The Transvulcania was the second race I had planned for 2014. Having no international selection races that I wanted to focus on this year I decided I wanted to race abroad in one of the many European trail ultras. Fionna Ross who I had raced with at the World Ultra Champs last year was the first one to bring the race to my attention. After a bit of research and the obligatory YouTube search clips I was hooked. The race is 73.3km trail race within 4415m of ascent along the spine of a volcanic ridge on the beautiful Island on La Palma in the Canary Islands.
Having never been to the Canary Islands before, the predominant image I had in my head of the area was the image of Brits abroad, sun burnt, too much to drink with fish and chips in hand. La Palma is nothing like this! It is much less touristy and 35% of the island is made up of national park. The banana industry plays a key role in the Islands economy.
Another fact about the island is that it has more ascent per square kilometre than any other island in the world. Knowing what was in store when I was training for the race I tried to ensure at least one of my long runs a week was on the hills culminating in a recent weekend in the Cairngorms covering 9 munroes and 50 miles over the two days.
Preparation for the race had largely gone well, despite a couple of niggles I hadn't missed any training since the start of the year. My one significant blip came at the end of a 20m out and back run from Balmaha up Ben Lomond. I had a major bonk having to hitch a lift the last 2 miles back as I was feeling completely wasted, dizzy, unsteady and unable to run. I had run the Pentland Skyline route the day before, not eaten a lot after and then been pushed really hard trying to keep up with Tom Owens and Casey Morgan so felt it wasn't surprising and didn't worry to much despite never having felt so bad before. I was reassured to feel great the next weekend with no recurrence
Knowing the race was likely to be in warm conditions I opted to head out to Palma a week early to try and acclimatise before the race; I was not alone. There was a great Scottish contingent heading out for the ultra, the marathon and the half plus some loyal travelling support. Including Donnie Campbell, Ross Lawrie, Gavin Bussey, Lorna McMillan, Caroline McKay, Donald and Elaine Sandeman, Craig MacKay, Karl Zeiner, Bob Steel, Mark Howlett (wannabe Scot )James Reynolds and last but by no means least Dawn Buchanan. We decided to try and find accommodation together and to say it wasn't my usual pre race accommodation was an understatement!! I am more used to hostels and tents prior to races but between 12 people you get a bit more for your money. We had two houses a smaller villa and a larger. The larger came complete with pool, pool table,bar, tennis courts and even a vintage car in one of the lounge areas!!
Getting to the island (no mean feat in itself) it was hard to resist the urge to explore the trails prior to the race. The balance between the urge to run and see the island had to be struck with the fact it was taper week.
As the Scottish contingent grew so did the pre race excitement until race day arrived.
The day started with a 315am alarm clock and a taxi to the Fuente Caliente lighthouse on the south of the island at the bottom of a recent lava flow. The race started in the dark at 6am. My self and Donnie had found a sport on the start line a few rows back from the numerous press snapping away at the elites on the start line including the previous winners Kilian Jornet, Luis Alberto Hernandez, Anna Frost and Emelie Forsberg.
The day started with a 315am alarm clock and a taxi to the Fuente Caliente lighthouse on the south of the island at the bottom of a recent lava flow. The race started in the dark at 6am. My self and Donnie had found a sport on the start line a few rows back from the numerous press snapping away at the elites on the start line including the previous winners Kilian Jornet, Luis Alberto Hernandez, Anna Frost and Emelie Forsberg.
The gun went and 2500 ultra runners set off in the dark, head touches forming a steady wave of light up the lava field. The path was narrow and it was elbows out as we fought for position and tried to stay on our feet up the sandy rocky terrain.
Knowing the quality of the field I wasn't aiming to get to the front I just wanted to ensure I wasn't held up too much by the people walking early on. The first section of the race took us from sea level on black sandy lava trails through Los Canarios our first check point at 7km and 709m then onto mixed trails through pine forest up to our second check point at Deseades 1931m and 18k. It was a brutal start to a race 18km of pretty solid uphill but I felt good. The darkness and strong wind kept the temperature cool and I was pleased to be making my way up through the field. As we reached the top of the hill after about 1.5 hours climbing it was stunning to see the sunrise giving views across the clouds to. Mt. Tiede on Tenerife emerge.
The next stage of the race consisted a bit of down hill but largely of a flatter section along the ridge taking us to 34k and 1415m. It was great to see Dawn at this checkpoint for some support. I again topped up my bottles and ran on feeling good towards the next big climb. Over the next 9k we climbed another 800m towards Pico de la Nieve. As we climbed the temperatures rose and the wind seemed to die away. Things began to get a bit harder. Having ran most of the way to this point I began to walk the steeper climbs, to save energy, soon it wasn't to save energy it was just out of necessity. I began to lose sight of Donnie who I had been a bit a ahead and a bit behind for most of the climb so far. Despite beginning to tire a bit I still felt good ok considering I had hit 50k and 4000m of ascent by this stage.
As we approached the highest point Roque de la Muchachos 2426m the views were dramatic we could see right out to sea and down into the volcanic crater below. At the top I began to feel the temperature getting to me, heat was beating down from the sun and radiating up from the ground. I stopped at the check point refilled my bottle grabbed some water melon and poured some water over my head to try and cool down.
The vast majority of the climb was over, but ...................and there was a big but! We now had 2422m in 18km of pretty unrelenting decent across technical rocky terrain in further climbing temperatures. Down hill should have been a nice change but I didn't feel I could let go the way I wanted. Every so often I had to slow down to let my legs recovery and I was aware of a growing unsteadiness on my feet each time I slowed, I finished my fluid had another gel and continued to the next checkpoint. I kept willing it to appear and the contrasting signs on route didn't help. One walking sign said 2.4k to the next check point and the next said 4.5. It wasn't what I needed at this stage. When the next check point arrived it wasn't where I thought it was going to be. We had recced some of the course below and I knew where I though the check point would be, in my mind I thought there was another check point to come. I stopped again, covering my self in water, filling my bottle having some watermelon and even had some coke which I don't normally drink. I saw someone stop and sit in the shade to drink and it looked so appealing but I am not used to stopping at checkpoints. I just refuelled and hit the trail. As I left I felt even more unsteady than I had before. I stopped a bit longer to put a Nuun tablet in my water and steady myself. I was becoming more aware that my unsteadiness was being noticed and I began to worry I might get pulled from the race. A marshal approached to see if I was ok and questioned me no further when he saw me trying to put the tablet into my bottle. I set off again more and more aware of the heat. On a flat section I tried to stop again but a camera man willed me on the keep running, so I pushed on. The heat was relentless. I soon recognised the trail and knew I was approaching El Time I had been there before it is at 594m and I knew what was to come, but there was no feed station. That was not good. In my head I had already decided I would stop at that feed station fuel up and that would get me through to the finish. I thought I had 2 gels left and looked down to take one but there was none there. I must have dropped them. I was also of of fluid. I knew it wasn't long to the next check point so in my head the only option was to continue. The path at this stage turned to a step Tarmac road through a Banana plantation. The finish line was getting closer. I dropped another 300m and approached a narrow (about 1m) ramp down the edge of a car port. There were about 6 people there and as I approached I suddenly became aware that I didn't know if I could run down the ramp without falling off it. This was not good. I slowed down and managed but was again aware of the 6 sets of eyes watching me meander past. I then hit the cobbles marking the final descent into Tazacorte the final check point 7km from the end. I couldn't control my legs, I slowed to a walking pace and 2 ladies outside their house asked if I was ok. I had to stop. The decent was a series of switch backs down a cliff face and I was in no fit state to navigate them. if you look carefully at the picture below you can see runners on the switchbacks.
When I started the race I had hoped to run about 8h30, as fatigue set in I began to aim towards under 9 then as close to 9 as possible then just finishing. Despite there only being 7k to go there was not just the final descent to contend with there was also a brutal sting in the tail with a finial 300m ascent out of the canyon up to Los Llanos. had it not been for the exposed descent I am confident I would have pushed further knowing a fall to the ground would have been my worst fate but that was not the case so with the finish line almost in sight that is where my race ended.
Looking back on things I still cannot give a definite answer as to what when wrong? Was it a lack of fitness, was it the heat, was it not enough fluid, was it not enough food, was it a lack of mental strength.? There are also so many what if's. Ultimately I will never know the answers and perhaps it was a combination of factors,but what I'm my mind is important is to learn from the experience make no excuses. To reach your potential you have to push your limits, in my mind finding those limits and pushing them that little bit further is all part of the journey
On reflection there are a number of things I am going to change for future races.
1) I am going to give much much attention to energy and fluid balance. Neither was optimal for this race.
2) Listen to the warning signs and act on them
3) Not be a afraid of stopping at check points. In all the ultras I have done I have never stopped at aid stations for longer than required to fill my drinks. If I had stopped in the shade for a few minutes refuelled and cooled down at the penultimate station perhaps I would have finished.
As for the rest of the field the men's race was won in 6:55 by Luis Alberto Hernandez and the ladies was won in. 8:10 by Anna Frost. For me it was great to hear Tom Owens a good friend of mine had ran an amazing race finishing in 6th position in a truly world class race, showing he is back on form after a season recovering from injury last year.
Each and every one of guys and girls I was out with has their own story about the race but I'm not here to tell their stories, but I guess they will contain stunning scenery, brutal climbs, sun rises and sunsets, team spirit and IV drips, cheers of vamo vamo, animo!! lots of laughs, wearing pizza and lots more.
A massive congratulations to all who completed the race, respect!
