TNF 50 Miler San Francisco

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Just when you thought it was the end of the season and then low and behold a 50 miler rears its head on the calendar with a stacked field, yes, The North Face Endurance 50 mile Challenge presented by Gore-Tex. The race takes place in the Marin Headlands, north of San Francisco.

*update 27/11/12 Looks like the weather is going to play a major factor this weekend with a weather front coming in. This always shakes things up and you can expect this to influence the overall results considerably.

The Men

Mike Foote – UTMB 2012

Talk Ultra interviewee Mike Wolfe is returning to the race he won last year. Mike has had a mixed 2012 so he is going to be looking for a good performance here. He told me that training had gone well and that he is in good shape. Great to hear.

Good friend of Wolfepaw is Mike Foote. Footey placed 9th last year but after a great performance at UTMB (3rd), Bighorn 100 and the recent TNF EC in Chile I am sure he will be fired up for this race.

The last time I spoke to Tony Krupicka he told me he was running the race and that he was running to win. This was on the back of his 2nd place at Cavalls del Vent. I am well aware that Tony has been training well but I am not sure if he will be present on the start? I will update as soon as I know. *update 27/11/12 Tony has stated on his blog that he will not be racing.

Sage Canaday is without doubt a potential winner for the race and I originally missed him as he was not on my start list, He set a course record at White River 50 (incredible run) and ran very strong at UROC to finish behind Max King. We also can’t rule out Dave Mackey. Dave performs consistently well at 100k and was 4th at Western States. He races a little less than others so you can be sure if he toes the line it is to run hard.

Timothy Olson would have been mentioned here but has decided not to race and run with his wife. He is keeping his powder dry for 2013. Jez Bragg is off to New Zealand and Dakota Jones is resting, so that therfeore leaves the door open…

Fast man Ian Sharman will enjoy tho terrain but just the other weekend raced well at JFK so this may spoil his chances of a top 3, however, Adam Campbell will becoming into this race relatively fresh after injury issues mid year.

Dylan Bowman has raced super hard all year with some great results. His 2nd place at Run Rabbit Run behind Speedgoat Karl and 7th at Western States should mean he will be contending at the front but will he have that turn of speed to contend with Wolfe, Foote, Sharman and Campbell?

Hal Koerner has had a stacked 2012 and performed consistently well. I see him being in the top 10 here but not at the front of the race contending for the podium.

Rickey Gates comes to this race after some super strong performances in 2012 and may very well be a dark horse. Equally Chris Kollar (he had a disappointing Western States) comes to San Fran after some really solid results at Grand Teton 50k, Ice Age 50 and the The Bear.

Francois d’Haene is coming from Europe along with his Salomon team mate, Miguel Heras and Team Manager, Greg Vollet. Francois has had a great year and just recently won the ‘Trailwalker’ with his Salomon France team mates. He has the ability but I can’t help but think it is late in the year for him… Miguel Heras is finishing off his year well after early disappointments and he will be running hard here. Greg Vollet may very well be another dark horse to move up the field and take a few runners by surprise.

The mens field is stacked and by no means have I covered everybody here but I think we will see the podium come from the above names. One other mention, Martin Cox from the UK. Look out for him.

The Ladies

Emelie Forsberg – Trofeo Kima 2012

Firstly, Frosty and Ellie Greenwood are not on the start line. Frosty needs to recover and Ellie need to rest. So that does open things up a little… if we thought the mens race was stacked, the ladies is super stacked.

Emelie Forsberg is coming over from Europe after an incredible 2012 season. Emelie would have been my top tip but I wonder if this is either one race too many or a race too late in the year? She has all the potential to win this race but I see her top 3 and not on top of the podium.

*update 27/11/12 I just had confirmation that Silvia Serafini from Salomon Carnifast will be racing. This will add some additional spice to the race. Like Emelie, Silvia is moving up distances this year and 50 miles may just be a little of her radar at the moment. But she is a fast runner and really dedicated. A star for the future for sure. She has won Skyrunnning races, won the Royal Parks Ultra in the UK and recently placed just behind Forsberg, Hawker and Picas at Templiers. She has just come back from trekking in Nepal so it will be interesting to see how she performs in this top quality field.

Lizzy Hawker will be arriving from Nepal and has arguably had a golden few months with a 5th win at UTMB, a win at Run Rabbit Run and then a win, 3rd place overall and a new CR at the iconic Spartathlon. I witnessed her run first hand at Templiers when she finished a disappointed 3rd behind Nuria Picas and loosing the sprint for 2nd to Forsberg. She will be fired up for this race and is my hot tip!

Ashley Arnold may pull something out of the bag. She has a great ultra resume with 3rd at Leadville 100 this year but has raced shorter and faster too. She may well have the  speed and endurance required that will carry her to a win.

Megan Kimmel has raced the best in Europe and will come to the race keen to perform but this is a longer race than she is used too… this also apples for Brandy Erholtz. They both have potential to shake things up.

Joelle Vaught was 2nd in 2009, 3rd last year and 4th in 2010. This year she has won Waldo 100k and Lake Sanoma 50. She knows how to run in San Fran and will be keeping a close eye of Forsberg and Hawker.

Kami Semick hasn’t raced in the US in 2012. She pulled out of Comrades and Western States but recently race Trailwalker in Hong Kong. It’s difficult to say what her form is like but I know from previous conversations with her that she only races when she can win!

Finally, Meghan Arbogast. She has the endurance and the pace!
Like the men’s race, I could go on and to be fair I could list another 10 men and women and still be completely unsure of how the race will unfold.
The San Fran 50 is a great way to start December and finish a really competitive and inspiring 2012. Roll on 2013.
Race website HERE

Looking back, Moving forward – Skyrunning

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Looking back over the 2012 skyrunning season, it was, to say the least, an intensive year. It was a year of major transition from the past format of main races and trials, to the introduction of the Ultra distance and separate circuits. The transition was complicated and not without difficulties but it paved the way for a completely revised 2013 format.

The start. Ultra Cavalls del Vent. ©ISF

The season saw triumph and tragedy, great champions, bright young stars, new races and spectacular locations.

At the beginning of the season in May, the introduction of the Ultra Series wrote a new page in skyrunning history. The Transvulcania Ultra Marathon not only perfectly embodied skyrunning’s “sea to sky” concept, but had probably the deepest field of world class runners to date, including American legends like Anton Krupicka, Geoff Roes, Rickey Gates, Mike Wolfe Joe Grant and 21year-old Dakota Jones who went on to win the race.  Dakota, Tony and Joe came back for more…

Nuria Picas, winner Kima Trophy. ©ISF

The more gruelling courses typical of European skyrunning have almost surprisingly gone down well with the American runners, giving us the conviction to keep it “tough and technical“ rather than provide a watered-down version to appeal to a wider public – something to look forward to on the other side of the Atlantic next year together with a selection of the best that Europe has to offer…and our first 100-miler.

The 2012 SkyMarathon® Ultra Series has represented the first and most important encounter among top European and American Ultra runners with a level so high that all the mens’ race records in the Series were broken! Legendary ultra runners competing in the Series (apart from those mentioned above) include: Kilian Jornet, Ikker Karera, Andy Symonds, Dawa Sherpa, Francois D’Haene, Erik Clavery, Seb Chaigneau and among the women:  Nuria Picas, Anna Frost, Lizzy Hawker, Maud Gobert, Darcy Africa, and Nikki Kimball.

Kilian Jornet the sport’s top star, yet again gave a command performance taking not only the World Series combined title, but also the Ultra Series title, totalling seven outright victories and two third positions in all three disciplines.  2011 World Series champion Luis Alberto Hernando placed second and Britain’s Tom Owens moved steadily up the ranking to take third position.  Ultra Series’ runner-up was Andy Symonds and Germany’s Philipp Reiter placed third.

Emelie Forsberg, Nuria Picas, Anna Frost. Ultra Cavalls winners. ©ISFIt’s in the women’s field that the most rapid revolution lies however. Young, talented runners with no skyrunning history debut and rise to glory in just one season and, note, women are finishing in the top ten overall, closing the gender gap.  Sweden’s Emelie Forsberg is one of these ladies.  Twenty-five years-old, she ran her first skyrunning race just this year and in only one season conquered the World Series combined title in a field stacked with highly competitive Spanish runners like Nuria Picas, Blanca Maria Serrano and Nuria Dominguez.

Nuria Picas has finally shown that talent and determination go a long way by winning some of the toughest races on the Series.  She finished second after Forsberg in the World Series combined ranking and won the Ultra Series outright. Anna Frost, after a superb start at the Transvulcania Ultra, was plagued by injury throughout the season but fought tenaciously for a second position in the Ultra ranking where Forsberg placed third.

Kilian Jornet & Tony Krupicka, 1st and 2nd at Cavalls. ©Ian Corless

Alongside Forsberg, another star was born: 23 year-old Italian, Silvia Serafini who, like Forsberg, began skyrunning just this year, testing her skills in all three disciplines to climb to third position in the world ranking.

Two world records highlighted the Vertical Kilometer® Series on the gruelling course in Fully, Switzerland with1,000 metres elevation gain over just 1.9 km distance.  The men’s record of 30’42” set by Italian Urban Zemmer is just a short step from climbing at 2,000 metres per hour – upwards! French runner Christel Dewalle set the women’s record in 36’48”.  Overall Vertical Kilometer® Series champions were Urban Zemmer and Spain’s Laura Orgué.

In 2012, prize money amounting to €140,000 (including the Series’ final prizes) was awarded to 148 athletes. The figures are still small for the huge effort and incredible performances involved, but as the sport grows, prize money will do like-wise. Complimentary accommodation, travel subsidies and promotion are more ways that a top runner can benefit – and so will the sponsor.  Major industry players are now investing in trail running and many brands have top runners and teams participating in the Series.  See Team ranking

Media coverage of skyrunning events reached new heights this year from print to websites, blogs and social media, to videos, podcasts and television on a global level.  A big thanks goes to all those who followed the skyrunning heroes through thick and thin, in heat and cold and darkness, breaking news in real time and capturing high-flying emotions in images, text and videos.

Look out for the 2013 Skyrunner® World Series calendar to be announced next week.  We’ll be focussing on new events and personalities, a worldwide ranking for runners and races, regulations and safety issues as well as the announcement of the 2013 European and 2014 World Championships.

Iznik Ultra 2013

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Our 2013 Iznik Ultra race package is now available !

Now in its second year, the Iznik Ultra offers a wonderful opportunity to combine  sight seeing and racing in a new place. Turkey is an exciting place, the opportunity to explore Istanbul is something that we should all relish… after experiencing the Iznik race and Istanbul to the maximum for the first edition in 2012, I just knew that the Iznik Ultra needed a larger audience. To this end we have worked closely with the race organiser to provide a great package for 2013.

£360 per person plus flights and food

What does it include:

  • transfer from the airport to Istanbul
  • Overnight in the old town in Istanbul with a great location to see all the iconic sights
  • transfers to and from Iznik
  • 3 nights in Iznik
  • race entry in your chosen race

Want to spend longer in Istanbul? No problem, we can provide add on packages to facilitate this. Just ask.

All information is available HERE

 

Berg Trail – the warm up

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A selection of images from France and Italy in the days before the Berg Trail

Episode 22 Talk Ultra

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Episode 22 of Talk Ultra has a main interview with The North Face athlete Mike Wolfe on his transition from lawyer to full time ultra runner. Jez Bragg inspires us and provided a ‘coup’ at a The North Face press conference in London. Salomon runner and ‘Saffa’ Linda Doke tells us all about the super tough and iconic 100 miler Diagonale des Fous (Raid de la Reunion). Talk Training has pt2 on run technique, we have the news, a blog by Frosty, up and coming races and of course Speedgoat joins us for a Meltzer Moment and he co-hosts the show. It’s a packed one!

Show Notes

00:00:00

00:00:45 Show Start

00:01:19 Welcome Speedgoat

00:31:54 News

00:33:05 Jez Bragg releases news on his epic New Zealand adventure running 3054km in under 50 days from the north of NZ to the south – post here

00:55:35 Back to the news

01:07:20 Linda Doke from South Africa tells us what it was like running 170km’s at the iconic and super tough Diagonale des Fous (Raid de la Reunion) website

01:46:50 Back to the news

01:50:50 Blog with Frosty – here

01:53:00 Talk Training with Marc Laithwaite is pt2 of our discussion on run technique

02:16:50 Interview with TNF athlete Mike Wolfe – website

03:02:40 A Meltzer Moment with Speedgoat Karl

03:08:28 Up and coming races ahotu.com

03:09:55 Close

Libsyn

ITunes 

RSS

Website – talkultra.com

Cavalls del Vent video

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Nice video here that captures the Skyrunning Cavalls del Vent 2012

It was an epic race in epic conditions. Kilian Jornet took the win ahead on on Tony Krupicka with Dakota Jones in third.

In the ladies race, local lady Nuria Picas ran an awesome race to win ahead of Anna Frost and Emelie Forsberg

Cavalls del Vent 2012

The Long Pathway – Jez Bragg

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TE ARAROA TRAIL

INTERVIEW available from the press conference HERE

 

So, Jez Bragg or should we call him ‘Frodo’ is heading off on an epic journey that I am pretty sure we would all love to embark on… 3000+km in New Zealand on the TE ARAROA TRAIL starting at the top of North Island and heading all the way down to the bottom of the South Island. Epic.

He leaves the UK in early December and starts on the trail on the 12th. He has a crew of two and in the new year when he reaches the south, Jez will be joined by his The North Face team mate, Mike Wolfe.

Dedicated crew

But this is no ordinary journey, not only will Jez be running and walklng from top to bottom of New Zealand, he will also be kayaking 100+km to cross all sections of water. He plans to complete the journey in 50 days which equates to 40 miles per day.

His crew will have a mobile home for the duration of the adventure but as Jez explained, he will at times ‘fast pack’ on the route to save time and maximise daily mileage. To this end The North Face have developed some specific kit for Jez that he will be able to use. A new double skin tent, a new sleeping bag, a new ‘base’ layer, new shoes, new packs and new jackets. Some of these items will be in-store 2013 but others will only be available 2014. Before you all ask… the new lightweight race vest will be 2014! I know, nice bit of kit eh!

PRODUCTS: look HERE

  • Casimir 36 Pack
  • Alpine Project Jacket
  • Stormy Trail Jacket
  • Stormy Trail Pant
  • Hypertrack Guide Shoe
  • ‘Better than Naked’ Hat, SS shirt and shorts
  • Capri Tight
  • Mica 1 PL Tent
  • Hightail 25 Sleeping Bag
  • plus other equipment such as the light weight race vest

Journeys of this scale and size are what The North Face are experts in. They love the possibility to test out equipment and develop what is required by consumers before it hits the shops. Jez will have multiple kit options available whilst in New Zealand and use a variety of equipment that will suit the days of changeable weather.

I caught up with Jez at the Press Conference in central London and talked with him about the journey ahead, the preparation and what it is like getting ready for 50 days of running 40 miles a day. This audio will be available within episode 22 of Talk Ultra available for dowload on iTunes and talkultra.com on November 16th. However, you can listen to the interview with Jez HERE (this is the same audio as linked at the top of the page)

Jez_Bragg_Te_Araroa_Special.mp3

Here is a BIO on Jez Bragg:

In a sport when it’s often the older competitors who excel, Jez has stood out for the seven years he’s been running ultras as a youngster on a mission. He arrived in the sport by chance more than anything else. His school and early university days all centred round the rugby field where playing six or seven days a week embedded a high level of fitness from the start.

“I have a little theory that my inner strength – which is so important to ultra running – came directly from my upbringing; playing a lot of rugby, climbing trees, riding my bike, all sorts of  physical activities, usually in a relentless fashion. It was undoubtedly the foundations for the level of endurance I have today.”

Jez picked up ultra running as a ‘natural’ progression from the marathon that he trained for as a one off charity challenge 2001. The attraction of ultra distance trail running came from a combination of a love for the outdoors, the excitement of adventure and the endurance embedded from his upbringing.

“Every long run in a new place provides a wonderful opportunity to explore. To me it is one of the greatest attractions of the sport; being able to cover long distances, non-stop, on foot, getting to the places that most can’t reach. To be solo, on foot, creates a wonderful sense of freedom in a world where day-to-day life is increasingly frantic. There are few sports that offer such a pure and unhindered way in which to explore the hills, mountains and countryside. When you run in places such as the Highlands of Scotland, the scenery inspires and gives strength to push you further. That’s what it’s all about for me.”

Jez won his first trail ultra marathon in emphatic fashion and has gone on to win most others he has started since then, establishing himself as one of the world’s leading ultra distance runners, both on the trails and the road.

Jez now has his sights firmly set on the global scene, building on the success of his biggest performance to date, a win at The North Face® Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc in August 2010.

Home: Dorset, on the south coast of England, with the best variety of trail running I have found anywhere.

Favourite Place to Travel: The Highlands of Scotland – working my way through the Munros and exploring the wild glens where it’s truly unspoilt.

Favourite Food: A home cooked Sunday roast.

Favourite Book: I’m not much of a reader, but I do have a habit of spending hours gazing at maps and plotting routes across the most inaccessible places I can find! I have a unique ability to plan an off road loop quicker than most.

How I Relax: An early morning coastal path run followed by a swim in the sea.

Little known fact: I don’t train to a specific plan, instead I ‘listen’ to my body and run hard when I feel good, and easier when I’m not quite ‘flowing’.

Best Ever Run: The West Highland Way, Scotland, in June 2006. I have run much faster and stronger since, but for pure enjoyment it tops them all.

Where it all began: Riding my bike, climbing trees, adventures as a kid.

‘Running’ Philosophy: Enjoy and feel the transition of the seasons, explore new areas, push yourself beyond your limits, run for a true sense of freedom, drift along and day dream.

Career Highlights:

2011

2nd place – The Highland Fling Ultramarathon, Scotland
1st place – The Fellsman. Course Record – 10h 06m

4th place – Western States 100, Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA

7th place – The North Face® Endurance Challenge Final, San Francisco

2010

1st place – The North Face® Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc
6th place – The North Face® Endurance Challenge Final, San Francisco

2009

1st place – The Highland Fling Ultramarathon, Scotland. Course record – 7h 19m

1st place – UK 100km Championships, Galway, Ireland. Personal best – 6hrs 58m

1st place – Commonwealth 100km Championships, Lake District, UK

1st place – The Fellsman, Yorkshire Dales, UK

3rd place – Western States 100, Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA

3rd place – The Lakeland 100, Lake District, UK

2008

1st place – Connemara Ultramarathon, Ireland

1st place – Devil O’ The Highlands Ultramarathon, Scotland. Course record – 5h 22m

1st place – The Highland Fling Ultramarathon, Scotland. Course record – 7h 24m

2007

1st place – The Highland Fling Ultramarathon, Scotland. Course record – 7h 26m

1st place – UK 100km Championships, Edinburgh, Scotland.

18th place – World 100km Championships, Netherlands.

2006

1st place- The West Highland Way Race, Scotland. Course record – 15h 44mins

1st place – High Peak 40/ UK Trail Championships

1st place – The Long Mynd 50, Shropshire

1st place – Round Rotherham 50, Yorkshire

Here is the blog post from Jez himself:

Today I was in London to launch an exciting winter project which has been in planning for over a year now. Starting on 12th December 2012 (12/12/12) I will be tackling the brand new Te Araroa trail in New Zealand – a whopping 3,054km in distance – aiming to complete the full route in under 50 days.
This is a completely new type of challenge for me, moving away from the racing scene for a little while to tackle what will be a trully epic and memorable journey down the full length of New Zealand, from the tip of the North island in Cape Reigna, to the tip of the South island in Bluff.
I presented an overview of the expedition at the launch event today. The objective is:

“A solo, fastest time attempt, running the 3,054 kilometre Te Araora trail in New Zealand.”

There will be plenty more information coming out in the next couple of weeks to fill you in on the detail of the expedition but for now check out the official trail website for more information on the challenge that lies ahead for me :o)

The North Face – Breaking News

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Te Araroa, The Long Pathway

Jez Bragg, the ultimate New Zealand adventure

Te Araroa is a 3000-km trail stretching from Cape Reinga in the North of New Zealand to Bluff in the South. The trail opened December 3rd, 2011.

In December 2012, The North Face athlete Jez Bragg will emabark on the ultimate New Zealand adventure running the entire 3000km’s of the trail. Down the coastline, through the forests, across farmland, over volcanoes and mountain passes, along river valleys, and on green pathways through seven cities. It’s one of the longest walking routes in the world. Hundreds of volunteers worked over ten years to put the trail in because it wasn’t there.

We wish Jez all the very best and Talk Ultra will follow his story as it unfolds with regular audio updates every two weeks on our show plus updates via this blog as and when applicable.

Full details and news about Jez’s attempt will be updated asap after the Press Conference. Talk Ultra also plan to get some audio live the PC with Jez so that he can tell you all in his own words about the challenge ahead.

Twitter – @talkultra

Facebook – Talk Ultra

Vertical K Champs

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Zemmer and Orgué Vertical Champs
Zemmer racing to victoryItaly’s Urban Zemmer triumphs in today’s Vertical Kilometer® Series final in Spain and adds the world champion title to his recent world record. Ladies’ race winner was Spain’s Blanca Maria Serranowhile Laura Orgué maintains the ranking leadership and the title.

Zemmer, fighting a virus, managed an excellent 35’46”, just 3’ more than his course record last year and well over his time set in Fully, Switzerland recently where he established the world record in 30’26” (over a shorter, artificial course).

Second was Slovenian Nejc Kuhar 35’56’’, third, Italian Marco Facchinelli, 36’47’’ and fourth, France’s Didier Zago in 37’49’’.

The women’s podium was all-Spanish:  Blanca Maria Serrano 44’33’’, Alba Xandri,  46’53’’, Vanesa Ortega 47’00’’
with Britain’s Tessa Hill fourth in 49’41’’.  Race favourite Silvia Leal was fifth – leaving Laura Orgué’s 2011 course record of 44’01” intact.

 

The Puig Campana

215 competitors scrambled up the rugged 3.65 km long course to the summit of the Puig Campana.  Towering 1,208m above the famous Costa Blanca, the steeper inclines reach 35.5% gradient.

Race results

Race website

Vertical Kilometer® Series Ranking

Men

1. Urban Zemmer

2. Nejc Kuhar

3. Luis Alberto Hernando

4. Marco Facchinelli

5. Didier Zago

 

Women

1. Laura Orgué

2. Silvia Leal

3. Blanca Maria Serrano

4. Zhanna Vokueva

5. Alba Zandri

With this final Skyrunner® World Series race, the 2012 season closes but stay with us for an overview of the year’s events and, above all, look out for the 2013 calendar out soon featuring all the best races…and some exciting surprises in store!

William Sichel – Monaco 8 day

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Orkney-based ultra marathon runner, William Sichel (59) will return to the Monaco “No Finish Line” 8 Day ultra marathon this week to defend the title he won there last year.

In last November’s race (which had over 6,000 participants) William won the event outright and set a new course record becoming the first person to cover more than 1000km/624 miles during this event.

The Monaco event will be started by Princess Stephanie of Monaco, at 1pm UK time on Saturday 17th.  The final gun will be fired at 1pm UK time on Sunday 25th, after which, Albert II Prince of Monaco and Charlene Princess of Monaco, will present the prizes.

Normally William and his team operate on a shoe-string budget for the race, but this year one of the world’s leading hotels – Hotel Métropole Monte-Carlo will be sponsoring William and his support team’s participation in the event.  William will also run for the Hotel Métropole team for the first time.

“It will be good to have some local support and back-up, as we usually operate in a very low key manner for this event.”

William is still looking for two more records to complete his Project 60@60.

“There will be a number of opportunities for records in Monaco but, because the course gets extremely crowded for long periods, especially at the weekends, it isn’t really conducive to record setting.  Having said that, I’ll be doing my utmost to set more records.”

The 8 Day race is part of a huge festival of running which, last year, saw a total of over 6000 participants, lap the 1 mile circuit around the port in central Monaco, over the 8 day period.

Every lap completed generates one euro for children’s charities, donated by the Government of Monaco.  The vast majority of participants come and go, during the 8 day period, amassing a huge sum for charity.

William is a member of the Orkney Athletic Cluband is currently engaged in Project 60@60 in which he is attempting to have set 60 ultra distance records, at World, British and Scottish level, including age-groups, before his 60th birthday on October 1st 2013.

Currently William has set 58 records, including 6 World Age-Group records.