Running thru Madeira developed as a big dream in my imagination, so in late October 2023, it came to a projected fruition. Once my subscription to MIUT 2024 was accepted. The queen race is the 115 kilometer one, that basically cuts the island in half, from Porto Moniz to Machico. Tempting, but too brutal for me. 60 sounds better, with Pico Ruivo – highest peak of Madeira of 1862 meters, included – and with my longest trail run yet. But I miss the subscription. The registration opens, but it is sold out in 24 minutes. Two digits, unreal. I know Madeira Island Ultra Trail is a huge popular competition around the world – 1300 French contenders in 2024, by the way, out of a total of 3500, more than Portuguese (!) – but I haven’t imagine the magnitude. I am upset. Very, very upset. The trip is prepared in detail, the desire for MIUT is growing huge, what about now?
Abrupt start in MIUT 42K
The registration, though, is in different days, so the 42k version remains the alternative. The only acceptable one. Basically, a marathon. I can take it, no problem. Just not to miss the registration. This time I am well prepared, and I manage to subscribe. 7 minutes this time. No, this was not the amount of time necessary to submit my application. In seven minutes all slots were sold out. Seven minutes! Around 600 vanished into thin air. I breath in ease, at least I have this huge option. Next months become a cocktail of dreams, thoughts, proper training, concerns, and projections. Fast forward: 11:00 AM, 27th of April 2024, in Monte, the race starts. I am picturing less than 6 hours, and the first reality hitting me is a very, very steep climb of the first kilometers. Almost 1000 meters from the total 1700 are swallowed by the first part. I have a blue pair of Hoka Speedgoat and need to arrange it in order to work with my adidas outfit. Anca helps me find a way: “your Athens Authentic Marathon t-shirt”. That works just perfect! Blue jersey, blue shoes, black sleeves, black shorts, black socks & backpack and a white cap – mandatory piece against the sun!
My preparation, well done
Now, going back to the very inclined start! Because, honestly speaking, I knew that zone, so I wasn’t caught by surprise here. The 42 kilometer race is the only one starting from the southern part of the island, somewhere north of the capital city of Funchal. I know that region very good and crafted my pre-race strategy accordingly. Two days in which I have climbed from Mercado dos Lavradores to Nacional stadium: more than 700 meters ascent in 3-4 kilometers. Steeper than the climb from Monte, and that helped a lot. My muscles hurt so much, but doing these one week prior the race, everything fall in place by the “gun” time. So my start was a decent pleasant one. I feel strong, the path develops smoothly. Sun, wind, clouds, ocean, mountains, thick vegetation, mild rain, trail, asphalt, everything. I move according to the plan and feel strong until Porto da Cruz. 26 kilometers down, 16 more to go. They look easier. But I don’t know anything about this part of the trail.
When you need to rest, you need to rest!
There are some stairs, but the total ascent is around 390 meters, which “translated” mean nothing in this kind of race. We leave the last point where we can refill, and once we turn left to the stairs, we see a guy lying beneath a cliff: “are you OK?”, asks a lady. The guy nodded in approval, and only then we have realized that he was competing at the 115 kilometers, so then we conclude: “quite hard to rest, when everybody asks you if you are OK!” Amusing, but not for the “subject”, of course. I continue my path and hope to cut some minutes from my six hours goal. Climbing the stairs and then hope for the best. I glance on the left side: the ocean guides my steps, but also uncaps a huge fall on one side. A wrong step would be fatal. The path looked to be quite flat, but it isn’t, there are gentle rolling hills, but my feet are giving up. I don’t feel like running continuously, and I don’t.
The MIUT time objective slips slowly, but I don’t care
I alternate running with fast walking, and already accept I might not finish in under 6 hours. The humidity is slightly higher, than the one I am used to, but being in Madeira one week prior to the race played a bit part in my comfort in the race. I can push, I just don’t feel the need. For the last kilometers, my feet collide with the Levada of Machico. Not an easy path, but more flat, and with a final downhill on asphalt. On this portion I peak up the pace and finish strong. My speed is very good, the reserves are full, I don’t feel tiered, but I can’t avoid a 6:04:21 finish. I don’t mind, the MIUT 2024 experience is complete. The finish between palm trees, thru the orange gate, in Machico, ticks another milestone from my life. I drink a lot of water, go and eat something, enjoying the moment. Pico Ruivo was not on my path this time, but the seven minute window helped me get a different ticket, to a full mountain marathon. A truly huge experience in the running world, trail running.
MIUT, an experience you must try!
MIUT stands at its reputation. It is unbelievable popular, but the Madeira Island Ultra Trail, has a humble air also. The organizers are very generous, very well prepared, very, very responsive, and the subscription is very cheap, considering the price standards from races around the world. I plan to come back sometime, maybe to a longer race – 60 kilometers should also become reality! About Madeira, well, we’ve been there in 2022 and already wrote about that at the moment. More impressions are yet to come, for now, please consider some immortal images from a race that needs to be checked in every runner’s honor list. For real, I am not joking!
