Gore-Tex Experience Tour Casting: Training Part 1 - Peñas de Guaita

A little over a year ago I got serious about training for mountaineering. I started researching, bought books, began some self-coaching, and mental preparation. What first started out as a short jog twice a week and two visits to the gym a week, has now evolved into a well-rounded training schedule that I stick to like super-glue. Less weight training and more specialized endurance training (with lots of focus on stretching before and after excersices). My training schedule is based on a concept called "Cross-play".

Mondays: Lower and upper body weight training
Tuesdays: Trail running (1.5 hrs)
Wedsnesdays: Bouldering (1hr non-stop)
Thursdays: Road running (1.2 hrs)
Saturdays: Multipitch climbing
Sundays: Singlepitch sport climbing

I should probably charge for revealing my workout schedule but in reality it is not enough. I am always striving to find ways to make a run more intense or to have a good day climbing to push the grade level.

This past Thursday was a beautiful day in Canet and it meant I should go run Peñas de Guaita.

(view from atop Peñas de Guita over Canet and Puerto de Sagunto)

It turned out to be an excellent trail run. Starting out in the Pucol Urbanization at the American School, I ran to the top of Peñas de Guaita, also known as a great place to learn sport climbing for its easy rock and outstanding views, and circled and retraced the GR10 and neighboring trails. With plenty of long steep sections, the intensity was high and the downhills were fun. Watch out for the rocks!

Back at the van an hour and a half later, a storm rolled in to ruin a beautiful morning over the Levante.

Cheers!