The Bjelasica Trail race was held on the grounds of the mountain Bjelasica on the weekend of August 5-6. On Saturday, August 5, a family race (Family Trail) was held at 10 km with 380 m of ascent. On Sunday, August 6, races of 21.2 km with 1320 m of ascent (Ursa Minor) and 45.8 km with 2510 m of ascent (The Three Lakes Trail) were held. The Ursa Minor and The Three Lakes Trail races carried 1 and 2 points for UTMB.
This summer, I wanted to participate for the first time in a more challenging trail race and travel alone outside the country. Montenegro seemed the most suitable for both cases. I was in Bjelasica with mountaineers 16 years ago, so its beauty remained a beautiful memory. As for the length of the Bjelasica Trail race, Ursa Minor of 21.2 km seemed the most suitable to me. Although I could not have guessed what was waiting for me. The trail in the first part was challenging, with a length of 10km and an 1100m ascent. The second part of 11km was for jogging or fast walking and real enjoyment.
Kolashin town
I arrived in Kolasin two days earlier in order to have time to relax and prepare before the start of the Bjelasica Trail. I did not expect that my first independent trip would pass without a few problems. But when you are thrown out on the highway close to midnight and after 11 hours of driving by bus, it is not very pleasant. Before the trip, I found out that Kolasin does not have an official main bus station. I moved the trip so that I wouldn’t arrive in the early hours of the morning, but I really didn’t expect that they wouldn’t stop in Kolasin.
I decided to travel back to Belgrade from Podgorica to avoid waiting on the highway in the dark. The next morning, I calmly went to visit Kolasin, which is a small town of about 2,700 inhabitants. The first thing I liked was that it is surrounded by hills and that the people are extremely nice. It’s interesting to come to a small place and feel that spirit of community. In that way, I’ve gotten out of my comfort zone and have had to talk more. Since Kolasin is not a big place, I spent the morning hours walking, and I left in the afternoon for a little run.
The accommodation was better than I expected, and they have the same supermarket as the one in Serbia. Another thing you should know when you come to Kolasin is that the water from the tap is not for drinking, so you should organize hydration. This was very useful for me this time because, with two bottles of 1.5 liters of water a day, I could control how much I needed to hydrate.
Race preparation
For the first time, I took part in a race that started at 7 in the morning. Somehow, you are afraid of not falling asleep, so you still need to go to bed earlier. That morning, I woke up around 5 o’clock and started preparing. A trail backpack with 3 liters of water and additional equipment seems very heavy at 6 in the morning. In addition to water, I brought NutrinoLab juice and USA Biotech gel, which are the most reliable for my stomach. Trail poles are a must, as I knew I was in for a serious uphill climb.
Race start
At the very start, it was interesting to see some runners who seemed more experienced, so the nervousness was less. I took the first 2.5km on concrete slowly because of the upcoming uphill. After that length, there is a forest and an uphill. Somehow, I was mistaken when I thought I would be able to push faster, so I was disappointed. It took me the next 2 km to calm myself down, to understand that this terrain is not easy, and to enjoy nature. After I lowered my expectations, it was easier for me even though the end of the uphill was not in sight. When you think you’re close to the top, another appears behind.
One of the special challenges of the Bjelasica Trail is that I was alone for most of the course. We passed through the fog, and a strong wind was blowing at the top, so it was cold at times. The biggest challenge for me was the 700m long section at the top. On the left and right sides, the terrain fell, and I crossed over larger stones. When I approached that part, my heart began to beat harder. With trail poles and persistence, I successfully pushed and conquered that part.
In addition to my persistence, Peter’s online help meant a lot to me. The signal was perfect everywhere, so Petar cheered me on throughout the entire route. One of my fond and comical memories remains the voice messages I sent him during the race. Emotions of enchantment, happiness, and fatigue alternated in me, both mentally and physically.
Towards the end of the first 10 km, with an ascent of almost 1100 m, you come across a refreshment station. For the first time, I needed to stop at the refreshment station and rest a little.
The beautiful nature of Bjelasica
There were 11 km of trail left, which moved along a beautiful path with a view of the surrounding meadows. It was similar to the Heavenly Chairs on Kopaonik. The weather conditions were good, so in that second part, I was able to run a little. As the path was narrow in one part, I managed to slip, fall, and roll towards the lower meadow. That’s when I decided to walk quickly in that part so as not to create an opportunity to injure myself.
It was a novelty for this race that I cheered myself on like never before. I had a chance to face some mostly psychological obstacles by myself. In the second part of the trail, I was faced with the fear of passing by a big dog tied to a piece of wood. When I went down to the katuns, I saw something black moving in the distance. At that moment, I felt fear. I calmed myself down and knew that I had to walk and not run away. The big black dog was tied up, but I was certainly a little afraid, so I started to talk to him. That served me as an exercise because 2 km before the end of the trail, there was a dog without a leash that was barking and defending its territory. I immediately started talking to him and managed to stop his barking.
Race finish
The last 1km was a descent down a steep ski track. In one part, beautiful horses played with each other. I was careful not to disturb them, and at the same time, I felt love and fear. I have always loved horses and their grace. The descent down the ski track, I couldn’t do the rapids because I felt tired in my thighs. I was certainly happy that I had the opportunity to finish fast.
It’s easy to run in a group, but it’s a real privilege to be with yourself and nature during a race. I am grateful to Peter, who was present online to cheer me on when I needed it most.
The Bjelasica Trail race was great and beautiful. I didn’t even need a medal. All those hours spent on Bjelasica are a wonderful memory. At the finish line, everyone was in happy feelings as if they were champions. In the end, everyone overcame themselves and their potential fears when they crossed 21km or 45km.
