There are many more spectacular glaciers than this one. On the glacier I felt something was changing and a glimpse of adrenaline and strong muscles appeared! The mini spikes on my feet I went down the glacier (which wasn’t that exciting) just a snow and ice field. With some running they usually understand what they have to deal with. So that might also be a fact why my legs didn’t woke up. The course were really technical and not very runnable on many parts. I haven’t quite experienced the feeling before. I guess it can be the altitude that chocked them. And off I went.Įverything else was so good, no pain, good breath, great weather, but no legs. I stayed for some minutes to fuel up, doing everything I could to wake up the lower part of my body. I filled a 500ml up twice before the first aid station and finally on the aid station I filled it up with coke and energy drink. The second climb up to a hut never ended and I actually drank more than I thought I would during the course. It didn’t feel as I was racing for a while, but still I put all effort that I had into the race. I think I got into a bubble of slow motion.
#Steep extreme race believe full
I didn’t trust my legs since they couldn’t push uphill, would they then be strong enough to carry me down in full speed? That scared me and I took it really easy from there. Loose stones were everywhere and I got a big one smashing my lower back just in the beginning from a guy behind me. Good that the organizers had put up a rope. The descent I had heard of others who had tried the course before. I liked the off trail section with a little scrambling before the first descent though. I usually do that pretty well, but as my legs weren’t in the game, neither was my technical skills. The trail had disappear and it was scrambling and climbing. There were only the spaghetti legs that were wrong.
I couldn’t do anything but try to fuel myself with gels and drink and climb further up. Athletes that I ’m usually faster than also passed me, and I was happy for them to have a good day. But the speed wasn’t anywhere to be seen. I didn’t get forward! People were passing and I tried to run where I could and take big steps were it wasn’t too steep. It was irritating cause I wasn’t tired, but it was if the legs didn’t have connection with the rest of the body. But suddenly just after Hillary Gerardi passed me, my legs shut down.
The first 2 k through town and up the trail I pushed and tip toed and manage to be third. Martin Anhmanattan was told to make an extreme skyrunning course for the Ultraks weekend, so he had put in much effort to make it just that, and with both fear and joy we all stand on the start line not knowing what to experience. I tried to neglect bad thoughts and focus on the excitement of the extreme course that was ahead of me. In the morning when I warmed up before the start I couldn’t feel the same light body and energy I’ve had the previous day. All athletes were pretty much spread out all over town, but we were on a cozy small hotel. Later on I met some friends and we had dinner. I used poles not to activate the whole body and save it in the downhills. The travel had taken longer than I had expected, so I was eager to come out on the trails for a run.
I arrived in Zermatt in the middle of the day.