I signed up for this race because we were on holiday  in Lanzarote when it was scheduled.

Turned up to pick up my race number  and timing chip on the day before the event to be informed I couldn’t compete  unless I underwent a full medical examination. We spent the next 8 hours driving  around clinics/medical centres and hospitals trying to get me examined to the  required standard. Eventually had examination including ECG, lung capacity, blood  pressure, fitness test ( 45 squats in 60 seconds HR taken before during and  after, time taken to drop to resting Hr etc,).

Fortunately I passed and  was given certificate to race.

Following morning realised what I had  signed up for i.e. 42k across lavafields, 3000 plus metres of ascent,very scary  descents and temperatures which were 31degrees over last section of race.

My fellow competitors all seemed pretty serious in terms of appearance  and kit, racing snakes and Salomon X labs were standard.

Turned into  hardest marathon I have ever run. Loved much of it, the challenge and  spectacular views from the tops of the 5 volcanic caldera that we climbed. Did  not enjoy some of the descents. Fell too many times, lost a lot of skin but  gained a number of cactus spines.

Finished 17th out of 90 starters, but  won a trophy for the over 50 category.

Dave