The North Face Endurance Challenge, San Francisco, 50-mile Championships Preview (Ladies)

Posted on December 3, 2013 by talkultra

The North Face Endurance Challenge continues to cause a lack of sleep and the red eye continues with a look at the ladies field. Without doubt, just like the men’s field, we have a line up here to create enough excitement to continue on through the Christmas period and into the New Year.

Emelie Forsberg Ice-Trail Tarentaise ©iancorless.com

Emelie Forsberg returns and after the year she has had and in addition to being defending champion, how could we possibly not think that Emelie would not win this race! Emelie oozes talent and she’s one of the nicest people I know to boot. This makes the perfect trail running package. 2012 was a great year for Emelie; she burst onto the scene at Zegama-Aizkorri and then continued through ‘12’ going head-to-head with Anna Frost and Nuria Picas. To be honest, you could have no better peers to learn from and learn Emelie did. By the end of the year she had progressed to longer distance racing at Cavalls del Vent and then followed that up with a sublime performance at San Fran for not only the win but also the big bucks prize money! 2013 saw the progression continue and Emelie is now regarded as arguably one of the best ultra/ mountain runners in the world. Transvulcania La Palma, Zegama-Aizkorri, Trans D’Havet, UROC and most recently a 2^nd place in her first 100-miler at the super tough Raid de la Reunion (Diagonale des Fous). However, Emelie has not had it her own way in 2013. Twice she has been relegated by another star of the future, Stevie Kremer. Emelie post ‘Reunion’ was tired and quite rightly she removed her Salomon shoes and had a rest. Unfortunately she also picked up some illness which ultimately meant 20-days of no exercise. She recently got back on skis and other than the odd 30-minute run has done arguably no run training for the last 6-8 weeks. However, you can’t rule Emelie out in any race she enters, in addition, it looks like Emelie will have no other than Kilian Jornet on ‘pacing’ duty in this race. At least that is what she said last week… of course Kilian would need to agree and then decide if he can keep up with her!

Stephanie Howe UROC ©iancorless.com

~~Steph Howe~~ placed 2^nd behind Emelie at UROC and placed 2^nd behind Emelie at San Fran last year, without doubt, Stephanie would have been my hot tip for potential victory this year. However, this is all academic, word is on the TNF grapevine that Stephanie will not run. I have emailed Stephanie for a confirmation on this. From Stephanie: “Hi Ian, I’m not racing I’m taking a break to prepare for the 2014 season. I raced a lot this year and battled a lot of injuries. I want to give myself a break so I can kick butt next year.”

Cassie Scallon will push Emelie and everyone else in this race. Without doubt, Cassie is probably one of the best 50-mile female racers in the US at the moment. Anyone who can put 20+ minutes into Rory Bosio needs to be highly respected and elevated to ‘hot favourite’ status. Cassie hasn’t really excelled beyond 50-miles and I therefore wonder that even if Emelie is not her ‘best’ shape, she may well be able to pull on the power and experiences gained in some of her longer races and find that ‘extra’ that may just give her the win.

Rory Bosio TNFUTMB ©iancorless.com

Rory Bosio may well have pulled off female performance of the year after her incredible performance at TNFUTMB. Rory obliterated the ladies field and pretty much obliterated the men’s field. Her 7^th place overall is really quite ridiculous and therefore one has to assume that if Rory is in good shape a place on the podium is secure. However, Rory can run hot and cold. She told me in Chamonix that she is not competitive, that she just loves to run… I am not sure about that, I saw plenty of competitive grit in and around Mont-Blanc but I also witnessed someone having a blast! The 100-mile distance may well suit Rory more and of course, with such a great UTMB done and dusted, Rory may well be happy to represent her TNF sponsor and have a fun day on the trails.

Michele Yates UROC ©iancorless.com

If Michele Yates pulls off a win at TNFEC50 not only will she have had an incredible final 3-months of 2013 but she will also have topped the podium on prize money. Her win at Run Rabbit Run, 3^rd place at UROC and then of course possible win in San Fran could arguably provide $20K+ in rewards. That is serious money and just goes to show how the sport is moving. Ultimately though, Michele must be feeling a little tired and jaded. But hey, so are Emelie, Rory, Cassie and the rest… Michelle can win this race, no doubt.

Anna Frost La Palma ©iancorless.com

Anna Frost has had a tough year. The 2011 champion of San Francisco 50 when in form is unstoppable. However, 2013 has been a tough year for Frosty, she has been plagued by health issues and ultimately if Frosty makes the start line here and has a trouble free and unpressured run, that is a bonus. Recently she has spent 6-8 weeks in Morocco and Nepal with Lizzy Hawker. Although participating in races, she has had no pressure and the priority has been to enjoy the trails and find inner piece and health. I think she has found it. All emphasis and priority at San Francisco must be about preparation for 2014. Run well Frosty, we all want to see you back in 2014 with the strength, dominance and force of your 2012 Transvulcania La Palma performance.

My wild card is Magdalena Lewy-Boulet. Who you may ask? Well, Magdalena gained my attention earlier this year when she raced in Poland at the WMRA championships. She placed 11^th at that race but I don’t think that performance shows her potential. Magdalena is a 2:26 marathon runner and as far as I know, I don’t think any other lady in the San Fran field has a marathon time even close to this? In addition, Magdalena is a 2x Bronze medalist at the IAAF World Cross Country Champs (team comp). San Francisco may well provide the platform and the terrain to allow this Polish lady to let rip and cause some devastation. In a side note, Magdalena won the San Francisco Marathon in 2002. Watch this space!

Joelle Vaught has had a great 2013 season with a string of wins; Foothills 50k, McCall Trailrunning Classic 40m, Pocatello 50, Silver Plate 50 and Wilson Creek 50. A recent 2^nd place at Waldo 100k continues and confirms Joelle’s ability over the 50-60 mile distance. Joelle placed 13^th at San Francisco last year which arguably is a below par performance that may well be attributed to just a ‘bad day’ or the conditions did not suit her. I am pretty sure that based on recent form she will be looking to come back and improve on her previous best of 2^nd in 2009.

Aliza Lapierre with 3^rd and 6^th place at Western States in recent years has to be a contender for the crown in San Francisco. Aliza recently raced Vermont 50 and beat her old course record with a time of 7:01 so her form is good. Looking at her records, Aliza also has wins and CR’s at Bull Run 50, Stone Cat 50, Pineland Farms 50 and Bandera 100k in the last 3-years so the combination of distance and speed is going to suit her.

Finally, Ashley Arnold is the 2013 Leadville Champion and therefore gets a nod here. However, her 2013 results are sparse and on ultrasignup her only other result for this year is a win at White River 50m in 8:28. Your guess is as good as mine?

In a similar vein to the men’s field, although the top-3 is likely to come from one the ladies above, it is quite possible that one of the ladies below will pull something out of the bag and create a surprise

Keri Bruxvoort – 5^th at UROC and arguably she should be in the list above considering she won Run Rabbit Run 50m too.

Melanie Bos – second at Hurt 100 in 2013

Megan Kimmel – more a short distance runner with 2 victories in 2013

Catrin Jones – notable result in 2013 was 2^nd behind Steph Howe at Gorge waterfalls and a win at Squamish 50

So there you have it… if you missed the men’s preview, you can read it HERE

Who are your picks for the ladies and men’s race?
Who will surprise us?
Who will under perform?

The North Face Endurance Challenge, San Francisco, 50-mile Championships Preview (Men)

Posted on December 2, 2013 by talkultra

My head hurts… it’s December, what happened to the ‘off-season’. Not only do we no longer have an off-season but The North Face have arguably assembled one of the most competitive fields in the 2013 season. Way back in April I was writing about the ‘race of the year’. Of course, it was Transvulcania La Palma. This was followed by another ‘race of the year’, Western States. I then followed this with another race of the year, Zegama and so on… you get the picture! Ultra running and mountain running is booming and as such, we are all seeing the benefits, not only from a watching and a following perspective but also from a racer perspective. It is now possible to have several peaks in one year and TNF may very well have hit on a winning formula with such a competitive race in December. It’s late enough in the season to have recovered from recent previous efforts, such as UROC or Run Rabbit Run and equally far enough away from ‘key’ races in 2014 to allow for adequate RnR.

Okay, deep breath… here we go.

Miguel Heras TNFUTMB 2013 ©iancorless.com

Miguel Heras returns after winning the race in 2012. His time of 5:33 in lousy conditions confirmed his ability if any was needed. Having said that, Miguel is used to rough-n-tough weather and as such, may very well have excelled in the conditions over his US contemporaries. Also the 2012 race did have issues over course marking which did lead to several runners going astray. I take nothing away from Miguel, he is a class act and although 2013 has been a difficult season for him, his second place at TNFUTMB proves that he is back. He followed this with a quality performance at Cavalls del Vent so without doubt he is a contender for the win. However, this field is stacked.

Dakota Jones UROC 2013 ©iancorless.com

Dakota Jones is back racing and embracing the trails after a quiet start to 2013 and some escape in the mountains. In addition, Dakota became an ‘RD’ in 2013 which primarily caused him to miss TNFUTMB and refocus on UROC. That refocus nearly worked and certainly with 5-miles to go at UROC he looked as though he had the race in the bag. However, Rob Krar pulled something out of the bag and relegated Dakota to second that day. In fine form, Dakota departed for Japan to repeat his 2012 win at Hasetsune Cup, however, disaster struck and he had a tough day and a dnf. Without doubt, Dakota will be recovered and focused on winning at San Francisco. He will be looking for a repeat performance similar to San Juan Solstice 50m when he broke Matt Carpentar’s record.

Sage Canaday UROC ©iancorless.com

Sage Canaday will bring his speed to this race and along with Cameron Clayton and maybe, Max King. They will be out at the front pushing the pace. Sage has had a mixed 2013 in the sense that he has occasionally pushed and failed below his own demanding standards. His great runs at Tarawera, Transvulcania La Palma and Lake Sonoma may well fall into insignificance in Sage’s own mind as I feel he may well dwell on his performances at Sierre-Zinal and UROC. Don’t get me wrong; I am a big Sage fan. He has all the ability to go out and win San Fran but I just wonder what effect recent performances will have on his confidence. In real terms, caution may well prove a huge bonus allowing him to hold back early on and keep his powder dry for the final 30% were he can use all that natural speed and ability. Unfortunately Sage has Flu – will not start

Cameron Clayton Transvulcania ©iancorless.com

Cameron Clayton will be feeling somewhat inspired and motivated coming into San Fran after his 3^rd place at UROC behind Rob Krar and Dakota Jones. Cameron was 3^rd at this race last year and although he has had a full season, you can’t rule him out from pulling something special out of the bag for that $10,000 prize. His 2013 season has been fulfilled with top placing’s at Transvulcania and Lake Sonoma, however, he has had a few below par performances which I think ultimately were more due to a niggling foot and other health issues. All looks good now though.

Rob Krar UROC ©iancorless.com

Rob Krar, wow, what can we say about Rob that hasn’t already been said. Arguably, one of ‘THE’ ultra runners of the year after his rim-to-rim exploits, Western States run (his first 100) and then his incredible win at UROC. He raced just the other weekend at JFK50 and dropped leaving question marks in his own mind. However, the ‘drop’ may very well have just saved his legs and without doubt, don’t be surprised if he is on top of the podium at the end of the weekends festivities.

Timmy Olson TNFUTMB ©iancorless.com

Timmy Olson repeated his victory at Western States, always the sign of a true champion when you can go back to a race and do it again…! He raced at Tarawera and made the podium, he just missed the podium at Transvulcania and dug real deep at TNFUTMB. Surprisingly after such a tough TNFUTMB he then raced Run Rabbit Run on what must have been a tired body. He certainly has an autopilot but I can’t help but think this race will be all about fulfilling sponsorship requirements and showing face. Having said that, showing face will probably still result in a top-10 and should he get his race face on, don’t be surprised if Timmy gets a podium place.

Ryan Sandes Gran Canaria ©iancorless.com

Ryan Sandes has had ‘one of those years’ that he will be keen to get over! I was with Ryan in Gran Canaria in March, he was all fired up for an exciting season ahead and then injury hit forcing him to miss Western States. Healed, Ryan returned to Leadville in the hope of repeating his 2011 victory, however, injury reappeared. He has tackled some personal projects in South Africa and recently raced in Patagonia. Ryan will be looking to finish 2013 on a high and may just well go under the radar after a quiet year.

Max King La Palma ©iancorless.com

Max King has not had a repeat of his 2012 season. Winner of the 2012 JFK and UROC, Max was an unstoppable rollercoaster and along with sage Canaday was just on fire. In 2013 he had planned to mix things up and race at different distances and represent the USA in multiple disciplines, it didn’t go to plan and he has been plagued with an ankle problem. If he is recovered and inform, Max will be up at the helm with Cameron and Sage dropping fast minute miles an looking to be the last man standing at the end.

Alex Nichols Chamonix ©iancorless.com

Alex Nichols placed 5^th last year and will come to this race confident after a great 2013 season racing in the Skyrunning calendar. In particular, he has plenty of speed uphill and has improved his down hill speed. 2013 may well just be the year that he moves a couple of places higher on the podium.

Francois D’Haene UTMB ©iancorless.com

Francois D’Haene was last years 2^nd place, approximately 13-mins behind his Salomon teammate, Miguel Heras. Francois has raced less in 2013 due to the pressures of owning a vineyard, however, when he has raced, he has been in top form. His was 2^nd at Ice-Trail Tarentaise behind Kilian Jornet, he was joint winner at Mont-Blanc Marathon 80k Ultra with Michel Lanne and his recent dominance at the super tough Raid de la Reunion (Diagonale de Fous) means that his presence at San Fran surely means he is a podium contender. *Update “Finally my season ends sooner than expected …since my fall in Death Valley tuesday with a shock in the ribs I hope but I have finally abdicate … So I would support the team tomorrow.”

Michel Lanne Trofeo Kima ©iancorless.com

Michel Lanne is another consistent performer who may well do very well at this race. He had a great run with teammate Francois D’Haene at Mont-Blanc but then picked up an injury. In addition, he has also become a dad! December may well prove to be a great time of year; his life will have settled a little, he will be over his injury and without doubt he will be excited to race in the US.

Dylan Bowman UROC ©iancorless.com

My final hot tip for a podium place goes to Dylan Bowman. Dylan had a great Western States and turned up at TNFUTMB in the form of his life but had a freak training accident, which caused him to miss the race. He has a new coach and he is going to be looking to release some of that UTMB frustration.

So who else… it seems crazy that I am not writing about the names below in more depth. But I have previewed above who I think may well take out the top-3 slots

Mike Wolfe – was 11^th last year and set an incredible FKT this year with Hal he could win this race!.
Adam Campbell – 4^th last year and I may regret not adding him above?
Mike Foote – great 2013 UTMB but been quiet recently.
Hal Koerner – Think he will be on TNF duty.
Karl Meltzer – Karl says he has no chance in such a fast and ‘short’ field. If it were a 100-miles he would be listed above.
Matt Flaherty – another who should maybe be above but he was 2^nd at JFK just a week ago, maybe a little tired?.
Mike Wardian – anything can happen…. Mike is an unpredictable phenomenon.
David Riddle – may or may not race with injury?
Gary Gellin – 9^th last year.
Ryan Ghelfi – 5^th at UROC and I may regret not adding him above too.
Rickey Gates – mixed 2013 but always a contender.
Jorge Maravilla – top 20 in 2012.
Martin Gaffuri – great season on the Skyrunning calendar.
And finally, Greg Vollet who continues to amaze and surprise every time he races.

So, there you have it. A super stacked crazy race to end the year, the top-3 are any bodies guess. I have tried to provide a little insight but just don’t be surprised if we see a completely unexpected performance and a surprise win.

Ladies preview HERE.

IMAGES book now available

Posted on November 30, 2013 by talkultra

I am pleased to announce that my coffee table book, IMAGES is now available to order.

PREVIEW

Details:

Size: 10×8 inckes/ 25×20 cm’s
Format: Landscape
Pages: 68
Paper: High quality images printed on Premium Lustre paper
Cover: Hardcover with full colour images dust jacket
Foreword: by Emelie Forsberg (Salomon Running)

Availability:

Book : £50.00 (plus postage) full colour hard bound book with dust jacket, signed on request.

Postage costs:

UK £6.00
Europe £10.00
USA, Australia and Canada £15.00

eBook : £15.99 available for iPad ORDER HERE

Hints n Tips:

The ebook IMAGES by Ian Corless is also available for download. Here’s how to get this ebook onto your iOS device:

Order HERE and then open the email you receive on your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch.
If you do not have the free Apple iBooks app you’ll need to install it before downloading your book.
Follow this link to get the book: YOU WILL BE SENT A LINK
(This link will expire in 48 hours, after which you will be prompted to log in)
Safari will open and begin downloading the ebook to your device.
When the download is complete, you will be given the option to ‘Open in iBooks’. Tap this button once.
iBooks will launch, im port the ebook, and then open it for viewing.

A few notes for a smoother experience…

Connect to Wi-Fi: Image-rich ebooks can be quite large, so downloading and importing them to iBooks can take several minutes.
Be patient: Very little feedback is given while iBooks is opening the file, so you may want to check your device after a few minutes.
Make room: Make sure you have enough free space on your device or the download may fail.
Can’t find your book? In iBooks, make sure you’re viewing the ‘Books’ collection and not the ‘PDFs’ collection. To switch views, just tap the ‘Collections’ button in your iBooks library.

PDF : £12.00 a high-resolution full colour PDF available for computer viewing in Adobe or similar software. (You will receive a download link after your payment has cleared)

Races included in the book:

Trofeo Kima
Templiers
The Coastal Challenge
The Causeway Crossing
Transvulcania La Palma
Zegama-Aizkorri
Haria Extreme
Ronda dels Cims
Mont-Blanc Marathon
Ice Trail Tarentaise
Dolomites VK & Skyrace
Trans D’Havet
Matterhorn Ultraks
TNFUTMB
Grand to Grand
UROC
MDS
and Everest Trail Race.

Ordering:

Books are available to order with an estimated 12-day turnaround. It is possible to pay a premium for 5-7 day turnaround (price £15.00).

Please complete the order form below. Please ensure that you tick the appropriate boxes. However, you may order the eBook via a direct link HERE

Once ordered, you will receive a Paypal invoice and an email confirmation.

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

IMAGES – Coffee Table Photo Book

Posted on November 25, 2013 by talkultra

I am pleased to announce that my coffee table book, IMAGES is now available to order.

Details:

Size: 10×8 inckes/ 25×20 cm’s
Format: Landscape
Pages: 68
Paper: High quality images printed on Premium Lustre paper
Cover: Hardcover with full colour images dust jacket
Foreward: by Emelie Forsberg (Salomon Running)

Availability:

Book : £50.00 (plus postage) full colour hard bound book with dust jacket, signed on request.

eBook : £15.99 available for iPad – direct purchase HERE

Hints n Tips:

The ebook IMAGES by Ian Corless is available for download. Here’s how to get this ebook onto your iOS device:

Open this email on your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch.
If you do not have the free Apple iBooks app you’ll need to install it before downloading your book.
Follow this link to get the book: YOU WILL BE SENT A LINK
(This link will expire in 48 hours, after which you will be prompted to log in)
Safari will open and begin downloading the ebook to your device.
When the download is complete, you will be given the option to ‘Open in iBooks’. Tap this button once.
iBooks will launch, im port the ebook, and then open it for viewing.

A few notes for a smoother experience…

Connect to Wi-Fi: Image-rich ebooks can be quite large, so downloading and importing them to iBooks can take several minutes.
Be patient: Very little feedback is given while iBooks is opening the file, so you may want to check your device after a few minutes.
Make room: Make sure you have enough free space on your device or the download may fail.
Can’t find your book? In iBooks, make sure you’re viewing the ‘Books’ collection and not the ‘PDFs’ collection. To switch views, just tap the ‘Collections’ button in your iBooks library.

PDF : £12.00 a high-resolution full colour PDF available for computer viewing in Adobe or similar software

Races included in the book:

Trofeo Kima, Templiers, The Coastal Challenge, The Causeway Crossing, Transvulcania La Palma, Zegama-Aizkorri, Haria Extreme, Ronda dels Cims, Mont-Blanc Marathon, Ice Trail Tarentaise, Dolomites VK & Skyrace, Trans D’Havet, Matterhorn Ultraks, TNFUTMB, Grand to Grand, UROC, MDS and Everest Trail Race.

Ordering:

Books are available to order with an estimated 12-day turnaround.

Ultrarunners – Hitler has a rant!

Posted on November 23, 2013 by talkultra

Once again, the ‘Hitler’ series of video’s excels with a very funny look at Ultra Running. Worryingly, I see plenty of truth in this short clip…

©bwelb

Mud, Sweat & Tears – Nepal & ETR

Posted on November 19, 2013 by talkultra

You can read the complete article on Mud, Sweat & Tears HERE

Salomon Skyrun in South Africa faces extreme conditions

Posted on November 18, 2013 by talkultra

Lady Grey, the start of the 2013 Salomon Skyrun powered by Red Bull, was ravaged by some of the worst weather seen in the 16 year history of this extreme race. Testing from the begining with monsoon conditions greeting the runners at the 4am start on Saturday morning, fierce winds gusting up to 80km/hour were the order of the day as rain and low cloud cover made visibility very poor. The runners were battered by these conditions throughout the day, as the temperatures plummeted and the terrain became very tricky for both athletes and marshals. The very real risk of sever hypothermia and exposure to the brutal elements, left event organisers with no other option but to shorten the race. Always a difficult decision however the safety of runners was top priority. The Salomon Skyrun is an extreme mountain challenge at the best of times but when conditions are as hard as during this year’s race, the need to carry all compulsory equipment as well as a solid event organisation are critical to ensure that all athletes come off the mountain safely. “This year’s race will be spoken about for many years to come by all who were at the Salomon Skyrun 2013 and can only add to the reputation that makes this race one of the toughest ultra-mountain runs in South Africa, if not the world” said Race Director Adrian Saffy.

The Skyrun Lite remained unaffected by the decision and all athletes that reached Balloch completed the race in its entirety. The Skyrun Lite was won by Chris Cronje, with Murray Sanders in 2^nd place and Justin Short in 3^rd. The Ladies Lite was won by Laura O’ Donoghue, with Taryn Mc Donald in 2^nd and Janneke Laesk in 3^rd.

Iain Don-Wauchope took 1^st position in the shortened Men’s full route, with Hylton Dunn in 2^nd and Steven Erasmus in 3^rd. The runners will however have to wait another year in order to take a crack at 2012 winner Ryan Sandes’ lightening quick record of 12hrs36min. Salomon sponsored Sandes did not compete in this year’s event as he will be racing in The San Francisco 50 Miler at the beginning of December. In the ladies race, 1^st place in the full route went to Annemien Ganzevoort, with 2^nd going to Su Don- Wauchope and 3^rd to Tatum Prins.

There is no doubt that athletes will look back on this year’s running of the legend that has become the Salomon Skyrun with a mixture of frustration, relief and respect as so well put by AJ Calitz “ I was humbled by the route, weather and our Maker….felt pretty small out there in the mountains. The fact that everyone is safe is testimony to Pure Adventures incredible team. Well done Mike and Adrian, your team and the mountain rescue crews. 2013 is a year I will never forget…all the athletes are truly bound together by this EPIC experience. See you in 2014.”

For full results and pictures please visit www.skyrun.co.za

Images ©kelvintrautman

Results:

Men’s 100km

Iain Don-Wauchope
Hylton Dunn
Steven Erasmus

Ladies 100km

Annemien Ganzevoort
Su Don- Wauchope
Tatum Prins

Lite Men’s:

Chris Cronje
Murray Sanders
Justin Short

Ladies Lite:

Laura O’ Donoghue
Taryn Mc Donald
Janneke Laesk

Scott Jurek Interview – Sport-Magazine.co.uk

Posted on November 18, 2013 by talkultra

Image ©iancorless.com

You can read the article HERE

Episode 48 – Jones, Maciel, Sleuyter, Lupton

Posted on November 16, 2013 by talkultra

Episode 48 of Talk Ultra brings you sounds and interviews from Nepal and we have an interview with ladies winner and 2^nd place overall, Fernanda Maciel. We have an interview with Dakota Jones and we catch up with Anna Lupton and discuss fell racing and Skyrunning. Recently, Steven Sleuyter placed 2^nd overall at the Grand to Grand ultra and we discuss his racing and how he plans and prepares for multi stage racing. We have the news, a blog, up and coming races and speedgoat Karl!

Nepal, such an amazing place and what an experience.

I went out on a sightseeing tour and here our tour guide, Prackasa provides an insight.

INTERVIEW with Tour Guide Prackasa

Leaving Kathmandu and heading to the start in JIRI was quite an epic journey, It involved a long journey on twisting winding roads that lasted 7-hours plus. When we arrived I spoke with Brit, Lynden Kemp.

INTERVIEW – Lynden Kemp

With the race underway I had so many remarkable experiences. Being a photographer in this environment is a dream come true.

While I was out on the trails I constantly came across animails, farms, sherpa’s, porters and children, in particular while descending from 4070m at Pikey Peak I came across three boys carrying huge baskets on their backs supported by the Nepalese head strap. They joined me for the descent and sand a song for me.

AUDIO – Children singing on the descent from Pikey Peak

The race ultimately was about Upendra Sunuwar who dominated the men’s race and Fernanda Maciel who not only dominated the ladies race but placed 2^nd overall.

INTERVIEW – I caught up with Fernanda Maciel when we arrived back in Kathmandu and you can listen to her thoughts and experiences of racing in Nepal.

On the last day of our trip, I was involved in a charity event with Fernanda Maciel. Running through the streets of Kathmandu we were joined by children from the Kalaish Children’s Home. This was an event created by Fernanda with the sole purpose of providing aid to children who are from poor or deprived homes. It was a wonderful way to end a trip and extremely rewarding.

The Everest Trail Race, Nepal and the Himalayas have been an incredible experience. The terrain and altitude provides a tough challenge but the rewards are high. It really is a place and a race experience I can’t recommend enough. You don’t have to be a great runner to take part but you do need to be fit!

Nepal has been quite an enlightening experience from so many aspects. I have written a daily post on my website – iancorless.com and I have provided links to all my images if you are interested.

IMAGES HERE

DAILY POSTS: HERE

Moving from one stage race to another, I caught up with Steven Sleuyter after his 2^nd place at the Grand to Grand multi day ultra. Here we discuss his racing, training and how he prepares.

INTERVIEW Steven Sleuyter

NEWS

Pinhoti 100

Jason Lantz 17:44:24
Evan Cestari 18:00:15
Jonathan Allen 18:13:55

Megan Rieger 21:22:39
Kristina Pattison 21:57:57
Dava Overton 22:15:32

Everest Trail Race

Men:

Upendra Sunwar 20:29:46
Lluis Puig 26:42:24
Francisco Salas 26:42:24

Women:

Fernanda Maciel 26:00:29 (and 2nd overall)
Yangdi Lama Sherpa 29:10:00
Shiri Leventhall 30:37:52

BLOGS

Sabrina Redden – http://sevenwildandfree.com/2013/10/09/721/

“As you can see, I’m far from being ready to be 30. Does this mean I get to push it back until I’m ready? I say yes! I think 30 is just jealous that I got called Teagan’s sister the other day and someone assumed I went to the kids school when I had my backpack on the other day.

So 30, suck it! I may have to say I’m “30″, but I refuse to grow up!”

Interview – Anna Lupton

TALK TRAINING – Trevor Prior talks to us about feet.

INTERVIEW

Dakota Jones has had a relatively quiet 2013, however, when he has run he has been on top form. Here we discuss his thoughts and plans for the future.

RACES

Antartica

Antarctic Ice 100k | 100 kilometers | November 20, 2013 | website

Australia

Queensland

Beerwah at Night – 50 km | 51 kilometers | November 16, 2013 | website

Victoria

30/50 Challenge – 50 km | 50 kilometers | November 16, 2013 | website

Upstream 50km Challenge | 50 kilometers | November 16, 2013 | website

Cambodia

Cambodia – The Ancient Khmer Path | 220 kilometers | November 29, 2013 | website

Costa Rica

Transtica Costa Rica’c-venture – Course Aventure | 120 kilometers | November 20, 2013 | website

Transtica Costa Rica’c-venture – Course Extrême | 195 kilometers | November 20, 2013 | website

Ultra Marathon: La Ruta de los Conquistadores | 100 kilometers | November 16, 2013 | website

Egypt

100 Km Pharonic Race | 100 kilometers | November 22, 2013 | website

France

Haute-Loire

Raid nocturne Le Puy-Firminy | 68 kilometers | November 17, 2013 | website

Nord

Trail Extrème Lillois – 75 km | 75 kilometers | November 17, 2013 | website

Germany

Lower Saxony

1. Lauf PSV Winterlaufserie 100 KM | 100 kilometers | November 23, 2013 | website

1. Lauf PSV Winterlaufserie 50 KM | 50 kilometers | November 23, 2013 | website

North Rhine-Westphalia

Niederrhein Ultra 100Km Nachtlauf | 100 kilometers | November 24, 2013 | website

Niederrhein Ultra 200 Km Nonstop Lauf | 200 kilometers | November 23, 2013 | website

Rhineland-Palatinate

Kleiner KoBoLT | 106 kilometers | November 23, 2013 | website

KoBoLT | 140 kilometers | November 23, 2013 | website

Jordan

Jordan Running Adventure Race – 190 km | 190 kilometers | November 24, 2013 | website

Jordan Running Adventure Race – 70 km | 70 kilometers | November 25, 2013 | website

Luxembourg

Trail Uewersauer | 50 kilometers | November 17, 2013 | website

Morocco

Trans 333 | 333 kilometers | November 15, 2013 | website

Namibia

Desert Ultra | 250 kilometers | November 15, 2013 | website

New Caledonia

Evolo Kura to Mount | 300 kilometers | November 29, 2013 | website

New Zealand

Kauri Ultra | 70 kilometers | November 23, 2013 | website

Molesworth Run | 84 kilometers | November 16, 2013 | website

Portugal

Trail AM | 60 kilometers | November 24, 2013 | website

Tunisia

Marathon des Oasis | 111 kilometers | November 18, 2013 | website

United Kingdom

Kent

Gatliff 50 km | 50 kilometers | November 24, 2013 | website

Powys

Beacons Ultra | 45 miles | November 16, 2013 | website

Swansea

Coastal Trail Series – Gower – Ultra | 34 miles | November 16, 2013 | website

USA

Alabama

Dizzy Fifties 40 Mile Trail Run | 40 miles | November 16, 2013 | website

Dizzy Fifties 50K Trail Run | 50 kilometers | November 16, 2013 | website

Dizzy Fifties 50 Mile Trail Run | 50 miles | November 16, 2013 | website

Arizona

Pass Mountain 50K | 50 kilometers | November 16, 2013 | website

California

Chimera 100K | 100 kilometers | November 16, 2013 | website

Chimera 100 Miles | 100 miles | November 16, 2013 | website

Mt. Tam Trail Run 50 km | 50 kilometers | November 16, 2013 | website

Santa Barbara Red Rock 50 Mile | 50 miles | November 23, 2013 | website

Spirit of the Rock 50M | 50 miles | November 23, 2013 | website

Spooner’s Cove 50 Km Trail Run | 50 kilometers | November 16, 2013 | website

Florida

Wild Sebastian 100 Fall Edition – 100 Miles | 100 miles | November 16, 2013 | website

Wild Sebastian 100 Fall Edition – 50 Miles | 50 miles | November 16, 2013 | website

Wild Sebastian 100 Fall Edition – 75 Miles | 75 miles | November 16, 2013 | website

Maryland

JFK 50 Mile | 50 miles | November 23, 2013 | website

Stone Mill 50 Mile Run | 50 miles | November 16, 2013 | website

Texas

Wild Hare 50K | 50 kilometers | November 16, 2013 | website

Wild Hare 50 Mile | 50 miles | November 16, 2013 | website

Washington

Doppler 50k | 50 kilometers | November 24, 2013 | website

Grand Ridge 50 K Trail Run | 50 kilometers | November 16, 2013 | website

CLOSE

LINKS:

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Website – talkultra.com

Everest Trail Race – Day 6 Race Stage 3 Jase Bhanjyang to Kharikola

Posted on November 11, 2013 by talkultra

Everest Trail Race – Day 6 Race Stage 3 Jase Bhanjyang to Kharikola

Image gallery and image sales available HERE

Oh boy, did it get cold last night! Of course, cold is relative, but -10 in a tent is pretty darn cold for this Brit boy. Needless to say, no matter how good your sleeping is/was, pretty much everyone slept in base layers and down jackets with either hoods up or hats and a ‘buff’ on.

I was comfortable, however, how do you keep your feet warm? I need to know the answer to that question.

A smiling Sherpa provided me with steaming mug of sweet black tea at 0500 to awake me. What a way to start the day. The sky was clear and although it was still well below freezing we all knew that hot and beautiful day was ahead of us.

I hiked out of camp to a near by summit and photographed the sun greet us with it’s warmth. By the time I returned, camp was back to life as Sherpa’s and porters prepared food, set up equipment and made ready for another long day.

Once again, it would be a split start, 0700 and 0800. Today’s stage had considerably less climbing than stage two, however, it had lots of descending, it may not hurt the lungs as much but it would certainly hurt the legs.

A short climb out of camp the runners would then descend to Jumbesi (CP1) at 2696m. This initial trail would see them running through a dense forest section.

No hiking on the trail for me today, we were helicoptered out and treated to a stunning ride with the 8000m peaks to our left. What an experience! Our arrival at Kharikhola was equally impressive. Nestled on top of the mountain was a beautiful Monastery (Pema Namding) and the finish line of stage 3.

Kharikhola is a main trekking route and in addition, it is a main route for supplies. It amazes me to watch children carry baskets literally as big as they are and for sure, probably twice the weight. Donkeys go up and down the trail all day carrying all sorts of supplies, from bottles of gas, water, corn, maize, beer, Coke, cigarettes and so on. You suddenly realize how life moves around in these mountains.

Sherpa’s arrive carrying packs that look as though it will be break their packs, behind them, a string of tourists with small packs and poles. No wonder the Nepalese make such great runners and mountain men. It’s a gift, a gift that Nepal provides them.

Back on the trail, not surprisingly, Upendra Sunwar was once again blazing a trail along this tough ETR route and Fernanda Maciel continued her dominance not only in the ladies race but a top-3 position overall.

After CP1 at Jumbesi, the runners crossed the Junbesi Khola river and climbed up to Phurteng at just over 3000m. Descending to CP2 at Lharpa another climb awaited. The race now had a familiar format; Upendra would lead the men by a considerable margin, followed by Andrea Schambeck (today he said he didn’t feel quite as good) Francisco Salas and Ismael Dris. Ismael had a tough day on stage 2 looking as though he may pass out at Pikey Peak but he somehow he held it together. Today though he took a fall and was complaining of leg issues. He was still up in the top-5 though.

For the ladies, Fernanda like Upendra would lead by a considerable margin, followed by Nepalese, Yangdi Lama Sherpa and American, Shiri Leventhal.

Leaving Taksindu La, the final long descent of the day, 3100m to 1500m in 10km. However, at the bottom the sting in the tail, a 4km climb from Jubhing to the Monastery finish at Kharikhola. I have seen and witnessed some very impressive race finishes in my time, but this one takes the crown. Incredible.

Upendra and Fernanda took out the respective stage wins and a detailed results listing will follow as and when available.

Stage 4 preview: Kharikhola to Llegada 27.5km

Departing the monastery a small descent awaits the runners of just 4km before a long tough climb to Kari La (CP1) at 2900m. From here the course goes up and down all around 2700/2800m for appx 10km before a very steep descent to CP2 at Surke (2200m). A continual climb to CP3 at Cheplung continues to the arrival at Phakding/ Llegaga.