(30-03-2012, 08:25 AM)glaconman Wrote: 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)
