ST140 ultra ruminations I

 

 

There shall come an hour when I will retell my experience from Štefánik ultra in a narration. For now, I will present a few observations. 

Light I or How much do you need to see?

My trusted Sprinter 275 is great for running on trails I am familiar with. It illuminates every rock, puddle and reliably scares every vertebrate present. Its known weakness is that it will last ca. 4 hours in a high-power mode. Thus, I was down to very low illumination early.

 

Light II or When darkness falls

When you end up with a low battery in your headlamp and the reserve one has been strategically sent ahead to a station still 30 kilometres away, you must do with what is available. For one, you can follow your peers. And unless their headlamps cast searing light, the added advantage is that your eyes will gradually adapt to murkier conditions. If you combine the adaptation with the headlamp on lowest power, you are in a serviceable territory. But let's not talk about navigation. 

 

Having fun I – Singing

Singing Far Over the Misty Mountains Cold on the ridge of Záruby is a great way of enjoying life. Not only it is a great song, but everybody present must feel respect for your lack of preservation of energy.

 

Having fun II – Banter at the stations

R: Can I have borovička?  (Borovička is a spirit that contains 40% of alcohol.)

V: Sure, there's a bar next door. 

 

R: I heard they've recently built an escalator to Vápenná. (A climb on the way.)

V: Unfortunately, it only operates during the day.

 

R: Where can I find an electrolytic drink?  

V: Give me a minute; I'll set myself to brewing the potion.

R: Does it also regrow hair?

 

Having fun III – Using the conditions

It is almost full moon, and you are running in a pack of likely-minded folk. Do you know a better way of showing your enthusiasm than mock howling?  

 

Exhaustion?

Three or so kilometres from the finish line and close to half an hour to make it under 30 hours. In principle, this is hiking territory but the small matter of a 300-meter-long staircase up the Castle Hill puts a question mark over that calculation. So, a rushed hike up it was and then a dash down and along the river. Where there's a will there's a way, hm?