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I'm interested in trying some overseas racing.
Anyone out there know of websites with info? The WMRA website has little info on there for someone like me.
I'm looking at races that someone slow but enthusiastic can do ;) and I wouldn't want it to be too long as I am on hols :)
Particularly July thus year I'm planning to go away so any "manageable" suggestions welcome. I'm thinking Europe, sun, decent grub and nice place to relax away from the racing / running.
Sierre - Zinal , you know it makes sense :D
Everything a mountain race should be and more
Manx Mountain Marathon!
Thanks guys, but I do know both of these and neither fit timewise for this year.
It seems that there is a lot of host country information like we have the FRA Calendar, but nothing that really pulls together a good selection of European options - if there is, please do tell!!
Zermatt Marathon 7/7/2012.
Grossglockner race - July, Austria
http://www.grossglocknerberglauf.at/
Try this Swiss site which covers a lot of nearby countries:
http://www.laufkalender.ch/start.html
(>> for runners >> search for runs >> search for runs)
Or for every event in Austria (!)
http://www.oelv.at/static/laufsport/lauftermine12.pdf
B = Berglauf = mountain (mostly uphill only in Austria/Germany/Switzerland)
It might help if we knew where you were going...
Not booked yet - so I can go anywhere - personally I would favour the Pyrenees or Italian Alps but not fixed on anything and may yet end just going of to Club la Santa.Quote:
Originally Posted by LissaJous
But timewise likely to be Mid July.
I'll have a look at some of the suggestions thanks, but it would seem there's a case for having a website that would pull all this together, or maybe a Euro Calendar linked in to our FRA calendar as I'm sure there's plenty of us that would fancy an occasional jaunt up an Alp.
Plenty of UK & international runners will be at the Dolomites Skyrace, fantastic course. Up & Down. 22nd July with a vertical kilometre 'warm up' on Friday morning.Quote:
Originally Posted by Witton Park
http://www.dolomiteskyrace.com/portali.asp?s=117&l=2
That may be a bit OTT for me.
I've had a browse and http://www.tourdesalpages.ch/site/do.../Flyer2012.pdf caught my eye.
Stats look more my cup of tea ;)
The Nuria Classic in the Pyrenees is an absolutely amazing race - a real high mountain race.
And the area of Catalonia you stay in is stunning and v cheap.
Loads of options for cheap flights: Barcelona, Girona, Perpignan.
Pretty tough though - think Borrowdale or Duddon.
You might pick up some useful info from the links in this thread from last year:
http://forum.fellrunner.org.uk/showt...untain-running
Unlike Switzerland which is eye-wateringly expensive! Just a warning.Quote:
Originally Posted by ZootHornRollo
Nuria sounds fun, I go to Austria a lot as I feel at home there and I can eat my favourite food. But my training runs in the Alps are generally steeper and more extreme than the uphill races! I'm racing in Seefeld on July 1st at the end of a training trip. (Not the European Masters, which is in Austria on the same day).
Yep not half - I went and did Sierre-Zinal last year when the pound was at a record low vs the Swiss Franc.Quote:
Originally Posted by LissaJous
Ouch.
Some races listed here.. english language site..Quote:
Originally Posted by Witton Park
http://www.runinternational.eu/
This will be out if guaranteed sun is an important criteria!!
http://www.imra.ie/events/
W.Park,
a good bet for some info on all of the mountain races held in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France and Italy is to order the little mountain running bible named the 'Berglauf Journal'.You can find it by looking on www.journal.berglauf.info/bestellformular.htmlI notice the Grossglockner race was mentioned earlier, great finish to that one! that's if you haven't already run out of steam by then like me last time I ran it! If you like steep uphill races look no further than Slovenia (Look on the Grintovec mountain race site...I'd love to have a crack at that one (well, maybe back when I was a little fitter!) Good luck with what ever you decide on.
Grintovec is a lovely (steep!) mountain! Sadly the race was shortened last summer due to the exceptionally bad weather. A few of us went on to the summit anyway, having recovered and donned loads of kit after the race. Meanwhile, (mountain running superstar) Ahmed Aslan, having just arrived from balmy Turkey, was lost under a mound of blankets in the (half-way-ish) hut as the organisers did their best to warm him up! A great feel to the event too, a low-key Grand Prix race where you'll be made very welcome.Quote:
Originally Posted by stato
If you fancy the Pyrenees then there is of course chez-Devine PyreneesHaven.com.
Nuria Classic is within reach. there are 3 races across 15 days in late July.
Nuria,
Dent d'Orlu, which I ran a couple of years ago and enjoyed very much - mountain top finish with Griffon Vultures circling. (just make sure Gary knows when the start is)
La Pujada Ax/Bonascre
They don't have the benefit of a stage finish this year but the Tour passes through the Pyrenees around the time of these races, well worth making the effort to take in a stage or two.
You could try contacting Gwilym, a Clayton harrier resident in Vienna. He's on the Clayton message board and he has a blog; http://bardontherun.blogspot.co.uk/
Slovenian hospitality really is second to non. A guy named Tomo Sarf, a really nice chap looked after us each time I've raced in Slovenia. He loves foreign athletes to experience the Slovenian races, and I'm sure he would welcome other brits over to his races just like he did with us. I know he doesn't organise Grintovec, but he passed on my details to the race organiser who was only too happy to put me up in the 'mountain hut' on the course. Unfortunately I ended up not being able to make it in the end, but would love to go back one year. If you need Tomo's contact details please drop me a message. I'm sure he wouldn't mind.Quote:
Originally Posted by LissaJous
Kitzbuelerhornlauf 26/8/12 - uphill only, almost all on bitumen, 1234metres of up over 12.9km. All levels of accommodation available - camping/B+B/hotels. Great atmosphere/scenery/food.
Richard, FWIW, we went to Luz Saint Sauveur, Haute Pyrenees last year on holiday and while we were there they had a 'fete de montagne'. It turned out to include a mini 'fell' race. Well, it would have been rude not to.. Here's a pic of my Mrs being presented with prize for 1st Lady: http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/sjf99/3078ead1.jpg there were various other similar events on in the region while we were there. Plus it is a fantastic place to visit. Plenty of TdF cols to have a go at too if you hire a bike. as we see... http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/sjf99/09eb6848.jpg
I seem to remember hearing that for some races you need to produce a Doctor's certificate. I've done a few races in France & Switzerland and always got away with it.
This is a new and developing website dedicated to mountain running and has a prety comprehensive list of european races. www.mountainrunning.net. The calender is being updated regularly and the rest of the website should follow soon.
Is there anywhere to see more info on this race in English? I can only find a french websiteQuote:
Originally Posted by Fleeter
Not that i know of! But if you have any questions i'd be glad to help you out, ran it twice and going back this yearQuote:
Originally Posted by maddaddy
this document has details in English:Quote:
Originally Posted by maddaddy
http://www.sierre-zinal.com/docs/flyerSZ2012_web.pdf
WP, I have sent you a PM.
Regards
Debbie
www.pyrenees-haven.com
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZootHornRollo
Thats great thanks
How/when do you enter and does it get oversubscribed?
I seem to remember entry not being that much of an issue, although I had entered by this point in the year, I think.Quote:
Originally Posted by maddaddy
It's a massive field, over a thousand runners.
Might be wrong, but I think it is possible to see the entry list by doing the online registering thing via datasport.
Pretty sure you can do that without paying and entering - which you can do at a later stage.
Re the DRs certificate and race licences for running in Europe - if you are a member of the FRA, you can get a UKA registration number at no extra cost which covers this.....
Take a look at this for some race ideas:
http://www.undiscoveredalps.com/page...b73aedc62efa97
Can i just say a general thanks for the info that has come through. It's certainly been helpful to me and hopefully others as well who know little or nothing about the overseas racing.
I know what I want to do, now I just have to wait until I can fix the dates of travel which will be in a couple of weeks time and then hopefully persuade my family to go along with it.
Let us know how you get on.Quote:
Originally Posted by Witton Park
I've found races in France for the last 4 or 5 years using these 2 sites;
http://www.lebipede.com/
http://www.jogging-international.net/
The evening races are often great community social occasions with bbq's or moules en frites afterwards & although the races are often more road/trail races I managed to find myself near Super Besse for a race last year which was great fun.
Another couple of sites are;
http://www.ffc.fr/ & http://www.yanoo.net/index.php?load=...ment&am=201205
Just to keep you informed, I've decided not to tie in with a race although it nearly was the Nuria one, but I have to travel back as my eldest daughter has to attend a training course before starting a new job.
But we are now flying in to Girona, staying 4 nights on the Costa Brava before driving up to Gary & Debbie's Pyrenees Haven for 4 nights.
Really looking forward to it, especially getting my first taste of the Pyrenees.
We have set up a website www.mountainrunning.net and we aim to provide a good fixture list of the main European races. The list is there but I'm still working on the links. I have permission from the Italians to translate articles from www.corsainmontagna.it - they have some really useful information on the training done by the best mountain runners in the world. There are 4 of these articles up already on our site and I'll keep adding to them. Our Twitter name is @mountainrunuk - I've updated the site today with the results of the 1st Italian championship race. AnneQuote:
Originally Posted by Witton Park
Welcome to the forum Anne :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Anne B
WP, do the run up Dent d' Orlu, when you are there - really nice route.
that's very useful. No Spanish races in there though?Quote:
Originally Posted by Anne B
Having returned from my trip in the early hours of Saturday morning, I've finally now had chance to catch up with this - as I was asked to let some of you know how I went on.
My holiday was split in 2 parts. Fly to / from Girona. Stay 4 night in Platja D'Aro on the Costa Brava and then 4 nights in the Pyrenees with Gary and Debbie Devine at their B&B mear Ax-les-Thermes.
The least interesting bit for you guys is the Costa Brava part, but I have to say it's quite good. They have developed some inland trails for Bikes and athletes. There are what I would call some foothills that would compare in climbing terms to the likes of Rivington and the resort we went to was very clean and one of the best beach resorts I have ever stayed at.
Now to the Pyrenees. I have to explain that my back went on day 1, so I couldn't experience the running as I would have liked and limited myself to walks, but from the location of the B&B which is at around 700m altitude, there are so many options for off-road running and a variety of levels/types of terrain that make the area a fantastic place to explore.
You could certainly spend time there and not need to drive anywhere but have different types of running or fantastic walks to suit all abilities - although a little drive may introduce you to some additional options, particularly for those not looking to cover a lot of miles in a day.
Food was excellent and rooms and the whole place very comfortable and Gary and Debbie were most helpful.
I didn't manage to take in a race unfortunately, but I am seriously considering a trip over for Nuria next year. I drove via Ribes on the way back and got a glimpse of the area and it looked very tempting.
I will almost certainly go back and hopefully for a bit longer time and I'm already looking at a route that should knock Ennerdale in to the long grass - the Orlu Valley Horseshoe :)
I was in the valley on Friday morning for a walk and it looks fantastic.