It wasn’t a bad summer running-wise. Managed to average a couple of runs a week. Not bad as it’s generally too hot for most physical activity here in July and August.
One race to report, my third visit to the ramshackle little village of Morla on August 22nd. The previous visits were in
2007 and
2008. The race descriptions describe the route and the atmosphere.
This year was more of the same.
It was an oppressively hot day. The temperature was 32º at the start where a meagre but enthusiastic field of 60 or so mingled in front of the village church. Meanwhile the organizer enjoyed his moment of glory with the loudspeaker. We set off underneath fiesta bunting strung across narrow alleys and headed out towards the badlands. The first km was flat and slightly downhill in places. Kicking up clouds of red dust on the way we must have resembled a multicoloured herd of wildebeest migrating across a still, baking savannah. Or maybe not...
Clocked 4:10 for the first km, way too fast but it was reassuring to know I could still run at that pace. For one km.
As the path turned upwards the gradient steepened and I began to gulp and wheeze. The heat seemed to have consumed vast quantities of oxygen.. is that possible? By the end of km 2 I was walking and felt much more comfortable, even overtaking a couple of the diehards who were determined to run to the top. They soon overtook me again as the gradient eased off.
Re-engaged running mode just before km 4 as we crowned the highest point of the circuit. The descent was over a crude trail of sharp stones and rock, rather like running down a firebreak. Then it flattened out and we ran through meadows of parched yellow grass. Ran out of gas by km 7 and ended up walking much of the last 2 k. Wild Oscar passed me having made better “heat-pace-distance” calculations.
At the post-race prize givings Gus the lottery man was given the leg of ham. Chatted to the small wiry man from La Bañeza who had finished the UTMB last year. I hadn’t realized that his partner that weekend had been the lone mountain runner who’d disappeared on the Aquilianos one day last March.
9km, 54 minutes and fairly dehydrated at the end but happy to be part of the unique Morla experience once again.
