The winter of 2010/11 had dragged on too long and, much as I love the bracing thrill of cold, wet and windy Peak District runs, I’d got to the stage where I really needed some sun. A call from Ian Mulvey of High Terrain Events asking if I’d like to come and sample the mountain trails of Andalusia for a race he was organising in October needed no second invitation and, almost before he’d hung up, my trails shoes, sunglasses and passport were ready to go.
Making the short 45km drive from Malaga, it was no surprise to see a host of cyclists on the roads. Many pro teams train in the area and there’s a thriving local cycling and triathlon scene. Driving up the switchbacks to the mountainside village of Casarabonela, I wished I’d packed my bike but, looking up to the mountains above, knew that there’d be more than enough running to get my teeth into. Casarabonela is a wonderfully authentic whitewashed houses and narrow streeted Spanish village. There was no time to explore the labyrinth of streets or the numerous tapas bars though as Ian was keen for us to get straight into the hills. One of his course designers from the UK Simon Banks and him had already been out for a 4 hour jaunt but, as it was already mid-afternoon, he gave us a map and pointed out a 12km route. I was joined by Paul Watham, manager of Up and Running Keswick and his girlfriend Gemma Morgans.
Heading straight up out of the village, we soon picked up the so-called Roman Road. Obviously having an off road building day, this was like no Roman Road I’d ever seen. A 30% grade and rough and rocky, it provided a fun and challenging start to the run. Having already gained 300m of height in 3km, we’d definitely run the journey out of our legs and, popping out onto a broad forest track, settled into a steady pace for the easier but sustained climb ahead. The views over to the sea and the snow covered Sierra Nevada were breathtaking and in combination with the gently warming late afternoon sun, made the running seem effortless. The track steadily gained height and, with each twist, more stunning scenery unfolded in front of us. The kilometers flew by and, in no time, we reached 9km and the spur that marked the goat track and our decent back down to the village. With 400m of height to dump in 3km, it promised to be rapid ride and, engaging legs and disengaging brains, we plunged down. Rocky technical switchbacks kept us on our toes to begin with before dropping us into the woods and even faster trails. Arriving back in the village, we all had massive grins on our faces and really looked forward to some real running in the morning.
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