Having done this as a hike a couple of days earlier with a friend, it was hard (impossible) to resist the temptation to try it as a FKT
But being on the bounce back from a stress reaction I definitely wasn’t keen to smash the down hills.
(In fact, this effort was definitely not on the running program and most certainly not what the coaches would be recommending… but my heart triumphed over any common sense)
A very fun day out… Ecuador definitely delivers on the hypoxia and I had a leg and lung burning struggle all the way to the top.
The track becomes very scrambly near the summit.. as well as cold.. and icy.. and windy.
Stopped for an entire 2 seconds at the top to take in the views of …. 360 degree of white-out clouds.
Then cruised back down the hill nice and gentle…I wanted to race it… but also wanted to be kind to the recovering foot.
The food. Having decided to do this on a bit of a whim, food options were limited.
Packed my running vest with stale walnuts, dried biscuits and two-day-old fried rice (in a plastic back).
But thanks to a combo of overindulgence in street food (leaving me with a week of stomach distress) plus the exertion, there was no appetite for the entire run. Plus hands were a bit too frozen to get the food out. Managed to snack on three biscuits on the way down.
When I got to the bottom sat in the sun (at last) and chowed done on all the uneaten snacks.. fried rice was the best… while finally putting on the wind vest… by this stage smeared in fried rice juice.
All in all, a fun morning of adventure.