After MIUT, my confidence grew, and felt quite strong. Now, my next big goal is Lavaredo 50k, a famous trail mountain run, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, at the end of June. But it is 8k more than what I’ve did in Madeira, so I need to keep the momentum, and the strength. Already registered for Moieciu EcoRun at mid-May, I was wondering how good I can do five years apart my first and former participation in the mentioned race. Which was, by the way, my first mountain marathon. Well, sorts of saying, as it measured, on my watch, in 2019, 39.51 kilometers. Not exactly a full accurate marathon, but it will do. The map, in the shape of clover, is the most beautiful I can see on my Strava account of any race. Many reasons to join. Also, to challenge my 6:20 poor clocking from back then.
Moieciu EcoRun: 5:47
Weather perfect, cloudy and quite cool for the times we are passing. Three almost even loops of 14 kilometers, and the conclusion, at the end, is that the distance grew with 1.5 kilometers, against what I was experiencing long time back: 41.07 kilometers. I can say this is one of the best mountain runs I’ve done. The way I felt, and also the time: 5:47, a big cut! No, that is a confidence booster! What next? There is one month and a half – almost! – until Lavaredo, so since my training is 95% on asphalt, I need some additional challenges, to keep me up to speed for a good race in the Italian Dolomites. What to tackle next? The answer, in my brain, was so quick: Brasov Marathon, on 1st of June. But I need to make some research, because last year, the participation there, was not only sunshine and butterflies. Actually it meant quite a lot of slippery snow, which slowed me down significantly.
Brasov Marathon, as a last day decision
Truth being said, back then, it was mid-May. Two weeks later now, and I have the confirmation: no trace of snow on the Postavaru Massif, the summit of the race. Then, I’ll take the challenge. Since in 2023 I only managed 6:21, I find it appropriate to tackle again the below 6 hours mark – one missed by a whisker in Madeira – but which, after EcoRun, seems much easier to achieve. Is it? I know the trail, there is now snow but… I forgot about the… heat. That slows down me always, even if I don’t feel it during the race. On top of this, the signaling of the trace was very poor, mixed colors, mixed type of marks, so you need to pay a lot of attention if you don’t want to add kilometers to your race. Not good. The hydration points, in the second half at least, they are poorly equipped, basically no or very warm water. But I push, I am confident, I still feel good. The way in which the race is organized proves why only 195 participants from the total 650 slots available at the marathon started the race…
Hot, poor organization, and running over my goal
I am a bit behind of my goal, at kilometer 35, and then a last long climb starts. I am done, I know I can’t achieve the under 6 hour mark, so I feel frustrated, angry, but I know I need to move forward, to finish this race & training mix. Pushing on the downhill, I am clocking slightly more than 6:10, 11 minutes cut from 2023, under the condition of 500 meters added to the race. I make a harsh sound after I pass the finish line. I am craving for some cold beverage, but, even if the event is organized in the center of a big city in Romania, I don’t find anything as such. Need to buy myself. No worries, at least I am accommodated close by and can get quickly my payment card. Leaving aside my angriness, I take advantage of one of the good things from Brasov Marathon: get a very good feet massage. After, I need to enjoy a good lunch at Beraria Mustata. In the end, I feel relieved and happy.
Lavaredo 50k, next step in my mountain marathon journey
A second (almost) mountain marathon race in a span of 14 days, and it proves my feet and body in general, are feeling great and strong. I can say my last big training before Lavaredo 50k is complete and successful. The momentum is kept, from now on, with the same of asphalt training. Quite unusual, generally speaking, but very normal for me. There will be some shorter trail runs added before the big go, but in Brasov the cycle was marked properly. Basically, in a bit more than 1 month (27th of April – 1st of June) three mountain marathons were marked properly. Not to mention in between a 30k Wings for Life Run was squeezed. Many kilometers on the board, and feeling good. A secret? Running slow! I am not yet sure if this can grow my speed, as they say, but for sure my body feels better and the efficiency seems to grow.
Some final thoughts about a mountain marathon
Getting back to the trail runs I’ve mentioned, it is funny how can some steeper long runs be in some regards easier than what I have experience at MIUT. Of course, the explanations are many, including the lack of familiarity with the last part of the trail in Madeira – the 16 kilometers that chopped off my speed by… 10 minutes – and also some different type of atmosphere, comparing to the Romanian Carpathian Mountains. Now, MIUT might have been also impressive for me in terms of meaning, organization, and general atmosphere. No questions about that! But for sure both runs in Romania represent great opportunities to test my capacities, how I am standing comparing to previous years. Why is that important? For my personal ego, and for some numbers I am gathering for personal records. Nothing special. But what can be more special then ourselves? Then our hobbies, passions, or, in the end, self-love. These are important ingredients for ones’ self-esteem. Our most important asset!
