A Magnificent Mountain Marathon
The mountain marathon takes place the first week of August and is part of a week-long running festival. The week has a range of events varying in degree and character that builds itself up to the actual Fjällmaraton – the mountain marathon. The race is 43 km long and climbs over 2100 metres in elevation over three distinct peaks and coming to a close at the finish line at a nearby ski resort.
The jangling nerves one has at the start normally wears itself off after a few kilometres from the start. It’s an experience like no other, especially for runners who are not used to trail running in the Swedish mountains. The entire body works more than it would if you ran on asphalt, you don’t just find a rhythm and let your legs “tick over”. The uneven terrain means that you need to pick your feet up higher to prevent stumbling over rocks or roots and your shoulders and arms work more to keep you balanced. But much like any marathon, hours and miles of training are needed, regardless of where you want to place in the field. Apart from the fore runners who form a lead group, a larger group of the runners are social runners, people who are just glad to be out and competing against themselves, with the odd joke and laugh keeping the atmosphere light and jovial. As you near the first peak initial signs of fatigue start showing, heads start dropping and feet start dragging. It’s a perfectly timed psychological lift as runners pass by a group of local supporters who warmly applaud and cheer the athletes on.
The refreshment station after the first peak serves an assortment of homemade goods, sweets and salty items that provide much needed energy. One peak down, with the second peak, Hållfjället, looming into view. Heading into the low-lying marsh provides some kind of a break as tired feet sink into the softer terrain and cool down.
Somewhere along the trail is a table serving espressos, a welcome caffeine kick that revitalizes you both mentally and physically and gets you over peak number two.
Around this point every runner has a mud line that reaches up to the knees, anything other than that is a sign that you are not running hard enough..!
