Silver at My First "Ultra" Trail Race

„How much you want this?!“ This is a sentence which brought me to the podium. This is a sentence from one fitness video I used to watch when doing abs workout. I was told I should focus to skiing videos rather then fitness once. This time I am more than thankful that this sentence se mi vryla do paměti.

But let’s start from a begining. I registred for NUTS Pallas 30km trail race last year in May. Unfortunately, I got sick a week before the event. and didn’t get healthy untill the race. I went to watch this race and cheer for Jyri running a day later 55km race. I was really sad I can’t be on the starting line. I had promised myself, this year I will make sure to be healthy and run.

I managed to stay healthy, However two weeks before the competition I still didn’t know whether I am gonna run it or not. I aimed to get qualified for student World champ in orienteering which was held just a week after NUTS. Taking part in both competititons wouldn’t be the smartest decision. Unfortunately, I wasn’t selected to WUOC so I could run NUTS. My whole spring preparation was target to run sprint disciplines at WUOC so I didn’t have very good preparation for NUTS. And in that moment it was too late to train for it. Anyway, I wanted to do my best and I enjoy it. This 30km race was called „sprint“ so maybe it could fit me? B-) My final preparation consisted of experiencing proper Finnish Lapland life: living in a cottage with no water, no toalet, no darkness during nights (Ylläs is to the north from Arctic circe so sun doesn't go down at all during summer), driving between raindeers, taking photo of biggest raindeer in the world and having company of friends from Finnish ski-o national team. I was very pleased that one of them, Milka Reponen, decided to compete at 30km race too.

Jyri took me for a an hour long run (which lasted 80min) two days before the race. He guided me through one part of the race. I was happy I would know at least one part of the course and wouldn’t get lost there. Guess what, I did a navigation mistake just in that area! Blondýna! But it was still very benefitial training as I got respect from the course. There were some technical parts and very high focus was needed.

I couldn't wait the race as the countrise was really spectacular.

I didn’t have any specific expectiations from myself. I knew I definitely want to make it all the way to the finnish. I knew times of best three girls from previous years. One of them was one of the best orienteerins in the world, Swiss Elena Roos, who finished 2nd with time of 3hours, 7min and 31seconds. None of the girls from TOP3 was on the starting list this year. Jyri told me there is one girl who used to win many ultra races in Finland. Maybe there could be a change for TOP3 place for me? I got even more nervous and excited, when me and Milka were stated in the Finnish trail running magazine as one of favourits.

The day before the start was quite stressful. I don’t know how many gels to take. When should I eat? How much should I drink? I will run in Salomon shoes. I will take this small Camelbak No, I will run in Inov8 shoes. I can’t put all my stuff in this bag! Do I need this and this? I don’t know which shoes to take. I don’t know which bag to take. I don’t know anything.Uaaaaaaaah.

And Firday July 13, 2018 came. We headed to Iso Ylläs to the competititon centre.

10minutes to the start. Time for happy photos.

And then, Friday 13 at 4pm it started. First two kilometres run up the slope to the top of Ylläs. Milka started really fast and I knew I can’t start this fast. I knew there were couple of girls in front of me, but I tried to focus on my own speed. On the top I took first gel. It was really untasty one. I bought it just one hour before the race as SOS. I had found out I had brought only two Enervit gels with me from Czech so I had to buy some in Finland. I couldn’t wait 15km where I planned to eat first Enervit gel.

First downhill from the top of Yllas. I let my legs roll. Pain in the belly side appears. Shit. I used to have this problem when I was young when not breathing properly. I slowed down and tried to breath as well as possible. It wasn’t good but fortunately the pain stopped to get worse.

There was first refreshement point at about 6th kilometre. I just grabbed some raisins and continued.

It was moderate downhill and playful paths.I did enjoy the feeling of running. It turned flat and I was at the beggining of the part I had run two days earlier. I felt great and let my legs spin. I was passing some girls and felt so strong. After a while I checked my pulse on Garmin watch and found out I am running almost on anaearobic treshold. That was definitely not good as I wasn’t even in the one third of the course. I had planned to start easy and make sure to be fresh at 15km and since that try to speed up. I decided to keep running same speed to another climb which was near and walk that slope to get some power.

I was really happy that I didn’t see anyone run this stone field up. I caught another girl and started to think about my position. I was thinking where is Milka. I did very good last five km but couldn’t see her in front of me. There were also some girls just behind me. We passed one guy cheering for us. He told us we are at place second to four. I didn’t believe as I was sure there are at least three girls in front of us. But I went back to focus to my performance.

I was positively surprised I wasn’t so done as two days ago when reaching the top. But from there I followed a path which suddently ended in the middle of the stone field. Where to go? I turned back and those two girls were jsut behind me. They also seemed surprised the paths had ended. One guy saw us and waved to us that he is on the correct path. I decided to run straight through the stone field in order to limit the time of the navigation mistake. It cost me maybe one minute…

Technical downhill ahead. Focus focus focus. One speedy girl got in front of me. I tried to copy her steps down and tried to keep up. When it turned flat I passed her easily. Another speedy girl took me over. I felt quite done and didn't reach 15km yet. I decided to keep my own pace as it was far to the finnish.

At about 17 kilometre I felt out of power. Another girl got in front of me. I tried to run her speed but she was getting further and further in front of me. I decided not to panic and just run my own speed. I was telling myself that everyone might get krizičku and then get second breath. I was having the crize in that moment. Suddenly I threw up. Bleeeh. That taste lasted in my mounth for couple of minutes and it was nothing comfy. My krizička lasted till second and last refreshment point at 23km. I was done, everything hurt and I felt like shit. Thanks to all Finnish ski-o friends who were at this refreshment point and cheered for me. Also big thanks to Jyri’s parents who were there to support me and all other sport fans who did applaus. Jyri asked me how is it going for me and I said „terrible“. I asked my position and he said probably sixth but he is not sure. He also informed me there is a girl just ahead of me. I knew she can’t be that close because I couldn’t see her in any uphill in front of me. I also thought I could be at fifth position but my calculation skills weren’t very secure in that moment. I didn’t aim to catch the girl in front of me. It was still two kilometres of climbing left and I didn’t feel very high. I knew I could be able to speed up at the end but not yet.

Maybe half kilometre to the last saddle I regain some power and pushed. There were some guys ahead of me and they didn’t look like they have lot of power left. I set goals to catch one by one. One of them tried to keep up with me but then gave up. My crise was over and I challenge him to follow me. He did for a while.

And then I saw her. Just after crossing the saddle there was the girl in front of me. It could be maybe one minute difference. It was another very technical part and flat or downhill. I decided to put all in and try to catch her. Now or never. I had about 3km to the finnish. As I am racing at shorter distances than this race I am also used to run faster. I am always tired at the end of my course but still manage to fight. I believed this experience from orienteering could be my advantage here.

Step by step I was getting closer to that girl. I kicked with my toe to the stone, I felt down twice. It caused pain but I didn’t care. When I got to distance of about 30metres I decided to sprint around her so that she will not be able to keep up. It worked and I was surprised how easily I run away from her. I slowed down gently but still kept a good speed.

And then I saw another girl just about 150metres ahead of me. I was pretty sure she must be running on a podium position. I really wanted to make it to TOP3. I didn’t know how much it is till end. I guessed maybe one kilometre, maybe one and half. I wanted to be on the podium so badly that I grabbed some hidden energy and caught that girl.

But this girl wasn’t as easy as the previous one. I speeded up. She copied. I slowed down. She copied. I decide to challenge her for last finnish. My tactic was just not to let her run out of me. And finally we run over last hill and there was only downhill ahead of us. I was surprised how technical i tis but I decided to put all in. I knew I have a knee in a bad shape, I am tired like hell but I just tried to focus what’s under my feet and get down as fast as possible. I didn’t look back. I appeared on the meadow with finnish area and sprinted as much as I could. I looked back maybe hundred metres ahead of finnish. There was nobody behind me. I was so happy but those last 100metres felt really tough. I even took a wrong side of the finnish corridor but fortunately made it secure to the finnish.

I fell down to the sand bags and felt so happy. The only things I wanted to know was whether I made it to the podium and what is with Milka.

I was third!!!! I cried how happy I was. I don’t know whether I was so happy for the podium, for the mental fight I won or for my time. I made it in 3hours nad 17minutes! It was similar time to time as Elena Roos last year. For Milka it didn’t go so well unfortunately. She got problems with her legs and quit the race to be able to focus for training towards ski-o season.

I put off my shoes and found out my feet don’t look very sexy. I realized how painful my body is. I had difficulties to walk and I couldn’t put any shoes on for three days. Generally, my walking looked like a have a shit in my pants. I didn’t fall asleep first night after the race. My body was so much in pain. I also had difficulties to eat. I expected I will be hungry and willing to eat everyting after the race but it turned out I couldn’t get anything in my stomach for almost 24hours. All I wanted was coke. I even bought one half litre bottle in one hotel for four euros. I wanted it so desperately.

But none of these problems would overweight the happies from my permormance and result. I won this third place by my head. I proved myself that racing is so much about head. This is a very precious experience I will carry with me to the future.

The day after Jyri finished his 55km long NUTS race also at third place! I was so happy about him.

Two weeks later I got a diploma with 2nd place. I thought it is a mistake and wanted to write organizers. But then I found out Suski at second place got penalization for breaking the rules and I happened to be 2nd. It is amazing to end up 2nd at this race but I it is more important for me that I managed to win the third place with a very strong ending. And I believe Suski didn't mean to break rules.