Little Swirly Runs

Cordillera Huayhuash UltraTrail Adventure prep: tips learnt from Cordillera Blanca

2016-05-09T06:28:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, we are leaving for 20 days back to Peru for another awesome stage race!

Last year we did the Cordillera Blanca stage race, 200km for 10500m of elevation gain, it was so beautiful, tough and rewarding that when Christophe told us about this year running "expedition", we thought, we have to do it! This time we are going through the Cordillera Huayhuash, a gruelling 220km for 15000m for 8 days ( click on the link for the full program)! It's going to be tough I think...and this time there is no rest day or night at the hotel for showers!

No no! 8 straight days of running and camp nights! But look at that:

Location of our first camp night!

Luckily we are again with Adventures Andines ( http://www.andean-adventures.com/) and its brilliant organisation. It's still scary thou! hopefully the tips from last year will help us enjoying more and suffer less?

Tip 1: invest in the right sleeping bag!

Last year, we wanted to recycle the Lifeventure down sleeping bag we got for Kenya but it has a +7 comfort...not really appropriate for the cold Peruvian nights so we added the Sea to Summit Reactor Extreme mummy sleeping bag liner ( apparently it's supposed to "add" 15C degrees to a sleeping bag...I think that was a bit exaggerated...) So this time, we have invested in the NorthFace Gold Gazoo sleeping bag. Apparently it's a very warm bag, warmer than the specs ( 2C comfort)...but I'm still bringing my sleeping liner!

THE sleeping bag!

Frendo Foldable Solar Charger

Tip 2: the solar charger

Last year we had a small solar charger which wasn't charging anything but I found out it was because it only had 1.5KW...! load of the other dudes had the decathlon usb solar charger one, it's pretty cool, you can clip it to your bag while running/walking. So this time we'll do the same!

Tip 3: Down pants!

Packing the running bag: after each run, we wait for the mules to come with the camp which is fine if there is sun as you stay warm. However as soon as the sun is down, you start to get really cold! Last year, we had a down jacket only. This year, I would like to bring a down trouser! but man there are expensive! I did find the Jack Wolfskin one! but no budget for that one either! :( so it will be long johns and my rain pants!

Jack Wolfskin Atmosphere Pants

PHD design Down Pants

Tip 4: The Bag for the porters

Our gear is taken by mules from camps to camps. Last year, we had a basics addidas bag. Superlight and sturdy but not waterproof...So this year we've invested in a duffel or duffle bag. I first picked the 65L Transporter Osprey Bag, but when it arrived it was too small and the shoulder straps were not retractable ( tricky when travelling by plane), same with the Arcteryx Carrier 75L one. So, we've decided on the Lowe Alpine 90L one! I do like the blue colour....but we took the black one. Why not the NorthFace popular duffle one? Too rigid and heavy!

Tip 5: Clothing & Food/Water

Well, we didn't sweat that much during last year race, so 5 running tshirts are good enough, while 3 shorts will do the tricks. What concerns me the most in being cold, so cold gear is on the list! I've got 2 down jackets to use as layer as last year the Northface thermoball hoodie did NOT do the trick! Lightweight it is but can't beat the down! Mick has the Arcteryx Cerium LT hoodie which is also lightweight but is packed with 850g of down and man did I envy him when I needed to have 3 layers under that Thermoball! So this time, well I'm bringing the thermoball and a down jacket!

Cerium LT Jacket

Northface Thermoball Hoodie

We had brought the water pills, used it once as it gave me tummy cramps! Normal water was fine, so hopefully we can do the same on this Cordillera! For food, I trust the cooks, they were brilliant last year, we ate like KINGS! I can't wait to drink the Sierra Andina local beer as it is awesome for acclimation ;) as well as their Causa Limena ( potato and avocado dish!)

Oh yeah! We are ready and cannot wait to go back to Perou!!! it is going to be epic!

What about you? what's your next adventure? contact http://www.andean-adventures.com/ if you want to do something similar, Marco speaks English, German, French and Spanish! I'm sure he will accommodate your need of adventure

Peneda-Gerês Trail Adventure, Portugal: the Best European stage race you can sign up to!

2016-05-05T06:59:00.000-07:00

Peneda-Gerês Trail Adventure, a 5-8 days race organised by Carlos Sa, a famous Portugal ultra runner who've completed several Marathon des Sables and UTMB and LOVES his national park!
The paths taken are wonderful going from eucalyptus fields to wester canyon, jungle, river crossing, ancient bridge! you will see EVERYTHING during this stage! You can do as an individual or a team, the long or shorter (starter) version. We did the long version as a training for Perou so signed up as a team and how much fun we had!!!

This adventure starts with the organisation picking you up at the airport and helping you settle in Arcos de Valdevez where the first stage will be held the next morning. It is a small village with great food and nice views! Mick and I joined our friend Helene from Reunion Island to eat in our first portuguese Barbeque (Braseiro) Chicken and man it's good! It's with a fully content tummy that we fall asleep!

Day 1- 42 Km with 1800D+/1800D

This stage constitutes of doing a loop going up through eucalyptus fields, small villages full of greenery and the most welcoming people ever and going down some western movies looking fields full of suspended rocks, paved tracks very beautiful and an awesome river crossing!
When you finally reach Arcos again, you can relax on their " lake beach" near the hotel, eat great local foods or enjoy the spa at the hotel! A nice first stage!

Day 2 is another 42 km but with 2000D+/2100D-

Legs are feeling the elevation gain and lost of the first day, we take a bus to Sistelo a cute little village not far from Arcos. We start slow going up to cross another small village before carrying on until Branda Da Avelera. It's very warm but not complaining, we like it better than rain ;) We go up a bit more before going down and cross some soggy fields with these scary looking but relaxed cows. We reach the half way point for the starter via wine fields, go down some river looking paths before crossing another river to reach Melgaco village. The huge lunch full of fresh local food and beer is welcomed as well as the massage! It's an opportunity to really share our experience with the other runners we've been running with on that leg.
Such a nice bunch from all over the world ( Brazil, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Singapore, Costa Rica and America!!!), it's ecstatic! We carry on our conversation in the bus to our next hotel destination, tomorrow is promising to be yet another beautiful part of the park.

Day 3, 30 km with 1000D+/1000D-

I'm so glad we don't have to run another marathon but can't wait to see what Carlos have chosen to show us. We take the bus to Peneda, a BEAUTIFUL place with just a hotel and a church at the centre and the villagers are scattered around. We go up the road we came from before going down to the first aid station, we don't stop it's only been 8 km, we go up again in a savannah playground, I can pictures elephants and lion living there, it changes dramatically as soon as we start our small descent to the next check point! It's a dramatic change of scenery is less than a kilometer! We eat watermelon and dry ham before starting our last up hill and soon reach Castro Laboreiro. I'm tired but so glad to be with Mick! We spend more time taking pictures and embracing the views than actually racing and it's nice! The after race is brilliant with a visit to the Castro Laboreiro Kennel and a nice "apero" with the Luxembourg group!
PS: Castro Laboreiro is also a rare dog breed unique to Portugal! http://www.castrolaboreiro.co.uk/ ! it is such a nice breed looking good for ultra running!!!

Day 4- 29 km with 1300D+/1500D

We are back in Peneda, but this time we are going to the opposite direction. First going down to go up a loonnnng road tp the first check point. My! This piece of road was something! walking was too slow and running was too fast! But at last, we reach the aid station which means we are not going down towards the reservoir! Another paved path so pretty I wanted to do it again! We soon reach the half way point of the starter race and see the top 5 of that race! They look so fresh it's incredible! I'm not looking that great haha but I'm enjoying so much of the scenery and the energy of the runners is so contagious we carry on down to a nice little river with a bridge, up some crazy jungle looking path to reach the reservoir, which means that straight up ahead there will be the castle!!! Reaching the top, we happily eat with the other runners talking about how the day went! We rush as we need to take the bus to Montalegre ( a 2 hour drive), the bus driver doesn't use GPS there, so we got a bit lost adding some more fun :), reaching the hotel, I'm baffled! it's such a nice hotel my gosh, with a sauna and everything!

Day 5- 25km 940D+/830D-

I can't believe it is the last day! Legs are not sore but heavy! We start by going around the Montaglegre Castle before going down to reach the beaten path. My mind is not in a great place! there is too much continuous running involved and my tummy ache I've been dragging for 2 days is playing up! Lucky I have Mick with me, pushing me to keep going, as well as runners trying to cheer me up and the photographers ( Thanks to Luc Van Oost and the others)!
This was not my favourite stage thou, beside the end when we reach the church by the river and the village! what a sight! And the welcoming villagers with their awesome soup and beer just made the day looking better! Thank you Pitões das júnias! After everyone has arrived and eaten, we take the bus back to Montalegre for the prize ceremony. Again more amazing food ( especially the dessert!) We finished first mixed team so we got some cool trophies, heavy! but cool!

Our cool trophy!

What an adventure! After the race, we stayed with the race organisation and help out on stage 6 in Geres, 38 km of pure joy! Enjoyed the views of stage 7 cheer up our friends! and actually resting with a canooning session and prize ceremony on Day 8!
A wonderful time we had and a race we highly recommend!!! We made friends from all over the world and discover Portugal in an unique way! Thanks Carlos!

Ski Touring in St Jean de Maurienne, French Alps: 18 days of blissful outings!

2016-04-15T07:24:00.003-07:00

I know, it's been a very long while since I have posted anything on the blog. Not even my recipes made it there even thou I still had a few to post and pictures to add. What can I say, with the ankle accident while in Reunion Island in November, quitting my job on our way back and London's weather, it was hard to write anything "inspiring"!!!
And so with 5 additional kilos from not being bothered to do anything but eating crap and sulking, Michael and I made our way to St Jean de Maurienne, France for 3 weeks of Skimo, in the hope to get this sulking disappear with the sweat of hardworking outings.
And let me tell you after 18 of them, good food, excellent weather and company, it worked! Back to my old self! Just take a look at the pictures below and I dare you to tell me you won't want to join us next year ;)

Michael's dad loves to skimo and was our guide for most of our outings. So that's him at the front in most of the pics ;)

St Jean de Maurienne is 2 hours away from Geneva Airport, and is the perfect location to be based as you have the Belledone Range, Vanoise Range and Maurienne Valley all for yourself! But with ski touring, no need to buy an expensive ski pass when you can just go up there for free (albeit your sweat!) and if you do want to downhill ski, our favourite familial station Les Karelis has plenty of nice ski slopes without the crowd!

So enjoy the pictures and let me know if you need a hand to plan your next trip to the French Alps!

Check Mick's Blog for more reasons to skimo with us!

Running the Gimillan peaks of the Aosta Valley, Italia in 5 days

2015-09-04T12:33:00.003-07:00

As part of Michael's preparation to l'Echappee Belle ( read his awesome race report, here) and with Christophe inviting us to discover la Aosta Valley, we were off for 6 days to Gimillan, a small itallian village in the Aosta Valley near Cogne. There we covered more than 120 km with 10000m of ascent and enjoyed the best hot chocolate !
So if you are thinking of spending a week in the Valley, this is what you could do.

Day 1
We arrived around 1 pm, and our friend told us we could start already visiting the area, so we went to Coll de Laures on the Path number 8. All trails are very well marked, so it's a real bonus to not have to carry a map!

Gimillan 1800m- Coll de Laures 3035m, 22 km- 4 hours, 1400m of elevation gain
Difficulty: None, a bit of snow on the top of the Coll but nothing scary.

Day 2- Part 1
Because we wanted to go to Bivouac Gratton located on the other side of Cogne, we decided to do a small outing by going to Mont Creya in the morning, before going to Bivouac Gratton late afternoon. Gimillan 1800m- Mont Creya 3015m, 1250m of elevation gain. 3 hours

Day 2- Part 2
Gimillan to Bivouac Gratton (3195m) via Cretaz ( 1483m)- 3h30 Total Ascent: 1700m

Day 3
Bivouac Gratton- Gimillan- After a cold night in the Bivouac ( we were by ourselves) we went down when it was a bit warmer to Gimillan to have a hearty breakfast! We then went to

Gimillan 1800m- Tsa- plana (3030m)- Trail 4b a kilometer vertical.
Video of the whole trail!

Day 4
Gimillan 1800- Mont Emilius (3557m)and back 6-8 hours
Difficulties: loads of rocks, slippery at the top, can feel too long but it's totally worth it!

Day 5
Gimillan 1800m- Col Tsa-Seche (2815m) via Arpisson Chalet, 2-3 hours with a picnic. ;)
Difficulty: none

Day 6- Another up to Mont Tsa-Pla to see the Virgin Maria ;) and then down for a last hot chocolate at Albergo Le Belvedere.

Auberge le Belvedere has the best homemade REAL hot chocolate, as well as breakfast and food! It is a nice place to stay and quite cheap and are a very nice family!

So there we are, one week to discover Aosta Valley peaks in 5 easy steps! Let me know if you want more information on maps and distances!
Thanks to #Christophelesaux for this adventure!
Thanks to Merrell for the Allout Rush!

Next stop: Preparing for Les Mascareignes!

Cordillera Blanca Trail Race 200km, 10500m of elevation gain, 8 days

2015-08-14T12:53:00.002-07:00

After these 3 days of acclimation, it was time to start what we actually came for: "running the cordillera". If felt more like fast packing, hiking up, jogging flat and running down but at least we cover 200km in 8 days and so wonderful scenery and people!

Stage 1- 10 km, Hualcayan (3140m) to Calamina (4400m), 1300m elevation gain

To access the Cordillera Blanca Trail, we took a bus to Hualcayan (3140 m) to get to Calamina ( 4400). Calamina is a small lake with some grounds to put your tents and get fresh water. It is only 10 kilometeres but due to the attitude, it is a good first day. I had taken 1L of water, but that wasn't enough, I ate before the start and that wasn't a good idea. Fruits would have actually been better instead of a carby quinoa salad! But we all made it eventually and settle camp to enjoy our first night under the stars!

Time needed: 2:00 - 3:00 hours

Difficulties: the heat and attitude!

Stage 2- 20 km from Calamina to Ruinas (4000m), 900m of elevation gain

From Calamina, we followed the water pip tand came across this beautiful glacier lake as seen on the center of the collage. We then carry on to go throgh Toropishtanan pass (4800m). It starts flat to warm you up and then starts to climb up gradually. When you reach the pass, you then go down on a nice downhill to go back up to the next pass Vientunan ( 4750m). From there, the hard climbing stops for you to enjoy a nice downhill, reach a long and flat ( 7-8 km) river trail to get to Ruinas (4300m) , where we set camp again.

Time needed: it felt like we spend all day, the flatshish section felt longer than any of the climbs….but it actually took the fasted guy 4 hours and the slowest group 6 hours

Difficulties: to join the Vientunan pass, you really need to look for the trail as it is in between rocks that look the same! If you are going down, you are on the wrong path...

Stage 3- Ruinas to Huilca (4000 m) - 13km, 750m of elevation gain, 900m descent

After a good night sleep and sharing the makeshif camp ground with a nice bunch of American, we started our day by going through some very wet grassy pass jumping from grass patch to grass patch before reaching a long and sharp mountain pass. The path is not easily identifiable. If you are lucky you find it, if you are not so lucky ( like Mick and I) you will end up making your own way which will take you much longer than the official one...so good luck finding the official one. Not impossible but very difficult. The good thing it is only for 150 m of ascent before reaching the official one no matter what so, I bite my tongue and carried one. When you reach Garagara mountain pass (4800m), you will go down keeping the river onto your right (otherwise it will be boggy and you will waste quite a bit of time and dry socks) before reaching the second pass of the day while looking up for condors ( national Peruvian bird, HUGE but harmless). Huilca is a one hut, where you will have a nice river with fresh water and set camps among the lama fields.

Time needed: 3 hours

Difficulties: the boogy pampas if you don't stay on track

Stage 4- Huilca (4000m) to Pingospampa (3800m) – 13km 650 elevation gain, - 1400m descent

Another good night of sleep, with some coca tea and banana porridge for breakfast and we are set to do our last short stage ( by then we should be more accustomed to the attitude and push the distance without too much drawbacks)

The trail will be on the right side of the hut towards the Yanayacon pass (4330m), you will cross a wet pampa before reaching a small rocks mountain pass. From there, you go down to a very wet flat pampa, stay on the left of the mountain or you will again enjoy some wet smelly socks and shoes. :)

Enjoy the nice trail to reach the second mountain pass Ventanilla (4350m). It is a sort of a cliff with tunnel looking parts, not long and enjoyable so keep a eye on the trail or you'll find yourself in another cliff and not in Pingospampa. Which would be a shame because where the villagers will be waiting for you with fresh beers and ocras. We set camp on a dry part of flat pampa with again a nice small river ( you could catch a fish for supper, but don't really count on it, we didn't get any…)

Time: 3-5 hours

Difficulties : The wet pampa made if very difficult to get on the right trail.

Stage 5 - Pingospampa (3800) to Yanama (3400m), 33km, 2000m elevation gain, 2100 of descent.

From Pinfospampa, we are going to Yanama, a small village where we will be sleeping in a hotel and have our first shower since the start! It was worth the extra kilometres!
We first went up towards the mountain pass of Tupatupa. Quite long first climb to then go down towards a small village full of eucalyptus trees, to go back up another while…Then it's all down towards the river crossing before climbing up to Yanama. It was very hot, and water was very dear. Peruvian are awesome at sharing with you the little they have with a big smile! As you can notice the kilometres are longer, why? the attitude is lower and you should be more accustomed to the attitude. :)
Time: 6 to 9 hours
Difficulties: finding our way after that first downhill and bull chasing!
Alternative: If you are too tired to go to Yanama, when you cross the village just af

Stage 6- Yanama (3400m) to Chacas (3360m), 36 km, 1300m of elevation gain, 1350m of descent

Another long day to enable us to reach another village Chacas, where we will spend another night in a hotel.
The scenery makes up for the fact that for 20km you are on a jeep track, you go up to a Pusha mountain pass (4050m) go down while crossing tiny villages smelling eucalyptus, reach the main road where you can load of powerade or anything you fancy in Acochaca, cross the river to then finally go back up again on a school kids paths who will be walking along with you while chatting (a lot!) and with no effort before reaching the small village of Chacas. There we had time to visit the town centre made of wood and ate a very nice Causa Limena avocado peruvian mash!
Time: 4 to 7 hours
Difficulties: None, it was quite straight forward
Alternative: If you are too tired to go Chacas when you arrive at Acochaca you can take a bus.

Stage 7: Chacas- Huari (3150m), 36km, 1600m of elevation gain, 1400m of descent.

Another long one to reach the Lake Huari where you'll have a nice little cafe and relax your legs in the lake. You first start nicely in the woods, crossing the river and getting into some wet pampa with waterfalls on your left. You then have to climb at 4650m ( very cold and windy) to be able to join the path for the lake, more went pampa after the rocky downhill to cross a river before arriving on another mountain grassy trails, there it's a rollcoster until you can finally see the lake. From there, it is a long downhill not too technical to arrive at the bottom of the Lake. Enjoy but be careful of the nasty flies when you get into the tent, or you will itch for days!
Difficulties: the long ascent before reaching the mountain pass at 4650m.
Time: 6-9 hours

Stage 8 : Chavin 3140m to Oleros, 42 km 1800m of elevation gain, 1500m of descent

To reach Chavin, we took a day off to get from Huari to Chavin by bus…it took from 6 hours in total but at least we got to visit Chavin and relax at the hotel a bit with a warm shower.
The following day, we started the climb to get on the higher plateaux of Chavin to reach Yanashllash mountain pass ( 4600m, you'll feel it!). When you get to the top, it's a long down hill to the pampa which will then lead you to more pampa until you don't want to see pampa again! climb a little more before reaching Oleros and take a bus to Huaraz.
Difficulty: the long way in the pampa is a mental killer
Time: 6-9 hours

There we go, 9 days, 8 stages. Awesome memories in such a short space of time…I miss it very much but we have so much more to see…and the summits to do! So stay tune on Michael's Blog!

Acclimating for la Cordillera Blanca Trail- Peru

2015-08-09T11:41:00.003-07:00

Finally, I am able to put some words and pictures down for our Peruvian adventure.
If you want a blow by blow account you should read Mick's 3 parts blog posts. It is awesome and give another insight. For me, I wanted to share how it all came together trough pictures and show you that you can do it too even if you don't speak french, spanish or german ;)

La Cordillera Blanca trail is a 200 km (124 miles) , 10500m (35000feet) in 8 stages, designed by Christophe LeSeaux, a french elite distance runner who loves to show to other runners beautiful places while running and eating well, and Adventures Andines, a small trekking company with the BEST cooks ( with the attitude and everything, this is the most important!!!) and guides.

Day 1- Lima, its markets and icons

The air there is quite sticky and polluted. The noise is unbelievable…but the food is so nice

Hiking the Cordillera Blanca for non-local people can be tricky…you do less with more effort! So before we started the trail, we had to travel to Hurraz located at 3100m to become acclimated to the attitude. To get there, the only way is via a Bus...

Not your typical British double decker looking bus thou, we were told we could actually sleep. It's a night bus, where you are served some food and watch cartoons on an old fashioned TV. Sounded quite cool! What they don't tell you if that it was designed for Peruvien people (small size) therefore if you are tall like Mick and you have someone in front of you putting their seat down fully, you will have a 8hours journey from hell…luckily we were with other members of the trek and the guys shared the pain!

Day 2 - Huaraz (3100m) & La casa de Zarela

We arrived in Huaraz at 6 am, took our quarters at Zarela Bed and Breakfast, we visited a bit while starting an acclimation hike in the surrounding area.

We went up and up to the top, then go back down, by then we were all tired so we recovered…with a local beer!

Day 3- Laguna Llaca- 4200m

We took another bus (tiny one) with an awesome driver. Hike to the Laguna, ate (but not too much) and then it was already time to go down…hiking till the bus caught us up :)

Day 4- Pasturi Glacier 5200

We took another bus for another acclimation hike. This one was going to get us on top of a glacier of 5200m of attitude!!!

We arrived at the top and Christophe tells us we can go higher to have a view on another cordillera.

With that, it was decided that we were ready for the race.

South Downs Way 50: Not such a bad training run

2015-04-23T11:25:00.000-07:00

South Downs Way 50: A 50 miler up and down the south downs of England. One I started and not finished last year. One where I learnt 10 lessons and hope I've learnt them well.

Looming in the distance are dark clouds onto the South Downs way but in my head this time, there is no doubt, this is “only” a training run to help me with the Barcelona Ultra Trail, so I just need to do as much as I can until I think my training is done. There is no crazy sub hours pace to follow or a early bus to catch. This time we will run to make it for the 9 pm bus, and Mick says we can run it easy for a 9 hours finish. All seems to be quite manageable so why not?

So I do everything I've learnt from last year from breakfast: eggs, bacon, broccoli and avocado washed down with a cinnamon cocoa coffee to a clif shot 15 min before the start

With that in mind and Mick on my side, we start the SDW race at a slow pace and because it rained the day before, we are a bit like balls in bobsledder track trying to maintain balance while not running over each other. It is a bit exhausting so we give up passing other runners and wait to be in a bigger clearing to get into a comfortable pace. But to do 9 hours finish Mick tells me we need to run an average of 6.30min/kilometres and I don’t know how a 6.30 min feels like in a long run, so I just nod and follow him

Reaching the clearing it is time for serious running with a clear strategy: run the flat, downs and shallow hills, walk the stepper ones. It works for the first 27 miles and after passing CP4 (last year drop out) I get tired and start to have some cramps... I haven't had cramps for the last 3 years... I forgot how it feels and that makes me moody! I need to slow down I know it but it's so hard I really want to run with Mick. He makes it look so easy and is looking at his watch ...aiaia getting paranoid I ask him how bad it is. It's quite bad the average is off...so I try to accelerate but the cramps are quite violent...I'm pressuring myself in running with Mick...not such a great idea we decide and just before CP5 after much debating that he is going to drop me. Mick goes off to complete it in 8hours33 while I plot along managing the cramps and decide I need to finish this as I'm not doing it again!
Arriving at Alfriston I gorge myself of tea and fruits as I found it eases the cramps. Knowing there is a lemon drizzle to die for at the last CP I find some motivation to go a bit faster but aware I'm no longer following the initial pace and finally finish in 9hours18 min! Which surprises me quite a bit and gets me hyper because we can catch the 6:30 pm bus and go home earlier then predicted!

I'm so glad I did it thou as I got to see so many familiar faces and new ones! What a great community is the ultra running one :) but what a training day! I never ran that much in my life and I'm glad I've completed it! I'm no keen on this running strategy and rather want the run the downs walk the rest haha so I really hope Barcelona Ultra Trail will have less running involve! For sure I'm a mountain runner...

Back in the running game: The joy of ski mountainering and a lesson learnt from not signing up for Trans Gran Canaria

2015-03-21T08:27:00.002-07:00

Chasing snow

After the shameful DNF of 3x3000 back in early November where I picked up a nasty ankle sprain, I didn't want to be running anymore...at all or do any sort of exercises. Silly I know but after all of the training and good times we had during our 3 months break, I couldn't bear the thought that all of it was now down the drain thanks to a sprain. What was the point? The season was over, we were back in gloomy England with its little hills and rain sucking the daylight out of you. Nothing to get me out of this dark clouds, not even sorting out our 3 weeks break in the Alps in Mick's hometown.

Mid December, we landed in Geneva for the 3 weeks break barely prepared and drove to St Jean de Maurienne by looking out the car windows and staring at the snowy mountains tops. So ever slowly staring out and picturing our little self in these massive mountains was dissipating some of these dark clouds in my head. Feet getting itchy, I eagerly fell asleep hoping that these mountains could heal me. We were lucky, Smartwool had sent us some winter gear to test during our ski mountaineering break, so the following day, like a kid at Christmas here I was putting on the PHD support bra, baselayer, tights and socks from #Smartwool and pestering Mick to go out in the mountains. But there was not much snow, so we ended up walking up to a snowy top and then painfully going down again.

Dark clouds looming on my horizon, Mick said to not get too flustered yet, my ankle was going to get better with the ski mountaineering, we just need to find some snow.

So on the second day we do just that, snow hunting. Apparently there is some in Val Frejus. With the same #Smartwool clothing of the day before, we set off to the bottom of the slop. There is barely any snow...We have to walk quite a bit with our ski on our back to get to something decent in order to justify putting the skis on but wow it's worth the wait and the 1h hike.The shoes were as light as running shoes, I was not too warm nor too cold and when we put the skis on, I felt at peace. To get the hand of moving up with the skins on is not too hard but to get the “technique” is another story.

Mick who had been skiing since 3 years old had also read ski mountaineering books, watched videos and researched on how to do things before our arrival so now he was going up like a pro while teaching me the basics :)With every upward steps and trickling sweat, my old happy self dared making an appearance. Mick looked at me and smiled no words were needed. He did tell me how this break was going to be good for our bodies and I wasn't believing it before. But with the ankle nicely tucked in the ski boots not moving sideways or doing funny things and amazing views, there was no sign of my usual dark clouds and I was felling good. For the next 3 days ( until Christmas) all we done was ski mountaineering.Still with the same Smartwhool apparel ( keeping us warm while keeping the moist away) we went up and discovered some trails we had gone during the summer but without the waou white effect and went deeper into the Maurienne valley to reach some peaks and lakes which were magnificent.

Just writing these lines puts me back into the elation of the moment when we reach the view of Lac du Mont Cenis.

White Velvet

And so we couldn't wait for Christmas Day and its feast to pass to go back deeper in the mountains where I felt whole. For another 6 days we went up and down, climbed Mont Emy more than a few times as the snow was getting rarer everywhere else (apparently Italy got most of it) and slowly got back into some kind of shape. My anger against my powerless body was diminishing with each outing, I was starting to think that maybe I could go back running.

After these 3 weeks ski mountaineering, it was time to return to England, the lack of mountains with enough stress at work and continuous rainy days did the trick for the dark clouds to come back. I did try to run and shake it off but not only had the Brat come back but a shin splint was installed comfortably up my left leg! so no way I was going to sign up to run 125km with this mind and body state! It's so weird how our mind can play vicious games...I should have just sign up and hell with the body/mind state!

But Mick (who has none of my silly issues) signed up for the TGC 125km race and planned to stay 1 week prior to the race to train in the Gran Canaria's mountains.

Trans Gran Canaria 125 Km

Of course, being his beloved wife, I organised our stay (even thou I did wonder how good would it be for him if I cannot run around but can pester him with my dark clouds) and set up camp in Tejeda, Gran Canaria.

View from our rental in Tejeda

It's such a beautiful village tucked in the mountains, quiet and sunny. We ate oranges and lemons on a daily basis and there was this almond cake to die for!

Roque Nublo and La Palma in the horizon

To get me to come out and run longer, Mick lured me into doing long outing for a piece of cake.

View from Cruz de Tejeda

Haha it worked fine :) No brat, no shin splint, not once I've twisted the ankle and no dark clouds.
After one week in Tejeda, I felt so much better that I was now regretting not signing up. So much so that watching Mick getting ready for the race was heart breaking. So I started making plans on driving Mick to the start, taking my running #smartwool apparel (same gear as the mountainering one, it actually keeps you cool in the warmer weather) and run the first 20 km with everyone else. But Mick tells the organisation won't be too impress...so when he went to register , I asked the organisation if I could run it anyway, surely some people won't start on the day, I could start for them no? But no, for some insurance reason, I can't run the race.

Fine! Lesson learnt! Next time, just sign up for the race and take the cancellation fee. Who knows what might come along and undo all of the dark matter in you?

As for now, I've signed up for SDW 50, Ultratrail Barcelona, Lakes District Extreme 100, Ultra Trail des Belledones and Grand Raid de la Reunion with no cancellation fee ;) Life's too short right?

Don't miss out on Mick's TGC 125 km 2015 race report, I'm sure it will make you want to come along next year ;)

10 Peaks Brecon Beacons: Perception is a killer

2014-11-08T02:45:00.001-08:00

I've must have rewritten this blog entry 20 times. Even thou we've completed this race at the beginning of september ( the 06th), my dark mood kept staining the beautiful route and organised race of the 10 peaks: Brecon Bacons. So my apologies for taking so long, I hope it won't be too disappointing to read ;)

The 10 peaks Brecon Beacons was our first race in the UK after spending 3 months running up and down high mountains...

Mick thought this race would be a good transition as it was in the Black Mountains and it seemed to have enough elevation for me not to moan about being too flat. At the time of registering, I agreed with everything he said, I was hyper from the finishing of the Andorra Ultra Trail and so I thought I could do ANYTHING…even running!

What I had forgotten thou is

a) I can't sleep the night before the race

b) This is NOT Andorra type of terrain

c) Open lands, miles of it

So the night before the race, it was with no surprise that after turning and tossing for 8 hours, I was ready to fall asleep when the alarm rang instead of getting ready, and my mood was not as great as when I had registered for the race.

But, the start was as quiet as the day slowly awakening and passing the Talybont Reservoir Bridge, to the road and up our first climb, I was glad to feel the ground we had reece and picture the lavender field passing by to reach our first beacon ( but not the official one)

Passing the first beacon, we attempt to follow the trail made out of sticky mud and big gaps, come to a junction and get confused with Michael GPS watch directions (the finish track is coming down, while the start track is on the left) but as the day awaken, the familiar reece track come to light so we juggle between rocks towards Trig 642 without getting lost again. By then, I had twisted my ankle (surprise!) but still attempting to follow Mick's relaxed pace to not get lost. Reaching another reservoir, looming in front of us in a gloomy daylight is a short but sharp vertical climb allowing us to view the next part of the race, a long run on a dragon's spine (the ridge) before going down on a paved looking trail to our first man checkpoint.

At the first feed station, we are welcomed by the race director as well as a nice table full of bananas, cliff bar products and encouraging smiley volunteers, not much time is spend there as we know our first official PEAK Fan Fawr (734m) is straight up.

This one is very mean! The top of it looks very close but actually it is just an illusion as no matter what we do ( run or walk) it just doesn't seems like we are getting there fast enough! After reaching the top and bip the beacon we run down to cross the river and go up to Peak 2: Fan Llia (632m)

It is nice and smooth, no high grass, no funny holes, just nice. The climb to Peak 2 is quite entertaining as there is no official path, high grass, no straightforward top so you need to pick a track and stick to it, hopefully it will lead you to the top. Having runners from both side of our track, I wonder who is going to get to the top first as we all seemed to think that our respective line is shorter/faster or more straightforward. But at the top, I smiled as we all arrived at the same time, some more frustrated than others perception is very deceptive…especially with mud holes and high grass. Reaching the beacon of Peak 2, it’s now downhill to reach CP2. That’s when Mick twists quite badly his ankle, he think it sucks as apparently we are doing great with time, I think it's great giving me a reason to slow down.

We reach Feed Station 2 which as the same food option as FS1 with the addition of sticky cake, really sticky cake! No time to unstuck the cake thou, we already have to go! I feel rushed, so much so that I start to get moody very bad at Mick and the volunteers. Lack of sleep? After apologising, we make our way to CP3, I guess the fact that we have to run for a flatish 10 km before being able to justify walking is not helping my mood to get better.

Descending toward Feed Station 2

Luckily the drastic changes of scenery helps and after some fuffing and puffing away (from me) feedstation 3 with its Pirate theme appears and what I thought was a 2 hours gruelling run between the two FS takes actually less than an hour (I should get a watch)! I stuffed my face with cake, oranges and more cake before Mick said we had to go to reach peak 3 and 4… We follow a cool dude before climbing up quite nicely until a ridge. A ridge means running, ridge with shallow climb still means running. Yup, that's definitively a lot of running involve compare to what I am used to and at this point, I'm struggling in my little bubble, and make Michael and his companion in crime cringes from my moody comments and "run away" from me. I am sooooo not happy but we reach peak 3 and peak 4 is just an down-up-down-up business, right? So with still a crappy mood, I start the down...until I see a lady ascending... it's lady 1!!! I'm so excited she looks so fresh, oh and here is lady 2, looking good too! OK so it must not be that bad to go up and down and up again then! Seeing them cheer me up and so here I am going up to Peak 4, down to go back up to peak 3 and down to CP4. It's a long descent and quite shallow but challenging with hidden potholes, little wind and loads of sun, mood is back in my socks and I start imagine how cool it would be to just stop and enjoy the sun!

Arriving at the feedstation 4, my daydream is still playing in my head. Mick is waiting for me thou, he is looking fresh and enjoying himself so much, why can't I do the same?

I decide not to stop just yet as I'm told there is this big climb right behind the FS. After 25m of straight grass vertical, we are all on our knees and hands...arrh I'm about to moan when Mick (having enough of my dark mood) tells me straight "give up now, or shut up and carry on" so...what do I do? I shut up and carry on, till the top, then down, twist my ankle, cry a bit still reach Peak 5 Fan Gyhirych (725m) and down, up again to Peak 6 Fan Nedd (663), and down, curse at the Roman road track, and finally reach another big long climb to peak 7. After having fun for 10 mins, I feel tummy sick, throw up a bit but Mick hasn't slow down so I need to carry on as there is no place to quit and get a ride. I feel quite bad that Mick has to endure all of this....

We still haven't found the beacon of Peak 7, we think we are lost. My bad! I thought it would be a good idea to just cut a straight line to the top ignoring the gps track...(lesson from Peak 2 that perception is a killer hadn't sank in yet) Mick curses and for some reason it makes me feel better haha! We finally reach the peak and the pretty single track downhill to Feed Station 5. I know where we are now, we've reece this part, and I can feel the end.

Rigde of Fan Frynych towards FeedStation 5
Arriving there, I'm surprised to see Lady 2, she is looking good with a warm smile which makes me forget the bad time I am having. The cherry on top is when the nice marshal tell us we only have 14 km left to do, and 3 more peaks to bag ( so much less running, more walking)!

Not such a happy bunny

It also means that the finish is not as far as I thought (really need a watch) and that we could be there before night time!!! I'm so excited about this that I'm all pump up to fly, looking at Mick I tell him let’s go! poor sod, I wasn't even giving him the time to fill his water bottle...Oops, waiting "patiently" we thank everyone and start our climb up towards Peak 8, it’s long thou, quite shallow, I feel so slow as walking is not eating enough metres but running is taking a lot of energy.

Going Up to Pen Y Fan, can you see Mick?

I wonder where Lady 2 is, as I can't see her in the distance. Mick is so far ahead and waits at the top for me,…I'm such a turtle!

Finally reaching the top and Mick, he wonders where Lady 2 is as he hasn't seen her and her pacer. She is such a speedy! Hoping to catch her, I forget about the past dark 12 hours and go faster than I previously did. So we go down and up to Peak 9 Crybin and 10 the famous Fan Y Big (719m ) which are the best ones out of the whole race because it's quite vertical with beautiful views from all sides. We reach another dragon spine ( still not in love with those) but as it is close to the finish I just let it go…to the finish. We are now back to where it all started, nothing not even the last bad descent doesn't slow me down ( ok well until we get to the road...) Arriving at the finish, we are 8^th and 9^th overall, and 2^nd lady for me. What happen to Lady 2?!

So happy to be finished

Going to the YMCA café, we meet others runners from the short race and the cool dude who ran with us until he couldn't stand me anymore ;) he finished well too :)

I'm eager to take the car back to London and sleep. But even the finish is not kicking me out off that funny mood I've been all day, thinking that talking to people would help while eating, we talked to a couple who are saying they tried to caught us up. I wonder why, I thought they were the winning pair, so why would they want to catch us?! Maybe they think we are the winning pair, I tell them we are not, they are looking at me very confused...I'm very confused but then I haven't been thinking straight from the start so, after saying our goodbye I happily take the wheel back to London hope to get some good sleep.

So there it is even thou the mood was not there, I'm glad we made this trip. The race was so well organised and the marshals and runners so nice, that it would have been ashamed not to start because of some dark mood. I just hope for my own sake, I will kick it out soon as we need to get ready for the 3 x3000 80km Ultra in the Lakes District and if I make Mick suffer he will never want to pace me again!

Oh and the couple at the finish! Well they were not a couple, it turned out to be Lady number 2 ( well 3) ! She had taken another way to reach Peak 8 which was even longer than the one we took and I didn't recognise her!...what a food I've made of myself!

Andorra Ultra Trail Mitic: a race of wonders

2014-07-21T04:38:00.002-07:00

Andorra a tiny country lost inbetween

France

and

Spain

. The shopping lover would describe it as a shopping paradise for cheap cigarettes and alchohol. But for the nature lover it is simply A paradise. Full of mountains, waterfalls and quietness where time stops to let you enjoy the moment.

Andorra Ultra Trail: 4 races across the mountains of

Andorra

where elevation gain; technical terrain; beautiful views, ups and downs are on the menu. therefore you would conclude a paradisiac race?

While La Celestrial with its 83km and 5000m of ascent and the Marato with its 42.5km and 3000m sounded too "flat" therefore too "fast" for my little feet. La Ronda del Cims with its 170 km and 13000m of elevation gain not only sounded way too long but also looked just too much, La Mitic sounded like a nice long hike with its 9700m of positive elevation for 112km.

Turns out, my description of the race was spot on, it was a" long up and down- let me see if you can go up again...and down" hike (not run) with superbe views (with the full moon and all that!) and technical like you never knew it was possible type of technical! But oh so lovely for the eyes and fulfilling for the heart as you meet awesome humain being in each of the runner you cross (even the grumpy one) and the most wonderful volunteers you ever and will never again encounter ( I am now certain the organisation has handpicked each of the 300 volunteers and medical team for their caring, generous and did I say caring? nature). During the race, the how long do you think you'll take question becomes obsolete and is replaced by how much did you get to see? it's is a race of wonders and I'm glad I got to experience every single step it took to complete it.

Have I convinced you yet to sign up for next year? If not, I'm sure below will!

In paradise

It's 5 am, yes the race starts at 10 pm and yes I woke up at 5am. Not a good race strategy but one where I can make sure Mick has a good breakfast before heading towards the start of La Ronda del Cims, so why not?

It's 7 am, Mick has started la Ronda while I'm heading back to the motorhome hoping to get some rest....but who am I kidding?! with the noises from outside, the sun poking through the windows and me wondering how Mick is doing, I'm back out to get some Wifi... Mick is doing great so I'm back in the motorhome...think about Mick...so go back out for wifi...this I will do for the next 12 hours, until I'm so tired that I wonder how I will make it to the start of La Mitic or even finish these 112km with 9700m of elevation route!

Andorra Ultra Trail

It's 9:30 pm, in the starting zone, very nervous I'm distracted by the facebook updates from Mick's tracker and millions of thoughts . Some runners are quite chatty; others are as quiet as myself. It's weird to be by myself at the start line, but 10 pm comes along with the music and firework and we...Go

From the ascent to Clo del Cavalls with daylight

For the night section the organizers had prepared a nice little menu:

6 km road/trail to Llorts to warm up and say goodbye to artificial lighting
6.5 km 1200m of ascent to Clot del Cavalls to stay warm in attitude
5 km 600m of descent to the first aid Station: Pla d'Estany to ensure your knees are not jealous and your ankles stay flexible
3km 880m of ascent to Peak of Comapedrosa to have fun in the big rocks and get scared with their shadows and a full moon - droit dans la pente = straight up the climb
3.5 km 600m of descent of the 2nd aid Station: Refuge de Comapedrosa to pee your pants with the glacier lake and snow trails where you can kiss goodbye to finish if you take a wrong step and fall in the lake!

6 km 300m of ascent and 400m of descent to Coll de la Botella to show off the ski slopes of Arinsal and high grass and another 4km of Andorran "flat" and 1.5 km with 400 to Bony la Pica- just because!

The "please don't fall and slide" part of La Comapedrosa descent (it's scarier at night thou)

Ascending towards la Comapedrosa during our reece

If you are "fast" you could still be doing the next section long before the sunrise but I was glad to arrive at Bony la Pica with the first sign of daylight because the famous descent to la Margineda was already so challenging with fresh legs, I couldn't see myself doing this part "by night" (well done to the superstars who've done it thou!

I "ate" the first 20 km, played "night guide" to whoever was listening and had fun sliding on the snow trail of la Comapedrosa because we had reece the first 40km of the route. The slowly but safe "running tactic" did enable me to not be out of breath while still plodding along other runners. I was having so much fun and was happy to be early from our previsions...that I've lost focus so 700m before arriving at the Refuge de la Comapedrosa aid station; I hear a snap, I feel my whole body crumble and Sebastien (a runner who ran with me til now) says "Shit Dude that looked bad, are you alright? ( in French).

Yup you guessed right; my "flying" up and down suddenly came to a halt from a snappy right ankle incident. Sebastien puts me back on my feet and ask if I need a helicopter, I'm laughing while fighting tears, load of emotions are turmoiling but one sticks out: frustration! I didn't even get to the half marathon point! Arrrrhhhh, leaving me there Sebastien carries on to the refuge, I'm limping to the refuge watching other runners passing by and unable to stop thinking about how good I felt 10 minutes earlier.

Arriving at the refuge, of course everyone looks at me with pity in their eyes, they "know" that it's over for me, barely looking at them and with a soup in my hand ( I did come for the soup :P) I go see the Red Cross volunteer asking him if he can do something for this little snappy ankle. Taking off sock I hear some weird sounds coming out of his mouth; I don't understand Catalan but it doesn't sound good. He tells me in French it looks bad, very bad, I should stop as there is some more steep ups and downs coming our way. I tell him I can't stop, I haven't done a marathon (is that even a sane reason?!) he chuckles and say I'm crazy so I sweet talk to him into wrapping the ankle for me to get to Coll de la Botella and catch a ride with a car ( the helicopter wasn't planning on coming here anytime soon)

Portilla del Sanfons before the descent to Col de la Botella

So with a wrapped up ankle, another bowl of soup and 45 precious minutes "wasted" (I was only supposed to stay 10min) I'm heading towards the Col with my head down, heavy heart and pissed off. Kicking rocks with my good foot and slicing grass with my walking poles, I can't stand myself and nothing seems to taking me out of this. But an older runner pats me in the back and enjoy the moment as soon we will be reaching the road and road is bad for the knees. For no reason this makes me smile; seems like true mountain runner loathe the road, I join him in the final descent and encourage him to keep going; he says to not wait for him that he is a grandad with back problems; I say I'm a youngster with a sprained ankle so together we are a winning team; laughing at my joke he makes me forget that I'm soon to the place where I'm supposed to give up...

Arriving at the Col I see ALL of the runners who had passed me during my little accident, they all looked messed up, they are surprised to see me there; and even more surprised to see me carry on; because with my other bowl of soup I want to see the sunrise at Bony la Pica; I want to forget that my ankle is stupid and remember that I had a great first 20km ( it had NEVER happened before) and that I could get some more great kilometers.

Bony la Pica Ridge

With a mixture of running and walking limping and swearing Bony La Pica shows its ridge and I'm happy! The view is amazing; just below the volunteers have put a small welcoming fire and well I'm "almost" a la Margineda. So taking my bad ankle and determination; I start the challenging descent to la Margineda, half way I meet one of the volunteer we had met during a reece; he gives me this massive hug; I can't give up after that right?! he tells me I have 2 hours to Margineda; I laugh and tell him not with this one; looking at the "egg" he make this face which tells me how crazy this situation must be looking: True I do have 70km left to do! but if I go one step at the time, maybe...just maybe the finish line could come along. He tells me to be careful and to use the chains...really? Unless you want to go down on your butt he says, you should use the chains and just be careful, no point of turning the other ankle or worse make the egg bigger...alala ok! With his warm encouragements I carry on first to Aixas an one house "village" then up to Coll Jovell to carry down to Margineda School; the first bag dropping area. It's very early in the morning and the lighting is very soft on the tree lines and making the mountain cliffs looking less mean!

The Chains

The descent is a mixture of straight down a grassy cliff, then straight down "let's sky" in the loose rocks part (wish I had taken a pic of that!) to a "relaxing" single track to la Margineda school. I arrive there at 7h30am. So 10hours for 42km, not bad considering that with Mick we had planned for 11h45 to get there; ah that means maybe I could go on a little? check out the part we didn't reece to Claror? It takes 45min to debate with the doctor and Thomas ( a runner I've been going up and down with on and off depending on his mood) about the ankle. I'm not too impressed that since the "incident" it's been 90 minutes of talking about something that hurts just thinking about it. I could have used these 90 minutes to climb up and see some cliffs instead of standing in a building...so with that I take my bag, take some salty biscuits and chocolate ( yup together they are a hit in my mouth hehe) and walk away from the blabla.Thomas takes his stuff and run after me convinced that he shouldn't leave some "crazy little one" go alone to tackle the next BIG bit: the ascent to Col du Bou Mort 8.5 km with 1600 m of ascent!!!!!!!! I'm glad to be with someone! The trail starts with some road bits to join a forest path, under the trees the small breeze washes the frustration but replace it with sleepiness. Oops! I think i'm starting to feel the effects of yesterday and the demanding course...but I can't stop; not now; don't want to give Thomas any reason to say "I told you so" (he did say he wanted to slap me; so checky!)...looking at him he is also not looking too good but he doesn't say anything about it, so I don't either and we slowly carry go...up and up and up; arriving at Cortals de Manyat; he tells me he is taking a break; I tell him I'll carry on because he will catch me. what I don't tell him is that I desesperately want to sleep...

Are we there yet? Prat Primer Refuge

One foot after the other; I catch another runner and he likes to chat going uphill; I smile out of all of the places; this guy can't stop talking which helps me forget to zzzzzzzzzzzzz he stopped talking and backtracked while my eyes are closing themselves...micro nap? My feet are not lifting high enough and I'm stumbling, not good for the ankle but zzzzzzz I need to stop zzzzzzzzzzzzz the trail looks so soft and comfy; I could take a little nap...but I see huge ants, red and scary eeewww I got bitten once and don't want that same experience again so I look for a rock but there are none, I'm in the only place when there is no rock to lay on!!! Till I reach the refuge Prat Primer not an aid station but a control point; I ask if I can sleep; they say yes and put me in this room where another runner is fast asleep. I try to do what he does, but there is a horse with a big bell that keeps knocking at the door....arrrrhhh I can't sleep!!! after 10 minutes I want to strangle the horse (sorry) so instead I take my stuff and carry on.

Can you see Claror Refuge and the path?

Just 1km with 250m of ascent left to the Col. While I turn to thanks the volunteers, I see...a girl!!! the first one after more than 12 hours of race!!! Nice, I welcome her with a big smile but she stays a bit at the refuge, so climb up slowly and then descent slowly to Claror and sit there for another 15 minutes eating and talking away trying to forget that I want to sleep and that the ankle didn't like that part. I wait for the girl; chat a bit, and found out that she is the third lady...which means I'm 2nd!!! wooh ok I get up, thank the volunteers and make my way to the next aid station 12km away because right now I feel...good well for the next 15 min and then the sleepiness comes back and I'm alone; no one to distract me...I want to give up, I want to stop, I reach a control point (Perarfina Refuge) and ask where I can stop (my feel good moment didn't last long, did it?) they tell me here but I'll need to make my way back down to the valley; how long is that I ask, they say 20km, what?!! the next drop bag is in 20km I said. The lady said yup it would make more sense to get there you can even get a diploma saying "completed" 72km! Ok I said (how sad heh? I'm chassing a bit of paper) so I go up to Collada del Maiana the view is beautiful and there is a runner coming my way, I stop at on a rock (with no ants) take a brownie and wait for him, at least I could have some company; doesn’t matter if I don't speak his language! But wait! it's Drew!!! a runner from the Centurion Running team UK who's doing la Ronda del Cims, he looks good even thou he's done more than 100km, I ask him if he saw Mick; he tells me no but not to worry too much. We end up doing the crossing of the Madriu Valley together; we are looking for the Illa Refuge this 10 km stretch is long but the refuge finally appears and the volunteers are the best; taking the bag off, filling the water; feeding you, massaging you; giving you some more strength to tackle the next climb la Collada del Pessons 1.5km with 350m of ascent, doesn't sound much but all of these little climbs are straight up the hill; no zig zag (well you can make your own but good luck!) but what an amazing view you get when you are at the top, small lakes spread across, spain to the right and left; France to the right and left, and just mountain tops after mountain tops.

From Collada del Pessons top

I'm so thankful to be there and I can wait ( yes I can) to go down to Bordes d'Envilara. I wish I could just stay there; lift my ankle and just stop the time! But it's getting cold and well...I want to get closer to the lakes. That descent is technical, it has zig zags but with loose rocks and man, it is vertiginous; I take ages to get down; my ankle is throbbing and I have enough, this is sooooo long and even the lakes are not distracting me enough. I think about Mick, thinking by then he must be in the dreaded Pas de la Casa's part...maybe I could find out how's he is doing and if he has finished or dnf I could just...dnf? yeah that's a good plan! So with this "new" motivation I go a bit faster to the lakes, I reach them and the tourists and then this long stretch of shallow ascent ski slope,arrrh soo long it sucks! Lots of cow poo, and sloppy grass, I'm getting frustrated not to see the end of it, but wait it's descending so.... there is it!!! Bordes d'Envilara, I take off my shoes; and ask to sleep; what am I doing?! The red cross looks at my ankle put ice on it; and just tell me to close my eyes and try not so hard to sleep; I'm so exhausted, that for once I do listen and just close my eyes. But sleep still doesn't come and after 15min I get up and go eat, Thomas is here and I'm happy to see him. He asks me if I'm carry on, red cross dude tells me that I'm still 2^nd one; of course I'm carrying on, I laugh and ask him if it is reasonable with the ankle; with this massive smile he says he has faith and that this 2^nd place is mine. what about Mick? who's Mick...don't worry about him, ask at Val d'Incles, red cross dude is really trying!....hum....Val d'Incles...10km ok I can do that! or....this mental debate go on until RedCross dure stop listening to me, fills my water; put the powerade like some drug, shovel food in my hands and takes me to the next...climb 53,7 km with 375m ascent. I soon catch Myriam, the 2nd lady she is awesome! With my broken Spanish we talk until the serious climb to Pas les Vasques, no words can help, it's hard; straight through the cliff. I'm back at the 2^nd spot but for how long! But here is the top and I'm happy because hehe we have reece the next 20km so in other words, well I'm prepared! So here comes the descent to the Siscaro Lake:

Descent to Siscaro Lake and Refuge

I feel good, the ankle is still hurting but the end is so close that it doesn't matter; I'm just praying at every descent and flat that I don't twist it again! But here is Val d'Incles brings the two next climbs la Cresta de Cabana Sorda and Collada del Meners.

Climbing doesn't hurt so here we go; 800m of ascent to la Cresta; then down to the before last refuge Coms de Jan; I'm happy it is still day time and the rain doesn't bother me (yet) Albert, a funny guy from Andorra has decided to take me to the finish or at least try! So after we pass one of the control point, he takes the lead and start to push, but I don't. I know what's coming and I need my energy for the last 300m! They are steep and Albert is struggling now. I encourage him and we go down to Coms de Jan; here is the last ascent; 500m of ascent on loose rocks and snow and oh rain, wind and the nightfall.

Not problem, jacket and lamp will do...after an hour; washing up gloves (they are waterproof) are taken from the bag and I try to warm my fingers; it's freezing cold and I lost Albert; he was climbing so fast; here is the top, aaahhhhhh this was the final climb; no time to contemplate thou because the wind is not welcoming and well there is still 16km to descent to Ordino. I go down; pass a few runners, the Nao is dying; I hope to get to the last aid station with it but after being scared 3 times by it flashing; I take out my old shitty black diamond (very grateful to have it thou hehe) mid way to the refuge de Sorteny.

Going Up to Collada del Meners- the last one

Not problem, jacket and lamp will do...after an hour; washing up gloves are taken from the bag and I try to warm my fingers; it's freezing cold and I lost Albert; he was climbing so fast; here is the top, aaahhhhhh this was the final climb; no time to contemplate thou because the wind is not welcoming and well there is still 16km to descent to Ordino. I go down; pass a few runners, the Nao is dying; I hope to get to the last aid station with it but after being scared 3 times by it flashing; I take out my old shitty black diamond (very grateful to have it thou hehe) mid way to the refuge de Sorteny.

Going down to Sorteny Refuge

But even with crappy light, I know where I am and I carry on mixing running and walking as the ground is now so slippery with vicious rocks. Twice the ankle twists. Twice I tell myself to be careful but I want to go to Ordino and find out where Mick is. The small bridge, the path by the river the crossing of small nasty torrents and then here the refuge. I don't want to stop but apparently we don't have 10 but 13km left. Crap will I have enough energy? I don't want to eat (that was stupid!!! I paid for it later on) so I fill my flask with powerade and carry on. I have this crazy idea to finish in 27h30. Mick thought I could finish between 28-30 hours. How cool would it be to finish earlier with a sprained ankle? So there I am going down to El Serrat, swearing at the path as it is slippery and well I have enough of trails at this point haha. I reach the road and another runner; we run together until he slows down. We are almost at Llorts I tell him; 6,5km to the finish. He doesn't listen so I carry on; run Laureda; run; here are some hills; the golf course; and then what is that? I don't know this part and this throw me off! So I stop running and walk, slowly where am I?! Shit I won't make it to 27h30! Ok what about 27h45? Ah here is Borda Asalonga Camping; ok so that's 1,5 km to the finish. So I start running again. A runner passes me, oh well as long as I make it to 27h45!

Here the finish line and...Mick!!! has he finished or did he give up? Awww I'm estatic to see him. He tells me he finished la Ronda in 38h50! How cool is that?!!! I'm more than happy to see him, I'm so impressed with his achievement that I forget my own: I didn't give up I tell him! The nice volunteers give me a beer and tell me where the shower, the masseuse and the food are...I smile and ask them "and the bed?"

There is no one really at the arrival beside hehe Albert... with a cigarette (can't believe he is smoking after this!)!!! we congratulate each other, he finished in 27h30 (should have stick to his butt...)

I''m out of it so many emotions are passing by with extreme speed that I can't speak or realise where I am! I'm feel overwhelmed with gratitude; thinking about the organisation who created this crazy event to share their love and pride of their mountains. I think about the awesome volunteers who made us feel like VIP's all the way to the finish line, to all the runners I've met who helped me sooo much along the way to not DNF and believe in me even thou I was a stranger...I think of Mick's training and dedication who brought us to the finish line and I think about the other runners still on the course: hat off to them for trying to get there no matter the time, the tiredness the sore feets; I think about what we have accomplished and what's still to come, and for now nothing else matter: we've done it!

Trail du colorado Race Report

2014-07-10T00:33:00.002-07:00

After our nice little diagonale des fous adventure it was time to concentrate of our next one: a race in my island!

Trail du Colorado is a 38km race with 1800m of elevation in the high plateau of Saint Denis the capital.

The start is given at 7 am at the bottom of a hill!!! Not some small rolling British hill... But straight up from the first step you take! It goes around the place back to...that first hill!!! Such a nice way to wake up in the morning!

Mick at the start working hard!

After that first hill, it is then me between fast runners talking away effortlesy going up and up like this is the warm up and the ones who want to be fast because they don't want to be behind slower people when we get to le sentier des Lataniers... Why? Because when you get to the start of the "sentier" you can't overtake people, no it's impossible unless you want to crash down the nice canyon or tangle your feets in twisted high grass or slide between roots and slippery rocks you no no safest option is to wait the road in Dos d'ane ( the village you go through and aid station!

The sentier des Lataniers

Mick in on of the killer climb

So there I am, sandwiched and struggling to keep my breathing in check! I've started too fast but I had no choice i needed to position myself to not struggle later in this "sentier" long of 11km! So after passing a few people, I arrived at the bugger and put my head down. Soon I am again sandwiched between a queue people. This is not good, this section is the least enjoyable and I have no intention to stay there longer than necessary...I hear myself apologise and actually pass one...two...three people...darn! What's up with that! I can hear them moaning at me! And I hear myself apologising and praying that I can keep up with my own tempo. Don't want to see them sucking my wind and make comments of being too slow! But it is a nice weather, the view of the ocean it's beautiful and we reeced that section! So I accelerate when I know I can rest up further up and soon join another queue..hum...6 people...that's a big queue to pass... And the canyon is steep...slowing down and joining the queue I try to be patient but they are slowing down and I don't want to slow down...so I apologise and as soon as I find a opening I pass...1,2,3,4,5,6 who are actually happy to see me go and number 4 is actually following me. It's a nice girl from France who's in the relay, she hates this part as well but is happy because soon she will be finished! We run together to the next queue...should I dare?! I see the guy we've met during one of our Reece...i don't know if I should... These men don't look like they won't mind if I pass them... But I can't control myself and zooop I apologise and pass them! Ouf I hope this is the last file because these passes are very challenging and I get scared!!

Me and the nice man

But I soon reach dos d'ane and catch a nice man who despise road as much as I do so we distract ourselves with tales about our life. I'm so happy to see them my mum runs beside us until the aid station. I asked them about Mick. He is 20 min in front. I won't be able to catch to him, the climb from dos d'ane to piton fougeres via Roche Vert Bouteille is technical, long... It's hot and he is super fast! But little me inside still wants to try so I don't stay too long, I kiss them and tell them see you on this other side and start the climb! It's on the edge of a cliff. From one side you have view on dos d'ane and you have view of le cirque de Mafate on the other side! It's just beautiful and breathtaking! I reach the top and I know there is a bit of downhill but another 2 killers climbs before the next aid station.

The view of Mafate from the trail

Going up slowly, and trying to enjoy the scenery , many hurried men want to pass and I find myself behind "politely" pushed around. I don't mind thou I know I'll take half of them at the top of the climb ( not because I'm that good (I wish) but you should have hear them breathing while passing me!!!)

Reaching the top of a climb

So no surprise there as soon as we start the downhill I caught back most of them and happily carried on to the aid station not staying too long. I wanted to go home and eat a massive lunch hehe! I carry on till the sentier des goyaviers ( call this way due as your cross from both side of the trails trees of goyaviers a small red fruit full of vitamin C so sweet and tasty!

Goyaviers

There, there is a man sucking of the goyaviers ! That's a bit odd as we are less then 5 km to the finish line! So I stop and ask him if he is ok. He ran out of water so I give him mine to sip and the left over coca cola I had. I tell him he can follow me and we can sip water together. He agrees and go in front. Until another downhill, I make him sip again and start the downhill. At the bottom I turn back and look for him … He's disappeared! I wait a bit more but still no one! So I carry on until I hear footsteps behind me I turn but it's someone else I ask him about the guy he says he saw him with another guy. He is probably siping his water...reassured I follow this new guy and find out he is been running for the last 10 km with a twisted ankle!!! I asked him why carry on? He replies "la diagonale des fous" this guy is preparing for this crazy 170km race I swore to NEVER do. He is running on his twisted ankle to tackle the pain he will feel during that race! Crazy awesome dude! But he sees his friend and decide to slow down to finish with him so I carry on, it's going to be downhill really soon again just after that little vicious climb, some other crazy dude start shouting at me and at another girl, I can see she has enough I wonder if she is part of the relay, I smile at her and tell her to keep going we are soon finished we can finish together. She looks at me with her big brown eyes and I know she just want to walk and has no fight in her so wih a tap on her shoulder I carry on with the crazy shouting dude who doesn't want to be passed by a girl! Mad people I tell you! I see the finish line down that first initial hill and I know I'm home! Finally after 5h37 min I reach the end of the race! I look for Michael, we sit on the grass, watch the price ceremony waiting for my parents who thought we were going to take longer so were nicely sitting at home hehe! At least we got to get some superstarsr Maud Gobert and Marco de Gasperi who finished sooo long before us hehe!

The medal

Following the steps of the Grand Raid Reunion Island

2014-07-05T10:36:00.000-07:00

Reunion Island: our second destination after Mauritius, my home.

A day after the Royal Raid, we headed to Reunion Island for 3 weeks. With mountains right at our doorstep and beautiful weather it is the ideal training ground for the Andorra Ultra Trail!
We had planned on crossing the island following the traces of the famous Grand Raid, la diagonale des fous the following saturday. At first we thought we would do it in 4 days, then decided nah 3 days would do the trick...as planning the daily route using open runner was making us run an average of 40 km/day for 8 hours on the trail! How wrong were we! First of all, it doesn't matter which application you use to calculate your route, none of them can calculate all of the twisting and turning of a mountain trail, therefore 40km on a map turned out to be 50 to 55 km in reality....Second, an average of 2500m of elevation a day seems to be reasonable on paper...but it doesn't take into account the difficulty of the terrain...therefore if you thought you could do 40km with 2000 of elevation in 7 hours, in reality we took much more time depending on how much rocks, roots, river crossing and HEAT we got on that day….

The first day day should have been the hardest, we went from St Philippe to Bourg Murat following the trails of the Grand Raid 2011. The first kilometres went from sea level up to La Fournaise at 2000m. It was HARD with the heat, humidity, stairs and everything in between, I understood why so many runners drop out at the end of this ascent. BUT it was beautiful and worth the struggle.

We ended up doing 40km in 8h30 with 2675m of elevation climbing from the ocean front of st Philip to the enclos of the volcano, ran through la plaine des sables like we were on Mars,

Plaine des Sables

struggle in knee high mud English countryside style and had some incredible views of infinite wild.

On the second day we should have done bourg Murat to Roche plate taking a small lunch break in Cilaos before caring on into mafate. But by the end of the first day we came to the realisation that solo we couldn't do it, the running bag couldn't carry all the water, the food and clothing for 3 days and anyway running up and down the trails of reunion island with a 15kg load was definitely not going to work out...therefore we were relieved when my parents suggested to be our crew and meeting us along the way bringing us fresh food, water and clothes in Cilaos.

So it's with a much lighter bag and a good night of sleep that we hike to the shelter of the Piton des Neiges instead of going to the top, but managed to get a superb view of plateaus and Cilaos caldera. Met my parents for fresh clothes and food and climb the infamous col du taibit before going down inside Mafate caldera. The one place in the island only reachable on foot! We managed to cover 35km but it took us 10h27 with 2753 of elevation... Yes less kilometres but more time! From the pictures I think you understand why :)

Piton des Neiges

It is with relieved we arrived at Roche plate in our small and simple cabin for the night . After a well deserve shower and beer it was time to pounder on the route planned for the final day. we had already gathered that attempting to do the route we had planed on openrunner for our final day was way too ambitious and that we were going to hurt ourselves more than anything. So looking at the map we picked another route and told my parents to pick us up in maido instead of dos d'ane. At the end of the discussion we came up with still our 2000m of elevation to go down to see a canyon, go up to see the heart of mafate go around waterfalls and ponds but with fewer kilometres and last big climb.

Nether less to say, it didn't stick to the plan. We did see the canyon, the heart and the pound but we also got to do the longest mentally toughest climb of the whole adventure! What should have been 1000m actually turn out to be 1600m which for some might be nothing but when your watch is telling you you've done all the elevation of the day but looking around you see that the top is not there yet...you wonder what's the point of having a map an app or a gps!!! But we did have a lot of fun and saw amazing wild nature! Day 3 turned out to be 27km 2670m of elevation...I was glad to look down at what we had achieved and wonder how on earth people manage to finish this diagonale des fous!

Royal Raid 80 Mauritius

2014-05-30T08:52:00.001-07:00

Our first race of our 3 months running holiday. On paper, it looked ideal, running across a national park, discovering that Mauritius is not as flat as advertised.

We had 4 days prior to the race to get used to running under the hot sun and humid temperatures, not very easy after the British winter! What a nice surprise thou, our hotel (hotel Tamarin) is literally at the start of another race Dodo Trail and la Tourelle du Tamarin, a nice little peek with 600m of ascent from the beach overlooking the west of Mauritius.

Tamarin

So even without planning, we ended up having a nice little training route every morning and also discover some of the best trails of Mauritius in the Black River National Park.

The night before the race was awful, I just can't sleep!!! Very frustrating when you know you are about to run for a loooonnnng time early morning. Luckily at the start, we had some local dancers motivating runners with their dance and music.

Warm welcome!

The race starts by crossing sugar can fields to join the national park, it's early morning, sunrise is at 7 am and my headlamp is SHIT!!! But at least Michael was running with me and a few runners with their super strong headlamps illuminating like a street lamp were all around us.

My energy level was low until sunrise. This realisation scared me a little as if you are running ultras starting at night...and you are super slow for the first 8 hours...I wouldn't make the cut off ...I'll have to find a way to tackle this for the Mitic!!!

The sunrise is beautiful across the Yemen National park, the ascents and descents are easy on the legs and the eyes: taking in the surroundings. But I'm struggling to follow Mick which puts me in a terrible mood...after 21km Mick think that I may be putting too much pressure on myself and decide to let me be by running faster, disappearing in the savanna. I don't tell him then, but I'm grateful, running someone else tempo is hard work! I carry on solo and enjoy the scenery so much so I twist my ankle quite badly...but I don't want to stop, I want to reach the trail we've done together 2 days ago where the view and ascent is even better!

The checkpoint with food is not too far, so I wobble till there thinking I'll find comfort foods...how wrong! So used to the UK food feast, I expected to see cake, chips, chocolate, gels or something...but instead we are rewarded with bananas, oranges and sultanas...a bowl of salt and one of sugar...not quite what I was looking for, but heho at least I won't be running on a heavy stomach! Putting some sugar in my bladder, I carry on till the next checkpoint. Note to myself: do check beforehand that what you think is sugar IS sugar and not salt...this is going to be a long day...

Black River Ridge

Reaching the road leading to the parking of the Black River National Park, there we have a nice ascent to the Machabee View Point, I am happy; this is the part Mick and I had reece a few days before, from there we are half way. The ascent is beautiful; the weather as well as there is a bit of refreshing rain under the hot temperature.

Reaching Jet Ranch where hot food is available, the welcome from strangers is warmer than the soup I gulp, not wasting too much time I carry on to the next fun part, Parakeet Trail! A 5km climb with 600m of ascent. Ankle is bothering and I feel I have a rock in the sock, but so worried to not make the cut-off time I just carry on.

Start of the Parakeet trail

At the top of the climb, I decide to take off my shoe to get the rocks out...nothing is coming out of the sock or shoe, but I can feel something in the damn shoe, I must be going mad! A bit frustrated to still get oranges and bananas when all I want is solid food, I get up and run down to Bel Ombre; there is not much left to run another 12km apparently. It's funny thou, I get 4 different versions of how much kilometres there is left or descent from the runners I pass. haha.

Reaching the final sugar can field, I'm happy, I am ahead of the 12hours time we thought we would take. Thinking of Mick waiting for me, I run even a bit faster on the road leading to the Tamassa Hotel our final stop. For sure Mauritius has some very nice places to run, one week is not enough, 1 race either, we promised to come back and see more! Who's coming?

PS: the rock in the shoe turned out to be a blister the size of 20 roupies, a nice souvenir from Mauritius ;)

Learning to let go in 90 days

2014-05-04T08:56:00.000-07:00

Today is the start of our 3 months break, a break where we will be running around islands and mountain ranges and live without plans and expectations.
For someone dubbed as a control freak, not knowing what we are going to do from tomorrow is already a challenge, now imagine 3 months!

9 months ago, Mick decided he go contracting, 9 month ago he also decided to do the Andorra Ultra Trail, 170 kilometers of Andorra mountains trails, and he thought, how cool it would be if he could train for it while visiting family and places. And so this "little" trek around places started to take shape, we first decided to take 6 months, but then compromised to 3 as I really couldn't see myself not working for this long!!! so we would go to Reunion Island first to see my family and train on the volcanic trails to then go to Andorra with our uncle's campervan to train on the race route. Quite simple 2 mountain running destinations for a race preparation, and 9 months to plan. what more to ask for?

But when you let work gets in the way you ended up choosing between planning a 3 month break and leave work a mess or planning work and leave the "break" a "mess".Mess means: not knowing what we could miss out on!

So for the past 9 months, I've been living the work routine while thinking on how to prevent work shit hitting the fan. And for the last 3 months, I've been writing down every single thing that can possibly happen at work and how to solve it. Poor boss and team! I don't have only a plan A & B, I went through plan C, D and E and every other tangent that can happen. I've written at least 7loooong emails, 15 reminders, 5 delayed emails, 50 calendar reminders. And I have half of my staff on Facebook....Get the gist? Even now, work is at the back of my mind, trying to think what I've forgotten to say to my boss and the team. Thinking of it now, I feel bad for them! All this, and nothing about the break! Nothing but plane schedules and races sign up.

Parc National des Gorges de Rivière Noire

As 6 hours away from taking off, our first stop is not Reunion Island but Mauritius, we thought why not start the training with trekking the island and finish off with the 80km Royal Raid on Sunday,! Race is planned, but not the trekking bit, it's a challenge to plan a running adventure when all you have online is other people traces on a Google map (sorry Google) so we are going blind! We know we will run, but exactly where is a mystery, I guess we will run wherever trails our feet follow...

Our 3 days trek Reunion Island- Open Runner

Second stop, Reunion island, where will do the Trail du Colorado and the famous 3 days trek across the island from South to North following the traces of La diagonale des fous with a Swirly twist. That one, I've at least planned the route thank tyou OpenRunner. But who knows if we are really going to do 125 km in 3 days or 200 km haha as tracing in is about random! Thinking now about it,...it's freaking me out!

A lot of fun!

After 3ish weeks at home, we'll take the plane back to London, leave stuff and get ready for St Jean de Maurienne trails and for Mick's sister wedding. We will then take the motorhome to Andorra to train on the 170 km race route.

After the race, we will slowly go back to Mick's mum depending on how's Mick feeling ( he is the driver hehe) and run around whatever trails we find.
Just writing it makes me want to at least check out where and what we could do. Mick says we have plenty of time to plan...if he only knew how much time I need to actually feel like it's planning haha!

So here, we are, suitcases packed, waiting for the 91 days adventure to start. I can't wait, I want to see if I can let go, I want to see if I can finally live day to day without what's the society dictated us to worry about. I'm not an open stress person, I keep a lot inside, and it's not healthy, so for 91 days, I really would like to learn to let go and just live life on a daily basis with no regret and planning on what to do next, just be contempt of what I've lived on that day. So here we come Mauritius!

South Downs Way 50: 10 lessons

2014-04-08T13:16:00.002-07:00

To do this entry, I had to re-read my previous post about the SDW50 preparation and remind myself why I wanted to run it in the first place.

I had to remember how I felt prior to the race and what made me step onto the start line. I had to remember that it was because I wanted to feel that sparkle of hope to finish something and that fear of failure could only be conquered by getting to the finish line. Ah! If I only knew what I had got myself into...I wonder if I would have signed up for it.

1 week prior to the race, Mick and I had decided to run it together and do it in less than 12 hours so that we could get the 9 pm bus back to the start. The night before, I thought it would be cool if we could actually catch the 6 pm bus to be home early avoid the rain and do a sub 8hours

Lesson number 1: never changed your expectation the night before...

South Downs Way 50 starts in a college field in Worthing. We had decided to not sleep over as it was only 1h30 drive from Brixton. With egg/bacon muffin, broccoli and banana for breakfast, I was ready to tackle anything and so happy to be running it with Mick. I couldn't wait to look for Benjamin and Jacqui at the start line and chat a bit before tackling these downs. After a smooth registration (abide the space blanket panic episode) I started searching for them and gave up. There was more than 300 people plus family to look at, and I'm short and starting to get scared so never mind.

James does the briefing, we count down the seconds and there we start.When Mick signed up for the race, he said he wanted to do it with me at my pace because he didn't want to burn himself before the London Marathon and this was a training run..but 2 days prior to the race, I decided that it would be cool if actually I could follow him, and the night before telling him he could pace me for a sub 8 hours.

Lesson Number 2: never follow someone pace as the start, you don't know how too fast/slow they are going to go and you'll end up burning yourself.

Within 10 min from the start my breathing was all over the place and my legs were burning trying to keep up with Michael. Those darn downs are shallow and you end up running shallow uphill because walking seems to slow, but running is too fast. Not a great start!

After loads of effort (too much) I decide maybe I need a kick by eating something. We are now down the hill to a flatty section, I'm hot but it's 11 degrees...I walk hoping to get my breathing back to normal while chewing a starbar.

Lesson number 3: when hyperventilating and trying to cool down don't eat something sticky...or not sugary enough...you look like a camel and waste energy!

I look up and see Mick waiting for me...great that's exactly what I didn't want to be...a burden, so I force myself to run these shallow hills to comply with the fact that I am the one who want to "race".

We arrive at a part of the Stinging Stinger race route and I'm glad so see
something familiar and remembering how I felt last year. It gives a boost and I "fly down" to the first checkpoint, we are mile 11.6 The volunteers are so welcoming and caring, it gives another boost to tackle the next hill. I only take 2 glasses of coke as my stomach has become a fussy eater. Mick is so quick going up hill and I feel so low in energy. He explains that I burnt myself out and that I need to eat something with "fast" energy release. Looking at what I've got, I can't find anything "quick" enough until I remember the Cliff shots! Of course!!!

Lesson Number 4: always take cliff shots!

They do the tricks and here I am my old self for 20 mins until we attack another shallow hill which means...running! I can feel the Brat starting to wake up. I tell Mick and tries to reassure me. He knows I had taken Ibuprofen in case of the Brat and suggest that maybe I should take it. I say no I want to run without taking any pills this time but after a while...I take one...because I'm slowing down and Mick is looking at his watch....man wish I could keep up.

We reach checkpoint 2. 16.6 miles. I am glad to see Emily and her team of volunteers. They take so good care of all of us and it's with a happy egg scotch stuffed face that we tackle the next hill. What a relief this one can be walked and I can get a rest from that this non-stop running. I'm still too slow, Mick keeps waiting for me so I'm having a hard time to handle this. It's my fault...why do I always have these unrealistic expectations before a race?!
Views are amazing and distract me from these dark thoughts and the funny pain I'm starting to feel on my back! I check on the Brat, Ibu is still in effect, so what's up with the back? I whine about it to Mick, poor sod! I bet you he regrets running with me now ! He reassures me, says it must be some nerve issue that's why Ibu is not working and tries to make me feel better by suggesting to take another one maybe it would do the trick! Nah proud-me doesn't want to admit I'm slow and want to be punished. I've dealt with pain before, piece of cake!

Lesson number 5: don't brag on pain handling ! You never know what comes next!

We go up and down the downs, something smells and it's not me (too early), just up there there is BACON ! Massive pigs on both sides of the trail! Never seen them this big! Not very attractive looking animals but a good distraction to the creeping back bugger! We are now going down, I tense up, this thing is not leaving and we not even half way yet, a long shallow hill awaits in the far horizon maybe I could walk it and relieve whatever is stuck up! Where is that sparkle? Looking around runners are focused to the task at hand and don't talk or smile as a matter of fact ! Weird I think I'm at the wrong end of the ruining group! At least starts-legging lady is here and makes me smile with her apparel! We go down again, path is tricky, you can't put your feet flat it's all V like with chalk and grass! A flat bit...Why is Mick looking at me weird?! Ah ya I'm crying! It's ok I say, nothing I haven't felt before! He worries and says it's not normal to cry and I look hurt. He asks if I'm enjoying this. I slow down ... Well well this is tricky! I know how to deal with the pain and drama I go through during each ultra but never thought I would have to one day explain it to my other half ...he looks quite horrified and pained to see me like this. I don't know how to reassure him. Man! This is not how I planned this !
Lesson 6: don't try to explain how you feel during an ultra, it just makes it worst!
I get frustrated to run while trying to explain my reasons for carry on and dealing with my body issues and handling the fact that if we carry on at this pace we will never catch the 6pm bus. Ah ya! Why did I suggest this again?!
I run a bit faster even thou we are in a shallow hill.
Lesson number 7: train to run shallow hills, it makes life easier

I gave up trying running up as my heart rate is going bonkers again and this back thing is now on my shoulders and neck...I need another shot!I look for Mick but he is far and has stopped waiting on top not looking too happy and worried for me...

Lesson number 8: don't beat yourself up because you can't follow someone. Run your race at the pace you can handle and not worry about the people around you.

I'm having so many bad patches that I stop counting and let the pain take over. Nothing is working to make things better and I have a really hard time coming to terms with : failing to run at the pace ( which is the familiar training pace so normally easy to handle ), knowing we are going to miss the bus because of me and not being able to control the tears and face or manage the creeping not so bearable pain.

We finally arrive at checkpoint 3, 26.6 miles! Sue asks how I'm doing, I have a big grin on my messed up face, I've ok I say,...but am I ? Mick suggests that maybe I should stop. No I want to carry on I say, I take a wonderful chocolate homemade cookie, 2 wraps some coke with the GU tablet and walk out of the checkpoint. Mick tries to reason me and tell me we need to carry on faster if we want to catch the bus. It's downing on me, I can't make it not like that not with that extra pressure I put with this stupid bus! Not with the thought that I have to manage this new pain without looking pained to not make Mick bad! It was supposed to be OUR run! It's such a struggle in this bubble that I'm walking. Should I carry on? Stop? Admit I can't handle this?
I look at Mick and know. There is too much in my head to process. My pride got me where I am now, I can carry on even thou I'm hurt but am I doing any good?
We have our 3 month break coming up . What if I carry on and injure myself even more and make that can't run anymore? Is finishing really worth it at that point?
I always wondered how people DNF and how it feels. What I feel inside is horrible and creepy but the fact that little voice is not saying anything is even more creepy ! That voice is the one that keeps me going because I want to prove it wrong! But if she is not saying anything, what does that mean?
I hear myself say to Mick I'm stopping that he needs to carry on if he wants to make it to the 6 pm bus and I'll wait for him at the finish line. He says it's the wise thing to do . Wise heh? Wise doesn't feel good! I say maybe I could carry on at least to the next checkpoint he says that's my pride talking. I say I don't want to give up I never give up he says maybe that's why I'm injured like I am,I say I can handle the pain but can't handle his pained looks he says he can't help it. I'll probably have that same face if it was the other way around. He asks if I can truly carry on and go faster I shake no with my head, I said I can carry on but not as fast he says that I won't catch the 6 pm bus...why did I talk about this stupid 6 pm bus! I know he wants to catch it I know I'm going too slow. I also know that he won't admit not to hurt me so I stop and tell him to continue without me! I look at him disappearing in the distance and don't know what to do with myself. Am I really stopping? Maybe I could just carry on? I text him asking him if he would be mad if I carry on?
I sit on the side walk of the bridge and ponder. But reflecting is too much so I decide to run away from it all towards the next checkpoint! But my body's responses doesn't follow my mind! It says no so loudly that the only way I am able to make a step is my walking back! I'm doing what I thought was the walk of shame to CP3 but all of the runners I cross give me a smile a word a look of understanding. Some guy looks at me with a big grin...it's Benjamin!!! I'm so happy to see him and put a brave face on ! No one needs to take one burden and feel bad about it! They've got another 40 km to go! When I get to the CP, Sue doesn't believe me and make me sit on the chair saying that I'll change my mind in 10 min! If she only knew that my mind wants to carry on but not my body. I can't put words together so I just sit there and let that horrible feeling sink in.
Lesson 9: don't beat yourself up with a DNF. There is a reason for everything occurring . You just get to find it out down the life line.
Sue comes back to get some dude beside me a ride to the finish. I hear myself ask if I can come with them. She looks at me and say yes, she is disappointed and I can't blame her.
I am too.

After a car ride where Becky and Sue help with not thinking about the DNF too much and my pained back is giving me some we arrived at the finish line. It's sad looking with not many people until Nici and the other volunteers get busy with the finish line prep and the drop bag drama! It keeps the pain and feelings away as I help with the preparation. At first they tell me not too, I'm injured and shouldn't put more strain on my body, but Natasha big grin and funny comments are the best remedy for a strained mind. I need to keep myself busy to not think too much about what I've done and make my body understand that this is not over! That there is no rest after failure! I need to give back to the ultra running family that got me there in the first place. After sorting out the drop bags, I end up give the t-shirts to the finishers and seeing their happy face, smile and emotions bring back that sparkle! And seeing Mick at the finish line 30 min before the 6pm bus is the cherry of top! just made the DNF a bit sweeter to digest!
Ultra running is massive, you don't need to know who the people are, what they do, what they've endured to get there because at the end of the day, we are all here to make a journey, with a start and a finish. The route is not what makes a race organisation popular but the volunteers that give back that sparkle to tired runners. So many thank you are plastered on the centurion race community page from both aisles of the trail that makes you want to give back 10 folds.
So there my final lesson:

Lesson 10: nothing beats the sparkle ! Not even a DNF!

When I posted my DNF on Facebook, I didn't want people to feel sorry for me because beside a kick in the pride, at some point you get over it.
It didn't take me long as "Lion crown" Glynn comment was "there is no kind words that will make you feel better, some people will and some people wont know how your feeling now, the feeling also doesn't go. I have felt your sadness too. Some day everyone's luck runs out :) great running to date"
That comment made me realise that yes I've been lucky to get this far with so many injuries , that the people who know how I feel are part of the sparkle that ultra running community brings, and the ones who don't still show the care needed to mend the heart. And that actually the sadness goes away when you know that you lost a fight not the battle :) because there is much more lessons to learn just some miles always ! And some more hills to conquer!

South Downs Way 50 Preparation: that sparkle

2014-03-30T10:57:00.001-07:00

Next weekend is South Downs Way 50, a very anticipated race from Worthing to Eastbourne in England organised by the famous centurion running team, we will be going up and down many ridges of the south downs way and follow the traces of some of the fastest British runners!

Since finishing TGC, I felt frustrated, I haven't been able to do as much running as I want to and so caged in with despair. I felt worried, it's a long distance and a fast race and then felt down, is this not all just an egocentric fulfilment? Not reecing the route doesn't help...everyone keeps saying it will be flat and fast. But then if you look at the race profile and hide the elevation grid on the left, it actually looks like a mountain race profile no?

South Downs Way profile

I felt insecure and got fed up with all of these negativity! So turn turn to Mick and to the great community of trail running, read other runners' blogs, follow the facebook community page and read that others are in the same boat, comments full of fear, insecurities asking for reassurance and getting it in ten fold! I smile, at the contagious excitement of Jacqui, counting down the days that separate her from the start line and feel...

That sparkle,... when you hit the trails race. That sparkle which makes your insecurities, fears, day to day issues disappear when you first step out of the start line with all of the other runners. That you come first or last, we always share that sparkle of hope of finishing something which is bigger than the fear of failure and make us take the first step out of the front door to the finish line.
And so, I feel brave, because all I need is to get out there, the other runners will take care of the race, with their smiles, encouragements, their foofying, moaning, my foofying, moaning and smiles. Trans Gran Canaria showed me that even language is not a barrier, that not talking actually bring us even closer together because it keeps us in our raw nature, grateful of a single smile, a look, a pat from strangers, and make us winner.

Winner because everyone has some sort of physical abilities, to go fast, fly down, climb up, walk, we don't need to be elite runner or champion of your age category to feel like a winner every time , you get to that finish line. As every finish line, no matter how many times you've reece it or race it, it feels like a first time!

So there! I'm ready! Bring on the sparkle!

Jacqui's picture of the down to Eastbourne

TransGranCanaria 125km: a dark heaven

2014-03-06T09:36:00.000-08:00

TransGranCanaria 125 starts when you wait for the bus to get to the start line.

It's 9:40 pm and we are around 100 sleepy runners waiting to get into the bus to the start in Agaete. We are all looking nervous and unsure of what's going on, wondering if this is wise. Midnight start is awful, you can't sleep the hours before no matter how hard you try ( unless you are like James Adams and 2 beers is enough to knock you out until the start ;) ) and so, you end up being a zombie/vampire until the sun rises, daydreaming of going back to bed...But the buses are there and we fill them up to the last sit.

2 hours later, we are welcomed in Agaete with the sounds of drums and cheering locals. It's cold and windy. My heart is racing, just looking at the 500 runners ice-fill my mind and runs shivers of doubt and fear down my whole body. Mick does it again: reassuring me that it will all be ok, it's 90% mental, 10% in the head he says...I smile at this and shake my head, surely there is a physical aspect to this whole thing, No?!Winking, he replies, I'll find out soon enough...and with a last kiss, the start is given. It's 12 am on Saturday 01 March 2014. Up there 10 km away, our first checkpoint Tamadaba awaits. We do a bit of road to say goodbye to civilisation and reassuring artificial lights before entering 8 hours of darkness under trees and rockies.

For the next 43.5 km the only sounds I will recollect will be fragments of failed conversation with other runners in 3 languages, the whimpers of the Brat , the walking sticks knocking the rocky path and the cheers of the volunteers and passers-by from the the 3 aid stations. For 7 hours and 53 minutes, I will remember nothing but fragments of dead looking trails, phantom-like runners' gloomy faces caught from the halo of my headlamp, and looks of runners wishing we could turn back and forget this whole thing.

But the sun rises, and with that, what was dark and gloomy becomes almost enchanting, what was a depressing past becomes a better future. I wonder how Mick is feeling, I'm hopeful he's doing great and this help me running down faster without thinking of the Brat biting my leg. We reach Fontanales check point where I'm welcomed by sun-rays warming up my sleepy head and Scott who's doing the 82km version. I've made the first marathon point in 8 hours, if I do the second marathon the same way, chances are I can finish in 20 hours as the third marathon is supposed to be easier as it is flat and downhill, and I could keep the Brat at bay. I have mentally prepared myself to “embrace the flat” so I don't stop at the checkpoint, and carry on to the next one. Maybe I could do it in less time and not be running up and down for a second night?

From the race profile, it's just a small climb to Valleseco before reaching Teror Checkpoint 6kms later. The elite runners of the 82km are flying by, and I daydream of doing the same! I attempted to follow...but the Brat is playing up, moving up and down my leg, butt and lower back, reminding me that I would never fly! Pufff....clenching my teeth, I distracted myself by attempting a conversation with Bill, the UN work and by the distance left...where is that checkpoint again?

The not so accurate profite

The climb does not end...and Vallesesco is still out of sight. I don't have a watch or a gps so guessing is all I've got but I'm sure it's been 7km! I make the mistake to ask other runners with big watches and funny enough, they all have different left over distance. So in 3 different languages, we compare notes and find a compromise that we still have 4 kilometres to go before Vallesco...ok maybe I miscalculated the time/distance travel....this day is getting longer by the climb. It's ok, the sounds from the Spanish runners are a very good distraction. They are talking so fast and continuously on that climb! I wonder how they can talk so much and still keep up with the climbing rhythm. I wonder what on earth they could be talking about. I wonder if maybe training while talking a lot is beneficial.I wonder if elites talk so much. I wonder so much that Vallesco CP suddenly appears. The volunteers and locals are so genuinely caring that my water bladder and cocacola bottle are filled up in to time and I am gently pushed towards...the other climb to Terror before going down and up again to El Talayon. Brrr just the name is scary but it's the half way mark!

View of Pico de las Nieves from one of the climb

The scenery is breathless and I enjoy looking around until we reach this climbing pine foresty path with dry pines leaves. What is this? Seriously? The leaves are making the trail very slippery and unsteady...I'm tired... I wonder what time it is. I wonder where is Mick. I wonder why they made us go through this path. Are they mad? Did they not think that after 60km people will be going a bit mad themselves? Here's a man taking a nap of the sliding pine leaves. I wonder how comfortable it is. I wonder if I should join him and close my eyes for a little bit. Hum...if I could just lay there for a while, but time is flying by and I need to keep swearing at the road parts and hardcore concrete village paths that shot the hamstrings and feet in a way I could have never imagine, to reach what I think is the end of the climb to Garañón.

How wrong! This is not it, it is some nice rock (El Garanon) where they have decided to put the chip control. Arrrh! Really?! Don't get me wrong moon landscapes are great, but with more than 12 hours in the legs, I really don't feel like taking a picture and having a picnic. No No, especially when you then tell me that I need to go back down more and then go up for another 5 km to the actual checkpoint.

Because you know what, that's not how the race profile look like.

See:

The not so accurate profile

I tell this to a bunch of Spanish guys, I call them FC Barcelona hehe we've been playing cat and mouse for a while now, even if words are not what we are sharing, they are nice company. They are laughing asking if it is my first time...Venga Venga they say, it's not too long to Garanon where there will be pasta. Haha I never seen people being so excited about pasta! But these guys are and their good mood is contagious, so I follow them down...and up and what felt like was not too long, is actually super long and screws with my imaginary plan. It's 16:30 and I have 3 hours before night fall and I wanted to be there 1h ago to not be running up and down in the night again. It's really not fun, and it plays with your mind in a very nasty way.

So after being controlled there, I try to hurry my way up to Tunte. It's supposed to go up for a little well... according to the race profile, but I start doubting this alot, and so I climb until it is time to go down again and don't stop until I reach this mountain path made of small rocks where you have to jump from one to the others with care or else you twist your ankle or worst fall head first. This game is fun but time consuming and I can see the sun setting, It's 18:15...where is the CP?! ... come on! A board with the distance left to the finish appears in the horizon. OK, we should be 20 km away and CP should be just around the corner. But that's' where I got it wrong again, from that board, we have 30 km left, meaning...no! CP is another 8 kilometres away up and down...which means I won't reach it in time before sunset. Noooooooooo!

Ok ok, No I just need to run down faster, from the race profile, it's all going down! So let's get on with it.
And that is what I am going to think for the next 5 hours, yes...it took another hour to the check point and 4 hours to do 25km. How naïve was I to think that I could do a bit more than half a marathon in 2 hours? How naïve was I to carry on thinking that the race profile was truly what was on the bib number...The night had fallen now, and what should have been a shallow descent is actually the deepest descent of the whole race....just before the CP Arteara. I tried running it, walking, butt-sliding it, swore at it, cry to it, cringe at it until I just let it go and went with whatever way came under my feet with cactuses from both side of the paths with sharps rocks and your mind making the path probably worst than it really was. Reaching Arteara, we found ourselves going wait... upwards again...I can hear feet heavily pounding the rocks, quads taking all of energy left to get up and down, everyone around looking again like mechanic zombies. But a worsen zombie version of the night before, as the stride is heavier, the mind in a darker place, and the fatigue is taking over everything good of the human spirit and making people forgetting about the joy of running...

We reach Machacadora checkpont at 117km and we have 6 km left to the finish. I don't stop, barely smiling at the volunteers I reach the 5km to the finish board. I should be happy but somehow I am not relieved and I'm not feeling anything at all: My mind is gone...what's left is my soul knowing that Mick is waiting at the finish line and this is almost over. And so I go...we pass Sonneland, the hotels, locals cheering up until we finally reach Maspalomas Lighthouse. It's over: 125km, in 23hours and 11 min of darkness in heaven.

I reach Michael's arms and understand what he had said 23 hours ago: pain is only temporary and this was 90% mental, 10% in the head. Wherever the mind go, the body follows no matter what. But what happen when the mind is gone and the body is fine? or you think it's fine?

I wondered about many things during this race but never questioned my mind about its own limits, but where is the line?

Kimbia Kenya: More than a run, a life adventure!

2014-02-20T02:04:00.001-08:00

Kimbia Kenya: when running is a human adventure

6 days of pure struggle is what Kimbia Kenya brought me but I don’t regret any second of it. This 100k, 5 days 20km stages race was supposed to be “easy” and used as a training for Gran Canaria 125km offering both running in attitude, hot weather and little rest.

Savannah

As it happened it wasn't that easy but we've learned and as a result grown so much from a human and solidarity perspective to the point that sitting at a desk has now become the real struggle...

In short: This adventure was staged around 2 main lakes: Elementaita and Nakuru which are part of the world patrimonial national parks as well as ancient volcanoes: Mont Suswa and Eburru.

We ran alongside zebras, buffalos, giraffes, ostriches and many birds such as flamingos, herons and pelicans.

We ran on infinite straight lines,


through villages, volcanic lands and breathtaking scenery!


Some days felt easier than others according to individual preferences. I struggled on each flat parts and thrived when we had hills! For others it was the other way around. The temperature and dust took out a few runners, getting up super early was key!

We stayed above 1800m sea level and went up to 2500m, where air is thin and a bump looks like an atrocious punishing hill. At least we never encountered a mosquito at this attitude and your head always felt light headed!


The most challenging part was to not be able to recover between each stage as for each afternoon we visited a school to provide school furniture, sport equipments and clothing as well as sharing songs and games.

Even rest day was not one as we learnt how to make of Chapati and Masai Lamb curry in a Masai Village as well as sharing life stories with Masai families!But it was all worth it as each school visits brought hope to the kids and opened our heart to the wonders of giving for nothing in return

We met some wonderful people with great community spirit

and made friends for life!

Would I do it again: YES! The scenery is unbelievable, the people are amazing and the weather is to die for. The only thing I would love to change if I had tons of money and a bit of power would be to make clean water available for all and clean streets!

So ready for Trans Gran Canaria? I can safely say hell no! I haven't been able to run without pain for more than 20k depening on the terrain and doctor said not to even think about it....the Beast as become a Sciatica with damages to both end of the sciatic nerve...But heho! how far do you think I can go by "graciously" run like a giraffe and get sorted later? can't be that mad right?

The Brat is a life sucker

2013-12-13T08:35:00.000-08:00

8 weeks...

It's been 8 weeks of pain with no running, which means 8 weeks where ambitions, excitement of training for a race and everything that comes in between have diminished little by little...The brat is on a mission of sucking life out of me.
It's funny actually, as I recall how some elite ultra runners like Anna Frost have had many months of no running due to injuries, or how others who I thought were fanatics for running 7 days a week or doing races every weekend had injured themselves, it never occurred to me I could actually be "injured" because I was not doing what they were doing. little did I know that the Brat was a creeping shadow eating up my leg little by little.

The Brat

How naive! I thought that injuries could only happen to others because they were overdoing it, over training it, over everything it, while I was just doing it and Brat was a niggle. But then BAM! I'm now part of the running clan who is looking at runners on the street and wishing we were the one running.
I should have known, injuries only creep in when you don't take care of niggle, when you think you are invisible. Thanks to the Brat, I know wish I had listened to Mick and the others, but pride/ego and everything else, just make you carry on, doesn't it? It makes you not listen to advise, not be wise and get...injured! Alala! What have I done...we have so much running adventures to look forward to next year!

First it's Country to Capital in the UK.
Then it's Kimba Kenya, in Kenya, a 100 km, 5 day stages race where you get to run with gazelles and zebras, go around lakes and the savannah!

We have the TransGranCanaria in March, 125km trail race crossing the whole island.

The Royal Raid, an 80km trail race across Mauritius Island in May.

and Andorra Ultra Trail in July, Mick is doing Ronda del Cims, while I'm still unsure if I'll go for it or if I should just stick to the Mitic

So the Brat needs to go, or I'll never get to be part of this! But how?

Between madness and stupidity: Endurance Trail 100km

2013-11-02T14:19:00.002-07:00

Endurance Trail 100km in Millau, France. 4600m of ascent around scenic forest trails, canyons and untouched historical villages. This was our final race of the season and the longest we had ever done. Physically we felt prepared, having done some long runs, and downhill training. Mentally... well, having got lost during a race, running injured or hitting many walls, nothing could have surprised us, or so I thought.

This is not a race report, as I ended up walking the last 65 km. This is the story of how I manage to finish our first 100km when everyone said that I would not make it. Was I mad or stupid? that's for you to decide. But I hope that it will inspire others to just carry on even when it looks like it is impossible. Because you know what, I’ve done it, I finished that 100 km sucker, and it was all worth it, all the lows and the pain brought so much more than darkness and self-doubt.

The race starts with goose bumps all over the body from the Templiers music theme, the atmosphere is electric, the night is warm and cosy.

Listen to the first minute, you'll feel it too :)

Everyone started the race super fast! From the first 100 m, I tried to keep up with Mick, who was trying to keep up with the first 100 runners. But I lost him quite quickly, legs were feeling heavy and the Brat was quite "noticeable".

At the first checkpoint (18.8km down the trail), I was in the last 100 out of 749 starters, the sun was still asleep and it was quite weird running for 4 hours in the dark with the Brat for company, keeping the pace slow and awkward. My mind wanders as the body is on auto-pilot. How's Mick feeling, I hope he is having a bit more fun than me. Looking around,no one dares breaking the silence of the night run. Head down, we all attempt to zombie trail till sunrise.
I finally get sun-kissed 22km down the trail. It feels good then, following Mick advice to eat something every hour, the legs and spirit are getting nice and warm and the Brat is getting manageable. For the next 10 km, I pass pretty much everyone who had passed me for the first 20 km, ( thanks to the sun and not trying to keep up a pace that wasn't mine). At that point, I'm thinking if I could carry on like this for the rest of the race, I could make it before nightfall...ah, how more wrong could I have been?
At kilometre 35, pain strikes on the outside of...my back right knee. Yes, you right, not the Brat (who sits nicely on my left knee) but the right. I still can’t describe the pain, never had it before, medic will say tendonitis, other runners some other scary names I choose to ignore, and so it takes me quite some time to accept that something was very wrong.It hurts! So much so that I can't no longer run, tears are running down, walk becomes this limp-y dragging leg twisty thing, weird sounds are coming out of my mouth.
My legs can't race no more but thoughts on the other hand are racing crazy. It goes from no no no, this is not looking good, I am actually stopping? to No way, I didn’t just come here to not even complete a marathon, right?.... What is Mick going to think? would Mick quit? can I quit? I can't quit? all of this training for nothing? I need to carry on...,quit?...walk till the next CP?
Mind was going wild, crazy thoughts of flying, sleeping, hibernating mixed with these questions were hiding the fact that it is very painful and it's really not looking good. People are passing by, looking sorry for me. I don't want you to feel sorry for me, I want to run with you, I'm only 7 km to the 42km checkpoint, that's a marathon, I could at least do a marathon... that's reasonable right? it doesn't hurt that much...madness
My walk is slow and...long! Every one I had previously passed, passed me again, and more are coming down my way. It's frustrating, a lot of them asked if I am ok, if they should call someone, one tells me the CP before was much closer than the one I'm heading towards... Stupid... My pride takes another big hit, clinching my teeth, smiling and telling them I’ll be allright,...I'm boiling inside. But who can blame them? I guess I am not looking great there. A bunch of guys passes me and snort! Nice! One even tells me " You not going to make it sweetie, and even if you do, the DNF bus will be waiting for you"... with a smile on his face! what a twat! I can't believe my ears! I didn't ask for anything!

The thought of DNF hadn't really sink in yet, I was still trying to come to terms with this new niggle. But this guy, how dare he?! Like my bubble is not burst enough already, you need to create a new one and burst it on top? really?!
He's disappearing on the slop! I so want to run to him and kick his ass ...,I'll get him, don't know where and when, but I'll get him. I was going mad, from superwoman who wants justice to fatalist wimp who just wants to stop, and all variations in between in a space of 2 hours . And what felt the most excruciating was that I was alone, everyone seemed to have passed me. Gosh! where is this CP?! Should have put the watch on! Slowly coming down, a man stops at my side and decide to walk with me to the CP. I ask him what happened to him, he explains that he's been vomiting 3 times since the start of the race, and can’t seem to keep his food down so he is stopping. I don’t know how it feels, and can’t seemed to find any words that could make him feel better. So I try to joke around unsuccessfully, and end up walking silently wondering why he is staying by my side and half wishing he could just leave me alone in this endless death walk. He is a nice man, lending me his sticks to try to walk a bit faster. I’m so slow and he is staying ... it’s really frustrating. My mind wonders, would I have given up because of food?

We finally arrive at the CP, I see a medic, she asked what happened, I’m unable to explain, a bit confused myself about the how it happened bit. She gives me ice to put on both knees and an anti inflammatory pill. I take it, feeling annoyed. Really annoyed. I'm trying to reason myself, at least I’ve done a marathon, right, I can let it go? I don't realise that I'm talking out loud. The medic looks at me with her kind big brown eyes and tells me “ this is not the marathon km yet, sweetie, it’s up that hill, you are at kilometre 41.1.” My world scrambles, what?! I’m not at the marathon km?! Mind is racing, how far to the next checkpoint? 10 km she says, it’s up that hill and down again.

Grrrr, I’m not at the marathon point, I can't let it go, I need to do a marathon ( No I don’t, thinking about it now, I’m mad! or stupid) This thought is haunting me, I think of the snorty dude and this helps me decide. Next checkpoint... I have 5 minutes left before the cut-off. Screw this, I’m at least doing a marathon,... and if I can carry on to the CP I will have done a small ultra... not a bad way to DNF...Man, I really hope Mick is having a better day than me. So there I go, I’m last, I don’t care, just want to do a marathon. I go up the hill, pass a few people. There is this very very old man breathing hard, I admire his determination. I carry on, the leg is feeling better, maybe the pill effect, I tried to run,... how wrong I was. I miserably limp again until it’s bearable. Stupid, so stupid.... I’m on top of the hill, a flatty section before some serious downhill. I've done a marathon.

Mad moment on hill, I feel like walking superfast, I pass another few people, but they pass me back as I slowly go down this rocky path. Silly! Soon, I’ll be at the CP. I can see it from here, it’s just...2 hours down the trail..I finally make it, I’m happy I’ve done 51.1 km. Mick would be proud to know that I finally knew when to stop to avoid to damage myself even more. I'm not stupid or mad, I say to myself. I should stop now,... I've done good...Where is the next checkpoint? Huh? Who asked that?! I hear..., 10 km up that way. Really 10km? I can do another 10 km right? at least until they pick me up because I didn’t make the cut-off right? I could just walk till I drop?! aiaiaiaie madness or stupidity?

I say to myself, at least it won’t be a “I’m giving up because it hurts too much, DNF” but a “well I tried but I got caught by the cut-off people, DNF”, the latter one sounded more bearable than the first....so leaving my common sense at the CP, I carry on, walk the uphills, walk faster on the shallow flats. I pass more people, they are so surprised to see me, they thought I would have given up at checkpoint 41.1km. We play a cat and mouse game, I walk steady, they run pass me, stop 100m at the front, walk slow, and so I pass them. This is a cool game. We laugh at the whole situation, and I try to make them feel better. Some of them are struggling to keep up with the pace they’ve set themselves. I tell them don’t push it this hard, just breathe and take the time needed to finish. They must think I’m crazy....I did leave my reason at the last checkpoint, but I don’t feel tired, it’s been 12 hours, I can’t run but I can walk, I can do this I tell myself. Madness...

Next checkpoint. I’m at checkpoint 61km, the pill effect must have run out as my right knee is killing me, I ask for a medic, they tell me, she’s at the next checkpoint, 13km up this hill. 13 km I say, I can do 13km to the pill. Why? This is stupid! This pill- thou is motivating me to go, like a druggie in need of a fix, I want it, I want to ease the pain. Faster, faster I keep telling myself, but haha it’s only words, actions are slow to follow.
74km down the trail, I'm at the checkpoint, the medic doesn’t want to give me any pills, telling me that it’s only been 5 hours since the first one, I said I don’t remember how long ago it was, it might be more than 5 hours ( I was saying anything to get something) but she's not listening. She brings me to the osteopath, she thinks it’s going to help me. I’m not a wimp I say, she laughs saying nothing and firmly push me in the room. I spent 30 min ( which I felt at the time was a waste of precious minutes, especially I didn’t feel any better after, especially when she said I would be able to run in the next10 minutes), I didn’t get to run in the next 10 minutes or hours as a matter of fact.After she had done what she's done (asking questions and twisting this and that) I leave the room, not feeling any better. All I wanted was a pill! I am becoming a brat myself. I stink...literally and figuratively too. I am bad company , the night is coming down, and I am still out on the trail. Grrrr, I can't give up,...just until the next checkpoint, and I’ll stop I reach the checkpoint 6 with its nice people, foods and wait...Snorty dude!!!! Oh man it feels so good, he's shocked to see me, has no words to say beside “YOU”. And let me tell you, at this moment, I have this evil pleasure to smile and pass him, yes! I pass snorty dude- who told me the bus was waiting for me- snorty dude and it...feels...good. So good that I “fly” that hill to never see him again. But when I reach the top, I feel bad, the whole point of me not giving up was to inspire people and be humble about it. I wasn’t feeling humble at all in this climb and now I was worried that my 10 min cockiness was going to cost me later on. Mad! Yes I wanted to finish, but I didn’t want to make people feel bad about being past by an injured woman. What about their confidence? Their own limits? Their own dark thoughts? I was not helping there! Stupid! I still have 20 kilometres to go to the finish line.
I decide to stop at each runner who are looking like they are struggling, and pat them on the back, not too hard ( don’t want to patronise them) but enough to hopefully make them feel better. It makes me limp more confidently on the downhill, knowing that I maybe could give something back to the ones that needed the most (or at least looking like). 7 km to the finish line. Mad, I go up the last hill to the last check point, the doctor who gave me THE pill at kilometre 41.1 is surprised to see me and gives me this huge hug that lift my spirit. I carry on the flat section before the last dreaded downhill and the grote du Hibou. It hurts, I have enough, it's been 19hours, how long is 6 km?!

I hear the microphone dude, announcing the runners in front of me, really? I'm close. I get a last buzz, running down hill with tears and cries but I want to prove that this journey was all worth it. That it doesn’t matter which DNF you end up getting, as long as you’ve tried what seemed impossible.

Almost there, I am praying that Mick is at the finish line, I know he finished 5 hours ago with an injury too, but am hoping that he will be there to share the last struggle with me ( how more selfish can you get when you are about to finish heh?) Madness.
I see him, but there are the darn last stairs...arrh finally this struggle ends in19 hours and 40 minutes of madness but feels like it's a victory, a sweet victory over oneself. In Mick's arms I end, heart so warm of gratitude for the fact that because of him, I'm here. But I exclaim, this was the last run. This was stupid. He smiles and murmurs comforting words in my ears, not believing a word I say. We've completed our first 100km, we both injured ourselves while at it, but we've done it...and what I take from this is to NEVER EVER GIVE UP, you never know until you try and push the barriers you've set in your mind.

PS: After the race, I saw the osteopath lady again, and she worked on me for an hour putting back my hips and vertebrates in place and explaining that all of these injuries were due to the twisted left ankle from the 80km of the MontBlanc which never healed and created unbalances. All I need now, is learn to run again with posture and footing. Nice program for the next 3 months, until Country to Capital., heh? :) can't wait to tackle those miles!

Greensand Marathon : When DNS or DNF are not an option and wine your only escape

2013-10-15T13:18:00.001-07:00

Saturday night, I can't sleep, I'm still debating if I'm going to do the Greensand marathon or not,... the Brat is still playing up? Should I start or save myself for the Templiers Ultratrail? Shoud I just DNS?

Sunday morning,7 am, we are getting ready for the race, still unsure if I'll be at the start, I don't talk about it, but my mind is racing!
Sunday, 10 am, I'm at the start...Mick won't be running with me and so tell me to just run to Leigh Hill and see if I make the cut-off time. Sound reasonable...so I'm doing the race then?

The race starts with...a hill, everyone is running it! Darn...there is not even time to do a gentle warm up. But it's cold and rainy so..at least we'll get warm quite fast! Mental physical check, the Brat feels heavy. The route is nice and familiar, we've done it so many times so I push the leg aside, taking in all in, the rain, the wind, the autumn leaves, the rain...
"Race strategy" starts to unfold, taking Mick advice about running hard on the Brat and see if it's shakes off, I attempt to do just that. It's hard thou so I take a gel...1 mile in...this is going to be a long day!
No DNS but maybe a DNF?
A long hill comes up, people are still running it, I wonder how and think maybe it's the marathon effect (no walking allowed unless you want to show how untrained, you are...)
But I'm so used to walking the hills ( thanks to Ultras) I automatically stop running and start walking. Oops! A group of 3 musketeers passes me, one of the guy is massive and quiet, the 2 others are not massive and not so quiet. I watch the massive guy 's effort on that hill, smile and wonder if he will be able to hold the pace of the other two. Reaching the top, there is a 3 mile shallow hill section. Gel effect kicks in so I start running too and soon pass the musketeers. Not so quiet runner 1, makes a comment so I tell them not to worry, I'll see them soon again on the next hilly section. We are under trees so it gives a small break from the heavy rain. But check out these puddles, they are huge! Playing with the "smaller" puddles and jumping in the big ones, we soon reach the first checkpoint. The marshals are so lively and cheerful, they don't seem to be bothered by the typical British weather. Passing The Plough Inn pub, I wonder if I should stop for a mulled wine before climbing that long hill towards Leigh Hill. The idea of the wine is so tempting...ok if I don't make the cut-off, I can just run back down and wait for Mick there. I have 20 minutes, if I walk, I might not make it. So..I walk, the 3 musketeers pass me (again) they are cheering each other up, I smile, for sure they are having fun. Flat section with massive puddles, I pass them. We laugh at this cat and mouse game, I wonder who's the cat thou...We reach the top of Leigh Hill, checking my watch I realise that the mouse/cat game got me here before the cut-off..., darn the warm wine is going to have to wait. Although there is the King's Head pub in Holmbury Saint Mary ... I could carry on till there..

Debating which pub to go to

It's a struggle in this bubble, I take another bit of gel, maybe I'm not eating enough. I run the downhill bits, jog the flat and meet up with the banker (Simon) we talk/jog for a while which keeps my mind off the little voice. Steep down hill, Simon is now running, so I do the same. The pub is not far anyway. I pass Simon and the 3 musketeers and reach Holmbury aid station. Marshals are giving jelly babies and jaffa cakes along side warm smiles. I thank them and start walking towards the pub, but the 3 musketeers are running the stupid hill and are actually waiting for me....Gosh, I guess I could get to the half way point and still make it for happy hours?
Massive guy smile and carries on running the long hill, if he only knew that this ascent only just started. I smile back as I know I'll catch them up on that next flat bit...this game keeps me going. Arriving on top of part 1, I pass the massive musketeer and decide to stay with him, it's Tom and we get talking for a while which is cool because it gets me down to Duke of Kent school in "no time". I lost them thou, downhill seems to be my thing today. I cross the first man, Ed, coming back, he's fast and is making it look effortless, I try to do the same but it's not working haha. Half way point must not be too far as more and more people are on their way back. I see the first woman, she looks good too, more people, this is nice, you can cheer and run at the same time.
Here's Mick with a big smile on his face, he looks so good and gives me a high five. I'm glad at least he's enjoying himself and not waiting for me. Second Lady, she too looks good. James Adams, looking a bit rough but going strong, and there, ...the others ladies.
Silly me, I just realise that a part of me was actually hoping to make the top 5 women. I'm struggling, it's hard to count, jump roots and puddles while cheering well done to all of the runners at the same time. It's surreal until the half way point. The marshals are so nice, they joke about getting a ride back to the start/finish line. For a split second, I find myself thinking seriously about it...nice cosy car, breakfast at arrival, warmth...no mulled wine thou...and Lorry driver runner starts asking me questions. So I turn my head back to him and find my feet running back to Dorking. I wink at the 3 musketeers, happy to see that Tom is still looking good. I'm so happy to be on the way back that I don't realise that Lorry driver is nowhere to be seen...and that last guy who went by was... the last guy. No more people to cheer up...so I slow down to a walk, as there is need to look good or cheerful anymore. The brat is really playing up and it seems like there is nothing that can distract me from despair. Bloody mood swings, why can't we just stay happy?
I look up,...there, a woman is walking Reynards Hill, my heart skips a bit, I could run with her, take my mind off the Brat, right? So I walk the hill a bit faster, but don't reach her in time, she stops at the top and talks to a marshal. Darn! I need to find someone else. The trail is going down and up and then down again to the Duke of Kent school. "Come on" says the still so ever cheerful marshal on top of Pitch Hill and " be careful, it's quite wet". I thanked him and not so carefully run down towards King's Head PUB. There, I could stop as I won't be in the top 5 so no rush, warm myself up with a nice pint of mulled wine and then carry on running to the finish if I don't stay there too long. That's plan sound awesome in my head!

I'm almost there, I can see the pub! But what?! another cheerful marshall is waiting for me at the aid station, telling me that's I'm doing great, it's almost over and what's that? A cup of water and jaffa cakes...no way...
I take two and stuff my face. Shoot, I guess I love eating more than I like drinking, heh? With a handful of cakes and another of jelly babies, I'm walking (can't run while face stuffing) up Somerset Hill.
It's another long one, so I can take the time to think about the new plan. King's Head is not far, I could just walk the hill and just fly down there in no time. I smile, this plan sounds good but the hill is never ending, ..its the other face of Leigh Hill...my plan is fading away. After 100 yards, I debate of a new one. I have enough, I could stop at the tower, have a nice cup of tea and wait there with the marshals. I've done good, 20 miles is a good training run right? OK, sounds good. With this is mind, I'm going up a bit faster, faster I say. FASTER! I'm at the top, the tower is looking VERY gloomy, I shiver, the views are nice but the wind and rain mix is making it...unwelcoming. I won't be able to stay there, initial plan sounds much better now. This struggle with the "plans" and the Brat make the whole situation such a drama that I have enough, I want to go home. There is still 7 miles left, I can just DNF, wait at the pub for the marshals to go back to the finish and attempt to recover for the Templiers Ultra, nothing wrong to DNF if it's for the best, right? Yeah!I can do this!
So I go down the hill, up another, swim in a big puddle and start running the final stretch to the pub. But something is happening, something familiar, something which happened during the last 16 miles of Trail of Herts. It's that other me, the one who has enough and just want to go....fast...very fast, like a hungry cheetah chasing an antelope, I'm chasing the trail to the finish, survival mode, nooooooooo! This is so going to hurt!
I'm running fast, too fast, fly by the pub, the aid station, some dudes, another aid station where I caught another lady runner, she calls me speedy, I call her awesome. She has the picture of her grandma attached to her bag.
The trail is calling and I know what's coming, it's all down hill till the bridge, I'm running away from the pain, away from the cramps devouring every part of the brat. Aie Aie Aie, I can't stop nor can I slow down. I'm going to get you trail, watch me.
Last hill to the finish, ...wait! There is a lady half way to the top, she will be gutted if I pass her 500 yards from the finish...but my whole self knows that it's then straight down to the finish. Straight down...
Powerwalking that hill like I never done before, I hammer it down, pass the crowd, the marshal and Rob and only stop at...the carrot! Yeah, a carrot, (Rob likes giving carrots at the finish, it's pretty cool) And so after 4h 47 mins of "British weather blissfulness" and no longer needing to be a cheetah (did get top 5....) I'm walking back to Mick, hoping he's done as well as he wanted to and feeling much better than me. But my walk soon becomes a limp, the brat has given up, the knee is swollen up, the ankle is collapsing and I can't lift any part of my body without a grimace...alala where is the wine?

PS: Best British trail marathon EVER thanks to the marshals and Rob's organisational skills :)

Maudit Greensand Marathon

2013-10-09T11:25:00.004-07:00

Last year, I should have done the Greensand Marathon, this super nice hilly marathon in Surrey. I ended up marshaling because of an injury.
This year...it looks like I'm going to have to do the same again! Looks like the ultra universe doesn't want me to do this marathon,. I so want to do it thou! it's been our training ground for the last year and it's such a lovely route and profile!

Third time lucky you think?

That brat!

2013-10-05T05:54:00.000-07:00

Little Swirly Dictionary of the Brat : an injury/niggle which unables you to do what you love most: RUN
Description of the Brat: Every time, running is attempted, pain is felt first in the left front hipflexor ( or groin), which then moves to the left side of the knee, down the calf, up the lower back and then back to the hipflexor.
After 1 hour of this pain mixture, running becomes a strange limping (or penguin walk) witnessed by others that can last up to 3 days.

After the Trail of Herts mad run, I knew I had done something to myself that non runner friends said it was because I carried on and didn't stop (you nutter) but any ultra runner would have just said " it's part of the deal, well done for finishing, just need a bit recovery time now!"
It's now been 2 weeks since the race, and that recovery, well is not following "THE PLAN". That left leg is definitely a brat! Running was out of the question last weekend after I had to give up after a few uphills and a painful limping back to the car.

Last weekend disastrous hill repeat

So, all week I wondered if it was really my injury pulling my leg, or if it was my brain not wanting to revive what happened during the race and put physical blocks at every running attempts. Especially since I could walk or cycle (go figure!). Therefore I had masterminded a new plan for this weekend (wahahah), I thought I could use a different "mind strategy" ignore the blocks, keep pushing with a "no pain, no gain" concept and see what happens? I bet this sound familiar to you?
Results:

This weekend disastrous hill repeat

You've guessed right. I'm right now sitting in the car, waiting for Mick to finish “our” long run on the North Downs way. I hate to admit but I've been defeated by the brat after less than an hour run and a slow limping walk back to the car, ... I ignored the blocks ( 5 mins down the run) and what I gained 50 mins down the run was... more pain so that no pain, no gain concept is utterly rubbish! Some will think “ nah! it's a niggle, you should have push it harder! or "don't worry, you'll be fine in no time, you just need some time”....but with all the niggles I got since I have started running, I had made myself a promise to keep running no matter how bad it felt, as I never wanted to be called a "pussy" for not starting or finishing a race or being a drag to Mick especially during our training runs. Many stories of how one had withstand pain to start and/or finish an endurance event are out there; many comments of others wishing to have that same pain threshold or asking how to train the mind to ignore the pain are omnipresent on social networks. And so,I always thrived to be that one who ignores the pain and just carries on. So is it a niggle? hell no! As I listened to Stephanie Howe's interview after UROC about her decision to run the race on an injured foot and nursing it to be able to finish the race, I'm thinking I could just do the same, right? I don't want to just give up to that brat, so, any mind tricks? body tricks you would like to share? what would you do with the greensand marathon next weekend, and the Endurance Trail 2 weeks later?

Trail of Herts: When a 55 miler turns to a 60

2013-09-24T03:56:00.002-07:00

Trail of Herts: a 55 mile trail race from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, heading down to London via The Chilterns Way, Hertfordshire Way, Chain Walk, canal and riverside paths and where sticking to someone who knows how to read maps is the answer to finishing this race.

It's 8:20 am in Berkhamsted cricket club, Cliff King, the race director is giving the inaugural security briefing of the first edition of Trail of Herts. In front of him are about 40 trail runners anxious to hit the trail. For some it will be their first ultra, for others it will be an add-on to an already long list of ultra running accomplishments. For us, what should have been a "training" run to prepare for the Endurance Trail, 103km at the end of October and our first 55 miles will become a "survival" run where "stalking" someone (like Mick likes to call it) will be the key to see the finish line.

8:33 am, the race starts with a flat warm up section before giving us the first taste of the Chilterns Hill, there are very happy marshals guiding us through the trail and road crossing. We hit our second hill, we are quite far back and there are not many people around. In front of us is Glyn and Anna, Glyn is this cool dude with a lion crown who ran the Grand Canal Union and some other crazy races, and with Anna, they run marathons pretty much every weekend! This thou, will only be revealed after 2 long miles where 10 of us got lost twice before reaching the first checkpoint and when 5 of us decided instinctively to stick together and count on Glyn to guide us through the rest of the race with his map skills and with Anna spotting these damn markers with her eagle eyes.

After checkpoint 1 and our not so fun lost experience, we are already having trouble finding the next path, this moment feels hostile and quite stressful for me, while Mick is so chill! We've only been on the run for 10ish miles (should have been 9) and I have a feeling that this challenge will last for God knows how long...note to myself: funny how being lost and counting on others gets me out of my comfort zone. We finally find the trail and carry somewhat steady until a junction, we all stop, not sure where to go as what's in front doesn't look like what's on the map.The worry creeps in, one wrong turn can lead you 4 miles away from the original path (which is what the lead group ended up doing).

Glyn and MapMan discussed of the road, while I find myself in a vicious spiral of negativity, this uncertainty added to the pains I'm getting all over my left leg is the right cocktail for a DNF! I'm not feeling it at all, I need a distraction but there are no hills or rocks to play with,and we keep running and braking...you get to pass under very nice big old bridges thou, this distracts me for a while, that and Anna's conversation :)

After a while, I can't control myself any more. I need to say something but I don't want to let anyone know how maybe they feel too. So I look at Mick and he sees it, he could feel something was wrong as I was limping and making faces, but had no idea of how bad it was in my head. He listens to my pain, ignores my moody comments and tell me all of these nice things, to which my mind answers by running to the next 10 miles with better...attitude! 35 miles to go.

We are now on our way to Hoddeston, the trail is following the Chain Walk and passes on the border of Hertford, it's a mixture of typical English country side (large fields) and small forests. We passed the half way mark of the race but still looking at the map and searching for markers. It becomes a game which Anna wins with her eagle eyes. MapMan is very good at reassuring Glyn that we are on the right track. It's a nice feeling, we feel very comfortable in the little group but wonder how others are doing hoping they are not alone. We are now in Box Wood which according to the map is close to checkpoint 4, but we are still running searching for it. Anna and I agree that this was the longest 7 miles of the race at this point! When we reach it, the volunteers are ever so welcoming with warm smile and with so much attention that it lifted the mood of everyone.
I need to pee thou! it's hard to stop for it when you are in a group and when Mick keeps telling you to keep up because who knows how we could find our own way around this route...So instead of just do my business, I know have to wait till each checkpoint, let the group there while I find a nice tree or bush, do my business and be joined back on time.How fun is that ladies heh?

We leave the checkpoint and follow the river trail to Enfield. The back pain has moved to my left foot and knee. For some reason, it's easier to run than walk, which...doesn't really help when the plan was to do 25 min running, 5 minutes walk strategy. The river path is nice, full of willow trees and so quiet and I attempt to distract myself from the little voice like Mick told me to. I'm so focused on this that I don't realise the group is splitting. Glyn and Anna stopped and tell us to carry on, they will catch up. I hope so, Anna and I had decided to finish together as we were the first 2 ladies. Funny enough, we had argued who would cross the line first, 15 miles in the race. I was convinced that she would be first, as I was debating if I was ever going to finish this not so fun training run..... I check up on Mick. He doesn't say much about his pain, but I know his feet are hurting, his knee has been bothering him for the last month. Everyone looks like they having some internal debate with themselves too. Mick tells me it's part of the deal, the longer you run, the more you get to challenge yourself both mentally and physically, welcome to the ultra world....Ick...it's not very welcoming then is it?

...We reach checkpoint 5 where nice chocolate cookies and cool doggies along with cheerful volunteers shows me that this is also part of the ultra world and it is actually worth the pain. I wait till I see Anna and Glyn and hear myself telling Mick to rally me, the cookies must have hit a spot because I can actually carrying on...as long as I'm running. Mick, Anna and Glyn catch me up to follow the river which leads to the Grand Union Canal. After 2 miles in, I realised I've been wanting to pee for a while but the river path even thou is nice to run on, has bikes and people so...how do you pee?..where where where....Can't believe not finding a spot to pee can be such a "traumatic" experience. I feel bad, super bad, I want to go home and it feels so far away...
We find a small bush along the canal, and I gain my sanity again. Anna and Glyn are quite far, I'm happy to see her go, she will finish strong. With my sanity back on track, we attempt to have a discussion about the places we just ran and naturally slow down to a walk... my groin hurts,slowing down is making it worst. I hear myself moaning again, Mick whispers encouragements and stick to my side, never letting me go lower in my vicious cycle. He tells me to just run and not worry about the strategy or his own feet. He is so understanding but find it crazy that the only way for me to feel better is to run and not walk...so twisted! I keep repeating to myself, it's only 16 miles away, just 16 miles so much so that we rally Anna and Glyn. A bike is coming towards us...I can't slow down so I pass them quickly. Something clicks in my head, I'm now on some sort of survival mode, I'm going faster, a part of me has enough and just want to go home, and this part has overcome everything else. 13 Miles to go

Mick catches me up, telling me to slow down, I try but it's stronger than me, we soon reach checkpoint 6, I barely speak, I need to go, I just need to go, I tell Mick to rally. As soon as he is at my side, I speed up, I have no clue where this is going and when I'm going to crash and he is worried that I won't last to and ask me slow down. I'm getting frustrated again because the canal path is not straight forward and I need to stop and look at the map, arrh everytime we stop it hurts me so bad...the canal is bigger, the environment more residential and industrial, we reach Hackney Marsh but we are looking for Hackney Wick. Note to myself: really need to Reece the route before a race!
I'm praying that we are on the right trail as there is no marker, we carry on running when I turn around and see no one behind. Anna is out of sight,...what have I done? 7 miles to go

Last check point, the guy says it's only 5 miles away, just go up the bridge and carry on straight...ya right, if it was that easy heh? We stop again to check the map and ask a cyclist the way...home...we follow his recommendation and just run, as fast as possible in these conditions. Thoughts of that guy who physically crash 300 yards before the finish line in this legendary American race creep in. I look back, hoping to see Anna, Mick tells me I'm first woman, and to just slow down that we are ok. He hasn’t get it thou, I don't care about the place in the race, I just want to go home...suddenly we see two runners in front of us, it's number 9 and 10 spots, they are running but we are flying past, where is the finish line? I get a call from Cliff wondering where I am...I'm also wondering where we are and why we are not there yet...when suddenly...out of nowhere...the end of the trail. Finally! Home is almost there....ah it's over.

In a blur, I thanked Cliff for organising the race and the marshals and just sat there. I can't believe I won...where is Anna? I so wanted to be here with her and share the joy. So much so that even thou we want to go home, we stay until they arrive, because I know that without them, we would not be here right now,... probably still lost between checkpoint 3 and 4 or else.

What a day! 12 hours, 60 miles of England sights discovery with it's country side, canals and rivers paths. 12 hours of a gruelling one to one with a body and a mind that have a "mind" of their own. 60 miles of counting on others to lead the way. What a race! what should have been a training run finished in a competition with oneself. what could have been a DNF ended up in winning a trophy. How more swirly can I be?

Trail Etendard: fuel over mind

2013-09-02T09:08:00.000-07:00

It’s 6 am on Sunday 25/08/2013, at the edge of the canal, 45 pairs of legs are waiting, eager to stumble upon this first edition of Trail de l'Etendard: a 63 Km trail race joining Bourg d'Oisans to Saint Sorlin d'Arves in France.

The night before the small village had been drenched down and we had all wondered if today was going to be the same...but little time is left to debate. Laid in front is a flat road section offered to us as a warm-up by the river Romanche. All we can see is the dancing headlights and all we can hear is the sound of the water and chatter from runners around us. Warm-up is over as soon as we reach the forest path; in front of us is the first 1000m climb to Villard Reculars, sleepy village nested below the famous ski resort village of Alpes d'Huez.

This is a tough 5 km climb as there is already a significant gap in between runners, no one dare talking, we are sleepy zombies climbing up that mountain searching for the first rays of sun. My sleepy head is not registering anything and I feel like a turtle moving up so ever slowly that I wonder if I'm last!
The climb is never ending, no rest allowed unless you decide to hang around the first CP. No one really does thou, we all want to reach the summit as we know the 12 lakes are eagerly waiting to play. Second CP on the border of Alpes d’Huez, village is still asleep but the volunteers are trying their best to cheer anyone looking gloomy. Again,I don’t stop; I want to carry on as there is another 1000m of ascent to reach the Col Blanc CP. I haven't eaten anything for the last 2 hours, but I don't realise it until...I’m struggling to run on these darn shallow ascents made of road and tiny fields. Looking up, I wonder where Mick is, I wanted to race with him as this is my "A" race and wanted to do a good time. Feels and looks like, I’ve made a mistake with my fuel and the motor is just not going strong…To distract me from my poor performance I decide to take pictures :) as usual in these moments I forget that this should be a race and just breathe in the grandeur of the mountain.

I finally reach the Col Blanc CP, the volunteers are so cheery but are looking at me a bit concerned…I’m not looking great, a volunteer who saw me at the first CP wonders if I’m going to make it . In my right hand one volunteer forces a cup of tea with sugar and fizzy water, in the other hand a sweet lady put a piece of Pain d’Epice, a piece of butter cake and waits for me to eat, telling me that I won’t be going anywhere unless I put this in my motor! I dutifully start eating, scared that I won’t be allowed to carry on. As soon as I finished with the tea, I’m handed a glass of cola. It all looks strange to be taken care of by unfamiliar faces, but heh, at this point I know my chances of doing great have dissipated so why not? I finish the two pieces of cake on top of the two drinks, ask if I’m allright to go, get a tap in a back and there I go, hoping to the lakes.

At this point, we are less than half way from the finish.The path is made of different types of rocks, big ones, tiny ones, shiny ones, by then the sun is up, kissing my face and making the lakes shine so softly. I hear a voice, so I decide to follow while searching for the tiny flags put to guide us in between these rocks. But the voice is now behind me, shoot! Did I get it wrong? No here’s another small flag and the descent to the GrandMaison Barrage. The voice had it wrong and looks moody. I attempted to cheer the voice up while trying hard to slalom between rocks and high grass. We reach Col du Couard and a massive torrent. The path is now made just of high grass and funny looking floor leafs.The voice and I missed the flag leading to an “easy” passage of the torrent so we end up finding our own pass. It is quite exhilarating to be in the middle of a torrent, hoping not to fall and toboggan slide the rest of the way while trying to reassure the voice! The voice belongs to a 64 years old kind gentleman, after we cross one, we both struggled to pass the other massive torrent and our butts are now all wet, but heh! It’s refreshing and feels so good on the legs and at least...we didn't toboggan slide!
We reach the “dangerous” passage leading to the Barrage, it is made of sliddy rocks and dirt. On one side you have your shoulders brushing the cliff, on the other side, your feets are struggling to not go down this "nice" deep slid ( I didn't take a picture, in case you suffer from vertigo!) We decide to walk it and stay together until one of us has enough and run. It’s nice to have a bit of company. He tells me to eat, so I obediently do so as I realise that I am actually feeling better since the “forced gluttony” of LacBlanc PC.We talk about my island, about trail and soon enough we reach the road leading to the Col de la Croix de Fer. The road is a shallow ascent which everyone seemed to be walking it. Stubborn as I am, I ran it until I couldn't anymore and decided to hop/walk until the CP, leaving the gentleman behind. There I find out that we are now more than half way, 43 Km and there is only 20 kms to go. Some grumpy runners moan about it and so in an attempt to cheer them up I decide to sing a kiddy french song about kilometres, which makes everyone laugh and give me the opportunity to get ahead of them hihi! I run the piste until I see this massive ascent, its HUGE! I can’t even see the end of it! My my! I look back looking for the grumpy runners 1 &2 wondering if they feel the same, I see their face and give them a big encouraging smile and start the long ascent to Glacier de l’Etendard. The path looks like a big rock which had his heart broken into pieces and laid there. I can feel the pain but the smiles of tourists and encouraging comments they give makes me want to just carry on. So I pass the refuge de l’Etendard after eating some nice “chouquettes” from there, and begin another dreadful shallow ascent to the Glacier. At this point, I'm running with Benoit, a cool dude from Belgium but living in Mick's hometown. From there, we can see on the other side of the lake (le Lac Blanc) other runners going towards Saint Sorlin.
It makes me think that we are almost done and so I start running thinking that soon after we reach the end of the lake, we are going to the finish line. But I'm sooooo wrong! I should have really study the profile because not only we reach the end of the lake, and there is no turning point, but we are climbing towards a glacier! This affect my poor mind, and at this point, I just don't want to run anymore!Benoit tells me to eat, that he had noticed that I haven't had any proper fuel since the HUGE ascent, so I eat half of my Cliff Bar while I let Benoit disappear in the horizon. Where is the darn turning point? By the time I finish eating, I reach a big rock in the middle of nowhere, there is a control point with a dad and kid, they are telling me that this is the turning point and I don't have much left to do. It doesn't make me feel better because we are carrying on going up and I wonder how far do I need to go on before I reach the point where I saw the other ones...why do the mind pay attention to these types of details?! Why do

I care so much about not being where I wanted to be?! I pass a cute couple and asked them if they are going to Saint Sorlin, they laugh and say that's too far away for them to consider...I smile and think, it can't be, I only had 20 kilometres to go...10 kilometres ago...right? But the energy of the bar start to kick in and because I'm not sure of where I am on this trail, I start to run and reach a pretty cool snowy path, so I do the "Mont Blanc slide"( butt slide) and feel much better. The path is now the one I had seen when I was on the other side of the lake, it's a one track going up towards l'Aiguille Rouge. I can feel the downhill to Saint Sorlin coming up, so I run towards it, passing more tourists puzzled to see me and telling me I'm the first lady. Hahaha! no I say, I'm the last one with a big smile of my face. Who cares right? the scenery is so nice and the people so great, why should we care which place we finish? So I go down on the ski slope, killing my knees with wishing-my jumps-were-gracious thoughts but knowing that I must look like an elephant trying to ballet dance. I reach another control point, the man tells me that I have 1.5 km of piste left and then I'll reach the field path to the finish line. I'm relieved, I'm almost there. I do the 1.5 km very quickly as there is nothing to see, and reach the field path but wait! what's this?...too late, in front of me was an electrical wire for the cows, but I didn't see it and tangled myself till it broke and have my face laid flat on the ground (no cow poo) !!! Ooops sorry farmer! I get up, brush off the dirt and blood and wonder how the other runners managed to see this thing! At least the people after me won't have to worry about it! right? So I carry on the downhill, the path changes from field, to road, to forest trail, to field again in the space of 4 kilometres, it's amazing! I can't believe my eyes, my feet can't have enough of it, I want more. It's funny how knowing you are on the end of the line make running easier and your spirit high, 2 small kids start running with me to the end of a road and I'm feeling grateful to be living a moment like that. I reach another downhill cowfield wondering where is the finish line when it suddently turn and there it is: the finish line with everyone looking and the microphone blaring my name. I feel like a superstar ;) and I thank everyone for cheering up so loud. I can't believe it, 11:20 and some seconds ago I was a zombie searching for sunlight, I now feel like a soldier at the end of the battle cheering for every moment of the way.
Writing the panic button entry had made me reflect on mind over body. Writing this one made me realise, that fuel plays such an important part and in this equation of mind over body that I'm really grateful to have had all of the volunteers and other runners around me to tell me to eat as without them, I would still be a zombie stuck in one of the CPs!
11hours 40 mins and some seconds, 63km and 4100m of ascent, not bad for a sunday run ;)