Salomon Mountain Race

Our lifes are printed of first times: our first steps, first words, first friends... And step by step we made our first choices. We choose our sports. We run our first orienteering races! :)

Last weekend I ran my first mountain race! This part of season has been great as I'm allowed to run more relaxed and I've been having great fun. So why not to try mountain races? 14km with 560m uphill seemed quite though but if you take it easy, enjoying the experience and the magnific views it looks very nice.

Uphills were though but I enjoyed it very much as I could run it all the time, on nice speed while I catch some runners ;) The worst was when going down, I was so terrible,that all that runners that I catched before pass me running down like wild horses!

In the end I finished 4th senior and 6th overall. I was very surprised with such nice result specially cause I was quite «close» from the podium, where most of the girls are from the national team and the winner is vice-european champion 2007. It tasted good to feel the wind on my face running on such a nice speed.

And all this last part of season is full of nice races. First I ran 10km on Barcelona, where I was 4th; them I ran 5km on my hometown, where I won and got my new PB. It's nice to finally realize about my shape!

Next weekend we're going to the moutains with the club and next wednesday i'll fly to Poland to fight on the last orienteering race this season with my club mates on Polish Champioship Relay!

Check results of Salomon Mountain Race here

Still...WOC

A bit late but I hope still on time, I writte here about my woc races - most positive and negative thinghs to get from this championships.

Middle Distance

This wasn't my main goal for this championship. Always the gap fom first to the 15th is very thigh and my preparation wasn't for this kind of distance...mainly I ran it because I was the only portuguese women on the field and also because some notices from previous trainings showed that some race before the important one should be really good for my feelings - physically and mentally. But now I realize that maybe something to think about, is to choose the races we should be on top and let the really good runners run the 3qualification races and relay.

I started at the same minute of my friend Hanna and, magically, we punched the last control at the same second...it was such a feeling when your training partner and so good friend is that «close» from you on such a competition. Sprinting to the finish with Hanna was great! Unfortunately both of us lost our chances on 4th control and also running speed wans't enough fast to be on a final I think. Mostly I didn't made big mistakes, but I wasn't fast enough.

Long Distance

Long distance was, for sure, the race I felt better prepared and mentally stronger to run. I started very focused, condifent and when I put my feet on this forest I felt so light and strong! I saw the left route choice and start running on the path. Quickly I was already on the first reentrance, run on the same contour level and start running up on the stones...one two three and I beat my knee on a stone, lost my balance and felt down on this stony reentrance till I stop on the bottom of it. Wow! I have such a big pain on my head, neck and knee that for some seconds I thought if it was possible to move...Yes I can stand up but move my leg is really difficult. Well, as you can imagine my concentration and motivation when downhill too...I was running so slowly and painfully. I finished race as best as I could. Our coach went with me to the ambulance and when doctor realize about what happened with me in the forest I went to the hospital on the ambulance. I was feeling ok but suddenly I felt asleep that for sure wasn't a good sign of my neurological state. I just remember to wake up on the Miskolc hospital where I made cranial, cervical and abdominal CT (yes...spleen rupture was a differencial diagnosis!). Doctor recomend me take big rest and some painkillers. Some accidents like those need 3weeks of full rest as I heard after.

I think it's nonsense to make a deep analyse of my orienteering after beating with my beat from 10m high...

Sprint Distance

Two days after we had sprint race and according to the doctor I shouldn't run it. But as I wrotte here before, this moment I was much more a runner than a medical student! After such good preparation I couldn't just stand watching the others running. I decided to run sprint and take my last chance for this championship. Right or wrong I was on the start line decided to fight for a place on the final. I started really bad as you can see beneath, and after first control I knew I had to run so very fast and without mistakes to reach such goal. Everything went fast and perfect till spectators control. I was on my limit, my vision was blured and I had the feeling that I could fall down at some moment.I was on the final as I see now on the split times.I wasn't enough healthy and the last controls were the hell. In fact, even now, I don't know how I ran these last controls...as some told me, I felt down on the finish line. I just remember to wake up on the ambulance again. I heard the doctor saying I'm crazy and unconsciousness...3 weeks she said loudly!

Friends

The best thingh of this championship was the ambience we lived there. Portuguese team isn't the queen of medals on WOC, but for sure when we talk about good ambience for sure we would be one of the most feared teams.

Also the support that I got from my family and coach was extremely important and here I say to all of them THANK YOU SO MUCH! And finally a big hug of friendship to my polish friends that were like a «mum» to me on such championships. DZIENKUJE BARDZO! :):)

Strongest woc team;)

Ah! By the way, now I took good rest and feel healthy again. Besides this woc were a personal disaster I learnt a lot during all the preparation and my motivation is on the top again!