There were challenges to complete a race such as the Al Andalus Ultra Trail. There is something extra that is needed to every day get up over and over again and for five days prepare yourself mentally to the length of the course, the heat of the day, the pain in your body and the never ending hills. In the end it took me 40 hours and 22 minutes to complete the race, broken down as below:
Day 1 – 10h17min
Day 2 – 9h57min
Day 3 – 6h45min
Day 4 – 9h13min
Day 5 – 4h7min
Looking back there were small things that I can remember of each stage and the little things that happened, the landscape or what I was thinking about.
A multi-stage race if very much about breaking the race down to sizeable chunks that can be tackled one of the other. Throughout the week I was think that I need to get the next check point, or if I knew of another feature on the stage I was on I tried to break the stages down to smaller elements. Below you can read my recollection of each stage of the race as I remember them.
Day 1
Stage 1 = 1h56min
The race started with a gentle incline and then on to the gorge took us up 900 height meter. Hot hot hot and never ending climb. It was early in the day, but already now we could feel the heat.
Stage 2 = 1h39min
I was feeling good, but me knee prevented me from running. I was walking all the way over rolling hills in such heat.
<a title=”031 CP3 Day1″ href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/namibianviking/3756642830/”><img src=”http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2491/3756642830_93f0e2fb9d_m.jpg” alt=”031 CP3 Day1″ width=”240″ height=”171″ /></a> Stage 3 = 1h36min
I started off running with Jack, running through a forest. After a descent we came out on the country side walking along farmer’s fields. Jack and I came in almost together, but after a quick stop I was off again and I was feeling good.
Stage 4 = 2h53min
Incredibly long stage that started with a river bed. This is where I turned back to get help for Dominic, so I added 6km to this stage, not something that I needed during the hottest time of the day. The riverbed was difficult underfoot. The river bed led to a stretch on tarmac and then back on to little tracks next to farmer’s fields.
Stage 5 = 2h 12min
Long descent through forest, would have been great if I could have run. The last 2km was through a great forest track with cliffs on each side. The very last bit was a steep climb into the village. Finally I got in at ten to eight at night!
Day 2
Stage 1 = 2h 41min
Very long stage through rolling hills and some forest. Finally started to climb up towards the check point.
Stage 2 = 1h52min
Up through the narrow gorge of Hell’s path. Stream running through the bottom of the gorge and some of the most gorgeous scenery on the whole race. I did the entire climb with Andreas. This was a relentless climb in a very hot part of the day. The Medic asked us to be careful since they had only limited access to the gorge. The motorbikes went up and down cheering us on.
Stage 3 = 2h6min
The climb continued until we could see the Mediterranean sea. Stunning stunning views from the top of the mountain. After the climb I raced ahead a bit and left Andreas for a few hours. Running through a cool forest, great landscape.
Stage 4 = 1h15min
Long descent through mountain roads. The constant descent hurt the legs and towards the end Andreas caught me up.
<a title=”Day2 J and Andreas at finish” href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/namibianviking/3756647848/”><img src=”http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2580/3756647848_3d3156b3fb_m.jpg” alt=”Day2 J and Andreas at finish” width=”171″ height=”240″ /></a> Stage 5 = 2h 3min
The stage started with a long long road. Andreas and I met up with Jack who we walked with for a while through the farms. Long long hill took us by surprise and then there was the quick climb before we hit the village and the final rest (where we saw Tony who had collapsed, scary, but he was ok in the end). Another late finish, we came in at seven thirty in the evening.
Day 3
Stage 1 = 1h27min
We started off on the road and over rolling hills. I started from the back but felt good and ran through the field a bit.
Stage 2 = 56min
Once again in forest I was caught up by the English girls and then also by Ingrid and Marine.
Stage 3 = 1h 46min
A relentless uphill through the forest. A several km long hill took us up in the forest. I caught up Martine and Ingrid on the first hill. On the downhill element Martine came up to me (Ingrid had unfortunately dropped out due to stomach problems). We stayed together for the descent into CP3.
Stage 4 = 2h 36min
My knee really started to cause me problems and I couldnt run at all. The pine forest helped us to not get hammered by the sun, but it was still very much hard work. A descent on a mountain track would have been great if I could have run. Big surprise with an extra CP before the 4km from the end. A quick stop and then I actually started to run again. The last 1.5km I raced (well at least in my mind) one of the staff on mountain bike. It started as a joke, but running hard actually didnt hurt my legs. Great to be in camp in a descent time, ten past four in the afternoon.
Day 4
Stage 1 = 1h41min
A long uphill spread out the field. I was with Jeremy and in the end Justin and Paula caught us up. I made a super swift stop and got out on the road after only 1minute or so.
Stage 2 = 2h
I started off the stage with Arend, but left him under a tree when he could not continue and needed a rest. Long stage over the country side amongst farms.
Stage 3 = 2h16min
We were a few of us who caught up and I was with Andreas and Jack and in the end one of the Para and Arend came up with us. Joe caught us towards the end too. The famous sunflower field was great, but the sun flowers were just a little bit too old for being picture perfect. A few long hills were great to push us a bit.
Stage 4 = 1h39min
I was with Arend, Jack, and Andreas for most of the stage. No major hills but it was a constant rolling landscape through the farms.
<a title=”The best view ever” href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/namibianviking/3755851083/”><img src=”http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2493/3755851083_04a37fa1ca_m.jpg” alt=”The best view ever” width=”240″ height=”171″ /></a> Stage 5 = 1h 34min
We started off the stage together, but Arend and I had a little bit more in the tack and pushed on. A few more hills and we could now see the road, but not the village where we should stop. Arend’s GPS showed that we were less then 800m from the end, but we could not see the town at all? In the end it appeared out of no where. In the end it was another long day that finished about six in the evening.
Day 5
Stage 1 = 1h35min
The first hour I took it easy with Andreas and Jack. However on the up hills I got going a bit more and then I started to jog again. The first stage was going up the mountain and then dropped down on the other side. I was pushing on my own and feeling good.
Stage 2 = 1h9min
The second stage was a fairly flat stage and most of it on tarmac. The check point was tucked away in a little village and speaking to some of the villages they thought we were a bit nuts (rightly so!). The stage went surprisingly fast and I kept running.
Stage 3 = 1h23min
I caught up with Ingrid and Martine and then Justine on a long up hill. I felt good and pushed ahead. The tarmac road ended and we went out on the fields where we followed small narrow dirt tracks. I had to overtake two big tractors with big loads of hay bales on the back. I felt a bit wobbly on my legs by this point but spurred on I managed to get ahead of them and keep them behind me. I saw the water factory and knew there was about three km left when we got to the factory. Once in to the village the track led us out and on a long road around the village and my heart sank. I was pushing hard to get in under four hours, but I realised I would not hit this. Back into the village it was a bit scary to run on my wobbly legs on the road with lots of Spanish drivers, but I dont think I got shouted at too much… My heart was coming up my throat and I wanted to see the finish line. At the same time it was mixed feelings because I had had such a good time racing and I just wanted it to go on. I went over the river and turned left for the last couple of hundred meters. Seeing everyone there lifted my spirits and I sprinted to the finish and got my finisher’s medal from Paul. Arriving at about a twenty to twelve I was really happy with my last day performance. Food, drink, shower and massage was waiting for me back at the hotel.
