I am not an ultra-distance runner, but being a native of La Palma and knowing that this year during the race I was going to be on the island on vacation, I decided to run the marathon distance (45 km) of Transvulcania. The Ultra distance had been run in 2015 with a very bad experience. The lesson learned that year was: training too long for any external circumstance to ruin your career. The half marathon distance (26 km) is not attractive to me due to the time and location of its starting line (very early displacement and on a winding road that in 2015 caused me impressive dizziness and the consequent vomiting).
On the day of the race, I took the organization’s bus, which left Los Llanos de Aridane at 08:00 a.m. and in less than an hour placed all the participants right at El Refugio de El Pilar (1400 m). , start line for the marathon distance, finish line for the half marathon distance and crossing point for the ultra distance. The morning was somewhat cold (about 11º) but as I expected it, I took a feather, which I delivered to the luggage room a few minutes before departure, which was at 10:00. Many runners got cold while they waited, so my recommendation for those who want to do the race other years is to bring a spare coat and deliver it to the luggage room before leaving.
My strategy for this race was to go from less to more. Start very smoothly, controlling the heart rate and gradually increasing the effort, always within the heart rate limits that I know I can maintain. I knew that this race brings together a group of high-level runners (many professionals or semi-professionals) so I had no chance of competing in it (I call competing trying to finish in the top 20). So I did not place myself in the first lines of the start. The pistol shot sounded and some 800 runners began to move.
It’s funny how in the first 200 meters you could already hear the maximum heart rate alerts of some Garmins worn by other runners ???? Tip: if in the first 200 meters of a 45 km race you have already reached your maximum heart rate, it’s better to quit immediately. that same place because it is very likely that either you will not reach your destination or you will have a very, very bad time.
The weather was “very good” for what is customary in other editions of the race. By this I mean that it was not excessively hot. The first 10 km were in the clouds although with good visibility, then a lot of sun but with a light cool breeze and the last 12 km or so under a blanket of clouds but with a feeling of muggy weather. In other editions it has been very hot and, for example, the following day and the days after it has been very hot in La Palma.
The first 7 km of the race are quite flat with descents and some small slopes. Then a strong climb begins, with some short but pronounced descent, which is maintained until reaching the maximum height of the race (2400 m) in Roque de Los Muchachos, in total this section is about 20 km. Then an area of about 3 kilometers of descents with some small steep climb and then a great descent to the finish line in El Puerto de Tazacorte (sea level) of about 15 km.
Throughout the course of the race you run in a group. There are so many marathon and ultra distance runners that I think I was only running solo for less than 45 minutes in the entire race. I would reduce the number of runners to less than half of the current number, but it’s easy to say once you’ve had a chance to run the race.
Sensations during the race
I think I can summarize the race so as not to bore you too much into: simple rhythm, controlled effort with good performance, fatigue but the body continues to respond, exhaustion but which also allows me to continue running on flat sections and downhill (no longer on climbs), fatigue again during the big descent but that allows me to do the whole section running, recovery during the descent with sections of good performance and arrival at the finish line.
The final result, much better than I expected ???? Also, I already have a real reference in case I ever decide to repeat it.
Training
This race is the first I’ve done in recent years that I don’t prepare conscientiously with a detailed plan of kilometers, quality sessions and long runs. I have trained a bit for sensations and for the first time I have put in much more volume on a road bike (doing a lot of uphill and little flat) than running. I have barely done 7 running sessions of more than two hours in the last 10 weeks. The rest, bicycle and jogs of 45~50 minutes. Even the quality training I have done on the race bike. The idea was not to crush my joints, especially the left hip with which I have been having problems for some time now. Of specific training, I did train up to three times the last 6 kilometers of the descent of the Transvulcania (1000 vertical meters) with a double objective: to avoid muscle pain the day after the race in which in the last 17 km 2400 are lowered. meters and for mental training. For me, always training the last kilometers of a long-term race makes your mind have a “good memory” of having done that part without much effort by having trained while rested. Already in the race, when you reach the starting point of the section you have trained, it is as if your mind told you “ah, from here on it is very simple and you have already achieved the objective”. I don’t know if I’m inventing gunpowder but I do know that it works like a charm for me ????
Material
I was doubting until the last moment whether to take the Suunto Spartan Ultra or use the watch that I am currently testing (I will publish the First Impressions shortly), the Garmin Forerunner 935. The reason for my doubts was that the Spartan Ultra has better navigation in profile in height (which I used on several occasions to keep track of what I was left with) while the FR935 is lighter and although the Spartan is very comfortable, the FR935 you don’t notice that you’re wearing it. In the end I opted for the FR935 just because of how light it is. The clock fulfilled its objective and the only thing that would stand out is that the alerts for route exit/entry were jumping during many parts of the route. Perhaps this option should be deactivated or the margin of error should be more meters than the current one.
For the rest, the typical things for this type of race: sunscreen in industrial quantities before leaving my house on arms, legs, face, neck and neck, hydration vest with two 500 ml softflasks, thermal blanket (required by the organization ), windbreaker sleeves and vest (not used), hat, sunglasses and only jelly beans for food. The gels are not going well for me, but I have discovered that only with gummies I can stand perfectly. In two of the aid stations I ate watermelon and melon and in the one in El Roque de los Muchachos, half a ham and cheese sandwich, which I have to say made me feel great. In the rest of the aid stations I either did not stop or only to refill water. I am very happy with the issue of nutrition, since in other long races I have had stomach problems. Of course I also brought salt tablets, essential to control cramps, of which I would take about 4 during the race.
On my feet I wore some Hoka Huaka that worked like a charm. I did not take poles because I have never trained with them and they would be more of a hindrance than anything else.
Organization and public
Uff… The number of volunteers and their magnificent attitude towards the runners are impressive. At the aid stations, the number of options you have to choose from is impressive, as well as the number of volunteers who treat you like royalty, always giving their all to waste as little time as possible, filling your softflasks themselves, cheering you on… A runner’s paradise!
And what about the public… I’ve never seen anything like it. Always clapping, always cheering, even creating their own aid stations. I saw fans in places that can take you two hours to walk to. Speechless. From here my thanks.
To end
This year I have been able to get rid of the thorn in my participation in 2015. I have gone a little longer than usual in this chronicle because I believe that the organization and the fans of the island deserve it.
Many kilometers to all!
