WINTER Hill Runner Antonio Codina travelled to the North of Spain to visit family but took the chance to compete in the Desafio Urbion Sky Ultra race.

A classic mountain race that has been celebrated for 10 years in the Sierra de Urbion, in the Iberian mountains. The region is covered by the largest pine forest in Spain, and above the tree line there are meadows, boulder fields and glacier lakes with summits above 2000m high.

Here is where the source of the river Douro is found, that continues its journey across Spain and Portugal to flow into the Atlantic Ocean. This year they added a 70kn ultra to the event with 4500m of ascent.

Codina set off at 7am on the Saturday in the neighbouring town of Vinuesa, once through the town they were soon the forest and on a steep trail. The first 15km of the race are almost a constant climb up to 2000 metres and it was hard work. Luckily the weather was cool and dry.

When they reached the top, the views were just amazing with mountains and forest everywhere around them. They climbed higher still and suddenly they came out of the forest and had to cross a huge boulder field.

And then 3km from the first feed station Codina fell and cut his head on a rock. He was worried it could be the end of his race but he managed to stop the bleeding, putting a bandana around his head and kept going.

The first cut-off was in Puerto Santa Ines, a mountain pass 33km and about 2000m into the race. What followed was a fast descent on a forest firebreak followed by another climb and descent to one of the highlights of the route, la Laguna Negra.

Codina was feeling confident and eating well as they reached the Pico Urbion, the highest point of the race.

Codina had now teamed up with a local legend known as Fernando Magaldi, so they get extra applause from supporters on route. Everyone talks about the last bad climb, el hayedo (beech forest) and it doesn’t disappoint.

Steep through the forest we climbed more than 300m in a bit more than a kilometre, and at the top the supporters were having a party cheering the runners on. To celebrate the end of the last climb runners had to pass under an arc and ring a cowbell.

It was so euphoric that despite being broken Codina could not stop smiling. And from there it was almost all downhill to the finish line. Codina finished in a fantastic time of 11hrs 04mins despite falling and the cut-off times.

Samantha Sale, also travelling abroad to race, made the journey to Switzerland to compete in the Jungfrua marathon just three weeks after completing a successful Bob Graham challenge.

Sale knew a 42km race with 6500ft of ascent was going to be a tough ask but didn’t want to miss the opportunity and experience of racing in such a beautiful part of the world.

The race starts in the picturesque town of Interlaken overlooked by the Jungfrau itself, one of the iconic Alpine trio of peaks nestled beside the Eiger and the Monch.

Once runners have completed two laps of the town, they then head down the valley along the turquoise waters of Lake Brienz, through traditional mountain villages and past an awe-inspiring mountain backdrop, Sale kept a steady pace along this relatively flat part of course to ensure she had reserves for the 2nd half of the marathon.

Other than a zig zag section of ascent and the final climb the entire route is flanked by flag throwers, alphorn players and bell ringers, adding to the fascination of this race. Sale climbed well and felt good considering recent events although with 4 miles to go Sale had to dig deep to keep up the pace.

Runners are welcomed to the finish line on Eigergletscher at 2320 metres above sea level, at the foot of the Eiger and Mönch. Sale crossed the finish line in a respectable 5:34.