Last year, when I  finished my running season by completing „Crown of Polish Marathons„, I was fed up with street running and in my head, for some time now, a new idea was growing up – trail mountain running. I needed a news running goal for the upcoming year… nad I discovered „Chudy Wawrzyniec„. The trail mountain race was near enough – in Żywiec Beskids, and it offered two possible distances – 50+ and 80+ km. So far I’ve already been running marathon distances and I have a year of training ahead but I didn’t know what to expect in the mountain so a possibility of selecting the distance in the process seemed to me the perfect option. It was exactly what I needed.

FINAL COUNTDOWN

For the last few days before start the sun heated more and more. I had to expect a real sauna during the race, yet without the pleasant cold shower between the sessions.

I reached the race office at 16:00 on saturday. The place was noticeable from far away. You didn’t even have to look for Chudy Wawrzyniec or INOV-8 banners. It sufficed to follow the running backpacks and trekking poles. In the office I picked up a commemorative shirt and fat starter pack (the biggest surprise was INOV-8 compression calf sleeves with race logo). After that a quick „pasta party” in a nearby pizzeria. In the restaurant almost only runners and the staff knew exactly what we needed. Pasta rations were enourmous!

The briefing was held at 21:00 and we were reminded several times about the need to take a lot of water on the route. We were supposed to have two mountain shelters but only one official refreshment point, on 38th kilometer of the route. It’s gonna be brutal.

WAKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

My alarm clock rang at 02:50. I got myself together and set off to the starting point. I reached the place 15 minutes before the start (which was planned to 04:00). The Rajcza amphitheater looked like a disco – hundreds of forehead lights and even more dancing reflective clothing elements. Everyone was warming up.

Just before the start, lokking around, I asked myself – what am I doing here?!

1.   RACHOWIEC, 10th kilometer, 954m a.s.l.

I didn’t have much time to think. The starting shot sounded and we set off, in a corridor of burning road flares, straight into the night. First part led on the asphalt and a brisk chill allowed to keep a good pace. Soon we turned to a trail and began to climb up. Vigorously at first, with a fair group of other participants we quickly climbed the Rachowiec uphill and at 05:10 I found myself on the peak. I was 20 minutes ahead of my anticipated time.

2.   KIKULA, 16th kilometer, 1087m a.s.l.

From here a pleasant downhill run and a fair bit of country road. The dawn was breaking and when we started the second climb that day, fabulous sights appeared all around us.

Unfortunately, with time rose the temperature as well. The climb on Kikula required a lot of effort and I felt my leg muscles more and more, but at this stage I still rarely looked at my watch and the vertical distance ran quickly. On the other hand, I drank a lot of water and started worrying about my supply.

Around 06:15 I noticed some orange banners with numbers „1” and „6”, denoting given kilometer of our route. When I reached the top, it occured that we encountered unofficial refreshment point organized by a local running club „STO-nogi Milanówek„. Rescuers!

3.   WIELKA RACZA, 27th kilometer, 1236m a.s.l.

Again, it turned out that I reached Kikula before my anticipated time. I started thinking whether I’m not going too fast. For now I felt good and good result was giving a kick of motivation, so I continued without hesitation. We were running in the shade of the forests but temperature was giving us a hard time already. I soaked my Buff and put it my head for protection.

The climb on Wielka Racza took me quite a lot of time and made me sweat blood but I didn’t stop for a moment. For the second time I almost emptied my water bladder knowing that on the top there is a mountain shelter where I could make a short stop and refill my supplies. I peeked at my watch more frequently and the route wasn’t dissapearing as quickly as before. The real struggle has began.

Stony stairs leading to the shelter I welcomed with relief and I reached the door at 07:20. Entering the shelter for a brief moment, I cought a glimpse of several people running over, as if the shelter on the top was only a mirage.

4.   JAWORZYNA, 33th kilometer, 1173m a.s.l.

It took me 10 minutes to refill the backpack water bladder and to cool down my head. Legs took a rest after the hard climb and I made a decision to get back on route. I wanted to buy myself an isotonic, but I resigned, seeing a long queue. Leaving the shelter I looked grudgingly at one of the contestants treating himself to a can of cold Coca-Cola.

Still, the rest itself awakened new forces in me. Despite murderous heat, a downhill from Wielka Racza followed by speedy ups and downs restored a normal sense of time. Energy bars and gels were dissapearing like crazy but I was aware that the quicker I get to the finish line, the shorter I’ll sizzle on this frying pan.

After Wielka Racza and a bit of rest, reaching Jaworzyna appeared to be quite and easy stage. Especially, that right after it awaited the haven in the form of a Przegibek refreshment point.

5.   WIELKA RYCERZOWA, 42nd kilometer, 1226m a.s.l.

After Jaworzyna the trail was going up-and-down, and moments recovery on Wielka Racza faded long time ago. Further kilometers were dissapearing even slower and climbing really severe, even on low hills. Fatigue was noticeable in everyone around and every now and then somebody stumbled on the loose rocks or protruding roots. My steps became more uncertain as well. At some point I tripped and fell forward. With hands thrown up I scored a short slide over sand and gravel. Fortunately the outcome was only a light bruising on my knee but I made me think. It’s time to watch on downhills…

The trail now led in the shade of high trees, what softened a little the desert heat. Soon Przegibek emerged. Even from far away you could here volunteers cheering runners one after another.

When I passed the checkpoint at 08:40 and saw tables with tons of food, I didn’t know what to grab first. There were numerous fruit, sweet rolls, cookies, mixed dried friut and nuts and even berries with cream. Volunteers cheered and bustled about, refilling our water bladders. The only thing we lacked to complete happiness was a cool Coca-Cola.

I decided to take 10 minutes break, similarly to last time and set off. I tried all the treats from the table and refilled my water bladder. Unfortunately, this time the break didn’t refresh me as well and I was fully aware that I ahead of me is the hardest climg this day.

What I didn’t know was that it’s gonna by muddy. When I stopped in the middle of the climb, I looked at the route profile – after Rycerzowa there was ony Muńcuł, and then down until the end. I threw all I had and clashed with the mountain. This fight took nearly an hour. Right before 10:00 I gained a victory and stood at a crossroads. There wasn’t a moment of hesitation in me – I took the shorter route, i.e. 50+.

6.   MUŃCUŁ, 48th kilometer, 1165m a.s.l.

I turned left and headed for Muncul. Backpack with water weighed heavily for some time now, and the desert heat didn’t help. Sunburnt, I crawled slowly, trotting wherever I could, but I felt that I was already running on fumes. Fortunately Mućuł was only a formality.

O how wrong I was! Wielka Ryceczowa deprived me of all residual forces, and another peak turned out to be not one, but three long and strenuous approaches. Time crawled unmercifully and the distance seemed to stand still. When finally, after a long climb, I beat the last meters to the peak and entered into the clearing, I was flooded by the headt I’ve never felt before. The temperature was unbearable and so it remained until the very end.

UJSOŁY

I was hoping that at least downhill will give me a breath, but here too I couldn’t be more wrong. The last five kilometers led through red hot meadows, and the downhill run led between tall grasses and ravines, where the hot air seemed to accumulate with double strength. Leg muscles were giving out. It was a real ordeal. Here, where I hoped to make up for lost time, I had to literally stop every few steps as my thighs were burning on fire and one reckless move could end up in losing balance and (in consequence) teeth on the rocks.

Longingly I looked out for asphalt at the last kilometer, but when my feet felt hard surface, I was already pumped to the ground. Laboriously I dragged to the finish, and only cheers of already remembered volunteers motivated me to this last effort. I passed the finish line at 11:17, took off my backpack, went down to the riverbank and lay down in the water.

I finished the race in 7:17:10 (135th position), which is two hours faster than I expected. Maybe if I had distributed forces more effectively, I would be able to cover the route 17 minutes faster, but that wasn’t important. At this point, I became an ultramarathon man.

SUMMARY

Chudy Wawrzyniec short route was finished by 575 players, while the longer one by 165. The 80+ route was won by Piotr Bętkowski in 8:59:21, and the first woman who crossed the finish line (and third overall) was Ewa Majer with time of 09:14:29. 50+ route won Grinius Gediminas (04:32:21), and first place in the women’s category fell to Martyna Kantor – first timer in ultra!

The race organizers also deserve congratulations. Short route ran red and, after crossroads, the green trail, but was also marked with special white tape, so a marking was always in sight. It’s a pity that at the end of the run I was able to concentrate only the stones underfoot, as the the views offered a lot to those who have had the strength to look around.

Before the race I had doubts whether one refreshment point on the route will be enough, but the presence of mountain shelters at various peaks allowed sufficient replenishment. After-race meal at the finish line consisted of fruit, sweet buns, bars and isotonic, as well as a warm food, also in the vegetarian option – which deserves recognition. Team from the „Pokojowy Patrol” should be congratulated as well – they were exactly where needed and gave their all cheering us to fight.

 

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