IBEX MULTI-DAY ULTRA 2021
„I had to go back again and find out what made my heart beat so strongly there.”
This is how my running report of the Al Andalus Ultimate Trail ends. And where the story of the Ibex Multi-Day Ultra begins, a 212km stage run (5 stages) with around 8000 positive metres of altitude gain through Andalusia over the Christmas period. Although the Ibex Multi-Day Ultra is only 67km away from Loja, the start of the AAUT, the run was a completely different (running) experience for me, in several ways. However, the insight that the run gaves me is very similar and ultimately moved me to take an important step in my life.
But first, here are some basic informations about the Ibex Multi-Day:
The Ibex Multi-Day is, as already mentioned, a stage run in December, with two different distances to choose: The Ultra with 212km (8000m+) and the Challenge with 136km (5303m+). The starting and finishing point of all stages is Moclin, a very pretty village in the province of Granada with a castle on a high hill that had to be conquered every day. It is a very idyllic, quiet village with a lovely youth hostel, the Hostel Rural - Casa rural Moclin, where the runners were accommodated. I, however, stayed with my partner Mike in the nearby New Leaf Cortijo.
On this stage run, runners were in the same place every day, and in the evenings vegetarian meals were served to us and we were sitting all together. But we had to bring all the other food and meals we needed during the five days by our own. Except at the checkpoints of course we got drinks and food from the staff. I stayed with Mike at the Cortijo as there was no possibility of sharing a room with Mike. We rented a car, which I/we used to drive to the hostel and back to the Cortijo. And Mike also had the car to drive around and to do some sightseeing.
Due to new Corona regulations and the current situation, several runners had cancelled their registration before the race, so there were 12 runners for the ultra-distance and 11 for the challenge. It was also the first ever edition of the Ibex Multi-Day and the race took place for the first time in December 2021. Sarah and Steve, the organizers of the race were nevertheless very keen to make the race happen under all the conditions (pandemic, weather...), which was certainly a very big challenge for them.
The training for the Ibex Multi-Day Ultra fell in the middle of the wet and cold months of October, November and December. I was looking forward to Andalusia with around 20 degrees and sunshine. However, this was not to be the case in 2021. But we will get to that in a moment. I was not so fit at the time of the training. After the AAUT I didn't rest; at the beginning of August I ran a self-organized 24-hour race around the lake of Echternach to raise funds for the flood victims. And then in September I competed in the Ultra Trail Mullerthal over the 112km distance. I didn't have a real training in the months of July and August. That was very untypical for me. The two runs in August and September were marked by severe weather and simply wet! And so the training continued. I found it increasingly difficult to motivate myself to run. Especially the long runs demanded a lot from me, as I ran for hours in the cold rain, completely soaked. Mentally, this training was particularly challenging as I kept pushing myself to get out and run in these weather conditions.
But I wanted to be prepared for my run and it was important to me. I had to get back to Andalusia and find out why this area triggered such strong emotions. Also, I liked Mike to be there to show him the area where my heart beats so hard.
Of course, you can ask why this was only possible during a stage run. Why not just take a holiday in Andalusia, and reflect on it while hiking and walking? But that is probably one of those things that is typical for runners and that only runners can understand. This is connected to the essential and fundamental question about ultrarunning in general: Why do you do this kind of running and what does it give you compared to hiking or walking? Why does it have to be a particularly long and/or steep run under tough (weather) conditions? I have already addressed this question in my AAUT running report (as well as in some podcasts). And sure, I just wanted to run another stage race again :-).
Then Christmas was just around the corner, and everyone was talking about the preparations for Christmas: food, presents, drinks and everything else needed for Christmas. I was also in the middle of preparations for Christmas: running shoes, running backpack, drinking bottles, isotonic drinks and food for the runs. Then everything was ready. All my equipment was packed, and we went to sleep, because our flight left on 21 December at 6 a.m. At 2 a.m. I woke up with a sore throat and I didn't feel well. Sleep was out of question. My Corona PCR test in the morning was negative as well as all other tests. But the sore throat got worse with every hour. The first stage was on 23.12, so I had exactly 2 days left to get fit again. I drank a lot of tea, inhaled and luckily I didn't feel sick after one day. So, I decided to start, watch my pulse and take it slowly. And I picked up my race number "optimistically" (queasy, full of doubts...).
Stage 1
On 23 December at 9:15 we got off. The sky was even a bit clearer. It had been raining since our arrival and the outlook was very wet. The first stage was 35km long with 1706 positive metres of altitude. It was a beautiful route, which led through a mountainous landscape and over a suspension bridge. I even saw an Ibex family. My pulse was actually very low, and I also took my time, because I didn't want to overexert myself due to my cold. And besides, the cut-off times were very generous. Some of the climbs were awesome! Very hard, but the views of the Sierras were terrific! I was back in my beloved Andalusia. Even though I honestly missed the heat. It wasn't the same, but that too is Andalusia. I became aware of this again and again over this week. I also got to know other sides like rain, cold, remote places along motorways, mud without end. But isn't it like that with all the things and places? Where do you find permanent perfection at 100%? Ultrarunning itself is characterized by ups and downs, both the training and the race itself. Just like our everyday life, our job, our partnership and family. And Andalusia seemed the same to me. Besides the incredible beauty and the sunny weather, there is also cold, rain and other inconveniences. But all of these are part of my so-called treasure. This run showed me an authentic Andalusia, and I also loved it.
However, it took me some time not to think of the Ibex Multi-Day as a kind of repeat of a great experience. It would be unfair and would not dignify the run. I also became aware of this over this week. You can't just relive once-in-a-lifetime experiences in the same way a second time. Unique experiences cannot be repeated. Each time is unique. Different. The past is over, I also must leave things behind. Let go. Not only regarding the run, but also in everyday life. My change of job in September was still difficult to me, I couldn't really settle into my new job. I was too attached to the past. And it was a bit the same with this run and the memory of the run in July. The Ibex Multi-Day was also unique and special, and it was up to me to make the most of it and enjoy it. It was also a great race in the end.
Stage 2
I called the second stage "Mudskiing". It rained very heavily during the night, and it was even said that it had not rained so much for many years. The track was mostly mud, which stuck to the shoes. I walked on about 8cm of mud. Better said, I waded and slid through the mud with 8cm of mud on my shoes. With mud through the mud, or something like that. And that for 49km, officially, because for me it was 54km with 1800m+.
Another special feature of this stage was the river you had to pass through. A very welcome cooling you could say, but when it rains and the temperatures are below 20 degrees, it looks a bit different. Although you are wet anyway, whether you swim through the river or not :-). The water reached just above my knees.
I enjoyed the route until I suddenly received a message from my GPS watch during an ascent that I had deviated from the route. I also didn't see any markings for a while. I turned back, but there was nothing since the last markings. My watch showed the way down, but the last marker towards the hill up. So up the hill again. After almost 2km there were still no markings. I turned around again and walked down the hill. I had to think about my hill repeat training sessions. That's why I did them :-). For 20 minutes I looked for the right route. I decided to call the organization. In the meantime, two other runners arrived. The organization told us that markings had probably gone missing and that we should follow the track on our watch. And then we got lost in the middle of the olive plantations and wandered around. Or rather, we were "mudskiing" :-). At some point we ended up on a paved road again and reached the checkpoint. And then it went on rather roughly. It was raining a lot. I was so soaked, full of mud and cold. I decided to sing and dance to keep me in a good mood. The old Bowie Album "Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from mars" were perfect for those moments, and honestly with my rain coat and trousers full of mud I felt a little bit like a stranger from mars. Then when I arrived at the checkpoint, a volunteer told me "I saw you dancing in the rain". From then on, I was "the girl who is always smiling and dancing". Then came the last big climb up to Moclin. When I saw the finish line, I was so relieved and wanted to run through. But something was wrong. I was standing right in front of the finish line, but on the wrong side. There was another loop and another climb to go, as you had to run through from the other side. I went back again. Up the hill and run another 1.5km or so to the finish line. At that moment I just switched off all my thoughts and ran. To stand in front of the finish line after more than 52km and turn around to run some more was challenging in that specific moment. But I kept running and with a big smile I finally crossed the finish line. I also won a prize that day for being 3rd lady: A bar of chocolate with peanuts. Due to my food allergies to seeds and nuts, Mike got my prize :-).
In the evening, we always ate in the hostel with the other runners. After all, it was Christmas Eve. It was a bit unusual because the focus was on running. Instead of wine and champagne, we had isotonic drinks, lots of water and tea. In the Cortijo we had a fireplace, so Mike and I spent the rest of the evening in front of the fire. He also had a real cold by now, and I was in the middle of a stage run, just before the 3rd stage. Our Cortijo was not heated until 5pm, so we were totally happy with our fireplace. We also had electric blankets in our beds. A relief for my muscles after the long wet hours!
Stage 3
And then the 3rd stage was already upon us, after all the shortest with 29km and 928m+. The route led mainly along paths through olive plantations and partly parallel to the motorway. And especially through a lot of mud, which made progress difficult. And the weather? Rain and rain. Later it started to be very windy. When I ran with another runner up the castle in Moclin, there was so much wind and fog that I couldn't see him, even though he was just ahead of me. But we could hear each other. We talked about pizza, lots of pizza. We wished for a magic lamp so that we could have pizza on the spot. And with just pizza in our heads, we took the last metres of altitude before crossing the finish line.
When I finished this third stage, I had a big down. This permanent wetness left its marks. My skin started to itch a lot and the skin of my back was sore. And I was just tired to the bone from the wetness. When we arrived at the Cortijo, I discussed the progress of the race with Mike. In the meantime, the weather was unpleasant and there were reports of heavy thunderstorms. And this for the longest stage over 60km and 2000m+ through the Sierra Parapanda. I was confused and unsure. In the evening we went back to the hostel for dinner, and I told the other runners that I would most probably not start the next day. Then, however, the news came that the route had to be shortened to 40km for safety reasons. The Sierra Parapanda was not runnable under these weather conditions. Nevertheless, I was not sure whether I wanted to run 40km in these weather conditions at all. At that moment, I was more inclined to abandon the run. And this even though I had received another prize on this stage. This time a packet of seeds, a regional snack, which I had to give back to Mike because of my allergy again :-).
Later I packed my running gear anyway; in case I changed my mind. In the evening, Mike's brother sent me a message. He encouraged me to keep running because I had already made it this far and had the mental strength to do it. He was right. I decided to stop thinking and go to sleep. And the next morning I would get up and see how hard the storm was raging. And then it became morning. I got up and went to the window. It was still raining and storming. I went to the bathroom and put on my running clothes, ate and drank something, went out the door and drove to the start line.
Stage 4
As I passed the first checkpoint, a sentence Mike uttered the day before went through my mind. Because of the weather conditions and the skin of my back, he said he couldn't understand why anyone would do a run like this. It wouldn't be fun anymore. But it had nothing to do with fun either, I don't run just out and for fun. It goes much further than that. It is deeper and has an existential character for me. I totally surrendered to my philosophical thoughts and suddenly fell into a state of deep calm and peace. It was all about "being" at that moment, being in the moment. I simply moved forward.
Then the track passed a small petrol station and continued uphill. I came to a small village that was very appealing to me because there was a magnificent view to my right. I later looked up on Maps where this place was and what the name was. But I only found the name of the street: Calle las Trompetas. I was also listening to music at that time and my app was playing a song I didn't know before. It somehow totally fitted the overall picture and so I listened to this song on repeat (for a total of 4 hours). It was the song "What's on your mind?" by Madrugada.
Then I got to the next checkpoint, and as I continued to run, a man and his son also started out on the track with me to take down the markings. It irritated me at the beginning because there was always someone behind me and I was obviously the last one. It somehow gave me the impression of a "broom wagon". But the two were very nice and obliging. After a while, I managed to switch off this thought and just concentrate on the route. Because it was quite steep now. The route led through olive plantations with simply fantastic views. “What's on your mind? When you're lost in time" was still ringing in my ears and I tried to answer the question. In my mind there was nothing more. I was moving. Through time. Through the incredibly beautiful landscape. Silence reigned within me. I tried to think about certain things, but I didn't succeed at all. Too insignificant and at that moment simply superfluous. At the next checkpoint, the two men said goodbye and then a woman and two young girls walked along. They were also very friendly and even took photos of me with the great view. And then it was almost over, I was at the last checkpoint and there was only one last, but very steep climb of about 6km ahead of me to the finish line. I really enjoyed this last stretch. I kept looking back at the beautiful Sierra. And then I ran over the finish line a fourth time. Totally relaxed and just happy.
Stage 5
And now here we go for the last 40km with 1500m+. It was now clear to me that I would finish the Ibex Multi-Day. Of course, you never know, but such thoughts were not in my head at all. Unfortunately, there were only very few runners left in the race. Stage 5 was also partly characterized by steep climbs, although these were absolutely worth it. Small idyllic villages, mountains, olive plantations, nature parks... there was a bit of everything. And the weather gradually got better. I got lost a few times and once again wandered around in the olive plantations trying to find the markings. And in the end, of course, I had a few more kilometers. Since the routes kept crossing and overlapping, it is really possible that I did an extra lap from another stage without knowing it. Some runners had the same experience as me. But we still passed all the checkpoints, just with a few kilometers more. So typical for me :-). And then... I headed for the finish line. And I finished the Ultra distance as 2nd lady (of 2) and as 8th overall (of 8).
In the evening there was a final dinner and the award ceremony. I couldn’t believe it! A totally slow turtle in second place. Not because I am a fast runner, but I had held out and managed to finish. Even though it took me much longer than the 7 other runners. I overcame my doubts, fears and in general all my thoughts. I just was in the present, in this area that simply fills me up and triggers a state of stillness and peace in me. And I simply did what I love: running an ultra. I am very happy that I was able to take part in this run, even though the conditions were not always easy. But I don't think they were easy for anyone. Not for the organizers Sarah and Steve, who had to overcome all these hurdles right at their first edition, not for the volunteers, who also waited patiently for us runners for hours in the rain to welcome us with a smile, to motivate us and to give us everything we needed. My biggest thanks to everybody! Unfortunately, there will be no 2nd edition of the Ibex Multi-Day in 2022, but Sarah and Steve (Ultra Trail Spain - Running Holidays) continue to offer running holidays in Moclin, including again at Christmas.
As we left Moclin the next day and walked to the car, I looked once more at the Sierra in front of me. And it was so clear to me at that moment: I don't need much more in my life to be happy. I want to spend as much time as possible here. I have found my place. A place that inspires me, fulfils me, excites me, amazes me, spends me peace and quiet, gives me the feeling of having arrived.
Then, a few days after we returned home, I made two decisions: First, I will take my first real break from running after almost 9 years, because I am really tired. Secondly, I will buy a house in Andalusia. I have successfully done both :-).