in the background.
Date: 21 July 2019
Distance: 16.5 km
Elev. gain: 800 m
Goal: fun run (in the heat)
Finish: 1:27:37
Rank: 13
Shoes: Altra Lone Peak 4.0
Website
Spaniards know how to organise (and celebrate) a race; and usually bribe with four Euros registration fee (T-shirt included), beautiful scenery, amazing trails, a grand buffet, and the right spirit of runners, organisers and visitors. In this case, in a tiny town at the foot of the Sierra de la Espadan, 60km north of Valencia, through which the 16km race should lead us.
After a couple of races of this sort, I became clear about my status as a foreigner: bright hair, blue eyes, white skin, feeling like a ‘gringo’ in the Spanish mountains. And it is so much fun.
The gun goes off at 8am – southeast Spain in July – clear skies and temperatures are close to 30 degrees already. Luckily, I embrace hot weather for both training and racing (if not having a PB in mind), and after 1.5k of a crowded warm-up the first climb hits strong on a length of 5km and 450m of elevation. I’m getting warm – in running terms – overtaking a good number of runners that have certainly started out too fast for their abilities. Several surprised (Spanish) eyes look at me when waving at them as I pass by on the same height. Up on the plateau, the trail becomes quite technical for around 2km, and I don’t see anyone in front of me anymore. Tricky to find the right path when you cannot follow anyone anymore in the woods, and the other guys are pressing from the back. Then the first downhill hit, not my specialty, especially not in this rough, rocky terrain of those mountains (Brussels’ trails are less aggressive and muuuch more forgiving). I have to let a hand full of guys pass again – plunging down the mountains like kleine flinke Wiesel (little nippy weasels) 😳.
Another climb of 200m, same game once again, pulling by some of the previous runners – a funny cat-and-mouse-game. But of course the long 400m drop still has to come and I have to let them go another time – I really should invest in more downhill training 😐.
Finishing strong on a 3’40” pace on the last stretch, looking forward to a free beer and some jamon at the finish line (9.am, breakfast time). Shaking some hands with the cat-and-mouse-guys and relaxing at the local pool afterwards.
Thanks Artana!
Fun.Run.Dad 