3.10.2019

Pray for the snow: The story of the cancelled race.

  Jizerska 50 writes many stories. One of them is the story of the cancelled race. This happened in a year, when everybody, even those, who never believed were praying for the snow. Until the very last moment everybody hoped that snow would come to Bedřichov. It didn´t. However, the track was not on the hills that year, it didn´t mean that it wasn´t in the hearts of the people, who still arrived at the start to honour the memory of the mountaineers.

In 2013 a traditional mass after Christmas attracted more people than usually. A slim church in Bedřichov, which looks at the city was that full, that the main door had to stay open. A light was sneaking out and revealing the small white island over the green fields.

In the shrine, locals were meeting with the commuters and with still determinate runners. Impatiently waiting for the practise. Even during the liturgy many people were quietly checking the weather forecast on their phones to see the chances for the snow.

So what? Has anything changed? Is there any chance? That was the mass for the snow. In that moment everybody, who loves the snow, believed. Coming out of the church, raising their heads up to the sky, but again there was only a clear sky full of the stars.

The possibility that race wouldn´t start was for Bedřichov hard to imagine. It was not about the money. Owners of the hotels in the area wouldn´t lose them anyway. What everybody loves is the magic, when this sleepy city wakes up from day to day to a busy centre of runners, with the full parking lots, with a track full of runners and the pub Na Dolejší, where everybody discusses how to run and how to wax.

František Jelínek, the owner of the one of the local hotels did his first race in the begging of the 70ties as a teenager. When I asked him during the New Year´s eve, what would happen, if the race was cancelled, he would look at me as I would want to know the biggest secret.

The sense is in the whole! “Thomas Alsgaard always celebrates his birthday here and I always make a cake for him. When he and his friends are leaving on Sundays it is like somebody was dying. The only positive thing is that in a year he is back!”

It was not the first time. In 1983, still 25 hours before the race, it seemed to fail, but then the director of the race commanded. The soldiers were bringing in the snow for 8km of the track. However, what was possible during the previous regime, today the protectors wouldn’t allow it. At the hectic meetings before the race, many extreme ideas appear, but health reason wins. Neither the lorries with the artificial snow, neither a depletion of the lakes is happening.

The head of the organizational department Martin Koucký had several hours left for the compromises about the event. How much to cut the race to keep it regular? How long would the racers be able to run? The pressure was huge. Six days before the start had to be announced if the race would happen. He knew that cancel the race would be the worst scenario. For the local entrepreneurs, for the staff, for the participants, who knew that registration fee was irreversible. Many of them would understand, but some could also become arrogant and mean.

Martin knew it all. The year before he risked a lot, when he had decided about realization of the race, while there was no snow. Everybody had been praying as well. But that time the God had listened and on Wednesday before the race brought snow to Liberec. On Sunday the sun went up, and scenes from the helicopter remind that it was one of the nicest races.

In front of the pub Dolina, the water was flowing from the lightly snowed trees and the decision had been made. This year Martin dressed in the black was walking towards waiting TV staff to announce a sad message.

But just in the need you know a friend. When on Sunday, staff from Bedřichov had arrived on a start of the cancelled race, they found hundreds of fans, who by walking, on a bicycle or scooters came to honour the memory of the mountaineers.  Martin realized that he rules something with its own energy. That even if there is no track its believers just have in their hearts. Until the snow comes back, and it must be for the director and the staff a big satisfaction.

In 2014 the race was cancelled for the 5^th time in the history.