This was actually…, not easy.
Preparation had not been perfect, as I didn’t get much sleep for two nights before the race.
I was tired from the start and had a recovery of 24 hours still.

But the conditions of the race was in all other respects just perfect.
Perfect weather, perfectly arranged race-track, perfect and smiling helpers along the route, and a bunch of kind and helpfull and competitive runners.
I ran in short tights and long sleeved shirts.
The ultra thin inner, a middle layer and then a toplayer.
I didn’t need the inner layer. It was just a little to warm. Warmer than anticipated and no wind.
Lots of uphills and downhills.
But I do think that I found the terrain more difficult like 15-20 years ago…
Especially the year with snow and very icy conditions, where I seriously twisted my ancle and had a negative impact on my running for almost a complete year after.
We ran many of the same uphills several times. The route was clearly made to empty all energy from even the best of runners.
Its a huge advantage to know the terrain and parts of the route beforehand.
The last three K’s are really hard, as it’s through sand and dunes and just when you think you can see the finnish-line, there is still a loop of one K left and some really steep stairs 😀
I tried relaxing a bit at the beginning, but failed.
So at around 20K I began to suffer.
Tried to find my own pace and keep taking energy.
Fluid turned out to a bit of a problem. I couldn’t drink enough.
As I got more tired, I began to fiddle to much with my Flipbelt, keeping my softflask drinking bottle in it, my phone and a little softflask with energy (cola+Gerimax).
Having the softflask in there is not really working out, when I need to get to it and the terrain is difficult.
In the last 200m I had to do a sprint finish. A runner doing one of the shorter runs, came sprinting from behind.
I gave it all I had and tried to keep him behind me and even slightly block him.
But he flew past me and won by 20 meters.
I just kept sprinting the rest of the way, for the looks of it.
But my legs where empty.
Got a sprint finish-prize, thanks.
Felt dizzy and weak for 20 – 30 minutes.

Tried having a sausage and had to force the first half of it down, without vomiting.
The second half felt better and after 15 minutes I got another sausage and enjoyed it.
Gave energy back.
But I’m really, really tired!
Because of all the steep downhill running, my toes are crushed in my shoes.
I ran in my New Balance More Trails (v1).
They are now whorn all down!
Think this was the last race with them.

Yes, I’ll do it again next year 😀