I'm sorry....(the Dolomites Post)

Well it has been a very very long time since my last post. I think cycling and other things took over for a while there, as I was training for the Pull Out All The Stops Bike Ride (300 miles in 24 hours, from Durham to London non-stop). It meant less time on the trails and more time just cycling endless laps of Richmond Park and loops around Windsor and Box Hill!

So the last blog was about the few days running around the Isle of Wight with Marshall. That was a test to see how multi-day running would go with some longer distances. Lessons learned! However, it did prove for Marshall (who is on the come back from injury) that he could run solid distances across a few days so we booked in a flight to Venice and hire car up to Cortina and the start of the Lavaredo Trail.

The trail itself is used as part of a race that The North Face put together in late June every year. The official stats are 118km with 5740m of ascent across the course, all at +1300m above sea level. The race is completed all in one go, but we wanted to at least enjoy the scenery, take a break and so planned the following:-
- Day 1 = 24km (1,850m gain)
- Day 2 = 46km (2,180m gain)
- Day 3 = 50km (1,736m gain)

We ended up doing a few extra km as one of the nights accommodation was off the trail. We also ran the trail in reverse, starting with the most difficult day for climbing in the shortest period of time. I've never run something like that before, it put parts of the CCC to shame it was that steep. Just a whole load of permanent uphills so lots of use of sticks and walking to protect the legs for the days ahead.

Day 1 - Cortina to Passo Falzarego

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/340035326

The first day started innocently enough with an 11am departure from the Town Square in Cortina. We stocked up with a big breakfast at the hotel, said farewell to Marshall's wife and then headed off into the mountains (not the ones in the background, that was Day 2!). We knew there was a fair bit of ascent, and Marshall was eager to get running. A few stops to adjust kit along the way and we reached our first mini goal about 30 minutes in, a beautiful lake in the forest on the way up. We had a lunchtime appointment at a Rifugio further up so we washed our faces and carried on moving, shuffling between a very very slow jog as we rapidly gained ascent and walking as some of the terrain was very steep. How the race finished up with this sort of descent I don't know, it would've been terrifying!



We stopped off for a few photo ops before getting to the Rifugio, about 10km out of Cortina but what had taken about 2 hours to reach! We got rid of the packs and ordered what was going to be the first of many pasta based dishes along the trail (with some Coke, the Ultra Marathoners saviour).

Being high up yet still with Cortina in view was a tad demoralising, but as you can see the views on the first day more than made up for it.

 We carried on up a bit further getting some odd looks from the many walkers and hikers around, reached the top of the pass and then ran on to stunning views of the Marmolada and on to Passo Giau.

This is where things got a bit technical and we found ourselves descending rapidly trying not to lose control. One of my strengths (if I have any at all) is my descending, so I went full blast down the hill and so very nearly lost it several times over. Thankfully the bright and mighty Asics kept me steady as we eventually made it to our last fuel stop and carried on towards Passo Falzarego for the evening. It was an exhausting start to the three days but thankfully the minimal distance meant we felt fresh as we reached accommodation (near a huge Italian Army barracks) for the evening. Alas, being 2000m above sea level made it a difficult nights sleep, but we got some nonetheless.




Day 2 - Passo Falzarego to Rifugio Auronzo

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/340035417 (short due to Garmin problems, missed the last 2km)

This was the day I was looking forward to as I knew the scenery would be stunning. And we weren't let down. We headed off early knowing it was 19km (possibly 3 hours) before our first chance to top up water etc. We overpacked in terms of food and drink and set off. The slog out of Falzarego involved another 400m+ climb almost straight away which set the tone for the day, but it was followed by a solid 2 hours of running through such a beautiful valley. 

Looking like a lost Meerkat...mostly as I didn't know where we were going!

The view down the valley didn't disappoint. Running down from the rocky high ground through to the rich lush valley floor was a journey to behold. We crossed a few permanent snow crossings over rivers which tested the nerves, but nothing prepared us for a moment that happened maybe 5 minutes after crossing the waterfall (above right). Further down the valley we were running and I heard an odd noise which sounded like a plan coming in to land. I yelled to Marshall (in front of me) to stop and listen, and maybe 5 yards in front of him a football sized rock bounced off the middle of the path and continued down the mountain valley. Meanwhile the increasing sound of rubble coming down the cliffs suggested an avalanche and we ran back up the hill to the waterfall for safety. 5 minutes later, heart rate down, we sprinted back past the scene of the tiny avalanche (nothing really happened) and on to safety. A memory and sound that will stick in my mind for a long time to come!

We carried on and made it to the first stop for the day after 3 or so hours, and filled up on cake and Coke again. More climbing and then into another valley heading towards the biggest climb of the journey, which was up to 2500m to Tre Cime Lavaredo. We made good time for lunch and so we stopped off and ate a load of pasta, before deciding another 5km to a lake at the bottom of the climb required an 'ice bath' sitting in the cool glacial waters. It helped the legs no end, but didn't help the large, softball sized chaffing which had appeared on my back from my bag running :-( By this time all pain was the same so we carried on and started the 10km of continuous uphill to Tre Cime. The views didn't disappoint again, and we were treated to some mind blowing vistas down the valley and up to Tre Cime. At this stage we were both struggling to run (me much more so than Marshall) so it was a case of hands on knees and powering up the hill. Making the summit was amazing and several photos later we completed the final few km to our accommodation for the evening at the noisiest Rifugio (Auronzo) ever. Seriously don't stay there. It was brutal. No showers either, which made for a fun evening. The highlight was getting dinner and Marsh thinking he was going to get a steak but returning to the table to find he had a burger pattie on his plate. Perfecto!


Day 3 - Auronzo - Cortina

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/340035545

After a terrible nights sleep we work early at 6.30am to make the final push back to Cortina. The chaffing was ridiculous and knowing that I had 50km of a bag rubbing on a sweaty, bleeding back was not the most motivational way to start the day. However, the views soon helped out, starting with the stunning vista at Lago Misurina.

 We both dreaded this day due to the large amount of descending we needed to do, knowing that our legs would take a battering. And that they did. It was a really quiet day with the two of us focussing on the task at hand and pushing on to the finish at Cortina. The planned stops worked like clockwork, and we had a wonderful lunch at an upmarket restaurant both drenched in sweat, stinking, and drinking water out of a nearby well! Ha - it was also the most expensive Coke we drank with €2.50 for a 200ml bottle. Still, we had no choice!

 Exhausted and keen to get home, we pushed on and made some great ground towards the end knowing there was one final climb before making it back to Cortina. It wasn't the biggest climb but it was enough to sap the life out of me. Marshall thought it was a good time to try and run the climb (5km, 800m+) but he got about 1km up and I found him waiting for me. It was a schooling either way. The long descent back down into Cortina was finally a chance to get the legs moving and I ticked off some reasonable paced splits, just letting the wheels go completely at some stages and jumping over rocks and the like to get down to civilisation.

We made it back into town about 1 hour in front of schedule, in time to watch the local relay races through the town and enjoy a beer. The shower at the hotel never felt so good (and so painful on my back!) but physically otherwise I was feeling fine. We headed out for a massive meal and a few beers before a solid sleep.

All in all the Dolomites would be the best place I have EVER run. It is geared up for hikers and runners alike, and well worth the trip. Running the Lavaredo Trail isn't even required, as the paths are so easy to follow. It's more a case of running from hut to hut to avoid having to carry all your food as well as everything else for all the weather changes. However, I know I simply wouldn't enjoy trying to run the Lavaredo Trail as a race, so won't be entering that any time soon! I also know I need a new pack - Salomon, despite the work they do with Killian, really need to focus on less movement of the pack. I do hear the new TNF pack does wonders...

Anyway, for anyone that ever stumbles across this I hope you enjoy reading it. There is a video in production, it's just taking a while. The photos barely do this place justice. I will be back, but maybe in a different part of the Dolomites...