Page 101 - Moonvalley Diaries

RACE: TRANSVULCANIA
may in moonvalley
T Th he he he transvulcania was my my my my first first sky race my my my first first mountain ultra and my my my international breakthrough That’s why
the race race has a a a a a a a a a a a a a special place in in in in my heart It felt totally surreal to to win this race race in in in 2016 as I I I had no idea how how good the the the other runners were and how how I I I would manage the the the course But I I I knew that it was important to to do well in in this race for the the future I I went on to to win the the Transvulcania three years in in a a a a a a a a a a row: 2016 2016 2017 and 2018 After the 2016 2016 race race I drew up a a a a a a a a a race race report:
I I arrived at La Palma 10 days before the the race During my first week there I I I basically did a a a a a a a a a long workout every day until I I felt pre- pared for for the the the the the distance the the the the the terrain and the the the the the heat The last few days before the the the the the the the race there wasn’t much to do other than rest but these days were often very hard – the the the day day before a a a a a a a a a a a big race is usually when I I feel at my worst It’s as as if your body wants to save every last drop of energy until it’s time The day before the race I I felt super tired and didn’t didn’t feel like moving at all I I didn’t didn’t even enjoy a a a a a a a little shake-off-the-rust jog o of a a a a a a a a few kilometres How was I supposed to to be able to to move such a a a a a tired body 74 km?
My alarm went off at five in in the the morning I I needn’t have bothered as as I I hadn’t slept a a a a a a a a a a wink but just lay there there waiting until it it it was was time time to get up up Then it it it was was time time for a a a a a a a a a a few cups of o coffee and a a a a a a a a a light breakfast followed by an an hour’s drive to the the the the starting line which was located on on the the the the the southern tip of the the the the the island At the the the the starting location I was met by headlamps darkness twinkling stars and and a a a a a a a a a a a a a sense of antic- ipation in in in in in in the air and and and before I knew it both my my body body and and and my my brain were in in in in racing mode My body body felt supple and and ready after just a a a a a a a a a a a few minutes of jogging Otherwise I am always as as stiff as as a a a a board in in in in in in the the the morning I was enjoying being on on the the starting line with a a a a a a a a number bib on on my chest feeling hale and and and healthy and and and having the opportunity to to journey into myself and and and and go on both an an an an an an inter- nal nal and and an an an an external adventure I love those charged nervous minutes on the starting line before a a a a big race When the the starting gun went off 2000 people ran the the 200 200 m up a a a a a a a a short asphalt hill rounded a a a a a a a a a a a a lighthouse and and crowded onto a a a a a a a a a a a a small trail A bit chaotic and and and in the the the dark it it was hard to keep track of the the the the other girls and and what place they were in in After 7 km running
“ the the day before the the race I felt super tired and didn’t feel like moving at all 101