63 FM 🎒: 19.9.25 Wildstrubel 70km

As the pain wears off and the body return to its normal bodily function, i am beginning to relive the 16.37 hour adventure across 70km of 🇨🇭from Kandersteg towards Crans Montana and 4500m+ climb.

Race start : Kandersteg. First wake up. Early. I was too late to register for the shuttle bus departing to Kandersteg at 0415. The organiser asked me to go on socials and asked if i could hitch a ride🙄. A few hours prior to the start of the race! Very helpful. Gertjan drove me to Goppenstein, the start of the car-train tunnel where i hitched a ride. Our car-train was scheduled for 0613.

Lotschberg car-train. To get to Kandersteg in a car , you will have to ride through this tunnel. It costs 31 euro one way but it saved you 3 hours of driving. My advice is arrange your travels so you stay the night in Kandersteg. I hitched a ride with Theo and his pals at Goppenstein.
What kind gesture.

I like Kandersteg and the route leading to Adelboden. Rugged and raw. Waited an hour before Wave 3-start. 20 minutes after Wave 1. Sometimes 20-minute makes a difference as i learned from CCC. 😅

At Adelboden, i felt the pressure or risk being cut-off. And, quite literally the corner of your race bib is “cut-off” if one fails to reach a check-point at its designated time.

Left hand corner bottom – that corner gets cut-off if one fails to check-in on time 😅

That race start nerve. Selfie for distraction.

Standard traffic jam at the start of the climb. Everyone is pumped with adrenaline. You will have to run real hard and fast for a good 2-3km if you want to be ahead of the crowd.

Breathtaking varying view. From Kandersteg to Adelboden. Still smiling on the first climb.
Still soaking it all in.

T-shirt weather. It was perfect. It got a tad too hot but even then it’s better than rain or snow. The first 16km sees me taking a lot of photos. It felt like a group hike outing. Well, that feeling did not last very long. 😅 The first peak was very technical. More than the rest. I know i have very little experience with the mountains. Nil effort since CCC in 2023.

I felt stronger since my injury. Finishing a road marathon was no longer enough to satisfy my restless wandering soul. One day, out of the blue Gertjan asked “no revenge for CCC?” (I dnf in 2023). Got me thinking.

To qualify one needs to collect running stones. I told myself if i am going to try again, i will train wiser. Hike more mountains, run longer and get stronger. Some girls are born with mountain in their soul. This is the beginning of the training.

Rocky surface before reaching the first peak 2100m. It was challenging for me given its steepness. You do need to keep focus and watch where your foot land. Sure footedness – one always say. Yes. You need it here. The descend was a bigger challenge for me. The speed at which you allow your body to fall forward and having a good grip and control of your legs. I think almost 20 runners fly by me.

It is almost hiking as you can see. I take note of the names of the girls who passed me and who has a good consistent pace. I’ll remember to try and keep pace and not fall too far behind.

On top of Bunderschrinde! ~2300m. Small space at the first peak. Could fit 15 max i reckon. Took this shot and a moment to admire this splendor.

First check point. The clock on the board gives the cut off time. Rested for a good 15-20 min. Also means less time to catch up.

Took me ~4 hours over 16km and 1000m climb. Was i “slow” or “getting a bang for my buck”. 😃.

Joke aside. I don’t know how my body handles the distance, climb and heat. I try not to push too hard at the beginning. I was also worried about cramping as i experienced it in CCC. So, really took it easy.

I struggled mentally after checkpoint #1 when Gertjan said that i arrived 30 min before cut-off time. Holy macaroni! I took it a bit more seriously after.

It suddenly sank in. Will i finish? That brutal memory from CCC at Trient when the edge of my bib was cut off as i arrived 15 min too late at the checkpoint. It’s brutal in a sense because Wave 1 runners get 20 min extra time. I started in Wave 3 since i have zero UTMB index. The index expires after 24 months.

There are 2 smaller climbs before reaching Lenk. Scorching sun over wide open fields. For hours I struggled with the heat. At every crossing, i stopped to take a breather. I recalled many turning back downhill. Later i found out almost 1 in 5 did not finish the race.

Scorching sun. Full exposure crossing a wide open field (s). Was overwhelming.

As we approach Sillerebuel at km 25 , this was the flat-ish section where you could rest up. The manicured section of the route most certainly.

When i got to Sillerebuel which was a bit more than a quarter of the way i was quite relieved. I forgot how hot it was. The volunteers were helpful. At this point i felt really thirsty. It was a small post with limited but essential fueling. I saw a cup of what looks like bouillon and i refilled twice. Gosh tasty salt! The body was definitely craving for it. Because of the sweltering heat, two 500ml flasks was really not sufficient. I filled one up with Naak powder which has 250 calorie in while another with water to wash it down. While the Naak powder drink sustained me for a good 20km i got really nauseous after 48km. The body needed food and drinks but it could no longer stomach them. I needed lime and had a sachet of Everfit but no water.

The route from Adelboden to Lenk was just postcard material 😘

Route to Lenk. It was very runnable. But alas, the heat of the day got to me. My strength depleted.

Was so happy to arrive at Lenk 45 minutes before cut off time. Mum of a Vietnamese boy was so kind to help me cool down with the running water here.

After Iffigenalp checkpoint at km 42. Greeted by this stunning waterfall before what would be the most challenging ascent of the entire route.

Pure joy. The sound. 💙

Above 2300m. boulders and rocks. Still managing at this stage. That was Yossi. He was my compass. For a few km uphill i stayed closely behind him. His tempo was steady , small steps and consistent.

The last peak at 2800m. Wildstrubel. When i left the last checkpoint i knew it is another 5.6km before reaching the last peak. Either I overestimated my body or underestimated the terrain or both but this 600m to Wildstrubel was the biggest challenge of the entire route. Even running in the night did not faze me. I slowed down tremendously at the last 2km. Overtaken by many. Between 2500m and 2800m i felt dizzy and nauseous. Tired. Brain fuzzy. Willpower fades.

I took this shot at about 630pm. Disappointed that there were more to climb. I was quite done with the climbing. By now 4000m + in. They don’t call it Wild70 for nothing huh. My leg felt like a size of a boulder that is stuck on the ground. Gravity at its best. So much effort was it to move a step uphill.

On the same tough route, runners were also leaving the peak. At a stretch it sees us sharing a two feet wide rocky pathway. Steep. I just have to trust that no one is going to descend too fast and knock me over. The sound of rumbling rocks caused by a fast descend was nerve racking. Also a bit annoying.

I finally got to the top. It was 715pm? I could not celebrate reaching the top. That tired. I quickly took more bouillon and oranges. Water was rationed. So only half of my flasks were filled. I layered up. Took out my headlamps and charged my Garmin. Mistake. The old forerunner could sustain 17 hours. I think i took longer than i should. Fuzzy brain.

But i needed to descend before it gets dark. Urghh… darkness coupled with steepness. It was not part of the plan. 😣

Night came. The last 20km was lonely. Accompanied by only a headlamp and fluorescent strips leading the way, i kept going. Other senses became more active. Hearing. My footsteps. I am not the biggest fan of cliffs, and i guess darkness work in my advantage. I do not know when i pass a steep cliff. But i do know when i am at a lower altitude. The sound of river as it gets louder always gives me a sense of calm.

At the peak, i knew i had about 3 hours to get to the next check point. And it is mostly downhill. But the darkness added a new challenge. It took me about 2.15 hour to complete 10km in a rolling hill descent.

Before the sun sets, one last reflection of this beautiful day.

The last 10km towards Crans Montana was perfectly manicured. Even in the darkness, i can visualise it. Well, i was in awe with the promotional video they made. I was sold. I also realised how much of the view i missed.

When i got to the last check point i thought the next 10km was truly downhill. But it wasn’t. Some small rolling hills. We passed at least 2 lakes. Could hear it. Went on 2 hanging bridges. 5km coming into Crans Montana was what seems like a perfectly build route along big boulders suitable for day hikers. I can only imagine how beautiful the view was. The town is a picture-postcard perfection.

So happy to see Gertjan & Max again just a lil after midnight. 💙

One of the very few races where i can honestly and proudly say “I AM A FINISHER”.

Chasing a PB on a road race or finishing a marathon is not quite the same jubilation as this trail running + EG journey. Terrain. Weather. Peaks. Unknowns. Hurt. It is all worth it.