South Africa’s Linda Doke is not only a very accomplished runner but a great journalist. Recently she has interviewed her favourite photographers and I made the cut for the latest feature.
“This week’s photographer is a personal favourite. Ian Corless is world renowned on the global trail running stage, and his work matches the calibre of the high class races he has photographed over the years. I’ll always have a soft spot for this crazy Englishman – I met him in 2012 when I ran the Sierre-Zinal Skymarathon in Switzerland. The race itself was a fantastic experience, but it was the following day in the mountains that I treasure the most from that trip: Ian and I went on a five hour run/hike up into the mountains above the tiny town of Zinal, and gazed upon the Glacier de Zinal, and an amphitheatre of snow-capped mountains – Zinalrothorn 4221m, Wellenkuppe 3903m, Ober Gabelhorn 4063m, Matterhorn 4476m, Pointe de Zinal 3789m and Dent Blanche 4357m. That day carved in my memory as having the most incredible backdrop to any hike I’ve ever done!”
Day 3 of the 2018 kicked off at 0530 this morning and what lay ahead was a tough and challenging day of hills, technical trail, waterfalls, long dusty and stony roads and relentless beach – all intensified by Costa Rican heat and humidity.
The early trails leaving Dominical Beach take the runners into 10km’s of technical river bed. It’s all rock hopping and slip sliding away on the wet and greasy surface.
Nuayaca Waterfall is no doubt the highlight of the day, if not the race. The runners arrive down a small trail and the cascade greets them, they pass through and climb up a winding trail. From here on in, the terrain varies from rainforest, dusty access roads and technical Trail before the beach arrives with approximately 10km to go.
Now, the heat is intense, and the runners are sandwich pressed between sand and sky.
A small technical forest section leads to the highway and then the final km’s are passed on the side of the road before turning down an access road to the beach. It’s a brutal day.
It may come as no surprise that Ragna Debats dictated the day and the pace in the ladies’ race. it’s fair to say, that Debats has lifted this race to a whole new level, her times surpass all that has gone before. So much so, she is lying 6th overall. Today she pushed and pushed and placed 6th on the stage and 1-hour 10-minutes ahead of 2016 TCC champion, Ester Alves. She is putting on a masterclass!
Ester Aves as usual ran a solid race finishing in 6:45 with Mirta Reaple 3rd in 7:06 closely followed by Suzanna Guadarrama in 7:12. The final positions for 2nd and 3rd could prove to be exciting with two tough days to come.
For the men, Neruda Cespedes was the first to the waterfall closely followed by Tom Evans and Hayden Hawks. By the time cp2 arrived, it was all change with Hawks, Evans joined by Timothy Olson and Marcus Scotney. They pushed through the downhill trails to the beach and Evans and Hawks pulled away from Olson and Scotney.
Olson then made a break in pursuit of the duo leaving Scotney alone n 4th place. Disaster struck whom Scotney missed a turn, losing time, he opens up the doorway for Jorge Paniagua, Erick Aguero, Neruda Cespedes and Ashur Youssefi to go ahead of him. It was a huge mistake and he would finally finish 9th on the stage in 5:43.
Evans and Hawks continued to mark each other at the front and despite several attempts to push ahead of each other, the duo finished in 4:54. Olson finished 3rd in 5:02 and Jorge Paniagua flew the Costa Rican flag in 4th!
Tomorrow’s stage is 37km from Coronado to Palmar Sur
Episode 146 of Talk Ultra brings you an interview with the amazing Courtney Dauwalter who won Run Rabbit Run and then just weeks later won Moab 200 (238 miles) outright! We also speak with rising trail and mountain runner Katie Kaars. Speedgoat co-hosts!
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Talk Ultra is now on Tunein – just another way to make the show available for those who prefer not to use iTunes – HERE You can download the Tunein APP HERE
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Talk Ultra needs your help!
We have set up a Patreon page and we are offering some great benefits for Patrons… you can even join us on the show! This is the easiest way to support Talk Ultra and help us continue to create!
Many thanks to our Patrons who have helped via PATREON
Patrick Reagan took the top slot over Zach Bitter and Brendan Davies placed 3rd, it was close under a super hot day – 13:01 (new CR and his debut 100) Zach ran 13:52 (he was previous course record holder) and 14:04 for Brendan. For the ladies’ Larisa Dannis made a comeback in 16:32, Dana Anderson ran 17:15 and Stacy Buckley 19:32.
The 100km even was won by Makai Clemons 8:32 and Caroline Boller (who has been on Talk Ultra) in 9:34.
DIAGONALE DES FOUS
Benoit Girondel ran 23:53 which is a very solid run on this tough course, Antoine Guillon 2nd and Guillaume Beauxis 3rd 24:26 and 25:09 respectively. Andrea Huser did it once again, this woman is the most prolific and consistent ultra runner in the world, I and nobody else knows how she does it. Quite incredible. Top slot in 26:34 which was way ahead of 2nd Emelie Lecomte and Marcelle Puy who ran 29:02 and 30:58. The UK’s Beth Pascall was 6th in 32:08.
Well, Walmsley did a Walmsley and dropped around 100km but there was other notable drops – Julien Chorier, Ludovic Pommeret and Xavier Thevenard didn’t start.
TEMPLIERS
Ruth Croft pulled off a huge victory ahead of Ida Nilsson and Emelie Forsberg, their times 7:27, 7:33 and 7:46. Fast! For the men, Sebastien Spehler, Nicolas Martin and Alex Nichols were crowned top-3 for the 76k race – 6:38, 6:43 and 6:49.
FULLY VK
A huge day for the VK with Philip Gotsch setting a new world record of 28:53 for the 1.9km 1000m course – ridiculous. Christel Dewalle won the ladies race in 35:10.
BIG BACKYARD ULTRA
Bonkers, bonkers, bonkers! Guillaume Calmettes was last man standing after 59-hours, 59-laps of the 4.16 mile loop. Harvey Lewis pushed it close but faltered in the latter stages. Total distance 245.44 miles!
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Interview with KATIE KAARS
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OTTER Trail Run South Africa
Christiaan Greyling and Meg Mackenzie both took top honours at South Africa’s iconic OTTER, their times 4:13 and 5:01
Moab 200 (we mentioned last show but another shout out!)
Courtney Dauwalter runs an incredible 57-hours and 52-minutes for an outright win for the 238-mile race, we caught up with her to hear all about it!
Please support Talk Ultra by becoming a Patron at www.patreon.com/talkultra and THANKS to all our Patrons who support us. Rand Haley and Simon Darmody get a mention on the show here for ‘Becoming 100k Runners’ with a high-tier Patronage.
Episode 145 of Talk Ultra brings you an interview with Jeff Browning who has been dominating the 100-mile racing scene with a string of highly placed finishes – but how? Jeff tells us the secrets of his success in a fascinating interview. We also speak with Mark Hammond who placed 3rd at Western States this year. We have the news and Speedgoat Karl is co-hosting
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Talk Ultra is now on Tunein – just another way to make the show available for those who prefer not to use iTunes – HERE You can download the Tunein APP HERE
Talk Ultra needs your help!
We have set up a Patreon page and we are offering some great benefits for Patrons… you can even join us on the show! This is the easiest way to support Talk Ultra and help us continue to create!
Many thanks to our Patrons who have helped via PATREON
Ne format for this year as alpinists took part as teams of two and they had to navigate. Lina and Sanna El Kott Helander won the ladies race and Dominic Trastoy and Lluis Sanvicente won the men’s, times 21:05 and 16:41 respectively.
Lakes in a Day UK
Katie Kaars smashed the ladies old CR in a new time of 10:46:29 for the 50-miles and bagged a £1000 bonus. She also placed 3rd overall.
For the men, Marcis Gubats took top honours in 10:18:39, Jack Casey 2nd in 10:43:49 and Nick Green 3rd man (4th overall) in 11:04:07.
Elizaveta Ershova and Liz Barker placed 2nd and 3rd ladies’ respectively in 11:52:54 and 12:50:31.
Marco De Gasperi took the top honours and the 2017 SWS title, a fitting reward for the Skyrunning legend who started the sport aged 16! Tove Alexandersson, an orienteer world champ, took the female victory in an impressive and committed finish that saw her collapse on the line covered in blood from numerous falls.
Jan Margarit and Stefan Knopf placed 2nd and 3rd and Michelle Maier and Ragna Debats took the podium slots for the ladies.
Sheila Aviles joined De Gasperi as the 2017 SWS champ for the Sky Classic distance.
The COMBINED title was won by Jonathan Albon and Maite Maiora.
Please support Talk Ultra by becoming a Patron at www.patreon.com/talkultra and THANKS to all our Patrons who support us. Rand Haley and Simon Darmody get a mention on the show here for ‘Becoming 100k Runners’ with a high-tier Patronage.
The 2017 UTMB was billed as the ‘best ever’ and as the weather finally improves in and around Chamonix, life returns to normal for us all and we have an opportunity to step back and look at how important this years race actually was.
I think it may well be a seminal edition and for many reasons.
Yes, I think this years race may well be a great influencer in the later developments not only of ultra-trail but more importantly the runners who participate.
The men’s race featured a known top-10 and I think it’s fair to say there were few surprises. Unlike in previous editions, the main contenders battled throughout and few dropped or faltered resulting in a super exciting edition of the race.
Francois D’Haene 19:01:32 – Francois is the best 100-mile mountain runner in the world. No question. Coming into the race, it was a coin toss if he or Kilian would win the race. I like everyone else went with Kilian – how can you bet against Kilian? But with reflection, Francois always should have been the hot-favourite for victory. He prepared meticulously for UTMB with victories in ‘warm-up’ races, he ran the UTMB route over 4-days with Salomon teammates and yes, he is the course record holder. He started at the front, closer than I had anticipated and he never relinquished a firm grasp of the race. Experience, fitness and endurance over the final third of the race saw him pull-away from Jim Walmsley and Kilian to confirm that he is the best in the world.
NO2
Kilian Jornet 19:16:38 – It’s tough being Kilian, so much pressure. But he shrugs it off on his own way… At the UTMB this year he interviewed runners on the start, filmed the start and continued to film over the opening miles. He surprised me by keeping with the front of the race, an unusual tactic for him. Maybe he thought that if he let Walmsley, D’Haene and the others go, he would never reel them back in. I expected Jornet to win, as did pretty much everyone else but a lack of running in 2017 and the early fast half of the race no doubt took its toll. He finished 2nd and that in itself is incredible, the fact he suffered so much is even more remarkable. He is an incredible ambassador and I know personally that he will be as happy with D’Haene’s victory as if it were his own. Let’s not forget he summited Everest twice in one week, won Hardrock 100 and won a fast Sierre-Zinal in the lead to UTMB.
NO3
Tim Tollefson 19:53:00 – Yep, Tollefson signifies why the 2017 UTMB is a seminal edition for US runners. He placed 3rd last-year and backed it up again with third this year. He started steady and let his experience, training and mental strength run a finely paced and well-judged race. It was impressive to follow how he meticulously worked his way through the race. With approximately 50km’s to go, he moved up into third and he remained in that place all the way to the line – impressive!
NO4 – Xavier Thevenard 20:03:14 – He’s won all the UTMB races (CCC, TDS, OCC and UTMB multiple times) and yes, of course, he was a favourite for the podium and or victory. Early on he raced with the front but I think he decided the pace was a little hot and he eased off. He knows how to run this loop though and experience counted. His fourth is no disappointment and confirms his ability over the 100-mile distance in the mountains.
NO5 – Jim Walmsley 20:11:38 – This was the seminal performance of the whole UTMB and yes, I have been vocal on Walmsley post his 2017 Western States. I have to say, he impressed the hell out of me at this year’s UTMB. He took the front as I and many expected but unlike Western, he understood the task at hand and who was behind him. A naturally fast runner, he obviously struggled to run slower but he restrained himself, often waiting for Jornet, D’Haene and others. I said before the race started that he would find the final 30% tough and he did. He is incredible over the 100km distance or running say 10-14 hours but beyond that is all new ground. From 100km he slowed and struggled dropping to seventh but then rallied to move back to fifth. This was THE learning curve that Walmsley needed and I am convinced that this IS the turning point in his 100-mile running career. He has already proven up to 100km he is incredible, now we will see him harness this learning curve not only in pacing and race management but also how to handle the mind games that this distance brings. I am convinced we will see Walmsley top UTMB and Western States podiums in years to come.
NO6 – Pau Capell 20:12:43 – He is a rising star of the sport, he has already had an incredible 2017 with a string of top-10 performances and now sixth at UTMB. He paced well-being a novice at the 100-mile distance but his Transgrancanaria run earlier this year no doubt helped. He was all set for fifth until a flying Walmsley found a late surge to grasp a place from him. A seminal performance.
NO7 – Dylan Bowman 20:19:48 – D’Bo nailed his first UTMB finish and confirms that the USA are finally understanding mountain running in Europe and in particular UTMB. I remember a few years back when he finished Transgrancanaria and he was blown away by how difficult and fast that race was. He’s slowly plugged away and learnt the craft.
NO8 – Gediminas Grinius 21:24:19 – He nails the 100-mile distance and his eighth place just proves how consistent he is. He will no doubt be disappointed with his placing after placing second last-year, but this year’s race was as stacked as stacked can be and this is a solid performance.
NO9 – Zach Miller 21:28:32 – Has been injured in 2017 and I think this no doubt impacted on his race and strategy. Last-year he ran off the front with what was either going to be a blazing victory or an incredible blow-up. It was the latter but he rallied for sixth. This year, he without doubt respected the distance but maybe he also realised he didn’t have the fitness and endurance to blaze a trail at the front. Either way, his 9th is solid, it confirms his ability for the distance and like Walmsley, he may well understand that a little patience will go a long way. A seminal performance.
NO10 – Jordi Gamito 21:44:31 – A revelation in 2017 and while I and others thought a solid race was possible, him rounding out the top-10 is a surprise. This will no doubt rally his enthusiasm and commitment for 2018 – a seminal performance.
NOTABLES:
The UK’s Damian Hall had an incredible race finishing 12th and top Brit. He only started racing a few years ago and he must be wishing he started earlier! David Laney was the USA’s prime contender for top-5 after two previous solid performances, he finished 14th. Other notable top-10 contenders such as Jeff Browning, Julien Chorier, Jason Schlarb, Tofol Castanyer, Sage Canaday and Miguel Heras all had mixed days. Most finished but Heras and Castanyer dropped. It is important to note that despite the weather and the high-level of competition, I consider the drop-out rate in the men’s race to be low.
Now we just need to wait one year to see how this year’s seminal race impacts on future editions.
Scenic by name and scenic by nature, the longest race of the 2017Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series took place yesterday amongst the majestic mountains of Switzerland. Amongst an awe-inspiring backdrop, views throughout the 113km route stretch far and wide – the Alps, Lake Maggiore, the Appennines and the Po Valley.
Starting at midnight, the early hours of the race were under complete darkness, however, clear skies and full moon provided a spectacular ambience that added to the still and mild temperatures.
A 500m climb kicks off the race to Goal Di Lago and then after just 14km or so, a relentless climb, with little rest follows to Capanna Monte Tamaro at 31.6km.
The arrival of dawn welcomed the runners and then the long push through the day starts – a shark tooth profile clearly showing how the 7400m of vertical gain will challenge the runners.
The high-point of the race came at Gazzirola 2116m (81km) and one could say it’s all downhill from here. The reality is far from the truth, the course continually goes up and down all the way to the finish line at 415m alt.
An allocated 32-hours to complete the race sounded generous, however, as the race unfolded, it would soon become clear to finish, let alone within the cut-off, would be a challenge.
The race was predicted to have a hot day, and yes, it was! Temperatures reached over 30deg in a relatively cloud free sky. It was clear from the start that German Stephan Hugenschmidt was going to be the one to beat. He opened a gap immediately after the midnight start, it would have been a lonely night but Matthias Dippacher was matching step-by-step.
Czech Marek Causidis pursued the duo and with just over a marathon covered, was trailing by 4-minutes as they climbed to Cuccheto at 1571m.
Benoit Guyot and Gael Droz followed together and then Gabriele Sborina just 1-minute later, the front runners all just spread over 30-minutes.
Lead lady and pre-race favourite Francesca Canepa, had lead the race from the start and had spent a lonely night. She arrived just outside the top-10 overall at the marathon mark with a 15-minute lead over 2nd lady Christiana Follador, also from Italy.
Helene Ogi had Follador in sight and Follador knew it, she repeatedly turned to check on the German runner. But Ogli was already looking tired under the strain of the relentless climbing.
Spain’s Laia Diez was in 4th but the strongest looking lady (besides Canepa) was Russian Yulia Baykova who caused a little confusion as she displayed a race number from one of the shorter races.
Over the following kilometers there was little change in the men’s race, with Hugenschmidt and Dippachern controlling the race, the only real point of note was the extent their lead. At the summit of Monte Boglia (with just over 10km to go) they had a 20-minute lead over Causidis and 30-minutes over Guyot who was now running alone in 4th pursued by Droz who was another 9-minutes back.
Canepa arrived at this marker over 2-hours after the lead men but her lead was strong. However, it was all change behind with Follador, Ogli and Diez all crumbling under the pressure of Baykova who had moved up into 2nd and looked strong.
Follador, Ogli and Diez had succumbed to the course and local favourite Denise Zimmermann filled the gap followed by Giuliana Arrigoni from Italy.
The finish line finally came 15-hours and 40-minutes after the start for Hugenschmidt and Dippacher – they crossed the line together, joint victors of a super tough race. Causidis held for 3rd, Guyot 4th and Droz 5th, their times 16:08:53, 16:20:04 and 16:27:35 respectively.
Canepa was first lady in 19:12:18 – yes, the race is that tough! Baykova placed a great 2nd in 19:43:05 and then Zimmermann, Arrigoni and Patricia Besomi placed 3rd, 4th and 5th in 20:46:48, 22:38:56 and 23:03:10.
A day of drama in Wales as 2015 champion and 2017 race leader Jim Mann, makes a navigational error and not only loses his strong and convincing lead, but also gives away an additional 30-minutes… needless to say, on the finish line he was less than pleased with his navigational prowess.
The day started at 0600 as much of the field started early to maximise the time available to be back in camp before the 2300 cut-off. Forecast was for clear skies and sun and a tough day.
The first control at Pau Craig had a 2-hour guide and many were finding the early climb to just under 700m a challenge. For the lead ladies, Sabrina Verjee and Carol Morgan arrived together – Caroline McIlroy having started earlier. The men arrived in dribs and drabs – Marcus Scotney getting an early start and then the other main contenders arriving closer together, Neil Talbot first, then Jez Bragg and then finally Jim Mann who appeared to be flying on the tough/ steep terrain.
Myndd Moel followed at 683m and a series of false peaks before dropping down to the first road crossing at Llanllwyda.
The ladies were running strong holding their respective places with Verjee and Morgan running together. Morgan no doubt looking to open up a gap on McIlroy – the duo were only 30+ seconds apart on general classification.
At Cadair Idris, Mann made his error – he navigated south off the course. Unfortunately he ran for many km’s before navigating back north only to go off course again and lose more time and distance.
Scotney, who loves to run, started to extend his lead and claw back the 90-minutes of Mann’s lead.
It was the end of the day when the damage was really starting to come clear. Scotney arrived at Pumlumon Fawr (the last control) looking strong, relaxed and focussed. He said, ‘I feel good!’ )n hearing the news that Mann had gone off course, he no doubt found some new gusto for the final downhill run to the line on good fast terrain. He crossed the line in 7:54:33.
When Mann finally arrived, he was a long way back and pushing hard. Of course it can be a little confusing as the duo did not start at the same time. Crossing the line in 9:30:43 – the true extent of the damage was finally confirmed, Scotney had taken the overall lead by approx 26-minutes, 24:25:02 to Mann’s 24:51:08 elapsed time.
Neil Talbott, Jez Bragg and Ken Sutor once again had strong and consistent days finishing 9:31:55, 9:36:35 and 9:34:30 respectively.
Sabrina Verjee and Carol Morgan pretty much shadowed each other for most of the day. In the latter stages Verjee looked hot and bothered with her effort in the strong hot sun – she crossed the line in 11:01:05 and retained the overall lead in 30:46 :13 elapsed.
Morgan finished in 11:07:46 with an elapsed time of 31:30:13 but the ladies story was all about McIlroy who finished in 11:06:52 and therefore consolidating her lead for 2nd with an elapsed time of 31:28:44.
The 2017 edition of the Iznik Ultra in Turkey took place just this last weekend. It was an unusually cold year with a constant chill in the air, especially for those runners starting at midnight undertaking the tough and challenging 140km distance. With five events on offer – 140km, 90km, 50km, 15km and a 5km run designed to engage the local community – Iznik Ultra weekend is very much a family experience.
Surrounded by eight countries, the Republic of Turkey is ideally located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and this therefore makes it a country of significant geographical importance. On arrival in Istanbul one is immediately aware of the countries Muslim population, literally a mosque is every two to three hundred meters apart. But despite recent news warning of danger on visiting Turkey – I see nothing of the threat. Relaxing in Istanbul, talking with the locals – everything to me appears normal and this is my fifth visit to this beautiful place.
It is what I love about the Iznik race, the ability to stopover in Istanbul and explore. The blue Mosque named because of its blue Ottoman tile interior dates back to 1609, the Fire Tower stands 85m tall on the skyline near the Grand Bazaar and was built in 1828 by Mahmud 11, the Hippodrome known better as Sultanahmet Square was built by the Roman Emperor Septimus Severus in 203AD and served as a meeting place for politicians, for chariot races, wrestling, boxing and other athletic activities and this arena could hold some 100,000 spectators. It’s possible to have a history lesson on foot.
Iznik situated on the Lake Iznik in the province of Bursa is a short ferry boat and 1-hour drive from the bustling noise and colour of Istanbul.
Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman influence has left several monuments for the tourist. The City Walls at 14,520 ft in circumference are used in the 2017 edition as a key feature of the 140km race. Coming after just 700m, under the illumination of artificial light, it provides an impressive spectacle.
An ancient theater, the Yenisehir Gate, St Sophia Cathedral (Orhan Ghazi Mosque) and the Green Mosque (Yesil Camil) named after the green tiles that adorn it.
Using the Lake as a backdrop, the 140km, 90km and 50km Iznik Ultra races basically cover part or the whole of the Lake as the race route weaving in and out of the mountains that surround the lake travelling in an anti-clockwise direction. It is in the last 60km’s of the 140km and 90km races and all of the 50km that includes tough climbs and quad breaking descents.
Turkey is not known for ultra running. Despite it’s geographical location, it’s history and the multi-cultural influences placed upon it, ultra is a sport for the few. But over the years the Iznik races have grown and that is reflected in the number of races on offer and the increased participation. This is all down to race director Caner Odabasoglu and his MCR Racesetter team.
Accommodating, friendly and warm, the Turkish people embrace a sport that they know little about and welcome the runners with open arms. The locals, who’s priority is working the land, finding food to put on the table in many ways look on, not quite understanding why people would run, for fun!
Predominately trail, less than 20% of the course is road and these sections are purely used as a transition from one section of trail to the next. A course with demanding terrain, stunning views and quiet, small and un-spoilt villages. Terrain underfoot at times is rocky, rutted, muddy and often slippery. The climbs are tough and demand pacing, particularly if running the longer event is a real skill. Especially with some new sections added in 2016 that predicated a lengthy 10km road section.
In the 140km event, Elenena Polyakova, an ever-present in Iznik and racing in Turkey won the ladies race with a strong performance in what turned out to be very tough conditions after 17 hours – her time 20:22. Kemal Kukul dominated the men’s race with a course record 16:08. Full 140km results here.
Hasan Ozturk had a convincing 20+ minute lead in the 90km to take victory in 9:06. Aysen Sola won the ladies race in 10:22 and placed 5th overall. Full 90km results here.
In the 50km, Mehmet Aydingor took top honours in 4:57 with Asli Stercelik winning the ladies race in 6:20. Full 50km results here.
Turkey enlightens a natural curiosity in any adventurer with the wonderful Istanbul and Iznik by contrast, relaxes the mind and body with a kicked back and simplistic view on modern day life.
For this looking to combine the two, Turkey and the Iznik Ultra provide a great opportunity.
RESULTS for the 2017 edition of races available HERE
Born in ’74’, the Californian brand of Osprey has long provided a great example of innovation in backpack design. For me, Osprey packs have personified quality, great build, longevity. They offer an ‘All Mighty Guarantee’ and they will always prefer to repair products rather than replace them. Currently when waste is commonplace, this is a great USP!
From adventure treks, holidays, commuting, cycling, skiing snowboarding and summiting mountains, Osprey can be seen around the world. For 2017, Osprey will launch DURO – a series of products aimed at runners.
Three packs, DURO 15, DURO 6 and DURO 1.5 are available in s/m and m/l with two colour options, electric black and silver squall.
In addition, there will be 500ml and 250ml soft Flasks and a series of bladders that will work along the Osprey line of products.
We received the DURO 15, DURO 1.5 and the DURO HANDHELD in January and have been fortunate to test and try the products in multiple locations and scenarios. Day-to-day running in the UK, a 10-day training camp in Lanzarote and working and racing in Costa Rica at the multi-day The Coastal Challenge.
REVIEW
Let’s be clear, launching any running pack in a saturated market is brave. There is no shortage of choice out there, so, any new product really does need to offer something new and different, or, it needs to offer what is available in other products but it needs to do it better!
The DURO 15 is rich on features and comes in two sizes, S/M and M/L. On the front, the pack is classic ‘vest’ fitting with two bottle pockets occupying the left and right sides. Supplied are two 500ml soft flasks with straws that allow drinking on-the-go with no need to remove the bottles. On the left outer front is a zipper pocket that would take an iPhone 7 Plus (reference for size), cash, cards or other items. On the outside is a small open topped stretch pocket for snacks/ gels etc. The right-hand side has just the open topped stretch pocket. Fastening between the left and right sides comes from two straps with a unique fastening system that really works. Also, easy to open and close with gloves on. There are six adjustment points for a snug fit.
Unlike many vests, the DURO 15 has a waist belt which provides a zipper pocket on either side. These pockets are spacious and can hold substantial snacks or even essentials such as windproof, hat and gloves. I like this! For me, the waist belt provides added comfort and stops any swing or bounce from the rear.
The rear of the pack is where all the storage comes and sitting closest to ones back is a large zippered pocket that holds a 2.5ltr bladder. Remove the bladder and you have more storage.
The next pocket is also zippered and is small with two mesh pockets inside. This is designed for smaller items such as wallet, phone, keys, gps, camera etc. It’s not waterproof so a small dry bag would be required.
The third pocket also zippered and is the main storage area and you will have no problem adding a jacket, trousers, gloves, hat, base layer and so on. It’s roomy.
Storage doesn’t stop here. On the last zippered pocket is an open-topped stretch pocket with male/female buckles that provides a great place to add say a jacket that may be needed and then not needed. It’s not the type of pocket that can be accessed without removing the pack but it’s a great storage space and extremely flexible that adapts to the contents
Finally, on the rear right and left are two zipper pockets that can be accessed with a little dexterity without removing the pack. These are also a stretch fabric and they are very roomy.
On the outside rear is a loop for a light attachment and there are also two straps, left and right, that will allow you to pull the pack tighter and closer to your torso.
Like I said, this pack is full of features. One could say it’s an Osprey trademark but all the features come with a weight penalty. One thing is for sure, this pack will last and last and you won’t be struggling to store things… a downside may be that you can’t find them after?
IN USE
It fits like a glove. I absolutely love the feel of this pack against my body and the big difference for me is the waist belt. It just adds some additional comfort and security. It also adds two great pockets. The chest straps work a treat to get a comfortable and secure fit and the adjustment from the waist and two lower left and right side straps really allows me to get the pack close and snug. It’s a winner.
It’s possible to reach around to the rear of the pack and access the two lower zipper pockets. These pockets are ideal for food and items such as a lightweight jacket, gloves, hat, buff and so on.
The other pockets on the rear can only be accessed by removing the pack. If using a bladder, the feed pipe comes from the rear and neatly comes to the front and the mouth piece is held in place by a magnet.
This pack will take loads of kit and space is not a problem. Fully loaded, the pack is snug and secure and whilst running it’s possible to have the pack snug against the body with little or no bounce. Importantly, it’s possible to adjust how tight or how lose the pack is whilst running. This is important, as you remove contents or drink the contents of the bladder.
Padding in the pack is very good and it’s extremely comfortable against the body. In addition, bungee cords allow poles to be attached securely when not in use.
Quite simply, this is a great pack and the only downside is the weight in comparison to other brands and the reduced capacity of the two front soft flasks – it would be great if these pockets could hold 700-800ml flasks or bottles.
Niandi on the 15L
“The 15 is a good pack for trekking, fast packing, hiking and long races such as UTMB. On first impressions, I thought it may work for a self-sufficient event or multi-stage event like MDS, sadly not, you’d need more volume – 20/25L version would be great! Also, it is not the lightest of packs but it is very durable and extremely well made, it will take years of abuse and use. Although this pack takes 500ml soft flasks, I am not convinced by the 500ml soft flasks as they are not as easy to fill as bottles and bottles can be used in camp after to hydrate. On a pack with this capacity, I would like to see 700-800ml bottles up at the front. Great chest fastening system like the 1.5ml and loads of adjustment = No bounce! I like the fact it comes in two sizes, I had the S/M. The rear has loads of room and pockets and it would be perfect for a race like UTMB or an overnight mountain marathon. In Lanzarote, we did an overnight bivouac and I carried spare clothes, sleeping bag, sleeping mat and food and it worked well. The addition of a waist belt also helps to secure the pack against ones back and reduce any movement, it also adds 2 pockets for ‘on-the-go’ essentials around the waste – these are roomy pockets. Like the 1.5, this pack also takes a bladder and it comes supplied with a 2.5L. It’s not the lightest pack when one compares it to the competition but it’s full of features and a pack I will use time and time again.”
The DURO 1.5 echoes many of the features of its big brother but it’s a minimal and slimmed down version that is ideal for shorter races or races where mandatory kit requirements are minimal. The front of the pack is a copy of the DRURO 15 but and this is a big but, the large pockets only take 250ml soft flasks. It is possible to replace the soft flasks with hard bottles but be warned, not all bottles will fit. I had two OMM 500ml bottles which are narrow and they worked great. Two small open stretch pockets and one zipper pocket are the same as the Duro 15.
This pack has no waist belt and to clarify, it doesn’t need it as the overall contents and weight is considerably less than the DURO 15. The rear has two zipper pockets, the one closest to the back will hold a bladder – ideally 1.5ltr and if you don’t use a bladder, it is the main storage space with good capacity. The second zipper pocket is small and contains a key loop – it’s ideal for a camera, phone, wallet etc.
Lower down the pack are two open stretch pockets that can be accessed whilst wearing the pack. These are relatively small. You could get gloves and hat in one side and a windproof on the other side. Or you would use them for food and snacks.
Two pole attachments and two adjustment straps finish off the rear along with a web loop for a rear light attachment.
Like the DRURO 15 this pack fits well, is secure, comfortable and a pleasure to wear. Space is compromised but then again, it is a 1.5L pack. If you need more space, you’d use the DRURO 6 or DRURO 15.
It’s a pack that is ideal for fast and short races where aid stations would be regular and the requirement for mandatory kit is minimal. I think it would suit Skyrunning races, fell races, trail marathons or even ultras providing aid was regular – every 10km?
Niandi on the 1.5L
“The 1.5 was a good fit, great adjustment and the fastening system is easy to use and fast. Great for multi-day events when one is not self-sufficient and when one only needs to carry a minimum. You can put extras in the back pocket like a rain jacket, space blanket or some extra snacks. You can use it with or without a bladder Osprey 2L or 1.5L both fit. I preferred the latter as the 2L was a tight squeeze. I like the magnetic system on the drinking tube – no unnecessary flapping. The pack front pockets only fit 250ml soft flasks, this is a huge drawback for me and any other runner in my opinion. The need for 500ml minimum is essential. As things stand, one would either need very regular checkpoints to refill bottles or one would be forced to supplement with a bladder – I don’t like using bladders! I also think rigid bottles are a better option. I managed to buy 2 x 600ml plastic drinking water bottles which were slim enough to slide into the front pockets and these sat quite smugly. There are 2 little stash pockets on the front for carrying snacks and 2 stash pockets on the back too for snacks or other essential items. The ones on the back are not that easy to access while you are running, especially if you are on technical terrain. The sac is not great in terms of easy accessibility and capacity for snacks and energy bars. The back pocket is zipped too so you’d need to take it off to refill the bladder or access kit. There is a nice little zipped pocket on the left front pocket for putting a page from a road book, tissues, mobile phone or cash/ cards.”
Duro is a range of running packs designed to carry all you need for your preferred distance, including running waistpacks, hydration vest style packs and handheld solutions.
Episode 127 of Talk Ultra is here with an in-depth talk with coach Mario Fraioli and Stephanie Howe Violett who is back after injury, not only with a ladies’ win, but an outright victory at Bandera 100k and a slot for Western States. Niandi is going me as co-host.
00:01:28 Show Start
New Year and Talk Ultra needs your help!
We are five year’s old this January and as a show we are proud that we have produced a wealth of content for free. The show will always be free! However, demands on time, production costs, editing really impact on Talk Ultra, therefore, if you love the show please help us out. We have set up a Patreon page and we are offering some great benefits for Patrons… you can even join us on the show! This is the easiest way to support Talk Ultra and help us continue to create!
RUNNING BEYOND BOOK is travelling the world many thanks for the support in purchasing the book. You can get a signed copy HERE. We mentioned in the last show about Running Beyond Event which will take place 3, 4 and 5th March in London, plans are progressing for that… in addition, Niandi and myself will now be in Amsterdam on Feb 3rd, 4th and 5th for a Trails in Motion event and Running Beyond book signing with Mud Sweat and Trails and I will be also going to Sofia in Bulgaria on the 17th, 18th and 19th March for a trail, mountain and Skyrunning expo.
00:14:17 NEWS
Bandera 100K
Steph Howe Violett 9:08 chicken the field and earned a WSER slot, Camille Herron 9:29 was 2nd and Nicole Kalogeropoulus was 3rd 10:06
Justin Ricks was 1st male and 2nd overall in 9:13, Jeff Ball 9:21 and Joel Frost Tift 3rd in 9:33
I caught up with Stephanie to talk about her great return to form after a year of injury, operations and fractures.
Yanqiao Yun 9:35:11 2n Daniel Jung, 3rd Sage Canaday, 4th Didrik Hermansen, 5th Tim Tollefson
In the UK The Spine is underway just as the snow and ice arrived.
On the last show we had an interview with Caroline Boller and with a new year starting and many of you planning a racing year, I thought it would be a good idea to catch up with Caroline’s coach, Mario Fraioli, and find out his thoughts on how to approach training and planning.
IAN CORLESS 