Tag: running

I have a lot of running dreams and run across Poľana mountains was one of them. My friends allow to make this dream real few days after my birthday on 9.10.2021. It was breathtaking, beautiful, full of emotions and smiles.

On the southern slopes of Poľana, approximately 8 km north of Hriňová, there is the Bystré Waterfall national natural monument. Its impressive height of 23 m and the amount of water make it one of the highest and at the same time the most powerful Slovak waterfalls

The Poľana protected landscape area is included in the UNESCO list. Its area is 20 360 ha. The Poľana mountain range is our highest volcanic mountain range and its peak of the same name reaches 1458 meters. There are only two recreational facilities in the entire area: the Poľana Mountain Hotel and the Pod Hrbom Cottage.

Another weekend at grandma’s. I was lucky, because the weather was pretty nice, around 15 degrees and partly cloudy. I chose to go for a run to a small village Malá Lehota, because there is a natural monument Andesite sea of rocks (it was formatted from magma which was quickly cooled, because temperatures in the Quaternary was around -60 degrees Celsius).  In my way there I made a quick stop on Vojšín (third highest mountain of  Pohronský Inovec),  there are nice views.

And the most important thing is that i met 1 stag, 4 deers, 1 rabbit, 3 horses and ZERO people  I really love running in these not so frequently visited places in Slovakia.

I planned a run to Pohronský Inovec during my weekend at grandma’s, but there was a few surprises this time… so…

Originally my plan was either Baňa -> Inovec and back (around 20 km) or a little longer lap (24km). I left the decision open, to choose path on Inovec according to my feelings. The height profile promised first 10km of continual ascend and then descend. I decided to pack a whole set of clothes (only upper body – which proved like a really good idea) and 1 litre of water and one snack bar (yes like a hero -only one). I also planned to run for a first time i my new and shiny  Salomon Speedcross 4 (which wasn’t a good idea…)

I got up early in the morning, had a breakfast, checked my stuff and got going. I was a little worried about finding the way to Inovec (I never went this way before). But the marking was pretty new and visible (and every time you need to choose a way the right way was uphill :). Temperature around -2 degrees (celsius) and the earth was frozen (I was lucky because otherwise there will be mud). In some places there was ice on road, but it was quite runnable. The snow started around 500 meters around the sea level, but it wasn’t so deep. Run from Baňa to Inovec took me 1:20 (I think it is a good time considering 600 ascend). I made a quick pause to change my clothes. The views was a little ruined with a mist, but I was sunny day, so that was enough for me:)

I had plenty of time left so I decided to go further instead of turn around a go home. Next plan was took a blue marks to Sedlo Kuchyňa and green marks from there to Nová Baňa. Next 5 km was pure descend, nice easy run, but I started to feel discomfort in my pretty new shoes (really good idea -long run in new shoes, it ended with 2 blisters). The blue mark was older and not so visible and I neded to look for the right way twice. Somewhere near Sedlo Kuchyňa I had a brilliant idea – what about to go through educational walkway instead of green mark? (I already was there so I thought I know the way – and there are 2 nice view poitns).

I already felt my legs, but I wasn’t really tired, I ate a snack a happily jogged down the hill. The mark was barely visible, sometimes I need to search for it, but so far, so good… Until I came to a place where there were 3 possible ways and the mark was nowhere to find. I tried first -nothing, second – nothing, so I went for the last. (I didn’t really remember this place…)

So I ran, mark nowhere, but it leaded down the hill and in good direction so I wasn’t really worried. Suddenly the way turns in OPPOSITE direction – not so OK, a looked back and there was like 4-5 km uphill. So I continued down (and said to myself , while it is going down it needs to end in that valley I am heading to). After a while I heard a stream -YES- in that valley where I am heading is a river, so the only think I need to do is following this stream… The last bonus was ankle deep mud – melted by the sun:)

Last 6 km was on the road and I find my way home.

Weather forecast wasn’t ideal. But I was determined to go for a run nonetheless. So it was a nice surprise to get up to a sunny day. The air was chilly and in some places there was a snow on the ground. The sun was shinning through my whole run, so my joy of it cannot by ruined even by the muddy terrain.

Our Slovak autumn is really beautiful with colorful trees, there is relatively warm outside and ground is covered with swooshing leaves. So the weekend is ideal time for longer trail run. And when you can make a stop for a coffee, what can be better?

Indian summer is almost over so I decided to take advantage of one from the last few nice days to run. I took a halfday holiday from work a chose a route from Badín (small village near Banská Bystrica) through Tri kríže to Horné Pršany.

It is quite nice hiking trail, but its good times are over.  This trail obviously isn’t used frequently, because the hike marks on trees was almost invisible. I even needed to went back twice and searched for path (and I think I have pretty good sense of direction). A lot of fallen leaves made it even harder to follow the path.

13 kilometers of continuous ascend is guite enough, so I was pretty happy when I came to tri Kríže, which means I am on the heighest point 🙂