I flew into Malaga the day before the race, I'd done the 10k race the weekend before in Örebro and felt great but during the week, starting Wednesday I started with a cold that progressively got worse. I had already arranged to meet my Dad in Malaga, so I had to make the trip anyway even if just to take a holiday. When I landed I picked up a hire car and rushed to the pharmacy to get some medicines and I'd already been taking plenty of extra vitamins and forcing lots of good foods in, I then went back to the airport to pick up my Dad a couple of hours later and we headed up towards Loja.
We arrived in Loja within about 50 minutes, it was a quick and easy journey and Loja is just off the main motorway (A92) from Malaga Airport, we headed straight to the Sports Hall where the race was starting and finishing and I picked my race pack. I didn't hang around because I wanted to check into the hotel and get as much rest as possible, but I met my other friends Mick, Bridget who live in Spain and Robert who had flown in from Norway. We managed to chat quickly but I mentioned I was sick and runners are very quick to exit at that point. I also managed to meet the race organisers, people who I'd exchanged emails with about this race and also Paul and Eric who I'd met briefly at the top of Veleta Mountain a couple of months before at the end of a race. I let them know I was sick, and I didn't know whether I would be running the next day.
I checked into my hotel, cooked and ate some food and was in bed for 8pm feeling terrible and really frustrated about the timing of illness. Although I'd really enjoyed the shorter races in the previous weeks, the half marathons in Stockholm and Örebro's and the 10km race, the focus of my training had been towards this off-road ultra race. The race start was 9am, I set my alarm for 6.30am i would wake my dad around 7.30am and we'd drive to the race. The hotel I had booked was a good 45 minute drive, not a great idea but I had misread the map and though there was an easier way to get to the race.
I woke on my alarm at 6.30am, my throat was really dry and my head felt really heavy. There was no ultra running to be done today so I turned my alarm off and went back to sleep.
At 7.40am I woke again and laid in bed for 5 minutes feeling pretty gutted and accessing the wastefulness of the weekend not just on my part but my dad had flown over to watch the race and then go sightseeing afterwards, I didn't feel fit for anything let alone 80k in the heat. I just had a second where I had a quick word with myself, and knew that being lay in bed wasn't doing anyone any favours and then that progressed to why not just do 20k at an easy pace. There were 3 races on the day and all followed the same route for the first 35k. There was a 50k, a 80k race and 160k race and the 160km race was just 2 laps of the 80k race. Mick and Bridget were signed up for the 160k so they would be setting off at a pace to do that distance, so I had people to run with either way. I already knew the first checkpoint was 20k so if I couldn't make it past there then at least I could take a lift back to the start.
I got out of bed, woke my Dad and told him we were late and needed to leave in 20 minutes latest. We'd done the drive the opposite way the day before and it was a winding road that we couldn't rush so much on. My Dad complained about the time he had to get ready, which made me smile because I felt I was the one having a hard time but after rushing with porridge and getting everything I needed for the race together whilst not really feeling with it, we left at 8.10am and arrived at the sports hall for some kind of briefing with about 10 minutes left to spare.
I bumped into Mick, Bridget, and met Mark Woolley who I was connected to on facebook via Bridget and I knew he's done Badwater, Spartathalon and plenty of other massive races so it good to put a face to the face, so to speak.
We all walked from the sports centre to the start of the race where I talked with Robert Hansen, we had raced at Kristin's Runde 50 miles in June where he won in 7hrs 10mins, which I think was the course record and a great time considering the trail and the 5 peaks. He is one of Norway's top Ultra Runners and it was great to be able to run with him a short while in Norway.
After a lot of photos and filming, we started and my new plan was just to go really easy and see what happened, everyone else was taking things really slow though so even though we hit the first kilometre in 4:55, I found myself in the top 10 or 15 people and the adrenaline hadn't switched off just because I was sick. After about 1km we hit the first hill and instantly knew it was much tougher than it should be but I continued to move towards the front. It was hard to see who was doing what race, as the numbers are on the front of runners and I'm not sure there was even any different in the race number, you just had to ask the person, which I did later. I thought continually about how I was feeling and knew because of the pacing for a 50 mile race, I wouldn't really feel not being fit until later so I began to find it fun running along with the leaders, maybe even more relaxed because I knew I wouldn't be going the full distance. I'd forgot about being annoyed for now, and at least we were running. I got into the lead group with Robert Hansen (Norway), Hiroki Ishikawa (Japan), Miguel Mudarra Sanchez (Spain) and his brother, Antonio Mudarra Sanchez (Spain). I knew all these guys were top class so it distracted me from anything else, for the moment I just cared about matching these guys stride for stride and I talked with Hiroki and Robert some and then shared greetings with Miguel and Antonio. It was a nice feeling, and the sun was still low in the sky and the temperature bearable for the moment although becoming less and less so.
I found it tough on the up hills, which would usually be my strength after plenty of hill training on the lead up to the race. After seeing the profile of Ultimate Frontera, plus the previous Ultra Race, "Subida al Pico Veleta" also in Andalucia, Spain I had spent 1 or 2 sessions per week in my local gym in Sweden on the treadmill for 90 minutes to 2 hours at a gradient of between 5% and 10%, at first the calves burn but I began to love climbing. You get a harder workout for what feels like less steps, less impact on the joints, and you have increased strength and fitness. It was perfect but very dull being stuck inside with nothing to see but big muscle guys and Swedish TV.
After about 6km of climbing at 5:30-6 minute pace the course became very undulating and we were constantly either rapidly descending or climbing which was fun and the track was typically Spanish, dusty, sandy Jeep tracks and the sun was now up to stay. Kilometres splits for 7 to 14, were 3:54, 6:57, 5:26, 4:08, 4:39, 7:31, 4:31, 4:18 so you can get the idea of the sort changes in the terrain.
At the 15k amrk I was running together with Robert Hansen and we asked each other how it was going. He was a bit annoyed from the previous day after waiting a very long time for an airport transfer and the food that he'd prepared had to be thrown away, it's really important both mentally and physically to prepare your diet and routine for the race as you know has worked for you before, even though I'm new to running I completely understand it as I know especially for the longer races this is more physically than mentally but you also need that extra confidence that you're as prepared as you can be and that if you set out at a certain pace you can hold it for later. I've learn't already that for any distance where you glycogen supply will run out (2 hours or more for most) it's even more important to get everything right, you need to know what foods, liquids, vitamins and minerals work for you and at what time, it's an ongoing trail and error process but if something is particular has worked well for you before, you want it there to make your A game. Like the right car for a racing car driver, or the best racket for a tennis player. As a distance runner your fuel is crucial to make the your piece of kit work as good as it can, your body. I felt the same, I needed my heart, lungs and muscles to be firing, and they weren't. I said that I wasn't feeling great but there was no point in sticking to the back of the race and running 80k really slow, and that I'd prefer to start as I usually would and finish early if I needed, we both agreed - "All in!", he said, which I liked. I re-thought and felt better than I had when I started so I decided to try to make it to the second checkpoint at 35k.
We ran together from 15k for the next 2 or 3k as the race twisted through flats and descents between olive fields and along dirt tracks. We then crossed onto a tarmac stretch that would wind through a small village called Zagra and up a tough climb which lasted about 2-3km until we reached the first checkpoint at Ventorros del San Jose (20k). I had ran stride for stride for the last 5km with Robert and at CP1 I needed to re-fill the bladder in my rucksack and I took some fruits too. My inexperience showed here, because Robert was in and out within 30 seconds and I must have been there nearly 2 minutes judging by the split on my garmin. I didn't want to carry the extra weight of 3 litres fluid in my rucksack so I just filled what I needed, about 1.5 litres with the view to re-fill at CP1, thinking others would take time there so it wouldn't matter. School boy error, I didn't see Robert again for another 15k, by the time I left CP1, he was out of sight through the town and out into farmland, somewhere. I left CP1 and descended a short downhill before hitting a long tarmac stretch along olive groves and farmland which seemed to go on forever. I was caught by Hiroki who had told me earlier in the race that he too was struggling with the down hills because of hip flexor issues. He was fine on the flat and up hills but needed to take it easier on the downhill. We ran together for nearly 13km, never more than 100 metres apart but mostly side by side. Hiroki is an Ambassador for Patagonia and has been a professional Ultra Racer for over 10 years. In 2005 he came 13th in the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc and in the Far East it seems he is the man! We talked about the great races he had done in the US, including Western States, Leadville 100, Hardrock 100 and others. He really has been around, so again it felt great running with him but no matter how hard we pushed it, we didn't get Robert is sight. After the first checkpoint, we went through the next 10km in just under 44 minutes, climbing in parts slightly but mainly flat/downhill slightly. We ran ran and passed 3 Spanish hunters with huge air rifles dressed to kill, obviously an intimidating vision for anyone but I wondered what Hiroki must have been thinking at that point! I was starting to feel it more now than before in the lungs, I didn't want to make anything worse and and get really sick for no reason although I had started thinking about trying to make it to Montefrio and the 48k checkpoint, there would be an easier route back to the start as that checkpoint had food and I knew was better equipped to send a car back with me, plus that would just be 13k to the finish, but when when we hit the major climb up to Monterfrio at 30k I knew that wasn't going to happen. Just a few steps at a time on a gradient and my legs just didn't have the strength, I was weak and even running with Hiroki wasn't getting me past this issue.
We both rolled into checkpoint 2 together, and just as we did Robert Hansen was leaving. He shouted to ask me if I was taking the 50k route instead and it made me think. I knew the route was flatter that way and I was able to manage reasonably well on the previous stretch despite the problems. I spoke with the guy at checkpoint 2 and said I was having a bad time with illness and wasn't expecting to make it this far. I asked his to radio through to the race organisers and see if it was allowed for me to change races. He radioed through to Eric and I could clearly hear the conversation and actually spoke with Eric myself who confirmed is was fine for me to switch to the 50k race, he knew I was sick and . I asked if I would still qualify for the 50k race and he said "absolutely, you guys are way out in front". We then joked about the Rome Marathon and finished the walkie talkie call. At this point in the 80k race, Miguel was leading closely followed by Robert, then Hiroki and myself with Antonio in 5th place. As I mentioned earlier, all 3 races started at the same time in the same place, nobody was aware of who was doing what race and all the races went the same direction to check point 2 at 35k mark.
I left checkpoint 2, fully refreshed with water and felt like I had enough in me to make it to the finish. Now I was in the last third of the 50k race, and for me it was a race to the finish line. I has no idea where second place was and I kept on pushing as much as I could. I was happy to know that I would be able to complete a race, rather than stopping at 48k mark of another race but I know this is the point where views differ. Should I have tried to complete what I set out to do or should I have taken what essentially was the easier path to complete another target given the circumstances? I personally think that the answer is different dependant on your reasons for running and your reasons for doing this type of event. First of all, had I not been ill there's no way I would have asked to change races. Secondly if the race routes weren't the same routes for the first 35k, and we hadn't all started at the same place at the same time then that would also have meant that I couldn't change races. Third and most importantly for the standings, if I hadn't confirmed 100% with the race organisers that I could change races and still count towards the standings of the 50k race then I would have continued to run with Hiroki and maybe Rob and finish at Montefrio checkpoint 3. It wasn't because I was leading that I changed races, if I was in 50th place I would have asked to continue on the 50k path also. For me the game had changed in the days before the race and with hindsight I should have switched races the day before or the day I started. Anyway, I continued running alone through olive ranches and farmland.
The course was marked superbly throughout with pink ribbon on trees, pink arrows on the floor and sometimes silver reflecting tape which I later found was to make it easier to see for the 100 mile participants in the dark. Every time I would have any doubt about the direction I was running, "had I taken the right route at the last cross roads?", "should I have gone right back there?" I spotted a pink arrow or a ribbon. It helps a lot as the last thing you need in an ultra run is a wrong turn and an addition in mileage. It's hard on the legs and even harder on the head for a while. I've felt it in a big way after going quite some distance of course at the Kristin's Runde 50 mile race in Oslo. After 80k of running, my brain wasn't wired well enough to figure out the map, and I followed a sign that took me deeper into the forest than anyone else would run that day. I only had 2k to go, so frustrating and I argued with myself for a good twenty minutes and I called the race organiser every name under the sun. It wasn't his fault, everyone else went the right way apart from me. I couldn't blame the Norwegian directions either, I was given an English copy. My head had tricked me, my brain wasn't switched on.
I continued along dirt tracks and winding olive tree routes towards open, flat farmland with various crops at either side. After leaving the checkpoint I went through the six kilometres between 36-41 in 4:30, 4:12, 4:24, 4:06, 4:21, 4:25 so I comfortable moving along on the terrain at a decent rate. After a cross roads there was large strips of long straight roads so it was easy to check behind me for what must have been over a kilometre so I knew I had at least four minutes on second place with just 9 kilometres left. As I was heading towards the town of Huétor-Tájar, I saw a group of maybe eight Podenco/Ibizan hound dogs in a field of short crops not far from a farmer who seemed to be instructing them. I've since found out these dogs were brought over from Egypt nearly 3000 years ago and used for hunting rabbits and rodents. I was fixated on how well they worked together in a pack, and how they stood, ears pricked and scouring their patch until they spotted something of interest. They're also great for running with as they go all day and climb/descend almost as good as mountain goats! It kept me entertained whilst I covered the flat land and headed over a bridge and into Huétor-Tájar and the 3rd and final checkpoint for this race. As I ran into the checkpoint, I met the man manning the station, a Yorkshire man! Whilst I grabbed a hand full of raisens, a couple of dates and about to leave I confirmed there was just 8km left to run, but he assured me there was 12k. I left, a little puzzled but prepared to run the extra. It was my fastest in and out of a checkpoint for the race but the feeling of adjusting to cover another 50% on what you thought you had left was tough.
I kept on following the route along tarmac as it took me out of town and then I picked up another dirt track. It started to rain which was very odd for this time of year in the region but a great way to refresh and I welcomed it. The route twisted up another little tough tarmac climb and then onto another dirt track. I could now see Loja in the background, the town I would eventually descend down onto and finish in. I was running now closely between olive trees so has to follow the race markings more closely as the track went up and over ranches and then a sharp right that lead to a technical down hill stretch that seemed to go on and on, my watched showed over 50k now and so I knew I could check back and see my tail was free for at least 500m so I knew it was difficult now for second place to catch me. I kept drinking and took no chances, one little hamstring cramp and 4km can take an hour. I hit the bottom of the technical descent and headed into the opposite side of Loja to where the race finished, the route then shot up again to another off road part and along the bottom of a mountain that frames Loja, after a stretch of about 8 minutes the route then took a left through a farm gate and entered the "Sports stadium side of town" and I on a steep, tarmac, wet descent I struggled to stay on my feet but passed the pharmacy that I'd been in just the day before so I had maybe 600m to run first a right turn at a kiosk we had used the night before too, and then a long straight towards the sports hall, running track and finish line. I covered the last 5km in 22:56, including two slippy slow last kilometres. I ran scared and it reminded me of how I used to run at school on the track, always out in front to start, being chased.
I finished, it was an unexpectedly wet afternoon now so there was nobody around and my Dad was no where to be seen. I came in at 4:28:10 for the 54km course, which I was over the moon with given the profile of the race and the morning/previous days, I'm not sure why it had worked so well. Had being sick held me back, made me cautious and saved energy or had the extra boost at CP2 helped me cover the last 19km quickly, running scared? I don't know but it would be really fun to do the same course again and see the difference.
I was presented with a medal and went into the sports centre to collect my bag and get changed, my legs were sore so I got a massage and waited for my Dad to come back, and for the other runners to arrive. As I was having a massage, the race director, Paul came over to say hello and told me that I wouldn't count for the standings because I'd switched races. I explained in full what had happened and what had been said as the second checkpoint and he said he hadn't realised and awarded me the win. I felt pretty annoyed at that point, things should have been communicated across the organisers and surely the race director should have been informed thaat the first guy back from all races was the winner of the first race.
I'd been running scared for no reason, after 1 hour and 10 minutes second place arrived and my that time I was changed, massaged, ate and put my things in the car so I was ready to congratulate him on second place, the same with the 3rd place guy although he arrived and then left whilst I was doing a cool down jog. After about 30 minutes there was a presentation, the 3rd place guy no where to be found but the second place guy, Chris and his family were there in attendance and everyone had smiles.
I waited for the 80k race leader to come in and cheered for Miguel @ 6:29, Hiroki @ 6:46 and Antonio @ 7:18. Unfortunately Robert had some issues and had to drop out after the third checkpoint which was a shame because even though he wasn't having a great day he was still in with a shout at a top 3 place and after 7:10 at Kristin's Runde with an even tougher profile, I'm sure he was after the win. All 3 guys who finished were top blokes and hopefully we'll have chance to run again in the future.
2. Hiroki Ishikawa 6:46 , 1. Miguel Mudarra Sanchez 6:29 (Almeria, ES) , Antonio Mudarra Sanchez 7:18 (Almeria, ES)
I left the race and headed back to the hotel with my Dad to get showered and changed so we could eat some food and relax. A wasted day had turned into a pretty great day and I had managed my first win at an ultra race. After a quick shower, my Dad was already shattered so stayed in the hotel for a nap. I headed out back to the Sports Stadium to catch Mick and Bridget on there second lap and hopefully bump into Robert and see how things had gone. When I arrived Robert had gone back to his hotel so I sent him a text to meet later. I bumped into Mark Woolley who after some long races recently took the option of finishing at the 80k mark and not continuing for the second lap. We talked a bit, he's the headmaster of a local school and has been located in Spain for some time and does plenty of races so a good person to know in the area for training runs and events. He said that Bridget was having some trouble and Mick was running with her. I waited a while but felt the atmosphere was a a bit funny. I was asked about my race and the responses were a bit strange. I talked to one of the timing guys who said that Robert had gone back to his hotel but was keen to get to the airport tonight at Malaga to take an earlier flight. I felt sorry for him and slightly responsible as it was me who had made him aware of the race. I went over to his hotel and ended up knocking on his door but without response so I left a note for him at reception and headed back to my hotel. On the way I stopped at the first checkpoint which was along the route I was taking. I saw Mick who had left Bridget at the sports stadium and continued alone. He was now at the 100k mark, it was dark and he was walking but adamant to finish. He looked worn out, but still capable. I wished him luck as he headed into the night and I felt bloody sorry for him still with maybe 10 hours left to go! I got a message from Robert, I called him and made plans to take him to Malaga airport. It was good to get to know him and we discussed training and races and his plans for next year. We headed into Malaga but hit all the football traffic as Malaga had played Barcelona just an hour before. I dropped him in the centre so he could find a hotel before his early flight in the morning. It had been a bad weekend for him but at least he's managed a decent 50k training run. Robert has since been picked to represent Norway in the World Championship 100k race in Italy in April 2012. They have a strong team of four now and I hope they do well because they're all good lads. On the way back I spoke with my Dad who was now awake and looking for a drinking partner!
I got to my hotel, sat down with my Dad, and talk about our day and relaxed. The next day we checked out of our hotel in Loja and headed down to a new hotel on the coast near Malaga. We visited some places along the coast and ate a beach bar and then went up to one of my favourite villages in Andalucia called Mijas Pueblo, which is the next town to where I used to live a couple of years ago. It's a pretty white village at the top of a mountain and home to local people and lots of donkey's that parade around and give rides to children. It's picturesque and has views of the entire coast, from Malaga, down towards Estepona and Tarifa, on a clear day you can see Africa and my Dad loved it. We ate at the top of the mountain in the village and then went back to the hotel to relax.
In the morning we woke early to enable us to make an early flight. We had breakfast at a beach bar and the results and times were already online from the race which i thought was good but the results for my race had changed and I no longer had first place. I was at the top of the list as finishing in 4:28 but first place was 5:38. No phone call, no email or message just a change in the results and second place was happy to take first place. Bizarre and I was understandably a bit miffed.
I dropped my Dad off at the airport and drove up towards Granada and checked into a new hotel and started my working day. A wonderful but weird weekend.
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