running 5:54:00 [4] 37.75 km (9:23 / km) +2500m 7:03 / km
shoes: Inov8 race-ultra 270
FKT (fastest known time) attempt from Monks Cowl office (about 1500masl) to Champagne Castle (3377masl) and back down.
Decided last night I might as well have a go at it. Up at 4:30am and started at 4:57am- pretty impressed with myself!
From the office, up sphinx to Blindmans corner, then along the contour path to hlatikulu nek, then up the valley towards Grays, into the riverbed+along, then up Grays, I quick detour to the river to fill up water, and then carrying on up to Champagne castle (with a false cairn about 300m from the summit hurting me a bit mentally..). Then a quick 5min break on top (pretty cool being on top of the clouds) for some food+some photo evidence of me being there, then back down the same way.
Perfect weather conditions! Probably about 15degrees pretty much the whole way. Only problem is lack of water.. Only about 3 places en route to fill up compared to the normal 10 or so, so had to carry quite a lot.
Going down Grays hurt me a bit, and then the last 9/10km were a struggle as well (even though they were mostly down).
Ended up breaking the old record by about 2hours and 34min (if the time Stijn had was correct, but I'm sure it was :P)
Monks Cowl- Blindmans (49min) (6km)
Blindmans to bottom of grays (1:40) (51min) (7.5km)
Up Grays (2:44) (1:04) (2.5km)
Grays to Champagne (3:18) (:34) (3km)
Champagne to Grays (3:44) (:26) (with 5min break) (3km)
Down Grays (4:21) (:37) (2.5km)
To Blindmans (5:16) (:55) (7.5km)
Down Sphinx (5:54) (:38) (6km) - much slower than it should have been..
Pretty broken by the end!
3400/8850 (8850 is a lot of climb.. :/ )