From Šumava to Prague. Andrea is the first woman to run alone 360 kilometers on the Vltava run
The Vltava run is run by twelve-member teams and you will run 360 kilometers alone. When and how was the idea born?
Purely by chance on Facebook. In the autumn, the Vltava run shared a request on who will follow solo runner Přemka Vidu, who will complete it in 2020. And my daughter marked me. The beetle was in his head. And when Přemek promised to help, it was decided.
So far, only two men have run him, you would be the first Czech. That’s a challenge, isn’t it?
Yes, only two men have run over the Vltava so far. I meet both of them at races, I also know Přemek personally. Originally, two more solo runners were supposed to run this year, but both gave up. So this year I will not only be the only woman, but actually the only solo runner. I don’t realize it myself.
What does your preparation look like?
The preparation was the same as other years, in winter volumes, monthly run 350 to 400 kilometers. Now I drove miles, dropped intervals and speed, and included walks to get the body used to more activities during the day.
What is the most difficult to prepare?
Keep your head mentally cool. My running is a lot about my head, I ran best at the time of the covid, when there were no races and my head was completely calm. No pressure for performance, win, personal… That’s why I try not to accept this challenge too much, even if it doesn’t work.
Have you ever run an extremely long run?
The longest run for me was on the B7 – 101 kilometers with an elevation gain of 5,500 meters. Last year, I ran this route in 16 hours and 43 minutes and finished three seconds in 2nd place in my category. Overall, I finished ninth. In the summer, my daughter and I ran part of Jirásek’s route, which is the Šerlich – Litomyšl route, about 80 kilometers. I successfully ran the Krkonoše 50 and Březinská 50. I think that my favorite holiday will help me in this challenge, ie to take a backpack with all things on my back and go up the mountains for a week.
Andrea Stejskalová cooperates with the Pokorný Foundation, which sponsors its charitable part of the event. On this occasion, she set up a transparent account where people can send contributions to Tomáš, who is in a wheelchair. The boy suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy. It is a progressive neuromuscular disease that prevents proper muscle development.
Account number for Tomášek: 6108980319/0800.
THANKS!
“I want to thank the Pokorný Endowment Fund for their material and financial help, the management of our school, which allows me time off, my family who endured it with me, my friend who supported me,” says Andrea Stejskalová a few days before the start. And while she runs from Šumava to Prague, people can also run in Litomyšl. A small Vltava circuit will be created around the U Školek primary school in Litomyšl, where children can perform tasks at 6 stops along the Vltava.
How much can be planned in advance?
We started planning in the fall, when I found out about the challenge. But real and big plans start two to three weeks before the start.
How many kilometers will you have to run daily?
The plan is to run 60 a day, it is divided into sections of the Vltava. So I’ll stick to the map and route I downloaded in my watch. The sections are about 10 kilometers long, some measuring six kilometers, others fifteen. The plan is to run three sections during the morning, then lunch, rest, regeneration and another three sections in the afternoon, then dinner and regeneration.
Cant, hills, asphalt. What does the route look like?
It is very nice, it leads along hiking trails or bike paths. There are flat sections, but also hilly.
Will you have an accompanying team with you on the background of the race?
I will be in the best hands of Přemka Vida. He ran it himself, so he has a lot of experience. He was actually an inspiration and motivation for me. It tells me how we run it, how and what to take with us, what to eat.
In addition, your run will also have a beneficial subtext. You run for Tomáš.
When Přemek and I planned a joint Vltava, we agreed on an overlap for a good cause. And the connection with Tomášek was completely offered. We are from the same school, Tomášek is an amazing athlete and fighter. I’m really looking forward to Lněnička coming to see me on Friday and we will spend Saturday and Sunday together on the bike paths. It will be a great motivation for me to last until Friday and enjoy the finish line. The money will go to Tomáš for rehabilitation, where he has to commute again within a year. So please buy our miles, send us messages, energy. Thank you.