"Where Earth meets Sky"

For those of you who don't know, I came to running from a climbing background. Over the past few years since taking running more seriously, my climbing has been limited to the summers' where I have spent out in the Alps carrying out 'Alpine climbing', encompassing rock, snow and ice climbing on/up to peaks.

I have never been drawn to difficult, technical routes in this environment, but I love the idea of covering easy, non-technical ground in a quick and lightweight approach. This was highlighted to me most when myself and a friend, Sammy, went up the Dome De Neige Des Ecrin in the French Alps at the end of our summer last year, taking as little as possible, moving as fast as possible, no lifts - a purist way of ascending a peak. This showed that with a bit of audacity, you could take a running approach to the bigger mountains.

Sunrise on the upper slopes of Dome de Neige des Ecrin

Me and Sammy on the Summit.

This is where Skyrunning comes in! - their vision and ethos of carrying out races in an alpine environment "where earth meets sky" is exactly what I have been looking for. Combining the disciplines of mountaineering and running makes perfect sense and is the ultimate way to enjoy the mountains (in my opinion!).

The Ice Trail Tarentaise was my introduction into this world and I was completely blown away by the course and just how fun it was to run at altitude, over snow covered mountains and passes, where I knew I would normally 'climb' with boots, crampons, axe etc. Boasting 5,000 metres of vertical ascent and descent over just 41 miles (of which 24miles+ on snow!) with large strectches above an altitude of 3000m - including an early ascent of the Grand Motte (3652m) -  I knew this would be an 'epic' experience!

I spent the few days in the run up (excuse the pun) to the race relaxing and doing a few short acclimatisation runs out on the mountains above Val D'isere.

Nice ridge to run along

Looking back over the ridge

Race morning started at 2am where I rolled out of bed and forced down my porridge and coffee before walking down through Val'd to the start-line in prep for a 4am departure. I felt excited going in to this race, having only completed the 114mile Ronda Dels Cims 3 weeks prior I knew I wasn't fully recovered. I had no expectations regarding performance and was just grateful to be given the opportunity by Lauri and Marino from Skyrunning to be at this race. My goal was to get round the route, enjoy the course and run as well as my body would allow.

Ready to go...

And they're off...

With 600+ other runners, I left Val'd and headed out near the front of the pack and through the quiet roads and onto the mountain trails that would take us up and over into Tignes before a monster of a climb up on to the summit of the Grand Motte (3652m).
I kept a comfortable pace and tried to conserve my energy as best I could as I began the climb up out of Tignes on the switch back piste run beneath the Grand Motte. This was a magical time in the race, as the sun was just rising, slowly lighting up the peaks around me. This was a great distraction from the effect of the altitude as I continued to gain height and move onto the snowy pistes and upper slopes of the mountain.
Despite the rising sun, it was still cold (-2c) and I made the decision to put on my Katoola Microspikes as soon as I hit the snow to aid in progression and maximise traction on the icey slopes.
The climb was steep in places, and I felt my lungs were working overtime as I drew nearer to the summit, a price I payed for not acclimatising fully, but all good suffering.

It felt amazing to be up so high on this tough course in running gear - Skyrunning is just incredible! To top it off the final section to the summit was a short section of rocky steps with ropes to assist your progress up (Via Ferrata i guess!).
The summit was spectacular and I took a moment to take in the panoramic views, picking out Mont Blanc and other distinctive peaks before getting down a GU gel and heading off the top via a series of steep icey slopes - I could see why running crampons were essential!
The next 20miles were tough, I felt nauseous and I was getting chest pains, a result of the altitude I presume?!
It was a mental course, so much snow and progression was slow, particularly as the day grew hotter and the snow became more slushy. I would be running along fine then, BOOM, I'd be waist deep in snow, having fallen through a weaker area! This process repeated itself a few times over the day and made some sections slower, but I loved every bit of it, such an brilliant experience!
The final ascent was on a scree slope and took the runners through a tunnel in the mountain and down a steep snow slope, around 200metres,  that you couldn't help but try to 'ski-run' and glissade down! (snow burn as a result)

The final 6 miles was a great single track trail that followed a crest of a ridge before dropping down to the finish in Val'd underneath the ski lifts.

Finish

I finished in just over 10hours and managed to come 19th overall, a position I was really pleased with considering my lack of recovery/acclimatisation etc. It was a true Skyrunning event, combining mountaineering and mountain running, which left me feeling as though I'd completed a 40mile alpine route, and craving more runs of this nature.

I have been overwhelmed this past month with the races I have done, the people I have met and the emotions I've experienced. I feel truely blessed to have been given these opportunities and look forward to the next few months' where I will be out in the Alps (from this Sunday) in preperation for my next race, the 206mile Tor Des Geants! http://www.tordesgeants.it/en 

A massive thank you to Lauri and Marino from Skyrunning for inviting me out to the Ice Trail, GU for giving me the energy to get round the race and my parents for their continual support!

Good times ahead for the summer...Watch this space;)

Ronda Dels Cims Race Report

What an incredible month it's been, I finally did my first 100mile ultra (114miles in the end!) , the Ronda Dels Cims in Andorra and then was given the opportunity by Skyrunning (Thank you Lauri and Marino!) to run the next race in the Skyrunning World Ultra Series, the Ice-Trail Tarentaise in Val D'isere, just 3 weeks'later...More on that one in a few days though!

So the Ronda Dels Cims (RDC), what a monster of a race! I first heard of this through Stevie Hastons' blog where he wrote an article on "10 of the Best Long Runs", where the RDC featued and was described as "possibly the hardest 100miler out there, go and try it and tell me"...Well Stevie if you ever read this, I can confirm that it certainly was tough, rough and the hardest run I have ever done. As to whether it's the hardest 100miler out there, I can't really comment as it was my first, however I can't envision a course more challenging over that distance!

So the race....I met up with Terry Conway at his hotel at 06:15am and we walked down to Ordino town in preperation for a 07:00am departure. I felt apprehensive about tackling this race, especially having not reccied any of the course, I found it hard to imagine just where this course would take us, and just how a route this distance takes 30hours+ to complete!

Me and Terry at the start

So at 07:00am, 300+ runners set off from Ordino on a journey that would take them over/around the mountainous country of Andorra. I ran with Terry for the majority of the first 50miles, which proved to be the most enjoyable part of the race. It was great to share the experience with a fellow Brit and get tips off someone so experienced at this distance. Terry really helped keep me at a conservative pace over this first part and it was just a really enjoyable way to spend the first day of the race and communicate the beauty and difficulty of the course.

Me and Terry enjoying a (brief) non-technical section early in the race

Getting re-fueled at a checkpoint 20miles in

Sadly just before the night section, just over 50miles in, Terry had to pull out. It was a real shame after having shared such a great first day.
What followed through the night was a tough mental game which involved me trying to keep moving enough not to fall asleep. The beauty of the mountains were magnified through a clear night combined with the snow capped peaks around. I found myself stopping every few hours, turning my head torch off and just admiring the moon lit peaks around me...it was incredible.
I was extremely sleep deprived however, and found myself craving sleep at every aid station. I was conscious of my position (15th at the time) and knew if I wanted to maintain this, I had to keep moving.
"It will come". Three simple words that I kept repeating to myself through this darkest of times (literally). The sun would rise, the sleepiness would be forgotten and I knew the discomfort I was experiencing would soon end.
As the sun rose, the sleepiness did disappear as I tricked myself into thinking this was the beginning of a new run and I had been treated to a full nights sleep the night before!
The rest of the day was a blur of checkpoints, sunshine, burnt skin (no sun cream!) and sore, wet feet.
I just kept moving, knowing that at some point the end would come.

Enjoying the sunshine 

The final ascent was a monster and the only thing that kept me moving was the fact I was now in 13th and wasn't going to let a little foot pain and fatigue slow me down at this point.

Final Ascent

I gritted my teeth and pushed the final descent, grimacing every time my feet landed on a rock/tree root (so quiet a lot being a mountain trail!)
I was really surprised and happy to be met by Terry halfway down this final descent and he helped me hammer that final section to the road where we ran through to the final stretch where Rick (my bro) and Annie (Terrys' wife) were there cheering me on the last 100 metres.
I wave of emotion hit me as I crossed the line and I collapsed on the ground in tears. It had been an incredible experience, 114 miles, 12,200m of ascent/descent in over 35hours of constant movement without sleep. I managed to finish 13th overall in my first 100 miler, I know I can do better though! The Ronda Dels Cims is a true mountain run....boulder fields, snow fields, river crossing, steep ascents/descent, and big sections with no paths at all! If you want a tough 100 mile mountain run, this is THE one to go and do, you will not be disappointed. The support and organisation were brilliant and it will be an event I will travel back to in the future, I met some amazing people out there and hope to see them in the future.

Finish, emotional and very surreal

The following days were mega chilled out, spent hanging out with Rick, Terry and Annie before heading to Barcelona for a few days of wondering around and sleeping in the sun.

After math of 35hours+ wet feet

Hanging out post race 

Recovery Run

Barcelona

Perfect recovery?!

Ronda Dels Cims - 114miles/12,200m Ascent+Descent

Hello all, welcome to my new and updated blog! I am in the process of writing a detailed report of the Ronda Dels Cims race, but until it's complete here's a short video to sum up this epic race....