Skyrunning World Championships 2014 – Marathon Race Summary

Posted on June 29, 2014 by talkultra

Torrential rain and potentially severe weather conditions resulted in a course change for the 2014 Skyrunning World Championships SKY event. Over 2000 runners would toe the line for the event and with potential negative temperatures predicted a slight course change was made to avoid the highest section of the course at Aiguille des Posettes.

Departing the center of Chamonix in torrential rain, Kilian Jornet, Michel Lanne, Zaid Aid Malek, Tom Owens and Aritz Egea lead the way setting a relentless pace that would stretch the elastic and form an aggressive front group.

In the wet and cold conditions, Kilian Jornet was always going to be the favourite, however, Salomon teammate Michel Lanne pushed the Catalan all the way. It was only on the final ascent to La Flégère that Kilian finally opened up the gap that he would hold all the way to the line. To commemorate becoming Skyrunning World Champion, Kilian ran the final meters with his hero and Skyrunning legend, Bruno Brunod.

Michel Lanne secured a great 2^nd place but a battle royal followed for 3^rd place. Sierre-Zinal champion (2103) Marc Lauerstein came from behind at La Flégère caught Zaid Ait Malek and Tom Owens and pushed hard for the line but Owens didn’t give in easily, he dug deep and found something within to take the coveted final podium place.

Azara Garcia lead the ladies race over the early sections of the race closely followed by the key favourites; Elisa Desco, Megan Kimmel, Stevie Kremer and Kasie Enman.

In the cold and wet conditions, Elisa made a move during the middle section of the race and took a firm hold of the race lead and pushed ahead for an incredible victory against tough competition.

Megan Kimmel and Stevie Kremer traded blows over the final section and with Kasie Enman struggling with stomach issues, the final podium places would come down the two Americans trading blows on the final descent to Chamonix.

Megan opened the gap and 2013 Mont-Blanc Marathon champion, Stevie Kremer couldn’t respond. On the line, Stevie said, “I had a great race last year and I guess this year I wasn’t quite as good. But the competition was fierce and ultimately, I was beaten on the day by two better runners.’

The Mont-Blanc Marathon concluded the events for the 2014 Skyrunning World Championships and despite the wet and challenging conditions for the final race, the unanimous feedback has been incredibly positive. Chamonix as one would expect has been buzzing with runners and supporters from all over the world, it confirms the growth of Skyrunning and its global appeal.

Official results

Men

1 – Kilian Jornet (ESP) en 03:23:39

2 – Michel Lanne (FR) en 03:25:50

3 – Thomas Owens (UK) en 03:26:20

Women

1 – Elisa Desco (ITA)en 03:53:33

2 – Megan Kimmel (USA) en 03:54:51

3 – Stevie Kremer (USA) en 03:55:36

Stats : 2291 competitors 372 women

Skyrunning World Championships 2014 – Important Information

Posted on June 10, 2014 by talkultra

Since the creation of the Mont-Blanc Cross in 1979, the Mont-Blanc Marathon in 2003, the Vertical Kilometer in 2011 and the Mont-Blanc 80KM in 2013, the Club des Sports de Chamonix has never ceased to improve events. This year with the Skyrunning World Championships, the organisers once again confirm the quality of the event and announce new changes: a bigger race expo, the creation of a bridge at Tre Le Champs to secure the road crossing, a new finish line for the Cross and Marathon, and finally a more in-depth Web TV diffusion.

At the end of June 2014, 6500 runners and over 13000 of their supporters are expected in Chamonix for the Mont-Blanc Marathon weekend. The race expo that reunites sports manufacturers and the different trail races found throughout the world will open their doors on the Place du Mont-Blanc on June 26, 27 & 28 2014. The expo provides an area to purchase last minute items for the race and to also discover the latest summer trends.

The race-bib pick-up (previous years at the ENSA gymnasium) will be positioned at the Place du Mont-Blanc square in a big tent especially erected for the occasion.

Program

Race-bib pick up at the Place du Mont-Blanc in Chamonix
Thursday June 26, 2014: 10:00am – 20:00
Friday June 27, 2014: 3:00am – 4:00am for the 80KM and 10:00am – 20:00 for the other races
Saturday June 28, 2014: 7:00am – 20:00
Sunday June 29, 2014: 5:00am – 6:30am

Friday June 27, 2014:

Place du Triangle de l’Amitié

4:00am : Start of the MONT-BLANC 80KM

18:00 – midnight : Meal offered to runners of the 80KM (sports complex)

16:00 : Start of the VERTICAL KM

From 18:00 onwards: Meal offered to runners of the Vertical KM (sports complex)

20:30: Awards ceremony

Saturday June 28, 2014

Paragliding Landing Field

8:30am: Start of the MONT-BLANC CROSS

9:00am: Start of the MONT-BLANC 10KM (start in 3 waves)

11:30am: Mini- Cross (starts depending on age categories)

12:00pm: Mini-Cross Raffle

Richard Bozon Sports Complex

From 11:00am onwards: Buffet for Mont-Blanc Cross (free for runners of the cross)

From 18:30 onwards: Pasta Party for the Mont-Blanc Marathon

Place du Triangle de l’Amitié

15:30: Award ceremony for the Mont-Blanc 10KM

16:00: Award ceremony for the Mont-Blanc CROSS

16:30: Award ceremony for the Mont-BLanc 80KM

17:00 Raffle

Sunday June 29, 2014

Place du Triangle de l’Amitie

7:00am: Start of the MONT-BLANC MARATHON

17:00: Raffle for the Mont-Blanc Marathon

Richard Bozon Sports Complex

From 11:00am onwards: Buffet for Mont-Blanc Marathon (free for marathon runners)

Important Information:

New Finish Line & New Viewpoints!

The large mass of people the past few years at the finish line (Planpraz at Brevent) for the Mont-Blanc Marathon & Cross no longer offered a satisfactory experience for runners nor the public.

The finish line will now be on the plateau just before the top of the cable car station of Planpraz (near the paragliding take-off area).

To reach the finish line runners will take-on one final ‘wall’….the public will be in close proximity to support the athletes in their last effort as they benefit from the most beautiful view of the Mont-Blanc range.

Follow the events live via WebTV

In 2012, 10,000 connections were registered during the Vertical KM. In 2013 there were 125,000 connections during the weekend (diffused live for an average of 3 hours per day).

This year the organizers once again will be offering WebTV for users with a complete program, events diffused live, official presentations of athletes each evening, exclusive interviews with the world’s best, and many other surprises.

Even from the other side of the world people will be able to be at the heart of the event on www.montblancmarathon.fr

******

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Iznik Ultra 2014 – Race Summary

Posted on April 21, 2014 by talkultra

British runners dominate the Iznik Ultra race series, Iznik, Turkey.

Located just 2-hours away from Istanbul, Iznik is very much a quiet holiday resort for those in the know. Situated on an idyllic lake, the town comes to life as the Iznik Series of races arrive in town. The idea of Caner Odabasoglu (a keen ultra runner himself) and now in its 3^rd edition, the races is very much a highlight of the Turkish racing season.

Offering 4-race distances, 130km, 80km, a classic marathon and a 10km, Caner and his team from MCR Racesetter have provided an opportunity for all. The 130km race is the longest single stage ultra in Turkey and therefore it appeals and has a loyal following from the ever-growing Turkish ultra running community.

In just 3-years, the races have grown in numbers. US ultra runner Amy Sproston raced the 80km in 2013 and set a new CR proving that interest and international appeal in Iznik and ultra running in Turkey is on the up! In 2014 a strong British contingent crossed the channel and joined runners from France, China, South Africa, Germany, Australia and New Zealand making the races a truly international event. Arriving in Bursa prepared for a stunning weekend of racing; the race or the racing didn’t disappoint.

130K

Marcus Scotney Iznik Ultra ©iancorless.com

On the stroke of midnight in Iznik Square, participants ventured out onto a clockwise loop of Iznik Lake. The harder and more challenging part of the course, the first 60km would run in darkness, whilst the flatter and far more runnable sections would be taken in daylight. From the off runners separated with a small lead pack pushing the pace. However, Marcus Scotney (Montane) and Akin Yeneceli forged ahead and opened up a convincing lead ahead of John Bayne from New Zealand by the 11km mark. At cp1, Edwards arrived first closely followed by runner after runner. Something was wrong and it soon became clear that our front two runners had gone off course.

Iznik Ultra ©iancorless.com

By the time they arrived well over 30-minutes had elapsed and Scotney had visible and vocal frustration at the dilemma, ‘That’s it, it’s all ruined now… what a waste!’ What followed was a master class in pacing and distance running, one-by-one, Scotney moved his way up the field using each runner ahead as a carrot. Closing the gap to 26-mins, 22-mins, and 16-mins and by the time he arrived at the 60-km mark Marcus was 4^th with 6-mins to catch up. All the early protagonists who had set the early pace had faded whereas Scotney had become stronger and stronger. The big question mark would be could he hold on? Chasing Yavuz and Ivanovski from Macedonia, Scotney eventually took the lead of the race and never looked back. A course record had always been on Scotney’s mind and his wish came true, despite an epic detour, he arrived in Iznik 12 –hours, 53-minutes and 59-seconds later. The effort of his endeavor was clear to see. Mahmut Yavuz retained local celebrity status with 2^nd place and Zhikica Ivanovski placed 3^rd.

The ladies race was a low-key affair with just 3-entrants. Previous 130km winner, Elena Polyakova would not defend her title after injury issues and therefore decided to race the marathon. This provided an open stage for local ultra runner and legend, Bakiye Duran to shine. Shine she did! Bakiye covered the course from start to finish in the lead with only Svetiana Ivanovski to worry about.

Marcus Scotney (Montane) 12:53:59 new CR
Mahmut Yavuz 13:11:55
Zhikica Ivanovski 13:53:41

Bakiye Duran 19:09:39
Svetiana Stojanoska 22:27:08

80k

Jo Meek Iznik Ultra ©iancorless.com

Jo Meek (Scott Running) and Tracy Dean (inov-8) set a blistering pace in the 80km race. Dean leading Meek over the first 10km with just a 1-min lead but at cp1, Meek took over the lead and never relinquished it. Dean pursued all day keeping Meek in her sights never allowing the gap to grow beyond 1-2 mins. However, stomach issues struck for Dean and post race she went on to say that she continually felt as though she was struggling and never felt comfortable. Meek however had her blinkers on and was pushing not only for the outright win but a new course record, a record set by Amy Sproston!

Aykut Celikbas Iznik Ultra ©iancorless.com

Aykut Celikbas (very much a pioneer of the Turkish ultra scene) had chased the dynamic duo of Dean and Meek all day and eventually moved into 2^nd place after Dean dropped at 60-km.

Tracy Dean Iznik Ultra ©iancorless.com

Meek ran like a woman possessed, without doubt she is currently one of the most exciting prospects in the UK ultra running scene as her 2^nd place at the 2013 Marathon des Sables and her victory at the 2014 The Coastal Challenge confirms. In the final 10km with flat trail and road, Meek pushed and crossed the line in sub 7-hours blasting the old CR to a new level. Celikbas and Kara placed 2^nd and 3^rd but the day belonged to Meek.

With Dean out of the race, Yasemin Goktas and Ayse Beril Basliail took 2nd and 3rd places in the female race.

Jo Meek (Scott Running) 6:52:17 new CR first lady and first overall
Aykut Celikbas 7:41:34
Firat Kara 7:46:07 (tbc)

Jo Meek (Scott Running)
Yasemin Goktas 9:45:34
Ayse Beril Basliqil 9:54:45

Marathon

Robbie Britton Iznik Ultra ©iancorless.com

Taking the front of the race in the opening meters, Robbie Britton (inov-8) continued to extend his lead over the opening km’s and never looked back. Running strong with a permanent smile on his face, Britton reveled in the warmth of a sunny Turkish day and put to good use all his training of the past month on the island of La Palma in preparation for Transvulcania.

Benoit Laval Iznik Ultra ©iancorless.com

Benoit Laval (Raidlight) was Britton’s closest rival but it soon became clear, as each checkpoint came, that Britton was continually extending his lead the only question mark; what margin would he win by? On the line, Britton set a new CR of 3:08:19, a great time for a hilly and undulating marathon. Laval placed 2^nd in 3:30:38 and Duygun Yurteri 3^rd just over 1-min later 3:31:56.

Elenya Polyakova Iznik Ultra ©iancorless.com

Elena Polyakova is an ever-present runner at the Iznik series of races and a previous 130km champion. Due to injury, Polyakova decided to play safe and run the marathon, however, her class shone and not only did she place 4^th overall but she had a convincing victory ahead of Aysen Solak and Brit, Helen Southcott in 3^rd.

Robbie Britton (inov-8) 3:08:19 new CR
Benoit Laval (Raidlight) 3:30:38
Duygun Yurteri 3:31:56

Elena Polyakova 3:47:26
Aysen Solak 3:51:01
Helen Southcott 4:14:07

10k

Robbie Britton (inov-8) and Tracy Dean (inov-8) not content with racing in the 80km and marathon distances also towed the line for the 10km fun run the following day and both topped the podiums, Britton running a solid 34-min was impressive after his marathon exploits just 24-hours earlier.

Iznik Ultra ©iancorless.com

Results: HERE

RACE IMAGES HERE

Iznik Ultra 2014 – A race in images

Posted on April 20, 2014 by talkultra

Race images from the Iznik Ultra series of races – marathon, 80k and 130k.

Race report and results to follow.

: Niandi Carmont & Benoit Laval

: Robbie Britton Iznik Ultra ©iancorless.com

: Aykut Celikbas Iznik Ultra ©iancorless.com

: Tracy Dean Iznik Ultra ©iancorless.com

: Benoit Laval Iznik Ultra ©iancorless.com

: Elenya Polyakova Iznik Ultra ©iancorless.com

: Marcus Scotney Iznik Ultra ©iancorless.com

Top Brits head to Turkey for the Iznik Ultra race series, April 2014

Posted on March 22, 2014 by talkultra

Now in its third year, the Iznik series of races in Turkey are assembling a strong UK contingent of runners to race over the marathon, 80km or 130km distances, featuring Jo Meek, Robbie Britton, Tracy Dean, Stu Air and Marcus Scotney. With several races on offer, Robbie Britton and Stu Air will race the marathon distance, Tracy Dean and Jo Meek the 80km and Marcus Scotney the 130km.

Surrounded by eight countries, Turkey has significant geographical importance as it is at a crossroads with Europe and Asia. The noise and colour from an over populated Istanbul are completely contradicted by the sublime tranquility of Iznik, situated on a beautiful lake. Don’t get me wrong! Istanbul is remarkable; it’s an exciting place and certainly, any journey to this region should at least include one-day sight seeing around the old town. The Fire Tower, the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Grand Bazaar and Sultanhamet Square; believe me, there is no shortage of things to do.

Located in Bursa, on the banks of Lake Iznik, Caner Odabasoglu and his team have worked tirelessly to make the Iznik Races not only the premier event in Turkey but also with the 130km race, they also have the longest single stage race in the whole of the country.

Running and particularly, Ultra running is not a big sport in this region, to that end, Caner with the help of the Iznik community have continually worked hard to put the races and the local community on the running map.

Using the Iznik Lake as a backdrop, all the races utilize the local terrain to not only provide a beautiful course but also a challenging course. All the elevation comes in the first 80 km’s, so, the marathon and the shorter ultra are very much about going up and down on trails that vary from single-track to wide rutted farm roads. From the town of Soloz (appx 67km) the course flattens and follows the Iznik Lake in a circular route tracing the perimeter to arrive back at the start some 130 km’s later.

Jo Meek (Scott Running) fresh from a victory at The Coastal Challenge multi-day race in Costa Rica has been eagerly awaiting this trip, “I have been to Turkey before but only the touristic bits so travelling to Turkey this time to run through the areas I wouldn’t otherwise see holds a lot of appeal. See the culture as I experience the highs and lows of the countryside is a privilege anywhere but especially as a guest in a foreign country.”

Tracy Dean – inov-8

Jo is right, racing in Turkey is a great opportunity to combine so many different elements, of course the opportunity to test oneself against new competition but also to see a new place and explore a new culture, “Iznik has a wonderful history. The Aphasia Mosque amongst others for example intrigues me and it will be amazing to see the architecture of the Hoffman period. I am interested in seeing the tiles that Iznik has a reputation for producing. The main attraction though… food, ha ha to have Turkish delight and fish kebab will be a real treat, just not both on the same dish.” Explained Tracy Dean (inov-8).

Marcus Scotney – Montane

Marcus Scotney (Montane) recently won the ‘Challenger’ race at The Spine in the UK, “I wasn’t aware of an ultra scene in Turkey, I hadn’t looked into opportunities until I heard about the Iznik ultra. I’m sure the competition will be very tough, especially from local people who will know the route and what the trails are like.”

Robbie Britton – inov-8

Robbie Britton (inov-8) backs this up, “I’ve met a couple of Turkish ultra runners in the UK but I didn’t know much about the scene in Turkey itself. I like competition so hopefully there will be a few guys to enjoy the hills with and we can push each other along.“

Robbie has a reputation for running long and fast, he has represented GB at the 24-hour distance, however, in Iznik he will race the shorter (but hillier) marathon race, “I’m racing the marathon distance this time, a little shorter than usual but it looks like a tough event! The ups and downs look very similar to the profile at Transvulcania on the island of La Palma so I see it as a good chance to race some tough ascents and fly down some steep downhill’s!”

Stu Air – Ronda dels Cims

Stu Air (Scott Running) equally has gained a reputation for racing tough, technical and long events; in 2013 Stu had great results at Ronda dels Cims in Andorra and the tough Tor des Geants. Fresh from a top-10 placing at MSIG50 in Hong Kong, Stu too has chosen the marathon distance race, “I have chosen the Mountain Marathon 42km course, as I feel that this distance will help me focus on my weakness (speed) over some of the longer races. I have several races in 2014 which are 100-miles. Transvulcania (80km) on the island of La Palma is a few weeks after Iznik too, so I thought this race would be perfect to help me in preparation for this longer race.”

Caner and the team

Caner Odabasoglu and the MCR Racesetter Team are passionate ultra runners and have devoted an incredible amount of time, energy and money in creating a stunning weekend of racing on the shores of Iznik Lake. Dedicated to the cause, the 2013 edition will be bigger, better and potentially faster across all three key race distances… watch this space, the Brits are coming!

Race website: HERE

Follow the race at: iancorless.com and on Twitter @talkultra

Athlete race calendars 2104:

Jo Meek – Iznik Ultra, Comrades (South Africa) and Lakeland 50 (UK) Trail Running Championships.
Tracy Dean – Iznik Ultra and Lakeland 50 (UK) Trail Running Championships.
Marcus Scotney – Iznik Ultra, British 100km Championships and Ultra Tour of the Peak District (UK).
Robbie Britton – Iznik Ultra and Skyrunning Transvulcania La Palma 80km (La Palma).
Stu Air – Iznik Ultra, Skyrunning Transvulcania La Palma 80km (La Palma), Hardrock 100 (USA), Skyrunning Kima Trophy 50km (Italy) and Diagonale des Fous 160km (Reunion Island).

Athlete sponsors:

inov-8 – HERE
Montane – HERE
Scott Running – HERE

The Mother – Salomon Running TV S03 E04

Posted on January 15, 2014 by talkultra

“Running to me is a way to keep happy…” Kasie Enman

Kasie Enman hails from the small town of Huntington, Vermont where she lives with her husband and family. She was World Mountain Running Champion in 2011 and had a string of podiums in the 2012 SkyRunning Series before falling pregnant with her second child.

In this episode we discover Kasie’s home and family life as she shares her thoughts and feelings on running during pregnancy.

**********

Another great film from Salomon Running and The African Attachment that shows us the importance of balance and passion.

Kasie Enman is not your normal runner! 2011 World Mountain Running Champion, Olympic Trials Team Member, 2012 winner of the Skyrunning Giir di Mont and 2:39 marathon runner (Marathon PB 2:37:14 set in 2008) just 9-months after her first child was born.

Kasie has said many times before that her priorities changed after the birth of her first child;

“I’m not the same person any more in terms of priorities. Running is no longer as important as it used to be and I have to work a lot harder at hanging on to my goals and not letting opportunities pass me by.” credit http://www.baa.org

Credits:

Music:
“That’s When I Knew” & “Birth”
By SignPost
Written for The African Attachment & SRTV
http://www.signpostsound.co.za

Snowdonia Marathon Eryri 2014

Posted on January 1, 2014 by talkultra

It is barely three months since the 2013 Snowdonia Marathon Eryri took place, and was hailed as one of the best races ever. However, such is the popularity of marathon running these days that entries for the 2014 event went live on at midnight on the 1^st of January with the organisers expecting to fill the race in record time, exceeding the 40 day record from 2013.

Race co-ordinator Jayne Lloyd has been at the head of organsing the race since 2004 and says that judging by the feedback from the 2013 event that the race could well be full inside those 40 days:

“2013 was incredible, as we now use online entry systems we could see the flow of entries coming in over January and February, it was pretty exciting to watch! Once again in 2014 runners were literally sat in front of their computers at midnight on New Years Eve waiting to enter and by midday on the 1st of January we have received nearly 700 entries.

We are seen as one of the premier marathons in the UK now, and demand for places is getting higher every year”.

Regarding the feedback which the race receives, Jayne continues:

“We are very proud of the praise that we get for the race, some of the comments received in 2013 were very humbling. People obviously see the race as their ‘event of the year’, creating holidays in the area around participating in the race, and come back year after year – that can only be a good thing for communities, sport in Wales and local business.”

Entries for the 2014 race opened on Wednesday Jan 1st at 00.01am and can be accessed by going to www.snowdoniamarathon.co.uk and clicking on ENTER THE RACE.

Tom Owens is back…

Posted on December 8, 2013 by talkultra

Salomon International athlete, Tom Owens is back… this weekend Tom raced in Tenerife at the K42 Canaries Anaga Marathon and took out the win!

Tom Owens Trofeo Kima 2012 ©iancorless.com

Tom had an incredible season in 2012 racing and placing at a very high level in the Skyrunning World Series. He was one of the few runners to give Kilian Jornet a race. You can read my interview with him HERE.

Tom and his followers had looked forward to 2013. We all expected an improvement and a move up a notch to another level. However, disaster struck and Tom has been out of racing for much of ’13’ and several months ago had an operation.

In his recovery Tom took to cycling but stuck to his ‘off-road’ roots and participated in cyclocross racing to maintain his fitness.

Tom’s participation in the K42 Anaga Marathon on the lagoon side of the island may very well be a relatively low-key return to racing, however, a victory is a victory and it’s a great sign that Tom will be back in 2014. To gain victory, he did have to beat some strong competition from Raul Camara (NB), Pablo Villa (Scott), Yeray Duran and Raul Burgos.

By 33km, Tom had a commanding lead and victory was almost guaranteed from second placed runner and 2012 victor, Raul Camara.

Tom Owens in 4:11:26
Raul Camara 4:15:58
David Joseph Lutzardo 4:23:34

In the ladies race, Buff athlete Emma Rocca was victorious in 4:55:07

Race website: http://www.k42anagamarathon.com

K42 series : http://www.k42series.com

MARMOT24™ – A NEW 24-HOUR MOUNTAIN MARATHON

Posted on November 21, 2013 by talkultra

The World’s first 24-hour mountain marathon, the inaugural Marmot24, will be held on the weekend 2nd and 3rd August 2014.

This exciting new event combines the very best elements of the predominantly British mountain marathon phenomenon with aspects of the more international, 24-hour rogaining events. With mountain running and navigation at the heart of the event competitors will have 24, 12 or 6-hours to visit as many checkpoints as possible on a score format course. With the 24-hour race starting at noon Saturday, the 12-hour race starting at midnight Saturday and the 6-hour race starting at 0600 on the Sunday morning, everyone will finish at 12 noon on the Sunday in an exciting and dramatic finale to a memorable weekend of racing.

©JonBrooke

Seven times OMM Elite winner, Steve Birkinshaw was quick to state that, “A non-stop 24-hour mountain marathon has been missing from the UK calendar, the Marmot24™ fill this gap. It sounds like a great event that I am really looking forward to competing in.”

©RobHowar

Race Director, Shane Ohly explained his thoughts about the new race, “I’ve actually been injured since August and this has given me some extra time – when I would normally be running – to think about concepts for events and as Steve Birkinshaw said, a 24-hour mountain marathon really was the missing piece in the current range of mountain marathon events in the UK. So, by this time next year, there will be high quality mountain marathon events each month from the Highlander in April through to the OMM in October. There will also be a great variety of events with the 3-day format Great Lakeland 3Day™, score format races like the RAB Mountain Marathon and even an overnight winter event with Marmot Dark Mountains each January.

Marmot24 will have a central event centre within the event area where all teams will start and finish. The location of the controls is such that competitors can choose to pass through the event centre during the race, with the two-person teams making the choice whether to rest, or eat, whilst the four-person teams can tag-in their team mates; swapping tired runners for fresh runners. The event centre will be a hub of activity with a large marquee, race control, retail shop, catering and camping for competitors and supporters. Supporters are actively encouraged and they can provide help for the competitors at the event centre.

©JonBrooke

With events like the Dragon’s Back Race™, the Great Lakeland 3Day™ and Marmot Dark Mountains™, Shane Ohly and his team from Ourea Event have been steadily building a reputation for delivering high quality mountain running events in recent years. This years 2013 OMM Elite winner, Nick Barrable, was happy to lend his endorsement, “Experienced race organiser Shane Ohly, always puts on a good show and I am sure that much fun will be had.”

Marmot UK Sales Director, Hugh Harris said, “After the great response to Marmot Dark Mountains™ (MDM), we wanted to extend Marmot’s support of mountain based events. MDM is brilliant, but it’s deliberately extreme and targeted at experienced, and seemingly masochistic participants! After working very successfully with Shane Ohly and his company Ourea, on MDM, we asked him to create a brand new summer event for us that would be open to a much broader range of participants. The result is Marmot24, and we’re really excited to be launching it this week.”

Key Event Information

Website: www.Marmot24.com

Date: 2nd & 3rd August 2014

Venue: Northern England

Entry: from £55

Courses: 24-hour, 12-hour and 6-hour

Epic Marathon Camps – Morocco

Posted on October 28, 2013 by talkultra

Another year will soon be over, it will be January and you will be feeling the effects of all those extra calories and you will realize that you are way behind with your training… yes, Spring is just around the corner and irrespective of your 2014 events distance, your are going to need to kick start your training and get in shape! What better way to get the ball rolling or should I say, the legs running than a week in Morocco.

Epic Marathon Camps are ideal for runners of all ability and provide the opportunity to train and learn with like-minded individuals in a fantastic location, close to Marrakesh, Morocco.

The foothills of the Atlas Mountains will become your playground. Alice Morrison and Charlie Shepherd will be your hosts for the week along with coaches, Holly Rush and Karl Zeiner.

Combining excellent facilities with superb views and a high level of comfort. The hotel for the week has two swimming pools, a spa, and numerous different areas in which to exercise or relax. The venue’s style and philosophy fits perfectly; to offer a traditional Moroccan experience in comfort and style and with access to some superb scenery that is perfectly suited to physical training.

‘It’s quite simple, both Charlie and myself have entered the Marathon des Sables for 2014. Charlie has great experience of Morocco and has already coordinated multiple camps in the area, it seemed logical that we should extend our portfolio to a run specific camp,’ explained Alice.

Holly Rush is a TeamGB athlete and in 2013 placed 7^th lady at the highly competitive Comrades Ultra Marathon in South Africa. In addition to this, Holly won a Bronze medal at the World Mountain Marathon Championships.

Karl Zeiner recently placed 16^th overall at the ‘Ring of Fire’ in the UK and brings an extensive knowledge of marathon and ultra marathon training to the camp.

I asked Holly about her expectations of the camp and what participants can expect…

‘We are specifically targeting runners who want to get away from the January blues at home and get stuck into some focused, specific endurance training with like minded people in beautiful surroundings.’ Holly said with a look of eagerness on her face, ‘The January camps will be a great way to kick start the New Year with a possible eye on a spring marathon or ultra.’

Morocco is the ideal place to enjoy some winter sun without a long haul flight and yet once you arrive it will feel like you could be in another world. Participants will have the opportunity to train on a variety of surfaces, road, trail, sand and of course hills so every run can be different.

The camp can be as involved as each individual person requires. The team will offer plenty of easy running, all guided of course so that it’s possible to investigate the surroundings. Specific session will be mixed in to the week, threshold, marathon race pace, reps and hill repeats will keep everyone literally on there toes.

A unique selling point of EMC (Epic Marathon Camps) will be the magnificent location, high-end accommodation and facilities and of course the knowledgeable staff with quality training.

‘The camp will provide the perfect running experience allowing each and every person with one-to-one sessions with Holly and Karl.’ Explained Charlie. ‘It doesn’t stop there… days are based around running, core building, stretching and in the evenings lectures will be available about specific subjects to help progress each participants individual progression in the sport they love. Tired and aching bodies will be eased with in-house massage as required.’

Running is not only about miles, it is also about the food we eat and how we can enhance food choices so that we become efficient in every aspect of the sport. To that end, a nutritionist will be available for the whole week (a keen runner and cyclist herself) inspirational, balanced and incredible cuisine will be provided. You know you are on to a winner when the chef says, ‘I would never sacrifice taste for calories’.

Places are limited for the January training camps, January 11^th to 18^th/ January 19^th to 26^th.

The price for the all-inclusive week (transfers to-and-from the airport in Morocco, food, soft drinks, laundry and all services from the coaches) will be £1,495 for seven days (excl flights)

Please use the enquiry form below to receive a special £50 discount from the Epic Marathon Camps team.

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