Legends Trail 2018

Reports should be written when emotions are still raw, legs still aching and feet still swollen. So while I'm not in the sharpest state mentally, here goes...

"The Legends Trail is a non-stop, unmarked race over 250km in the Southern part of Belgium during winter time. Competitors need to have a minimal average speed of 4km/h to finish the grueling course, with only 4 checkpoints, and around 7000D+." (www.legendstrail.com) 

What an adventure it's been! As the experience and emotions from the past few days are still sinking in, so does the gratitude towards everyone involved for making this happen.  

There's only so much you can do in preparing for an event like this. Obviously, you have to train physically. But more important could be the mental part. Reports of past editions are enormously helpful for this. Even those who I consider to be pioneers at ultra-running, seem to have been standing here, feeling equally impressed by the task at hand. After Great Escape and Bello Gallico last year, this will be my longest distance, adding 90k to the previous. The conditions are tougher as well, with fresh snow (which was a big help in navigating) and lots of icy parts (which had the advantage of low risk of trench-feet), so I felt really small when finding my way to Mormont. Looking around at the starting line, I recognise many people, all of which great runners or hikers, so now is my time to wonder what I'm doing here and whether I have a right to be standing here. I'm relieved when the group gets underway at 6pm and we begin the first section to Hotton. The first 25k or so follow more technical tracks along the Ourthe, which were very slippery at places. After only 9k, we see a group of people standing around Arnoud, who is tucked away in his survival bag after taking a nasty fall and breaking his leg. I stop briefly to ask if I can be of any assistance, leave my thermos with tea so he has something hot to drink, and continue, trying to lean forward a bit more and keeping my knees bent to sit low and more stable when running. Not the most relaxed running pose but better than the alternative.

HQ at Mormont

Ania, getting ready for the start of the event

Along the Ourthe

Ourthe in wintery conditions

Taking this picture at around 20, it's actually happening

Once out of the valley, the going got a bit easier. The clouds lift later in the night and I feel welcomed by the moon, which always gives me strength. It's hard not to think of it as a sign that tonight is a full moon. At 4AM I reach CP1, dry my feet, switch to sealskinz and have a nice meal. I planned on taking 1h breaks at every CP (except for CP3 where I would like to get some sleep), which seemed to be working for me. I was still feeling out of place, but from CP1 to CP2, I was joined by Martino, who is always good company and brightened my mood. 

Hello again!

CP1 - CP2 with Martino

CP1 - CP2: Sunrise!

CP1 - CP2 with Martino

When arriving at CP2 I had some difficulty with the crowdedness of the place. Although I was really looking forward to arriving there, I felt I had to leave as soon as possible again, which felt pretty hard on me. I took care of the essentials and was out the door again in a pretty bad state, lacking the will to continue. So I did what makes most sense of all, call my girlfriend who is not into running and keeps a healthy distance from "all that running stuff you do". I don't recall the exact conversation, but after hanging up again, I started feeling better. And what would be most important in the end, I felt I was where I needed to be and I had the right to be here. Was I just lacking confidence until now? And did I need to admit I was halfway into Legends and things were actually going great? I started to feel I had a real chance of finishing this thing, even-though others told me earlier I could do this. 

I had some encounters with other people along the way and teamed up for a section with Olivier, Paige, Johan and Pierre. Seeing the icy conditions at Ninglinspo, I was happy I didn't have to pass this section all alone in the middle of the night. Upon leaving the valley, I started feeling the pace of the group was somewhat different to my preferred pace, so I was off on my own again. 

Near Nonceveux (133k) there was an unexpected and unofficial CP. Manned by legendary Sarah and Buzz and loving people like Dave, Imran and Chloe, this really pulled me through and gave me enough energy to get to CP3. More and more convinced I only needed to get there in time to get some sleep in order to finish, I was getting motivated.

CP2.1 at 130k with high-fashion Chloe

CP2.1 with Dave

The descent along Ninglinspo took longer than anticipated (who would have thought it was going to be slippery?) and I arrived at CP3 (163k) very sleepy and later than expected. But as my goal was to get some sleep during night-time I was just in time. I slept for 1,5 - 2 hours instead of the 3 hours I hoped for, and woke up again just before 7am feeling ready to get going again. Things weren't so simple however. My sleep-deprived mind wasn't cooperating in handling the basic logistics of sorting the drop bag. I kept looking for my dry socks in my drop bag, but I already put them next to my shoes. My sleeping bag didn't fit into the drop bag any more. I couldn't find my food for the next section because I already put it in my running pack... Anyway, I was getting really frustrated with myself and just wanted to get out in the fresh air again, so I'm afraid I wasn't too friendly towards the people helping me out (so sorry about that!). Once I was out, the cold air woke me up and I had a nice little cry-session which seems to be part of my ultra-experience. Everything seemed to fall into place and I started feeling better and better the further I got into the race, which was obviously the complete opposite of what I was expecting. Instead of a fresh start and a grim ending, the first 100k were pretty rough and the next 150 were good going. 

A fresh morning

Feeling a bit tired but enjoying the sunshine

I planned on going slower from CP3 onwards, but as I could keep up my pace from the previous sections I got more or less back on my schedule (even after a short nap out in the sunshine) when arriving at CP4 at 4pm. I didn't want to lose too much time there and take advantage of the remaining daylight, so after having hot food and a 5 minute nap (just to take the sharpness of), I got out again. 

Last section after CP4

Last section after CP4

After sunset the wind picked up for a few hours, accompanied by some rain. Conditions got worse very quickly for a brief moment, and it was easy to imagine getting into trouble with core temperature if this change in weather would have kept on. I did put on an additional layer at CP4 before going into the night, and after putting on my hat and hood, I remember thinking this rain-jacket was actually really cozy! I was also thinking I could switch to my second pair of shoes at the next CP, but the next stop would be the finish line. I was doing this. I was finishing Legends. And I was enjoying it! Passing over Baraque Fraiture in snowy conditions was easier than during recce, and the people at Ingo's partytent filled me up with a tosti and soup to keep me going. 

After almost 58 hours I got back at Mormont at Monday at 3:45, where I passed the finish line coming from the wrong direction. Leave it to me to create a socially awkward situation, even after 250k :D 

As the Great Escape and Bello Gallico already proved to me, the community surrounding these events is simply amazing. At each CP you are showered with love and attention, everyone wants you to succeed and you are in safe hands. The only thing you need to do is put one foot before the other. Several times.

It again felt really strange, being welcomed by a group of people after spending the last 150k more or less alone. It felt like I just got back from a different planet, and needed to find a way of communicating again. Looking back at this adventure, it is both my strength and weakness of my personality. On the one hand, I can go for miles and miles all by myself, enjoying the solitude on my own pace and drawing energy from within. I can be looking forward to the next CP with enormous anticipation, but re-connecting with people is sometimes very difficult. This can result in disappointments for myself, which almost proved too much at CP2. Contradictory enough, it was also people who got me out of that state of mind. 

For me, Legends has little to do with running. It has everything to do with digging really deep and being curious what you can find at the bottom. Thank you for handing me a shovel and keeping the line secured.

Finish and having feet checked!

Running (and other stuff) in 2017

A lot has happened in 2017, so an overview makes sense. I moved from the city to a smaller town that has some hills and nature, quit my job and said goodbye to a lot of people. Met a lot of crazy outdoors people, started another job and said hello to a lot of people. Tried to find a way of living which is both sustainable and fulfilling. I often think I'd like my life to be more stable, but at each moment of stability, I feel myself drifting towards an uneasiness, there has to be more to life than this? I'm still trying to combine a "normal" life with being outdoors, having contact with nature and playing on a more or less daily basis (when and why did we become so serious?). Trail-running, fastpacking and micro-adventures seem to give an answer to this, so I'm curious on further exploring these paths I'm slowly discovering. You might look upon this as an attempted escape from reality. But on the other hand, being out there feels more real than the daily life we are leading, where a high-paid job to buy a big house and a fancy car have a higher priority than experiencing life. There's a huge risk involved in reading Walden. Another thing I learned is that I'd rather be running through the cold and the mud with friends, than running on a tropical island with which I feel little connection on my own. I'm more and more convinced you don't have to travel far or someplace exotic to get truly rewarding experiences. And it is rewarding to feel a connection with your playground. I'm struggling to find the correct words, but it seems more rewarding to travel deep, than to travel wide. And as long as I haven't reached the bottom of the traveling I can do close by, as long as I haven't grown tired of my own extended back-yard, I don't really see much reason to travel far. "Far" is relative of course. I'm happy to stay on our little European peninsula, which has plenty of places left to discover. Like mr. Taiko supposedly said, if you find the answers, you probably haven't done enough searching. There's more digging to be done next year.

Below are some pictures from 2017. The main difference with previous years seems to be there are a lot of people involved.

Feb: TransGranCanaria80 with Frank (and Ingo)

April: 5d Snowdonia, trying to combine trekking and running

April: didn't need a torch under the Welsh moon (although that might have kept my feet dry in the bog)

May: "Toerke Hageland" with Geert

June: Crib Goch at V3K in Snowdonia with Matthijs

June: V3K in Snowdonia

It's not always easy combining holidays with Charlotte, but a mix of camping, wild swimming and trailrunning seems to work very well for both of us. So in July, we went camping in the Cevennes, before heading to Switzerland where I would run my first 100k around Grindelwald. 

July: wild swimming in the Cevennes

July: smiling my way to the finish of my first 100k at Eiger Trail

August: Trail des Fantômes 100k with Frank

August: 2-day fastpacking with a weight-saving tarp-poncho combination. I had to crawl into a corner, but I did manage to stay more or less dry during the nightly downpour. Feels like a good 3-season option for the Ardennes. In more exposed areas, the MLD Trailstar proved to be a lightweight, roomy and bombproof shelter.

September! My main goal for 2017 was finishing the Great Escape, which would become my first 100miler. 

In March and August, I spent two weekends on the trail, training, experimenting with fastpacking and getting to know the (perfectly marked) route which follows the beautiful Lee and Eisleck trails. After going the first 100k by myself, Ingo and me teamed up for the final part. Seeing the sun rise, set and rise again is a sense of freedom I hadn't experience yet. I'm equally amazed at the intensity of the bond that's formed between people when sharing the trails. And I can't imagine getting so much out of this with another organisation and volunteers than with Legends Trails. Being welcomed by Frank at a CP in the middle of a forest, sharing the night along Nisramont whilst we were both falling asleep with Ingo or seeing Chloe, Alexia and many others at the end of the race is something I won't easily forget. To say this organisation and its community is an enrichment in life would be quite the understatement. Like a friend once said, doing what you love is a great filter to meet people you like. Or at least she said something in that area, we were drinking beer at the time so the exact words escape me.

Talking about "exact words", although it's called a race, I don't really see what we're competing against. Surely not against each other? You should see that merry bunch of crazy people, sharing beer and a good laugh after going knee deep through the mud in the middle of the night. And surely not "against nature", what is sometimes used as advertisement for obstacle races, these words seem to be most remote from what I'm experiencing during an ultra. 

There seems to be a huge difference between 100k and 100 miles as well. Where 100k is just a stupidly long run, moving onwards for 100 miles is so much more an adventure, with a similar mindset as an unsupported trek through remote country. Planning is necessary, and you know in advance every plan you made at home, safe in the comfort of your couch, will need to be changed throughout the race. Logistics and sleep deprivation also become things to take into account, making it all a lot more interesting. Even if you know the route like the back of your hand, you will go places you've never been before.

September: Great Escape 100 miles with Ingo (photo after 140k) 

 November: first time snowshoeing and wintercamping in the Vosges

December: Bello Gallico 100 miles with Chloe. Grateful to have spent the weekend with this amazing person.

Upon finishing the Bello Gallico, I completed my running plan I started last year with the Polar Bear Trail, which I wrote down (and obviously adjusted and re-adjusted) on my chalkboard. Time to wipe it clean and start anew!

2018 is already planned. One of the trails I'm joining is the notorious Legends Trail, 250k of stumbling and sliding through the mud. Do I need to explain I'm looking forward to it?

December: first steps in Legends land

There were other races and adventures as well during the year. I'd like to think I'm tending to go towards less races on which I can put more focus in the future. There seems to be a risk of over-consuming and just ticking the box after finishing. But I admit I find it difficult to leave something for a later date. I'm still very much feeling like a kid who just entered his first amusement park and wants to try all the attractions, afraid the day is coming to an end and closing time might be near. Taking a look at my schedule for 2018, I might sign up for having a rematch on "doing less" in 2019. But not yet.

Anyway, if you've come this far, dear reader, I hope you understand that the past year has been special to me, not in the least by the various people I met along the way and shared some of the above, regardless in what form. Thanks for being there, and I hope to see you next time. Wish you all a great 2018.

Bello Gallico 2017

So, Bello Gallico... Supposedly the easiest event Legends Trails have to offer... Twice the same loop, once clockwise, then counterclockwise. Hot food halfway, dropbag at 40 and 120. Because of the lack of elevation (2400m) I heard it being described as an easy 100 miler. I guess one of the things I will remember from this weekend is that there is no such thing as "an easy 100 miler". It's just a ridiculously long distance. Every little thing that is not perfectly ok, will get you into trouble later on in the race and needs to be dealt with as quickly as possible. But hard as it may be, I think this also why I'm taking quite a liking to this distance. To compare, 100k is merely a really long run, while surviving a 100 miler seems to be a different story, being more an adventure than a run.

The first half of Bello Gallico was troublesome. Main reason was probably my knee, which gave me a bit of trouble at the end of the Grizzly Trail in October. I took it easy on OSO and didn't do any running the last few weeks, hoping it would pass, but after 10k I felt it coming back. I guess I altered my stride ever so slightly, which seemed to have caused a higher burden on my right thigh, which was the next spot that gave me trouble. Thoughts about DNF'ing started coming up at around 30k, but meeting Alexia at the crossing gave me new energy and a positive mindset to get to the CP at 60k (seriously, the volunteers at Legends are amazing). There I had a chat with Chloe, who gave me the push I needed to have the doctor take a look at my knee, just to make sure I didn't do any damage. After some twisting and bending, I was very relieved to hear the verdict. I could continue, just take it easy, and have a painkiller (500mg paracetamol every 3 hours during 24h is the maximum allowed) if my knee gave me too much trouble. Taking painkillers did feel a bit like cheating (I took 3 over the next 10 hours or so), and I really don't like the idea of blocking the signals your body is giving at times when you should listen to it the most. But from there on, the race changed completely for me. The next 100k were obviously no walk in the park, but so much more enjoyable than the first 60k. I ran a long way together with Chloe, who gives such amount of positive energy that running through the mud in the freezing night is simply a great place to be (she would finish as first female later on). After trying to take a 15min nap at 120k, we split up, and I went through the last 40k alone. And although it still was a long way to go, although the end never seemed to get nearer, although I saw some movements in the dark which probably weren't there, I got through that part relatively ok. Getting to the finish line after a long night in the forest felt pretty strange. At moments, your mind seems to be accepting the feeling that you're going to stay stuck in the mud and the darkness for ever. And all of a sudden, people are applauding, you shake hands with Tim, get a medal around your neck and are offered limoncello by Frank. You've finished and you're home among friends.

I'm not going to try to describe the satisfaction you feel the moment and days after finishing such an event, but the feeling goes really deep. So again, a huge thanks to everyone making this possible. Frank with his sportsdrinks, Alexia, always bustling with enthusiasm, Harry waking everybody up again, the doctor who gave me peace of mind on my knee, Ingo and Eric for getting me across the street, Roland for having a chat and pointing me in the right direction, Maarten for putting up the signage, Wannes for taking it down again, Teun and the safety team to follow up on everyone, Wendy, Imran and Dave for always being there, all the participants, the kitchen team for soup, hot food, coffee, and the post run cheese sandwich, the camera crew, Tim and Stef... And of course Chloe, who I was lucky enough to spend a big part of the weekend with and without whom this wouldn't have been one of the best runs I've had so far. You guys are the best.

I've got two conclusions. There is no such thing as an easy 100-miler, and I only reached the finish line because of the help and support I received from other people. I think the best way to sum up my post BG-feeling is that I'm looking forward to the Legends Trail. I hope you know what that means.

Early morning moon

Chloe, picking up the pace after dinner at 80

Chloe, soldiering on through the second night

Done

Mini-report of a micro-adventure in the Vosges - dec2017

No holidays left? That's what micro-adventures are for! Drove straight to the Vosges after work on Friday evening, slept in the trunk of my VW (rather tight I admit), tried snowshoeing for the first time by going up Grand Ballon, had my first "Elsass coke" (le meilleur!) at Ferme du Haag, had a snowcamp with my MLD Trailstar, and went back to the car in Saint-Amarin through fresh snow. 
Pretty nice way to spend the weekend!

Le Grand Ballon (1424m)