ULTRATRAIL OF FLAT (UTP) next to  |
| Diego Hernandez and Ana Tena: first finishers of UTP (26-11-2010) |
then reproduce full Article published in the free newspaper written THE Rodalies CS, around Utratrail de la Plana. The target of the same was twofold, first explain what a Ultratrail the general public, and the second to present the adventure of our friends Diego and Ana on the course designed by the undersigned.
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| As good finishers, wearing the shirt for |
Ultra Trail de la Plana (UTP): NEXT HOME
is well known that the boom experienced during the past few years nature sports, hiking and mountain races in the province of Castellón. We live in a privileged and enjoy both the proximity of the sea and the mountains.
We are already many weekends to walk, jog or run by the surrounding mountains. This has contributed to the emergence of a multitude of "personal challenges": someone who starts to jog round Castellón because he wants to quit smoking or lose weight, a few months without eating or drinking, is already running or jogging on mountain, and for several hours. The next step is to register his first race of mountain and from there, is "hooked" definitely in this our little world. The vast majority of us will never win anything, but the atmosphere we breathe, the large number of friends you make, companionship and all direct contact with the mountain, you will increasingly putting in your body and your mind. Sometimes we define it as a drug, a good drug, but that's addictive.
The insatiable desire for improvement and the establishment of challenges increasingly complex makes us take the next step, the ultra-endurance racing, known as "ultratrail." Are paths and considerable mileage, some 100 km far outweigh and even some touching extremes can reach 200 km The accumulated altitude along the route are almost gravitational force challenges to land; 10000 m, 15000 m, cumulative altitude (in ascending and descending) are common. The main requirements for the corridor are the self-sufficiency or semiautosuficiencia while in career (sometimes several days), the fight against time and weather.
To train and familiarize ourselves with these challenges, we plan to design a tour type ultratrail "near the city of Castellon, using existing trails and tracks. Was used maps and GPS made tours around, trying to always take the sections with greater technical difficulty of the terrain and greater cumulative altitude. Finally (with the help of various software) to link all the sections to make it a journey that could carry a conventional GPS. The result is a journey of almost 65 km long and 8000 meters of vertical ascent and descent accumulated. It starts near the Ermita de la Magdalena and covers the three peaks of town of Castellón (Tossal gros, Tossal of Llobera and Raca), part of the municipality of Borriol and part of the natural park Desierto de las Palmas (ascent to Bartolo from Benicasim included).
Briefly, without going into excessive detail about the route: starting at the Cami d'Enriera (next to the residence La Salette), Raca ascent, descent to Barranco de la Mola by Racó Lantern, The Coma, near Borriol, cresteo in search of the Hospital de la Magdalena, some asphalt, Private Tossal gros, gros Tossal ascent, Turret Quarry, La Coma, the ascent to Tossal Llobera, decrease to the point of beginning, second ascent Raca, promotion to the White Rock, down by the war until Xiva Over, El Refugio, descent to the Parreta, Castell Montornés ascent, descent into the farmhouse of salting, vertical ascent to Bartolo, descent to the monastery of the Desierto de las Palmas, climb the Coll de la Mola, descent into the gorge of the Mola, climb up near the Raca and descent to the starting point for the shrine of the Virgen de la Salud . A highlight for hardness the two promotions Raca, nearly vertical mile ascent to Bartolo, the ascent and descent to the Castell de Montornés and the rise of the Llobera Tossal.
Overview of Mas de Chiva
Once designed the course, a prerequisite is to try it. We had already done in parts, by half, but never continuously. It was last November 26th when Diego and Ana went out at 7:15 am with the intention of ending that day. The challenge of completing it in sunlight was virtually impossible given the time of the year's attempt, therefore ready to make part of the tour front aided by artificial light.
Just start the tour Raca boarded by a "wall", we saw the sun rise to 459 m above sea level and move forward slowly but surely. In this type of evidence should not lose too much time unnecessarily. The first half of the course is not too hard, the weather, temperature and legs attached. We came to Ecuador to be tested with 7 hours and 20 minutes, we passed the starting point, stop, re-provisioning, we're not short of time.
Now begins the second half, the toughest coach at ground but move as expected. The last third of the course is presented and no light, the legs and do not respond as a few hours ago. Investing in the rise to Bartolo from Benicasim about 1 hour and 45 minutes (there are nearly 700 m of positive slope in just under 5 km). The temperature plummets at the top and we fired into the fall, the cold and the desire to end the challenge we impose. With heavy legs, but still intact, after several hours elapsed between darkness and 16 hours and 29 minutes from the start, we complete the challenge.
The excitement on a day like this are many and varied, depending on the mood and strength. Happiness, sadness, euphoria, fatigue, pain, cold, heat, but above all there is an individual-nature connection in which once completed will feel an enormous personal satisfaction and perception of accomplishment. Actually many hours have passed, but mentally it's as if part of that time had gone and passed in an instant. Surely in a matter of hours and we are considering a new challenge, and that is what we can not be helped.
We encourage all those who on occasion have raised some venture of its kind, to do so. Not indicated and should be done with the help of GPS. At the moment it's just a career plan but maybe someday you can organize openly brokers. Yes, we would like the "finisher" we communicate the completion date and time spent.
can download the track for the GPS from the following link:
More detailed information on the course, slopes, locations, etc:
personal chronicle of one of the characters:
Tena Ana Bellés
Castell Diego Hernandez Efren Forcada
Gallén
CLUB SPORTS MARATA I MITJÀ
