As we left the consolation of the lodge at 23:30 it was buzzing with exercise. The packed restaurant was bouncing with loud music and dancing. Paul had hardly slept as his room was above the restaurant. Fortunately I’d grabbed some sleep earlier within the day. As we walked down the strip we realised this was widespread for a Friday night time in Ohrid, North Macedonia. What was clear after we arrived on the Chinar Tree to merge with the small crowd, was that path operating was much less widespread. Gathered at this historical tree had been simply 40 runners huddled collectively close to a modest begin line getting ready for a 100km journey…

Upon arrival we sought out an individual with a employees badge round his neck to ask concerning the route. Earlier within the day, when registering, it was indicated that the route would must be modified because of the storms forecast for Saturday. We hadn’t heard something since so requested what the route can be. He very clearly defined the state of affairs, that heavy storms had been forecast and so we’d not be visiting Margaro or the opposite peaks on the route. We’d have an unchanged course for the primary 50kms or so to Vojtino. Then we’d detour to Prevoj on a distinct route, skipping the large climb to Magaro by staying decrease down and going across the mountain. From Prevoj we’d once more detour and skip the peaks and ridges and as a substitute head to Assan Gjura extra straight on some entry roads. The following part can be unchanged to Letnica however then as soon as extra we’d skip the final peak and start descending extra on to the ultimate support station of Velestovo. We thanked him and he informed us to remain shut for the briefing. He launched himself as Dejan, the race director. A couple of minutes later he gave the protection briefing, re-explaining the state of affairs and path to the entire discipline earlier than we then gathered within the beginning coral with the modest variety of spectators cheering us on as he counted all the way down to midnight.

The race started and half the sector vanished out of sight nearly instantly, racing off by the cobbled streets of Outdated City Ohrid. We stayed on the again, proper on the again, as per our technique to take pleasure in a sluggish first marathon. Natalia was operating the 65km route which started at our marathon mark, Sv Naum, simply after our cutoff. The intention was to run along with her, so fairly than bust a intestine after which dangle round, we deliberate to reach between 06:00 – 07:00 and benefit from the night time shift.

Within the darkness we weaved across the Outdated City. A sequence of cobble streets noticed us climb as much as the fort at 700m. Even right here we ran on trails and single tracks as we made it to the lakeside and descended handed St. John’s church and onto the lake entrance the place we ran throughout a really wobbly boardwalk earlier than hitting the strip again in direction of the lodge. We ran handed the pink flag markers which we’d noticed on our approach to the beginning (we noticed a couple of youngsters strolling and waving them which gave us some preliminary considerations concerning the markings, which had been unfounded). As we approached the lodge we may hear Lisa cheering from the balcony and waving us on. We had been in a small group of perhaps ten different runners, most of whom had been Greeks and had been main the pack as we ran handed the end line after a couple of km. All of us cheered as one tempted destiny and ran by the finishers arch. I hoped the timing mat wasn’t switched on already!

Alongside the lake entrance we heard the wild calls of nature with many many birds and bugs singing into the night time as we left the roads and Ohrid and headed onto the paths. It started with a delicate climb on a large observe street. We handed a spot known as Paradise Nest which was a sequence of cabins overlooking the lake and shortly turned onto single tracks by the forest. Right here we chatted with the Greeks who had all come over on a bus tour collectively. With some regular climbing on rocky trails we then emerged on the first support station of Velestovo about 12km in. A fast refill and to Paul’s delight a cup of the ‘correct stuff’ – Coca Cola branded cola. We left understanding we’d be again right here many many hours later after we’d descend again to Ohrid.

We left the help station and continued by some farm land. I adopted two runners and Paul held off as we couldn’t see any flags or markings. They couldn’t hear me as I known as after them. I adopted and located the path and waited, calling again to Paul within the darkness who quickly discovered me after he situated the precise path and looped across the farmland. The route then took us up off the quad observe and onto a slim single path that was very rocky. We continued on this, climbing larger and better. Beneath us to the fitting was the darkness of a valley between two ridges. The second, larger one looming straight forward, a silhouette within the night time sky. The climb continued, alternating between rocky paths and forest tracks which often opened up beneath the moon-lit sky. The air round us was cooling and the moisture of the night time made us chilly as our garments grew to become wetter with sweat and the mist. As we trod on by the mist we nearly missed a flip which, fortunately, the runner behind noticed and known as after us. This was the summit of the primary climb and, the inevitable down adopted. My phrase it was a magnificence…

The tracks opened up wider. The forests cleared to open areas. To our left the mountain dropped away to darkness and up forward the orange moonlight replicate off the calm lake. It was gorgeous. We ran free, completely happy, having fun with the second, hopping from path to path as we descended in direction of the city of Konjsko. We couldn’t cease commenting to one another about how wonderful it was. All of it ended too rapidly as we rocked up on the subsequent aidstation and recommended them on their glorious unfold of cheese sandwiches. We briefly chatted with the volunteers who had been excited to see some UK runners (there have been two different Brits on the market someplace too) and so they informed us they’d see us once more on the marathon mark at SV Naum. So off we went into the night time as soon as extra with our bellies and hearts full.

From right here the night time grew to become a bit more durable. Naturally tiredness now started to creep in as the thrill of the beginning started to fade and our our bodies fought again towards the pure want to be asleep. The terrain grew to become pink within the night time as we ran by limitless mud/clay tracks and our ft grew to become heavier as they collected the dust of their lugs. It was tremendous sticky. We had a selection of that or the rocky tracks across the mud. I saved to the mud. The smells had been a nice distraction although because the forests round us had been lush, dense and inexperienced. After what felt like a very long time of trudging alongside we caught one other, native(ish) runner from North Macedonia. All of us chatted away as the paths started to descend once more, zigzagging down hill we flew and loved the second as soon as extra. We emerged onto a street crossing the place we now not noticed the trail or flags/markings indicating which approach to go. Come to consider it, we’d not seen a flag marker for fairly a while. Oh oh.

I rapidly loaded the course to my watch understanding that we had been nonetheless on the unchanged route so would have the ability to verify our location. It was instantly clear we’d gone fallacious, very fallacious. We’d come off the mountain far prior to we must always have. We must be crossing this street about 5kms additional alongside. We briefly thought of the choice of following the street to rejoin the course the place it crossed. We determined not too. We felt we had time to get better, and that there was a small likelihood the subsequent aidstation can be earlier than the street crossing and we’d must ‘verify in’. It was additionally fairly a predominant street, although it was early within the morning it wouldn’t be the most secure choice. So we began retracing our steps again up the mountain.

Seems it was longer than we thought. The swap again tracks deceived the radius proven on the watch. We weren’t getting again to the place we went fallacious anytime quickly. We didn’t comprehend it on the time, however we’d run nearly 3km within the fallacious path and in addition descended 300m which we then wanted to climb. It price us fairly a little bit of time! We lastly made it again to the place we went fallacious and waited for the opposite man to catch up to verify he additionally ended up again on observe. As we waited we realised the error we had made – there was a slight break up within the path. After we took one observe they merged as soon as extra and we bear in mind acknowledging that and saying it wasn’t an issue. What we hadn’t seen although was that there was a sneaky activate the opposite observe which we subsequently missed. We must always have realised we had been now not following the markings, however we had been clearly having fun with the downhill an excessive amount of.

Now we had been again on observe we ran a bit more durable. The observe was much less fulfilling than the descent we beforehand took and was a bit rockier. We saved going and had been heating up because the morning mild began to switch the darkness and we took off our head torches. It wasn’t an excessive amount of later that we then descended the mountain the place we must always have initially and crossed the street as soon as extra. Shortly after this we handed by Trejca and after a brief street climb we got here throughout the subsequent support station the place three volunteers sat together with the street. They acknowledged we had been doubtless the final runners so we allow them to know there was another on his method as a result of we’d gotten misplaced. From right here we had nearly 9km to go to SV Naum. This part additionally included a bit climb of round 200m and a corresponding descent. It was 05:50, the lower off was at 07:00. After an evening of operating this was now going to be tight. Tighter than I needed to confess however fortunately Paul took cost and ran off for the subsequent 9km and I simply needed to attempt to preserve him in sight.

We adopted the street earlier than going again into the forest and shortly conquered the climb (which fortunately took us over a saddle in two hills fairly than up and over one of many larger lumps!) and had been then descending the slim and rocky single tracks by the forest. We caught up and handed one of many Greek runners and took a second to benefit from the views close to a a village and over the lake because the morning mild broke absolutely into day. I like the tip of an evening shift on a long term when the morning breaks. It has an actual empowering second for me when your vitality ranges have dipped and begin rising once more with the rays of sunshine. Operating by small villages at this level is considered one of my favorite elements of path operating because the paths take you in all instructions as you discover the unfamiliar land. Right here we briefly skirted a village and went again all the way down to the extent of the lake the place we left the forest and come across a shingle seashore. Bollocks to that. This wasn’t humorous anymore. We had been operating onerous! I used to be panting onerous. I may see Paul wanting again checking I used to be nonetheless in sight. My legs had been aching and the mushy floor didn’t assist. Neither did the realisation that we had been operating on this for so far as I may see within the distance. I needed to cease a lot however calculated we nonetheless had 30mins to go to the lower off and probably so far as 5km nonetheless to cowl.

We left the seashore after which come across what felt like an impediment course. We ran out and in of farmland and needed to climb over many fallen timber and duck by slim overgrown passes. However the topping was the (admittedly small) river crossing that we would have liked to make. It was clearly fairly deep the place it met the lake and a rope was set as much as assist us cross. I ploughed straight within the thigh-high stage with out giving it a second thought. We simply needed to preserve going. Time was now not on our facet. Operating by the limitless crop fields we handed a couple of extra runners and for a quick second between breaths I felt unbeatable. We didn’t cease to acknowledge them however sped on handed. Lastly the flip into the monastery was clear and we ran by and into the help station with 8 minutes to spare earlier than the lower off. The primary marathon hadn’t fairly gone to plan!

As we arrived, Dejan and the woman from a earlier support station laughed as we defined our cock up and little journey. We ate and drank as they informed us we didn’t want to depart precisely at 07:00 and that they might be lenient with runners. In addition they informed us the lead runner had pulled out after encountering a bear on the course, so to be observant. Nice!

The 65km runners arrived and I discovered Natalia as the remainder of them ploughed into the help station and began raiding it. That annoyed me a bit given some 100k runners had been nonetheless arriving and wanted the refreshments! I stated goodbye to Natalia (we’d organized to satisfy simply after the help station so we had been out of the way in which of their begin). After the manic run to the aidstation, Paul determined to stick with us from right here additionally. We had been each spent from the mammoth effort we’d simply put in. We would have liked a break and the 30mins till Natalia would begin was now going to be our relaxation and we had been wanting ahead to it. We walked a bit after which sat within the solar a km down the route and cheered the lead runners from the 65km by after they turned up. The primary two runners already had a really sizeable lead on the chasing pack. It was very spectacular. We then picked up operating once more when Natalia confirmed up shortly after them.

From right here the route took us by extra fields and dense inexperienced areas. We chatted with totally different teams of runners as they handed us together with a couple of People who had been dwelling in North Macedonia. There was one other river crossing which everybody rigorously tiptoed throughout on some strategically positioned rocks. I ploughed by as soon as once more to the delight of the People. I had moist ft anyway so it made no distinction to me and had the good thing about understanding I had spare socks in my drop bag ready in a while.

From right here we started ascending. This was now the largest climb of the run and we’d be climbing 900m to Vojtino. So we climbed. That’s all we’d do. Head down and stroll on. We performed leapfrog with a couple of runners and adopted the observe because it handed by extra forests and sometimes opened up onto huge rocks overlooking the lake. The views had been lovely and we took the possibility to cease and seize the moments after we may. It actually was gorgeous. Some how, out of nowhere the subsequent support station then appeared. We’d been so centered on simply strolling that the part handed by fairly rapidly. It was pretty small however we welcomed the chance to tackle extra liquids because it was very humid within the early morning warmth. Right here the volunteers informed us it was perhaps 4km to Provej, which might be the drop bag support station. This was the place the route was now modified and fairly than climbing one other 900m or so to the Magaro summit and descending all the way down to Prevoj, we’d climb decrease (perhaps just some hundred metres) and circle the mountain as a substitute. It was a disgrace, however, on the identical time we had been now glad it wasn’t as far to go. We moved onwards.

The part wasn’t precisely simple although (simpler than the off observe 900m climb to the summit over 5km I’m certain!). The climb continued and in locations it was fairly steep and largely the bottom was coated in a deep layer of leaves that coated a large number of obstacles – rocks, sticks, snow even! It felt longer than 4km by the point we left the climb and emerged right into a grass mountain facet that wouldn’t look misplaced within the Sound of Music! We had been delighted to seek out the help station ready for us. I instantly sought out sizzling meals and my drop bag. I set to work freshening myself up and stocking up on the soup and pasta they supplied. I used to be very hungry and empty and knew I wanted meals earlier than it was too late. Paul and Natalia patiently waited for me and put up with my antics of snorting Tailwind which I’d spilt attempting to refill my bottles.

As we left the help station we had been informed we’d now comply with a street for a couple of kms earlier than discovering a dust/quad observe. Once more we had been avoiding the climb to the subsequent summit and weren’t operating alongside the ridge. The street was certainly very lengthy and the tarmac harm our achy legs. At noon the warmth was absorbed by the black floor and it felt like we had been being battered from all sides. It was robust going. We weren’t alone although. We’d made a pal. A canine. He ran casually with us. Not a sound from him. Only a tongue hanging out. He appeared completely happy. We joked that he preferred dishonest on us with the sooner runners as he’d run with us for a good bit then would run off and chase the runners forward of us earlier than ready for us to catch him up. He ran alongside us for a lot of kms. Even after we turned off the street and adopted the observe once more.

Right here we may see Lake Prespa (the opposite lake hidden from Ohrid by the mountain vary) on our proper. Lake Ohrid was now hidden by the mountain ridge to our left someplace. The views had been gorgeous and we loved wanting again on the mountains behind us, questioning what if… after which it occurred. Just about bang on noon as forecast the sky began to darken. The thunder began to rumble. The rain began to return. Natalia was having none of it and began operating more durable and sooner. Me and Paul couldn’t sustain. Inside minutes she was out of sight. We carried on, walk-running within the rain. We caught and handed a couple of different runners and ultimately caught up along with her at Assan Gjura.

Right here on the support station we sat beneath the shelter of the outbuilding together with many different runners from all of the totally different distances. Some had been coming, some had been leaving. We took a second to collect ourselves, re-calibrating our focus and pondering of the storms and what was left to run. Because the rain eased off we psyched ourselves up and ready to depart. Solely we couldn’t. The volunteers and park authorities suggested we didn’t as there have been extra storms coming. They made the choice to carry us all on the support station for security. We sat again down not understanding how lengthy we’d be right here. The minutes ticked by. Meals was operating low however we had been all fed up of the identical factor now anyway. They lit a hearth burner and all of us huddled inside a room that grew to become our sauna. After a very long time one lonely runner arrived on the aidstation from the 100k. She was very moist. Finally, after about an hour and a half, they allow us to depart. Initially it was a ‘5 folks can go’. With out pondering I selfishly grabbed Natalia and pushed to the entrance, indicating that us three would go away. My thoughts was on ending. My thoughts was on escaping any threat of not ending in the event that they cancelled the race. I wasn’t primarily pondering of security at this level. In my thoughts we may end in a couple of hours and we had been descending just about for the remainder of the race, I felt they wouldn’t be saying we may depart if it wasn’t secure.

We set off. We had been legging it. This part was flat at about 1400m asl. Attempting to get so far as we may while it was dry. Inside seconds the numerous layers we’d placed on had been coming off once more. The bottom was a waterlogged and there have been puddles in all of the tracks and the pink earth was equal measures sticky and slippery. The skies nevertheless had been clear and vivid. For now… We ran on backward and forward skipping the puddles and dust. Up forward the sky was getting darker and the feint rumbles of thunder may very well be heard once more. There was a lonely cow, mooing loudly in entrance of us. We ready to go it on broadly. It was both distressed or it was warning us. From the left, there was a man descending rapidly from the mountain. He was operating in denims with a bottle of water in his hand shouting and waving. I assumed he was chasing after his cow, misplaced within the storm. After all he wasn’t. He was attempting to get our consideration. He directed us to go within the path he had simply come from. He defined that we had been operating straight into the storms which had been about 40 minutes away. He informed us on the highest of the climb there’s one other man on the street who will give us additional directions. It was perhaps a ten minute climb, a really sluggish climb. Natalia went rapidly. Me and Paul went slowly. I assumed that this was it, that this was the place our race would finish. I assumed right here they’d be telling us to get within the automobile and we’d be evacuated from the storms.

As Natalia reached the man we may hear the directions he was was offering. He was directing us down one other method. This wasn’t recreation over in spite of everything. There was nonetheless hope. I wakened from my false distress and we sped up for the previous couple of metres of the climb to affix them. He gave us his quantity for security and topped us up with coke. Our directions now had been that we’d comply with the dust observe street for a couple of kilometres. Finally we’d discover a activate our lefthand facet marked with the flags and that we must always take this route in direction of Velestovo, the ultimate support station. He emphasised the trail on the left and never the one on the fitting. The right route would divert us across the storm and we’d skip the subsequent support station and head straight to the final one.

We ran on slowly because it was robust. My legs harm a lot. Natalia was contemporary and powerful and centered on getting down and out of the storms as rapidly as attainable. I used to be struggling behind with the inevitable painful ankles. Natalia would run off and look ahead to us to catch up earlier than carrying on down the street. The route was gradual and never too unhealthy however it was a dust observe and fairly painful on the drained ft. The thunder was rising louder and louder round us and the rain had began but once more. After some time I began to assume we’d missed the flip. I verify the unique route and thought we’d run handed a activate the that route perhaps 1-2 km additional again. I couldn’t perceive it. How?! We didn’t see something, we had been being alert and would have seen the marked flags and the escape route! We checked the native maps and will see that this path would bend again in direction of the storm barely earlier than connecting with one other path which might take us in direction of the help station we needed. We made the choice to hold on and hint this route as a substitute.

A couple of minutes later we discovered pink flags on each the fitting and left. This was it! In all my confusion we had been doing simply high-quality and hadn’t missed the flip. We turned left as instructed. A couple of different runners handed us. I used to be nonetheless confused although and it didn’t make an excessive amount of sense in my head however everybody reassured me that it was proper. It wasn’t a lot additional earlier than we hit a bit village and Natalia dashed off to the help station. Me and Paul walked the remainder of the trail and filmed the view of Ohrid additional down. It was lovely and we may nearly scent the end now. It was pissing down, darkish and moody, as we arrived into the help station. Natalia was a bit on edge and uncomfortable with the considered leaving the sanctuary of the help station and coming into the storms for the ultimate 8km. We reassured her and she or he emerged from the help station with us to make the ultimate first rate to Ohrid. We made a run for it understanding we’d be completed quickly. Far, far prior to we initially thought. With all of the diversions and lack of climbing we’d be arising quick on the space and ending while it was nonetheless mild, which was a nice thought now.

From right here we ran a distinct route again to Ohrid than which we’d climbed the night time earlier than. This one took us by the villages and down some grassy tracks in direction of the lakeside. The entire method I used to be behind Natalia and Paul. My legs screaming at me as I saved rolling my ankles on the uneven terrain. At one level I heard them each make some noise and noticed Paul pull up out of the blue. There have been some locals re-cementing the street (throughout a storm!) and Paul had nearly ploughed straight into it. They directed us round and cheered us on our method. Shortly after which we then wanted to navigate our method by a herd of goats who had been off on their very own journey. Additional down we reached the primary street of Ohrid. It was flooded. We had a brief detour to cross the street round a petroleum station to affix the trail to the lake. Paul went off, making a beeline for the end. Natalia pushed me onerous to get handed the previous couple of 100km runners in our sight. She was operating so robust.

Moments later we hit the house stretch and crossed the road, hand in hand. It was completed. It wasn’t fairly the race we’d hoped for, however the end result was precisely as deliberate. On the end line Dejan, the RD, congratulated us and handed us our medals. It was an unbelievable expertise and an journey we’ll always remember.

After ending, two issues had been instantly clear to me. Firstly, how accommodating the Macedonians had been and the way properly we had been taken care of by Dejan, his group and all of the volunteers. Personally, I felt secure all through and by no means had worries. We knew there can be storms. We knew security measures had been at all times prone to be activated, however it was the style in how they had been completed which was spectacular. With runners spread-out over so many alternative elements of the route it will need to have been a logistical nightmare to handle. However, we had been knowledgeable, at registration, at first of the race and through. The course was very properly marked (it was our mistake which made us get misplaced early on) and the volunteers and Park Authorities had been useful and informative. While we had been held at Assan Gjura we had been informed the organisers had been out monitoring the state of affairs and confirming when it will be secure to depart. Having mid support station diversions to keep away from the storms was additionally one thing that impressed me. I felt so taken care of and cared for.

Secondly, Natalia’s mentality impressed me and I’m so happy with her. She made no secret of her considerations and concern of the storms, specifically the lightening strikes. But, she ran, she saved going and she or he made it to the end line regardless of her fears. What impresses me is how robust she is. I don’t share such fears so I’ll by no means absolutely perceive what it should really feel prefer to be battling your self at such a instinctive stage. I run with out concern so can’t comprehend what it should be prefer to have your thoughts working towards you if you find yourself drained and exhausted. She by no means gave up regardless of the numerous, many alternatives she needed to cease in the course of the race, she simply saved going. I’m so happy with her and her power.