The 3 days of the Ibiza Trail have been my refuge to avoid Covid. The test was held on November 27, 28 and 29. 3 days Trail Ibiza is a mountain race, UTMB scoring, of three days with a night stage and 2 day stages with the option of being able to participate every day, 1 or 2 days. Where also on Saturday we can choose between different distances, half marathon, marathon or ultra.

How did the idea come about?

It has been a long time since I ran a Trail, in fact I was quite disconnected from the sport at the level of competitions, specifically since January 2019.

This year a friend wanted to start in the world of triathlon, and I was not in my best moments. So without hesitation Laia suggested that I participate with her in the La Pineda Triathlon, in the sprint category. The truth is that I was especially excited to accompany her and feel the nerves of a triathlon starting line again, since since the 2017 Calella Ironman I had not done any.

I had a great time, I enjoyed it like never before and I felt reconnected with the sport again! So from that day on I went back to training without great pretensions but putting my sights on the 3-day Trail Ibiza. A Trail race that also emerged thanks to Laia's proposal.

We both had to participate, but with this pandemic it has become complicated and finally Laia could not accompany me, although she did encourage me telematically at all times. This did not make me give up the idea of participating.

Days prior to the 3 Days Trail Ibiza

The truth is that despite reconnecting with the sport, all the trainings that I had done were to enjoy and not so much to improve the physical condition of a test of this type. I also have to comment that due to the COVID restrictions, I was not thinking of participating or was considering it as a rather remote possibility. In this way I waited for the last weeks to see the situation and if the organization could finally carry out this sporting event!

Two weeks before the test I received an email from the organization, the test, despite the situation, was going to be developed by adapting all the security protocols. In addition to receiving an email from the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation providing us with a safe conduct to be able to leave Catalonia and move to Ibiza since, we found ourselves with a municipal confinement for the weekend and the autonomous community on a continuous basis. It was my pass and what made me excited as a small child to be able to visualize myself participating in a Trail despite the situation. Also mention that all the races in Catalonia were canceled.

Consult with my trainer USK Tim

The first thing I did when assessing that my state of form was quite far from what is recommended to face a three-day test was to call my personal trainer. I have it very neglected but the best that anyone knows my physical conditions and how far we have come doing more than crazy together! His answer was direct! Carlos, don't even think about it, with your physical capacity you will have no problem taking the test and finishing, approach? Just enjoy and try to finish it. In worse situations we have fought!

Without a doubt another injection of energy and every time I felt more excited to put a number back on my shirt!

Consult with my nutritionist Adhara Giner

The next step quickly was to call my nutritionist: Adhara giner As I mentioned before, my fitness level was quite low, so it is especially important for me to correctly plan this challenge on a nutritional level. It was a reunion with Adhara, with whom the relationship goes beyond the professional and I have a friendship and great esteem. We caught up quickly and opening my customer record and seeing all the races we had planned together brought tears to my eyes. How could I have been so disconnected from all this?

At one point he showed me all the races we had planned and the most special and most symbolic for me both sportingly and personally, the Calella Ironman.

I left his consultation with a recharge of energy and incredible positivism and as always Adhara has worked harder than ever on the nutritional aspect.

Visit to the Physio Aleus Clinic.

The same week of the test visit my physio Nestor, you can see his query here: Aleus clinic

His legs were somewhat loaded, so he took care of leaving his legs and making a final assessment before flying to Ibiza and giving that palicilla to the body! As always his knowledge, experience and his hands are incredible!

Flying to Ibiza in full municipal confinement.

The day has come and I have everything I need to be able to go to Ibiza, a backpack ready, flights purchased, a safe conduct to be able to leave the municipality and be able to move to Ibiza. So we go straight to Barcelona Airport! Thanks to Ingrid who offered to get a super early start and take me with her, and thus avoid any unnecessary travel on public transport! Also, few options were left for me, due to the situation and the flight departure time, there was no public transport option! We got up at 4 in the morning, which I am incredibly grateful to him for, that early in the morning he stuck to being able to take me!

It is curious to catch a plane again, the last one I was able to get on was in March back from New York in the middle of a State of Alarm in which the plane was completely empty and where until the last moment I had serious doubts whether I could return to Spain. I could'nt believe it! How I missed all this!

Chronicle of the 3 stages 3 Days Trail Ibiza

First stage 3 Days Trail Ibiza, Night 10 kms

I arrive at Ibiza Airport, pick up my rental car (since it was the best option to take the different departures of the 3 stages) and go straight to the hotel and make the purchase to follow all the nutritional planning prepared by Adhara.

I eat early and take a nap. The early morning was important and with all the nerves of the plane I am quite tired. So after napping until race time!

I get ready to the car and straight to the starting point!

The day is very strange, rain threatens and a couple of hours before departure there is a storm with an incredible electrical device! Much wind and cold feeling. This promises a lot!

I get a little warm in the area and then I hear that the runners are called! The new normal! There are many exit boxes, all of them very small and the exits are made through boxes, keeping a lot of safety distances.

It doesn't take long to hear my name, I place myself in my starting box. What a thrill! For me to be here on a starting line is already a great victory! Music plays and you breathe your own nerves before a race! The music plays with the most motivating songs, the speaker brightens up the wait and just before departure we all turn on our headlamps while a drone records the moment! YES NOW! Count down and the first drawer comes out!

I have to admit that at that precise moment I cried with joy. For me this is very special and I had abandoned it for so long… So through tears it is time to go out to my drawer! VAMOOSSS The people along the route cheering and with the adrenaline rush of finally running a Trail race!

First stretch of asphalt until reaching a path, already in the first meters I notice a very high race pace. From the first moment I notice that the pace I am taking is higher than it should be due to my fitness, but I let myself go. We quickly get to a path and the beauty really begins, a non-stop going up and down, a terrain totally breaks legs.

People do not stop constantly overtaking me, or I am running very slowly or there is a very high level of the participants.

I started having flatus in the first kilometers, which I was able to control well, but from the middle of the race I was constantly wanting to vomit, it did not cause me any major problem. It did not go over me, so it remained in an unpleasant feeling that accompanied me all the way but I did not have to slow down either.

In the middle of the journey it began to rain more and more intensely. This added to the fact that it was night and the frontals made me enjoy like a small child.

The truth is that it was an incredible stage, really the adrenaline of being in a race again. The fact of being nocturnal, added to the rain, made me enjoy it more than ever. I finished the course in position 83 out of 109 runners. Completing the route in 0:55:57, a pace 5:36 m / km.

Direct to the hotel, shower, dinner rich in carbohydrates and to rest for the next stage.

Second stage 3 Days Trail Ibiza, half marathon

The alarm clock rings and I get up without thinking. I have an incredible desire to get back on the starting line, but with doubts about how I will respond to a half marathon after yesterday, I have hardly trained. So I get a little nervous.

Breakfast, I prepare the bag and I go straight to Sant Josep de sa Talaia. The forecast is for rain but the day is not threatening. I doubt whether to take the raincoat or not, but just in case I take it since it is marked as mandatory material of the race.

Great atmosphere at the starting line and the nerves of how the legs will respond. While the organization is calling the participants according to the order of the exit boxes, the television is conducting interviews with some participants and recording the participants from different angles.

We shared some comments and some good laughs with the colleagues in the drawers. I realize that the vest where I carry the cans is starting to get wet. Fantastic! I have broken a piece of the tube hook that lengthens the bottle nipple! What nerves, I reassemble it as I can and leave it fixed inside the same pocket so that it holds, since the tube that extends the nipple as a camelback is loose and comes out. I leave it like that and try, if I see that during the race it gives me problems, at the first clean point I throw it away, but by not going with my own supplies it will be a problem for me.

It's time to go out, it is very comfortable to go out with this new configuration by drawers, but it makes you go lost in rhythm references. You can tell that today the stage is going to be longer, people leave calmer, thank goodness!

I feel very comfortable, little by little my legs are warming up and I do not have any discomfort after the previous day's stage. There is a fantastic atmosphere and different jokes are heard throughout the tour.

Very comfortable until km 10, where a steep climb begins, with the terrain full of mud that makes you slip continuously, forcing you to use more force than usual and nail the sneakers to the ground as much as possible, taking advantage of any irregularity on the slope to help you go up. In this section I overtake quite a few runners, not so much because of the physique but because of the technique of climbing in the mud. I see real slips and people with many problems to move forward. I don't know if it will be my sneakers or what, but going up I barely slip a couple of times and I have no major problem. But even so the slope makes this section more than demanding so I have to dose the effort and stop for a breath a couple of times.

As soon as we reach the summit, the sky closes completely and it begins to rain very intensely. I quickly put on my raincoat and enjoy the descent! Due to the rain the trail goes down with quite a bit of water and the terrain I love going down and pass a few runners struggling with the mud. My strong point is that I go down without too much problem, and with these conditions I have a tremendous time.

After this section the route becomes really comfortable to run, while still being leg-breaking terrain. Still I keep a steady pace. With very good sensations until the 14 km climb, here I am already beginning to notice my lack of training. So from kilometer 14/15, it's time to survive, grading the effort, running and walking when the body asks for it and the terrain becomes uphill. In the last kms I share them with a group of about 5 runners who are going the same way. We had a good laugh sharing the last kilometers of the race. It is always a pleasure to meet people from this world and this way of being.

What I do remember was the last kilometers, a quite important climb, something that when the physique is already in critical condition makes you pull your mind more than ever. I am fascinated by this feeling, of overcoming and of both physical and mental effort, where the mental aspect is really noticeable so as not to give up and continue when the body asks you to stop. It's what fascinates me about all the long-distance tests I've done.

I finally crossed the finish line in position 73 out of 113 with a time of 2:35:57. With a smile from ear to ear and an incredible adrenaline rush, I couldn't feel happier! I have just completed my second stage in Ibiza!

Upon arrival at the hotel, shower, have a good dinner and a compex session to face the last stage on Sunday with a minimum of dignity.

Third stage 3 Days Trail Ibiza, 10 kms

I wake up with the soleus quite loaded, it bothers me when I walk. But I trust that when my legs warm up running, it won't give me any more war.

I have a leisurely breakfast. I'm very relaxed with the weather since the start is at 11:00 at the Cap Martinep (Jesus) shooting range.

There is a great atmosphere, more than any day, the exit takes place at the top of Cap Martinet, leaving a cliff on the right side of the exit arch and with a spectacular view of the sea.

I take advantage of the fact that I arrive well in advance and I warm up a bit, I have discomfort in solos, but I can run so let's see how this stage works out.

They are calling us over the public address system to go into the respective exit drawers, temperature control and gel in the hands.

The drone flies over our heads and the music sounds more motivating than ever. The speaker begins the countdown and the first drawers begin to come out. Incredible once again the rush of energy, positivity and adrenaline that I experience right at that precise moment in which they give our exit.

The first kms are downhill towards Cap Martinet to continue our journey following Cala Roja. Simply a spectacular setting, a feast for the eyes and all the senses. In this section there are quite a few photographers from the organization, which does not surprise me seeing the surroundings.

I take the opportunity to make a video with the Gopro running, I don't usually like to record myself when I run, but how can I not do it with this incredible environment?

The first kilometers I run without problem, the terrain is favorable and the adrenaline rush of the start is noticeable in the body. This changes quickly when the first climb comes, I just go deep, the solos hurt me and I feel very, very tired. I start to walk as fast as I can doing the climb and I think that it is the first kilometers. This is going to be tough today!

If the descent is smooth I let myself go and I can run, if it is very steep or technical you have to walk. The same thing happens with the ascents, if they are steeply sloping, there is no other option than walking. A curious fact when we speak that almost the entirety of the terrain is completely leg-breaking.

From km 5 things seem to improve a bit, and I can maintain a slow but more constant pace. I just feel very happy to be able to contemplate the views, to be participating in the third stage and with enough strength to go running. So I just savor the moment despite the suffering I may be feeling and keep a smile drawn throughout the tour. Some of the photographers joke me that they smiled for the photo while I think inside, I wear this smile from the moment they left.

Also curious how when I face the last kilometers of the race, my legs respond better and better. Will it be the adrenaline rush again for completing the 3 days of the Ibiza Trail?

He crossed the finish line in position 84 of 98 with a time of 1:19:21.

Conclusion of participation in the 3 Days Trail Ibiza

After the adventure, I firmly affirm that I will repeat. Here or other races with stages. Carrying out a stage race is something I had in mind before my participation in the 3 Days Trail Ibiza. Now, once the experience has been tested, I want to mark a test of this kind on my calendar.

Taking into account the situation in which we find ourselves we can imagine that for the organization it has not had to be easy at all. Paperwork, pressures, obstacles and great uncertainty with the changing situation according to epidemiological data, where at any moment the situation could change, throwing away all the effort and dedication given by all the organizers to this event.

So to thank the organizers and also all the volunteers who were along the entire route, despite the inclement rain. From here I take off my hat and convey all my gratitude to you for enduring the conditions they endured.

All this, and taking into account the situation we live in, adding that this is my first race of the year (being in November) because I ended up in a bubble of optimism, recharge of positivity and energy to continue training to face the new sporting challenges of the year 2021 in a very special way. Carrying out this race for me has meant much more than the sporting aspect.

I hope I have not rolled myself excessively and therefore not have made this post excessively long, turning out to be one of the good ones.

I await your comments!

Thanks

Thanks to all the people who have supported and accompanied me, who are not few:

• Laia for getting entangled in this sports project when I least thought of running a Trail.
• Oscar for always being willing to give me advice and also always waiting for me to tell him to return to training in a serious plan and as he says to return to the ring (Second Ironman?)
• Adhara for that special personality, that good energy that he always gives off and his great dedication and preparation of the guidelines to follow at the nutritional level.
• Nestor an incredible person who always knows how to fix my physical appearance so and so well, my confidence in him and his knowledge is full.
• Ingrid for doing the early morning effort and picking me up at the airport, making all transfers so easy for me!

What was said above but put it again: I await your comments!

Thanks a lot! 🙂