TRAIL SPECIAL
August in Chamonix was dominated by the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB), where the town and my flat was taken over by some of the fittest, most elite, extreme and to be honest mad athletes that you'll ever happen to meet.
So what an opportunity to learn all about living and training at altitude. And of course some unexpected surprises...
HIGH ALTITUDE ADVENTURE
KIT
Trail running kit is fairly simple ... or so you'd think.. just a pair of trainers, but the most important thing is getting a pair that fit, of course this can become quite a problem and many athletes really love their shoes and don't want to change them until its absolutely necessary.
of course the trail bug tends to get you so of course I had to give it a try only to be stopped literally in my tracks by my trail running flat mate and told I couldn't go out on the trail until I LEARNT TO TIE MY LACES PROPERLY !!! Embarrassing but true and so this months top tip from the professionals
Athletes of course move so fast that dealing with local wildlife is not such a problem , for us meagre mortals however the challenge of learning to live with the 'wee beasties' is a little more of a problem. It needs all battle dress.
Even the best armour has its kinks and if you have them the insects will find a tasty bit of you to nibble on. Mostly harmless but the itch afterwards can drive you nuts. Out of Forget your first aid box head for the store cupboard: seriously the most effective treatment for insects bites you will find is CIDER VINEGAR ! Spray or dab it on it on as soon as you feel a bite and you'll be grinning with relief !
RACE DAY
In one week Chamonix welcomes and organises 7,500 racers and goodness knows how many more visitors , spectators crew and retailers ... I've never seen so many people in Chamonix as for the start of the headline race of the week the UTMB .. 170k long !
HIGH ALTITUDE FASHION
Sunglasses are part of the trail runner uniform but wearing these at altitude is not just a fashion statement but an absolute necessity to protect your eyes from the glare of the sun, especially so when travelling on a glacier were snow blindness can be a serious condition that also effects your safety. So with summer in full swing I was glad to see the runners, locals and tourists alike really took this issue seriously. For glacier travel you need to wear category 4 glasses, but beware your insurance will be invalid if you drive your car in them. Luckily not a problem for this months top model who I snapped by the Refugio Torino in Italy ... !
BUT SERIOUSLY : QUOTE FOR THE MONTH
I think overall what really struck me this month is the amount of time,dedication, effort and support it takes to become a top athlete and getting the basics right is so important, you really need to learn to walk before you can run. In many ways a good sense check for the challenge I've set myself of 'Learning the highlife' .... but that's also part of the excitement of the challenge and each small win will be another step on my journey, but also like the top athletes I dont have to this alone. In fact if I want to succeed I need every bit of support and help I can get ! The next couple of months I'm thinking this couldn't be truer and this quote is not just great for trail runners but for any of us for pursuing our dreams!
of course the trail bug tends to get you so of course I had to give it a try only to be stopped literally in my tracks by my trail running flat mate and told I couldn't go out on the trail until I LEARNT TO TIE MY LACES PROPERLY !!! Embarrassing but true and so this months top tip from the professionals
'TIE YOUR LACES RIGHT AND TIGHT'
HIGH ALTITUDE EATING
Trail running at altitude calls for a scientifically calculated diet as Juan Jose from Ecuador demonstrates ( he came 41st overall in the TDS race and 1st in his category...so he can't have been doing too bad ! )
HIGH ALTITUDE HEALTH
Athletes of course move so fast that dealing with local wildlife is not such a problem , for us meagre mortals however the challenge of learning to live with the 'wee beasties' is a little more of a problem. It needs all battle dress.
Even the best armour has its kinks and if you have them the insects will find a tasty bit of you to nibble on. Mostly harmless but the itch afterwards can drive you nuts. Out of Forget your first aid box head for the store cupboard: seriously the most effective treatment for insects bites you will find is CIDER VINEGAR ! Spray or dab it on it on as soon as you feel a bite and you'll be grinning with relief !
RACE DAY
In one week Chamonix welcomes and organises 7,500 racers and goodness knows how many more visitors , spectators crew and retailers ... I've never seen so many people in Chamonix as for the start of the headline race of the week the UTMB .. 170k long !
The planning and preparation of months of training brought together for one day. Of course without the event organisation team , hundreds of helpers and volunteers it wouldn't be possible. Credit to Chamonix for such a slick operation and really brining the town to life. However behind every successful athlete we shouldn't forget there is an army of friends and family whose support cannot go unmentioned, they train with, encourage , cook for and carry kit and cheer each athlete on.
HIGH ALTITUDE FASHION
Sunglasses are part of the trail runner uniform but wearing these at altitude is not just a fashion statement but an absolute necessity to protect your eyes from the glare of the sun, especially so when travelling on a glacier were snow blindness can be a serious condition that also effects your safety. So with summer in full swing I was glad to see the runners, locals and tourists alike really took this issue seriously. For glacier travel you need to wear category 4 glasses, but beware your insurance will be invalid if you drive your car in them. Luckily not a problem for this months top model who I snapped by the Refugio Torino in Italy ... !
BUT SERIOUSLY : QUOTE FOR THE MONTH
I think overall what really struck me this month is the amount of time,dedication, effort and support it takes to become a top athlete and getting the basics right is so important, you really need to learn to walk before you can run. In many ways a good sense check for the challenge I've set myself of 'Learning the highlife' .... but that's also part of the excitement of the challenge and each small win will be another step on my journey, but also like the top athletes I dont have to this alone. In fact if I want to succeed I need every bit of support and help I can get ! The next couple of months I'm thinking this couldn't be truer and this quote is not just great for trail runners but for any of us for pursuing our dreams!
