Once again taking on the marathon distance within the 100-kilometer Madrid-Segovia race, just like in 2024. An atypical trail race due to its start time—5 a.m.—and its starting line near the Plaza de Castilla. These are the hours when the capital is still asleep, and we can run through its deserted streets before leaving the asphalt behind. After that, it will be time to switch on our headlamps for the livestock trails heading towards Guadarrama, at the foot of which, in Manzanares el Real, my adventure is meant to end.
As in the previous year, Pepe pick my bib, but this time I don’t spend the night in Madrid. On a low-cost plan, I take the 00:30 bus from Valladolid to Barajas airport, and from there an Uber to the start, where I arrived with plenty of time to spare. With pleasant temperatures, I find a spot to rest and kill time while drinking a Red Bull to wake myself up.
Little by little, runners begin to arrive, many of them aiming for the longer distances of 65 and 100 kilometers. A few of the 100 Marathons Club are there (Mario, Carlos, David, Fabiani, among others).
With a punctual start, the first few kilometers go without issue. It’s the easiest part. Once we get into the trails, it is time to be extra cautious. I still have last year’s fall on my mind, which happened just before reaching the first aid station. My main goal is to avoid that mistake, especially with a fairly full race calendar in the coming weeks.
Upon reaching the first aid station in Tres Cantos, I congratulate myself for not having fallen yet. I celebrate victory too soon, because shortly after, on another rocky section, I hit the ground. My right knee comes off worst. Although the wound looks nasty, the pain is manageable after the initial shock, and I manage to get back onto my feet.
It’s after this point that the section with the streams arrives; last year they were full of water and, by ignoring the installed footbridges, I managed to gain many positions. This year, however, they eere completely dry. From there, it’s just a few kilometers to Colmenar Viejo, at the 26-kilometer mark, where we arrive at daybreak.
With 2h50m, the hardest part is not over. At an almost identical pace to the previous year, some of the toughest sections of the race still lay ahead: continuous ups and downs, in areas of denser vegetation, and quite rugged terrain.
It is a matter of trying to maintain a manageable running pace, avoiding the temptation to run recklessly on the downhills and risk a more serious fall. And so, little by little, I draw closer to Manzanares, its castle visible on the horizon.
But we still have a short cross-country detour before reaching the vacant lot where the finish line is located. Tired, I finish in 4:48:10, in 42nd position out of 115 finishers. An improvement of just over a minute from the previous year. I change my clothes immediately and walk to the bus stop that will take me back to Madrid.
While I wait, runners are leaving the finish area, many of them not even having reached still the halfway point of their race. Just the thought of having to run almost 60 more kilometers takes my breath away.
In a week, we have the Valladolid Half Marathon, and after that comes Logroño.
We carry on…
