World Run II / Reports

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The map shows the position of which the pictures for the day are taken (if any). The start and finish markers are placed at the first and last valid registered position. This is not nessesary the actual start and finish position, if GSM or GPS signals was not available.

Goto: 2011-04-03 2011-04-08 Argentina

2011-04-06: 52
Distance today: 51.0 km (Accumulated: 24561.0 km)
Elapsed time: 04:44:50
Country: Argentina

Start 06:35am, 6c, no wind, clear, night. At bl.&white km-marker "km 1152" on hwy. 7. Finish 12:53pm, 19c, l. wind & almost clear. At bl.&white km-marker "km 1201" on hwy. 7 to Chile.
[Due to a detour into a closed tunnel the distance between km-signs & the gps-distance differ w. 1.8km].


Inca-ruins and strange tunnels..

I started out 1hour before sunrise and enjoyed an amazing display as the mountains surrounding me got lit up by the first sharp rays of light; within minutes they brushed the cold misty night away. Untill then it was nearly pitch-black, a moonless sky w. the broad band of the stars of the Milky Way shining above making the road ahead only slightly visible in the disorienting darkness.

We had started out this early to try to avoid the car overheating -a serious problem at present ! Two days ago it forced us to cut' the stage already at 13km :-( And to take the monthly restday yesterday, but no one up here could fix it. Now my patience was up and I wanted to make serious distance towards the border toChile.

51km I got done today, ok I guess, taking into consideration that there was 3-4 1000m elevation-changes, running at 1800-2900m. With some injuries. Especially a long climb at 40 to 44km was challenging :-) The reward - striking views that I hope you can enjoy at todays pictures !


Other highlights were an inca-ruin below me on the mountainside & a strange tunnel; w. a smell that reminded me of Siberia (bear!?), ending in darkness and a quick retreat back to the main road..

I had hoped to avoid some of the tunnels that way as they get quite intense when sharing them w. heavy cargo trucks and no space beyond the white line except the rock wall ;-)
- There should be a few videoclips on their way, displaying how it feels, and sounds, when sharing the narrow mountaintunnels w. a couple of trucks. Intense moments.


But the scenery once outside the mindnumbing adrenaline-boost of truck-tunnel-running ..is all the risk worth :-)

Ahead of me during the next two days are possibly some of the most scenic but at the same time also most dangerous running of the 1.5 times around the earth so far:

The next two days should bring me via the mountain settlements Penitentes (2500m.), Puenta del Inca (2800m.) & Las Cuevas (3200m.) to the Cristo Redentor tunnel at 4000m. alt. connecting Chile and Argentina.

Local police have told me that I will not be allowed to run through the tunnel; its too dangerous due to the lack of room beside the trucks (as in all the tunnels ;-)

So ? There are two options to use: an old railroad tunnel - or the Cristo Redentor Pass itself which the tunnel is named after.

The new tunnel was built in the 1980'ties but the old pass, going over the mountain, apparently still is fairly intact (though not used anymore). It got its name from the Cristo Redentor monument at the top of the pass, placed in memory of the 1902 settlement of a longtime borderdispute between the two contries.

The problem is that the supportcar isnt in a condition to handle a climb of that scale, the alt. varies depending who I ask (5000m. to 6000m.!). Thus I would have to run alone across w. my sportsrucksack packed w. extra warm clothes, a few waterbottles and basic food.
Hoping not to be caught by snowstorms or nightfall if it takes long to run across.


But the view, should be fantastic !



Ps: As much as all this may sound challenging its important to know that there are other parts of Ultrarunning which are just as challenging - and much more demanding on short-term !!

For example there is right now a 1000km race going on in Greece. Most of the runners there average more than 100km pr. day and the top guys & girls far more than that ! Many of them by the way old friends of mine from the years of international competetions - and my Big Greetings & Respect to Wolfgang (probably the best extreme ultrarunner worldwide, holding the record for 5000km), Martina, Sarah, Martie and Eric - I miss you all :-)

And the efforts in Athens makes the 40-50km days ahead w. a bit of mountains seem much more possible to complete !

- If you want to follow the race in Athens please visit
www.championship.gr/liveresults/2011/ultramarathon/1000km/

(I follow its thrilling battles from out here in the mountains :-))