Fuencaliente – La Palma

Posted on December 12, 2012 by talkultra

Day 4 of our La Palma, Transvulcania La Palma experience and today we started our run at the official start area of the race next to the sea on the southern most tip of the island with the Fuencaliente lighthouse in front of us.

Yesterday Niandi and myself did a 3 hour hike on some trails within walking reach of our apartment. To say our legs are a little beat up would be an underestimation. Niandi usually doesn’t get quad sore but she has found that running down hill on technical terrain for 2.5 hours really does batter your legs…. For me, my worry was my knees but I am pleased to say with taping and being careful I am really positive with the progress. Of course 16-18 weeks away from running also meant that my muscles were not quite ready for the beating I gave them. C’est la vie. I am on beautiful trails, the sun is out and it’s great to have one to one time with Niandi. If that means sore legs, so be it.

From the light house you head up and up and continue to head up for almost 50k. This is what is so unique about the Transvulcania La Palma race. As I mentioned earlier, we are not able to do point to point runs as we have no means of collection so our runs are all out and backs. No bad thing. We get to see the trail both ways.

The contrast in the course is quite amazing. Today we stared in black, gritty, lava with rocks everywhere (the first 2 miles of the race are tough going) and then when you pass through the town of Los Canarios you are then running through forests for miles upon miles until you finally break through the clouds and run along Cumbre Vieja with a highest point of 1923m at Pico Nambroque and to the left you have the viewpoint of the Crater del Hoyo Negro.

Navigation is easy, follow the red/white paint flashes on the rocks or markers that say GR131.

We spent 6 hours on the trails and had an incredible day. You can see a full set of images HERE

But here are some highlights:

ULTRA Running Magazine Jan/Feb 2013

Posted on December 11, 2012 by talkultra

Roque de los Muchachos – La Palma

Posted on December 10, 2012 by talkultra

After yesterdays 8 hour epic on the trails starting at sea level and going up; straight up to 2400m both Niandi and myself decided on a shorter run today. Or plan was to drive to the summit of the Transvulcania la Palma course at Roque de los Muchachos and run around the rim of the Caldera de Taburiente all at above 2000m. We would run ant- clockwise of the Transvulcania course and then turnaround and come back.

The drive from Los Lllanos takes just over an hour on some twisty winding roads but one bonus, at least for Niandi was that she noticed the Sunday market in Tazacorte en route… at a risk of sounding sexist; women and markets go together (I like them too). So Niandi could fulfil her shopping needs, usually local and typical jewellery and I could get some photos. I love to capture the people at markets. Not stop and and ask them to pose but sneak up on them and capture them incognito. You can see all of them HERE

Back in the car, onward and upward we finally reached the summit at ‘Muchachos’. I kept telling Niandi how incredible this place is. As she got out of the car her expression changed as she saw a blanket of cloud cover the mountains and peaks breaking through. It brought back memories of May when I watched Kilian Jornet, Dakota Jones and Andy Symonds race around the rim and come towards me before finally dropping for the descent to Tazacorte (our run yesterday).

We spent 30 minutes being ‘tourists’. This summit area is like a James Bond film set with a lunar landscape and observatories dotted here and there.

Time to run! The first thing that was noticeable was the altitude and secondly in comparison to yesterday when we had lterally climbed for 5 hours, today we could run much more. A stunning day.

A full selection of images are available HERE

Caldera de Taburiente – La Palma

Posted on December 9, 2012 by talkultra

La Isla Bonita – Transvulcania La Palma

Niandi and myself have arrived on the island of La Palma – ‘La Isla Bonita’ – the home of the Transvulacania La Palma.

We are here for a working holiday. By that I mean we are here on holiday but still working as and when we feel like. We both have commitments that we need to fulfil while out on the island but we plan to be really flexible… of course I have another episode of Talk Ultra to get out. Based on how slow the wifi is here in our apartment that may be a real challenge.

Anyway, we decided NOT to to ease ourselves into this and went out for a full on 8 hours on the trail on our first day. Considering the longest run I have done in the last 17/18 weeks has been 75 min (due to dodgy knees) that was somewhat optimistic. However, I knew that this was not gong to be a run… more of a tough long hike with some jogging (mostly downhill).

The Transvulcania course starts in the south of the island and heads up the spine to the dramatic Roque de Los Muchachos at 2426m and then from here you basically have a 32-36k drop back to the sea at Tazacorte and then a run into the finish at Los Llanos.

Niandi and myself don’t have the luxury of multiple cars or drop/ pick ups so pretty much all our days out will be out and back.

Today we went from the sea at Tazacorte Port and went straight up to 2400m, had a picnic, turned around and came straight back down.

An incredible day on the trails and while friends back in the UK struggled with snow and ice we had T shirts and shorts on for the whole trek. The course offers some tough technical terrain, the views are dramatic and once above the cloud one really does feel like a ‘Skyrunner’ quite literally.

I personally had a great day. The longest on my feet for months BUT dropping from 2400m to sea level in one go DID test the knees. It wasn’t pretty at times but I am happy.

Here are some images from the day:

No warm up, from Tazacorte you go up for 18k

Caves in the rock face – once homes!

Follow the GR markers

Niandi has a break

About 1800m up, still a way to go…

Running through the cloud was incredible

Just stunning

Once through the cloud layer the views are incredible and the temp was 20+ deg

After 7 hours on the trail, with just 1 hour to go we get to see the sun disappear.

Trail Magazin Germany

Posted on December 6, 2012 by talkultra

Many thanks to tailmagazin.de for providing a multi-page feature on some of my photography from 2012.

This article is featured in the edition available for sale mid December. HERE

The article is available in higher quality HERE

L’Ice Trail Tarentaise 2013 – Skyrunning

Posted on December 5, 2012 by talkultra

The Ice Trail Tarantaise (ITT) is unique. Its course is exclusively at high altitude (1850m alt min) which is the highest in Europe ( medium altitude and altitude max.) and secondly, by the Summit La Grande Motte which is located at 3653m above sea level making this the highest trail in Europe.

Fancy a challenge? Registration open soon HERE

You can view the official website HERE

Skyrunning website available HERE

Marathon des Sables 2013

Posted on December 4, 2012 by talkultra

Save The Date – Event from 5 to 15 April 2013

THE MARATHON DES SABLES: BEYOND JUST A RACE…

Since 1986, the MARATHON DES SABLES has offered men and women from all around the world the privilege of an encounter with immoderation. That of landscapes, that of sporting challenge, but above all that of emotion.

An adventure carved out in the South Moroccan Sahara.

There were 23 in 1986, 27 years on there will be nearly a thousand runners coming together in this endurance race: 250 kilometres split into 6 legs marked out across the South Moroccan Sahara in the provinces of Errachidia and Tinghrir and to be completed at their own pace and self-sufficiently.  Over the course of a week, competitors will experience one of the finest challenges of their existence, of their whole life sometimes. There are sure to be a few champions in their midst, but most often the runners are ‘ordinary’ men and women in search of the extraordinary. For a lot of people, confronting the desert for six days and being self-sufficient in terms of food intake, is the realisation of a dream that began to take shape several years earlier. And here they are, at the heart of a majestic setting, with the Merzouga dunes, the highest in Morocco, as a backdrop.

The richness and intensity of emotions

It is often an inner journey for all the competitors. Each day, for hours on end, they will run, jog or walk. Whatever the pace, their sole obsession is to make headway. In the heat, the wind, then the night, their bag strapped to their back, they’ll traverse the desert, with the light of their headtorch, the starry desert sky their only witness. With the passing kilometres, with the passing tracks left amid a string of dunes, in a dried out erg, or on the summit of a djebel, they separate off from the superficial to simply be left with the essential. That will be their finest victory. “On the Marathon des Sables, you cut yourself off from the world, you learn to rediscover the simple pleasures,explains Nicolas Esterhazy, a 50-year old Belgian runner. It’s hard to express how you feel in words or images. Added to that is the solidarity between the runners. You run and you come across someone from Columbia, Portugal or China. You don’t know them but you share a moment with them. Such encounters are absolutely priceless.” “This race is kind of reminiscent of the United Nations,adds Kirk McCall, a runner newly arrived from Florida. The runners come from all over the world and share the same emotions, helping each other out. All the barriers are erased. The politicians of our world should take inspiration from the Marathon des Sables.”

An XL organisation

400 people manage the event, including 110 volunteers who come to add their contribution to this ocean of sand. This caravan also employs some 250 Moroccans, 65 of whom are allocated to the 119 runners’ tents as well as over 60 drivers capable of recognising nearly every stone and dune in the desert. An absolute priority at the MARATHON DES SABLES, safety remains a constant concern. Over 50 doctors and nurses treat 300 to 400 people each day, ranging from the unmissable blister to the more delicate operations.

Solidarity Marathon des Sables: The joy in sharing

Having financed the creation of wells and some more specific projects, the MARATHON DES SABLES has now gone the extra distance in its solidarity with Morocco by creating the Association, SOLIDARITY MARATHON DES SABLES. Inaugurated on 11 April 2010, the centre, situated to the North of Ouarzazate, offers those aged 3 to 5 early-learning sports activities and for those aged 6 to 11 early-learning athletics activities. In 2012, the association has also launched the Fémmissima operation, an initiative designed to boost literacy among women. These long-term projects have a budget of between 45,000 and 50,000 Euros. The aim is to perpetuate this action through donations from the runners, of whom there are an increasing number each year who support the Association SOLIDARITY MARATHON DES SABLES. Because joy is infinitely more beautiful when it is shared.

Anton Krupicka in Europe

Posted on December 3, 2012 by talkultra

Anton Krupicka talks about New Balance and his experiences of being in and around Barcelona for the Skyrunning Cavalls del Vent 2012

You Tube clip HERE

Tony Krupicka in Europe

Presented by New Balance Spain

Tony expresses his gratitude for the opportunity to race the iconic Cavalls del Vent.

As Tony says “Kilian Jornet, Miguel Heras and Tofol Castanyer are the top mountain runners in the world…. ”

Tony placed second overall in the race behind Kilian Jornet. His fellow countryman Dakota Jones placed third.

Jantastic 2013

Posted on December 1, 2012 by talkultra

JANTASTIC – the Marathon Talk 2013 Spring Motivation Challenge

Who’s up for a bit of Jantastic?

Fellow podcasters (and partners in crime) Martin Yelling and Tom Williams over at Marathon Talk have a concept called Jantastic.

You need to sign up HERE

What is it….?

January = How many runs per week?

February = January + How far will you go?

March = January + February + How fast will you go?

The most important thing to reach your personal running goals this spring is to be consistent with your training. In Jantastic 2012 runners logged over 70,000 runs.

Jantastic = January + February + March.

January (Jantastic) = How may runs will you do. Set the number of times per week you are going to run.
February (Febulous) = January + How far will your long runs be? Set the distances of your longest runs.
March (Marchvellous) = January + February + How fast will you run? Set your race targets.

In Jantastic you can:

Sign up as an individual or team
Select ‘rivals’ to pitch yourself against
See your personal Jantastic score in your profile
Monitor your progress and that of your team / rivals through your profile
Message and motivate fellow team members
See how runners in your town, area, age group and with the same goals as you are getting on
Keep motivated and on track with your personal running goals

How to do it

Register to become a part of the Marathon Talk community
Sign up to Jantastic as an individiual and/or as part of a team
Set your target number of runs per week (this can be anything from 3 to 13 runs!)*
Go out and run!
Log your weekly runs **
Hit your goals and stay motivated!

What counts as a run? You decide the distance of each run but the minimum distance to be able to ‘log’ your run is 1 mile. So, the minimum target you could set yourself would be 3x1mile runs each week. There is no maximum daily run distance.

* don’t just set a target number of runs that is super easy for you to achieve each week and won’t be a challenge at all. At the same time, don’t set a target weekly run goal that is unrealistic and over commit yourself. Your number of weekly runs should be a stretch helping you achieve your personal spring running goals.

** Jantastic weeks run from Monday to Sunday and updates can be made daily up until 8am on Tuesday (UK Time) immediately following each week.

Jantastic rules of competition.

Jantastic is all about personal challenge and relies on your honesty when logging your runs.
Each week you will be able to gain a maximum of 25 points towards your overall Jantastic Score.
For example: if you complete your target number of runs each week you will get a Jantastic score of 25 points in week 1; 25 points in week 2; 25 points in week 3 and 25 points in week 4, which will give you an overall Jantastic Score of 100.
In order to be eligible for a participation prize you will need to have submitted runs for a minimum of two out of the four weeks for each month.
Team Scores are calculated as an average of its team members. However, so a team’s score is not unfairly disadvantaged due to a team member not contributing or having to pull-out due to injury, only the top 75% of individuals will count towards the team’s average.
Example 1: A Team of 6 will need to have 5 people score 100% in order for their team to have an overall score of 100%.

Example 2: A Team of 30 will need to have 23 people score 100% in order for their team to have an overall score of 100%.
All runs will need to be submitted by 0800 GMT on the Tuesday immediately following each week.
Please only submit your runs once you have done them.
You are not allowed to change teams after the end of week 1.

Adidas prizes! – Thanks to our partner adidas for helping incentivise you to set it, stick to it and run it.

When you participate in and complete Jantastic it’s possible to win some brilliant adidas prizes.

Skyrunning Calendar 2013

Posted on November 30, 2012 by talkultra

2012 saw the ISF take running above the clouds to new heights. The vision of Marino Giacometti and Lauri Van Houten was fulfilled with the first event, the Transvulcania La Palma and this set the stage for an incredible year of racing. The inclusion of ultra distance races made some of the worlds greatest runners realise that Skyrunning had something new to offer. Tough, technical and gnarly courses at altitude with incredible competition.

With a season over and a new year ahead, we have great pleasure in releasing the 2013 calendar. Certainly from an ultra perspective the inclusion of the Ronda dels Cims in Andorra will set the stage for a battle ‘royal’ at the 100 mile distance. This course is renowned for its difficulty and altitude gain at 13,000m. As a season final, we have UROC (Ultra Race of Champions) in Colorado. At 100km this will provide an incredible closure to what I am sure will be the best Skyrunning year ever!

As you will know, I have had great pleasure to be at many of the events in 2012 and this will continue in 2013. I will be bringing you news, reports, articles, images, facebook posts and tweets as an exciting year above the clouds unfolds…

2013 SKYRUNNER^®WORLD SERIES

– new races, new format

Skyrunner^® World Series celebrates 10 years!

November 30, 2012 Press release by Lauri Van Houten, ISF

It’s curtains up on the 2013 Skyrunner® World Series which celebrates ten years with some of the best and most exciting races across the world. The new Series is divided into three stand-alone circuits: Sky, Ultra and Vertical, each with their own titles and prizes – clean and simple!

The introduction of the ultra distance this year wrote a new page in skyrunning. The Series kicked off with the Transvulcania Ultramarathon on the Spanish island of La Palma, which saw probably the deepest field of world-class runners to date. The spectacular 83km course and 4,400m vertical climb will represent a major challenge to competitors in 2013 as once again the race opens the Ultra Series.

The success of the 2012 Ultra Series paved the way for our first 100-miler – the Ronda dels Cims. With a gruelling 13,000m-elevation gain, the race will take place on the longest day under the full moon crossing the entire Principality of Andorra.

The Speedgoat 50K will be back with top runners and a fast course reaching three passes at 3,400m altitude in Snowbird, Utah, USA.

Two favourite skyrunning locations from the past also make a comeback: Val d’Isère and Vail, Colorado. The Ice Trail Tarentaise, 65 km with 5,000m vertical climb, will test the best against the spectacular backdrop of the Rhône-Alpes Region, site of the ’92 Winter Olympics while Vail in Denver, Colorado, will host the Ultra Race of Champions “UROC” – the Ultra Series final. American and European legends will compete in this new 100 km race, very much at high altitude with four passes at 3,600m – a race of champions indeed.

Two of Europe’s most famous mountains feature in the Sky Series: the Mont-Blanc Marathon which will also host the KM Vertical in Chamonix the same weekend, and the new Matterhorn Ultraks, a fast, 46 km race in Zermatt, in the shadow of the world’s most famous peak will, without a doubt, attract top runners.

Spain’s long-standing testing ground of champions, the Maratòn Alpina Zegama-Aizkorri, launches the Sky Series and the popular Pikes Peak Marathon in Colorado USA, will again feature. To close, yet another new venue offers both a nocturnal Vertical and the Sky Series final: Skyrunning Xtreme, a short, steep technical race towering over Italy’s famous Lake Garda.

Russia’s Mount Elbrus Vertical Kilometer® launches the entire skyrunning season and the Vertical Series on May 7. Entirely over snow, the VK reaches an altitude of 3,450m, the world’s highest race of its kind. The Vertical Series continues with the Ribagorza Vertical Kilometer® on the site of the 2012 SkyGames® in Spain, followed by Greece’s Gerania Vertical Kilometer®, dominating the Corinthian Gulf.

See below for the full calendars in each Series.

Some numbers from the 2013 Skyrunner® World Series: nine new entries, two brand new races – 653m kilometres and 43,632 vertical climb – six races located in the world’s top ski resorts (Chamonix, Zermatt, Vallnord, Val d’Isère, Snowbird, Vail) – without a doubt some of the best places to run in summer…see you there!

SKY

1. SPAIN: Maratòn Alpina Zegama-Aizkorri – 42k, Zegama – May 26

2. FRANCE: Mont-Blanc Marathon – 42k, Chamonix – June 30

3. USA: Pikes Peak Marathon, Colorado – 42k – August 18

4. SWITZERLAND: Matterhorn Ultraks – 46k, Zermatt – August 24

5. ITALY: Skyrunning Xtreme – 23k, Limone sul Garda – October 13

ULTRA

1. SPAIN: Transvulcania Ultramarathon – 83k, La Palma – May 11

2. ANDORRA: Ronda dels Cims – 170k, Vallnord – June 21

3. FRANCE: Ice Trail Tarentaise – 65k, Val d’Isère – July 14

4. USA: Speedgoat – 50k, Park City, Utah – July 27

5. USA: Ultra Race of Champions “UROC” -100k, Vail, September 28

VERTICAL

1. RUSSIA: Mount Elbrus Vertical Kilometer^® – May 7

2. SPAIN: Ribagorza Vertical Kilometer^®, Barruera – May 18

3. FRANCE: KM Vertical, Chamonix – June 28

4. GREECE: Gerania Vertical Kilometer^®, Loutraki– September 8

5. ITALY: Xtreme Vertical Kilometer^®, Limone sul Garda – October 11

Information

Ranking points

The three best results in each Series are scored in ranking. Ranking points in the final races of all three Series will be increased by 20%. Ranking points breakdown: 100-88-78-72-68-66-64-62-60-58-56-54-52-50 down to 2 points to 40^th position for men and 15^th position for women.

Legend

SKY – races more than 22 km and less than 50 km long with at least 1,300m positive vertical climb (SkyRace^® and SkyMarathon^®)

ULTRA – races over 50 km long that exceed the SkyMarathon^® parameters (Ultra SkyMarathon^®)