The ascent started at 8:23am, with a warm, bright day. José Manuel Cartes, my running buddy, and me.
I wanted to break the FKT from La Parva to the summit of Cerro el Plomo (5424m), the highest peak of Santiago.
The route covers a little bit more than 16K, and sometimes it is easier to visualize if we split it in two parts: The first, from La Parva to Federación (base camp) and then from Federación to the top, which is the steepest one.
The sensations were good all the way up. As it was so warm, it was possible to be running there with a t-shirt, shorts and trailrunning shoes. The almost-flat parts were fun, since it was possible to run faster there. We were making a good progress. We had reached the trail that leads to Federación in 1h 55min.
Then, we crossed a river, where José Manuel told me to continue, he would follow in a few minutes, and that's what I did. From there and as the minutes were running in the watch, I reached Federación in 2h 08min. Then the steepest part began.
As we ascended, I was leading and José Manuel a couple meters behind me. We were cheering each other all the way up.
Mentally, I knew I was doing good, but not sure how good, or if it was enough to break the record. Nonethless, I continued.
When I knew it was pretty probable to set the new speed record was when I crossed the Iver Glacier, as my watch indicated 3h 42min. I had only some steep sections left.
The summit of Cerro el Plomo hides about 400meters from where the last steep part ends, and only those meters separated me from the summit; the watch announcing 3h 59min. I knew I was going to make it.
The last minutes were beautiful. My body feeling stronger, my legs filled by energy, good spirits and a happy mind.
I covered the last meters with a run, stopping the watch at the very summit of Cerro el Plomo.
4h 04min 57seg.
Thank you mountains for bringing happiness and joy.