My nose runs and gusts of wind throw me off balance every so often. I’m trying to bite into the frozen energy bar while running, freezing water doesn’t help washing it down… Golden Autumn You say… yeah, right!
BUT FROM THE BEGINNING…
Maraton Bieszczadzki was my last goal to accomplish this year. In August (08.08.2015) I finished Chudy Wawrzyniec at a similar distance (53 km) – This was my debut in ultra running and it was said to be the hottest day of the year. Well, I won’t argue – I had similar feelings …
Forecasts for October showed that in the Bieszczady I’ll face a completely opposite conditions. Every day I watched forecasts, which invariably showed snowfall… oh lovely! At least the ground will be frozen and there won’t be mud, if it’s any consolation. However, not discouraged, I packed for the trip – there was no possibility of giving up. It was a challenge! And what do we do with challenges? We face them!
On Saturday, it was cold in Cisna but the sun was shining. In the race office I received a race pack. Rummaging in the bag, with a grin from ear to ear, I discovered a commemorative Buff with a marathon logo in warm, autumnal colors, a T-shirt, arm sleeves with a route profile, race number and all the rest unnecessary and necessary things. The jacket from start pack came to my address yet in September.
OFF WE GO!
At about 7:00 am on Sunday we took off. It was cold, everyone had gloves, hoodies, windbreakers, etc. Up to nine hours of run was before us. At the beginning we had a gentle, warming up 12-kilometers run slightly uphill, on asphalt and gravel. At the 12th kilometer was the first refreshment point with water and isotonics, then another kilometer on asphalt, quick turn left on the trail … and a sudden stop. The fun started here with a long and fairly steep climb. Legs started getting hot.
After 1,5 hours, I climbed the Rypi Wierch, where the wind was blowing very strongly. I was well dressed, but the wind still squeezed between layers of clothing. I Sped up to warm up and took out an energy bar from the pocket of the backpack… it was like a stone – simply frozen. Washing it down it didn’t help much, as freezing water only scratched my throat – but what can you do? Fuel must be provided.
Kilometers dissapeared quickly, and in no time I reached the second refreshment point on the 25th kilometer. I took the Squeezy energy bar the stand (Yay! Not frozen!)and some pretzels, washed it down wiht isotonic and took off. There was nothing to wait for.
Punkt Odżywczy
REAL FUN!
On the 30-th kilometer of the real test began. The sharpest approach to Berdo, required climbing 435 meters up on a distance of approx. 2 kilometers. It was tough and I felt it took forever. You reach the top, sweating like a pig, muscle evaporate … and there the wind wants to rip your head off. This is the 33rd kilometer. I wonder whether I don’t press not too hard, because I am ahead of my anticipated time (and this time I really did maths well). I’m afraid that the third climg will pin my shoulders to the ground, as was during „Chudy Wawrzyniec”.
I set off from Berdo onto Hyrlata, then quickly through Rosocha and down … similarly steep as an earlier approach. I usually make up for the lost time here(it’s my strong point), but here you had to slow down and grab the trees not to fall. Somewhere in the middle I knew that I’ll have bruises and grazes on my feet. Well, that’s life!
LAST EFFORT
The first refreshment point was also the third one – we have run around and reached the point again on 38th kilometer. This time, however, there was everything – tea, cola, energy drinks, chocolate, crackers and best – rolls with cheese, at which everybody jumped and long remembered, even after many kilometers on the trail. They were brilliant (curious, whether it’s because they simply were so good or maybe on the 38th kilometer my everything tastes great). I ate my fill and set off further. The last heavy approach waited for me.
The climb to Okrąglik was not as steep, but legs already felt all the kilometers. I feared to even think about my legs, blisters and ripped off skin. I absorbed the pain, and pushed further as a tank – in steady motion and over all obstacles. I was shocked that I still had energy reserves within reach.
Sun showed up at the moment I reached the peak. Not that it helped much – still it was bitterly cold and the wind at the top was tugging and throwing me off balance, but the sun poured a little bit of hope in my heart. Now through beautiful mountain pastures and quickly on Jasło, then Małe Jasło and down. The last six kilometers were an constant downhill run. I began passing other runners – with care – but I felt power in my legs. Kilometer after kilometer were dissapearing as at before. I rushed down to the very bottom, jumped over a stream in one place, then another … and suddenly I found myself on the railroad tracks. I realized that I was almost at the finish. Adrenaline rushed to my head and I ran last few hundred meters with all I got. I crossed the finish line as if I was running a 10-kilometer race and not ultramarathon. I achieved a time of 6:20:34, nearly an hour faster than Chudy Wawrzyniec. Epic!
LOGISTICS
- Equipment:
- shoes: trail Brooks Cascadia 10,
- clothing: CEP compression calf sleeves, Kalenji leggins, t-shirt, Brubeck arm sleeves and jacket, 2 Buffs , gloves
- other: kalenji running backpack (10L), isotonic bottle 0,55l, water bottle o,5l , emergency blanket, light windbreaker, handkerchiefs, patches, telephone
- Energy (~1694 kcal):
- Before start: rice oatmeal with mixed dried fruit and nuts (~280 kcal), Ba! Bakalland banana bar (178 kcal) = 458 kcal
- on route: 2x Oshee Vitamin Musli bar RAISIN/NUTS(162 kcal), 2x optonia energy gel (75 kcal), squeezy energy bar (182 kcal), small roll with cheese (~200 kcal), a few salty sticks and crackers (~100 kcal) = 1156 kcal
- after-race meal: mushroom soup = ~80 kcal
- Hydration(170 kcal):
- 2l water(water bottle I refilled every time I got to refreshment point)
- 1,2l isotonic (refilled ath last refreshment point) (~120 kcal)
- 0,2l tea
- 0,2l coca-cola (~50 kcal)
ORGANISATION AND SUMMARY
The race was attended by 642 participants, of whom 623 completed the run. I finished at 163rd position (86/234 in the category M30). Here you will find my detailed results.
Best results are as follows:
Men:
1. Bartosz Gorczyca- 04:08:49
2. Jan Wąsowicz – 04:29:07
3. Robert Faron – 04:34:09
Women:
1. Dominika Stelmach- 05:03:20
2. Natalia Tomasiak – 05:12:11
3. Wioletta Dessauer – 05:25:55
Full results available here.
I will remember this ultramarathon well and for a very long time. Chudy Wawrzyniec chewed and spat me out. Here, on the contrary, the cold helped a lot. I also drew several conclusions from previous experiences – took less stuff in a backpack, drank a lot more, relying more on the refreshment points. This ultra I beat with my head high in the air, and the organization has helped incredibly.
About the organizers. They have done an excellent job. Every (!) Kilometer was marked. I do not know how they lugged these heavy boards onto individual peaks throughout the entire route, but thanks for that! Tapes indicating the route and arrows painted on trees and rocks were so visible that even a semiconscious runner had no chance to go wrong way. Refreshment points were just brilliantly stocked. There was all you could think of and exactly wher you needed it. And cheering. The route was designed so that several times we passed segments, where organizers and local residents cheered everyone. At the finish I was glad to see a vegetarian meal – mushroom soup. Apart from that, there was a pasta (also without meat, but with nice additives) and for carnivores – sour rye soup and grilled pork.
Bieszczady are extremely beautiful, even in the not too favorable aura, and the people here are warm and hearty. Replay next year guaranteed!