Getting sorted for a 2 day run over the CCC course starting a week on Wednesday.
Overnight stop at La Fouly to give a 42 km day 1 and a 58 km day 2.
Planning on using a pair of Salomon XT Wings S-LAB 3s very similar to these:
http://www.salomonrunning.com/uk/minisites/slab4/
Been exceptionally comfortable thus far.
Looking forward to the revised start which cuts out a good bit of the road in the first kms.
Praying for good weather!
Morgan
I was thinking of having a go at the UTMB 2012, what kind of mileage/ascent are you doing in your training,per week, for this type of event.
Probably not enough at the moment!Originally Posted by deasey
Last year in the run up to the event, I managed about 6 weeks at around 60 miles a week with plenty of climbing. In the build up to that, more like 40 a week.
Decent trails are part of my training picture but also long (3,000') climbs and descents, rather than 500/1000' here and there.
A few niggles have interfered with consistency this year. I've posted one 60 plus mile week so far and hope to repeat this consistently up to mid-August.
I'm not one for massive training weeks; I get too tired.
And I don't run these type of events super-fast. I prefer to be comfortable all the way round and to enjoy myself.
And I was comfortable last year; tho some would say I would be running at the pace I did!
Others will have different approaches.
You'll be easy to spot in those shoes! :-)
T
True enough!
But the comfort level is exceptional, so I'm prepared to put up with the colour "pollution".
Not sure why Salomon need to make them so bright.
I guess the locals are used to them!
I'm breaking in a pair of XT wings in a nice subdued green and black :-)
T
The detailed course maps have been posted to runners files now and are available for downloading.
Spotted another course change, though not a huge one, on the section from La Peule to La Fouly, which applies to the UTMB also, so will be able to look this over next week.
Looks like the missus and I will be getting wet on Wednesday:
http://chamonix-meteo.com/bul/metPreMatEn.php
Shame; but we'll manage.:wink:
Reporting in after 2 great days on the CCC/UTMB route.
No pictures I'm afraid; didn't take the camera on the basis of a nasty weatehr forecast.
The CCC course is improved I think with the new first climb out to Col Sapin and on to Tete de la Tronche. But it's clear why they need a staggered start. As soon as the route crosses the river at Tsapy it goes straight into a delightful single track path. poles will be a major irritant on this forst climb because the path is narrow. It is a beautiful climb and this week the route was flanked by massive banks of wild flowers, making it a wonderful start to the day after the bus ride from Cham. It took us 2.20 to get to T de la T as against a schedule of 1.18 for the fast people and 2.58 for the slowest.
It then feels a bit odd to be heading SW back towards Courmayeur but it is a relatively friendly descent before picking up the UTMB route around to Armina and on to Rifigio Bonatti.
It's also worth mentioning 2 further changes common to both CCC and UTMB courses. Those used to the rapid descent into the Swiss Val Ferret from La Peule (the first tiny settlement after Grand Col Ferret) are in for a surprise. The course now contours NE after La Peule and this has bits of climbing in it before the drop from Prampla to Ferret village. The valley road is then crossed and there is a short grassy climb up to La Barfay before the drop down to La Fouly.
These 2 changes seemed to put quite a bit of time onto last year's route, but that could have been the heat and the altitude getting to me after a long hot day on my feet. Certainly I had been well within the slowest times all day up to Grand Col Ferret but arrived at La Fouly only 1 hour 15 in front of the cut off.
The forcast storm never arrived.
But I was reminded of 2 things; first how bloody hot it can be in the Alps in summer. It was 39 degrees C on arrival in Geneva and 32 degrees C in Chamonix. It was around that temperature for most of day 1. Thankfully it cooled down after Grand Col Ferret. Secondly, the effect of the altitude when coming straight from sea-level and asking the body to go up to 2,500 metres plus twice in one day.
The S LABS were fantastic, and I will wear these if the forecast is dry.
As ever, well worth the trip.
And a reminder of what a privilege it is to run in these fantastic mountains.
Hi i have recieved my map booklet and the info booklet. I was wondering if i will need to carry the map with me on the race or is it well marked all the way? what would you advise?
i'm running the UTMB by the way.
Tom
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