New plan, new race; Mallorca, here we come

Posted on July 30, 2024•By John Kraijenbrink•Column

New plan, new race; Mallorca, here we come

I have a new plan, which means a new race. So Mallorca, here we come.

It’s time for plan B. Sara was the first one to start talking about it. The original plan was to give it my all at the UTMB CCC. Not that I had any illusions to win, or to be in the top 10, hundred or thousand as a matter of fact. I just wanted to be at my best, and see what this old body still can do.

Overuse injury

Well, I’m not going to be good. If you’re a regular reader of this column, you know by now that I’m struggling with an overuse injury. Sara and I are in Livigno, Italy. To be precise in hotel Interalpen at 2.300 metres high, halfway between Livigno and Bormio. This is the place I wanted to do my last preparations for the CCC. This is the place I wanted to work on my mountain legs and get comfortable with running above 2.000 metres.

Well, I’m not running. I’m hiking a bit. I’m resting. I’m working on the stability of my knee, as that seems to have caused the problem. And I’m hoping. Praying that the inflammation in my knee will go away, so I can run again.

But even if it does, I’m not going to be at my best in Chamonix next month. My last long run was June 15, the day I stepped out of the Grand Trail du Saint-Jacques, because of my knee. Ever since I haven’t been able to run properly. It’s starting to show. The day before yesterday I went out to hike. That’s something I can do, if I keep an eye on my knee. I walked 25 kilometres, with a thousand metres of elevation and my legs felt like they’d never done something like that before.

Dreading the CCC

So yeah, I’m dreading the CCC. Yet, I want to start. I want to experience that race, and I hope against hope that I’ll be okay. That a year of training hasn’t gone down the drain during 10 weeks of inactivity. But I totally understand that being good at the CCC, while missing the most important part of my training, goes against all odds. It will already be a struggle to get to the finish line.

That’s why we came up with Plan B. Mallorca. It wasn’t a real choice. More the only possibility. See, to run the UTMB CCC you have to qualify. To qualify you need to get at least one Running Stone. Those Running Stones grant you access to the lottery in which you can win a place in the CCC. I’ve got zero Running Stones. I had three, but I used them all for this year’s entree. So if I want to run next year, I’ve got to get a Running Stone.

RELATED: A guide to UTMB Running Stones

Where to get a Running Stone?

The only problem is; there aren’t a lot of UTMB races left in Europe. And the few that are left, are all fully booked. All, but one; the Camins de s’Arxiduc on Mallorca. It’s a 26 kilometres race, with 1.000 metres of elevation. I can do that on one leg, if I have to. It will only give me one Running Stone, but one is more than nothing. Because one will give me a chance in the lottery for the CCC of next year. More importantly, one Running Stone will give me hope and that’s all I have at this moment. Hope that soon I can run again.

Keep on running!
John

John Kraijenbrink

I run for fun. I run to be in the mountains, in the forest. I run, because running fascinates me. That’s why I study all the science about running. What I discover, I share with you. To help you to be a better runner, but above all to help you having fun running.