Brutal, read the fine print.

Back in January, Ruth was looking for something to ‘train for.’ I suggested she enter another Mountain Marathon. We did one, the Jungfrau Marathon, as part of our honeymoon in 2008 and enjoyed it. There are about 10 others in the Alps each year. The next thing I know we were signed up for 2. Last week, we went to Liechtenstein to race in the LGT Marathon. I have been training, but training for a race that finishes 1200 meters higher that the start is a challenge. 8 weeks ago I ran myself to exhaustion in the Zurcher Oberland (boney hills up to 1200 meters high). I felt okay running from one ridge to another until I reached the highest summit. The problem was I had to go back down the mountain, 1000 meters of downhill and my knees were seriously mad at me. From then on I looked for training runs where I could take a train or bus back down. Still my body, just does not really like to run uphill, and I kept picking seriously hard hiking trails.

Saturday, we got up early and took the train/bus to the race (it is awesome that we and others can do that). The weather forecast wasn’t good. It rained hard that week = sloppy trails... and it was going to be rainy, foggy and cold on top of the 1730m pass we were to go over. But, I convinced myself that I was ready. I even joked about how nice it would be get some of the prize money. We could use some Swiss francs, for all the food I would be eating to recover from this endeavor.

The first 10 km were flat. The climbing started with a jolt - 1000 meters up over a distance of 11km. The fog (actually these were clouds I was running in) was thick and I could only see 20 meters in front of me. The fog made the race surreal. For minutes I would be running alone, with only the sound of cow bells to remind me where I was. The next moment a runner would appear in front of me. I didn’t have to set a goal of chasing them down, they were there out of the blue...

As I crested the ridge, a well meaning volunteer hand me a drink. Perfect, electrolytes I thought. Gulp, chock, gag .. .it was Coke, not exactly what you want to drink with another 21 k to go. The trail tipped downward, in four km I was too lose 300 meters of the height I worked so hard to gain. My spirits were high though, as I entered the last village and passed the finish for the 25 km race.

As I rounded the next hill I could no longer hear the cheering, and the gravity of my situation became clear. Not only did I have another 800 meters to climb ahead of me, but I had 570 meters to descend! Unfortunately, my body could not produce enough endorphins, and the last 200 meter descent was unbearable. I finished respectably, no tears ... but not even close to the prize money! I was keenly aware, however, that I wasn’t prepared for the combination of up and down in this race. In my training, I had focused on the 1800 meters of uphill not the 870 of downhill. That is more than the Sea to Sea downhill run for you Bellinghamsters. Ouch! So, hats off to all that finished.

In one week, we have the second race we signed up for the Graubunden Marathon, am a sucker for anything claiming to be the hardest, which this one does. It ascends 2740 meters, and has a steep 400 meter descent in the middle (I have now studied the profile of this race, yes I learned my lesson). It finishes at 3260 meters above sea level (asl). Wish me luck. I am hoping, it isn’t that much harder than the last race and that it’s sunny - it is a shame to run 26 miles in the mountains and not see the tops of any of them. Either way I will be sure to write about it.

Ruth here: Darrell's account is similar to mine, but different also. I was much slower and with the people who walked the steep parts of the race. I did run past many of them (men!) which felt good... unfortunately, I've had a heel injury that acted up - and I had to stop at the 25 km finish. (I've since diagnosed my injury as Plantar Fasciitis - a runner's nightmare - I'm doing everything I can to get it ready for this next race, which was only intended to be the half marathon for me when we signed up). The run was great, nice forests to run through - we went by a castle and through the capitol of Lietchenstein. At the 25 km finish, I jumped on the next public bus to go to the top where Darrell was finishing. I had a shower (they set up canvas enclosed tents with a generator heating water connected to a main line and they pump water in for the showers - in this kind of race where you are cold, wet and covered in mud - it is much appreciated!) and got back just in time to see Darrell finish - he started cramping, so I gave him some broth :) (just like any good wife would do!) they had a food tent set up where you could get grilled brats, which we were both happy to gobble up!!!!


Sorry no photos from the race, it was too wet! Instead here is a photo from a train run Darrell did in Glarnerland.