It’s been a week since the Pirin Ultra, part of the Migu Skyrunner World Series. It was a hard course, and my city-based training did not prepare me for the 4400m of ascent and the technical terrain which included boulder fields and exposed ridges at over 250m above sea level.
I suffered from severe dehydration on the course and retired after the second of the three mountains. The views were, however, spectacular. The bee stings, being on lookout for bears, wolves and large dogs, and occasional route finding made also kept us entertained on the course.
Fortunately, some of my friends who came for the race fared better and made it round in respectable times. KS slept in and started the race thirty minutes late, but still places in the top twenty!
A tired couple make it to the finish line, successful. Many did not make the 26 hour cut-off.
Last weekend the mountains taught me that there’s no substitute for adequate appropriate training. I may have come off the back of a strong cycling season and built up Ironman-level endurance, but I just couldn’t get enough time in the mountains. Fortunately, there will always be another race to apply this lesson to.
Keep improving!
GeekintheHills
Geek in the Hills 