Sportvicious May-June 2015

MAY-JUNE 2015

ENGLISH MAGAZINE

Interview to Saleta Castro Inov-8 Race Ultra 290 ABSA Cape Epic

PURSUING BALANCE Nowadays sport is a means -or the means- to achieve vital balance. I believe and proclaim that life is a matter of balance: you have to feel good about yourself and this is sometimes complicated or is simply out of our hands.

In modern society, where we all need an income to survive and meet our basic needs, we must keep our feet on the ground and know what role sport plays in our daily lives.

Some of us marvel at professional athletes who devote their full working day to sports. Clearly that is their job, where they get their economic resources from and, therefore, this is probably what motivates them to move forward. This is dangerous; the vast majority of the population use sport as a means of evading daily problems, as a way to pursue optimal health as their work is not physical enough and their bodies tend to deteriorate as a result of inactivity.

Ultra trail is a tough sport, perhaps the most gruelling of all, both physically and psychologically. That is probably why many of us are addicted to it. Possibly, the richness of this sport is that it is natural to the human species. A very complex technical preparation is not needed to learn to run. Indeed, man is made specifically for running and walking long distances at a slow pace. What else can we ask for? We all have an innate talent for walking long distances, it is the sport that we are all genetically bound to do. Now, all that is left is to optimize this natural talent and go back to our origins.

Clearly, the more hours we can devote to running and walking in the mountains and along trails, with appropriate recovery during workouts, the higher our performance in future competitions. We must look at the alternatives that modern life offers us to improve this performance, or at least to enjoy the training process more. These activities are part of the legendary cross training.

The only means of transport available to our ancestors was walking, but we now have devices that allow us to move using our body as an engine and they offer us variety in our training process. In the case of long-distance running, cycling or ski mountaineering could be good alternatives within the training process.

SPORTVICIOUS is not responsible for the opinions expressed by contributors and editors

If one day we do not go for a run, the day after, our desire will definitely be stronger and, this way, our motivation will be balanced. Running daily can overburden and burn us out, and that is when balance is broken and we end up feeling bored with the activity that we like the most.

Obviously, to be good at running you have to run, but combining it with other sports in the training programme can offer a wider workout range and some physical benefits, such as improved strength, muscle capillary formation or lipolysis stimulation (key factors in long-distance running) and, evidently, some possibly even more interesting psychological factors result from a variety of activities.

As a coach and athlete, I see it as essential to include varied and attractive training activities in the workout programme, and different according to the seasonal cycle, more or less specific depending on whether we are in the pre or post-competition recovery micro cycle. It is important to adapt to what the environment offers. Running can be practiced throughout the year, but we can opt for cross training by practicing skiing in winter and cycling in summer when temperatures are too high to run.

In short, it all comes to pursuing balance and not forcing situations. The training process simply seeks to develop everyone’s innate skills. There is not one single way to do this; the same goal can be achieved in many different ways. Individuals should be assessed according to their own particular environment and the life balance, especially, should not be broken, so that doing sport becomes a way to enrich but not to harm the individual.

Reflect and enjoy sport!

Pau Bartoló

SPORTVICIOUS is not responsible for the opinions expressed by contributors and editors

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INTERVIEW Saleta castro Galician triathlete Saleta Castro is one of the best triathletes on the national and international scene.

HEALTH

WHAT SHOULD MY PACE BE IN A CYCLING RACE?

WHAT’S NEW

New Asics 33-DFA G8 performance insoles, suspension for your feet Polar V650, ride with confidence Assos launches its first MTB Body Bottle Plus Zoggs FX1 wetsuit Grifone Todi Jacket

TEST

INOV-8 RACE ULTRA 290 THE NEW ULTRA RACE STARS

REPORTAGES Dushanbe Half Marathon, a real adventure Cape Epic: the line between love and hatred Marathon Des Sables In La Misión… getting there is winning Ultra Marathon in the Polar Circle The legendary Pierra Menta

Magazine Directors: Bàrbara Sagi y Alex Clarasó · Design and Layout: Sportvicious · sportvicious@gmail.com · www.sportvicious.com

INTERVIEW

SALETA CASTRO

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INTERVIEW

Galician triathlete Saleta Castro is one of the best triathletes on the national and international scene. In her head, just like in any triathlete’s head, is to be able to take part in the Hawaii Ironman, considered the most important and the most prestigious Ironman in the world.

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How did you first started in triathlon?

I have a history in lifesaving and athletics.

When I could no longer combine it all, both my coach and JosĂŠ Manuel Cruces took me to a sprint triathlon, back in June 2001. I had previously taken part in some school aquathlons and duathlons. After my first triathlon, the Galician triathlon

federation told me I had been chosen to join the first group of technical sports training in Pontevedra.

I accepted and stayed there until 2010, combining education and sport. Currently, I still benefit from an external scholarship, which allows me to use the facilities and medical services whenever I travel to Galicia.

INTERVIEW

When did you decide to become a professional triathlon athlete?

I decided to become a professional triathlon athlete when I first started training for long distance in 2011. I needed more time to train and, after the Spanish Championship in Ibiza in 2010, sponsors started to appear and it was then I realized I could try to become professional.

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Who has influenced you the most in your career as a triathlete?

The people who have influenced me the most are the coach I had when I first started in sports training at the age of nine, David Garcia; the technical director of the Galician triathlon federation, Luis Pi単a, who was also my coach and Omar Gonzalez, my current coach.

What is your workout routine? How many hours do you train?

It depends very much on the part of the season I am in, and it varies every day. I do not have a set routine. I usually swim 4-5 days a week, cycle 5 days, run 4-5 days and have 2 sessions at the gym. This can amount to somewhere between 3 and 7 hours.

INTERVIEW

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Where do you usually do your workouts?

I have lived in Lanzarote since last year. I usually go to Sands Beach or to LUDE Sports centre in Arrecife to swim, I run along Avenida de Playa Honda, Famara, Teguise... and I cycle around the island.

coach is Omar González but, until recently, it was Alejandro Santamaría.

The latter led me to believe I was also a good runner. If I had not had the figure of a coach or someone giving me advice by my side, my life would definitely be very different.

Do you have a coach?

Who is he/she? How do you assess the figure of the coach in triathlon?

I have always had a coach and, especially in the beginning, it is very important to have a coach or a person who can advise you. My current

In which of the three disciplines do you excel?

Why? I do not excel in any, I am quite regular in the three disciplines but maybe in my last Ironman I highlighted in the marathon.

Besides training for the three sports, do you go to the gym? What kind of exercises do you usually do?

Yes, I usually do gym sessions, which include doing exercises such as crunches, bosu, TRX... combined with machine circuit training, alternating legs with arms.

How do you train psychologically? How do you motivate yourself when you think you are about to faint?

I always try to give my best. When I’m about to faint I try not to think

INTERVIEW

about it, I try to take my thoughts somewhere else and to think that soon I will be better, that the downturn will go as quick as it came. I try to look after myself, drinking and eating well.

How do you face the races?

It depends on the race, but I always try to give the best I can to improve. I suffer until the finishing line and try not to leave anything aside.

What has triathlon given you and taken from you?

It has given me virtually

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everything; this is the lifestyle I have chosen to have. I can travel, meet people and enjoy myself every day. It has denied me some weekend activities with friends or family, which I have missed because of some training session, some rest time or a competition.

Who advises you on sports equipment?

I am not usually advised by anyone. Luckily, there is enough information about materials on the Internet. So, I can study the characteristics of the

materials that I use or I would like to use.

Triathlon is a booming sport. What are the upsides and the downsides of such growth?

The upside is that triathlon is gradually boosting its presence in the media and people are increasingly becoming familiar with it. This helps athletes to be more valued and potential sponsors to notice us.

The downside is that the increasing number of races which focus more on doing business than

INTERVIEW

on the athletes’ welfare is increasingly greater: expensive registration fees, deficient security in circuits and boxes, and little care towards the athlete.

Don’t you think that the essence of triathlon has diminished and cases of drafting are increasing?

Drafting is not increasing; it depends on the race...

If we only look at races where massification comes before quality,

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then yes, no drafting is disappearing. But there are many races, which have been held for years, where that essence remains. Also, many people started in middle and long-distance racing and I don’t think they ever read the rules.

Many professional and amateur athletes die in traffic accidents cycling on the roads. What advice would give both drivers and cyclists?

I would ask drivers to please respect the 1.5 m distance and to be patient; one gust of wind alone could throw us off the bike and kill us. I would also ask cyclists to respect drivers and to ride as close to the roadside as possible. We have the right of way but we can still lose out.

What should triathlon’s golden rules be for it to be a clean sport?

I am in favour of lifetime

INTERVIEW

sanctions. Forget about being penalized in one sport but being allowed to compete in another. Zero tolerance!

What have your greatest achievements been as a triathlete?

In the lower categories, I was champion of Spain in all modes. In the absolute category I was champion of Spain in Long Distance and Middle Distance in 2010 and 2011. I have also been

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5th on two occasions in the LanzaroteIronman, and 3rd and 5th in the Wisconsine Ironman and 7th in the Cozumel Ironman.

Which is the ultimate Ironman?

The Hawaii Ironman is the race I dream about, but it will have to wait.

Currently, my favourite race is the Lanzarote Ironman.

To be a professional triathlete great passion is needed. What else would you add?

I would add perseverance, sacrifice, patience, a lot of enthusiasm and sponsors.

What do you think of the culture of triathlon in Spain?

I think we have a very healthy culture within our ‘triathletic’ circle and proof of this is that we have many duathletes

INTERVIEW

and triathletes among the best triathletes in the world. But we are still a minority sport, where all the effort made is rarely valued and, although we are growing in numbers, more and more each day, there are still many people who do not even know what this sport is.

What are your future aspirations in triathlon?

My goal is to continue to improve.

What new projects do you have in mind?

My project starts on September 1st and will focus on qualifying for the 2016 Hawaii Ironman.

Tell us a funny anecdote This happened to me not long ago, at the Cozumel Ironman.

When I came into boxes at 5:15 am I realized I had left my shoes in the hotel and it was about 15 kilometres away. What chaos! I took a taxi, which took me there and back really quickly. I reached boxes at 6:00 am, and I wasn’t allowed to get to the bags to leave the energy bars and gels, so I put everything on the bike as best as I could and was taken to the exit, which was somewhere else. I arrived at 6:30 and the start of the women’s race was at 6:40. How stressful! But I could compete and I had one of my best races ever.

Photographs by Ironman Lanzarote, Triatlon Volcano, Finisherprix, Sands Beach y Half Challenge.

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HEALTH

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WHAT SHOULD MY PACE BE IN A CYCLING RACE?

HEALTH

Every cyclist has some experience in competitive cycling races. Some compete against themselves for the sole purpose of lowering times obtained in previous editions whereas others compete against cyclists in their own club with the aim of setting the fastest time of all. Then, at the finishing line or back in the car, there is always a heated discussion with the others for having ‘run in group.’ The more advanced cyclists try to be amongst the race-leading group. Regardless of their objectives, what is clear is that we all need extra motivation to put into our legs such bulk of kilometres and train for it for months. This eagerness with which many long for D day, makes more than one show up at the starting line having barely slept the night before. Despite being a cycling

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race, for many it is their own personal Tour and this is how they live it when the start signal is heard.

Factors influencing the outcome When facing a cycling race, several factors tend to influence the outcome of it directly.

If you have a number of them under control, success is virtually assured.

Will and talent When we talk about talent, we do not mean to say the physical abilities of individuals, but their attitude when it comes to tackling the race and how they will manage their resources. There is no need to worry about the fats you will consume because they are inexhaustible.

You should nonetheless try to avoid

HEALTH

unnecessary efforts, such as pulling away excessively in steep ascents or pulling along a pack of a hundred ‘guys’, when the only thing left for you to do would be to have a flag on the handlebars. There is a tendency to forget that all cycling races are aerobic races and there are those who turn them into anaerobic, especially at the start. At that moment, we are all very fresh and the legs ride alone... but don’t you worry, this soon changes.

You are the one who knows best how your training has been, so risk as much as you know you can.

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Training level You need not be a scholar in the field to know that the more you have trained, the more efficient you’ll be, and the further you’ll be able to thrust. When someone follows a training plan, not only performance but also recovery improves; you’ll also recover before others after the race. Recovering between efforts during the race will allow you to face the obstacles along the route with more resources. Your times will improve and with less energy expenditure than someone who is not prepared. In short, you will be much more efficient.

HEALTH

If someone who is not sufficiently prepared exceeds his pace, he will probably end up cramped or awfully knackered, especially if the race is one of length. He will use up his glycogen stores quickly and, regarding the muscles, he will not manage fats the same way as someone who has trained for a good number of hours, at a gentle pace and emphasizing a suitable basis.

Nutrition and hydration before and during the race This is paramount and arguably the most important point. You can have the engine of a Ferrari and have trained soundly… but if you do not fill ‘the car’ with petrol, you will go nowhere. To do this, especially on pre-race days, you should increase the intake of low and moderate glycaemic

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index carbohydrates, both in lunches and dinners (do not forget to increase hydration between meals to get properly hydrated, since water is essential to store or ‘package’ muscle glycogen).

On race day, once en route, you must not forget to carry on hydrating so as not to lower performance and to avoid cramps. Neither should you forget that dehydration causes an increase in glycogen consumption. For this reason, it is advisable to stop at checkpoints to refill the bottles. This is very important because, by not wanting to lose a minute, you might end up losing five.

The rider’s weight If there are a lot of ‘tacks’ on the route, the thinner you get to it the better you will perform, because the greater the

HEALTH

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loss of fat weight, the more your VO2max will increase. Do not forget that, by doing this, more oxygen and food will get to your legs. Maximum V02max increase is a core value in endurance races. Similarly, weight loss will increase the power/weight ratio, so that you will cycle faster and that will in turn mean you’ll get better times.

should know that the risk of cramp, due to muscular exhaustion, could increase in the final stretches. Should you have some training time left before your next race, while you are reading this article, there’s still time for you to train strength and endurance, and that will help you to minimize the risk of cramps.

Race length This feature will set what your pace can be and how much you can push yourself. If you are well trained, you’ll be able to cycle at your maximum speed in limited-time races.

Bike fittings It’s better to have an extra cog rather than one short. As we have mentioned on many occasions, cadence is fundamental.

Using a bigger cog to cycle more smoothly is preferable. Otherwise, if you chose to leave the bigger one at home and decide to use a smaller one, not only will you end up clogging your way up and find pedalling tougher, but you’ll pay a high price for it.

White fibres play an excessive role. Being

Race topography If several ports are to be climbed along the route, you should keep control of your pulse in ascents even more. You

HEALTH

fibres of anaerobic nature, they will use up a great deal of glycogen in order to contract and you’ll be wasting energy unnecessarily. If you have not specifically trained for it (and even if you have), tough pedalling and clogging will eventually cause cramp due to muscle fatigue.

Knowing your anaerobic threshold This is basic in order to control your cycling potential, regardless if the reference threshold is power or pulse.

Ideally, you should perform a stress test.

However, if you can’t, a good way to find out is by testing yourself on a 20-minute ascent and checking what your average pulse ratio in those twenty minutes is. Try doing some previous warm-up with some intensity. The average pulsation obtained

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on that timed ascent will give you a rough idea of where your anaerobic threshold is.

Knowledge of the route You will not be the first, nor the last to have shot off at full speed to try and catch up with a group you can see in front and, when you are about to reach it, a ‘wall’ appears and you end up crawling up the road. Then, when one of the cyclists behind you rides past you, he’d say: ‘I already knew there was this steep stretch round the corner...’ Knowing every part of the route, if possible, can help you manage resources.

Once you know some of the factors that may influence your pace, the million dollar questions come:

HEALTH

Can I ride flat out?

Obviously, you can ride to your peak if you wish so. But there is a risk that you may brighten up the lush forest through which you will be riding and that your outbreak may be seen in several villages in the region.

Riding flat out or not will primarily depend on race length and on how fit you are. It is like having saved for the summer holidays throughout the year and splurging it all during the first two days.

Even if you have trained certain physical abilities, if you have not trained your anaerobic sufficiently or –in other wordsif you have not trained your anaerobic

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threshold extensively and intensively, your body will find it difficult to recycle the generating lactate quickly. At the end of the day, lactate is food for the muscle, but you must train so that the muscle can use it (recycling and consuming it) efficiently.

Unless you’re a real master, you will often find yourself having to go over your anaerobic threshold temporarily on steep slopes and ports if you want to go along with a group who are one point ahead of you. So, if you had not trained properly, you’d better keep a close eye on not exceeding your anaerobic threshold, except in the final meters of a steep slope and the final meters of a port. On a descent, you will recover.

HEALTH

So... what should my pulse be?

Ideally you should always ride within aerobic margins, both extensive (65% -80%) and intensive (80% -85%). Use intensive aerobics to climb up steep slopes and ports. Depending on how much you have trained, if things get tougher in the plain, you’ll be able to use the intensive aerobic zone (80% -85%) more.

The area above the anaerobic threshold should be overcome only exceptionally.

Should I forget about the heart rate monitor?

You can do without it if you know yourself very well and you are able to control your sensations or if you are riding the race in a ‘non-competitive’ way. However, the

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heart rate monitor is a very useful tool to control the pace and not to let you get carried away by euphoria. Although you may not look at it en route, it is advisable to carry it (you can cover up the screen with a sticker), and then draw conclusions for future commitments. You can have a look at your ‘lap’ in every port and later analyse how you rode up and your overall results.

Can I exceed the anaerobic threshold?

As we have said, let us not forget that a race is an aerobic test. After so many hours, it is practically impossible not to exceed the anaerobic threshold, but if you do, make it for as short as possible.

HEALTH

How should I climb up ports?

Whenever you can, with agility.

Damage to the muscle is much lower and muscles need to be looked after in long races. As for pulsation, ideally you should start the climb five beats below the anaerobic threshold. The effort itself will take you to the anaerobic threshold point.

Usually, if you decide to show off you will regret it and, riding up a port above the anaerobic threshold so as not to be left behind the group or to be in the lead, will pay its toll in future climbs. For example, climbing the first port at 175 beats (your threshold being 170 beats) you will be able to move 300 watts; climbing the next port at the same 175 beats, it is more than likely that you will only move 260W and, on the following port, it will be reduced to 250W. Therefore, making that additional effort is useless because, in the end, the group you wanted to ride along will ride away. If the race is lengthy and crosses several ports, you are more likely to get cramp at the end of the race.

JosĂŠ MarĂ­a Arguedas Photographs by TranspyRoad

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* Para el reembolso se aplican los términos y condiciones. Para consultar la información completa, visite www.tomtom.com/nextrace

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WHAT’S NEW

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NEW ASICS 33-DFA Imagine a completely new way of running. The road will feel closer than ever before, and with every stride you’re giving your lower legs a workout.

It shows results when you lace up your cushioned shoes for the rest of your running training. You can feel so much more through your feet and lower legs thanks to the low-to-the-ground midsole and 4mm heel drop. And it helps you find your most natural running style. Feel as much of the road as possible with an ultra-thin midsole and low heel drop. Become a stronger runner with Fluid Axis technology that lets your foot move in its natural way. Product features: California Slip Lasting: for stability and comfort. Upper is stitched around a canvas or EVA board and directly attached to the midsole.

Solyte® Midsole Material: A lighter weight midsole compound than Asics’ standard EVA and SpEVA®. Also features enhanced cushioning and durability.

Solid Rubber outsole: provides enhanced durability and traction. AHAR+: new blown AHAR outsole material. Delivers enhanced cushioning, durability and ride to the foot. FluidAxis: anatomically correct deep flex grooves have been aligned to the joints of the foot. This innovative construction enables the shoe to recognize, adapt, and respond to the athlete’s exact load and positional change from first impact to toe-off. Removable Sockliner: EVA sockliner moulded to the shape of the foot, which can be removed to accommodate a medical orthotic.

G8 PERFORMANCE INSOLES, SUSPENSION FOR YOUR FEET

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Archtech 2600 Pro: Constructed with the most advanced, compressed EVA, the 2600 Pro’s aggressive arch angle maximizes force transfer. Designed for technical sports where minimal foot movement is paramount, and direct power transfer with full sensation is essential. The 2600 Pro incorporates an inbuilt metatarsal pad and a solid narrow heel box to fit most technical shoes. Archtech 1800: Maximal energy transfer, less injury. A professional grade insole with 4 arch heights and 5 different positions per foot for a custom fit. Engineered with a wider heel box, built in metatarsal pad and extra heel cushioning for the pounding we created them for. Purpose built for court sports and boots.

Ignite: This is the ultimate in heat mouldable insoles. Heated with a hair dryer, the Ignite is fully customizable, ultra supportive and comfortable. These can be heated multiple times without any degradation in support. The Ignite is perfect for people on their feet all day or active youth with growing feet.

WHAT’S NEW

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POLAR V650, RIDE WITH CONFIDENCE Polar, a leading training heart rate monitors and GPS is now selling the new bike computer Polar V650, a device designed for demanding cyclists looking for a thorough analysis of your workouts to sustained progress maximizing their performance in each session.

Its main features are: 2.8” colour touch screen: Follow every detail of your ride on the large 2.8” colour touch screen. You can arrange the information on the display as you like and choose which details are shown during training.

Integrated GPS: Track your speed, distance and route with the integrated GPS. It follows your preplanned routes as well as the ones you’ve previously recorded or shared at the Polar Flow web service.

Built-in barometer: Besides the most accurate altitude data, you get to see your real-time VAM (the average ascent speed). It shows how many meters you climb per hour (vertical meters per hour).

Safety light: Ride safely also in low-light conditions. The intelligent LED light turns on automatically when needed.

ASSOS LAUNCHES ITS FIRST MTBSPECIFIC HIGH PERFORMANCE SHORTS Assos have succeeded, creating MTB shorts the likes of which did not exist before the Assos Off-Roadrally line. Many little innovations specifically designed for MTB and Offroad applications are at the heart of these shorts. Many little innovations specifically designed for Mtb & OffRoad applications are at the core of these shorts. One of the key features is the impactPads, specifically developed for T. Rally Shorts. What makes them special is their slim Fit, they are not bulky, rigid and big, but light and flexible, designed with the racer in mind. Made of visco elastic polyurethane foam and 8mm thick, our impact pads are designed to help protect you without sacrificing riding comfort or inhibiting performance.

Their construction is robust, light and flexible, with a perforated surface to increase breathability and a shape designed to give you freedom of movement. Please accept our impactPads won’t save your life, but they are designed to reduce the pain and suffering that will come from the inevitable crash. What if you want to ride without our impactPads? You can! Simply remove them from their positioning pockets and you have a bib short designed to perform to Assos standards on your mountain bike.

WHAT’S NEW

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WINNER IN THE FOOTWEAR CATEGORY SPEED ASCENT There’s speed that can scare you – and there’s speed that you can trust. With double-row lacing and an overlapping tongue for perfect foothold, this is speed you can trust with your life – and you’ll be going further with our own Take-Off technology, a pre-setted position for the toes, and Vibram’s Rolling Gait System: a rocker-shaped sole for quicker and safer rolling. You’ll want to roll with Speed Ascent. Trust us.

Benefits: ventilation, climbing performance y cushioning.

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BODY BOTTLE PLUS It’s time to try a bigger soft bottle. The new Body Bottle Plus is larger - with a capacity of up to 17 oz of fluid - yet still fits into all of our vests. The lid now has a lock option and a much bigger opening, allowing you to easily add ice cubes or powdered energy mix. Super comfortable, the soft flask conforms to your body - reduces sloshing, bouncing, and rubbing!

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Pliable - conforms to any shape. Cleanable - can be placed in dishwasher. Hi-Flow Bite Valve.

Weight: 1.4 oz/34g. Fluid Capacity: 17 oz/503 mL. Material: BPA-Free TPU

WHAT’S NEW

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ZOGGS FX1 WETSUIT New to the Triathlon and open water market in 2015 the range of Zoggs wetsuits include their unique flex technology concept giving unrivalled comfort and fit that they already provide in their range of Predator Flex goggles.

Designed for the regular and accomplished swimmer, the FX1, Fx2 y FX3, delivers unrivalled flexibility, drag resistance and buoyancy in a fantastic looking suit.

The flexibility comes from the Ultra Flex Panel in the upper body with a super stretch lining into the arms, giving you maximum freedom of movement in the arms and shoulders.

The combination of the Yamamoto 39 cell neoprene with Super Composite Skin reduces friction for a high level of drag resistance and terrific buoyancy right where you need it.

GRIFONE TODI JACKET: A TECHNICAL OR A SPORT SHIRT? High features technical jacket. It can also be used as a next-to-skin garment. Features: flatlock seams, one chest pocket and two side pockets, and mao collar with long central zip. Slightly longer on the back area.

Fabric feature body-hugging 2-way stretch and is very breathable. It keeps you dry and provide warmth without weight. The fabrics feature a proprietary construction with two unique surfaces: the durable nylon outer layer is wind -and abrasionresistant, the soft inner layer pulls moisture away from your skin keeping you dry.

Colors: purple, orange, green, red, sky blue and black.

Sizes: S-2XL.

Vèrtic a:

TEST

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INOV-8 RACE ULTRA 290 THE NEW ULTRA RACE STARS

TEST

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The Race Ultra 290 were destined to be a success because they were launched shortly after the Outdoor Retailer in spring 2014 and were awarded a gold medal in the sports shoe category in IPSO Munich 2014. In addition, they have been named “best overall” in various categories by several specialized reviews.

Do they honour their aura of fame? Is it well-deserved or is it just hype? Let’s analyse them thoroughly and judge for yourselves.

They are the first shoes that Inov-8 has developed specifically for the longdistance and ultra trail athlete, and are said to be ‘the first shoes that eat hard miles for breakfast.’ They are the firstever shoes to suit everyone: those who want to go all out in an ultra race and those who want to take things easy.

They are a near perfect pairing, capable of meeting such requirements without forgetting the core values of the brand: promoting the foot’s natural function, flexibility and lightness without the loss of proprioception.

THE MIDSOLE The INOV-8 Race Ultra 290 break away from Inov-8 standards and have a higher midsole than those customary in the brand: 26 millimetres in the heel and 17 millimetres in the forefoot area, with a 9 millimetre drop (slightly higher than the expected 6 millimetres because of the two chevrons). It is made of medium/high stiffness injected EVA; the overall feel is quite firm and delivers greater stability, durability and resistance to fatigue and optimal performance on soft surfaces.

Sensations are rather strange at first because their height feels like that of conventional running shoes, but the feeling of firmness that they convey will remind you of the most minimalist models. Also, they need to be run in for a few kilometres for them to unveil, for the materials to reveal their true characteristics. So, after two or three wears you will start to perceive something different: flexibility increases, cushioning softens...

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The midsole is quite simple, almost symmetrical and has no additional support in the arch area. Front and rear cushioning are noticeably different: cushioning in the heel is firm and relatively abundant, while cushioning in the forefoot is much firmer due to the reduced thickness of the midsole and the presence of Meta-Shank III. Meta-Shank III is a polymer structure within the midsole that controls stiffness, contouring and flexibility whilst retaining underfoot impact protection. It is not a traditional rock-proof foot bed but a structure that begins in the heel area

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and divides into five separate fingers that align with each individual metatarsal for increased benefit from the ‘Windlass Effect’ (tension and extension mechanism of the underfoot fascia).

It mimics the Fascia Band positioned on the outsole and helps to control flexion, delivering a kick of energy with each step that pushes the foot forward at high speed.

Finally, it also features a Meta-Flex groove, which is anatomically aligned in front of the metatarsal heads to provide a natural forefoot flex, right where the metatarsals end and the toes start.

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Performance is very balanced, with great contouring strength, stiffness at the rear, good flex at the front, very smooth dynamics and offers a very fast transition step.

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The entire outsole is made of a rather thick rubber layer; not a bit of EVA is left uncovered. Therefore, the outsole should have a lifespan of a good number of kilometres. Having tested them and observed their wear, we can certify this.

It offers magnificent performance on all surfaces and terrains. If anything, performance may not excel on highly muddy or greasy grounds due to outsole pattern or size.

To us it seemed like a highly balanced outsole that scores top marks in all ‘subjects’: durability, grip and feel, which is noteworthy. The fact that they delivered sensory feedback from the trail –it is notably perceived- without any sense of discomfort also drew our attention.

THE OUTSOLE Inov-8 has a history of always making good quality outsoles and, although the Race Ultra 290 have been devised for long-distance wear, they feature prominent outsoles (4 mm) that will perform proficiently on technical terrains.

LACING SYSTEM Three compounds have been used to bring together resilience and grip. In red, a compound delivering greater grip on impact, drive and shock areas. The other two are both in black, but there is an area delivering even greater ruggedness at the start of the heel (the Terradapter outsole).

UPPER AND SHOE LAST The shoe upper is very good but could score ‘a higher mark’ and perform better if the fit were a bit snugger on the foot.

It’s not a poor fit because the shoes deliver excellent performance for their purpose (their generous-fitting last affords the foot to swell and that is

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appreciated after three or four hours), but on technical terrains a much snugger fit would be preferred. They are a bit too roomy, especially on the forefoot area, and don’t taper down enough in the metatarsal region.

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back collar is medium cushioned and bends nicely wrapping the malleolus and enhances tendon protection, as it is wide and soft. The outer side of heel area has been protected with a very cool synthetic detail decorated with various isohypses (contours).

Two unique on-the-shoe gaiter attachment systems are found in this rear area. A third attachment point is located at one of the lace crossings. The gaiter does not come with the shoe and must be purchased separately. It is 90% polyester and 10% polyamide; it is very thin, slightly elastic and only 18 grams in weight. It is about ten centimetres high; it is not waterproof but does not soak up too much water. By the way, we tried on the gaiters on the Inov-8 Race Ultra wearing ‘no show’ (invisible) socks and, curiously enough, a great feeling of freedom and freshness was achieved, without losing any of the usual gaiter protection.

The toe bumper features abundant reinforcement and extends into a rand that wraps entirely around the shoe to the heel area, both on the outside and the inside, for enhanced protection from impact and friction. The midfoot box is simple and provides fine adjustment, even to narrow feet. The tongue is made of a smoother, cushioned fabric and is gusseted three quarters of the way back to keep the feet free from grit, stones or lace blisters and to prevent it from slipping to the side. The laces are flat and feature excellent slide and cinching, but that also occurs during bundling, so a double knot is needed to prevent any loosening. A mechanism to store excess laces is missing, which is a drawback.

The heel box is medium-width-plus but fits the foot very well. The average-height

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The mesh is soft and offers good breathability even though it looks so thick. Despite not being waterproof protection, it dries quickly. We thought the Inov-8 Race Ultra lacked reflective bands.

Their outside materials are soft to the touch, but the inside feel is even better and they can be used without socks. They feature a 3 mm X–STATIC foot bed with silver thread fibres to hinder the growth of bacteria and keep both debris and odours at bay. To vary the feel we tested the shoes with thinner 4 mm EVA insoles -4 mm forefoot and 8mm heel- and they were more comfortable but without omitting their other properties, e.g. performance.

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DYNAMICS They are specifically designed for very long distances, whatever the terrain (preferably upto mid-level but they perform well on all) and at medium pacing, although they can do more, if necessary.

They are comfortable to walk, run or jog in at a trotting pace and on flat asphalted areas; on trails, grass or rocky terrains; on ascents and descents; on meandering singletracks or wide tracks and they even feel comfortable on asphalt.

They do not feature any support piece, the shoe is stable by design. They are noticeably very stable because you

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don’t feel too high up, cushioning is rather short, the base is rather big and holds the foot firmly. The only possible source of instability comes from the roomy last that allows some lateral movement. This amplitude can be a plus for people with bulky feet.

As for their weight, they are, in theory, 290 grams without the insole, because that is the premise which Inov-8 to claims all its running shoes are. However, the scale indicated 280 grams without insoles and 300 grams with insoles for the USA 9 we tested.

Finally, note that there is a specific model for women and they have not simply changed colours. Instead, the different requirements that men and women generally have in foot morphology or weight distribution have also been considered.

Morath (Rodrigo Borrego)

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ApĂşntate a todas nuestras actividades gratuitas de running y trail running

Todo lo que necesitas para caminar, correr y viajar por el medio natural.

Villarroel, 184 | 08036 BARCELONA | T. 93 419 20 00 | intemperie@intemperie.es | www.intemperie.net

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RUNNING AROUND

DUSHANBE HALF MARATHON, A REAL ADVENTURE

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Over the last six Aprils, Dushanbe, the capital of Tadjikistan, holds the most important half-marathon in Central Asia. This fact, along with the substantial prize awarded to the first six men and the first six women, makes it a favourite destination for runners of neighbouring (and not so neighbouring) countries.

Athletes from the former Soviet republics (Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan) as well as Russians, Iranians, Indians, Afghans and Ukrainians make up an interesting mix of cultures to which other athletes have recently joined (Kenyans since last year) and also myself, representing Spain.

A simple layout, which hides many difficulties

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Tajikistan is the smallest country in Central Asia and more than 50% of its national territory is located at 3,000 meters above sea level. Although it offers little to tourism, the Pamir mountainous area has great appeal for trekkers and is a destination for those wishing to climb summits above and beyond 7,000 meters.

Also, Tadjikistan is on the famous Silk Route and these two are perhaps the only reasons why foreigners feel encouraged to visit this country: either the mountains or the Silk Route.

Visiting Tajikistan is relatively easy, if you have the time, although the limited number of flight connections makes it

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a rather expensive journey. To enter the country a visa is required, which can be obtained in the arrivals hall of Dushanbe airport (a very simple procedure if you have been given a letter of invitation) or at the few delegations that the country has throughout the world.

Once in the country, the cost per person per day is relatively cheap.

Hotels of different categories abound in the capital (although prices are standard) and eating cheaply is very easy if you are not too fussy about food. There are plenty of street stalls where traditional meat dishes (beef, mainly), rice and bread-derived foods can be tasted. Soups with bits of pasta, vegetables or meat are also served.

And, the transport used to move around is the marshrutka: a collective bus, which honks it’s horn and calls in all directions to attract new passengers. A quick and cheap system if you know where you are going and the destination of each marshrutka.

Dushanbe is located about 800 meters above sea level and has a continental climate, with cold winters and extremely hot summers. It is surrounded by 3,000 and 4,000 meters high mountains, which turn the capital into a rather green valley, where ornamental fountains and urban parks abound. In fact, there large green areas in the city to go for a rest or for walks, as well as ostentatious buildings and giant monuments in an effort to demonstrate unparalleled power. Some examples of this are: the presidential palace (which is said to have cost more than a whole year’s budget for health), the National Library or the mast holding the flag of

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An unusual race with unusual prizes

the Republic of Tadjikistan, proclaimed the tallest mast in the world. It should be noted that as from 1991 the country was no longer part of the USSR and, just a year later, a civil war began, which lasted until 1997. Since then, and although it is still a country with certain shortcomings, the government has tried to convey strength and authority. And the Tajik people have responded with patriotism, convinced that the future will smile back at them. Not in vain, it is a country of great natural wealth and one of the most important in the generation of hydroelectric power, thanks to its mountains.

As for its neighbouring countries, relations are complex. While countries like Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan are very close and friendly, ostentatious Uzbek tries to make life impossible for small

Tajikistan. And Turkmenistan, remains in its tightly sealed world protected by the wealth provided by minerals and prefering not to interfere in the problem.

But let’s talk about the race.

The Dushanbe Half Marathon is the straightest race I have ever participated in. It starts off heading south for a kilometre, makes a U-turn and then goes up Hofiz Sherozi Avenue until just over half the race. At that point, after turning right and going up a fairly steep hill, it connects with Rudaki Avenue and continues along it for almost 10 kilometres to the finishing line. A simple layout, which hides many difficulties.

The first kilometres are peaceful and even enjoyable, by the river Varzob and with the snowy peaks of the Fan mountains on the horizon. The terrain is

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mostly flat but the asphalt is of the worst quality imaginable: bumps, rocks, ruts, puddles... Luckily, after halfway through the race the terrain improves, but then the ‘slides’ begin. Rudaki Avenue, named after the greatest exponent of Tajik literature, is a continuous roller coaster with ascents and descents; something like the Behobia-San Sebastián or the Boston Marathon, to name a couple of similar examples.

The Kilometres are theoretically marked on the ground in bright yellow. However, they are difficult to spot, as there are no vertical signals. This detail, coupled with the difficulty of making any visual references for lack of bends, turns the Dushanbe Half Marathon into a blind race against the clock. Only right at the end of the route, upon reaching Rudaki park, you can sense that the finishing line is near.

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This is how this half marathon, which has few remarkable elements but a departure and an arrival archway, finishes. It is not possible to know your final position or your running time either, because runners do not carry a chip or a timing device. In short: an unusual race with unusual prizes ($3,500 for the winner in the men’s category and the winner in the women’s category), with a straight but misleading layout, in an attractive but unknown country. It is not worth travelling there just to run the race but I do encourage you to take part in it if you are nearby. At the end of the day, it is a festive gathering and we all like a party.

Marc Roig

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THE LINE BETWEEN LOVE AND HATRED

Hearing of the Cape Epic is like hearing about an epic adventure with everything that it entails: pushing the body physically and mentally to the limit with only one goal in mind: finishing it.

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The Cape Epic is a race you could fall in love with but, like any love, you must suffer and fight to conquer the relationship. Since the first edition of this stage race -a reference in the world for organizers and Mountain Bike lovers-, the dream to take part in it and to live the experience first-hand, has been hovering over my head incessantly. But, for various reasons it did not come true until this year.

Teammate and Buff Pro Team manager Pau Zamora had told me hundreds of times ‘Antoñito, you must race the Cape, you must experience the Cape!’ He was

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damn right... Now I understand why people race it over and over again after going through so much ‘suffering’. After completing a first edition, another idea comes to mind: getting the coveted award, which Absa Cape Epic organizers have called AMABUBESI and symbolizes that you have completed the race at least 3 times.

The Absa Cape Epic is an appealing race that seduces you from the very moment you know you will be riding in such an attractive country like South Africa.

But the moment you collect your dorsal number and you feel the atmosphere

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Amabubesi, the coveted award of the Cape Epic around you is when this race most captivates you. Why is the atmosphere so different? Well, it can be compared to that of the Tour de France, it is a great race and that greatness can be sensed in the atmosphere.

In the Absa Cape Epic, a very modest detail such as the dorsal number, which merely displays your participant number, is also special. Organizers have left a space on the bottom right part of the back dorsal number to write each rider’s country of origin, the so-called AMABUBESI award and the number of races that you have been able to finish.

Mine read ‘NOVICE’. Checking how

many riders were AMABUBESI, who were novices and how many Cape races each had been able to complete would become one of my entertainments in some moments of the race. As crazy as it may sound, I saw dorsal numbers with the number 8 on them, yes number 8!

Completing the Cape eight times is really something!

The fact that it is limited to 1,200 participants (600 2-member teams) turns the Absa Cape Epic into a desired race for Mountain Bike lovers, but the most beautiful and emotional part of it is that the 1,200 riders live in a nomadic village for 8 days, where every little detail

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has been taken care of, and where both professionals and amateurs have the same privileges and a common challenge: to finish and enjoy the race and fulfil a dream.

Every day is a challenge, a challenge that is not only conditioned by each rider’s physical shape. I have raced in many competitions throughout the world, racing at different levels and in different formats; XC races, CX races, World Championships, European Championships, World Cups, marathons and various stage races, but the Cape is a race that puts your physical and mental

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strength to the test and where equipment plays an important role. You may wonder why? The equipment is important in any race, sure, but the long-distance stages of the Cape coupled with an extremely demanding terrain makes it paramount to take care of your equipment in your quest to cross the finish line on the last day.

Days in the Cape are long but productive.

The bagpipe ‘guy’, a man who walks through the camp playing loud music to wake everybody up, shows up at 5:00 a.m.

This ‘alarm clock’ draws some friendly smiles on the first days, but it turns into a torture as days go by. The daily built up

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fatigue added to the early wake up call, makes it rather unpleasant.

Up and ready at 07:00 a.m. Stages start off at this time every day. The good side of starting so early is the incredible light and the spectacular sunrises that you can enjoy in the first hours of the race. The light is different then. It creates colour contrasts difficult to see in many other parts of the world. And, if you are lucky enough to enjoy a sea of clouds after crowning the first climb –like we were-, then the experience is sublime.

After starting each stage –with its ensuing agony and suffering-, the next thing that crosses your mind is to reach the finish line, to reach the finish line safely; to add another stage trying, at all times, to enjoy the landscape and the route, and to catch sight of as many images as possible, something which becomes a difficult challenge when hours go by and exhaustion and fatigue begin to take their toll.

The daily, added unevenness of the different stages of the Cape is not what scares you the most. The pace is what is really painful; the bulk of kilometres and hours pedalling along broken and demanding terrains that torture the body one kilometre after another.

Seeing the finish line archway every day is like seeing your best friend. 30 seconds after crossing the archway with a feeling of agony and an exhausted body, every moment of suffering is automatically erased from your head and the best images and the most fun parts of the stage

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remain -as if saved on a hard disk-. It is like arriving in Paradise. After washing and cooling down with some wet towels provided by the organizers immediately after crossing the finishing line, you are taken to a tent cooled with sprayed water, with some sofas with cushions where you can relax and become human again.

This tent is the prelude to a relaxing afternoon. You can eat and drink as much as you like; you exchange the first impressions with other riders and then‌ off to the shower.

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Life in that great itinerant village starts just then and it is, undoubtedly, the best part of the day. If you wish to do so, you may go to the huge tents to rest and recover from the stress of the day after the shower. It is there, where the relationship with the other participants starts; where riders of all levels and nationalities exchange stories of all kinds. You can spend some time on the Internet, check your bike, prepare the bottles for the checkpoints the next day and have dinner. This is how you can spend the afternoon before going off to

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the tent to sleep, because the next day, the bagpipe ‘guy’ will play the wake up call at 5:00 a.m. again.

The arrival in Meerendal... Meerendal is a huge private property of hundreds of hectares with a winery, restaurant, hotel, Bike Park and recreation area. Getting there becomes the most precious trophy.

Reaching Meerendal in good physical shape and being able to say: ‘I’ve made it in the Absa Cape Epic’, is the reward for all the hard work.

For me that was a bittersweet moment.

The sweet part was that I had managed to finish the Cape; the sour one was that I had to finish a team race alone.

My teammate and friend David Rovira,

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can say he has attained the AMABUBESI award, but this time a nasty fall in stage 4 forced him out of the race. After the fall, he struggled to set out the next day, but a cracked rib made it impossible for him to continue the race and, consequently, I lost my travelling mate. When such an incident takes place, organizers allow you to stay in the race, albeit out of classification. Now, the challenge is to go back and cross the finishing line hand in hand with my teammate.

Antonio Ortiz Photographs by Dominic Barnadt, Sportograf, Nick Muzik, Gary Perkin, Ewald Sadie, Cape Epic Sportzpics

Reaching Meerendal was the most precious trophy

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MARATHON DES SABLES, A RACE FOR ENTHUSIASTS WITH PRIVILEGED LEGS

Ester Amills is a woman who is passionate about sports who dares to attempt any sporting event. This year she decided to contest the quintessential desert race: Marathon Des Sables.

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I signed up for Marathon Des Sables and I had 10 months to get ready for it. All I had was the eagerness to do it, lots of it and little else... The rest would take shape in the following months and with the help of my husband Pablo, who was taking part in it for the 4th time.

As the day was getting nearer, I remember feeling I wasn’t training enough or wasn’t doing it right. But I must admit that the eagerness, nerves, confusion and the fear of the unknown motivated me instead of scaring me. The fact that it is a race of self-sufficiency meant that I would have to choose the right things to carry in the backpack so that it wouldn’t weigh too much.

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In the midst of it all I was contacted by Compressport and was offered their help with sportswear. My thanks to Liliana and Jordi. We also contacted Delia, a friend of Pablo’s, so that she would join our Team together with Liliana, and that gave me the opportunity to share a thousand things with them before starting the adventure.

Stage 1: Jebel IRHS / Oued Tijekht: 36,2 km And, all of a sudden... there I was, in the desert, at the starting line with spotless clothes on, a 7,5-kg backpack, with Pablo and many other people I had met previously. The song Highway to hell started to play and race director Patrick Bauer, from inside a 4x4, wished all the

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“The non-stop stage, the longest ever in the 30 editions of Marathon Des Sables runners good luck. I admit that I could not help shedding some tears of emotion; I kissed Pablo and started jogging. I knew I would not see him again until the finishing line at the end of each stage.

That was my own venture and I had to go through it all alone, we both had agreed to do it this way.

I jogged for about 50’ and I realized I would not be able to last much longer.

worked. I tried to combine trotting with a gentler pace and I think this more or less worked. I began to meet people I was familiar with and chatted with some of them. I recognized I was right where I had been longing to be for a long time. At all times I knew that when I would cross the finishing archway Pablo would be there waiting for me and that filled me with enthusiasm.

The heat, the weight of the backpack on my back, the sand and the dunes… All of that was hindering me to run at the right pace. So, I began to mentally divide the stage into checkpoints knowing that each one was at 12 km. This strategy

I finished the stage with a few blisters, hungry and tired, all the usual but, what a joy! Now it was time to treat my feet, eat and try to relax as best as I could. My haima mates were all happy.

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Stage 2: Oued Tijekht / Jebel El Otfal: 31,1 km I knew what was ahead and had no fear, though I did feel respect for the stage. I knew I would make it. There I was, crossing the dunes and chatting with people I had only met a few days before but felt I had known for a long time. Some of these people would later be the key to achieve my ultimate goal.

I reached the last checkpoint located 12 km away from the finishing line but I had left my water bottle on the ground. It stayed there and I did not realize it until I had drank all the water in the second bottle. There was 8 km to go. It was very hot; there were more dunes, more blisters‌ My head began to play tricks on me. I was alone. I thought about asking for water but I felt ashamed about what had happened and I considered it unfair to do so. I carried on and kept telling myself it was just over 2 km to the finishing line. A young man noticed my discomfort and offered me his water.

Only one km to go; it was never-ending. I reached the finishing line dehydrated and with two more blisters but Pablo was there, waiting to hug me. I felt the joy of having completed another stage.

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Stage 3: Jebel El Otfal / Jebel Zireg: 36,7 km I felt tired and had sore feet. I had no idea what that stage would be like; I had not looked at the road book. In fact, I never do. On the way I came across the 9 friendly members of the Desigual Team and ran alongside them for much of the stage. We talked, laughed and explained a thousand stories about salt tablets, sweat, lots of sand and amazing scenery.

I gradually began to feel better and finally started jogging alone, reaching the finishing line of the stage without any pain or setback. Of course, in my head I kept hearing a voice that reminded me of the non-stop stage of the following

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day, the longest ever in the 30 editions of Marathon des Sables. Pablo was at the finishing line again, he pulled my ponytail laughing and said: ‘Blondie, you get here earlier every day!’ Once at the camp I could feel the tension between the laughs and chatting: we all had the following day in mind. My teammate Liliana came in after me and told us she was abandoning.

She has just got over an injury and did not feel she had fully recovered. What a pity! Delia, my other teammate was the first Spanish woman in the rankings and Portuguese Carla was having a good race.

There were only three of us left in the team; there mustn’t be another casualty.

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Stage 4: Jebel Zireg / Jdaid: 91,7 km I had never run or even walked for more than 50 km. I came across Desigual Team member David and asked him if his team would accept ‘adopting’ me, and would allow me to do the stage with them. I was welcomed! I knew they would walk but I also knew theirs was a lighter and more constant pace. At the starting line I glanced at Pablo and saw his face looking confused. I knew he doubted I would be able to complete the stage. Still, he smiled and kissed me and said: ‘Be strong!’ and he disappeared.

We started walking as far as the first CP at 14 km. We were all together but 3 km from the following checkpoint I started to have bad sensations. I stayed behind. Upon reaching the checkpoint, David told me they would rest for 5 ‘. He threw a bottle of water over my head, gave me one of his gels and told me to carry on nonstop; they would catch up with me later. I gradually turned the situation around; I got myself together and started to run at a good pace. 9 km later they caught up with me and I stayed with them until CP3, where we filled our water bottles and continued. We did 12 km more and then decided to stop at the next checkpoint for dinner.

We would rest for 30’, only 30’...

I fell asleep on the spot. A voice immediately woke me up: ‘Get up Esther, come on!’ It was very cold and I could not see anything because of the sandstorm. I found it difficult, but I pulled myself

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together, put on some warm clothes, turned on the front headlamp and carried on forward. Night time gradually came, placidly and the moon shone brightly.

That was a magical moment... our profile was drawn to perfection on the dunes; we switched off the headlamps and continued running.

We reached the checkpoint at km 63; we did not stop; we still had a long way ahead of us. We got to CP6 very tired and rested for 30’. I laid down on the icy sand in my sleeping bag because the haimas were full. 30’ minutes later they were all up; I could not get up and asked them to carry on, trying to hide my discomfort. I saw them leave and I collapsed. There, at 19 km from the finishing line, my ordeal

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to began. I cried helplessly, I cried with rage… I just wanted to finish but did not know how. 2 hours later I started to walk really slowly. Day had dawned and had brought the insistent heat with it. I could not even look up. I kept saying to myself there was only one last CP to go, one more step, one more step... I could hardly see anyone and started to mentally calculate the number of kilometres left for the last checkpoint. I stopped seeing road signs or other runners. After 45 ‘I realized I had got lost and I despaired.

After a while I saw a 4x4 approaching; they were looking for me and showed me the right way. I immediately asked them to contact Pablo and tell him that I was okay. At 10:30 am the next day I saw Spanish photographer Covadonga. I was

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I knew I would make it! How, I didn’t know

speechless and gave her a long hug. Cova asked me not to stop and accompanied me for a while. I think I had never before been so happy to walk beside someone.

500 meters later I caught sight of the camp. I crossed the finishing line and there was Pablo who could not hold back his tears this time.

Stage 5: Jdaid / Kourci Dial Zaid: 42,2 km I knew I would make it! How, I didn’t know. Delia was still the leading Spanish woman and ran alongside Pablo and Juanlu. I set out and jogged for 20’. The heat was unbearable and, although the backpack weighed much less I felt very tired mentally. I had decided to do the

stage alone, as it was the last one. I lost a gaiter... I hoped there wouldn’t be much sand or it would be an ordeal. I laughed when I imagined what I looked like: very dirty clothes, impossible hair, one gaiter on, the other one missing. I tried not to think; I got into my world and let kilometres go by. I tried to jog but I wasn’t able to. I knew it was all in my head but I could not ask my body for more. More dunes came and I managed as well as I possibly could. I crawled and it took me about 10 hours to complete the stage. My forgetfulness and frustration was such that I even forgot that, upon crossing the finishing line that day,

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I would become a finisher, and so a medal would hang around my neck. I tried to find the motivation but could not get it; I didn’t talk to anyone; I ran alone. It was not until 200 m before crossing the finishing line that I became aware that I had made it.

Pablo jumped on me on the way; I hadn’t even seen him coming. He hugged me, kissed me, clinged to my neck and whispered: ‘you have made it!’ It was an hour to the finishing line.

I crossed the finishing line and all my friends were there. Covadonga gave me the medal. Suddenly, everything changed, everything made sense; that was the ending that I wanted.

Everyone was happy; everyone hugged

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and congratulated each other. What I experienced that day is difficult to express.

Stage 6: CHARITY UNICEF-11,5 Km There was joy and excitement about running all together. Pablo looked at me, pulled my ponytail and said: ‘Don’t you even dream about walking! Let’s run!’

And I did the 7 km before reaching the dunes rather easily; it’s all in the mind.

4.4 kilometres more of dunes and we all crossed the finishing line holding hands.

Haima17, always in my heart!

Ester Amills Photographs by Cimbaly/Covadonga Cué/ V. Campagne/E.Sampers/MDS 2105

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IN LA MISIÓN…GETTING THERE IS WINNING

Anne Kirschenmann is addicted to long distance races. On this occasion, she took part in La Misión, a real adventure of 160 km with a climb of 8,000D+ in Patagonia, where participants make a sublime effort to reach the finishing line.

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I’ve been running for almost 22 hours when I see Adriaan by the side of the road. That’s not right. He’s supposed to finish hours and hours ahead of me, have a shower, a nice dinner and then be in bed when I sneak in after midnight. I’ve even left my pyjamas laid out, so as not to wake him. But this is not the time to think of pyjamas and beds; I still have 50 km to go. He looks a little funny with his buff, covering as much of his head a possible to protect himself from the sun. And he’s smiling. ‘My feet are a mess. But I want to continue,’ he assures. ‘And, by the way, you’re the 3rd woman in the race.’

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This is the 10th edition of La Misión, and we are lucky with the weather. It’s sunny, warm and dry. There have been quite a few editions where snow, wind and cold have made the going very tough. Over the years the race has evolved from a selfsufficient orienteering ordeal into a semiautonomous endeavour on a well-marked trail. This is, in part, because people kept getting lost. The race is still one of remoteness. The Nahel Huapi National Park does not have huts or parking lots.

The trails are not signposted. There are only two aid stations in 160 km, on the only two occasions where you hit a road.

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Being an authentic adventure, it is well worth the travel In addition to what one would normally pack as “required equipment”, you need to carry a sleeping bag, a bevy bag and a helmet, to be worn “above the treeline”. Some people carry a tent, and that illustrates another feature of this unique race: the time limit is just over three days, so you can do it as a (still quite strenuous) hiking and camping trip.

There are many beautiful camping spots along the way. Although the landscape is dry and dusty, there are streams and rivers everywhere. The views are breathtaking. The mountains are volcanic, have interesting shapes and are topped with rock, white sand and scree. The lakes are deep blue and the valleys filled

with forests and small grassy clearings.

At the same time the environment is harsh.

Up to camp two, I’ve made pretty good progress. I have been able to run most of the flats and downhills, hiking the ascents. The night was clear with magnificent stars. Twice I decided to lie down and rest for 10 minutes. I didn’t spend much time at camp one. The air was so dry, that my mouth was parched and eating was difficult. Crossing the rivers, at first I tried to keep my feet dry, but wading in knee deep water was finally unavoidable. Just before daybreak I caught up to Tania. She was lying by a fire, made by one of the patrolwoman.

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There were quite a few patrolmen and women, who registered out start-numbers as we passed. Tania passed me uphill, as we took off our headlamps, but I caught her on the downhill. Together we descended through the woods. Finally, we hit the road, I stopped to take off my long pants, and just after, I caught up with Adriaan.

Adriaan and I stick together from camp two onwards. We plod our way up deep volcanic scree, on an undulating ridge in the hot bright sun. Surprisingly, there is still packed snow under the scree. In the valleys, on anything that might have been flat, the trail is cut continuously by steep gulches, each time accounting for another 3 to 5 meters “denivelé”. Dwarf-bamboo rips away at socks and bare thighs.

By this time, runners are quite spread out, although we do pass some people that are doing the half distance. Tania is out of sight and I’m not too bothered. It looks like we will be finishing within my goal of 40 hours. Maybe we’ll even get in before midnight. After leaving the Cerro O’Connor, at 1900m the highest point in the race, it takes a very long time before we find a river to cool our feet. I decide to bathe completely, rinsing dust and salt out of my clothes. As the afternoon comes to an end, we continue uphill.

I remember there are a few small peaks still to come. I’m getting really sleepy now, and the thought of crawling into my sleeping bag is tempting. We stop as often as necessary to empty sand from our shoes. I think we’ve climbed the peaks, but those were just a few

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bumps. After a loop through field, we cross a river and start up a rocky outcrop.

As it gets dark the wind picks up. I can see the reflective markers now, quite far ahead, climbing up the twin peaked Cerro Buol. At the top, the wind is howling, and in the dark the descent looks incredibly steep. Scree mixed with sharp slate rocks makes the descent uncomfortable. At the foot of the descent, we empty our shoes, one last time.

The decision to pick-up-the-pace-andget-this-over-with is easily reversed when it becomes apparent that speed is only being simulated. I suddenly realize Adriaan is jogging and I am walking along behind him, which, again, is all wrong.

We get to the dirt road, but the hike into

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town is much longer than we remember.

Finally, running down main street Villa la Angostura we are recognized as “Los Ollandeses” (we may well be the only Europeans in the race). At the finishing line, they play a triumphant jingle. We are very, very happy to have finished. It’s 00:54, and it has taken us 36h35min to finish. “Mission completed”.

Practical notes The race is held in February, which is off-season for Europeans, but being an Authentic Adventure, it is well worth the travel. I think it would be super as a “first time 100 miler”, because you don’t have to worry about cut-off times, but there are enough people racing that you can be competitive if you want.

It’s 00:54, and it has taken us 36h 35min to finish.

‘Mission completed’

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One does have to be comfortable in the mountains, though. It is expected that if you give up, you will still be able to get yourself to the road: no shuttle busses back to the start. The race organisation is very strict about the required gear: items checked at registration are labelled for checking along the route. Most of the people checking had seen me at registration, and even knew exactly what I had in my bag.

hiking opportunities. It is two hours flight to San Carlos de Bariloche from Buenos Aires, then an hour drive.

Villa la Angostura is a wonderful little tourist village with lots of shops and restaurants, great places to stay and eat.

The lake is right there, with beaches and

Anne Kirschenmann Photographs by La Misi贸n

We did a day trip to Villa Traful, where camp one was. Along the lake there are nice family campsites with lovely beaches.

I had visited the area once before, and fell in love with the lakes, mountains, rivers and woods. I do hope to go back again, some day.

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ULTRA MARATHON IN THE POLAR CIRCLE

Taking part in the Ice Ultra Beyond last year was not enough for Xavi Marina... This year he decided to enrol in the 150 km Rovaniemi Arctic Winter Race, a non-stop self-sufficiency race.

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I prepared workouts much better and selected the materials with great care.

In the last nine weeks of training, I ran more than 1,000 km to prepare my legs for snow, ice or whatever I would find in the Arctic. The best thing I did was to buy a pair of good snowshoes.

Three days before the race, the four warriors (Tony Andrades, Cyrus Parvine, Antonio de Castro and I) met at Helsinki airport and there we took the plane to Rovaniemi, the capital of the Arctic.

From the very moment we arrived we were amazed by the climate. The ground was all frozen, the roads invisible... It’s another world.

Those previous days became a fantastic opportunity to acclimatize, to get familiar

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with the weather and to choose the most appropriate clothes for the race.

During the briefing on pre-race day, we clearly saw it was not going to be easy.

While showing us the profile, the race director warned us that it would be a “leg breaking” race. He was absolutely right! The 3,000 meters of added altitude difference forecasted a tough race.

Another amazing thing we had to do was to prepare the “pulka”, a kind of sled we would have to drag strapped to our backs for the whole length of the race, which was loaded with all the mandatory equipment (a -29ºC comfort sleeping bag, snowshoes, mittens, a warm anorak, food, spare headlamps, a first aid kit, etc.). It would have been impossible to fit all the stuff in a backpack, as both weight

Those previous days became a fantastic opportunity to acclimatize

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and volume would make you sink into the snow. More than one runner tried and had to abandon, eventually. All of us were experienced ultra-race runners and so we could more or less get our things ready and also help each other to be well equipped.

The morning of the race we had a big breakfast in the flat and we had a great laugh trying to put the “pulkas” with all the equipment inside the car. The four warriors as well as Neus and Sylvie had to squeeze in too and then we drove on an icy road to the starting place. Once at the start, we were all eager to get going. Tony and I were wearing the right clothes to avoid being too hot, sweating, getting wet and getting dehydrated. This is a key factor in extremely cold races such as this one. The four of us started out together.

Fatbike riders departed first and after them runners and skiers. All of us followed the same route.

At first we saw that the runners ahead of us were running at a very fast pace.

Tony and I decided to keep our pace. We had 150 km non-stop ahead of us, some of which overnight… it would be long.

Running together proved ideal; every time one of us needed some material or food the other one would get it for him and so, we did not lose much race time.

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Route signalling was perfect The first 15-km stretch was in daylight on a completely frozen lake with a good grip.

That helped us to focus only on eating and picturing what the race would be like. On leaving the first checkpoint we were fifth.

We stopped to fill our water bottles, as the next checkpoint would be 37 km away.

The runners at the front did not stop and that was a bad decision as they ran out of water later on. After leaving the lake, the route carried on through a forest where the snow was very soft because temperatures had not descended much.

That wore us out. We did not know how far ahead of us the other runners were until we reached the second frozen lake.

There, we took off our snowshoes and off we ran. We overtook them and positioned ourselves in the lead.

It got dark at about km 50. We reached checkpoint 3 just in time to take out our headlamps and have our first freezedried food, but we ate it as we walked along not to waste any time at all. That was precisely our strategy: to keep in the lead and not to stop too often to avoid getting cold.

We knew that past the checkpoint there was a wooden bridge where a runner had slipped and fallen into the river on the previous edition. Unfortunately, hypothermia forced him to abandon.

Something unbelievable happened when we got to that spot: Tony’s “pulka” tipped over and we almost had a fright. It was a tense moment.

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The terrain turned tough. The route was on paths between trees, with little visibility and on ascents where we were dragging all the weight of the “pulka”.

The snow was very soft, very cold winds were blowing but still, we were not losing pace.

We reached checkpoint 6 at about 10 pm.

There was a traditional “Sami” hut there, where we stopped to get warm by the fire and to have another lyophilised menu, since the following checkpoint would be 36 km away. I had planned to eat every hour (bars, nuts...) throughout the race, but physical exhaustion was so great that I was forced to eat every 30 minutes and that put my plan at risk. I would not have

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enough food, so I would have to ration every bite well.

The night turned very tough. The tiredness, the cold and the non-stop pace lead us to exhaustion, to the point that we stopped talking to each other for a few hours. We had to take caffeinated products to keep our eyes focussed on the ground.

Two weird things happened that night.

The first one to Tony: he fell asleep while running, and yet he did not slow his pace!; and the other to me: at km 90 I felt I had lost all my strength and I resorted to gels and energy bars. It took me 10 km to recover!

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When we reached checkpoint 7 we were exhausted. We had already covered 114 km, it had just started to snow and it was still night time. At that point we reconsidered our race objective: the new goal was to finish it. It was really tough and we still had a long way to go to cross the finishing line. There, we ate the last lyophilized food, gained some strength and spotted the other runners approaching, which motivated us to move forward. All we could think about was getting to the next and final checkpoint, located at about 28 km.

Day dawned, and not being able to see the headlamps of the other runners stressed us out even more. We lost the reference distance we had, we could not stop. We crossed a 10-km lake and we could see them quite far away behind us,

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so we started to daydream. We were filled with adrenaline for a few moments and thought we could win the race. That buzz was misleading. There were still many hours to go and it was all uphill.

Route signalling had been perfect throughout the race, until just shortly before the last checkpoint, where two paths had been marked. We could not believe it, but we kept calm and knew we had to trust our intuition, which, fortunately, did not fail us. 2 km later we caught sight of checkpoint 8.

The last 10 km to the finishing were very emotional. It was then that we realized we would reach the finishing line together and we had already been warned that only one of us could be the winner. Tony did not hesitate and let me come in first

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place. It was very thoughtful of him.

There are not many people around who would have done that.

At 3 km from the finishing line we saw a snowmobile approaching. It was the organizer with Neus, my wife. What a nice moment! We were getting there, it was true; we could hardly believe it.

We crossed the last lake before Rovaniemi to reach the most unusual finishing line in the world: we entered the “pulkas” and poles through the lobby of a hotel and then went into a conference room where the finishing line was.

After 27 hours and 30 minutes, we finished the Rovaniemi 150 km non-stop in first position. Awesome! It really was a great race, highly recommendable, where

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you are pushed to the limit. A unique experience through Lapland landscapes.

To complete celebrating our success, two warriors Cyrus and Antonio, were missing who suffered a lot to complete the race within the time limit. How brave they were! It was a tough race for all of us, but it was really nice to be able to celebrate it all together at the finishing line.

For me, besides being a great non-stop ultra, it was also a real trip to Finland, with a visit to Santa Claus, a husky ride and saunas included and, above all, in great company.

Now it’s time to carry on daydreaming!

Xavi Marina

Planes de Pensiones y Jubilaci贸n Calculamos gratis su pensi贸n, 隆cons煤ltanos! c/Nou de la Rambla 151 08004 Barcelona Tlf. 93 329 87 53 aclaras@mapfre.com http://www.mapfre.com/oficinas/8062.

SERVIMAP 9/6 S.L

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THE LEGENDARY PIERRA MENTA

The Pierra Menta brings together ski mountaineers and mountain enthusiasts in a 4-day event of intense effort and celebration in the alpine village of ArĂŞches-Beaufort and the Beaufortain Mountains.

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The Pierra Menta brings together ski mountaineers and mountain enthusiasts in a 4-day event of intense effort and celebration in the alpine village of ArĂŞches-Beaufort and the Beaufortain Mountains. 600 experienced racers (including 200 young athletes) in twomember teams have competed across a route with several sections above 2,600 meters of altitude, climbing up over 10,000 metres of altitude difference during this 4-stage event. Both amateur skiers, whose goal was simply to finish the race, and top-level competitors fighting for victory, have made a titanic effort to achieve their goal.

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The Pierra Menta is for ski mountaineers what the Tour de France is for cyclists.

Everyone wants to take part in it but only a few are chosen to do so. Those who want to participate have to go through a selection process and, after that, there is a draw. The access application form is very thorough: you have to sign up and pay La Grande Course association membership fee. The rest is more complicated. The skiers’ race CV is requested and it is checked to confirm if they have really run all the races.

Obviously, the races that score the most are those that belong to La Grande Course.

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Pierra Menta, the star of all ski mountaineering races

Application must be made early in the year. Should you be selected, organizers will notify you by email in mid-February and each team will have to make a payment of 1,100€. If you get this far, you will be among the select group of 200 teams who will fight against the clock to reach the finishing line day after day.

Remember it’s a team race. This means you’ll have to find a partner with a similar style and technical ski level to yours, with whom you will endure many hours of effort over the four days.

The level is extremely high. The best skiers in the world gather here. Don’t forget that only the top 10 athletes of

each country can attend the World Cup and between 30-40 of each country take part in Pierra Menta.

This year, the Sportvicious team formed

by Ferran Bofill and Àlex Clarasó decided we wanted to live the experience by competing in Pierra Menta, the star of all races, along with the best skiers in the world. Although our goal was to get to the finishing line within the time limit day after day so as to be allowed to race the following day, we knew it was going to be tough. Time limits are very rigorous and one of them is set at the time the first team crosses the finishing line, be it a women’s team, a men’s team or a mixed team. If you fail to complete the stage

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within this time, you are automatically disqualified.

There was a change in the stages this year. In stage one teams departed every 15 seconds and their times would determine the starting order in the following stages. This caused differentlevel skiers to coincide along some stretches and that produced some moments of anxiety. Some were calling out for slower runners to give way while others were moving aside to give way to the skiers with a higher level. The latter

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wanted to devour kilometres quickly to save time. Ferran and I were always among the closing group striving to ski as fast as possible so as not to be disqualified.

The Sportvicious team had trained thoroughly to contest the race by taking part in different ski mountaineering team races every weekend. On occasions, we also trained during the week. However, this was not enough to perform well. We did feel victorious because we managed to finish the race, but after seeing the

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Undoubtedly, it is the toughest and the most demanding race in the world

high level of participants we realized that we had performed at a low level.

We wondered why and asked ourselves how and when we should train for the Pierra Menta. On the one hand, it is difficult to train for this race, especially when your residence is in Spain. The size and magnitude of the mountains in our country differs substantially to those where the PierraMenta is held. On the other hand, it is not easy to fight against skiers who have a ski mountaineering culture far more advanced than ours.

The French and Italian skiers are miles ahead of us. We now understand why a

whole town gives their best so that this race runs smoothly and people support and encourage all participants at all times. What a difference from what we are used to in our country, where we are sometimes frowned upon by those who practice alpine skiing. Despite all of this, we feel proud to have the best skiers in the world: Kilian Jornet and Mireia Mir贸.

The organizers know their mountains well and an army of volunteers ensures that the race develops without any danger. If weather conditions are adverse there is an alternative circuit so as not to have to cancel the race. At one stage

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I remember complaining aloud about how tough the route was -I had trouble descending a stretch full of stones-, and one participant said: ‘Pierra Menta is Pierra Menta.’ Undoubtedly, it is the toughest and most demanding race in the world.

At the end of each stage organizers offer participants some food. At that moment all skiers get together and analyse and review the difficulties of the stage recalling the mountains they have descended and the fantastic views they have enjoyed.

The greatest excitement and the most intense fatigue merge here, with many joyful faces showing the pain of their efforts. Dinner and breakfast are served

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daily in this dining room. Next to it are two massage rooms filled with trainee physiotherapists who provide relief for the worn-out bodies and help them to recover and get ready for the following skiing days.

Good weather and good snow conditions have allowed this edition of Pierra Menta 2015 to be disputed on the original route.

In other editions, the lack of snow and/or bad weather has caused the Pierra Menta to be held on a “decaffeinated” circuit, which left out the most emblematic peaks of this extraordinary race. The 2015 edition has been called ‘the Pierra Menta of over 10,000 meters.’

Equipo Sportvicious

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