Ultrarunner's notes

 I ran this race in 2019, under the name Zázrivský Ultratrail back then (and the year before that as Púpovský Heavy Half – 26km track, within the Zázrivská inversia event). The organizers Aďka and Janko Jogošíkovci and their friend David are walking twinkling hearts who organize their race with love and 150% commitment and it can be seen in all the details, the atmosphere and even the very good weather they always book. It was no different this year either, they even arranged the date of the race for me right on my birthday 😄 Thank you. I am welcome 😅. Photo by: Juraj Kožiak I'm training with determination, preparing, tapering and praying that the authorities won't tighten up the COVID restrictions and cancel this awesome party-to-be. Lessoned by the logistical vicissitudes of the Malofatranska 50 (read here: malofatranska-50tka ), I book a cheap but luxurious (for me) accommodation in a family-run guesthouse in the centre of Zázrivá. On the eve of D-Day, with a little soul, ...

 So it happened, that in the middle of 2020, the COVID restrictions were released for a while, and I mentally started preparing for a proper  real race, in real time, in a real place, with real people. Not those virtual concoctions out there. I've also slowly forgotten what such a real race atmosphere tastes like with all the emotions: fear, worry, joy of meeting running partners, pre-start jitters, post-start acid in the muscles, when nervousness turns into pure joy in the heart. Ultrafatra with its parameters of 57km and 3500m elevation is one of the toughest and most beautiful 50km races in Slovakia. The route leads from Dolný Harmanec over the entire ridge of Veľká Fatra, the finish is in Ružomberok at Andrej Hlinka Square. We take a bus from Ružomberok to Dolný Harmanec, some of us are napping, others joking about all kinds of topics and "This sex is on fire" is playing on the radio. The weather forecast predicts storms from one o'clock in the afternoon. We get o...

 I don't dare to sign up for a 100km yet, let alone Malofatranská 100. However, this year the race organizers slyly listed a 50 km route, that leads through the most beautiful places of Kriváňska Malá Fatra. My fingers twitch at the computer day after day at regular intervals like an alcoholic, until I succumb to my own persuasion techniques and at the same time resist my own dissuasion techniques and sign up for this fifty kilometer race. The race specs promise the parameters of 53 km and 4124 m elevation. I know from previous racing experience that it will be at least 55km (you should always add at least two kilometers to the parameters in the propositions and set your mind that the finish line will not be at the 53rd kilometer), in the end, it was 57km. On the D-day, after a busy day at work and vicissitudes with the organization of my logistics (start in Terchova, finish in Lipovec), I get in the car in the evening and drive to Terchova. I realize that I didn't eat properly...