Autumn started with interesting mountain races, the first Sunday of September I managed to get acquainted with an interesting Ukrainian mountain race "Runa Run Trail", and after that, I had an equally interesting trip to Croatia and the second stage of the "Golden Trail National Series" of Croatia - " Ucka Trail ”.
After participating in the first stage of the "Golden Trail National Series" in Croatia - "Risnjak Trail" decided that no matter how cool, but to visit the second stage of the series, called "Ucka Trail" is still necessary. My second trip to Croatia was to introduce me not only to the next Croatian trail but also to the beauty of the natural park near Rijeka - Učka and the town of Moscenicka Draga.
Registration
You can register for the "Ucka Trail" through the official website of the "Kvarner Trails Series" - kvarnertrails.com, where the participant can choose one of three distances, namely 42 kilometers, 31 kilometers (distance participating in the "Golden Trail National Series" which I ran) and an additional distance of 16 kilometers. The cost of registration for the race is from $ 30 (early - 200 kuna and late - 250 kuna). Although in the races I try to prefer the main distances, as they are more interesting, this time I had to run the middle distance, namely 31 kilometers, as it was part of the "Golden Trail National Series" in Croatia.
The Ucka Trail route passed through the territory of the Ucka Nature Park and consisted of a distance of 31 kilometers from one circle and had an altitude of 1520 meters. Those participants who ran the distances - 42 and 31 kilometers, had to carry the obligatory equipment whistle, isofol, water. On the trail route (31 kilometers) there were 3 food outlets (7, 13.4 and 20.5 kilometers), where participants could regain their strength. It took 8 hours for the participants to cover the distance, in addition, the trail distance was divided into 4 segments which also had their own time for which the participants had to overcome them, namely the first segment (7 kilometers) had to be covered in 1 hour 45 minutes, the second the segment (6.4 kilometers) - 1 hour 15 minutes, the third (7 kilometers) - 2 hours and the equipped fourth segment (10 kilometers) - 3 hours.
Run
There are several options to get to Moschenitska Draga from Kyiv, namely to fly to Pula, Rijeka or Zagreb, and from there by bus to Moschenitska Draga. In order not to invent another "bicycle", I chose the resort of Pula, which is familiar to me. Therefore, having collected his running gear on Thursday morning, he went to Boryspil airport, and from there on a direct flight to Pula. This time he decided not to stay in Pula, so immediately upon arrival he went in the direction of the mountain race "Ucka Trail" - Moschenytska Draga, which he reached on Thursday night.
During an introductory walk with the town where I was thrown this time, it turned out that on the weekend it should gather a large number of running and cycling enthusiasts because on Friday evening the streets of the city will run participants of the mountain ultramarathon "Istria 100 miles". guests of the city will welcome the participants of the local mountain race "Ucka Trail", and on Sunday will be held "Ucka MTB & Gravel Climb".
Ucka Trail participants could receive their starting package on Friday evening or on Saturday morning before the start of the race. So as not to wait until Saturday morning, he decided to pick up his starter pack on Friday. And returning to the hotel, I suddenly came across the restaurant "Istria 100 miles", so I decided to wait until the Ukrainians who take part in it will run, namely Maxim Kalugin, Roman Protsyuk, and Sergei Dimenko.
Saturday morning for me started on the embankment of Moschenytska Draga, where the starting town of the mountain race "Ucka Trail" was deployed, where the participants of the race gathered in the morning at the expected 9 o'clock, when the "Ucka Trail" was to start, and with it the final stage. "Golden Trail National Series" of Croatia and the third stage of "Kvarner Trails Series". As during the Risnjak Trail, the start for all distances was common.
After listening to the latest instructions from the organizers, the participants of “Ucka Trail” went to take their seats in the starting corridor, and at the same time, another mountain adventure began for me. This time they could be figuratively divided into two parts, the first, and at the same time the most difficult - and almost continuous ascent of 13.4 kilometers to a height of 1000 meters, and the second, lighter - a smooth descent of 17 kilometers to the finish.
To get to the fun part of the trail, participants first had to run about half a mile along the waterfront, after which the fun part of the trail began - the first ascent of the stairs, which eventually turned into a mountain trail. This ascent lasted almost to the first food point (7 kilometers), where in addition to a short rest, the participants were waiting for the first fork, namely the separation of participants by 16 kilometers. To overcome the first leg of the trail, participants were given 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Reaching the first ascent and a little refreshed at the food station for the trail participants (42 and 31 kilometers) expected the second leg of the trail (6.4 kilometers), which meant that you need to run again on mountain trails to the village of Mala Utska, where the second food and next fork. , which separated the participants who ran 42 and 31 kilometers. In addition, for the participants who ran 31 kilometers ended the most fun part of the trail, namely the ascents. Ascending to Mala Utska, the participants could also admire the beautiful mountain landscapes that emerged in front of them. The participants had to overcome the second part of the trail in 1 hour and 15 minutes.
At the second food point, in addition to water, isotonic, fruit, cookies and cola were also waiting for the Ucka Trail participants. Reaching the second food point, little by little came the realization that the hardest thing that awaited me on Saturday was left behind, and then waiting mainly for the descent to the finish line, admiring the beautiful scenery, and there is rest.
The third food point (the last) was waiting for the participants of the trail at the mark of 20 kilometers, in addition, this food point also ended the first big descent. It took the participants two hours to reach it.
After visiting the last food point, the 10-kilometer finish line began. The first part of this section consisted of ascent, and already on 25 kilometers, there was a descent to the finish. The route of this section passed partly along asphalt roads and partly along the slopes of mountain slopes. Here it is possible to separate the section between 17 and 19 miles, the descent that took place on the asphalt road, where participants could make up for a lost time. The last kilometers of the trail passed partly along a mountain path that descended to the embankment, and there you could reach the finish arch.
After 5 hours of running on mountain trails in the distance, the outlines of the starting town "Ucka Trail" and the finish arch began to emerge, and with it the end of another running adventure and my acquaintance with the "Golden Trail National Series" in Croatia.
Impression
The Ucka Trail mountain race, like its predecessor Risnjak Trail, left a lot of positive impressions, both from the organization of the running event and from the rather interesting trail route, which was quite interesting and exciting to run. As participants were expected not only interesting emotions from running but also beautiful surrounding mountain landscapes.
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