7 or 8 mountain climbs. Each short (in comparison to what we climbed to Harder Kulm!) but very very steep. Some sections were rocky and had ropes and chains. Some sections had very clearly defined paths, but were right on the ridge and were very narrow underfoot. Some of the climbs were like walls and we scrambled our way up. It was very slow progress and we stopped atop of each summit to sit and enjoy the views and eat food. The views around us were pretty static. The view down and across the lake remained unchanged throughout the hike. The view to the left did change as the valley climbed through a mountain pass alongside the ridge. The view in front however was spectacular. With each summit we climbed, the descent became visible and the ridgeline curved off with a different perspective into the distance. Up and down we went…

It was a long slog as each climb was exhausting and we rationed our water more and more. Unlike when running in a race with aid stations, I was taking small sips to ensure I saved the water and had plenty for later on. Each big climb though would quickly empty a bottle. I played a strange game with myself where I was committing to not finishing a bottle before some point I picked in the distance. This felt counterintuitive but, the longer we progressed, the less water we had and the more it become problematic. One by one we were calling out just how many bottles we had remaining and the numbers were dropping quickly!

It’s hard to say for certain which memories and pictures correspond to which peak on the ridge. I do recall though that we passed plenty of hikers along the way, many doing it in reverse having taken the train up from Brienze and hiking back towards Augstmatthorn. One couple were lovely to chat with and I had a great conversation with the lady about the vibrant wild flowers all along the ridge. She told me to “take as many as I could and keep them in my heart”. I thought this was a beautiful sentiment. I also recall one particularly difficult descent which required scrambling down on all fours. For much of the ridge I kept my poles tied away in my pack and relied more heavily on my hands and having more points of contact with the ground.

Towards the end, the ridgeline was far narrower which caused the legs to feel more wobbly despite the clear and flat footpath we were following. Way off in the distance though we could see the Hotel Rother Kulm / Brienzer Rothorn Station which is the true end of the route. We weren’t going the whole way here but instead would escape down the side of the mountain and get on the train at another station at Planalp. For us, continuing to Brienzer Rothorn wouldn’t add much to our experience other than making it more dangerous – it would be quite a few more kms and probably two more hours or so, which we weren’t able to accommodate with water to sustain us. It wasn’t the timings that concerned us, but carrying enough water!

As we neared the trail junction where we could begin descending off the mountain we were all pretty much out of water. By now we’d ‘adopted’ the Americans who had made great progress but ultimately weren’t prepared for their adventure (think lack of training and deciding to do the hike whilst on a family holiday) so together we all descended. Even the downhill was tough going as our legs were now tired and our throats dry. We had about 600m of elevation to drop and about 4kms to go. In the distance we spied a water trough, however when we got closer it was a static one without a tap filling it up. We carried on. Paul had disappeared into the distance and Matt was somewhere between us and Paul. Thankfully after about 3km and 500m of descent we caught up with Matt at another trough that did have a fresh water supply. We stopped and drank about a litre each and refilled our bottles. A few hundred metres further on we all felt the groans of our stomach as the sudden intake of water and bouncing movements unsettled us!

Eventually we made it down to the Planalps station where Paul was nowhere to be seen. He’d mentioned there was a restaurant at the station which we couldn’t see. We soon found it further down the road with Paul sitting happily in the garden waiting for us and a cold panache! We stocked up on drinks of all kinds whilst we waited 45 mins for the next train (which we just squeezed onto) down to Brienz. Here we headed straight to the lake for a lovely cold dip to relax before making our way back to Interlaken. What an adventure! Now time for the Eiger Ultra Trail…

Eiger Ultra Trail E51

After a restless sleep and another an early wake up call we made our way to the station at Interlaken Oost to get the first train to Grindelwald along with a load of other runners. The train was quick and easy and we arrived 20 mins before the race started. We made the dash to the registration centre in the sports centre (we’d taken advantage of the opportunity to request registration on the morning of the race to save another trip to Grindelwald on the Friday!). The ice rink in the basement of the sports centre was gone and it wasn’t cold this year as we waited in the short line, collected our race numbers and dropped our bags off before making the way back to the start line. There were only 5 minutes to go before the race started so we settled into the back of our wave 1 start and then gently ran the 2km or so to the trails. We had maybe 10 runners around / behind us for those first few kms. As we got to the trail there was a big bottle neck as we queued to cross the river. We waited a few minutes at a stand still before we made it through.

Shortly after we began the first climb to Gr Scheidegg, the memories from the E101 a few years ago started to come back to me as we wound our way slowly up the switch backs. Last time we did this in the darkness so it was refreshing this time that I could see the trails and experience them, and the views, around me. We steadily climbed and enjoyed the short break after about 6km where the trail levelled out and we ran the undulating trails before the remaining climb to the first aid station. As we arrived, it was just as I remembered – a narrow set up that doesn’t really accommodate space for the runners. Navigating through the checkpoint in single file we grabbed some snacks and water and waited out the other side. We spent a while here eating and drinking and enjoying the early morning views of the Eiger before carrying on. I popped another Energy Byte to give me a kick and wake me up a bit.

From here to the next aid station, at First, was great. It is a short section of about 6km that has some runnable trails and gentle descents and climbs. All along it are panoramic views of the mountains surrounding the Eiger. The Eiger itself was standing magnificently proud in the cloud cover across the valley. Towards the end of the section we began the long, but gentle, slow ascent to the viewpoint and aid station. As we reached the top, the route markings took us across the trail and towards the viewpoint and the walking platform. This was Natalia’s first time experiencing such a long and exposed platform so we slowly walked along it to the sanctuary of the aid station, after getting some pictures of course! At the aid station I had my own party as I sat and ate loads whilst singing to the 90s pop anthems blaring out. Even though we’d only done less than 15km I tucked into the soups and bouillon available (it’s a popular feed station on the E101 route!). Eventually though we had to carry on.

I remembered the next section as we left First and made our way towards Feld. The trails were similar to before and led us towards some amazing lakes of Bachalpsee, naturally as we ran around the lakes the views were incredible. It really is a beautiful place. I pointed out Faulhorn to Natalia, the highest point in the race way off in the distance, a tiny speck on the mountain. Along here we met some other British runners who were part of a group running from Wild Trail Manchester, the group I spent a lot of time running in London with. After the lakes we encountered a small amount of snow on the trail which made it slippery, so we climbed slowly and carefully. Some smart arse behind us tried to rush past us and slipped in the mud and slid back down the hill. Not sure what he was trying to gain. He didn’t try to go past again.

I knew the next section was quite rocky and technical (It’s even marked as such with ‘danger’ signs from the organisation). That much I could remember. I told Natalia to go slowly as it was rocky and now wet and slippery too. As we progressed we found ourselves near a lady who was clearly uncomfortable on the technical terrain. Knowing it was a short section I told her not to worry and to go at her own pace safely and we’d all follow behind. We stuck with her. Naturally a queue formed as we slowly progressed along the single track. After a while some prick behind us made a comment “it’s called trail running not trail walking”. I couldn’t hold my tongue. My usual polite and refrained manner was overcome and I snapped back to tell him that clearly there are runners who are not comfortable and that their safety is important. I told them that if they wanted too they could find an alternative route past and if they were such good trail runners then they wouldn’t be way back here in the race with us ‘trail walkers’ after 20km. No one said anything. No one tried to get past us. Go figure. It wasn’t long after that the technical trails gave way and the ground became more firm. The lady kindly stepped aside for people to pass her. We went past and started running. A few moments later I looked back, no one was keeping up with us. Says it all. Sometime later, on the next section after the aid station, we past the guy who made the comment as he was sitting on the side of the mountain on the next climb, clearly knackered. I was tempted to make a sarcastic comment then…

Anyway… After a short stop at the next aid station, Feld, we started the climb to Faulhorn. Before the race I couldn’t remember this climb. As soon as I saw it though I remembered. Like years before it was a warm day so a very hot and exposed climb. It is steep and slow going, a snake of runners slowly dragging themselves up to the top. In the sun it felt like it went on for ever. All the way up you can see the restaurant at Faulhorn, sitting way up high and ever so slowly getting closer and more in view. We kept pushing without stopping and made our way over the saddle and onto the last short climb to the restaurant were the trail takes you around to the back/top of Faulhorn. We stopped for a picture by the archway then joined the queue of runners waiting to get in and fill our water. Like many of the aid stations it is a tight fit (although this one on top of the mountain is justifiable with its limited space). I had a few cups of Coke that had been expertly whisked to a flat state by the willing volunteer. It was so refreshing in the heat.

We began descending and all the memories I was so sure of started appearing to have holes, giant black holes. As we left Faulhorn I was chatting to another British lady and I told her it was all nice runnable trails from here. It isn’t. I’d completely forgotten about the next section. First there is a short, sharp descent down from the summit. Then you make your way over rocky ground before the real descent began. This one is long and very rocky. There were a few short snow field crossings thrown in the mix too. As you make your way down you are descending on lots of large steep steps in the rocks, then further down we went, past the restaurant, on trails covered by snow burying the rocks beneath. I slid down on my bum as my shoes had no grip (I was very aware that they are now excessively worn but I thought would be ‘fine for the lovely runnable trails’ I falsely remembered!). Like the climb before it, the descent felt like it went on forever. As the trails started to re-emerge my head started piecing together the memories better as we made our way up a little incline to the water stop that is ‘Egg’.

It was actually this next section from Egg to Schwand that I recalled the best. My memories just made me believe the whole section from Faulhorn was like this. There are some lovely trails for the most part as you ran along the exposed mountain tops. Lots of tourists and walkers out enjoying the hike from Schwand to Faulhorn in he opposite direction. The mountains are exposed and you have these Epic views over the valley to the Eiger on the other side. Way off in the distance you can see another mountain restaurant perched on the side of the mountain. Below it, somewhere, the next aid station. It was a long way to go by sight, but not that long now you can move more quickly with the even terrain underfoot. We made a quick stop in some shade to apply more sun cream as it was getting pretty hot now.

Before getting to the end of the path, there was the ladder/step climb I’d completely forgotten about too. I piggy-backed on to a group of runners half way up and thanked the hikers waiting patiently to come down. After this it was a gentle hike up before we eventually reached the turning point where the downhill started. Pretty much from here it was all down hill to the final aid station. First we descended on lots of switchback trails to the aid station ‘Schwand’ though. This I remembered quite well as two years earlier Paul and I had stopped at a trough and desperately filed our bottles and relaxed, only to then see the aid station a few hundred meters further along. I recognised the trough (now covered up!) and pointed out the aid station to Natalia. We were ready for a break from the sun.

After a little break in the shade and a ‘little douche’ from a volunteer with a hose pipe we departed. The trails led downhill into the forest. It was more technical than I remembered with roots causing the descent to be painful on my now very tired quads and ankles. The ground below was very spongy between the roots. This year I was prepared knowing that there was a sizeable climb during the descent. This caught us out back in 2022. It started in the forest then took us up as we crossed over a waterfall and then climbed further through a hamlet. I didn’t recognise the hamlet and it turns out that we went a slightly different route this time and climbed further. See, not all my memories are wrong! Eventually it was back into the forest as we began descending again and continued down towards the valley. We spent most of the descent in a train of people slowly making their way down gingerly. At some point the single tracks opened and we squeezed passed the group and were able to run at our pace. As the trail became switchback roads Natalia opened up and sped ahead. I couldn’t keep up. We could then smell (literally) the final aid station. We ran passed so many people in the short field as we ran down and into Berglauen. We took a few mins to refuel, deciding against the potatoes on offer, then set off. The final 7km to go back to Grindelwald.

As final 7kms of races go this is ace. It’s pretty much flat the whole way following the river back to Grindelwald. Over the 7km there is 225m of ascent and 100m of descent. Mostly this is grouped into three ‘climbs’ towards the end as you near the town. We ran/walked the whole way passing many runners as we jogged along the river. We then passed through a small village with incredible wood carvings (I now wish I stopped to take a picture!) and welcoming signs before crossing the river and running through the train station and over the train tracks for the Eiger glacier train (which we had to wait for and got a huge thumbs up from the driver). From here it was almost the final stretch as we stated to climb into the town and along the footpath to the point where the E101 joins from the opposite direction and we make our way up the final climb into the town. Its a short steep climb on paved road which everyone climbed so slowly. Once done, it was over! We we ran the few hundred metres down the town to claps and cheers from both sides of the road, round the final turn into the finish line area and down the familiar steep ramp to the finish line.

Just like that it was over. We quickly escaped the busy finish area and went to collect our bags, change into fresh clothes, before meeting up with the others and making our way to the train back to Interlaken. It felt like a very long day by the time we had food and made our way back to the accommodation!

What a weekend! The Hardergrat was an incredible experience and it was special to see the mountains around Grindelwald again and share the race with Natalia. I don’t remember the race being as difficult as it was (and I won’t blame the run the day before!), it was certainly more technical than I remembered. We all agreed we wouldn’t want to do the 100k after experiencing the 50 nor could we believe that we’d done it previously!

Night of the Full Moons

Published on July 3, 2024 by runwithdai1 Comment

Oh how we’d been looking forward to this one. Many, many years ago I had a short trip in Bosnia when I was travelling around the Balkans with friends. We took a few days to travel to Bosnia and visited Mostar. It was stunning and I’ve been wanting to go back and visit Sarajevo ever since. When I came across a 105km ultra trail race near Sarajevo, I knew I’d sign up and that Paul, Darryl and Matt would come too.

After a few logistical mishaps leading up to the summer we flew in to Sarajevo the day before the race. On Friday we made the short journey into ‘town’ from where we were staying and did a bit of sightseeing. As we made our way back to the accommodation chaos descended on the town when a major power cut (affecting much of the Balkan region!) hit. We spent the next few hours in the increasingly hot accommodation, preparing for the race that would start at 10pm whilst wondering if it would go ahead – with no power surely the event was a safety risk. Alas, a few hours later power was restored and we were on our way.

On the way to Javorov do, Bjelašnica, where the race would start and finish, we stopped off for food at a lovely restaurant Lisa had found. They weren’t too impressed when we turned up in full running kit but reluctantly let us in. With full bellies we then continued to the start line to register. Bjelašnica might be familiar to some as this is where some of the events of the winter Olympics of 1986 were held. Now the surrounding area has many new and modern ski resorts set up.

The Vucko ‘Black’ trail starts high up in in the mountain resort Jorovano Do which is about 1,250m up in the mountains. The Black trail starts at 10pm and we arrived just before 9pm to register, have our kit checked and attend the technical race briefing. The race briefing was very thorough and detailed as every section of the race was talked-through. We chuckled when we were told to watch out for bears, snakes and other animals. After the race briefing we made our way outside to the start line along with 40 something other runners. We had our full mandatory kit checked and soaked up the atmosphere where many supporters lined the starting arch to send us off.

It was an excellent start line and we ran off onto the trail, quickly hitting a climb in the forest. The trail gradually became steeper as the single track led us away from the start line. The soft soil led us up and we crossed a road where loads of people cheered from their cars as they waited for us to pass across the road where we went straight back onto the forest trails. The smells were fresh. The ever so familiar feeling of calm washed over me. I love this feeling at the start of a race for the first few kms where all my anxiety and stresses flow out of me and the excitement of what is to come replaces them. My kind of freedom!

The night was warm. Very warm. Sarajevo was experiencing higher than normal temperatures and there were reports of high 30s being reached during the day. We weren’t going to be cold, that we knew for sure. Even as we climbed higher the temperature was warm and the air was still. The path led higher and we emerged from the forest onto trails that skirted along the side of the mountains. They were rocky underfoot and had a slight camber. Above us, dominating the night sky, was a full moon glowing orange. The night was hazy and light and I imagined having no head torch that I’d still be able to see enough. The night sky made beautiful silhouettes of the surrounding mountains which were visible. The mountain trails took us off the path, descending and ascending the undulating trails in a most direct fashion. Beneath us the gravel tracks gave way to lumpy grass and big rocks to skip along.

We passed through the first two aid stations, in what felt like no time. The first was a simple tent in the middle of nowhere after a steep and slightly technical descent. From which the mountain paths continued as we reached the second aid station which was at Lukomir, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s highest populated village at almost 1,500m. As villages go it is very small, just a tiny settlement of old stone houses and I believe a small number of families living there. At the aid station we talked and joked with the volunteers and tried all the food combinations they offered which it seems other runners weren’t interested in (Chocolate spread on bananas was a firm favourite for the boys). We then set off with strong vibes and encouragement to ‘enjoy Herzegovina’. That I was sure we would do!

The trails into Herzegovina where rocky and undulating. More skirting around the side of steep mountains and the vast emptiness as we traversed along the top of them. With the warmness and stillness of the night, we were sweating a lot and my shorts were soaked through. By now we were mostly alone though. At some point Darryl had quite an ingenious idea to combat the wet clammy buttocks that we were experiencing – just pull your pants down. So we did. For short bursts we ran with our ass cheeks out, bare to the world. Now it was a night of many full moons! Wow it was refreshing though. I’m not sure how in all the running I’ve done I haven’t thought to do this sooner. The dry air evaporated the sweat and our bums felt free and liberated. It may not have been pretty but it sure was effective. This was going to combat any chaffing for sure. Thankfully no one came running up behind us in the night!

Out in the wildness of the mountains we found ourselves on a slightly more rocky section here as we descended then climbed again. After which we found ourselves near Ivana, A runner from Croatia we’d shared some kms with earlier in the night. She was nuts, in a good way. She was so full of good energy and vibes, happy to talk and laugh her way along the course with complete freedom. We stuck around her for as long as we could keep pace through the night. At one point her scream of “Fuck you Paul Martin!” had us laughing as something was misinterpreted.

Somewhere on a decent, the calm night gave way to the freshness of morning and darkness started to recede. We arrived at a small aid station on the side of the road that was Dubočani. We tucked into some warm some soup for breakfast. We needed it. At 05:00 the sun was already breaking through. We could have stayed here a while if only it wasn’t for the amount of flies buzzing around. Little did we know they’d soon become the most irritating thing about this race. We swatted them away whilst we devoured the soup and then finished the descent down towards the river crossing where we would make our way to the other side of the Rakitnica River.

We were excited for this. From what we’d heard, and from the pictures we’d seen, it seemed like quite a wide crossing. Last year, with high levels of water, the crossing was relocated. This year we were fine though. We were ready to wash off and cool down. When we did reach the river it was surreal. So beautiful with a morning mist layer covering the crystal clear water. It was however absolutely freezing. We were contemplating a full on bath, but just after 05:00 it was just a little too cold for us to commit. So instead we went up to our thighs and washed our faces, hair, arms and legs and decided against that sit down wash! A scream from above drew our attention as we looked up to see Ivana high up on the climb out of Dubočani, we waved at her and enjoyed a few more minutes before making our way across and starting the big ascent of the route. We had about 900m to climb in one go and then another 300m or so further on.

The climb started off wet and muddy, steeply climbing through the forest before we broke free onto some dirt tracks leading to a small village. Sheep dogs were barking, protecting their herds as we neared the farms. We then zig-zagged our way up as the terrain became steeper and more rocky. It was a slow climb, which was annoying as the flies were loving us. They were so irritating. Many of them bashing into our heads, flying into our ears and in Matt’s case tens of them enjoying a free ride on his head/hat. We tried to mask our sweaty smells with sun cream, which worked if only for a short while. Despite this, the climb and early morning gave us the first real glimpse of the incredible environment we were in. The silhouetted mountains now showing in all their glory. Layer after layer for as far as the eye could see. It was quite a sight! We even saw a snake!

Eventually the climb levelled out a bit and we found ourselves on a long dirt track with a very gradual climb, the start of the 300m section. We had no interest in running this, as runnable as it was. We knew that we were close to the next aid station now – Grušča polje – and here we’d have our transition bags.

At just short of halfway, here we were greeted by the aid station in a small building. We were so glad to be able to go inside and escape from the heat (yes at 7am!) and the flies. We sat down and loads of friendly volunteers started helping us as we ate and changed our clothes. We talked with them about the route and experience so far and showed the picture of the snake we saw. Consensus seemed to be a viper (can’t recall what they said) but not one of the venomous ones or something to be concerned about. A viper though, that’s exciting! We were served big pasta dishes with lumps of tender meat and noodle soups. There was so much food and drink. Darryl even had some medical support for his feet. I dried mine off, re-taped them and applied fresh socks and dry shoes. It was bliss after the soaking at the river crossing, so glad I had a spare pair of shoes.

We spent a long time here and many runners came and went. We weren’t bothered though. We were so far ahead of the schedule we expected. Eventually we did leave though and began a long walk as we re-joined the dirt track with its gentle climb through the villages. Now we had about 15km to go to reach Puzimsko groblje.

The gravel tracks soon disappeared as we reached the highest point on this section and we went off track again. It was grassy, it was open. We passed through a section with stone circles where we took a rest and saw a hiking group in the distance. We were weaving around the high mountains, along the basins and up through a saddle. We started descending again and it was a little tricky underfoot as there were more rocks and we weaved our way down and into the valley below. Much of this section followed the same – off track, lumpy grassland scattered with rocks. Weaving around and through mountain passes. It was beautiful but tough. This was the longest section and there was little variation and no shelter from the increasingly brighter sun. Our focus was to just get through it as we’d then be around 60k in, a decent milestone.

There was a small road crossing and a very twisty section where I powered ahead. Every time we thought it would be nearing an end we’d see flags/markers way off in the distance. We’d reform together and crack on then over time spread out a little. We’d been moving for over 12 hours now and we were feeling it.

We skirted a rocky section around a mountain that had plenty of loose scree underfoot and we could then see the aid station up in a verge/layby in the distance. When we eventually reached it we all collapsed into the seats and started stuffing our faces with watermelon. The watermelon out here was so fresh and juicy! We felt that. That section, being the longest, with naff all shade and increasingly warmer temperatures of the morning drained us and we all looked exhausted. Copious amounts of Coke and watermelon were consumed. We needed the break but probably spent too long here. Loads of runners came through and they all hardly stopped and left quickly. We were the only ones that hung around. Not that it bothered us, we were enjoying it.

After sitting down and leaving the aid station I decided to check my phone signal and my emails and messages. I’m in the process of trying to sell and buy a house and over the course of the morning I had received an offer through that met my expectations. My brain snapped into focus. The run became my second priority and as we left the aid station I was head down in my phone pinging off emails to different estate agents and telling them “I’m up a mountain in Bosnia!!”. It was stressful but I was buzzing. A wake up call that gave me energy.

Once I was done I put the phone away and chased after the others whom I’d told I’d catch up. It was surprisingly muddy and there were lots of little trip hazards as we ran through a forest section. No wonder I was all over the place when I wasn’t looking at anything other than my phone. I caught them up just as we came across a weird little climb that diverted us around a fence to re-join the path through a long grass area. We’d seen pictures of this as the organisers had ‘cut’ a path out through the grass. We tried to move with more pace but it was so damn hot now that our pace and effort didn’t make a damn bit of difference.

This was a slightly shorter section but it still took us ages. Almost 3 hours to cover less than 8km. I can’t remember much else as my mind was distracted. But here Matt started to really feel the heat. There were some smallish climbs in the forest and they just zapped his energy making it very slow going. Darryl was sticking alongside with him and managing regular rest breaks, Paul was pulling us up, setting the pace. Team work. The goal now was the aid station at Bobovica. Get to this aid station and rest again before tackling the big section with the ridge lines. Matt was a little worried about the next section due to the heat but stuck with it. Into the aid station we went. Darryl and Paul had a little lay down. Me and Matt tried to eat and drink as much as we could as we talked with the volunteers and got more info about what lay ahead. It was going to be long. Another runner on our race arrived into the aid station after completing this section (it’s a loop back to here via a different path). He said it took him 4-5 hours. So it was going to take us a lot longer. Matt was rejuvenated though knowing the total elevation was broken up slightly and that there was now an extra water stop before the descent – about 6.5k in.

As we set out and started the climb there were two other runners from the red course (66k) who set out just before us. We followed them slowly as the climb led us into the shade of the forest. We played leap frog with them for the whole climb. They were up against a different time limit on their race and knew they wouldn’t make it, but were going to finish the section anyway. We were just exhausted. We all took breaks fairly regularly, to stop and manage the heat the best we could as we climbed through the forest which was steep and hot with more flies. Eurgh. We made slow but steady progress as it wasn’t too bad in the shelter of the forest but that wouldn’t last. We left the trees behind and continued up on the increasingly steeper and rockier paths. There was a short sharp climb that opened onto the side of the ridge line. We sat and enjoyed the spectacular views. I was with Matt and he desperately needed some shade. But there wasn’t any. We carried on up where we found Paul and Darryl spread out on the summit. What a place to lay down and relax. It was just missing the shade. The view showed us everything that lay ahead. A horseshoe of ridgelines with maybe 4 or 5 summits we’d navigate along the way around too the other side of the valley. Somewhere over there we’d descend. Somewhere…

We carried on with trepidation. Up close though the footpaths were clear and solid. Nothing to worry about here. Despite the heat it wasn’t so bad either as there was a glorious wind to keep us cool. For the next hour or so we traced forward, following the dots in the distance that were the other two runners. After the biggest climb on the ridge we all got momentarily angry. We thought the water would be here. We’d been climbing for about 2 hours and drinking like there was no tomorrow. We were worried the water station had left without us. Surely not. Thankfully it was just our minds and fears. In the distance, at the end of the horseshoe we could see the structure of a bivouac shelter and people. This drove us forward as we enjoyed a nice descent on the mountain side down to where the water actually was. Somehow this whole section was only 6.5 km but had taken us over 3 hours.

With the ridge attacked, overcome and the spectacular views enjoyed, we stopped here too for a little while with Matt resting in the shade of the shelter. We refilled our water and talked and joked with the other runners and volunteers. We could have stayed here happily for hours. The view really was really something special. Alas, we clambered to our feet and all set off together, there was a long way to go back to the aid station to finish the loop.

As we set off it was mostly downhill, we had climbed a long way after all. We had about 900m to descend in total and the route set off steeply. It went straight down the side of the mountain then onto some switchbacks as we headed for a lush green ‘lump’ on the mountain side. Over it we went and further down as we started weaving towards the forest. It was here that I started to fade. I had to call a time out and sit in the shade because I was so hungry. I’d not eaten for the whole section, probably for over 4 hours by now, and hadn’t been managing my fuelling at all. I think I was fine but just hadn’t fully considered how long the ridge would take. I devoured a chocolate/nut bar and we set off again before all the flies swarming us bit us to pieces.

The forests here were incredibly dense and the smells sensational. All sorts of fauna combining to give the forest its scent. It was a completely new experience on this run with much of the route being exposed to suddenly be in what looked like a tropical rainforest. We enjoyed it. After some time, with lots of little climbs and further descents in between, we clambered across a boulder field. I hated that stuff. My feet were aching now and every boulder caused my feet to move in awkward positions and rub more and more. I was glad to traverse it and get to the other side!

Even after the boulder field the route seemed to continue on more and more. We were still weaving and winding around the mountain we’d descended for so long. After what felt an age we did eventually get back to the aid station almost 6.5 hrs after our first visit. That was a long section. We took soup and prepared our head torches for the next part as it would now be dark. Paul did his duty and gave Matt a good talking to, ensuring his mind was set for what was to come. He was ready. We estimated another 6 hours before we’d finish, a long way to go but gladly broken up into 3 sections. We said good bye to the other two runners and set off.

We now had 3 sections all about 7km or so in length, so a little more than half marathon remaining and the bulk of the elevation was done now. We’d always said we would get to the 70km mark and know when we’d finish. That momentarily lifted our spirits. The first section was mostly down hill and rocky. It was tough on my now very sore feet as we left the aid station off track down some steep and uneven paths to the river. The darkness set in very, very quickly as we bushwhacked our way along the path, following the sound of the water. After a short while we had the suspension bridge crossing which was… interesting. To get on it we had to climb some largely spaced ladder rungs and then make our way across some wobbly planks which weren’t connected to the guide ropes we held on to. It made for a mini test and adventure for our tired legs!

The trails were largely off track on this section. A few climbs and descents later we emerged from the darkness above a village with street lights glowing in the darkness. It was very loud here and we assumed we were at the aid station. Only it wasn’t and instead there were a group of guys partying loudly at 1:30. Music pumping and screaming and shouting. Darryl was adopted by them and almost lost to their party. I think they even offered him a lift home if he stayed and drank with them. We climbed up a road, leaving the village, and almost Darryl, behind. Then we saw the aid station.

Another aid station stop and another round of soup for everyone. Despite being the last runners, they were keen to put the kettle to use and get us warm drinks! The night was cooler than the night before and we took the moment to layer up as we left. This ‘second’ section felt long and hard. It started with a descent and climb in the darkness. Then our tired minds played tricks with us using the squished route profile on our bib numbers. We’d interpreted the section appeared to be flatter than it was. Only all around us were mountains. We were very close to where we’d run some 90 km and over 24 hours earlier – in the valleys, off track running along lumpy grassy areas. The terrain felt all to familiar but there didn’t feel like there was anyway out with out climbing! The feint glimmer of reflective trail markings confirmed this as they seemingly lead us upwards, climbing to the heavens. We had no choice but to follow. We did however have a choice to vocalise our dissatisfaction and confusion and we chose to moan like hell. Thankfully by now Matt was seemingly well recovered from the heat exhaustion of the day. The cooler night had certainly made things easier. But we were all tired, all so very tired. More times than I can remember we curled up on the floor and turned our head torches off to try and sleep. Sometimes we did, mostly we didn’t, every time we complained about the flies! It was very stop start as we slowly navigated to that last aid station.

From here we knew we just had 7km left to go. We were glad it was one of the shorter sections and not a race with a large section at the end. I was struggling though. The tiredness had gripped me hard. We continued what remained of a short climb before descending. Each step causing me to curse with the pressure on my sore feet. After the descent we found ourselves crossing the open mountain side, a gentle camber underfoot, Even in the darkness it was breath-taking. Looking down it only got darker and darker like an abyss. I remember thinking about the grass beneath our feet was that was wet with dew. It felt so different to the previous night.

After sometime, lights up ahead caught our attention, and then the sound of people. We were at a road crossing and volunteers cheered us in. 3km to go they told us (it felt like it should be more and it was indeed slightly more). From the road we descended sharply in the forests. The guys were spurred on, but I couldn’t keep up. The steepness and loose soil aggravating my feet. I called after them to slow down. It felt like the same forest paths we ran through as soon as we started way back on Friday night. It was close but, not the exact same paths. We had multiple conversations about the paths and debated whether we were retracing our steps.

After the descent we broke out onto a gravel track road. We had to climb again. Not far or high, and at a very respectable gradient, but our pace slowed. It felt like an eternity as we trudged onwards. I was hallucinating now. I remember asking Darryl if he “wants lemon with that” (seems that I was dreaming that I was working in a bar) and telling Matt to “Put the kettle on”. Darryl stayed with me, trying to keep me talking and awake as we plodded on. I probably spent more time walking side to side than walking forward!

Finally after the road and a further km or 2 through the forests we saw the lights of the finish line. The guys huddled up and we crossed that line together to the raucous cheers of a few volunteers who remained and clapped us in, telling us they’d been waiting for us and that we’d missed the party! We were indeed the final finishers. Lisa was there too, to look after us and drive us home. We sat for 10 mins and chatted with the organisers. 10 minutes later I was fast asleep in the back of the car. In 3 hours time we’d be awake and heading to the airport to go home.

We thoroughly enjoyed this event. It was tough, probably more so than we expected given the heat, but beautiful. The mountains and the route are incredible and the organisation of the event was spot on. Highly recommend this is added to your ultra trail bucket list!

Hampshire Hoppit

Published on June 18, 2024 by runwithdaiLeave a comment

The Hampshire Hoppit is a marathon (and half and 10km distances) event in its 9th (as of 2024) iteration. I think I saw it advertised on Facebook and thought “I’ll have a bit of that”. Even though it’s a week before one of the more daunting events I’ll run in 2024, I roped some mates in and signed up…

We made the drive over in the morning and arrived at the start line with about 15 mins to spare. The event seemed a little larger than I expected (a very detailed 25 page pre-race document containing all the race information was the first sign that this wasn’t a small event!) and there were loads of people gathered around the tents at the start line (which was beautifully located on the side of a hill). We registered, repacked our bags and began attaching our bib numbers as the race director wished everyone well and stated the race.

The group of 300 or so runners slowly crossed the line as Carl and I hurried Nick along as he thumbed about with his race number. We joked with a lady before we crossed the line as she flashed her ‘last runner’ vest and told us she can’t start until we do. Finally Nick got his shit together and we crossed the start line.

The main group of runners were plodding along at a very conservative pace and we caught up with the pack after a few hundred metres as we began the gentle climb away from the start. We proceeded to make our way up the field slowly as we passed the first photographer of the day. Up ahead we could see the lead runners disappearing in the distance. As we chatted away, the time passed by so quickly. Before we knew it we’d done 10 miles, then half a marathon and then passed the 20 mile marker. The race was over so quickly.

From start to finish our adventure was uneventful (thankfully!). We ran together and chatted the whole way without problems. Towards the end Nick got struck by a case of cramp in the hamstring which almost immobilised him, but otherwise we made great progress and finished in about 5 hours, which was quicker than planned.

The route was delightful with amazing rolling hills and green fields. We joked that the fields here felt posher than those back home! If it’s possible for a field to be posh?! There were plenty of single tracks through forests, wider trails through ploughed fields and the occasional short road section. Despite the heavy rain the day before the ground was solid and a joy to run on. Towards the end of the race we briefly ran a narrow path alongside a river and had to run through a deep puddle in the last mile. We groaned at having wet feet so late in the race.

The aid stations were numerous (alternating between water only and water with snacks) albeit basic, and there were an abundance of volunteers marshalling along the whole course. They were almost at every turn and intersection cheering us on and directing us. Road crossings were also manned with highway maintenance stopping traffic to allow runners to pass. It was very well organised and everyone was so friendly and helpful. I remember joking with one volunteer in the last km on our way up the final climb as I asked her why she was laughing and she said back “because you three have been jabbering away the whole time”. She wasn’t wrong!

As we crossed the finish line (which is back where we started – its a looped course) we were greeted by volunteers who gave us our medals and a finishers pint glass. We also got a ‘goody bag’ with crisps, sweets, chocolate, popcorn, a coaster and a pen with the race logo on it. There was a finishers tent too where we could use our pint glass to get free beer! I think it is fair to say you get your monies worth with this one! We sat down and enjoyed the views from the side of the hill as we regained our energy.

Overall, what a great event. Low-key and all about the local community and runners. The trails are beautiful out in Hampshire.

Giraffe, Frog!

Published on April 16, 2024 by runwithdai1 Comment

Istria100, a 100mile course on the Istrian peninsula in north west Croatia. A race I heard about shortly after I got into trail running and which peaked my curiosity. There are several distances on offer as part of the event, but it was only the 100 mile race that I wanted to do. I’d contemplated the race a few times in previous years but it seemed to never work out with other plans. Thankfully Matt was keen to do a 100 mile event in 2024 and liked the sound of Istria, so we signed up.

Leading up to the race I was starting to feel more confident and optimistic. My persistent leg injury seemed to be under control (probably thanks to the Physio I’d been seeing and being more consistent with some rehab and strengthening!). Running Letecka Stovka a few weeks earlier was a huge confidence boost and the planning for Istria was complete, so all was good. Then, a week before the race I rolled my ankle (on the other leg – the one I broke back in UTMB 2022!) badly at the end of a simple run just as I was approaching home. It hurt like hell at the time and continued to ache for the rest of the day. It wasn’t one of those ‘it hurts but is instantly fine a few moments later’ kind of rolls. So the injury anxiety and worries came back along with the constant ice pack. Trying a run a few days later it was still achy and although I was concerned, I wasn’t going to stop now. I’d do the usual hope for the best and ‘deal with it later’.

I met Matt at Venice airport and we drove over to Umag in Croatia by passing through Slovenia. Thankfully for me Matt is super organised and had sorted all the race logistics. We were staying in a hotel affiliated to the event in Umag not far from the finish line. The hotel also had a regular shuttle bus to the sports hall (where bib collection and drop bags would be) and would also be the venue for the post race meal for runners. We’d planned to be running for over 35 hours so made two separate bookings for just the night before the race and the night after. Trying to be smart and not pay for accommodation for the two nights we’d be running through. Given the time of our flights landing, we didn’t make it to Umag in time to collect the bib the night before the race, so we checked in to the hotel and went for food and then straight to sleep.

The next morning we checked out and used the shuttle service to go collect our bibs before returning to the hotel and getting ready for the race in the hotel grounds near the tennis courts (tennis is big in Umag! They host an ATP tournament don’t you know!). The start of the race is in a town called Labin on the eastern side of the peninsula. There was a transport bus from Umag at 16:00 so we had plenty of time to spare. When we were ready we took the shuttle service back to the sports hall and made our way into the town centre to get some lunch. We forgot the race centre was closed over lunch so couldn’t drop our bags off until we went back for the bus to Labin after we’d eaten.

A few hours later we’d completed the bus journey and arrived at the little medieval town of Labin perched high up on the hill above the city of Rabac. There was an initial mad rush to the toilets as all 7 buses unloaded and then a short time of hanging around waiting for the race to start. Thankfully it went quickly and there was a good atmosphere as the host shared information over the loud speaker, a samba band provided entertainment and the organisers arranged a group photograph of all the female participants. Scott, another runner from Wales who I met on an UltraX event years ago, found me and said hello. Then, Before we knew it, Thunderstruck by AC/DC was pumping out and the countdown began. We were off…

Section 1

For the first section we left Labin on the main road, leaving the old town through the archway and down hill. Naturally people bombed passed us from all directions. We we cautious and knew we couldn’t get caught up with speeding through the first downhill section so ran sensibly, even as we saw runners chasing each other up the initial little climb straight out of town before we turned off for the trails. The first trail was a narrow, single track trail that led down to the coast and towards Rabac. It was scattered with very loose rocks for most of the way. At the bottom we ran along the promenade of a the beautiful coastal city of Rabac (with its humongous resort perched on the side of the hill) and enjoyed the gentle sea breeze. We then turned off the sea front and up a lot of steps as we found the single tracks of the forest and wide, gravel roads that made up the first incline. It was rocky.

The climb was fairly short and didn’t take long to ascend. There was a brief peak with a view point (one of those random man made picture frames you’re supposed to take a photo with?!). But I was more fascinated by the massive chimney from a nearby industrial site in the the valley below. Despite being about 450m high at the view point, this chimney looked like it towered almost all the way to the same height as us.

From the peak we began the descent. It was a very long down hill on loose rock and gravel tracks, following large swooping switch backs down to sea level. The whole way the towering chimney occupied my thoughts. I know now that this is from the Plomin coal-fired power station. At the bottom we crossed a water channel connecting to the sea and made our way into a massive car park and the first aid station – Plomin Luka. Here we did a quick stop, the highlight being paprika flavoured crisps. I love paprika flavoured crisps. We checked out the profile of the next section and Matt set the strategy noting this was an important section to get right. It was the longest section of the race and also had the second largest of the climbs. It was about 7pm so we took out our head torches ready for sunset.

Section 2

We set off from the carpark and began the ascent of the big climb of almost 800m. It started ‘off track’ with lumpy, rocky ‘steps’ as we climbed a short way to the old village of Plomin situated on the hill. Here there were lots of enthusiastic supporters cheering. They were particularly vocal in cheering on the ‘chica’ who was in front of us. It was great to feel the support. The climb then took us onto some very steep, wide gravel tracks. It wasn’t known at the time, but this would be the most prominent of surfaces we’d run the whole race on – wide tracks for vehicle access that weren’t anything more than just loose rock and steep gradients. As we climbed the sun set rapidly. We were treated to a fantastic orange sky with the power station chimney getting smaller and smaller in the valley below us.

The climb eventually levelled out. At the top was a very short but steep downhill on the same terrain then a few kilometres of undulating tracks. Already I was conscious of the terrain and my ankle and verbalising (moaning) to Matt. I’d rolled both my ankles numerous times already. I was a little concerned the impact this might have on my increasingly fragile body over the rest of the race. For the last few kilometres we descended sharply for about 500m back down to sea level again. It was a little quad buster but we tried to descend sensibly. Toward the bottom we ran alongside a river and crossed the water. Here the rock was very slippery and we were glad it wasn’t raining. The course would be infinitely harder in wet conditions like the previous year. The next aid station was in the old town of Mošćenička Draga – a small fishing port of the town of Mošćenice – and we could hear the atmosphere from the pumping music. The vibes and volunteers were excellent here. After more fuelling (paprika crisps!) we studied the next section’s route profile. Up next was the biggest climb of the race. We had about 1300m of elevation to climb in one go, roughly split up into a 900m and then a 400m climb, as we’d make our way towards Poklon.

Section 3

After leaving the town, the first part of the climb was steep gravel tracks (it’s becoming a theme now isn’t it.) with the terrain being very loose underfoot. The gravel tracks were intermittently broken up by steeper, more rocky climbs. We powered through with a nice consistent pace taking it steady. The darkness of the night helped not being able to see the trails and summits ahead. Occasionally I’d try second guessing our direction, pointing out the silhouette outlines of mountains looming around us in the night sky.

We conquered the first 900m without any concerns and had a long, surprising flat and down hill wide trails to enjoy for a a little section before climbing again. Now we climbed steep trails deep in the forest before a rather exposed section to the summit after we left the shelter of the trees. We could see the blurred glow of head torches disappearing into the darkness above us. We followed them into the unknown. With the exposed mountain the icy cold temperatures were initially refreshing after a tough climb but soon we realised how cold it was as the mist and clag of the summit set in. It was so misty that it was difficult to see as we traversed the final section to the summit along a short but very rocky ridge. Without being able to see more than a few metres ahead, we were shocked when a brick building of some sort of building appeared next to us out of nowhere. We were at the top of the trail, it was the Vojak Tower at Vojak – the highest peak on the Istrian peninsula – which then instantly turned to a pathed, stone pathway. It was glorious. A few hundred meters of rest bite from the rocks.

We began descending pretty soon and we kept moving to keep warm. With the moisture of the night we found the (now) rocky descent hard going as it was slippery. We followed the tracks down as the switch backs took us quickly down a few hundred metres to Poklon and the next aid station. This was the 50km mark and the first cut off point. We arrived about 2 hours ahead of our estimate. We were happy but both acknowledged how sore and achy we were. After 50km it felt like we’d run a lot further than what we had. My lower hamstrings were surprisingly tight and our quads ached. This was a significant milestone in the race though as we’d now completed the three biggest climbs, the first cut off and almost half of the total race elevation. Looking back, it’s a challenging 50km!

Section 4

From Poklon to Brgudac the section was fairly straight forward. There was a Little climb on road and trail (yeah it was mostly rocky). Then pretty much all long wide gravel tracks with mostly gentle downs and gentle ups for the undulating terrain. It was pretty slow going though and fatigue was definitely kicking in. Our feet were sore and we were seriously starting to dislike these gravel trails. We left Poklon about 3am and we were tired now and holding on to the thought that it would start to get lighter from around 6am. Whilst I moaned about the rocks, my ankles and feet, Matt started to get very sleepy and was weighing up the thought of a quick trail nap. He fought through the tiredness though and we got to the aid station just before 6am. As we were leaving the sun started to rise and the trails were visible enough without our head torches. We were starting to get excited about the day ahead and seeing some views after the darkness of the night.

Section 5

We left the aid station and followed the gravel tracks for a few kilometres before reaching some forests. It was a refreshing change of scenery. We crossed dried up old streams and passed a man made fountain(?) collecting water from the mountain side. The sunrise fully completed as we went deeper into the forest and the sun shone through the dense woodland. It created beautiful patterns of light and enjoyed the serenity of the moment. The field of runners had spread out and we enjoyed the peace and quiet of the forest. The climbs took us to a summit marked with a big Red Cross on it. We took a moment to enjoy the views which were panoramic. The trails then took us down through the forests with short sharp steep descents on loose soil. We enjoyed it despite the increasing quad fatigue we began to feel. We were 70-80km into the race now and had missed a nights sleep so fatigue was to be expected.

We were trying to keep each other entertained and were playing word games. We took turns naming countries beginning with the letter that the last country finished with. Matt was kicking my ass, badly. He kept hitting me with double ‘A’s and I was useless. So the game didn’t last long and he wasn’t having any of my excuse of “but we have another 25 hours of the race to play” as I attempted to stall. We switched the game to naming animals and I faired equally badly. Actually, worse because I kept replying “frog” to Matt’s play of “giraffe”. He kindly put it down to tiredness and not me being stupid. It did however give birth to the “giraffe, frog! game. A simple game of naming different animals, but any time someone says giraffe, the next person must say frog, if not they lose. Simple. It popped up a few times throughout the rest of the run.

Thankfully I was spared any further embarrassment as a new distraction soon graced us – the 100km runners. We knew the courses joined but weren’t expecting to reach the join before the majority of the 100km runners. We thought we’d maybe get the mid/back of the pack. Out of nowhere Matt heard a noise and turned to find the leading pack of 5 males (and not far behind them the leading lady!) right behind us. We stepped aside and cheered them through. One of the pack was Pau Capel (a big name in trail running) and we had fun cheering him.

The excitement soon subsided though as it made the next few kilometres a little frustrating as we carried on through the forests. For a few climbs and descents we had to constantly step aside to let all the speedy runners passed. It’s not needed, but it always feels the right thing to do (to give way and step aside). But it does mess with your momentum. And momentum is so important on long distance endurance runs. Thankfully most runners acknowledge and thank you for the consideration. Many however don’t. It was amusing how my ‘trail humour’ and attempts at heckling the runners falls so flat. Dad jokes like “don’t let us catch you up” and “you can beat him” just didn’t hit the mark. They never do but I can’t stop myself.

When we reached the next aid station we took a bit of a longer rest to give more of the pack a chance to pass us (as this aid station was about 40km in to their race, many of the 100km runners didn’t hang around for long). We also saw Kaito, who we briefly met at registration the day before. He was flying on his first 100km event. We sat down and enjoyed another course of paprika crisp sandwiches (the best combination) which had been our primary fuel at each aid station. We were loving it.

Section 6

The next section was the final bit that would take us to the 100km mark and our drop bags. We’d pretty much done half the race now and gave ourselves a hi five as we left Trstenik . We had more, long roads/gravel tracks and forest to overcome as more 100km runners passed us. We were aligned with the mid pack of the race now which gives a different vibe. The elites and faster runners are so focused that they fly passed you and from most you get a simple thanks or acknowledgement. Further back in the pack the runners speak to you a bit more as they pass and many go out of their way to acknowledge the 100miles and express a little bit of awe at your achievement. It’s a a real confidence and morale boost. It spurs you on as you converse with these strangers and encourage each other. Something I really like about the sport.

In this section I recall a road crossing that led to a short steep climb as we reached another summit. This was the last climb we’d do at the higher altitudes. For the last 40km or so we’d been fluctuating around the 700-1100 m of altitude. After this summit we would descend and would not climb to more than about 400m again for the rest of the race. After the climb the descent was pretty straight and direct for a few hundred metres of elevation loss as we passed near Brest before a short undulating section through Slum. We then dropped the last 500m or so on rocky forest trails to Buzet. We could see the town from the trails and were second guessing where the aid station might be. We could see little dots of runners crossing roads and roundabouts and then disappearing into the town. Eventually, after passing over the train line, it was our turn to be the guiding dots for the runners behind us.

Here we grabbed our drop bags and put our race strategy into action. We’d spent the last few kilometres adjusting and refining our plan – We’d get our bags and grab some food. Start charging our devices and sorting our kit as we ate. Then get changed into fresh clothes before going for a sleep (there were camp beds and planned sleeping areas at this aid station). After which we’d finish preparing our kit for the next section. This plan was based on our previous experiences. Firstly we thought it best to sleep where there was space to do so rather than waiting until we were more tired / later in the day. So despite it being around 1pm we decided a quick sleep now would be beneficial and hopefully postpone any tiredness deeper into the second night. We’ve also decided that it’s best to not go straight to sleep when we arrive at an aid station. We’ve done this before and we think the downsides outweigh the positives. Firstly you are normally wet with sweat and warm through adrenaline. As soon as you stop your temperature starts to plummet. It can be hard to get to sleep if cold and shivering. So always change clothes before sleeping. Secondly, eating first gives your body a brief rest from trying to process the food whilst on the go. And sometimes after you wake up you actually want to eat again!

So we did just that. We ate pasta with beef stew and sides of fried chicken. Istria100 is known for its great food and aid stations. Whilst I wouldn’t say any of this was great, the beef stew and fried chicken was definitely improvements on the options available at most other races! We then went for 30 mins of sleep. We were 2 hours ahead of our schedule and had plenty of time before the cut off. Plus, we’d planned on finishing early in the morning on Sunday and didn’t have anywhere to go as our hotel booking meant we couldn’t check in until about 2pm. So we didn’t care what time we actually finished. We had all day Sunday to do nothing and if we finished earlier we’d just have to sleep in the sports hall somewhere. We went upstairs to the sleeping area and found camp beds with no one else about. Perfect peace and quiet. We set an alarm and went to sleep. Before we knew it the alarm was waking us. I don’t think I really slept. I dozed but felt I was conscious the whole time. Matt did sleep though which was good as he’d been carrying that tiredness through from the early hours.

We had a few more snacks and decided to take a bit more time before leaving. I think in the end we rested for about 1.5 hours which is loads of time, even by my standards. There was another benefit here which came into our thinking. It was now very, very hot outside. The more time inside at Buzet meant the less time we spent outside in the heat. Not that it helped that much…

Section 7

As soon as we left Buzet we trotted down a road section towards the trail. I was pumped with energy from the rest and we moved quicker than we had for who knows how many hours. As we hit the start of the first climb, a muddy forest trail, the lack of shelter from the heat hit hard. Matt particular felt the heat as we started climbing and we made the decision to slow down. It’s good Matt recognised the impact of the heat as I think I would have pushed on and exhausted myself on the climb. The first climb was maybe a 150m section then a brief flatter bit before a final 100m push. We started to climb in the forests before we encountered some vineyards and wonderful little villages and farms on the hillsides. As we reached the top, a farmer directed us to a tap outside the house we could use. We wet our hats and faces and were so glad of his gesture. We then continued along a short road and more gravel tracks connecting the different vineyards which we followed as they took us back to the forests.

Somewhere around here we crossed a huge cliff with a drop off on the side of the hill before hitting the forest. The down hill took us deep into a forest that was wet and muddy. We were surprised. We’d heard how muddy the course could be but didn’t expect this would be the case with the warm weather. Yet here we were trouncing through mud. We navigated down and followed the sound of water as we joined up to a river and then crossed it numerous times in a short distance. It was fun at first then annoying as it happened so often. The stones crossing the water we slippery from all the runners before us. Further down though the river was fascinating as it carved incredible shapes and formations in the rock.

Once we completed the descent we were greeted with our favourite gravel tracks again. These were steep and we started to climb back up. I think it was about 300m or so. It was dull and we were hating the rocky gravel tracks by now and it was so warm. We were both running low on water and still had a long way to go before the next aid station as it wasn’t until a few kilometres after we descended the other side of this hill. So it was another slow and steady climb of using momentum to keep heading forward. Very few people passed us now but occasionally we’d overtake runners from both races. Everyone was feeling the heat. After a while the gravel track gave way to solid hard stone. It was marginally more enjoyable but the heat seemed to reflect back up at us off the ground. We sought out every inch of shade we could find as it was so exposed.

We were talking about different races and the types of support you get at villages. Commenting that on this race we’d seen very little from locals/the villages in terms of people being outside and cheering/helping runners. We also commented that sometimes races acknowledge the warmer than expected weather and pop up extra water stations. We wished that was the case here. Then, like some sort of mind reading miracle, as we reached the top of the climb in the village of Vrh a local welcomed us to his house to use his outside tap. There was already a collection of runners outside sitting in the shade and drinking. We both drank a 500ml of water and I refilled both bottles and encouraged Matt to do the same. A wise decision as I drank the extra litre before we got to next aid station!! All hail the water king of Vrh!

More rocky trails on the descent before Butoniga

From the town we had another rocky forest decent into muddy trails leading towards a lake. We could see the aid station (Butoniga) way off in the distance on the other side of the lake. First we had to descend, then climb again passing through the small village of Sculci before crossing /round the lake. The muddy trails made the climb a little hard at first as it was slippery. After passing through the village we then headed down a long road to reach the lake. Here we walked the whole length on the flat footpath. We simply refused to run on anymore gravel track. My feet were on fire now and despite being only the first aid station since the big stop at Buzet it felt like it took us an age to reach it and we had been moving for over 4 hours again. I told Matt I was worried about some soreness in my feet so wanted to spend some time trying to patch them up a little. Thankfully I didn’t have blisters but I felt the soreness and redness of hotspots around my heals. I put blister plasters and tape on the affected area and immediately felt better knowing I might have prevented some bigger issues and made my feet more comfortable. I was pleased with my decision making! As we left Butoniga it was 7pm. So we had our head torches at the ready…

Section 8

We left the aid station and had a 2km stretch along a river before re-joining the trails and starting to climb again. Like before the trail was surprisingly muddy and steep. It was slow going as we climbed through the forest and left the sticky mud behind. Before long we emerged on what seemed like a very new tarmac road. It just appeared out of nowhere and kept climbing. It was very steep. A long old slog as we kept plodding along. As we looked up in the darkness we saw a few head torches descending quickly. We tried to figure out the route and where we’d go. It was confusing (looking back I’m wondering if we even saw headtorches!). We seemed to circumnavigate in the opposite direction around the town on the hill and then back into the forest. A short and steep shortcut up to the village at the top. Despite it being dark and cold again the climb meant our temperatures rocketed. We were hot. A small group of runners had formed around us and I could see we weren’t the only ones who felt that climb!

From the village we went along a long straight track that confused me so much. It felt like a bridge sticking out from the side of the hill. My mind couldn’t process how the long path existed where it did. Must have been some sort of ridge or saddle in the hills. We led the pack of runners as the trail started to descend and become increasingly more narrow. Immediately I caused Matt to almost fall into me as I slowed down as the trail became saturated with deep sticky mud and large rocks buried in them. It was so slippery and we carefully had to navigate. Matt tried to get the next runner behind him to go first but he was not having any of it. I joked that we wanted to watch him fall over but the truth was he was right up Matt’s backside and breathing annoyingly loud. So instead we moved a little quicker, well as much as the terrain aloud us too. We were twisting in different directions on the descent and we lost all sense of orientation. I had no idea where we were heading and in which direction Umag was from here.

As the mud gave way to gravel we had resorted to walking again. It’s all we’d been doing pretty much since we left Buzet many hours ago. We walked along a few roads as we tried to figure out where we were going and which of the few villages/towns lit up on the different hills we’d be climbing too. Then the next hill then came again as we started out in more forests. Matt was very tired now and struggling to keep his eyes open and decided he couldn’t wait to the next aid station which was over the other side of the next climb, maybe close to 2 hours away. He wanted a trail nap so laid down on the side of the trail and gave me a strict instruction to give him just 2 minutes. I don’t no how he can get such energy/recovery from just 2 mins of sleep, but it works for him. As he laid there I bent over my poles and confirmed everything was ok to the other runners who passed us and checked that we were all ok.

2 mins later I resisted the urge to kick him and instead gave him a gentle shake from the shoulder. He sprang up on his feet, he was back, he was energised. We made good progress up the rest of the hill as we climbed to Motovun. We caught up and passed some of the runners before the trails turned to road and then to cobblestones. The cobbles hurt as we made our way through the historic old town. There were loads of them and the climb to the town was very steep. At the top we caught the rest of the runners who passed us when Matt slept and we fast walked away from them as we began the descent to Livade. Thankfully this descent was less steep than the ones before. But it didn’t make it any easier. We were just too tired and sore to make use of the gentle terrain. I think it was here that was the last time another runner went passed us running.

Before approaching the town there was a long flat gravel section alongside a major road. The sound of our poles tapping on the stone and stones crunching and rubbing each other was, for the first time, drowned out by another noise. The swooshing of cars passing. It was kind of nice to hear something different. At the end of the track we needed to cross the road. Thankfully nothing was coming because it was wide and we were slow. What faced us now was about 1km of straight road to Livade. It felt like 10km as we slowly walked the road. We’d already agreed that we’d sleep here again. We were both tired and it was 11pm. There was a long night ahead of us and still over a marathon to go. We believed there were more camp beds at this aid station so agreed to sleep for 20 mins if there were.

Once we entered the aid station I couldn’t see anything so I was getting ready for a ‘head on the table’ nap. But Matt being more authoritive just asked the volunteers and there were indeed beds for us, situated in a room next to the tent. We went in and had a slight wait for a bed to be freed up. There was probably less than ten beds cramped into a small room and the medics were treating other runners in the main room. fortunately we both got beds at the same time and asked to be woken in 20 mins. Matt slept through it all and woke naturally just about 20 mins later. He woke me but I think I just dozed and didn’t fall sleep again. I was a bit spaced out now. We went and had some warm soup and spent another ten mins composing ourselves and warming up under a heater. When we left the aid station we were very cold. We expected the second night to be warmer than the first as we were at much lower altitude. But it wasn’t. It wasn’t consistently cold but every now and then we’d get these icy blasts that would shock us.

Section 9

Leaving Livade I was moaning about how we still had so far to go. Matt however was the ever optimistic and sensible one. He verbalised the profile and put it into perspective to keep me focused. We had one climb of maybe 400m then a more gradual descent and gradual shorter climb of about 200m, the final proper climb. Once through this section it was pretty much down hill to the finish.

It was just as he described. We did a long climb in the forest in the cold. I think it passed rather quickly considering we were now over 130km into the race. We began the gentle descent that then felt never ending and the stones irritated our sore feet as we progressed along the long winding switchbacks. There was a short, steep and muddy descent as we then crossed a river before starting the final climb. It had it all. Gravel and stones, steep sections, twisting and turning tracks. Matt was talking away to me but I wasn’t talking back. I was drifting and struggling to keep my eyes open. He was using his experience and asking me questions. Loaded questions to make me talk and describe things. He’s wise like that. But I wasn’t helping. I wasn’t responding in the way that was needed. I wasn’t giving conversation, just grunting. It was having an impact on him too and he was starting to get sleepy also. A troublesome situation to be in and I wasn’t helping with my lack of communication. We managed it through a few micro trail naps. The 2 minute timer was back. It worked and sharpened us up a little. And I certainly slept this time. I had some vivid dream of Matt and his wife managing their laundry with some super fancy and advanced smart washing machine they operated from anywhere in the world. No idea where that came from.

We got to the next aid station Groznjan and it was stereotypical of the sort of aid stations you see towards the end of big races. The buzz and excitement has gone. The music and upbeat vibes are no more. It’s replaced with a sombre dark mood. A few runners spread out, some sleeping, some lost in thought, some just emotionless. Everyone exhausted. We needed sleep. We found a bench, got out our phones and set a timer for 10 mins. We placed our heads down on the table and tried to to get more sleep…

This was the one for me. This one worked and I got some rest. That and knowing it was 3 am and the sun was start bringing new life to us in around 3 hours and, as Matt said, we’d broken the race now. We just had the last 20 or so kms to go so were looking at 6-7 hours left. We’d probably finish about 2 hours later than we first thought. So not bad.

Section 10

From the aid station we found ourselves on a very long straight horrible gravel road. We passed through a number of tunnels. Matt commented that it must have been some old railway perhaps. I looked it up and we were on the ‘Parenzana Trail’ – it was indeed an old narrow-gauge railway that closed in 1935. It stretches for about 130km from Porec in Croatia, through Slovenia to Muggia in Italy. And yes, I’ve already found there is an ultra (various distances including an 88km one) held in February each year. And no, I’ve absolutely no interest in that. We didn’t enjoy this section – It was so straight, frustratingly so. We hated it in fact as it was so boring and the gravel wasn’t enjoyable to run on. Matt made a point of how crappy the 20km race must be if this is the route. After an eternity (yeah I know, it was only about 3 kms) we turned off the Parenzana trail. But what was to come was somehow worse. The trail became rockier with larger loose rocks. I had memories of Trans Gran Canaria (on a smaller scale).

The rocky track after leaving the Parenzana Trail

Sometime later we entered some forest tracks. The path was very twisty and narrow. I was now kicking my own ankles trying to avoid the rocks, but it was a very gradual downhill and I was speeding up though much to Matt’s frustration. I wasn’t trying to get a faster time but I really did want it (all of it, the race!) to end as soon as possible. Thankfully this was the shortest section of the whole course and we were soon breaking through the rocky forest as dawn started to break on our approach to Buje as we found ourselves ascending a road section to the final aid station. We sat under a heater and ate a little, lost in contemplation that we now had one final section left, 13km all of which was down hill apparently. But we knew that wasn’t the case…

Section 11

Of course we climbed in the town as soon as we left the aid station. Yeah not anything to really moan about but it’s just obvious and amusing when the aid station signs show and elevation profile with climbs and also state ‘0m’ of elevation gain. Sack the artist I said. Anyway, we passed through the town to the other side and had a little down hill on roads as we made our way to some fields.

From here we spent some time with some slight climbs in farmland which was again surprisingly very muddy. Eventually we left the farms and found ourselves running a few km along a river. This is where we were lucky as the weather meant the fields were dry and compact with just a thin sticky layer of surface mud. More fields and riversides tracks awaited us as the sunrise gave way to morning and we got progressively hotter again. The fields felt endless as we could see so far ahead and the outskirts of Umag started to become visible way off in the distance. Still so far away, it was a long time before we reached it. We left the fields and found ourselves on a cycle path leading to the centre of town.

Leaving the farmland and removing stones from my shoes

We slowly reached the seafront and small gatherings of people clapped and cheered us over their morning coffees (and beers for some!). I pushed back on Matt’s urge to run the final stretch. I gave in when we were just a few metres away. We walked across the finish line and turned for a big hi-five for the cameras. Relief set in and amusement followed as the MC announced our names followed by “oh you’ve done a lot of these” clearly seeing our UTMB accounts flash up with all our details. A lovely lady then gave us our medals (which are quite significant and weighty!) and took our photos for us. It was over. We were so glad that there were no more gravel tracks to be run!

Post race we walked back to the sports hall, had a shower and used all our free time to relax. We went to the massage area and had a complimentary massage and I sure got the works. A ‘four hands’ full body massage. The two guys worked my legs great, easing out all the tightness that had accumulated over the last two days. I was worried about how tender I was but the massage was great. The shoulders and back too, very relaxing. They even massaged my glutes and stretched me out. I really hit the jackpot!

We then caught the shuttle bus back to the hotel. It was still too early to check in but we took advantage of the post race meal which was a full buffet that we could help ourselves too. So much better than the usual post-race offerings. I filled up on Potatoes, fried chicken, beef stew and vegetables on repeat . After which we headed outside to the seafront and lay on the lounge beds and went to sleep. A timer set to wake us up ready for check in. Before we knew it we’d recovered a little, checked in and went about the next step of our pamper treatment – the spa. Swimming pool, saunas, steam rooms and Jacuzzis. We had a great few hours before it was time to eat again. Post race done well.

On reflection/ looking back…

Something I’ve not mentioned that surprised us was that there was so much rubbish on the route. It was clearly from runners and far too much to be accidental. From early on and more so in the later stages (which would have had all the races/event participants) there was discarded sports food wrappers everywhere. I’ve not seen so much dropped litter on a race before. Not sure why this would be the case. Oddly, we also saw a load of clothes discard on the trails. Not from runners though. But generic waste. It was a constant stream across the whole 100 miles and we noted enough to get fully kitted out at least twice over include rucksacks and hats and all. We thought it was odd as the trails are all quite isolated and don’t really go anywhere unless you cover a fair ol’ distance. Odd.

In terms of the race itself, for me it didn’t live up to my expectations and the hype. It’s clearly a lovely area and place to visit. But the nature of the 100miles meant it was all a bit meh really. Firstly we spent more time in the darkness of night than the day. So I assume we missed out on some probably excellent views, particularly the first night when we would have been at higher elevation. Secondly, there was a a real lack of variation in the trail. As I’ve moaned – the vast majority of trail is just gravel road. It’s far from enjoyable or interesting. The bit we enjoyed the most was the lush forest section after Brgudac. You also hear a lot about the amazing food at the event, but we didn’t think it was anything that special. All the aid stations were the same generic UTMB aid stations setups with bread, crisps, chocolate, pretzels, cheese, meat and sponsored sports stuff from naak. The hot food offering at Buzet was certainly better than most races provide but hardly anything worth raving to your mates about. That said, the volunteers were excellent and the event was exceptionally well organised. There was more than enough food for everyone, the link with the hotel with the shuttle bus service and post race meal was very good. It’s certainly a great exemplar for organisation and would be excellent for a experience for a relative newcomer to such events. The course markings were also some of the best I’ve experienced. No chance of going wrong on this course.

Course markings were obvious and plentiful

Overall though, as it goes for me, if I were to try and rank all the ‘milers’ I’ve done (which I’ve clearly gone and ranked) then it’s probably down as 4th in the list of 5 ‘milers’ I’ve completed (and I broke my ankle on one of the higher ranking ones and another gave about 900 runners the shits afterwards!). I just didn’t think the route and the trails are that enjoyable.

Other than that, I am quite pleased with how we came out on the other side. Neither of us had any problems, and after the massage were both walking fine. My ankles also seem to have held up ok, so my initial worries are no more and although my feet are very raw, I’ve only a few tiny blisters. Taking time to stop and empty stones from my shoes and apply plasters and tape definitely helped! So I’m pleased with my decision making mid run!

As Busy As It Gets

Published on March 15, 2024March 24, 2024 by runwithdai9 Comments

For the last few years a couple of us have always met up on the second weekend in March to go running in Snowdonia. It’s become a bit of a tradition. This our plans complicated it and only Paul and I were able to do the weekend. I also wanted to go somewhere new, as much as I love Snowdonia and have so much more to explore there, I crave travel and adventure in places I haven’t been too. When looking at races for the year I came across this event in Slovakia that offered just the 100km distance and coincidently landed on the second weekend in March. From the pictures it looked like a tough winter event with plenty of snow covered mountains to enjoy. It didn’t take much to persuade Paul to sign up (side note, the race is limited to approximately 200 people and sold out within the first day!). Slovakia here we came…

The race started and finished in a town called Trencin. It seemed like a peaceful little town, located about an 95km outside of Bratislava. It was very quiet and is not a tourist destination. Shortly after arriving, we sat in a restaurant with one other table even though Google indicated this place was “as busy as it gets”. It made us chuckle and set the scene for the weekend – a nice lowkey event with just over 200 participants. I believe there were just 6 runners who were not Slovak or Czech.

A few hours later we experienced the most efficient and straight forward of race check in / registration at the sports hall near the stadium. It was pleasing to see the mandatory kit being checked, in full, for all runners. A refreshing change from the more mainstream events where kit checks now seem to take place less and less often. Armed with a sturdy race bib and multiple free drinks we headed back to the hotel to sleep ahead of our Slovakian adventure.

The start of the race with Trencin Castle in the background (Official photographer: Peter Sobek)

At 6am we were back at the sports hall and ready to start. After not paying attention we found ourselves standing at the front of the race as the countdown began and the sun started to rise. We quickly shuffled to the back where we belonged. The start of the race featured a Long 18km flat (marginally downhill even!) section as we ran along the Váh, passed the local airport and towards the town of Beckov. It didn’t take long for the field to spread out into a few bigger groups based on pace. As nice as it was to see and run alongside the river, it quickly became tedious. The path started as a pathed cycle path and then become narrower trail tracks and an embankment which were solid under foot, far better than the conditions the week before when they were soaked following rain. The weather was fantastic and couldn’t be any different from the snowy winter weather we expected to encounter. These were great conditions to run, but that’s not something you get used to in these sort of ultras and we didn’t want to ruin ourselves completely early on. We were able to keep a decent pace and tick off all the distance in a good time of approximately 2 hours. As we reached Beckov we had the first aid station on the side of the track. It had a good view of Beckov Castle standing prominently on the hill which we’d seen on the drive in the day before.

Running alongside the Váh as we approach Beckov

We ran through the small town and then had the first variation of terrain as we left Beckov with a short climb through some fields and woodlands. There was a photographer cheering us on with a photo opportunity of the castle in the distance. We popped down the other side of the hill and had a short road section before arriving at the second checkpoint in a community hall. The atmosphere here was bouncing as volunteers and supporters cheered us in. We took a few minutes to fuel and compose ourselves, satisfied that just under a quarter of the race was already run. We were feeling good but knew from here the elevation would start to come. We were in good condition though and ready for what came next.

From the aid station we now had just over 20 kms to go before our next stop. It pretty much started with a 600m climb. The climb started through a mountain bike park before continuing further up into the mountains. On the climb we could see many hills in the distance and one with a tower which we believed we’d reach at some point in the race (I believe this was Inovec). It was like a game as we kept guessing ‘are we going over there’ (we were wrong each time). It was a very gentle incline and weaved up through long woodland trails. The forests were special. The Trees were leafless, the floors covered in a blanket of golden brown leaves which our poles collected like litter pickers. The sun was shining through creating beautiful light patterns on the leafy floor. It didn’t take long before the climb was levelling out. There was no ‘summit’ on this climb but rather the route took us skirting the sides of mountains as we continued in the forest. As we reached the highest point the route was undulating for a few kms before we began descending. Again it was a very gentle and runnable descent and we made great progress on the initial descent before another few kms of undulating woodlands.

We arrived at the 3rd aid station in the Sport Chata mountain chalet at about 43km in. This was a small aid station that was a little cramped inside with runners taking a break. It was obvious why people were hanging around – there was a fire burning and pizzas had been delivered. Lots and lots of pizza! It was midday and the perfect lunch in a party atmosphere. We had a few slices and rested as we prepared for the next section which was also around 20ish km.

This one included more undulating trails before a smallish climb of about 300m and subsequent descent. I remember there were parts here that were slightly muddier and the ground wetter as we crossed more fields and weaved through more forests. We also got chatting with a local runner who shared information with us on the trail running community in Slovakia and the other races they have (I’ve read about one further north called the Big Bear which intrigues me). She told us how the race organisers (who form the Slovak Ultra Trail) all help and support each other which I think is a fantastic thing. I also remember running through a long field where there was a guy on a scrabble bike doing loops in the field. The noisy bike momentarily broke the peaceful atmosphere of the race. After leaving the forests we had a short road section (that felt like a very long road section!) on a gentle decline as we approached the 4th aid station where we’d have access to our drop bags.

We’d now covered around 3/5 of the course and were glad to have a rest. As we set about rummaging through our drop bags the volunteers brought us warm dumpling soup (yeah ok I thought it was cheese soup at first!). It was delicious. We were so very well looked after here, and everywhere else on the course – the volunteers were so helpful and friendly. The aid station had so much on offer. There was a huge range of drinks (this aid station had Coke, Pepsi, water, isotonic, bottled fruit juices/squash, magnesium/vitamin water, energy drinks, beer, non alcoholic beer, Radler…) and loads of food options. The warm soup was perfect and we washed it down with a Radler as I talked with another local runner enjoying a beer. We put on some warmer clothes for the next 40 odd kms. It was a very cold day, despite being dry, and we figured it would only be about 2 hours before it started getting dark. After about 40 minutes we went back out and began the long , fairly flat pathed section before we tackling the next climb.

We were now faced with the biggest/longest climb on the course as we’d head up towards Inovec. It was another 600m climb but this time we’d reach and altitude of just over 1,000m. Similar in height to Yr Wyddfa, but very, very different trails. Like before, this was a climb we found fairly easy going as it was another gentle ascent (admittedly we didn’t find it as easy going as some runners around us who ran off up the climb!). For us, we were pleased, there was no ‘huffing and puffing’ or elevated heart rate. It was a nice change to be able to enjoy the inclines and maintain a steady climbing pace. We were also back climbing through the forests and leave covered woodland paths.

As we climbed we completely switched off by reminiscing about movies from the 80s and 90s. All the good ol’ fashioned action movies. Paul was making a mental list of films to watch again. As the climb started to level out there was a short section where we ran back along the course we covered earlier in the day (if we weren’t paying attention here we could have carried on and probably followed the course markings from 50km earlier! I think if you did you would have ended up back at the Sport Chata we passed around 40km in!). This time though we’d turn off in a different direction and towards a ‘ridge’ that everyone kept mentioning.

We weren’t quite at the highest point yet and had around 10km of undulating trails as we climbed further up. This section seemed to drag a little. Every climb felt like it should be the last one. The daylight was starting to fade and the wind was picking up as the evening began to get colder and colder. As we reached Inovec it was just about light enough to see the Inovec lookout tower. After this it went dark pretty quickly. We were tiring a bit now (fair seeing as we had covered over 80 km) and the terrain became ever so slightly rockier compared to the previous sections. This coupled with the very cold wind made it harder going. I was aware of how cold I was getting now as I trudged through the thinnest layer of snow on the ground. Most of the day I’d had my gloves on but had resisted a windproof jacket up until we reached Inovec. Now I wanted my thicker jacket and warmer gloves! Thankfully the descent finally came and we made our way into the next aid station. Again another mountain hut with fires burning inside. It was warm. It was welcomed. I stuffed my face with apples, crisp, salami and chocolate before warming up and layering up with a beanie hat, my warmer gloves and thermal jacket. We shivered as we left.

Leaving the aid station we continued on some more road before completing the rest of the descent, probably about 400m downhill in the dark forests. We were toasty and warm again now. After this came a short climb of about 300m. Thankfully this one wasn’t undulating and we started descending pretty much straight away. This final section was nicely split up by one last aid station. We were glad it wasn’t another 20km section straight to the finish. The aid station was another chalet and was lit up with lights and reflective signs. We made a quick stop as it was set up outside (probably a good thing to keep us moving!). Paul knocked back a coffee and we set off before we started shivering again. Stupidly we walked the wrong way for about 50m. It was stupid as we’d even talked about this section and it was incredibly well marked as we approached the aid station. It was clear we were tired, cold and distracted. Back on the right track we finished the descent and got excited as the kms started to tick down.

We’d mentally accepted that it was pretty flat to the finish now, but despite the simple appearance of route profiles, it was broadly uphill, albeit at gentle undulations. The deception of our thoughts messed with our heads a little, but it wasn’t far to go and the climbs were no worse than walking around the hillier parts of London! So really it was mostly runnable and we made good progress. We were impressed by our undertrained body’s ability to keep running during this race. Before we knew it we were arriving back in Trencin, just below the castle. As we approached I remembered some massive luxury houses and how one resembled a yacht. We then made the final descent, down the cobbled path through into the church courtyard, then down into town and along the pedestrianised streets, through the subway and back to start, the way we’d walked to the registration the evening before. Arriving back at the sports hall we had a great reception from the volunteers and race director.

After finishing I spent a little time chatting with the race director who was so friendly and accommodating. The organisation really was excellent, we were well looked after, supported by loads of friendly volunteers, had ridiculous amounts of high quality foods and drinks and enjoyed a great atmosphere and vibe from the Slovak trail community. I couldn’t recommend this race enough and really want to try some more of the Slovak Ultra Trail events now!

On a personal note this race was a real confidence booster after recent injuries and lack of consistent running. I was expecting a slog (I’m sure it would have been in worse weather!) but seemed to get through with no issues or problems. Even afterwards my body felt ok and didn’t ache too much. Overall we were happy. Undertrained but over performed. With a 17.5 hr finish we were well under the cut off of 25 hours and the WSER qualifier time of 22 hours. Now I can look forward to what is to come next, roll on Istria100 in April…

Drielandenpunt Trail

Published on February 13, 2024 by runwithdai2 Comments

It has taken far too long, but finally I got around to visiting Matt out in the Netherlands for a run on trails more local to him. Over the weekend Matt and Lara treated us like royalty, putting us up for the night, feeding us, driving us to the race and putting up with our tourist commentary.

The race was the 50km Drielandenpunt Trail in Vaals, in the southern part of the Netherlands, in a park area known as Drielandenpunt, which is the three country point. This is where the three borders of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany meet. The race is mostly in the Netherlands but the course twists and weaves its way into Belgium at several points and also tracks along the border with Germany.

The night before we stayed nearby and had the shittest risotto known to man. It was a real talking point that someone is capable of making such a bad risotto. Alas, being the non confrontational type we ate it and kept our mouths shut. After all it did serve the purpose of a meal and it’s not like we need high quality food before running an ultra. In the morning we made the short drive up the ‘hill’ to Vaalserbeg which is the highest point in the Netherlands at about 322m, near the three country point. Here is where the race would start and finish. I suppose not many running races will both start and finish at the highest point in a country! We registered and messed around taking pictures on the tri-point where the borders of the three countries meet, crossing between the countries and back in a matter of seconds. We then said goodbye to Natalia who’d start her 30km race an hour later. After the quickest starting line up ever, Matt and I set off.

Within minutes of starting the run I was overheating. It was a wet day with a constant drizzle of rain, but, with just the wind jacket on I was too hot, so opted to continue the run in just the t-shirt and sleeves (I probably gave myself a cold as a result, but it was very stuffy in the forests). It was instantly noticeable how, muddy the trails were, how narrow the forest paths were and how surprisingly hilly it was. With a total elevation of 1400m elevation across the course, it was very much a series of short steep climbs and descents with very few flat bits in between. The course, mud aside, is rather runnable although my fitness levels meant I didn’t run a single one of the hills! The first part of the course was a 14km loop to the south. We had some great views of some very grey, overcast skies (‘m sure on a better day there are views to be enjoyed) and made the first of numerous dips into Belgium. This was my first time visiting Belgium. I think it counts as a visit!

Towards the end of the loop we left the forest and ran (trudged!) through some very muddy fields. I laughed as the person ahead kept falling over whilst my Inov8 X-Talons were excellent for ensuring I stayed on two feet, I was so glad with my choice of shoe! We then had a one of the bigger climbs (at just shy of 100m) back up to Vaalserbeg and the start line which would now serve as our first aid station.

From here it was more of the same with forest trails undulating as we ran alongside Germany. Drielandenpunt is a beautiful area with many, many intersecting trails for hiking and biking. It reminded me of the Surrey Hills area with endless twists, turns, short sharp descents and muddy climbs. Overtime the trails all blurred into one and it wasn’t long before I was completely disorientated and had no idea where we’d come from or which direction we were heading in.

After another 13km or so we arrived at the second check point where we were spoilt with ham and/or cheese sandwiches. These went down a treat and we both stuffed our faces and enjoyed a few moments of rest (although standing around we got very cold very quickly). By now we had been passed by a lot of runners. It felt like nearly the whole field had passed us as well as many of the 3okm runners. We were enjoying the day though, chatting our way round the whole course and catching up (some how it had already had been 8 months since our last run together in Lofoten).

Throughout the day Matt was sharing all his knowledge and facts, particularly at key points on the course like when we ran through the vineyards and he gave me a crash course in the history of Dutch wine production. It was a welcome distraction from the muddy trails! Throughout the run I recall the course being fantastically marked and sign posted, the aid stations being well stocked and the ground being a slushy mud fest – there were several more fields that were really muddy and a few little picturesque towns that we weaved through connecting the trails together. After another 15km or so we’d made our way back to the second aid station location for our final stop. With a quick top up and refuel we set back out.

We were on the home stretch now and had finally stopped being overtaken by runners. We commented that we didn’t think that we overtook a single person in the race. Towards the end of the course that changed with a steep muddy descent causing a few other runners to have trouble descending. We sped and slid our way down and claimed about 4 places in one short movement. From here it was a gentle jog into the finish line where we passed with an American we’d shared a few moments with earlier in the day. The ‘international finish’ as the MC dubbed it as an Aussie, American and Welshman crossed the line together.

We opted to skip the ‘city wash’ showers and just throw on dry clothes to start the long journey back to Amsterdam as quickly as possible. This was hindered a little bit by the inaccessible finance system in the Netherlands where many stores don’t accept Visa or credit cards as a payment method. To buy a portion of chips we needed to call Matt and have him come pay for us!

Overall a thoroughly enjoyable weekend in the Netherlands and a great adventure in the forests. Drielandenpunt is worth a visit! Personally, after a few months of inactivity it was good to finally be back out and running long distances. Now I just need to find the fitness before the bigger events that are fast approaching….

2023 – Looking Back

Published on January 2, 2024January 2, 2024 by runwithdaiLeave a comment

As another calendar year comes to a close, its time for my annual self indulgent ‘look at me’ post. My diary entry if you like, reflecting on the last 12 months of running.

Looking back this year somehow feels a little different. Admittedly there is a little less motivation and enthusiasm in my words and also in ‘me’. There’s probably a few good reasons. Firstly injuries. These are becoming more frequent and a little harder to deal with, naturally this means my body is changing and there is some lack of satisfaction and ‘body confidence’ issues linked to this too. The last year has probably included the most amount of ‘down time’ from any of the last 5 years or so of running. It shouldn’t be a surprise to me because the variety of supplementary exercise and strength training I do has dropped significantly, the past few years of excessive running is probably having an impact and I am also getting older. I’ve also been doing this a while and I think a small part of the novelty of it all is wearing off. It isn’t quite the ‘been there, done that, have the t shirt’ (literally), but I am finding I am becoming more particular in what I want in events and races as the trail running landscape changes. And that too is probably a small part of my decreasing enthusiasm, even in the short time I’ve been running the trail running sport is changing and not always in a direction I agree with. Whilst I’m still fairly new to the sport, it has changed from what I first got involved in with social groups and shared passion and the sport is now becoming more and more commercialised and overcrowded. So the vibe is changing, and I’m changing too. That is ok though. Change is good and all being said, I haven’t withdrawn and am continuing as I always do (repeating the same mistakes also!)…

So looking back to where the year began and starting 2023 I was a little cautious. Despite finishing 2022 on the high of completing the Cheviot Goat, I was still very much aware of my healing broken ankle. Distance and speed were being restrained and I tried to train consistently but more conservatively with the trip to Trans Gran Canaria looming just a few weeks away. Those chains were torn off fairly quickly though thanks to the scheming of Paul and Darryl and in January we were in the Lake District running the George Fisher Tea Round – a 50km circular route joining up the peaks visible from the Abraham Tea shop at George Fisher shop in Kendal. It was brilliant. Such an incredible experience as the Lakes were covered in a thick blanket of snow for the weekend. I’ve never seen that much snow and it made for a glorious adventure. It was tough going but enjoyable and good practice for some of the events later in the year that were also likely to involve covering snow capped mountains. The ankle held up fine which boosted my confidence. The only concern being a short period of temporary blindness in my left eye during the later stages of the run and into the next morning. We put it down to ‘snow blindness’ once my vision was restored though and I didn’t think about it again.

A few weeks later and I was back in Trans Gran Canaria, 4 years after I first ran the 129km classic event. This would be a different experience as I’d be sharing the adventure with Paul and Darryl. Having company certainly made it more enjoyable and many of the ‘things ‘difficult’ parts I recalled were not as bad as I previously thought they were. That said, many parts I’d forgotten completely and I didn’t enjoy as much this time around! The changes to the route were overall more enjoyable I think and I was certainly glad the remaining distance after the river bed wasn’t as far as it was in 2019! We all came away a little beaten up by this event and its probably arguable whether we actually enjoyed it. TGC continues to blur the lines for me!

In March I didn’t have a race planned, but I did make a trip to Snowdon for more running adventures with the ‘Running Addicts‘. Just like the Lakes two months earlier, North Wales was covered in snow and the weather was challenging. We had a lot of fun bounding down the trails passing hikers clambering on all fours with ice axes and crampons (completely unnecessary!). Unexpectedly this was another weekend of getting used to snowy conditions which I thought would come in handy later in the year.

In a little break from the usual, I actually took a holiday in May. Natalia and I spent a week in Malta which was lovely and a good chance to rest. Although we did finish the week with a trip to the Island of Gozo where we met Nick and Elise and, of course, ran a race – the Xterra 50km. A beautiful circumnavigation around the whole island. It was very hot and uncomfortable and we all struggled with the heat, particularly early on. However the views and landscape was beautiful (by far the best of the trip!) and we encouraged each other through to the finish. This was also a huge achievement for Elise as this was her first trail run and she sped around the 25km course.

Later in May things stepped up a level. Two weeks after Malta it was off to Bran, Romania for the Transylvannia 100. I’d been looking forward to this one so much. After some last minute panic purchases (micro spikes!) we hit the trails. The race directors advice was clear – be prepared for bad weather, as there was far more snow cover than usual. The spikes were put to good use from very early on and I’m not sure we would have made it up the infamous ‘chimney’ without them. This was probably the steepest climb I’ve ever encountered on a race. Everything was going well, until it wasn’t. A fall and slide on the snowy mountain meant I broke both my (pretty new!) Leki poles just 30km in. It slowed my progress dramatically and put me into a foul (but determined!) mood. Being a little shock up from it all and not thinking clearly I made some terrible decisions to the race and my feet paid the price with awful blistering and trench foot. I hobbled to the finish line (with the use of a stick I found!) and the next morning, as I struggled to walk, I started to worry as I had just 6 days before I’d be running 100 miles in Norway.

With lots of salt water baths, foot cream and copious amounts of Duo Derm (thanks Elise!) I rocked up at the airport with my feet surprisingly healed enough that I could walk without pain. I was confident now I’d be ok as Paul, Matt and I embarked on the Article Triple 100 mile event in the Lofoten region of Norway. Wow, just wow. This event was something else. A small group of maybe 30 or so runners were hustled onto buses and boats as we made our way to the start line that was literally in the middle of nowhere. We then set off on an unforgettable adventure running 100miles back to Svolvear. Sadly this experience didn’t quite go the way we hoped and we were timed out at 92 miles as we arrived about 30mins passed the cut off. It was challenging, but mostly without drama (I did lose sight in my left eye again for many hours though!) but we were simply not fast enough. The terrain was challenging and we couldn’t cover the ground in the speed required to make it through the cut offs. Sure we would have continued if they let us, but we also wouldn’t have made the finish line cut off either. Lofoten will forever be the first DNF and the one that got away. I’m ok with it, but I’m also definitely not OK with it. There will be a chip on my shoulder until I go back and conquer that race….

Thankfully though I didn’t have much time to sit and dwell on the failure. In two weeks I’d be lacing up to go again, this time in the fa drier and more comfortable surroundings of Salzburg in Austria for the Mozart 100. With my feet taking another battering in Norway I was worried about the tight cut off in Austria. However, everything worked out fine and I got through the race in a surprisingly speedy time ahead of my expectations. I was relieved, so relieved. The last thing I wanted was two consecutive failures. Mozart made sure my confidence wasn’t broken and my view on the DNF at Lofoten softened a little. I took a few weeks off and laid low to recover from the exertion of the last two months.

Frustratingly though, when I started running again I found my right shin was causing some pain and discomfort. I got straight back to my old mentality and ignored it. Enjoying the last of summer running alone, and running with friends. Come August I helped pace Maria as she ran the NDW100, completing four of the centurion 100 milers in a 12 month period – way to go Maria! Later that month I found myself out on a 50km run called the ‘Hangman Ultra‘ which I heard about many years earlier. There were only a few entrants with maybe around 25 of us running. I had some weird thoughts that I could win it (of course I couldn’t!) but did come 5th which made me happy. Despite the achy leg, I was back out doing what I loved – exploring somewhere new.

August didn’t end there though and the last week saw another trip to Chamonix for UTMB week, this time with Natalia as she ran the OCC. I made my own variation and ran about 40km from Vallorcine to Trient and back to Chamonix so that I could be at a few aid stations and support and cheer her through the race. It was so good to see her smile her way around and smash the race in a brilliant time! I certainly felt it the next day as I’m not used to running so fast (as I had to speed downhills to make sure I could beat her between the aid stations!) and felt worse that I do after most races!

Shortly after getting back to the UK I found myself in the Lake District yet again, this time for the Maverick X-Series Lakes event. Another 50km loop in a part of the Lake District I’ve never been too. It was great, my new favourite Maverick event and a fantastic route. As always the organisation from the Maverick team was the greatest. I had such a great time on this little solo trip and was so glad I did it. One I’d highly recommend.

It didn’t stop there though as two weeks after the Maverick Race Natalia and I were off to the ‘salubrious’ (Ha!) Swindon for the Swindon Ultra Trail. More and more I want to run in places I’ve not been before, and whilst Swindon isn’t appealing, it is somewhere new. I did enjoy the route and we did get to explore some lovely areas (like a little jaunt along the ridgeway). Admittedly though we were gad when it was over and we were back in London!

I don’t like saying it but feel I need to though – I wouldn’t recommend this organiser – Only Foot Print Events. Despite what I said after the race about the organisation, things became sour in the weeks afterwards. I signed up to another of their events “the Great Stones Way” in November which was later cancelled for very understandable reasons. However, after being offered a full refund, I’m still, two months later chasing this up (as are Darryl and Paul) as the organiser has stopped responding to all messages (calls, emails, social media messages, and messages from the booking platform etc.,). So sadly they are not to be trusted and I’d advise everyone to avoid. I don’t enjoy saying that about a small company but the silence and being ignored is not acceptable.

Anyway, back onto the good times. a week after Swindon I was in Chicago for the Chicago marathon. My first road marathon since 2019. I enjoyed it. I Planned to be conservative and look after my still niggly leg but got caught up in the vibes and good feelings. I finished quicker than I anticipated and of course my mind then started thinking that maybe another Boston qualifying time might be possible in the future… though, trails are my love and I’m not going to get back into road running any time soon.

I ‘finished’ the year in November. After the cancellation of the Great Stones Way, I joined Jon’s group who’d organised to do a recce of a section of the Pennine way he’d be running on the Winter Spine in January. Sadly Jon couldn’t make the recce in the end, so me and the ‘ladies’ changed the plans and the route to incorporate the Yorkshire 3 Peaks instead. It was a wicked little adventure and somewhere I’d been hoping to visit one day so I was glad our plans changed and we didn’t stay on the Pennine way (sorry Jon!). I say I finished the year on this trip as I haven’t run since. It has been 5 weeks and counting at the time of writing this. My niggly leg became more painful on this run and I finally accepted, after 6 months and over 1000 kms that I needed to do something about it.

In December I saw a physio and it looks like it might be that shin splint stuff. So I’ve agreed to rest longer and am doing some rehab exercises in the hope that I don’t fuck up the plans made for 2024! Looking back though, its been another incredible year with 11 events and some amazing adventures. There are memories there that will never be forgotten.

Chicago Marathon

Published on October 10, 2023October 10, 2023 by runwithdai1 Comment

Here we go then, a road marathon. Chicago Marathon 2023. My first roadie since 2019 which is when I signed up to this and got a ballot place to run in 2020. Then the Covid cancellations and deferrals and all that stuff still lingering on…. Here I was though, 4 years later in the Windy City.

I travelled out with Coren and Jules. Frustratingly our AirBnB cancelled on us the week before the race so we ended up staying way out of town on the end of the green line in an area called Cottage Grove. So it was a 4am wake up to get the first train into Downtown Chicago on the morning of the race. We’d experienced the ease of the transport system the day before when we had a similarly early wake up to get into town to run the 5km event. It was worth it for the trip to the excellent Yolk for pancakes after the event. The bobble hat is alright too.

When we arrived for the Marathon, it was very easy after the train journey and we breezed through the infamous security (it is pretty tight with snow ploughs blocking the roads and bag checks for all runners entering Grant park) in no time at all. Coren and I then sat on the floor and waited for an hour before wishing each other well for the race and heading off to drop our bags and make our way to the starting corals.

We were in Coral B. I felt like a fraud in the this starting coral with all the 3 hour pacers and every runner around me wearing their super shoes – Either Nikes or Adidas – It was a sea of expensive footwear. I was a long way from my 2018 marathon pace which I used to qualify for this race! I felt uncomfortable waiting and I thought that the coral was full of wannabe alpha males. Pumping their chests and fists out psyching themselves up. Trying (and failing) to get the crowd going with primitive roars and fist pumps. I found it awkwardly odd.

After the elite start we walked forward and then we were given our own klaxon to begin. We stared off and headed up the main road out of Grant park and straight into a tunnel. Here my watch beeped as it lost signal, as expected. It felt like I was passed by about 10,000 runners in the first 2km. I ignored the crowds rushing forward and just did my own thing. I promised myself before hand that I’d just run whatever felt comfortable. I had years to prepare for this and made a conscious decision after the ultras earlier in the year that I wasn’t bothered nor interested in training and spending time running roads for it. I did do one 30km road one in August and I found it hard to hold the pace. So I kept remembering this promise to myself, to enjoy it for what it was.

The support was good from the start and a welcome distraction. I cheered and clapped back, laughed at the signs, hi-fived kids and gawped at the dogs lining the streets. I had arm sleeves on which were covering my watch and I decided not to bother looking at my pace either. Before I knew it I’d hit the 5km marker. The timer said about 30 mins. I assumed my time would be about 5 minutes less factoring in when I would have shuffled across the start start line. I felt ok. Felt good even. So I didn’t change anything and I carried on at that pace. Told myself to get to 10km before the hour ticked by on the timer.

The process repeated. Each timing mat on a 5km marker I seemed to pass about 25-30 mins for the 5km. So I repeated to myself the time for the next marker and seemed to hold steady. I expected a crash at around 30km like that one training run I did where I struggled to hold the 1hr 10km pace and had to walk at 27km. It didn’t happen here though. I did slow down for the last 6km, but not drastically. I was moving well enough with no difficulties so I was fine with that and reminded myself not to push or put the effort in.

There was a slight incline (it was less than 10 m) in the final 400m of the course as the finish line came into view. I did an evil chuckle to myself as i passed people and imagined how many PBs would be ruined by this incline. I crossed then line with a 3:35 time. I was elated with that time. I genuinely thought it would take over 4 hours and had been verbalising that to everyone. I was planning on running 1hr 10ks. I guess it felt good and so I kept running to how it felt. Of course the thoughts then passed my mind of ‘what it’. What if I did train for it? Yeah the distance is no problem. But holding a pace is. What if I didn’t do an ultra the week before… yeah, it all made me think maybe I could have pushed for a Boston qualifier time again. But the thoughts quickly went away. I said I’d do it the way I did and that was the plan. I chose this. I made a conscious effort not to train for road running. I promised myself not to try or push. That I’d run such that I can walk afterwards (and that I could – No aches. No pains. No funny walking. Job done).

I have some very vivid memories from that 42km (and the trip as a whole). Firstly, Chicago stinks of weed. You can smell it everywhere, on every train and every street. I Smelt it out on the course and even after collecting our race bags, sitting down on a bench in the park a few people sitting near us sparked up joints!

The Course is great although I did fine it a bit disorienting – long straights as we weaved the grid of Downtown Chicago. The towers of downtime were visible from most directions. I do remember running through Little Italy, Old Town, the gay district, The Mexican area and China town. Oh to be a Mexican running in this race, the support and shouts of “Mexico!” Were constant. I remember running passed a Korean running group and an old man in a Boston t shirt body popping away too.

The support was excellent. Early on I spent time cheering and clapping to the crowd and reading the signs. There were lots of the common ones ‘tap for power up’, ‘don’t trust a fart’ and ‘this is a lot of work for a banana’. A few others made me laugh, especially one encouraging runners to ‘crop dust the field’. That was original.

The aid stations were so frequent, maybe every 2 miles or so. I took Gatoraid at each one. Conscious that I’d normally be running with my own bottles and snacks. I missed my snacks. I also relied on two Gatoraid gels picked up along the route. That was enough to see me through. I’ve now idea why people need to carry so many gels, it seems excessive to me.

The finish line was busy, very busy. There was a constant stream of runners walking and collecting post run treats of cliff bars, fruit and donuts. The bag drop queue was ridiculous. I erroneously joined it half way down after coming in from the ‘wrong side’. I got chatting to a guy who told me the end of the queue was way back. I looked back and boldly said ‘fuck that. I’ll stay here.’ I also switch queues (As I then genuinely thought I was in the wrong one) and skipped further down. It barely moved. Coren then appeared and together we moved over to the correct queue again together. Even though we were fairly near the front we still queued for almost an hour to get our bags. That’s the one bad thing I’d say, the bag drop wasn’t very well organised (they’d put the bags into big cardboard boxes they then had to fish through!).

I didn’t enjoy the masses of people. There’s some 45,000+ runners in the event, but, thankfully the roads were very wide and when running it didn’t feel too crowded. But it was busy enough. I also didn’t like how everyone gravitates to the ‘blue’ racing line like they are elites. Causing groups at corners and when the crowds following pacers come along. As always human nature showed its shit side too with runners being unaware and inconsiderate of others. Walkers on the line (come on, step to the side to walk) and dropping litter and cups rather than using the bins or throwing the rubbish to the side of the course.

The other thing I didn’t enjoy was ‘being in the moment’. In a road race you’re so aware of where you are. What distance with markers every km and every mile. You’re focusing on each section. Constantly switched on and focused. Constantly repeating the same thoughts. I missed being able to switch off. Lose myself and enjoy the distance without the constant reminders. I told you I’m a different runner now than I was a few years ago. I’m basically moaning about everything that makes a Road marathon so good!

Finally, it was great to experience the race with Coren who picked up her six star medal (running all the current six major marathons). It’s impressive and one day maybe I’ll try for those remaining for me too (Boston, New York and Tokyo)… maybe…

Maverick X-Series Lake District

Published on September 19, 2023 by runwithdai2 Comments

It had been a while since I’d toed the line at a Maverick race. Here, on an overcast summers morning I found myself at the Grasmere Showground pinning on a bib for the X-series Lake District…

After the usual detailed race intro from Ben, we set off out of the showground, turned off the main road, through Grasmere village and started making our way towards the first climb of the course up to Easdale Tarn… The road soon became trail and the fresh damp summer smells filled the air. We settled into a rhythm and a stream of runners on both the long and ultra distances. Already with the heat and humidity I was soaked through with sweat as we ambled round countryside tracks and began climbing. The first climb was slow and gradual. Up into the Misty mountains approximately 300 m high. As we approached Easdale Tarn we crossed a small river and had the Tarn to our right. The pool of water blended effortlessly into the misty grey skyline. It looked like an impressive infinity pool where there was no distinction between the water and the sky. Almost Eerie in the spectacular early morning. Jake was on hand to snap our photos as we gawped at the scenery.

Jake capturing the epic views behind us at Easdale Tarn

From here the climb increased as the soft ground gave way to rocky paths and then steeper on slight scrambles over the barren mountain face. We huffed and puffed our way up further into the clouds as we climbed to the equally impressive Stickle Tarn (Overlooking Harrison stickle, which we couldn’t see). Up top we levelled out and began our descent. Now the trail was feint and the blue course marker flags were hidden in the clouds. We followed shadows, glimpse of flags and wet footprints to find our way down. It was a nice gentle descent from the summit that later became steeper with wet rocky steps on a defined path. Tanya captured more pictures on the descent before we came out at the bottom at the trail head and the first aid station

Tanya capturing the rocky descent from Sickle Tarn

Refuelled, we had a fairly flat and slightly undulating section through lanes and alongside stone walls. Epic views of stone quarries and riverside tracks entertained us as we made our way towards Great Langdale and on to the next aid station. Here familiar faces volunteering and supporting us could be found. Fiona marshalled us back along the river, her husband Graham and Leo at the next aid station cheering us in just before Skelwith Bridge where we’d turn and head towards Loughrigg Tarn.

From here we’d run through ancient forests with a short climb and descent before crossing to the other side of Grasmere and Rydal Waters. We’d now began making our way to Rydal Hall. There were plenty of views as we ran alongside the rivers through country parks with loads of walkers now out and enjoying the morning. We crossed the road and joined a trail path (the Coffin Trail) back on the mountain base where the course split from the medium route. Already I’d been passed by speedy front runners on the medium route who now headed back to the start and the finish line. We on the other hand turned the opposite way and continued off to Rydal Hall. It was A shortish section from here and one I was already overly familiar with. I was staying at the Rydal Hall so had walked 3 km along the race route to the start earlier in the day. Now I found myself back on the ‘Coffin Trail’ navigating back to Rydal Hall.

From the Coffin Trail (later in the Evening)

Arriving at the Hall the aid station was a welcomed sight, although one like a scene from a war movie with runners sitting and laying all around it. I joked with Steph who was volunteering what had happened. Everyone was feeling the heat and humidity.

We were approximately halfway through now with a loop up the Fairfield Horseshoe to go. I knew the second half of the course was the tougher part and we had longer between aid stations and bigger climbs to overcome. So I filled and extra bottle of water to help keep hydrated. With potatoes in my hand I set back out and soon found myself walking and talking with Matt who was on his first ultra. We’d end up running the next 20km or so together.

After a little climb and descent (with no views over Ambleside sadly) we then began the climb to Kirkstone Pass. It was gentle and easy going through fields, trail paths and the latter few hundred m on the windy, steep road. As we reached Kirkstone pass the clouds cleared and the sun came out. Stopping at the aid station Leo and Justin were on hand to support us and provide the entertainment and laughs. I took a can of Tenzing and applied some sun cream. Maybe too much as they joked I looked like I was covered in mayonnaise. Once we’d rested a little we set back out and to climb too Red Screes.

The climb was steep and slow going. Me and Matt plodded on gently consistently moving onwards and upwards thanking the marshal as we went. We were passing runners who were struggling in the heat, although thankfully the cloud cover prevented the sun penetrating us and the mountain wind provide a beautiful cooling sensation. Up top we descended. It was long and steep but far nicer than the earlier descent from Stickle Tarn. It wasn’t too long either as we had another little climb followed by some undulating trails and false summits before we reached Fairfield (Turning off just before the summit). Along the way Jake popped up once more, this time at least the clouds started to clear a little.

Her it was all, mostly, downhill. With less than 10k to go I left Matt and powered on. I had plenty of energy and felt strong. I passed more runners moaning about the false summits and the heat. I wished them well and continued. The descent I enjoyed up until we left the mountain and started traversing the side of it near Stone Arthur. Here the trails narrowed and became a little more rocky underfoot. I bounced on and soon found myself cramping badly. It was strange, it came out of nowhere and hit me in both legs simultaneously in the calves and inner quads. I ground to a halt and tried to stretch. There wasn’t much I could do and found the rocky steps of the trail triggered y cramps as I hopped down. I felt well hydrated and thought I’d been taking on enough salts but clearly not. Thankfully I passed some more Marshall’s just before the narrow descent and were informed that there was an extra water station at the bottom. So I welcomed this news.

I arrived at the the extra water stop and found Fiona once more supporting us with water and Tenzing. I took the opportunity to take two cans hoping it would combat the energy drain/cramping. I necked one and put the other in my bag ready to use if needed. From here we had just 4 km to go. To the shock of some runners we had another 200-300 m climb to go up to Alcock Tarn. I’m not sure why this shocked people as the route and profile was well advertised. It was a fairly straightforward climb for me and I eased passed more people in the way to the summit and passed the Tarn. From here we had clear views over Grasmere and a clear sight of the finish line

I trotted on as the downhill took us from the mountain, through the forests and back out at the end of the Coffin Trail. Now it was a short job along the road and back into the Showground. I ran across the finish line with a big smile having enjoyed possibly my favourite Maverick of them all. It was a great course and challenging in the temperature humidity of the late summer.

I grabbed some food (sadly no pizza left but I did have the best white chocolate rocky road) and stuck around to cheer some runners I passed and ran with and I also got to see Matt enter the showground as I was leaving. All was left for me was to once more walk the length of the coffin trail for the third time that day as I made my way back to the Rydal Hall.

This race for me epitomised Maverick race and the inclusivity of their events for all. I shared some 20km with Matt who was doing his first ultra (what a way to start!). Here he was running his first ultra whilst I was running the distance for the 77th time!. Two complete ends of the spectrum. But very littler differentiated us. You wouldn’t know. He led the way and ran and covered the course strongly. He enjoyed the experience in the same way I did. The only difference was my greater experience for noticing when there were gates we could open rather than stiles to climb, which of course I waited until he’d climbed before I went through the gate. Other than that, my legs were probably a bit more accustomed to the fatigue at the end of a race and how I was able to descend quicker than him. Great going on your first ultra Matt!!!

As always the Maverick team were brilliant. I heard so many positives from runners about the routes, the organisation and the brilliantly stocked aid stations. These guys nail it every single time!

The Hangman Ultra

Published on August 21, 2023 by runwithdai1 Comment

I had the urge. The itch. I needed a little day out, something to feed the adventure beasts inside and keep them happy…

I saw an advert for the Hangman Ultra when I was looking into the Test Way trail. It looked perfect – the date worked and logistically it was feasible and at 50km it could be done in a day without too much disruption. I signed up.

It’s a small little event from the folk behind Ultra Magazine, capped at 100 runners, although there were only 26 sign ups this year (the event was returning after a two year hiatus for various reasons). I liked the smallness of the event. It felt personal and friendly. It is so low-key that they don’t even bother with race bibs or timing. You get an allocated a number and call it out when you pass through a checkpoint/the finish. Nice and simple.

Arriving at the village hall for registration, the runners formed up. It was a real smorgasbord of runner clichés. Within the small group there was someone I knew, someone I knew of, UTMB tee shirts, Centurion tee shirts, and many friends meeting again. I overheard a runner talking about their Marathon Des Sables experience and a reply from someone else saying they had another race the next day. It wasn’t surprising when Andy (the Race Director) asked during the briefing if this was anyone’s first ultra and not a single hand went up. There was some collective experience in the room for sure! Throughout the day the conversations would typically cover up and coming races, training plans and previous triumphs. Trail runners are a little predictable, we do like to talk about running!

The route was a simple out and back route along the northernmost section of the Test Way trail. We had a checkpoint approximately halfway to the turnaround point where there was another. So three stops in total. After the race briefing we walked round the side of the village hall to the start arch. Andy wished us well and sent us off. The pack barely moved and it was a very conservative start which led to jokes about finishing together as a big group and jokes about winning. Momentarily I believed that I too could myself win the race and started to overtake runners as we plodded along the single track. Barely minutes later, when I couldn’t catch the front runners, I snapped back into reality of where I belong!!

The first section was undulating with two little climbs. We tracked through farms, side roads and dirt tracks. There was a little farm we passed through with goats, piggies and chickens which amused me before a lovely section of redwood forest followed by a sharp descent down into the town of Hurstbourne Tarrant and the first aid station (at the George and Dragon). I took delight and enjoyment in devouring a Tunnocks caramel, a classic bit of confectionary, before continuing along the road and back onto the trails. Up until now I’d mostly been running with a guy called Matt as we were in 5th and 6th place.

After the aid station I was slightly ahead of him now and then took a small wrong turn at the next farm before getting quickly finding my way back on track. There was a long slow walk uphill before some quicker downhill sections on gravel tracks before another slow road climb. The descent from here was very over grown and the nettles attacked our legs from all sides. It wasn’t a fun descent and I wasn’t looking forward to the return climb here! After more ups and downs and a good bit of consistent running I then caught up with the next runner ahead of me.

We chatted for a bit about running and races as we climbed the biggest of the ‘hills’ on the route together out of Combe Wood before he then left me for dust on the climb up towards Combe Gibbet (A historic structure used for the ‘gibbeting’ of murderers back in the 1600s. It stands on the Berkshire-Hampshire border). I walked most of this track through the farms and fields. As I rounded the bend I could see the Gibbet off in the distance and 3 runners already looping around it and heading back. I cracked on knowing the aid station was in reach. A few minutes later, when they passed me, I still had about a km to go to reach the Gibbet and back to this point. I guessed they were maybe 10-15 mins ahead of me.

Reaching the next aid station we ran passed, reached the Gibbet, ran around it and then went to the aid station. I took a few mins here to eat some food (loved a bit of pineapple!) and refreshed on coke. I was glad to be turning around and heading back now. The good news was that the course overall was slightly more down hill on the way back to Longparish and we’d experienced the route so knew what to expect for the next 27kms.

I left Matt at the aid station and started heading back. Shortly after reaching the fields a little further on I saw Jamie, then, not far behind him I started passing other runners. Everyone was so friendly and cheered each other on.

Heading back to the first checkpoint (or now checkpoint 3) the hills we climbed were far more enjoyable to run down in this direction. I found this section went by quite quickly (except the climb back through overgrown nettles!) as I walked the hills and ran the downs and flat. I even made sure I didn’t take a wrong turn again towards the end of the section. I was hot now and drinking more so was very pleased to reach the checkpoint. I had it all to myself. I had a good chat with the volunteers, took on more Coke and pineapple then left. 14km to go. The race felt like it was passing quickly which I was glad of, despite enjoying it.

I walked from the aid station knowing that after a little road section we’d climb through the fields and the forest again. I couldn’t be bothered to run the road so just walked. The forest was just as delightful even climbing through it rather than running down it. The dense forest also provide shelter from the midday sun and a cooling breeze. I did start cramping in my calf though, no idea why. I thought I was well hydrated and had the usual amount of salty foods etc. Either way, I kept moving and before I knew it I had less than 10km to go.

I think I did find the run started to get harder here. Fatigue was setting in and it felt more hilly then I remembered during the first section. There was lots of walking, lots of long gradual climbs. So the run/walk strategy was in full swing. For some reason I was feeling the pressure and kept looking over my shoulder to see if I was going to be passed. Silly really as I say I don’t care about times and position. Something competitive was twitching in my head though and I didn’t want to drop the 5th place spot. So I ran when I could and felt confident that as long as I kept running in parts that wouldn’t be caught and I assumed everyone else would walk these hills too.

The tiredness and ‘looking over my shoulder’ continued as I counted down the kms. Soon it was 5km, then 3km, then 2km. The knowledge of the impending finish was a great feeling. Soon I was on the single tracks again and less than 1km remaining. One last turn, back into the field and the finishers arch came into sight. The 4th runner was there and helped cheer me home. Medal in hand I posed for a photo and then headed off to the village hall for some refreshing soup and planned my journey back home.

I’ve been talking with mates about our love of the smaller events. The desire and attraction to the ‘big boys’ events is starting to fade. Like everything, commercialisation takes the spirit away. Whilst this is far smaller than what we have talked about, it was exactly what I needed. The organisation was spot on. From the pre event details, informative race briefing, relaxed vibes, awesome volunteers and a meaningful welcome at the finish and chats afterwards. If you want to experience a great friendly ultra atmosphere then go give the Hangman a try!