110km – 2 days, almost 4000m of ascent, in the beautiful Slovenian Vipava valley.
We’re on our way to the start. [Music] [Applause] It’s uh about quart 6 15 minutes into old tricks. Svenia 110. Not trained for this. So, it’s a bit of a void of exploration. Partway down early. Just waiting for the sun to come up over the hill. It’s going to be a hot one. Expecting about degrees and windy. Look what I’ve done. It’s the first of the sun. I’ve been alone so long. I feel like I’m on the run. Double come over. Kick up the dust. I got a secret. Nice. Uh, kilometer 9. Heart rate’s crazy high, so trying to manage myself. She said I’m looking like a bad food criminal. She said my spirit doesn’t move like it did before. She said that I don’t look like me no more. No more. I said I’m just tired. She said you’re just tired. I said you [Music] lover come hold me hands on the fritz intoxicated feelings ly mixed. Last checkpoint was in like a cool castle and now we’re crossing the Vipava. It’s the Vipava Valley. That’s it. Lots of beautiful vineyards and yeah, heart rate is still crazy high, but you know what? Just managing myself, not worrying about my position or anything like that. It’s beautiful. 19k. I’m okay. Very hot. Beautiful. Those are the hills we’re going up into tomorrow. Um, so the climbing really only started today now. 1,800 m I think in total. I think we end up in the hills over there at the end of the day, but can’t be sure. An a station coming up soon. Looking forward to it. We got lots of food at these. First time I’ve done a race, but they’ve got nutrition at the a station. So, I might run with a little bit less weight tomorrow. Leave some of my stuff behind. Hold me. Could you forget? I got a secret. Digging a dead. She said I’m looking like a bad man. Gra. She said my spirit doesn’t move like it did before. She said that I don’t look like me no more no more. I said I’m just tired. She said you’re just tired. I said I saw you in the water. I saw you in the back like that. Going through this beautiful vineyard. It’s nice downhill for a bit. Settled into the routine of jogging the flats and downs, walking laps as usual. [Music] It’s very very hot. Occasionally it’s a nice breeze. Nice. She said that I don’t look like no. We just did the most savage climb up there. It was like 18% average grade for about 2k. The early bit of the descent wasn’t much better either. I think there’s a church right at the top. You can see it. That’s sort of where we were. But uh yeah, feeling it now is really hot. Guess it’s got to be 30°. So just trying to manage temperature and yeah, do another one of these. We’re at 52k. It’s so hot. I’ve just been walking the last 15k pretty much just to keep your body temperature from going wild. Um, so I’ve been a bit of a pain cave for the last hour and a half. Um, if it’s going to be like this tomorrow, honestly, don’t think I bother. Um, but we go up the mountain tomorrow. So, although there’s obviously that hideous climb to get started. Um, some lovely lady who offered me a hose to cool off said she runs, but she runs in the mountains because it’s cooler. So, that’s the hope. She said I’m looking like a bad man. She said my spirit doesn’t move down [Music] to day one in like 9 hours 40 minutes which Insane. Way longer than I thought. [Applause] Yeah, I’m dead. Ready to start day two. Sun has already come over the hill. It’s exceptionally hot yesterday. 15 minutes till the start. Last one of these I’m doing. [Music] I remember when we did. I know you’ve been waiting around speaking high but looking down. You don’t have to be alone. You’re not alone. Drop something. I hear the words you choose to speak. But listen to what’s you never have to be alone. You’re not alone. I know. I know you. I know how it feels. Trying to be home when you’re still trying to [Music] give me. [Music] It’s been in the shade which has been great. There’s what we got for it. It’s actually a little bit figous. Stunning ridge line. Got to be a bit careful cuz uh it’s quite a sheer drop down there. But yeah, amazing. Does it make it all worth it? Not sure. Good. There you go. Pretty cool. About 21k in of the 50. It’s taking me forever. I’m over 4 hours. So, I’ve got a flight to catch tonight is the number that we’re aiming for. But all the descents are so technical that you can’t get any speed up on them. So, you’re slow on the ups and slow on the downs. Starting to get hot again. Not yet at 25k. We’ve done a lot of climbing. I’ve just seen this. Honestly, you whatever. Honestly, what I’m feeling right now, like whatever. Hold your tight. It’s a long night. If you want to get to where you want to go, get your feet on your knees till you get there. I won’t give up. I won’t give you [Music] So I can be on your knees again. I won’t give up. I won’t give up. I can see right through your pride. A stubborn kind of eyes. You still don’t have to be alone. Never alone. I know. I know you. I know how it feels. Trying to be home when you’re still trying to heal. I know. I know you. I know how it feels. So give me give me give me. I run when you run and stay when you fall. Give me give me give me hold. It’s a no. If you want to get you want to go get your look at me all you need to get there. I won’t give up. to go upside down. I’ll survive dying here. My self-imposed cut off time. I think I’ll make it. Just keeping the pace up anyway. I feel actually feel okay. Just not trained enough. really I know I know you know how it feels trying to be heal I’m walking not because [Music] it’s so hot like so make it so [Music] you want to get your [Music] look at me on your knees. I won’t give up. I won’t give you Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Uh, so UltraX 110 Slovenia completed. Um, honestly, it was way too hot to be able to enjoy it. I think it was really a run about managing your uh core temperature, managing your legs with all the climbing. Beautiful part of the world. But I think I’m done for a bit. Maybe some shorter distances for a bit. Glad I came. Glad I saw it. Glad I finished it. That was That was hard.