Going out for a run.

[marathondan]

Stonking. It does look beautifully still, and you can see from the looks on the faces that the runners have an inner glow keeping them warm. Congratulations on completing another amazing event! Great photos too.

[Bierzo Baggie]

and you can see from the looks on the faces that the runners have an inner glow keeping them warm.

That made me laugh. I even went back to the photos to check the faces

Antonio, the paella was well on the way by the time I arrived. I didn't stop though. Felt sick after stuffing 6 jelly babies in my mouth on the last climb.
Funny that, when I was a kid I could handle my jelly babies...

[glaconman]

Thanks for the updates BB.

I'd travel a long way for a plate of that paella and a race through those mountains.

One day ....

[Bierzo Baggie]

Round the canal.
Warm and sunny.
30 minutes.
Felt OK.

The Morredero race is coming up on April 1st. This will be considerably more low-key than the Alto Sil. It goes from Ponferrada straight up to the abandoned ski station and is 100% road-running with similar characteristics in distance and height gain to the Point to Pinnacle. Ran the race twice, in 2006 and 2007, but it hasn’t been held for a couple of years for one reason or another. This year it appeared almost apologetically on the race calendar. Popped into the shop last Friday to sign up.

No danger of this one being oversubscribed, I reckon there’ll be just a couple of dozen of us.

[Bierzo Baggie]

Up and down Monte Pajariel.
22ºC Hot and sunny, what a contrast to last weekend!
Lots of walkers, mountain bikers and other runners. 10 years ago I wouldn’t have seen anybody.
Down the biker’s track in 6 and a half minutes.
Dry and dusty.
51 minutes 33 seconds.

[glaconman]

You thinking about the Big One yet BB?

Zegama

[Bierzo Baggie]

You thinking about the Big One yet BB?

Zegama

What a race!
With only 400 places I can’t see how the organizers are going to avoid it becoming an elite-only contest, although that was never their intention.
I’ll try again when I’m 50...



V Subida al Morredero
There was a date with Morredero this morning. Morredero is probably the highest proper mountain pass in northern Spain .... yes, higher than the Pyrenean ones. Not a lot of people know that.

We were to run “only” to the abandoned ski station at 1700m but the road continues ever upwards to eventually even out along a 2000m high crest before hairpinning viciosly down to the lost world of La Cabrera. It’s not the toughest mountain pass, nor is it the most picturesque but it’s long, very high and deliciously rugged. And it’s the one I know best.

As expected there was a meagre field of about 30 but they were all familiar faces. There was the ultra-running butcher, Gus the lottery-man, cake boy, the big man from Ozuela, the wee man from La Bañeza, and so on..

We set off from the steps of Ponferrada’s Baroque town hall at 10am and crossed the Puente Boeza bridge where the chemist’s thermometer heralded a very pleasant 14º. A few flattish kms softened the legs before the first of the morning’s three long, steep pulls. Reached the village of San Cristobal (last chance saloon) and here I decided that only a run-walk strategy would get me to the finish in a dignified state.

Between kms 13 and 23 I probably walked half the distance, but at a decent pace. This enabled me to finished in 2:39 only 15 minutes behind my 2007 time when I was 5 years younger and in much better shape.

Next everybody gathered on the terrace behind the old ski station cafe where somebody had thoughtfully set up a table full of food. The prize giving followed as did a few refreshingly cold cans of San Miguel.

This has all the hallmarks of being a mythical event one day. Just needs a bit of publicity so that more than 30 turn up...

Photos (not mine)

[Sweder]

Nice! Like the photos, especially the one of Pepe Reina right at the end

[Bierzo Baggie]

Back to winter.
5º light rain.
Round the river.
A flash of goldfinch,
one dead duck
and a possee of pitbulls under the bridge.

37 minutes 45 seconds.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Great race BB, and great photos too! Am just catching up with your achievements after a short, mad break. You done well, fella. Real well!

[Bierzo Baggie]

Great race BB, and great photos too! Am just catching up with your achievements after a short, mad break. You done well, fella. Real well!

Thanks.
The races aren’t achievement motivated though. I’ve been getting progressively slower since my late 20s!

Incidently I’ve just found out that the man I shall from now on call Pepe Reina ran up Morredero having survived a stroke some time ago and which still affects one side of his body. There were no fanfares, no write-ups in the newspaper either... amazing.

This morning’s run;
Pajariel trails.
5ºC Drizzle.
Bouncing bunnies in the vineyards.
Noisy trail bikers challenging the firebreaks.
Comfortable.
59 minutes 6 seconds.

[Bierzo Baggie]

A favourite route this morning, one which I do 2 or 3 times a year. It involves a 20-minute drive to get there, climbing the first section of the Morredero Pass.

Stopped just outside the village of Espinoso de Compludo which was speckled white and very curious it was too. There was the white of the snow on the slate roofs and the white of the cherry blossom in the orchards.

I started as usual from the House of Scouse http://www.lascuatroestaciones.es/ I’ve always thought that this would be the ideal location for an RC trail running camp one day.

11 minutes up to the antenna, consumed by low cloud.

Long descent to Compludo village; 15 minutes more.

Along the road for a bit.

Delicious single-track through the woods, skipping tree roots and sliding over greasy rocks. Then, the big, big climb, nearly 300m height gain in less than 2kms. 17 minutes plodding time today. Run-walk is most efficient on this sort of gradient and for most of us it’s faster. To run-run it is just misplaced pride.

And back to Espinoso where the snow thaw gushed from the rooftops.

67 minutes 29 seconds.

[Bierzo Baggie]

Up and down Monte Pajariel with Bulgarian Pete and the skipping rope. Time to enjoy the views while Pete skipped. This one counts as a walk.

[Bierzo Baggie]

Thursday.
Round the canal.
Cool, damp, steady.
29 minutes 57 seconds.

Friday.
Pajariel trails to Toral dM.
Cool n’ breezy.
Poppies out.
43 minutes 54 seconds.

April’s always a good month for running.

[Bierzo Baggie]

No running this week.
Last Sunday got up and down Monte Pajariel in just under 50 minutes. Steady slog up, fast slippery descent. The uncushioned, low profile shoes can make a couple of minutes difference descending.

Tomorrow’s race follows a scenic and well-loved route through the valleys of the Visigoth monks.

http://www.tebaidaberciana.com/

[marathondan]

Have a great one!

[Bierzo Baggie]

“Monos” is Ancient Greek for “alone, only, single, sole, without a companion;” take your pick. From monos we get the prefix mono- leading to words like monopoly, monologue, monosyllable... It is also the origin of the word “monje” in Spanish, “monk” in English.

So there you go.

Sunday’s race was across, along and around two valleys. In other eras these steep sided valleys were populated by Visigoth monks, some of whom sought solitude and silence in the mountains of El Bierzo. They called the area the Tebaida Berciana because of the proliferation of monasteries as in Thebes in Egypt and this explains the peculiar name of the race.

It’s official. El Bierzo has gone trail running crazy.

April 1st Morredero race; 100% tarmac. 28 starters.

April 22nd. Tebaida Berciana. 100% offroad. 250 race entry limit reached in record time. Just like the Alto Sil in March.

“There’s a lot of expensive equipment out there” commented Bulgarian Pete as we scanned the hillside for a place to park. And he was right. We are seeing an authentic off-road running boom with all its paraphernalia, razzmatazz and marketing. Big watches, top of the range gear...
“A lot of big cars too.”
Sometimes it takes somebody looking in from “outside” to tell things as they really are.

The buzz of the trail after a week in the office or the town hall or the law courts is irresistible for many. The days of Pedro the lumberjack spliffing up after a big race already seem a generation away. Inevitable really.

We tried to convince our friend to join us but Bulgarian Pete, unemployed construction worker, decided to save his 15 euros entry fee and instead headed up the rocks in search of Saint Genadio’s cave, the sacred hermitage of the Visigoth Renaissance monk-man. Meanwhile, Bierzo Baggie, English teacher, and wild Oscar, lawyer, joined the gaudy mob below warming up to a pulsating beat of spin-class gym-techno in front of a giant inflatable bottle of coca cola. Had a bit of a jig myself actually.

I’d been looking forward to this race. The route is lovely and it suits me with its run-walk sections and its steep descents with a bit of single-track in between.

First we ran down a muddy path which took us through woods to the village stream and past a tiny water mill. Then I got my walking in early as we pushed up above the trees, across open moorland and over the hump of a sweet grassy col. On the mad, rock strewn descent I regained the places I’d lost on the climb. Ran through the ruins of the monastery of Montes where I grabbed half a banana at the first drinks station.

Next, a few kms along a wide, gently descending trail was followed by a vertical descent down the side of the valley to cross the road. Kept my feet although bits were starting to fall off one of my Mizunos.

Ran-walked the next climb, a more gradual one to the next village and the second drinks station. More banana and a final undulating section took us along the other side of the valley. Managed to overtake a few runners and finished just behind the second lady.

Ran well and finished in the upper half of the field which is a rarity these days.
The time:2 hours 28 minutes, a minute slower than last year but the course was slightly longer.

Pete was waiting at the finish. He’d found Saint Genadio’s cave and had spent a gentle morning of peace and reflection in the Valley of Silence. Unlike us noisy buggers.

Some wonderful photos of the race here (not mine).

[Bierzo Baggie]

Legs ached all week after the Tebaida Berciana, especially the calf muscles. If I’d have run 5 minutes slower I’d have felt much better. I mean, what are the races for anyway? Must try less harder next time.

Sunday morning run round the river.
7ºC and dull.
Fishermen in waders looking for trout.
38 minutes 30 seconds.

[Antonio247]

“Monos” is Ancient Greek for “alone, only, single, sole, without a companion;” take your pick. From monos we get the prefix mono- leading to words like monopoly, monologue, monosyllable... It is also the origin of the word “monje” in Spanish, “monk” in English.

So there you go.

Sunday’s race was across, along and around two valleys. In other eras these steep sided valleys were populated by Visigoth monks, some of whom sought solitude and silence in the mountains of El Bierzo. They called the area the Tebaida Berciana because of the proliferation of monasteries as in Thebes in Egypt and this explains the peculiar name of the race.

It’s official. El Bierzo has gone trail running crazy.

April 1st Morredero race; 100% tarmac. 28 starters.

April 22nd. Tebaida Berciana. 100% offroad. 250 race entry limit reached in record time. Just like the Alto Sil in March.

“There’s a lot of expensive equipment out there” commented Bulgarian Pete as we scanned the hillside for a place to park. And he was right. We are seeing an authentic off-road running boom with all its paraphernalia, razzmatazz and marketing. Big watches, top of the range gear...
“A lot of big cars too.”
Sometimes it takes somebody looking in from “outside” to tell things as they really are.

The buzz of the trail after a week in the office or the town hall or the law courts is irresistible for many. The days of Pedro the lumberjack spliffing up after a big race already seem a generation away. Inevitable really.

We tried to convince our friend to join us but Bulgarian Pete, unemployed construction worker, decided to save his 15 euros entry fee and instead headed up the rocks in search of Saint Genadio’s cave, the sacred hermitage of the Visigoth Renaissance monk-man. Meanwhile, Bierzo Baggie, English teacher, and wild Oscar, lawyer, joined the gaudy mob below warming up to a pulsating beat of spin-class gym-techno in front of a giant inflatable bottle of coca cola. Had a bit of a jig myself actually.

I’d been looking forward to this race. The route is lovely and it suits me with its run-walk sections and its steep descents with a bit of single-track in between.

First we ran down a muddy path which took us through woods to the village stream and past a tiny water mill. Then I got my walking in early as we pushed up above the trees, across open moorland and over the hump of a sweet grassy col. On the mad, rock strewn descent I regained the places I’d lost on the climb. Ran through the ruins of the monastery of Montes where I grabbed half a banana at the first drinks station.

Next, a few kms along a wide, gently descending trail was followed by a vertical descent down the side of the valley to cross the road. Kept my feet although bits were starting to fall off one of my Mizunos.

Ran-walked the next climb, a more gradual one to the next village and the second drinks station. More banana and a final undulating section took us along the other side of the valley. Managed to overtake a few runners and finished just behind the second lady.

Ran well and finished in the upper half of the field which is a rarity these days.
The time:2 hours 28 minutes, a minute slower than last year but the course was slightly longer.

Pete was waiting at the finish. He’d found Saint Genadio’s cave and had spent a gentle morning of peace and reflection in the Valley of Silence. Unlike us noisy buggers.

Some wonderful photos of the race here (not mine).

Congratulations, BB! Besides, beautiful report as usual.

Saludos desde Almería

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

“Monos” is Ancient Greek for “alone, only, single, sole, without a companion;” take your pick. From monos we get the prefix mono- leading to words like monopoly, monologue, monosyllable... It is also the origin of the word “monje” in Spanish, “monk” in English.

So there you go.

I don't know if it was intended, but you sound exactly like Mr. Portakalos from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"

What a fabulous race BB, and yes, they were temendous photos. No wonder people there are switching to off-road running. What a place!

And congrats on your great run too. No surprise your legs hurt for a few days after.

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