Putu Trail del Bisaura: wild on the outside, a party within

2026-10-21

There are races you run and races you live. The Putu Trail del Bisaura is one of the latter.

I didn’t invent the name. It’s what the organisers themselves call it — they describe themselves as “quatre beneits servidors de vostès” (four daft servants of yours). Just reading the emails they send tells you what they’re about: humour, few pretensions and a motto that says it all, “No fang, no fun!”

It had been two years since I last pinned on a bib — exactly as old as Gael, my son. I arrived with the training I had managed to fit in and without really knowing how the legs would respond.

We set off from Sant Quirze de Besora with 39 km and about 2,000 m+ of wild racing ahead of us, with properly steep climbs, scrambles and rope sections.

But in return you get trails that are a joy, mist at your feet early on and incredible forests.

And the people. A top atmosphere and aid stations that were a real party.

The race started at a fairly fast pace. On one of the first trail descents we had to cross the bed of a dry river, but with the rocks still very wet. I went in too fast, slipped and fell on my back. With poles in my hands, I had no time to react.

Lesson learned: if you want to run with poles, you have to train with them on all kinds of terrain. I kept using them until halfway, but the pain in my left side ended up forcing me to stash them. A fellow runner, Jan, gave me a hand when I needed it most and I was able to keep going.

The legs, though, held up well, especially on the descents, where I noticed the strength work of these months. There are no magic formulas, but these things make the difference. And that is also what ENDURAQ is about: training with judgment so you can keep enjoying the mountains for many years.

I finished in 5 hours and 41 minutes. But of the Bisaura I won’t remember the time. I’ll remember the forests, the aid stations and the urge to pin on a bib again.

That is why we train.

Thank you to the volunteers, the organisers and to Jan: I owe you one.

No fang, no fun. See you next year, Bisaura.