Third time running this marathon. In 2021, still under mobility restrictions due to the pandemic, it was moved to an earlier start in the early afternoon. By 2023, it started at 6:30 PM. Why mention the start time? Because this year, with a 7:00 PM start, darkness caught up with us earlier, bringing with it some of the challenges that came during the race… but first things first.
Two weeks after the Quinta Marathon and taking advantage of my trip to Portugal to start my holidays a few days later, I registered again for the UTRSC Santa Cruz Marathon. Near Torres Vedras it starts and finishes in this small town with its long beach. Alongside the marathon, there is also a more accessible half marathon option, with both races starting at 7:00 PM, and a 7-hour time limit for the 42k.
With my recent marathons in decline and wanting to avoid negative thoughts about what lay ahead, I confront the race avoiding to read my race report from last year.
Leaving Santa Cruz, the route consists of two laps, approximately 21 kilometres each. The first part, still in daylight, is tough, with numerous climbs and descents, but also unbeatable views of the coast, allowing us to admire its beauty, often overshadowed by the much more popular (and overcrowded) Algarve.
The race progresses well, at an assumed relaxed pace (due to the absence of kilometre markers). As nightfall approaches, I reach Santa Cruz, where the half marathon runners finished, while we still have another lap to go.
Leaving the start/finish area, the headlamp is already necessary. Crossing a small pine forest, I took my first fall, thankfully without consequences, after getting caught in a patch of low plants.
Now more alert, ensuring I don’t miss any of the orange markers indicating the course, the route alternates between easy sections on roads (the fewest), sandy or dusty paths, and more challenging forest sections. All of this with continuous climbs and descents, true to the nature of a trail race. Not to mention the solitude. At times, the only thing visible are the distant headlamps of other runners in the more open areas, like tiny fireflies in the night.
It is in one of these forest sections, with barely any visibility, that I step into what seemed like solid ground, sinking up to my knee: a mud hole. The frequent rains this year have made the terrain much wetter than in previous years. After pulling myself out using my arms, I carry on, with my self-esteem taking the hit.
Expecting to reach the aid station by the abandoned monastery, I found that it has been relocated this year, and there is no one there. From that point, it is a steep climb up the mountain, where I can see a few headlamps against the dark backdrop. This is the steepest ascent, and running here, with a narrow trail, a sharp incline, and complete darkness, would be reckless.
At the top, I catch my breath before heading down towards the valley, which will eventually lead me back to the coast. A section that felt short in previous years, but this time seems never-ending. Here, I find what will turn out to be the last aid station, replacing the two we had in previous years. By this stage, after more than 4 hours of running, my only goal is just to finish within the time limit.
Heading back towards Santa Cruz, after a brief stretch along the road, the course takes us into a zone of dunes and rocks, skirting the high cliffs of this part of the coast. As I mentioned earlier, the rain had made many areas damp and slippery. I take extra care, as I near the 5-hour mark. During this stretch, I try to stay ahead of a runner whose light I can see behind me every now and then.
Giving it my all in the final stretch, I arrive to Santa Cruz and, after reaching the end of the beach, take a small detour and a steep climb before the finish line. The last effort. While the organization is starting to pack up, I cross the finish line in 5h20m27s.
Fatigue and some minor issues have made me take 43 minutes longer than last year, in a race as gruelling as few others, though with spectacular views, at least in the first part, finishing 33rd out of 38.
Time to look ahead. In 7 days I would face an even bigger challenge: the Phoenix Runs double.
