Tag Archives: Merrell

Merrell MTL Long Sky 2 Matryx Shoe Review

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Shoes are personal. Run shoes are very personal. Quite simply, we are all unique and our needs when running vary greatly depending on the distance we are running, the terrain we are running on and how long we will be out for. It is why so many shoes exist.

Last year I said my shoe of the year was the Merrell Agility Peak 5. It is a shoe that ticked all the boxes, comfort, great foot hold, excellent grip and a fantastic all rounder for trail and mountain running. If I was only allowed one trail shoe, the Agility Peak 5 would be my choice.

It’s fair to say, that Merrell are still fighting an uphill battle to be taken seriously in the run world, especially when compared to the giants like Hoka, adidas, Brooks, Asics, Salomon and so on… Take note, Merrell should definitely be on your consideration list.

With the announcement of the MTL Long Sky 2 Matryx and my love for the Agility Peak 5, I was very keen  to give this new incarnation plenty of testing.

In contrast to the Agility Peak 5, the MTL Long Sky 2 Matryx is a completely different beast. Less cushioning, lower weight, lower profile and lower drop. It’s a very specific shoe.

To draw a comparison, the Agility Peak 5 is like an everyday car for the family, plenty of room, comfort and great for a full day out. The MTL Long Sky 2 is much more a 2-seat sports car that is has a very specific use and some comfort is missing in exchange for speed.

So, although the name has ‘Long’ in the title, don’t be fooled in to thinking this is a long distance shoe. It is not. The most relevant part of the shoes name is ‘Sky’ and the reference to skyrunning which takes place in tough, challenging and technical terrain and mostly over shorter distances between 20 and 50km.

A neutral shoe, in comparison to the previous model (the Long Sky) the drop has been reduced from 8mm to 4mm. This is significant is it gives a much greater contact with the ground and control. Cushioning is 19.5mm at the front and 23.5mm at the rear. The outsole is Vibram MegaGrip with 5mm lugs.

A key feature is the new MATRYX upper which has more durability and is designed to keep the foot cooler with greater wicking.

They have a gusseted tongue for excellent foot hold. Cushioning is via EVA foam insole and dual FloatPro Foam.

There is a temperature regulating footbed. A UK9/ EU44 is 259g and sizing is true to size. The shoe is 15% lighter than the previous model

THE SHOE

It’s a great looking shoe and one that immediately says speed. The white to multi fade orange and pink is striking.

Slipping the shoe on, the foot hold is immediately noticeable and with the laces adjusted and the sock-like fit, there is no movement at all. Exactly what you want from a shoe that will handle mountainous and technical terrain. The heel area is very minimal and there is a raised padded area inside that is designed to grip and hold – it certainly does, arguably they are the most secure shoe I have experienced in this area. The front of the shoe opens up to provide enough width for toe splay, but not too much room so that you would lose control when precision is required.

With a 19.5/23.5mm cushioning, this shoe is designed to provide a compromise offering cushioning but not losing ground feel and control. As mentioned before, the ‘Long’ in the name is relative and for most people, this is not a long distance shoe.

The upper construction is minimal and notably so at the front, there is token toe protection. Don’t be fooled though, this MATRYX upper is tough and durable.

The shoe immediately feels comfortable when you put them on. I strongly suggest you play around with socks to find out what works best for you, I noticed a huge difference in feel between a lightweight sock and a slightly thicker merino sock.

Merrell say the shoe is good for up to 50km. For sure, yes, 50km is possible, but this depends on the runner and the speed they are going. A top elite mountain runner may tick off 50km in 4 to 5 hours, whereas, someone else may take 10-hours, so, use caution.

The MTL Long Sky 2 Matryx is designed to be agile and nimble, they are! But this comes at a price on comfort and protection. I had expected more protection and ultimately, for me, that just wasn’t there. I could feel stones, rocks and tree roots through the shoe which did surprise me. They feel thin!

They are very flexible and the propulsive phase is very good. On the correct feet, this is a fast shoe.

The biggest problem for me was the heel area. In one area they are brilliant, the hold is fantastic, they are secure and there is no slipping. However, this hold comes from the raised cushioned area with the heel, no matter what I did or tried, this just rubbed and caused blisters on both feet. I must caveat here, I never get blisters. So, this just made the MTL Long Sky 2 Matryx unwearable for me. 

The outsole is Vibram MegaGrip with 5mm lugs. Ideal for technical terrain providing grip when required on rock, gravel, light mud and varying terrain. I am still not 100% convinced or confident of Vibram on wet rock, especially when compared to VJ Sport or the Continental grip on adidas shoes.

Conclusion

There is a great deal to like in the Merrell MTL Long Sky 2 Matryx and if you are looking for something light, nimble, fast with ground feel for short mountain days or racing, this is for you. However, this all comes at a price. It’s a specific shoe for a specific task, just like a Formula One car. This is not the only shoe to have or use. It’s too specific for everyday runs, so, the MTL Long Sky 2 Matryx should be added to an already existing shoe collection and they should be reached for and used on special days. Given that Merrell sponsor the Skyrunner World Series, it’s unsurprising that this shoe is designed to specifically perform on this terrain.

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Episode 242 – El Kott Twins and The Coastal Challenge, Costa Rica.

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Episode 242 of Talk Ultra is with Lina and Sanna El Kott, the El Kott twins and their participation in the 20th anniversary of The Coastal Challenge in Costa Rica.

The 20th TCC concluded in Drake Bay on Feb 17th, 250km gruelling km’s and many 1000m’s of vertical gain over 6-days. Lina and Sanna finished on the podium and tell their stories here in an in-depth podcast.

Listen to the audio below:

Read the daily TCC reports

Day 1 Here

Day 2 Here

Day 3 Here

Day 4 Here

Day 5 Here

Day 6 Here

SPOTIFY HERE

Also available on ANCHOR

APPLE iTUNES HERE

Enter The Coastal Challenge for 2025 HERE

#TCC2025

Merrell Agility Peak 5 Shoe Review

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On a recent work trip I had a run shoe disaster. To cut a long story short, I was left with no run shoes.

Dropping in to the best run store I could find, I was rest assured with a great selection of trail shoes and gladly, they had options from which to choose. It would have been easy to purchase shoes I have already owned used and liked, and in all honesty, had they had a pair of Hoka Torrent I would have got them; a great all-rounder.

I needed a shoe with cushioning, protection, and a good outsole.

As it happens, I had three excellent choices and none of the shoes I had used before, a NNormal Tomir (23/31), a Hoka Speedgoat 5 (29/33) and a Merrell Agility Peak 5 (25/31), based on stack heights, three very comparable shoes. Interestingly the NNormal with 8mm drop, the Hoka with 4mm drop and the Merrell sitting in the sweet spot of 6mm.

I will be honest, I was instantly drawn to the NNormal, I had been waiting to test a pair for sometime and in my head, before trying any of them on, I had already made up my mind. I am getting the NNormal.

However, slipping them on, they just didn’t make me smile. The lacing was less than optimal, foothold was kinda ok but the overall feel was lifeless. The Hoka Speedboat 5 by contrast had life, had great foothold and was just solid. That’s it, I will get the Speedgoat…

But then the assistant said, you should really try on the Merrell, particularly if you like the Hoka.

So, I slipped the Agility Peak 5 on whoa, what a revelation. Foothold superb, heel comfort excellent, toe box space great and there was a bounce and life not present in the other two. The addition of Vibram Magagrip added to the package, to be fair, this was on the other two shoes too, but here on the Agility Peak 5 it was aggressive and with 5mm lugs.

I purchased the Merrell.

MERRELL

I had heard a great deal about Merrell shoes, nearly all of it positive, so, I don’t really know why it had taken me so long to eventually get a pair. Certainly trying on against the NNormal and Hoka only confirmed that my decision was coming too late, I had been missing out!

Superb cushioning 25mm front, 31mm rear.

A great looking shoe that means business. The side profile, the outsole and 5mm lugs, a visible rock plate, it’s clear that this is shoe is for the rough stuff.

Red rock plate showing through the Vibram MegaGrip outsole.

When a shoe is in version 5, I always get a little nervous. The plus side is this is a shoe that works and is loved, otherwise Merrell would not adapt, change and make a new version. But sometimes, the ‘need’ to make new version can sometimes spoil what was good about the previous ones. Having not tried an Agility Peak before, I was a blank canvas – a good thing!

THE SHOE

With reduced weight, increased rocker, increased heel grip and comfort, this shoe on paper was ticking all the boxes.

A breathable upper, excellent lace placement, gusseted tongue, a toe cap protection, EVA foot bed, FloatPro foam midsole, rock plate, a Vibram Megagrip outsole with 5mm traction lugs.

5mm lugs by Vibram MegaGrip.

A D-ring gaiter attachment at the front and velcro attachment at the rear,

Velcro tab at the rear for gaiter.

The Agility Peak 5 is a feature packed shoe. A 6mm drop with cushioning 25mm at the front and 31mm at the rear makes this a shoe ideal for long days out in gnarly terrain.

Slipping the shoe on I had an instant comfort factor that made me smile, I knew immediately I was going to like this shoe.

Great lacing and D-ring for gaiter.

Lacing up, foot hold was superb without any nasty pressure on the navicular bone. Holding the rear of the shoe.

Lifting my foot, there was no slippage and the gusseted tongue just added to the cozy comfort factor.

Spacious toe box.

The toe box is spacious, a 3, maybe a 4, on a scale of 1-5 with 5 being wide and spacious.

Standing up, there was a definite bounce and life as I moved backwards and forwards, up and down.

IN USE

I was committed and out-of-the-box I went straight in to a gnarly coastal run over very rocky and abrasive terrain, 37km and 1531m+. It was a great test! The Agility Peak 5 excelled.

The notable takeaways were all-day comfort and protection.

I never had to adjust the laces, my foot was held secure all day. The cushioning allowed for great ground feel but not at the compromise of comfort, especially with the rock plate protecting from all the sharp rocks and obstacles.

At 25/31mm in cushioning, I was concerned that maybe I would be a little too high from the ground, but this shoe has a wide footprint and this compensates for the additional stack height wonderfully. I had no rolling issues at all.

Notably, when walking and hiking, the bounce and comfort at the rear of the shoe was superb. When running, the flex behind the metatarsals was ideal giving a great propulsive phase. The toe box allowing enough space for toe splay but not at the compromise of precision. When climbing, my foot was secure, no movement, a combination of the new heel cup and the rear sling lock.

The outsole by Vibram is tried and tested, MegaGrip appears everywhere, but this is the first time I have used or seen the 5mm lug version and it is brilliant. The grip was superb. I have yet to try in the wet!

Was there a downside? In all honesty, no. It’s arguably the most complete shoe I have tried in a very long time and if I was to be picky, for a shoe that is so obviously designed for rough stuff, the toe bumper could maybe be a little more protective.

Despite the mean business looks, the Agility Peak 5 has plenty of life, speed and comfort for those wonderful single-track runs with little or no technicality. The rocker helping to propel you forward with excellent comfort.

Fitting true to size, this shoe is one of the best I have tried and tested.

CONCLUSION

Shoe technology gets better all the time and now there are sooooo many good shoes, it’s often difficult to pick a best one. Of course, this is a great position to be in. I have countless shoes that I would be happy to run in on any given day. But, some shoes have very specific uses. If I wanted guaranteed mountain grip in wet and dry, I would choose a VJ MAXx. I I wanted a fast shoe for single-track, I’d go for an Adidas Speed Ultra. If I wanted a just one shoe that could do all things and do them well, my choice has normally been a Hoka Torrent, that is until the Merrell Agility Peak 5 cam along.

The rock plate and grip is excellent.

This shoe has been a revelation. All day comfort, great grip, great foot hold, fast when you need them to be, secure when the terrain demands it and all wrapped up in an excellent good looking package.

The Agility Peak 5 is my shoe of 2024! A shoe that has balanced cushioned comfort with speed and versatility for all running, be that on trail or mountain terrain.

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Marathon des Sables 2019 #MDS #MDS2019 – Stage 2 32.5km

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The mood in camp was one of happiness with day-1 completed, however, the thought of day-2 terrified most. For many year’s, Merzouga Dunes (the highest in Morocco) have often been used for the charity stage as a way to finish the race. In 2016, the dunes were used on stage 1, a sandstorm hit and it was carnage. So, the dunes demand respect.

This year, stage 2 would have the runners leave bivouac and have a relatively easy first 13km that would involve rocky plateau, small dunettes and pass through the village of Tisserdimine.

From cp1, the runners would enter the dunes and then stay there for another 13km – that is a long and tough journey, for anyone, even the best. So, it was with some anxiety that runners awoke to day-2.

The plus side coming that after the dunes, it was an easy and flat run in to the finish.

Ragna Debats after winning stage 1 looked happy in bivouac. Using a liquid only strategy for calories had no impact on day-1 and her enthusiasm for day-2 did not waver. ‘I hd a good day-1, rested well and I am now ready for day-2.’

 

 

Ragna departed with the leading men and over the early km’s was ahead of the Desert King, Rachid El Morabity. Her stride long, her form perfect and her posture with the pack, excellent. She was flying leaving all the other women in her wake. She once again obliterated the stage crossing the line in 3:14:22 and giving her 10th overall on the stage – wow!

Aziza Raji who placed 2nd on day-1 once again had a good day looking strong on home terrain. She finished 3rd in 4:05:32.

It was past MDS winner, Megan Hicks, who ran better today moving up the field to finish 2nd in 3:59:00 – a remarkable 45-minutes behind Ragna! Notably, Gemma Game who made the podium last-year had a much better day-2 and finished 4th ahead of Lauren Woodwiss.

The men’s race had many protagonists taking on the reigns of the race from the front, including Julien Chorier, Robert Merile, Abdelkader El Mouaziz, Robert Pope and so many more… But the experienced, Mohamed and Rachid El Morabity hung back allowing the first 13km to pass without incident. As the dunes arrived, the brothers unleashed ‘dune power’ and the rest of the men just had to suffer and follow in their desert prowess.

Mohamed and Rachid ran together and at the line, today, it was the younger brother Mohamed who crossed first, 6-seconds ahead of the MDS master. Their times, 2:52:30 and 2:52:36.

Behind, it was survival, with many of the early protagonists suffering in the terrain and heat.  Abdelkader El Mouaziz finished 3rd ahead of Antonio Alongi and Robert Mrile, their times 2:56:14, 3:01:14 and 3:04:02.

For the other 800 + runners it was a day of survival. But the MDS is all about taking on the challenge and finding the strength to push on. Each and every person out there is an inspiration, but look at Faris from the USA with a prosthetic – he personifies the courage of the MDS.

Results Day-2

Mohamed El Morabity

Rachid El Morabity

Abdelkader El Mouaziz

 

Ragna Debats

Megan Hicks

Aziz Raji

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Marathon des Sables 2019 #MDS #MDS2019 – Stage 1 32.2km

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The 34th edition of the iconic Marathon des Sables got underway today. A race of 32.2km heading south through the mixed and wonderful terrain that Morocco has to offer.

As per usual, camp was full of nerves and tension after a somewhat cold night left some runners wishing they had packed more clothes. Breakfasts were cooked, bags were packed and the pre-race anticipation was tangible.

The race was underway at 0900 after Patrick Bauer, the race creator, provided his usual morning briefing two the assembled runners who totalled more than 800.

With the buzz of the helicopter and AC/DC’s Highway to Hell, the race was unleashed.

In MDS terms, day-1 was considered an ‘easy’ day – a nice introduction to the Sahara. The wind was almost non-existent the heat gradually built throughout the day as the 800+ had to cross mini dunes, soft sand and rocky plateaus.

It may come as no surprise that the El Morabity brothers of Rachid and Mohamed dictated the day, pushing ahead together. It was only in the closing km or so, that Rachid, the six times champion forged ahead to win in 2:19:00 exactly, 1min 28secs quicker than his brother. Abdelaziz Baghazza arrived 90-seconds later to round out the day’s podium.

The ladies race was dominated by IAU World Trail Champion and Skyrunning World Champion, Ragna Debats, running hers first ‘MDS!’ Ragna is a past winner of The Coastal Challenge in Costa Rica, also a multi-stage race but importantly, not self-sufficient! Today she ran like an experienced multi-day runner, her pack causing her little issues. Her time of 2:42:24 quite incredible providing a top-20 place overall.

Moroccan Aziz Kaji will have made the home crowd happy placing 2nd in 3:07:58 and in the 3rd, the Queen of ‘MDS,’ Laurence Klein from France who has won the race on many occasions in past years.

It is only day-1 but the race is already taking shape. Day-2 at 32.5km is already obtaining much talk as it include 13km’s of the infamous Merzouga Dunes, the highest and the most challenging dunes in Morocco.

Results Top 3:

  1. Rachid El Morabity 2:19:00
  2. Mohamed El Morabity 2:20:28
  3. Abdelaziz Baghazza 2:22:58

 

  1. Ragna Debats 2:42:24
  2. Aziz Raji 3:07:58
  3. Laurence Klein 3:12:56

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The Coastal Challenge 2019 – #TCC2019 – Day 6

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The 2019 The Coastal Challenge today came to an end on the stunning beaches of Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula.

Pere Aurell and Ida Nilsson are the champions after a masterclass of multi-day running. The duo ran amazing races and Ida obliterated the 2018 record of Ragna Debats and in the process set 4 female stage records and placed 2nd overall. Holly Page set two stage records also.

The 22km final day is a stunning day, starting and finishing on Bahia Drake, the loop is like a mini Coastal Challenge all compressed into one stage. Waterfalls, rainforest, plantations, dusty fire trail, water crossings, beaches, coves and the stunning Pacific as a backdrop as the runners make the way to the finish.

The dynamic of the day was the staggered start for the top-6 after the mass start at 0700.

They were released as follows:

6. Ragna Debats 07:01:00

5. Holly Page 07:03:00

4. Jorge Paniagua 07:06:00

3. Marcus Scotney 07:10:00

2. Ida Nillson 07:15:00

1. Pere Aurell 07:21:00

 

The race was on between Jorge and Marcus and in the early stages, Jorge opened a gap on the technical trail. However, as soon as the trail became more runnable, Marcus unleashed his natural fast pace and secured his 3rd overall on GC.

After a tough stage 5, Pere was keen to make sure he won the 2019 TCC and by the waterfall, he had caught Ida for the 6-minute time gap. He then ran to the line and secured his victory ahead of the incredible Ida, who placed 2nd overall and dominated the women’s race.

Ida won 4-stage CR bonus’ worth $250 each and $2500 for a new CR – That is $3500 for her week in Costa Rica.

Holly Page was the first to cross the line holding off the top-5 runners and catching all those before her – in the process she set a new stage CR and in addition to her female CR on stage 4, she netted $500. On timing, Pere was the stage winner just missing Tom Evans 2018 stage-6 record. Marcus was 2nd and Holly 3rd.

The finish-line was full of emotion as an epic journey has come to an end. The 2019 TCC will go down in history for the incredible performances of all the runners, but the truly inspiring story his how the top-3 women placed in the top-6 overall, with Ida 2nd on the podium – truly epic!

For now though, it’s all about Pere and Ida celebrating victory. This evening, the awards will take place on the beach with a roaring camp fire. 2020 will see the 16th edition of the race and I am sure we can expect another spectacular race.

PURA VIDA

Stage Results:

  1. Pere Aurell 2:00:00
  2. Marcus Scotney 2:06:32
  3. Holly Page 2:07:04
  4. Ida Nilsson 2:08:12
  5. Sebastian Jones 2:13:55

Overall standings, male/ female after 6-stages:

  1. Pere Aurell 23:10:23
  2. Marcus Scotney 24:01:03
  3. Jorge Paniagua 24:17:21
  1. Ida Nilsson 23:36:03
  2. Holly Page 24:50:38
  3. Ragna Debats 26:16:06

General Classification:

  1. Pere Aurell 23:10:23
  2. Ida Nilsen 23:36:03
  3. Marcus Scotney 24:01:03

Full results at www.webscorer.com

Follow the action as the race unfolds #TCC2018

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The Coastal Challenge 2019 – #TCC2019 – Day 5

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It was the longest day of the 2018 The Coastal Challenge and what a day! At 49km, it was only 2km more than day 3 but coming at this stage in the race, it is always a tough one.

 Runners departed camp via bus for a short bus ride to the Sierpe river and then a ferry across to the other side with the arrival of daylight. At 6:15am, they were released.

Much of todays race is very runnable on wide gravel roads and much of that chat pre-stage was that it was ideal for Ida and Marcus. It’s great if you can run, but for many it’s a tough day. Technical forest sections break up the distance and then at 2/3rd of the race covered, the runners turn right on a loop around the peninsula, running through forest trails before finally dropping to the beach and taking a small boat from one side to the other. Once across the estuary, it is 9km’s to the line with the final sections on the beach to the stunning Drake Bay, a Unesco Heritage Site

It was a day of drama, with the main podium contenders all running close together to checkpoint. Notably, Jorge was running side-by-side with Pere at the head of the race. Ida chased and then Marcus. Just before the right turn for the loop around the peninsula, Pere made his move and pulled away from Jorge.

Behind, Ida chased and Marcus was looking strong and gaining time.

Holly Page was some way back but looking relaxed and comfortable in the intense heat.

At the peninsula. Pere was first in the boat and crossed with no sign of any other runners. Jorge and Ida arrived together and shared a boat. Minutes later, Marcus arrived. It was all going to come down to the final 9-km’s!

What happened next, could not have been predicted. Pere struggled with exhaustion, the heat and sickness from a restless night before. He was reduced to a walk. Ida on the other hand went from strength-to-strength.

Ida left Jorge, pursued Pere, passed him and once again won the stage outright obliterating the previous female stage CR set by Ester Alves by almost 45-minutes – it was an incredible performance.

Marcus bided his time. Closed on Jorge and the duo fought an epic battle to the line. Marcus was 2nd just over 30-seconds ahead of the Costa Rican runner.

Pere finally arrived 20-minutes after Ida – he looked broken!

With the final stage tomorrow, an epic battle will unfold between Jorge and Marcus for the final podium spot on GC. Also, Pere and Ida have a potential fight. Pere has a lead of 17-minutes, one would normally say that is more than enough. However, after today, anything can happen…!

Holly Page finished 2nd woman and Ragna Debats lost time in the closing miles due to a navigation error, however, she did finish 3rd on the stage.

Tomorrow’s stage is a loop of Drake Bay – it’s a stunning day that manages to encompass all the previous 5 days in one loop. The top 6-runners will depart after the main group.

The starting times will be:

Mass start 07:30:00

6. Ragna Debats 07:31:00

5. Holly Page 07:33:00

4. Jorge Paniagua 07:36:00

3. Marcus Scotney 07:40:00

2. Ida Nilsson 07:45:00

1. Pere Aurell 07:51:00

Overall standings, male/ female after 5-stages:

  1. Pere Aurell 21:10:22
  2. Marcus Scotney 21:54:30
  3. Jorge Paniagua 22:00:49
  1. Ida Nilsson 21:27:51
  2. Holly Page 22:43:34
  3. Ragna Debats 23:54:00

General Classification:

  1. Pere Aurell 21:10:23
  2. Ida Nilsson 21:27:51
  3. Marcus Scotney 21:54:30

Full results at www.webscorer.com

Follow the action as the race unfolds #TCC2018

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The Coastal Challenge 2019 – #TCC2019 – Day 4

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Day 4 from Coronado to Palma Sur is a unique day – starting at sea level, the route climbs to just under 1000m in 10km and then stays high with a rollercoaster of hills dropping to just over 600m at 25km and then climbing again to 900m at 30km. From here, the runners drop like stones, all the way to the finish line in Palma Sur with 37.1km covered.

Pere Aurell once again showed incredible strength and recovery powers. From the start he pulled away from the competition and powered all the way to the line for another stage victory and a securing of his overall GC classification.

Behind Pere, the day started pretty much as one would have expected with Ida Nilsson, Jorge Paniagua, Marcus Scotney and Holly Page all following and all within seconds of each other at CP1. It was clear here, that Ragna Debats, the 2018 champion and course record holder was not having a good day. She trailed the front of the race and complained of sore legs.

As the miles passed, Jorge and Holly ran strong races. The duo pushed at the front and at the line, Jorge had managed to pull away a 5-minute gap on the British runner who won the stage for the women’s category and broke Ragna’s 2018 stage CR – the women’s race this year is proving spectacular.

Ida finished 2nd woman and 4th on the stage just 3-minutes behind Holly – she is way ahead in the overall women’s ranking and now 2nd overall on GC after Marcus had a bad day!

Stage 4 proved to be a tough day both for Ragna and Marcus. Ragna complained of tired legs and ran to the line trying to conserve energy for the two days ahead. Marcus though was trying to hold on the 2nd overall – a bad nights sleep and some stomach issues unfortunately impacted on him greatly and he lost far too much time allowing Ida to move to 2nd overall on GC. Marcus is now 3rd with Jorge less than 6-minutes behind. The fight for the podium is still on!

Tomorrow’s stage is 49km from Sierpe to Drake Bay (it is the longest stage of the race) and the early stages are very runnable – this will play into the hands of Ida and Marcus – will they have the strength?

  1. Pere Aurell 4:13:25
  2. Jorge Paniagua 4:20:51
  3. Jose Fabio Madrigal 4:50:29 
  1. Holly Page 4:25:04 (3rd on stage)
  2. Ida Nilsson 4:28:42 (4th on stage)
  3. Ragna Debats 4:55:09 (6th on stage)

General Classification:

  1. Pere Aurell 16:04:50
  2. Ida Nilsen 16:42:31
  3. Marcus Scotney 17:07:24

Full results at www.webscorer.com

Follow the action as the race unfolds #TCC2019

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The Coastal Challenge 2019 – #TCC2019 – Day 3

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Day 3 of the 2019 kicked off at 0530 this morning and what lay ahead was a tough and challenging day of hills, technical trail, waterfalls, long dusty and stony roads and relentless beach – all intensified by Costa Rican heat and humidity.

The early trails leaving Dominical Beach take the runners into 10km’s of technical river bed. It’s all rock-hopping and slip-sliding away on the wet and greasy surface. 

Nuayaca Waterfall is no doubt the highlight of the day, if not the race. The runners arrive down a small trail and the cascade greets them. They pass through and climb up a winding trail. From here on in, the terrain varies from rainforest, dusty access roads and technical trail before the beach arrives. Now the sun is high, the heat intense and it punished the runners mile after mile. A small dense rainforest is a prelude to a final section of road that leads to the finish.

Now, the heat is intense and the runners are sandwich pressed between sand and sky.

It’s a brutal day.

Pere Aurell dictated the early pace over the opening technical miles, his skyrunning background a real bonus. He pushed and pushed the pace and he opened up a considerable gap by the time of waterfall. This gap continued throughout the day until the final road section took its toll – reduced to a walk at time, Pere still finished the day first overall and first on general classification. 

Jorge Paniagua was a key chaser today pulling away from Marcus Scotney. In the early-stages. Marcus didn’t look good and at the waterfall was a long way back behind the lead men and women. Post-race he complained of a damaged toe.

However, as the stage progressed and the trail became more runnable, Marcus clawed back time in in the final 6km he caught Jorge and managed to take 6-minutes from him. It was an incredible closing run.

The story of the day was the women’s race. Early on, Ida Nilsson and Ragna Debats traded blows matching each other, stride-for-stride. Pursued by Holly Page, the top-3 ladies were in for a real battle.

Ida made he move and slowly pursued the front of the race and increasingly opened a gap on Ragna. On the flat beach section, Ida lengthened her stride and does what she does best – run fast! She was now 2nd overall on the stage having caught and passed all the male runners ahead of her, with the exclusion of Pere. At the line, once again, she smashed the 2018 stage course record set by Ragna and earned herself another $250 CR stage bonus. Ida’s run in the 2019 TCC is incredible!

Ragna ran a solid race for 2nd but in the closing miles, Holly put an effort in and closed the margin to just 90-seconds.

With three stages complete, the general classification is interesting with Pere in a strong lead. Marcus is 2nd but notably, Ida is 3rd and just a handful of minutes behind. The fight for overall podium places is going to be an epic one.

  1. Pere Aurell 5:10:55
  2. Marcus Scotney 5:32:10
  3. Jorge Paniagua 5:38:51

 

  1. Ida Nilsson 5:20:27 (2nd on stage)
  2. Ragna Debats 5:31:20 (3rd on stage)
  3. Holly Page 5:32:50 (5th on stage)

 

Full Results HERE

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The Coastal Challenge 2019 – #TCC2019 – Day 2

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It was a an 0400 wake up call this morning and an 0530 start. It may sound super early but believe me, the runners weren’t complaining! The advantages of an early start are simple, it gives the runners a good 2-3 hours before the heat starts to take its toll. Most had been in bed before 8pm and had maximised the time available to sleep and recover after a tough first day.

Stage 2 kicks off with a tough 39km climb and Pere Aurell was in his element as he climbed away from the rest of the field. Local runners Jorge Paniagua and Maikol Cruz chased looking really confident on the technical trail and Marcus Scotney pursued. It was early in the day for a fast pace and a long way to go, anything could happen!

Ida Nilsson today still looked incredibly strong and ran in 5th overall chased by Ragna Debats and Holly Page. Ragna looked more calm and relaxed than on day-1 and Holly complained of not feeling great.

Pere dictated the pace for the men, pushing and pushing. Could he hold on?

Behind, Marcus eventually caught the Costa Rican duo and pushed ahead confident in knowing he had gained a good chunk of time on day-1. He was now the virtual TCC 2019 leader on the road.

The course rolled up and down with a series of hard, stony and dusty access roads that connected sections of rainforest. At 16km another high point was reached, just over 700m and then it was all pretty much downhill before reading the beaches of Dominical and a flat but hot run to the finish.

Pere arrived first still looking strong and it was over 5-minutes later that Marcus arrived. The duo stayed that way all the way to the line. Looks like we may be in for an exciting battle for the overall lead in the coming days. Jorge managed to pull away from Maikol and at the line had gained an 8-minute gap.

Ida continued her dominance and once again broke the stage course record which was set by Ragna in the 2018 edition. Her run provided her a 5th place overall on the stage. Ragna finished 2nd looking more relaxed and confident but she still lost over 10-minutes to the Salomon runner. Holly finished 3rd and confirmed over the 2nd half of the stage she had felt better.

Tomorrow’s stage and 47.4km is a tough one that runs from Dominical Beach to Bahia Ballena.

Stage Results:

  1. Pere Aurell 3:47:28
  2. Marcus Scotney 3:53:30
  3. Jorge Paniagua 4:00:12

 

  1. Ida Nilsson 4:08:46 (5th on stage)
  2. Ragna Debats 4:19:13
  3. Holly Page 4:27:44

Full stage results HERE

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