Transalp Day 7 - St. Valentin - Sulden, Italy

Wow I must say today was magic! Team Livin Adventure moved up to 6th place for todays brutally good stage.....Waking up feeling sick in stomach which got worse after breakie.. Well let's just say the running turned it around... We took off setting a fantastic pace for a long flat and downhill section... We knew the massive climb to come but I just followed the legs and went for a ride... And sometimes it can be a wild ride....
Well today was the toughest stage for me and Simone for sure - but I still loved it...Pounding the legs for 21km ... Then rolling beautiful trails, then the biggest non stop steep 1600m ascent - all I could focus on was the ground and every step... In a rhythm ... Looking around a bit, heads down, silence and the occasional ' whoohoo', some have music, some don't, many find their rhythm using their poles, some do not ( I need my hands on my legs)... Everyone has their thing.. Some shovel down all the goods at the food station ... Some fly by only using their Gels...( yuck!)
But whatever it is, the greatest energy comes from your mind ... Your attitude - to accept and go with it - commit to the end, when things are rough, to celebrate and test your limits when things are good... To feel the power of a team of 2 - a partner who you may not speak to along the way.. Just winks here and there..
Just when you think ' I have nothing left.. This is never ending .. You come running with peak energy and aliveness through the finish line under the GORETEX Balloon...
We are overjoyed... I cannot keep the kisses off Simone's face .. We both left everything out on the course and that is a gratifying feeling...Simone has no words as people ask her how was it..it is true in a way...no words to describe ... One must do...
The spirit here is just incredible and hard to describe .. Must be here to feel it...this super cool connection trail runners have as we all have the bad and the good days this weeks.. Walked on the same course, climbed the same grade and covered the same distance .. Each with their own personal reason for being here..There is this peace inside, this grand satisfaction for completing yes another challenging day. For some, experiencing another level they never knew they could take themselves to.. Oh it's a beautiful thing ...
And so is Sebastian's espresso at the BUFF ( Flat is Boring) outdoor coffee stand...
43km and 2300m of climbing 
Complete!
Onto our last day...
Oh and stage 9 if our crazy dance party tomorrow night! Oh I love that Stage!
Until tomorrow ...
 

---