Rogla is a mountain plateau in the Pohorje range in northeastern Slovenia. It's beautiful with its forests, paths, marshes, moors, and lakes, ...
Rogla is also a tourist resort, both in winter with alpine and cross-country skiing, and in summer with hiking and mountain biking.
Rogla has its first trail run too, after this weekend :)
This story started sometime in winter when my friend Martina published an invitation on Facebook. I decided in a moment, entered and paid the fee. Apparently, I was the first to do so. Wow.
Little did I know then that the month of July will be packed with running events for me. First, 12 hours run in Kranj, then Rogla trail, and the next weekend another mountain trail event, with 44K at Podbrdo.
Months later the days of the trail run approached. I stopped training (of sorts) weeks ago and was actually in a flow of running short runs during the week and long adventures over the weekend. This Saturday with just 35 K it was another walk in the park, literally. It was great.
We went to Rogla with our RV and stayed for the whole weekend. Running, hiking, mountain biking, chatting and drinking beer with old and new friends. Did I tell you it was great?
Oh, the run? We started at 9 am in a strong wind and in around 12 degrees atop the Rogla plateau. The path led us down to the town of Mislinja, then up to Črni vrh, the Black peak, then to Ribniška koča, to Lovrenška jezera, Mašinžaga, Pesek, and back up to Rogla.
In the end, it was 37 K with 1600 meters of vertical climb in 5 hours and 20 minutes. I wasn't speeding yet I wasn't slacking either.
Enough of talk. Let photos show you how great it was.
Seconds before the start.
Going down for the first 13 kilometres.
Somewhere above Mislinja. It was the first time I was hiking in this part of the Pohorje range.
Water station in MIslinja. All stations were well equipped with fabulous volunteers. Thank you very much for all the work you've done.
Črni vrh, the Black Peak, the highest point. This was probably around kilometre 25. You can see Uršlja Gora, Peca and Kope in the distance.
Down to Ribniška koča (mountain hut) and to the second station.
Ps: the beard is gone yet the wind didn't blow it away :)
Ps2: notice the shirt?
Up again to Lovenška jezera, the Lovrenc lakes.
Pohorje is a funny area with many lakes at the top. It's a marsh actually because the ground is firm and doesn'7 let water disappear. Funny, I told you.
Lovrenška jezera and very friendly volunteers.
From here it was down again to Mašinžaga and then the final stretch up through a beautiful spruce forest.
That was it. My Salming Elements 3 shoes were muddy yet well washed in the last creek that I waded into.
I was very satisfied with the effort and with a reception of my family in the finish area. It is so wonderful when your son, 
The adventure didn't finish there and then. It continued with more activities on Sunday. But that's another story.
Thank you, all the volunteers, thanks to organizers. You all did a magnificent job!
Proof of Run
Overreaching? I was holding myself back!
Anyways, what a great run/hike it was. Will I return next year for the 2nd edition? I just might ...
Better and better
:ervin :lemark