Wenx’ World: 25+10+15 = Ultra!

I did it! The new shirt says ’50 km Ultramarathon Finisher’ in big white letters on black back. And I’m dam proud to wear it!

You might remember my post about my LSD addiction, where I announced my entry to run my first ultramarathon. This is how it went:

It wasn’t just an Ultra next door, I actually ran the Sungay 50 km Mountain Challenge during my holidays in the Philippines.  After a week of running through rice terraces and along remote surf coastlines, I found myself at the start of the run. The clock said 2 am, pitchblack night, obviously the only time when sun and humidity are gentle with runners. About 100 runners started their way out of town, into the country, escorted by support vans and armed police. My phone/pacer/music soon died from humidity and sweat. I was more alive than ever.

Every aid station had its own specialties: Boiled eggs, chips, stalk of bananas, cold Coca Cola, water water water… and the 40km stop even had a guy with a machete opening fresh coconuts for us. I have barely ever felt so well  taken care of.

25 km easy in the dark, chatting with running strangers, headlamps beaming, villages sleeping. Then 10 km all alone, swap headlamp for visor, slap on sunscreen and anti chafe, into the day, hours flying by. And then 15 km uphill. And I mean motorbikers-pushing-their-bikes-like uphill. And then I heard the update “Wenx, there’s only one girl in front of you.” Leg check: still energy left.

… and then I passed her 7 km before I crossed the finish line. Boom! Yeeeeah!

See you out there – Wenx