Lavaredo Ultra Trail 120K – My Race Report, of Sorts

Last week I ran Lavaredo, and man oh man was it everything I had hoped for and dreamed of.

I finished that thing too. The full 120 kilometers. In an insane 29:33:08, a full 17:43:52 slower than the winner Ben Dhiman who set a new course record. When I arrived back in Cortina to cross that finish line I ended up fifth to last and got an UTMB index of 371 – I bet you didn’t know it could go that low? But I still got 4 stones and finished my first 100M category race. So yes, it was an incredible run for me.

It’s an absolute amazing feeling to get to toe the line of your dream race, one you’ve been eyeing for many, many years. For me, it really was everything. That much-hyped late night start; the early miles in the dark with my headlamp and 1700 other runners. That first glimpse of those magical towering giants of the Dolomites mountains at dawn. That spectacular loop around these famous Tres Cime di Lavaredo peaks. The heat of the day felt hot, but it never completely destroyed me. That massive canyon climb of the Val Travenanzes surprised me – in some areas it reminded me of the Grand Canyon – and it felt daunting, remote and hot in the afternoon sun. But the payoff, once I reached the pass and got the first glimpse of my beloved Cinque Torri below in the distance made up for all the struggling and it re-energized me. Once the second nightfall hit the run began to drag on, and the final climbs, while short, felt stupid hard. There was nothing to look at anymore – no jagged mountain peaks in the distance, no vistas to marvel at, no panoramas to take my breath away. Just the glow of my headlamp illuminating the surprisingly technical terrain. Yet I never lost hope and I never stopped moving. Even with looming cutoffs and trails that just felt relentlessly hard, and technical, and steep – even on the downhills. I just kept on moving and I made it back to the cobblestone plaza in front of the church in quiet and sleepy Cortina, the place I started off many hours earlier. I crossed the finish line, got myself a beer at 4:30 in the morning and thanked the volunteers who had waited for me and the last stragglers. As the sun was rising on the second day I shuffled back to my hotel, took a shower, and fell into my bed. What a journey I completed. One I had started back in the fall of 2018 when I was drawn in the lottery for the Laveredo Ultra Trail for the first time. That ticket I had to let go and I never travelled across the pond. Now, seven years later I ran and finished.

Was this my best race yet?

Not sure, OCC last year felt like I was racing more, more in control, and I was able to finish stronger. But this one I savored more, fought against the inevitable lows harder and stayed on my feet much much longer. This was my best performance for sure. I raced longer, the route was harder. I never folded, but stayed upright and kept moving. I just didn’t give up. I kept on running, walking, shuffling, and for that I am immensely proud, the proudest I’ve ever been for completing a race.

Some thoughts and learnings

(writing these down for myself to remember for the next race):

• Nutrition – worked for the most parts. One key learning: Don’t try to save time and fill your bottles with Naäk at the aid station. Take the time and stick with your own Tailwind. Better for my tummy, better for the performance. Still looking for all the savory treats. Tomatoes on bread with salt and olive oil were a revelation!
• Gear worked pretty flawlessly and on a very hot day clothing choices were simple. Even during the nights it never got cold that I needed to put on an extra layer. One thing: When I train I try to mostly run. But on long ultras I power walk A LOT – therefore my heels get bruised and blistered – which slowed me down. Need to think on how to address this.
• Training: I had enough gas in the tank that I never needed a serious reset. My body wasn’t screaming for a moment to stop moving, to lay down and rest. The time I spend at Cimabanche, the key aid station with my drop bag could’ve been faster, but being a solo racer without a crew, this is just how it goes.
• Race prep: I still stink at it, and I desperately need to fix this. (Don’t come at me, I know this is pathetic!) I act like I can just “trust the course markings” but I really need to take the time read the course and prep for what’s ahead. Don’t ask me why I don’t do this more, but I just don’t. Apparently I enjoy the blind adventure, but I always pay the price. There were long stretches without aid. There were climbs in the later part of the race I didn’t account for. There were cut off times I miscalculated. All very dumb mistakes I really need to fix going forward. It would help if I wouldn’t be so insanely busy with 4 million other things and could devote some time to better course prep.
• The route: I am a firm believer that it 100% helps that this course is stunning and there are so many amazing things along the course to marvel and look at. On a boring course I might’ve given up and DNF’ed. This one energized and rejuvenated me at every turn – even when it was hard. More of this, please!

There are probably more stories to tell here. More nuances to consider and more little things to take away from this adventure. But for now I sit with a big smile on my face and I relax, for a bit. There doesn’t have to be a ‘next’ right away. I want to feel this one. Savor the journey. Relive the adventure over and over in my head and heart.