So all the training is done it now just remains to run the race!I added up all the running I’ve done in the last year in preperation for this event (I’ve included the 2 events I’ve done as well).In Total I’ve,* Run 966 km (600 Miles)* Ascented 51,675 m (169,537 Feet) (Thats 5.8 times the height of Everest)* And Taken 6 Day 10 Hours 54 Mins to Do it (Not sure I’ve worked that last one out correct?)
Archive for August, 2007
I was undecided about running with ski poles for the ultra-trail until fairly recently, but with all the hills to climb - mostly at a fast walking pace I decided that it would make life a lot easier.I started training with them a few weeks ago, and it isn’t as easy as it may at first appear!Walking up the hills is fine. The pole plants naturally fall in the correct place to assist with each step. You are taking some of the weight of each step with your arms, so relieving your leg muscles. Great! But what about running down - where relieving the leg muscles would be very useful. And for the flats, what do you do with the poles ?The first thing I realised is that as soon as you are beyond walking speed, planting the pole for each step is not practical. First, the extra weight of the poles means that you don’t naturally swing your arms in the right rhythm. I tended to plant every other step, but always on the same foot. This isn’t good as it’s asymmetric. In other words only one leg is relieved - so you have to make a deliberate change of pattern every so often to even things up.I soon discovered the correct pattern for me. Every other pace I pole plant for both legs. Hard to describe but you count foot falls, 1 2 3 4, and plant on 3 & 4 (It’s a quick 1-2). This works for down hills, where you aim to plant ahead of your foot fall, and flats where you aim to plant behind your foot fall to propel yourself forward (Ski Touring wise).For flat roads I tend to carry the poles - either one in each hand or both in one.It’s very effective once you get used to it, and I’m sure it will help save the legs a lot, but you do need practice to get it right!
19.5km, 1900m Ascent, 100m Descent. Starting Le Fayet 580m, Finishing at the ‘Nid d’Aigle’ at 2380mI’m a bit late on this write up I’m afraid - I just haven’t found a minute to get this done, but here it is at last.At the very last minute I decided to enter the Montée du Nid d’Aigle - as in less than a week from the event. It was just 2 weeks after the Mont Blanc Marathon so I hadn’t intended to do it, but since I’d enjoyed the Marathon so much and was finding it hard getting out to train I thought it would be a good idea!So just before 9am Tracey dropped me at the Therme in Les Fayet, having to drive through all the runners to get there ! I dropped off my bag, which would be helicoptered up to the Nid d’Aigle and then found a position near the starting line with 450 others.9am arrived and the starting gun fired and we where off, on another scorching day. The pace initially was fast - I knew that there would be a big bottle neck going up the very steep and narrow climb up to St Gervais, so I didn’t want to be too far back. It felt very hard to stay in touch, and only later did I realise that this section I always thought of as flat is up-hill ! The runners round the roundabout at the end of the Therme and start back towards the bridge - there ar still alot of runners behind me which is good, and it looks like a giant snake of people flowing over the bridge and starting up the steep path.It’s straight into walking - I was going to run this but the early pace was a bit fast - and there are lots of people - too many! The first couple of hairpins out of the way and it’s flatter so I start making my way through the pack. Finally after a really steep push it flattens out - I still walk for a bit to catch my breath and then it opens out some for the climb up to the Telecabin at St Gervais - I’ve run this bit quite a lot!We then head down for one of the few down hill parts - down to the old bridge across the Nant Borrant, before it’s steeply up to the Church ands the first refreshments. Total time 29mins, and as I arrive in front of the Church, Tracey & Joe as well as a group of friends are there cheering me on - Cool ! It’s great doing a really local event!It’s off again through the village, again on ground I’ve covered lots before. The pace is fast a furious. I’m holding station at the moment but feeling that this is a lot faster than my normal pace - still I know that later there will be a lot of walking so might as well keep the speed up now if I can.A steep climb has me walking and then continuing the walk as it flattens out - I had been going too fast, and now people are passing me, but I soon recover and set a more reasonable pace. I’m still being passed by a few, before another of the little downhills comes and a coast down in recovery mode. We run along the side of the river now for a few km, through the trees, again I’ve done this lots before mostly in the other direction.We cross the main road to Les Contamines, and then start the real climb. Up a jeep track to La Villette, where I hope Tracey will be. I spot her before the refreshments and its good to see her and Joe. She walks on while I stop for drink and Oranges, before catching her up a little further up the trail, and then continue on the climb up to Champel. I won’t see them again till I get down as it’s too complicated to get the train up and down !I reach Champel, and then start a series of runs, and walks as the terrain undulates between shallow hill and steep hill. We’ve walked this trail a lot but I’ve never run it. I’m going fairly well. Passing a few runners, and noticing several that are doing the same pace.The big push has been that there is a time barrier at the ‘Pont des Plasses’ of 2hrs, which seems fairly tough, but I don’t know how strongly they enforce it (It appears that they don’t!). I get there in 1hr 50min, much to my relief. From here the terrain gets really steep ! As if what has come before isn’t enough!The first really steep climb is taken at a fast pace, and I am overtaking people here and going well. It then comes to a flat pasture at the side of the Bionnassay glacier and it’s time to run again, before we take to the lateral morrain for another vicously steep ascent. The helicopter hovers above taking film of the runners further up on the ladder section.I arrive at the last refreshments in 2hrs 45mins. Above the trail looks almost vertical - a thin stream of people making their way up by way of ladders and steep paths clinging to the side of the hill. What a mad ‘Run’ ! It’s almost all walking now untill the top. At one point someone says just 15min to go! I increase my pace and start passing people, and soon can see where the finish is. It’s tough going, and the angle although now not as steep is still to much for me to run effectively.The last few hundred yards are level and I’m determined to run over the finish line, and I finally arrive, hardly realising that I’ve crossed the finish until I’m told ‘Vous avez arrivé’ ! The stuards check that everyone is OK when they arrive, and I’m given a ticket for the train down and a snack bag!It’s just a case off sitting back in the sun, taking in the amazing scenery and enjoying the moment, before catching the train back down to Le Fayet!I finished in 3 hours 15 Mins 47 Secs, in 267th place. There where 395 finishers, and 444 starters. The winner (Jean-christophe DUPONT) took just 1hrs 49min and 6 secs !!It’s an amazing event - a huge amount of ascent in a fairly short distance, but it’s our local event so I was really pleased I did it, and I’m very tempted to do it again next year and see if I can break 3hrs !For a video of this years event click hereClick on the thumbnail for the route: