AL ANDALUS ULTIMATE TRAIL 2023

I first took part in the Al Andalus Ultimate Trail in 2021 (Report: Al Andalus Ultimate Trail 2021), and this experience changed my life. I just had to be there again in 2023. Where would my so-called 'Alchemist journey' take me this time?

A few days before the race, I headed to Játar (Finish of Stage 2), which has been my second home since 2022. High on excitement, I packed all my things for the race. I was thrilled to be reuniting with the runners, volunteers and medical staff that I met in 2021. I was also looking forward to meet Eric and Michelle again. They have been organising this extraordinary event with great passion for many years. I felt both physically and mentally fit and optimistic. In addition, my AAUT II music playlist was unbeatable. What could go wrong now? The AAUT is a 234-kilometre run in five stages, with 6600m of altitude and temperatures between 35 and 40 degrees (or even higher) and very little shade. For four days, runners will sleep in tents at different campsites. Could anything go wrong?

On Sunday, it was time to check in at the Hotel El Mirador in Loja. I was still in Játar, getting increasingly nervous. I kept looking at my watch and thinking of all the things I still had to do: vacuuming, laundry, washing dishes, and so on. Had I lost my courage? Shortly before midday, I drove to Loja and checked in. After putting my things in my room, I quickly went back downstairs to greet the runners. Then came the first surprise: I saw a runner, Sascha, in the hotel bar. I had met him in 2021, and I was especially happy to see him again. But I saw him lying injured on the floor, covered with blood. He had taken an unfortunate fall the day before the start, during a run right outside the hotel, and had to be hospitalised. What a reunion! We were all very concerned, and I felt so sorry to see him like that.

In the evening, we had the first big briefing before the race, followed by a dinner at the hotel. There were only a few hours left until the starting gun.

Stage 1 or 'Right here, right now'

9:44: 'One minute to the start, one minute!,' echoed through the air from Eric's megaphone. It had accompanied us through the whole race every morning. '50 seconds'... Diez, nueve, ocho, siete, seis, cinco, cuatro, tres, dos, uno... (By the way, this is exactly how I memorised the numbers in Spanish: with Eric's 'megaphone voice’.) And off we go! It was unbelievable that AAUT 2023 had just started and I was taking part again. Right here, right now! The words of Fatboy Slim's song were my motto for this edition of the AAUT: Focusing on the present moment, moving forward, concentrating on the run. That's what the song was supposed to remind me of. A small note in between: Reels were being made throughout the run. I don't know who chose the music for each Reel, but this song was playing in the background of a Reel where I was getting ready in front of my tent before the start of the fourth stage. Maybe this person has some magical powers. 

The first stage was 39 km long in total, beginning with an 11-kilometre climb and an ascent of around 850 metres. I particularly enjoyed the scenery of this desert-like and stony stage that made me think of Looney Tunes Roadrunner and Coyote. During the day, the temperature reached 38 degrees and shade was rather rare. During the whole race, there were checkpoints every 10 kilometres where you could get some shade, ice cubes, water and electrolytes. At the last checkpoint you could even enjoy the miracle drink called Cola. There was also a great atmosphere with music and dancing. Of course, medical care was available if needed, but I will tell you more about all that later.

After running 30 kilometres, I washed down a cup of ice-cold Coke and felt like I was in paradise. Then I continued towards the finish line in Alhama de Granada. The route followed a paved road for a while, then we passed lots of olive trees and an olive farm. The impressive Sierra, which we had to conquer the next day, came more and more into view.

During the last eight kilometres, I experienced an overwhelming sense of happiness and belonging. It was just the right time and place! I remembered running this section with my partner Mike in April, and the funny day we spent together came back into my mind. Throughout the race, it were memories of those shared moments that kept me motivated and smiling. Those memories became a kind of anchor. The sun was beating down during the last few miles. I was already thinking about the shade, the footbath and the cup of Coke. Then I arrived in Alhama de Granada.

The first stage ended at a sports complex where our tents and luggage were in the hall. After taking a shower and washing my clothes, we ate our dried food together outside at the back of a truck. I even found my home-dried pasta Bolognese dish acceptable that day. But the nutrition issue will, in fact, soon give the run a bit of a turn....

Stage 2 or 'Tarzan Boy' versus Zombie

Time to get up and have breakfast. This involves making a mixture of chocolate flakes, cornflakes, oatmeal, coconut flakes, almonds and milk powder with water. I still managed to eat all of this breakfast. It sounds quite good, but when you have to eat it... OMG! That was the only day I managed to eat it.

This day would be a big day: The route from Alhama de Granada to Játar through the Sierra Almijara is 48 kilometres long with 1440 metres of vertical ascent. First, the route leads through the Tajos (gorges) of Alhama de Granada, then to Játar, passing several olive groves along the way. The breathtaking mountains grow ever closer. Upon arriving in Játar, the route goes 4 kilometres uphill to the second checkpoint. Then comes the technical single trail through the nature park. This section is around 10 km long and involves climbing around 800 metres on technical terrain. It is very energy-sapping, yet also breathtakingly beautiful.

This stage has been significant for me in two ways. Firstly, Játar has been my second home for over a year and I love living there. It was a run home, so to speak. Secondly, I really struggled on this stretch during the AAUT in 2021. Here is a summery of my experience in the year 2021:. At that time of the stage, I was making very slow progress on the single track between checkpoints 2 and 3. I thought I wouldn't make the cut-off time. I started crying and saw a big 'Did not finish' in front of me. I had given up on myself. Suddenly, an incredible strength filled my legs and I ran all the way to CP3, arriving three minutes before the cut-off time. Since then, I have a great deal of respect for this section of the route, and I created the myth of the 'Zombie in the Sierra of Játar' that eats runners.

Now, I had to go back up there, and this time I thought that I was well prepared to face the 'Zombie' again. My weapon of choice? Tarzan. Let me explain: I chose a special memory from my life that I associate with something positive and beautiful. It was a childhood memory of my father at a fairground. And, of course, a certain song is associated with this memory: Tarzan Boy by Baltimora, an 80s song. It already sounds promising, doesn't it? 'Tarzan Boy' versus 'El Zombie de Játar'.

I enjoyed the route to Játar and was doing well, so I wasn't worried about the cut-off times.. I ended up at CP2, where Elaine and Arend, two special people, were waiting to take care of us runners. I knew them because they had accompanied and supported me during my long training runs in Andalusia the previous summer. They both knew my story and how afraid I was of this part of the trail. Elaine encouraged me and gave me a hug. Then I set off running, accompanied by "Tarzan Boy". I slowed down and some runners passed me. I focused all my attention on the beautiful course. I was passing the Venta Lopez area, where I was already hiking with Mike. I smiled for a moment and moved on.

Then the BIG moment arrived: I entered the territory of the Zombie. This climb! The route seemed steeper and even more challenging than last time. I was so overwhelmed and overcome by the feeling that I just couldn't move on anymore. My body was paralyzed. But I couldn't stop here in the middle of the blazing sun and heat. No one could come and get me out of there. What should I do? Dying by crawling up the incline or dying by getting baked in the heat? Maybe crawling up would be better after all. The poor Tarzan Boy had no chance. The Zombie was already nibbling on me. Making it up there was my only priority at that moment – I wasn't thinking about anything else. I propped myself up with my walking sticks and slowly began to climb, step by step. I was still well within time, and finally I reached the top. Now it was all downhill to checkpoint 3, where I downed a few cups of Coke. I finally escaped from the Zombie's big mouth and teeth!

Now there were 'only' about 17 kilometres to go to Játar. However, it ended up being about 2 kilometres more because, approximately 4 kilometres before checkpoint 4, I got lost with two other runners. At one point, I ran straight ahead instead of turning left. The runner behind me, 'Tarmac Tim', probably had full confidence in my navigation skills, as he followed me in the wrong direction. When we reached the top of a hill and couldn't see any more markings, another runner named Maria approached us. We had to turn around again. Standing in the blazing sun and heat made me start to burn a bit and I got pretty hot. It was time to reach CP 4 so I could cool down. Those miles to CP4 just seemed to take forever. Again, I just focused on the moment. It doesn't make sense to ask how far away the CP actually is. I can't perform magic to get there. If I wanted to reach the CP quickly, I only had one option: running as fast as possible to the CP ! 

The last few kilometres to the campsite also felt like an eternity, especially the first three kilometres after the last CP where I had to climb a few more metres more. Then I finally reached Játar, I was coming home! I was so happy to see this familiar place again. The route practically led to the square where I live. That gave me a lot of energy again! Only one more kilometre to go until I reach the finish line!

I sat in the shade with my feet in the foot bath, drinking Coke for a long time. A too long time. I should have showered, eaten and gone for a massage. From then on, I did everything wrong. Time was running out. After the briefing, we went together to the restaurant 'Los Angeles', so I cancelled the massage that I desperately needed. It might have been better to drink, eat and recover in my tent. At the restaurant, I ate salad and meat. That was all I could manage at that point. Carbohydrates? None. During the night, I kept waking up because I was hungry and felt like I had a hole in my stomach. I was in desperate need of carbohydrates. I hadn't drunk enough either. I didn't want to wake everyone up by making myself something to eat in the middle of the night though. I would have needed hot water. But I had none. I had taken a thermos flask with me so that I could prepare my dried food and a bouillon soup at night if necessary. In theory, I was well prepared, with everything I needed in my luggage, which was in front of my tent.

Stage 3 or 'I'm Miss Dy-na-mi-tee-tee'

After the second stage, I was in 13th place overall, which meant that I had to start earlier in the slower group. I was happy about that. I crawled out of my tent just as the sun was coming up. I knew that from a certain point you can see the Sierra Nevada in all its glory, which is a truly breathtaking sight. I walked there to watch the sunrise over the Sierra. Then I had to eat — I was starving. Unfortunately, my stomach was a bit upset by now, due to a combination of being very hungry and feeling like I couldn't eat. I then had the bright idea of eating my dried Pasta Bolognese an hour before the run. Or rather, I had to force it down. 

At 39 kilometres and with an altitude of "only" 850 metres, the third stage is considered to be the "easiest", leading from Játar to Jayena. It passes through the La Resinera nature park. This route is, in fact, very runnable, especially at the beginning. In fact. My abdominal muscles kept contracting, giving me real stitches in the navel region. Especially running downhill proved difficult. In addition, the Pasta bolognese made itself noticeable. Every time I thought about it, I felt sick. I would never eat that pasta again! Luckily, I only had this Pasta bolognese with me as a dish, besides the great flakes mix and some bouillon. My legs also felt like jelly. I was running out of gas. Maybe I had filled up with the wrong gas at the wrong time. Anyway, I listened to my body that day and walked a lot instead of running. After all, I wanted to be fitter for the long stage the next day, and my stomach was messing up my plans anyway.

The nature park was entered from checkpoint 1. There, too, I remembered a hike I had done with Mike. I recalled our tour guide, 'Señor Perro', a dog that took us through the Resinera and then urinated all over the wheels of my car, so we drove through the water at the entrance to the park afterwards.

 After the longer climb at CP2, I had to sit down. My stomach was still bothering me. There I met Duncan and Wanda, who took care of me very kindly. I then walked on for a while with another runner who had similar issues. I managed to run a little at a time until CP3, but I continued to walk a lot. Just before CP3, I met another runner, Anita, and we rested together at the checkpoint. As usual, the medical team was in a great mood and took care of us warmly. Hip-hop music was playing, including the song 'Dynamite' by Ms Dynamite. My legs didn't feel like dynamite at that moment, but I had this song stuck in my head the whole time and kept singing 'I'm Miss Dy-na-mi-tee-tee!'. The medical team asked me all sorts of questions. I call them the 'P-questions'. No, they weren't philosophical questions, but questions about peeing and pooping. I must have looked at Dr Johnny strangely because he said to me: "I have to ask these questions". After all, I had stomach problems and, especially under such extreme conditions, you have to be very careful. The doctors do a fantastic job all throughout the week. They are there for us runners 24/24, looking after our feet, listening to us, treating our aches and pains, encouraging us and always being in a good mood. They also stand in the heat for hours. They do everything to help us reach the finish line, and in doing so, they always have to assess our health and well-being, making sure we can keep running.

I was able to continue running. I was fine, except for the stitches in my abdomen and the queasy feeling in my stomach. There was one last climb before the route became flatter and curvier. The end of the stage was a rocky downhill slope. Then came one last short uphill stretch through thorny and shaggy bushes, about 1.5 kilometres before reaching the campsite El Bacal in Jayena. After finishing the third stage, I sat on a bench for a while with my feet in a water bath and drank Coke. I still couldn't eat the chips or fruit. I started to enter a very strange state: I completely withdrew into myself, which felt very peaceful. I was in my own world. Everything else was far away from me. This state was then followed by five very emotional minutes. Michelle looked at me with wide eyes and asked, 'Are you in pain?' I shook my head and continued to cry. 'Is it just one of those moments?' she asked. I nodded and tried to stop crying. I felt like the biggest crybaby. After all, there was nothing to cry about. But everything was somehow so overwhelming, and there were so many special situations and moments during the past stages that triggered an emotional explosion. 

I took a cold shower and then went for a massage. I explained my abdominal problems to the brilliant physiotherapists. They also deserve great praise for the work they do every day. After the treatment, all my abdominal cramps had gone. Suddenly, I had a huge appetite and devoured a large packet of chips almost entirely by myself. They tasted great! In the evening, we had salad, Paella and non-alcoholic beer. Real food! The evening meal was a real banquet. I took some bread with me so that I would have something for breakfast the next day. I'm sure it would taste better than my flakes with powdered milk and water. I slept pretty well that night. This time, I didn't freeze like I did in 2021. At least I did something right — I had my 'hot bed' (a warm sleeping bag) with me!

Stage 4 or the 'Barranco of Knowledge'

As usual, I crawled out of my tent while it was still dark outside. Today, we started a little earlier because today was the big day. The day of the long stage: 67 kilometres and 1,300 metres of altitude from Jayena to Alhama de Granada. We would be running in the blazing sun from kilometre 21 onwards. There would be shade only at the checkpoints. I love the route of the fourth stage. It winds through shady pine trees alongside the shimmering blue lake Los Bermejales, which could be seen from certain points during Stages 2 and 3. The lake has even been described in a magazine (GEO) as a hidden gem in Spain. Unfortunately, the water level has been decreasing continuously in recent years.

I ate the piece of bread I had taken the evening before with bouillon soup. It wasn't much, so I forced down another half of an 'emergency frangipane'. For a few years now, I have always carried a little almond cake called frangipane for 'emergencies' during my runs, because it has a lot of calories and I can usually get it down. I packed my backpack and my things. Eric filmed me in the meantime, and the aforementioned Reel with the song 'Right Here, Right Now' by Fatboy Slim was created.

In 2023, the fourth stage was another very special one for me. When I took part in the AAUT in 2021, I had a profound experience between CP3 and CP4. I became aware of many things in my life and found answers to questions I had asked myself for a long time. Since then, I have called the Barranco, which is located just before the village of Cacin and CP4, the 'Barranco of Knowledge'. I wanted to return to this exact place and experience it consciously.

I ran at a comfortable pace until the second CP at Lake Los Bermejales. After a brief refreshment break, I tackled the first long climb. Dawn, what a climb again! And there was no shade at all. But after seven kilometres, I could cool down at CP3, drink some water and take some electrolytes. The sun was blazing down and there was no escape from it in the barranco. The next opportunity to cool down was 10 kilometres further on in Cacin. I put lots of ice cubes in my buff scarf, tied it with two knots and attached it to my race number belt at groin level. This kept my legs cool, so I didn't overheat. I would highly recommend this trick as it was extremely helpful. I also put my buff towel with the ice cubes on my head so that it didn't get too hot.

I really enjoyed this section of the route again, but I was more aware of my surroundings than in 2021. At one point, I was able to see Játar and the Sierra, which we ran through on day two. This is home! This is the spot where so many things became clear to me during 2021. This time, I took lots of pictures of this place, which is so meaningful to me. The last time I arrived at Cacin, I felt like I was in a western movie, and the song L' Arena by Ennio Morricone was playing in my head. I remembered everything so clearly: the streets, the houses, the song. But I felt different this time, much clearer.

Then I reached CP4, where I saw Eric, and I told him, 'You're crazy, guys! Your run is just crazy!'. I had been dreaming about sparkling water for hours and, since the CP was next to a bar, I decided to get some. I had barely finished expressing my hour-long dream when Eric appeared at the bar and returned with a cool, sparkling water. This was an absolute highlight! I don't know if Eric was aware of what he was doing at that moment, but he was like a genie in a bottle. Then came another surprise: the route had to be shortened by about five kilometres. It's 'only' 5 kilometres, but when you have to run 67 kilometres in the blazing heat with no shade, and you've already run 194 kilometres and climbed almost 5,000 metres over three days, it sounds like salvation. Then I continued running, and the next surprise was waiting for me — but this time it was less pleasant.

After CP4, we had to run on a paved road for a while before the route started going uphill again. Suddenly, my phone rang. I ignored it, but it rang again. Maybe it was someone from the organisation. But it was my dad. I had a strange feeling about it, so I answered. He asked me where I was and what I was doing. His voice sounded different: worried and sad. 'I'm in the middle of my race right now. It's pretty hot out here, but I'm fine.' Pause. 'Oh, I'm sorry. I thought your race was on Monday. I'll hang up then,' he replied, still sounding strange. 'Yes, the race started on Monday and goes until Friday. But what's going on?" Now I wanted to know. He hesitated for a while, and then I only heard "... is dead". I couldn't really understand him, so he repeated his sentence. My father told me that my godmother had died and asked if I would be at the funeral on Tuesday. The situation seemed so surreal to me. I had to concentrate hard to understand him and answer reasonably. I was in a completely different world right now, his world seemed so far away from mine. I had promised my father that I would be at the funeral on Tuesday. I ended the call and kept running. My head was empty. I could still hear my father's voice echoing faintly. And then the climb began. Somehow, though, it felt good to hear his voice, even if the circumstances weren't happy ones. A short "Hello" would have been perfect.

From CP5, the uphill climb continued through olive groves. It was a nasty one! I ran this section with 'Tarmac Tim'. Together, we looked for the markings because I often overlooked them amongst the olive trees. We didn't want to get lost again, and his confidence in my sense of navigation had certainly been shaken. The climb seemed endless; it felt like we had been running past the same olive tree for hours. Then we reached the road. Finally, flat ground! But the section to CP 6 was quite challenging. Running on a paved road at 35–40° (or more) is no easy feat.

I kept looking back to see if Tim was still there. Somehow that made me feel more secure. Even though we were some distance apart, I felt as if someone was accompanying me. Seeing someone provided a distraction. Another variation were the purple thistles, my favorite flowers. During my first visit, I had marvelled at these extraordinary tall plants with their full purple colour and thorns. There were also some horses to be seen. Reaching CP 6 felt like real relief. Volunteers were on hand with cooling spray, ice cubes, water, electrolytes and Coke.

It's difficult to describe how such a heat makes you feel. You can't escape the heat because there is just no shade and you have to keep going. You can't just stand still, there is no other choice than to move and to feel and accept the heat. Standing still would only prolong the time spent in the heat. I think this is the biggest challenge of the race. The distances and elevation gain are already very challenging, but you also have to be able to withstand the intense heat for a very long time over 5 days while running on demanding terrain. Sometimes it feels like you're running on the spot, particularly on certain sections of the route. Even the shade of an olive tree or a small gust of wind can feel like a revelation.

Now, there were still eight kilometres to go until the finish line. And they just kept going on! This section, which always seems so short when I'm training there, just wouldn't end. How could that be? I'm usually there in 5–10 minutes! My reference point was the "El Ventorro" restaurant, but I couldn't see it, even though I knew I was approaching it. I began to feel some anger and frustration about this. Then I finally reached the road that led straight to the El Motor campsite in Alhama de Granada. Done!

In the evening, I went for a massage where the physio team took care of my abdominal muscles once again. Afterwards, we had dinner: pasta and salad. I enjoyed the food, but I was also really tired. I had completed the long stage! I've been left with so many impressions. It was a long journey into my inner self, but also a journey through beautiful but merciless landscapes. Nevertheless, I lay awake almost the whole night.

Stage 5 or 'The Boy in the Bubble' Part II

After three hours of sleep, I crawled out of my tent as usual. The huge challenge of 'having breakfast' was still to be faced. I made myself some bouillon soup. A runner called Stella, who I had been sitting with at the table, offered me a cappuccino, which I accepted. Bouillon and cappuccino — better than nothing! I even managed a bite of another "emergency frangipane". Then, Eric's voice sounded again in the megaphone: '15 minutes to the start. 15 minutes." I was running late and things were getting a bit chaotic. And then this! I must have pressed the start button on my GPS watch by mistake, meaning it was in start mode all night. I only had 20% battery left. 'Two minutes.' I just managed to pack my things and get to the start line in time.

The last stage is 42 kilometres long with 970 metres of ascent. It's the same route as on the first day, but in the opposite direction, from Alhama de Granada to Loja. This means that the AATU ends with an 11-kilometre downhill run (with about 850 metres of altitude loss). There were several clouds in the sky, so it was cooler compared to the previous days. The views were gorgeous: the fog, the clouds and the Sierra de Loja. Not to mention the joy of hopefully becoming an AAUT 2023 finisher soon. A pleasant surprise awaited me at the last checkpoint. To explain this, I have to go back briefly to the second stage in 2021. When I wasn't feeling well during that stage, Dr James asked me, if there was a song that would motivate me to carry on. I spontaneously replied, 'The Boy in the Bubble' by Patti Smith. Every time I reached a checkpoint, he played that song for me. After hitting the 'Zombie in the Sierra of Játar' and reaching CP3 three minutes before the cut-off time, Dr James played me that song again and said it was my 'finisher song'.

Now, in 2023, 11 kilometres before the AAUT finish line, Dr James and Dr Johnny surprised me with 'The Boy in the Bubble'. We started dancing and Eric filmed it, naming it 'Ultradancing' This situation perfectly reflects the spirit of the AAUT. The people there are wholehearted and lasting friendships and connections are formed. This song meant more than just a 'finisher song' to me. It had become a symbol of courage and the ability to overcome my own inner limits, doubts and fears. After the 2021 edition, it became the song that accompanied me in the background whenever I had to make a very important decision. For example, when I decided to buy the house in Jatar.. The song was always with me. This place here is my 'bubble', my world where I find peace.

During the last 11 kilometres, I flew down the road. My head began to pound because it was getting hotter and hotter. But that didn't stop me from continuing to run at this pace. Then the Hotel El Mirador came into view. I just had to cross the street to finally receive a new finisher's shirt. Michelle handed this to me along with my finisher medal. My 'Alchemist journey' was over. Where had it led me? No idea. To lovely and great people, and a little further to myself. To the certainty of being in the right place and moment. Right here, right now.