The 2014 edition of the Skyrunning Zegama-Aizkorri starts today, Sunday 24th at 0900 in the town of Zegama.
Read my in-depth race preview HERE
Images and stories will be posted throughout the day (and afterwards) so please stay tuned to this website, @talkultra on Twitter and Facebook.
Alex Nichols will lead a powerful nine-man inov-8 team into battle at the opening race of the 2014 Skyrunner World Sky Series on Sunday.
As in 2013, the first race is Zegama, an iconic yet brutally fast and technical 42k (26 miles) event staged in the mountains of northern Spain.
With a total elevation gain of 2736m, Zegama is a beast of a course and takes no prisoners.
Last year, US-based Nichols suffered an injury early in the race and was forced to withdraw. Despite this, the 29-year-old still finished third in the series after recording several outstanding results in the races that followed Zegama.
Alex said: “I am definitely looking forward to some redemption after last year at Zegama.
“I think the competition this year could be the best it has ever been, so I am not going to take anyone in the field lightly.
“The course is so brutal that any weakness is magnified, and on a given day anything can happen to anyone. I will put myself in a spot to be competitive and see how the race unfolds from there
“Having a full skryrunning season now under my belt is certainly going to help me in dealing with the technical terrain that makes Zegama so famous.
“Going into the race this year I have far more confidence in my technical abilities than ever. Everything I have learned in the last 12 months will definitely be put to the test on Sunday.”
In preparation for the 2014 Skyrunner World Sky Series, Alex has been training and racing at altitude in Colorado.
He recently ran 3:13:37 to smash the 50k Greenland Trail Race course record and prior to that smoked the elite competition at the Moab Red Hot 55k.
Alex said: “I have won two fast 50k’s at altitude this year in preparation for the skyrunning season.
“It is difficult to find many races that are comparable to a true sky marathon, so I have instead focused on slightly longer distance races.
“Running 3:13 for 50k just three weeks ago was a very good sign of my fitness. I’m now looking forward to seeing how that will carry over to such a steep, technical race like Zegama.”
Alex will be joined on the start line by inov-8 team-mates Eirik Haugsnes (Norway), Pierre-Laurent Viguier (France), Oli Johnson, Chris Steele, Robbie Britton (all UK) and Aritz Egea, Jokin Lizeaga, Pau Bartolo (all Spain).
The Zegama course record of 3:54:18 is held by inov-8 athlete Rob Jebb, who set the fastest time nine years ago.
2014 Skyrunner World Sky Series races:
SPAIN: Maratòn Alpina Zegama-Aizkorri – 42km – Zegama – May 25
ITALY: Dolomites SkyRace® – 22km – Canazei – July 20
SWITZERLAND: Course de Sierre-Zinal – 31km – Valais – August 10
SWITZERLAND: Matterhorn Ultraks – 46km -Zermatt – August 23
ITALY: Limone Extreme SkyRace® – 23km – Limone sul Garda – October 11
Skyrunning at http://www.skyrunning.com
Kilan and Hernando copyright Ian Corless
The heat subsides on the island of La Palma, the waves continue to splash on the shoreline and a new week begins. It’s only 10-days since the incredibly successful, dramatic and exciting Skyrunning Transvulcania La Palma. But wait a minute, days away, the iconic mountain race, Zegama-Aizkorri kicks off. Ask anyone about ‘Zegama’ and they say, it’s ZEGAMA! Nothing more needs to be said… it’s a race that excites mountain runners like few other races do.
It’s a brutally fast and technical race that is not for the feint hearted. Located in a natural park, Aizkorri-Aratz, it brings respect and excitement to every mountain runner that toes the line.
Zegama this year may very well just be a classic in the making, we had fireworks at Transvulcania, but one look at this line-up and I think we may well have fireworks once again but this time on the proportions of a New Year’s Eve get together…
Kilian Jornet, Luis Alberto Hernando, Marco De Gasperi, Tom Owens and Pablo Villa illuminate a top-quality men’s field.
Emelie Forsberg, Maite Maiora, Stevie Kremer, Kasie Enman, Elisa Desco and Nuria Picas add no element of softness to the race line up, these ladies are as tough as nails and may well take down a few of the top ranked men.
So, what is going to happen on the trails and mountains of the Aizkorri-Aratz?
Tech specs:
A medium mountain route over the Aratz massif and the Sierra of Aizkorri, which includes the four highest peaks in the Basque Autonomous Region (Aratz – Aizkorri –Akategi and Aitxuri). Starting in the town of Zegama (296m) the race climbs up to the high point of Otzaurte (652m) and then follows a mountain pass and a route along paths and mountain tracks of great natural beauty. It combines forests with steep rocky slopes and high grazing land. It is very technical and with a high level of difficulty.
Date: 25th of May, 2014
Start and finish: Zegama ( guipúzcoa ) –09:00 start.
Total length: 42.195 km.
Control points: 14 Refreshment points: 13
Flying sprint: Aizkorri (22.58 km)
Accumulated height gain: 5.472 meters
Maximum altitude: 1.551m Aitxuri
Minimum altitude: 296m Zegama.
Technical percentage of course: 70% approx.
Climate: medium mountain, possibilities of intense heat, strong winds, fog or rain.
Time limit: 8 hours.
Closing time of check points: Click the button to see the control time
MEN
Kilian Jornet, Zegama 2013 ©iancorless.com
The men’s race is full of talent and like Transvulcania, a winner could come from any direction; are we due a surprise? However, based on the La Palma showdown, one has to conclude that Luis Alberto Hernando and Kilian Jornet are HOT favourites for the win.
Luis Alberto Hernando Zegama 2013 ©iancorless.com
Luis Alberto Hernando fulfilled a dream at La Palma and coming to Zegama he will either be immensely satisfied and looking for a victory loop or he will be fired up and ready for more… I’m going with the latter! He’s a fierce competitor and his powers of recovery post Transvulcania will be good. Zegama suits Luis and he only ‘just’ missed out on the win in 2013 by seconds, pushing Kilian Jornet all the way to the line.
Kilian Jornet Zegama 2013 ©iancorless.com
Kilian Jornet now has one race under his belt and all the competition will now know that his training is done… I joke, but Kilian usually only needs one race to loosen up and he is back in his stride. If we look at 2012, Kilian placed 3rd at Transvulcania and then just 1-week later dominated Zegama in atrocious conditions. For sure, Kilian doesn’t like heat and he will be hoping for cooler conditions come the weekend of the 24th. If he could choose, he would like rain, some snow and wind. If we get those conditions, Kilian will almost certainly be hot favourite. Should we get sun, heat and calm conditions, I think Kilian is still the hot favourite BUT it will be close, very close.
Marco De Gasperi Zegama 2013 ©iancorless.com
So close that Marco De Gasperi will almost certainly make Kilian and Luis potentially repeat the Zegama finish of 2013 or we may have a ‘replay’ of the Kilian and Marco sprint from the Dolomites Skyrace in 2013. One thing is for sure, the legend that is Marco De Gasperi will be pushing the Spaniard and the Catalan over every meter of this course and if he is not pushing them, he will be leading them. Marco keeps telling me that he is getting old but class is permanent and that class will shine in Zegama.
Tom Owens Transvulcania 2014 ©iancorless.com
Tom Owens had a superb Zegama in 2011 and 2012 and then disappeared in 2013 with injuries. However, Tom is back! A recent 2nd behind Ricky Lightfoot at the Three Peaks in the UK and a stunning 6th at Transvulcania, his first ultra, without doubt elevates Tom to hot and he will be looking for a podium place. For Tom to place 6th in an ultra and then drop down to his preferred distance, SKY, can only mean that he has an even greater chance of rocking the cart. His strong fell running background is a perfect fit for this race. Podium potential for sure.
Tadei Pivk Zegama 2013 ©iancorless.com
Tadei Pivk produced a stunning run in 2013 taking the final podium place ahead of Zaid Ait Malek. Both of these runners will make an impact one again. In particular, Zaid has progressed in the last 12-months with a series of quality results and performances. He’s a small guy with a huge character and personality. They will both be up at the front.
Zaid Ait Malek Zegama 2013 ©iancorless.com
Michel Lanne Zegama 2013 ©iancorless.com
Michel Lanne will be leaving his helicopter at home and once again lacing up his ‘Sense’ to test himself against the best in the world. He will be in the mix, he always is, however, he just needs that touch of extra luck to help him move up to the very front end of a pure mountain race like this. Michel had a string of top-3 performances in 2013, a notable 2nd to Francois d’Haene at Mont-Blanc 80km a highlight. Just recently he placed 2nd at Trail du Ventoux, so, the form is good.
Pablo Villa Transvulcania 2014 ©iancorless.com
Pablo Villa is going to be on a high after top-10 at Transvulcania and like Tom Owens will be looking to carry the momentum on here. It’s going to be a tough call and although I don’t see him contesting the podium, the Scott runner will be in the mix if recovered.
Oli Johnson inov-8 ©iancorless.com
Inov-8, Skyrunning partner are sending a very strong field that can be broken down into several levels. I see the strong performances coming from Eirik Haugsnes, Aritz Egea and Alex Nichols. Anyone of these guys could make the top-10. Oli Johnson placed top-10 at Mont-Blanc Marathon in 2013 and will represent the UK at the up and coming Skyrunning World Champs, he has the run ability and skill set to excel at Zegama, however, I am not sure he is 100% at the moment, so, I think he will have a presence at the front end, his performance will very much depend on his progression in the last 2 to 3 weeks. Pierre Laurent Viguier recently won Trail du Citadelles but like Robbie Britton, this race may well be too short, too technical and too fast for them to excel. I see Zegama, as being a learning curve and Chris Steele will no doubt embrace the opportunity and give it all he has.
AJ Calitz in Europe, early 2013. Zegama-Aizkorri
Alex Nicholls gets a nod in the inov-8 line up but we have other quality overseas competition coming from Cameron Clayton (USA), AJ Calitz (South Africa) and we should have had Vlad Ixel arriving from the Southern Hemisphere, however, recent injury has put a stop to that. A real shame, Vlad is my hot-tip as one of the new ‘surprises’ in the trail and ultra world. No worries, we will get to see him perform in June at the World Champs. AJ Calitz pushed at the front end of the 2013 Zegama and then it all went pear shaped when he tried to follow Kilian on one of the descents, he hit the deck and his race was over… AJ swore he would be back and he is! I still think he is in for a learning curve experience but I do expect to see him in the mix. Cameron has all the speed needed to race at the front but this race is like no other. It’s fast, furious, relentless and technical. The question for Cameron will be can he use all that natural ability and perform on what for him, will be very technical terrain?
Martin Gaffuri Transvulcania Half Marathon ©iancorless.com
Martin Gaffuri raced really well in 2013 earning some very cool Skyrunning stripes. He started 2014 with a warm up in Costa Rica laying a great foundation and at Transvulcania he raced the half-marathon so as not to use up too much energy and gain a confidence boost. However, the race didn’t go well… just a bad day I am sure. However, it may play on Martin’s mind? Martin has the right skill set, speed and downhill ability to do well at Zegama so we will just have to see what happens.
To be honest, Zegama has an elite list that extends well beyond 50 runners, so, here are a few notable mentions that we can almost certainly expect to see in the mix:
Who have I missed? In a field this stacked, it’s impossible to account for everyone, particularly local runners who I may not know too well but who will excel on local terrain.
Check out the men’s elite field at http://www.zegama-aizkorri.com/en
LADIES
Emelie Forsberg copyright Ian Corless
Rewind to Transvulcania and I think we may well see some similar performances with the exception of Frosty who will not be racing at Zegama. What we have, is a who’s who of female mountain running and it’s wide open.
Nuria Picas Zegama 2013 ©iancorless.com
Nuria Picas is on fire! As I write this, she has just won TNF100 in Australia setting a new course record. Add to this win, two incredible 2013 wins, one at the 105-mile UTMF and the other at Transgrancanaria and Nuria is the female to beat at any distance and on any course. However, she pulled out of Transvulcania (correctly in my opinion) and although Nuria is on the start list for Zegama, I expect a similar withdrawal this coming week? However, should she race, she will be pushing at the front, of this I have no doubt. The question mark will come on how fresh she will be for a short, fast mountain race after racing 100km’s or more in the early part of 2013. Nuria placed 2nd in 2013 behind Emelie Forsberg and finished just seconds ahead of Stevie Kremer. It’s an exciting prospect. Update 21/05/14 : Nuria will not race stating that recovery is paramount after her win in Australia.
Emelie Forsberg Zegama 2013 ©iancorless.com
Emelie Forsberg is just off skis and other than running half of the Transvulcania VK and a couple of hours in the Transvulcania main event, has little running in her legs. Add to this a bad fall in La Palma, stitches and some recovery time and Emelie may well be going to Zegama the most underprepared ever. She was relatively underprepared in 2012 when she arrived an unknown, however, look what has happened since… She has said to me that Zegama is no longer an ‘A’ race and she will use it to find form, however, Emelie on an off day is still a formidable force and I still see her in the mix. Emelie won Zegama in 2013 and pretty much everything else in her long and demanding season. When knocked off the top slot, particularly in mountain running, it was by Stevie Kremer! Firstly at Mont-Blanc and then at Limone, so, Emelie will be taking Zegama with one eye on the trail and the other on Stevie.
Stevie Kremer copyright Ian Corless
Stevie Kremer is also just off skis but unlike others, Stevie does maintain some running during the winter months. It may not be a great deal of hours or mileage but that connection with trail certainly puts her in a good place for the first race of the season. She showed this last year at Zegama when she flew down the final descent (she says she can’t descend) and nearly caught Nuria for 2nd place. Notorious for being nervous on the start, Stevie turns that energy into exciting running. She can climb with the best and although she thinks that she can’t contest the downhills, she can! Stevie just needs to believe it. My tip for the race victory!
Maite Maiora Zegama 2013 ©iancorless.com
Maite Maiora is a class act when it comes to mountain running. Her recent 2nd place at Transvulcania shows a new side to this slight but extremely strong runner. With added endurance, boosted confidence and great technical ability, Maite will be in the mix at Zegama and testing the other ladies to the limits. I see her on the podium; the question will be at which level? To be honest, if her recovery has gone well post La Palma, I see her going head-to-head with Stevie.
Elisa Desco Transvulcania VK ©iancorless.com
Elisa Desco returned to racing in 2013 and won the highly prestigious Sierre-Zinal. Her recent win at the Transvulcania VK and half marathon confirms that her form is good. Elisa has all the right elements to perform well at Zegama and without doubt she is podium material. The ladies field is so strong, it may well just come down to who makes the least mistakes? Elisa won’t make many!
Uxue Fraile Zegama 2013 ©iancorless.com
Uxue Fraile once again produced an incredible race in Transvulcania. I said in that preview that she lacks the outright speed of some of her rivals, however, what she does have is staying power and true grit. So, should any lady falter, Uxue will be in the mix to take places. I see this happening again at Zegama. She will definitely be in the top-10, probably in the top-5 and may just sneak the podium.
Kasie Enman is coming over from the USA and will add an interesting dynamic o the race. She’s a fast lady and as Stevie says, she is without doubt one to watch. The trails and technicality of Zegama may not allow Kasie to unleash her natural speed, however, I don’t see her being off the pace. The biggest question will come in her form, as this is a return to racing after having a child.
The ladies race has less depth than the men’s field, however, you can expect to see the ladies listed below in or around the top-10.
Who have I missed? It’s impossible to account for everyone, particularly local runners who I may not know too well but who will excel on local terrain.
YOU CAN CHECK THE FULL LIST HERE
Trail Magazin, Germany 2013
photo European Mountain Marathons Series
Chris Steele, inov-8, headed out to Tenerife to tackle the gruelling 42km Santa Cruz Extreme in preparation for the UK’s Three Peaks and the first Skyrunner World series event, Zegama-Aizkorri. Returning to the UK with a big international win under his belt, Chris will be one-to-watch when the elite toe the start line in North Yorkshire on Saturday.
Blog post by Chris Steele, courtesy of inov-8 and Chris Steele.
‘Oh man…. I’ve blown it!’
Those were my thoughts as I passed the 40km mark whilst leading a field of 250 runners at the Santa Cruz Extreme race (part of the European Mountain Marathons Series) in Tenerife.
I hadn’t seen one of the by-now familiar pieces of blue and white tape marking the course for at least 500m. They had been far more frequent before this.
Panic set in. I had only 2km (or at least I thought I did) to go but no idea which direction to run in!
I stopped. With nobody in sight, my only option was to stick to the main path and hope for the best.
Another few hundred metres later I saw somebody in the distance. Fired-up and full of anger, I put in a massive effort up a big climb to try and catch the man in front.
Pushing my body to the limit, I gained quickly on the new ‘leader’ only to be told, upon catching him, that I was last and he was in charge of taking down the course markers.
What? How the hell did this happen? Did he think the last race of the day was the 21km event? Had he forgotten about us out on the longer course? My anger heightened and a barrage of expletives spewed out of my mouth.
European Mountain Marathons Series
I decided just to carry on – at least I was now able to follow the pieces of tape he hadn’t so far taken down.
Another five minutes of tough ascent later I reached a summit checkpoint, at which point a hardy gang of Spaniards began to roar ‘champion’. By now I had absolutely no idea what was happening and, with my watch having passed 42km, how far I still had to run!
A super-technical descent followed before 4km of torrid asphalt. Eventually the finish line came into view. I was still unsure as to whether I was in the lead or not, but the cheers from the huge crowd suggested I may well be.
Arms aloft, I crossed the line. Yes, I had indeed won. Phew! Oh, and I’d run 48km too, with 2600m of ascent thrown in for good measure.
European Mountain Marathons Series
Set in the Santa Cruz region of Tenerife, the race certainly lived up to its billing as extreme. The landscape was tropical but very rough underfoot.
Bussed out from Santa Cruz early in the morning, the race started on the beach at La Terisitas at 9am.
Once underway, I was pleased that the early pace was steady. I had been informed of ‘who was who’ at the start and whom I should keep an eye on. I stayed to the fore, alert to any breaks.
The course profile was brutal and involved 700m of ascent inside the first 6km. As it turned out only 100m of that ascent was in the first 4km. Then, at that point, we hit what can only be described as a 2km wall rising 600m in elevation.
At the foot of the climb, Andres Fernandez made a break for it. It was a move I knew I had to cover, so I went with him. It was tough, but at the same time I felt comfortable with the pace.
As we topped out the first climb and went through the first feed station the weather began to worsen. This made the next descent even trickier. Wet and slimy underfoot, my inov-8 roclite 243 shoes gripped superbly and definitely gave me an advantage.
By the time we hit the bottom of the descent I afforded myself a glance over my shoulder and was happy to see nobody in sight. I had the gap, now I just had to keep pushing hard.
This wasn’t too difficult as the trail was amazing; every twist and turn brought something new. The climbs were steep but often runnable, while the trails were flowing along the coast and the descents technical. It was, to be fair, my dream course.
I kept pushing at the front, unaware of how big the gap actually was. The big panic over route-choice followed before I eventually completed the course in a time of 4hrs 51mins, over 15 minutes in front of second-placed Andres.
I raced for the first time in the inov-8 Race Ultra Vest. I was amazed its effectiveness. Long European races often require athletes to carry water as part of their mandatory equipment list. This race was no exception with organisers insisting everyone carried a mobile phone, emergency blanket, waterproof jacket and 1.5 litres of fluid.
Having such ease of access to the water bottles meant I was able to keep drinking regularly and grab gels from the pockets without having to slow my pace. The vest didn’t move or bounce throughout, there was no sloshing of water and it was super-comfortable, leaving no rub marks.
It was most definitely the best win I’ve ever taken, over one of the most amazing courses too. My focus is now on this Saturday’s high-profile Three Peaks race, which this year celebrates its 60th running. The 37km race, which has 1608m of ascent over the summits of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough, always attracts a top-quality field and this year will be no different. After that I will ramp up my preparations for the opening race in the 2014 Skyrunner World Series, to be held at Zegama, Spain, in May.
Photos: ©European Mountain Marathons Series
Kilian Jornet Trofeo Kima 2012 ©iancorless.com
The ISF is pleased to announce the 2014 Skyrunner® World Series. Fifteen quality races, three disciplines, the same winning formula. The 2014 Series will offer participants benefits amounting to 1,000 race slots, 230 free entries, 125 accommodation slots and 50 travel slots.
Five Sky, five Ultra and five Vertical races are distributed across six nations in three continents.
The Sky Series comprises some of the best races in the history of the sport and welcomes back Zegama, Dolomites SkyRace, Course de Sierre-Zinal celebrating its 41st year, Zermatt’s Matterhorn Ultraks launched this year and Limone Extreme tying up the Series.
Opening the season in May will be the almost legendary Transvulcania Ultramarathon. In its third successful year on the Skyrunner® World Series, the event will be enhanced with a spectacular “sea to sky” Vertical Kilometer®, where contestants climb up the same rugged, steep descent of the long distance race.
The Ultra Series heads over to France for a repeat of the 65 km Ice-Trail Tarentaise over the snow-covered peaks above Val d’Isère. A Vertical Kilometer® will also take place here. From 1996 five editions were held on the imposing Face de Bellevarde, where the first world record was set.
Utah’s Speedgoat 50K returns on the Ultra Series followed by the biennial Kima Trophy. Probably the most emblematic skyrunning event, it will celebrate its 20th anniversary with skyrunning legends Bruno Brunod and Fabio Meraldi.
Concluding the Ultra Series in September, we welcome new entry, The Rut 50K, in Montana’s appropriately named Big Sky resort. Organised by two American Ultra running icons, Mike Foote and Mike Wolfe, it’s set to make its mark on the international scene. Here, America’s first World Series’ Vertical Kilometer® will also take place in the rugged Montana mountains.
The Italian Dolomites, home of the 2013 European Championships, are again back on the calendar with a SkyRace® and Vertical Kilometer® double.
Italy’s incredibly spectacular and gruelling Limone Extreme SkyRace® and Vertical Kilometer® will again host the World Series final in October on Lake Garda.
462 kilometres across the three disciplines are set off by no less than 36,150 metres vertical climb with inclines between 16% and 50%.
The reward for this gruelling programme? Benefits amounting to US $ 200,000. $ 120,000 cash prizes, $ 25,000 World Series final prizes and $ 55,000 worth of benefits.
The rewards don’t finish here however. There’s more in store with the new Skyrunner® card. Details will be revealed in January 2014.
Team partners are a growing success story with two partnership formulas to choose from. At least ten principal outdoor brands are involved. See here for further information for team entries in the World Series.
SKY
1. SPAIN: Maratòn Alpina Zegama-Aizkorri – 42 km – Zegama – May 25
2. ITALY: Dolomites SkyRace® – 22 km – Canazei – July 20
3. SWITZERLAND: Course de Sierre-Zinal – 31 km – Valais – August 10
4. SWITZERLAND: Matterhorn Ultraks – 46 km -Zermatt – August 23
5. ITALY: Limone Extreme SkyRace® – 23 km – Limone sul Garda – October 12
ULTRA
1. SPAIN: Transvulcania Ultramarathon – 83 km, La Palma – May 10
2. FRANCE: Ice Trail Tarentaise – 65 km, Val d’Isère – July 11
3. USA: Speedgoat 50K, Snowbird, Utah – July 19
4. ITALY: Trofeo Kima – Aug 31
5. USA: The Rut 50K, Big Sky, Montana – September 14
VERTICAL
1. SPAIN: Transvulcania Vertical Kilometer® – May 8
2. FRANCE: VK Face de Bellevarde, Val d’Isère – July 11
3. ITALY: Dolomites Vertical Kilometer®, Canazei – July 18
4. USA: Lone Peak Vertical Kilometer® – September 12
5. ITALY: Vertical Grèste de la Mughéra, Limone sul Garda – October 10
*Legend
SKY – races more than 22 km and less than 50 km long with at least 1,300m positive vertical climb (SkyRace® and SkyMarathon®)
ULTRA – races over 50 km long that exceed the SkyMarathon® parameters (Ultra SkyMarathon®)
VERTICAL – races with 1,000m positive vertical climb not exceeding 5 km distance (Vertical Kilometer®)
Skyrunner®, SkyRace®, SkyMarathon®, Vertical Kilometer® are registered trademarks
Press Release ©ISF
“Ideally I would like to be a bird but running is a close second”
The African Attacment and Salomon Running once again take our sport and the visual story to the next leveel
Bernd Heinrich is a retired Professor living in a log cabin in the woods of Western Maine. He has held numerous running records throughout his life and has committed much of his time to the study of the natural world. In Episode 01 we look back at this man’s incredible life, his achievements, the lessons he has learned, and what we can possibly learn from him.
Music:
“Breathe”
By SignPost
Written for The African Attachment & SRTV
http://www.signpostsound.co.za
Additional Race Footage:
Transvulcania & Zegama – Kikazaru Producciones
Marathon du Mont Blanc – Mouss Productions
Olympus Marathon – Stamos Birsim
Episode 41 of Talk Ultra – We speak to Stevie Kremer 12 months on after she burst on the Skyrunning scene with a 2nd at Sierre-Zinal. We have 15 mins of fame with double leg amputee, Richard Whitehead. An interview with Lakeland 100 winner, Stuart Mills. A catch up with Nick Clark on the Grand Slam of ultra. Smiles and Miles with Emelie Forsberg. The news, a blog, up and coming races. Marc is back for Talk Training and of course, Speedgoat co hosts!
00:07:30 NEWS
Speedgoat 50k
Stockholm 100k
Steve Way 6:40:14, Linus Holmsater 7:24:18 and Frijof Fagerlund 7:29:01
Trans D’Havet
Men
Ladies:
Lakeland 100
Lakeland 50
WMRA – 10. WMRA World Long Distance Mountain Running
Mitjia Kosovelj won Andrew Davies from Wales 2nd and Ionut Zinca 3rd
Antonella Confortola won Omella Ferrara 2nd and Anna Celisnska 3rd. Have to give a shout out to Claire Gordon from Scotland who was 4th and Anna Lupton from England who was 5th
Hal Koerner and Wolfe – FKT on JMT –HERE
Ann Trason to run a 100 in September – Idaho Mountain Trail Ultra Festival – HERE
Now the iconic Sierre-Zinal is coming up this weekend. I remember being at this race last year… pre race I got chatting to this shy girl who just seemed a little uncomfortable being surrounded by some of the best in the world. Needless to say, this shy girl performed out of her skin and finished second on the podium. One year on, I catch up with Stevie Kremer and find out what the last 12 months have been like and what the future holds.
00:42:38 INTERVIEW Stevie Kremer
01:16:20 BLOG
We have given Stuart Mills, the Lakeland 100 winner plenty of coverage this week with a long interview, however, his interview does go very much hand-in-hand with his blog… so, this weeks blog is ultrastu.blogspot.co.uk
You can read his very unique and in-depth analysis of how he races. Word of warning… make yourself a coffee. It’s a long one!
Blog HERE
01:17:00 15 MIN OF FAME with Richard Whitehead – http://www.richardwhiteheadrunsbritain.com/
01:32:40 TALK TRAINING – Marc Laithwaite is back after a busy couple of months. Not only has he been training for an Ironman but also he is the RD for the Lakeland 50 and 100.
01:57:55 SMILESandMILES with Emelie Forsberg – smilesandmiles@yahoo.com
02:20:40 INTERVIEW
This week’s interview is with Brit, Stuart Mills. Stuart as you will hear has a very unusual approach to running… or should I say, training and racing. Without doubt it works! Just the other week, Stuart once again won the Lakeland 100 for a second time. In this in-depth interview we discuss everything. I am sure you will find it fascinating.
03:23:30 MELTZER MOMENT – It’s good, good, good this week
03:29:52 CLARKY’S CORNER – It’s two down and two to go for Clarky and the other ‘Slammers’. Leadville is just around the corner. We catch up with Nick, discuss how Vermont went and what lies ahead…
03:44:22 RACES
Belgium
Trail des Fantômes – 50 km | 50 kilometers | August 17, 2013 | website
Canada
British Columbia
Arc’teryx Squamish 50 | 50 miles | August 10, 2013 | website
Arc’teryx Squamish 50K | 50 kilometers | August 10, 2013 | website
Ontario
Iroquoia Trail Test – 50K | 50 kilometers | August 17, 2013 | website
Quebec
XV de la Vallée- Trans Vallée | 66 kilometers | August 16, 2013 | website
Denmark
Hovedstaden
Ultra Marathon Bornholm | 100 kilometers | August 11, 2013 | website
France
Hautes-Pyrénées
Grand Raid des Pyrénées – l’Ultra | 160 kilometers | August 23, 2013 | website
Isère
Ultra Tour des 4 Massifs | 160 kilometers | August 23, 2013 | website
Ultra Tour des 4 Massifs – 90 km | 90 kilometers | August 23, 2013 | website
Savoie
Tour de la Grande Casse | 62 kilometers | August 18, 2013 | website
Trail du Galibier | 55 kilometers | August 18, 2013 | website
Germany
Bavaria
Allgäu Panorama Ultra Trail | 69 kilometers | August 18, 2013 | website
Berlin
100MeilenBerlin | 100 miles | August 17, 2013 | website
Ireland
Ulster
Quadrathon | 169 kilometers | August 15, 2013 | website
Kenya
Kenya Highlands Race | 75 kilometers | August 10, 2013 | website
Mongolia
Mongolia Sunrise to Sunset 100K | 100 kilometers | August 17, 2013 | website
Sweden
Björkliden Arctic Mountain Marathon 50 km | 50 kilometers | August 16, 2013 | website
Björkliden Arctic Mountain Marathon 70 km | 70 kilometers | August 16, 2013 | website
Trans Scania | 246 kilometers | August 10, 2013 | website
Switzerland
Grisons
Swiss Irontrail T141 | 136 kilometers | August 23, 2013 | website
Swiss Irontrail T201 | 201 kilometers | August 23, 2013 | website
Swiss Irontrail T71 | 66 kilometers | August 23, 2013 | website
Trail Marathon 70 KM | 70 kilometers | August 10, 2013 | website
Obwald
MOUNTAINMAN full | 80 kilometers | August 17, 2013 | website
Vaud
Ultra Trail du Barlatay | 81 kilometers | August 17, 2013 | website
United Kingdom
England
ashmei 33 Mile Trail Run | 33 miles | August 18, 2013 | website
North Downs Way 100 | 100 miles | August 10, 2013 | website
USA
Alaska
Resurrection Pass 100 Mile Ultra Trail | 100 miles | August 09, 2013 | website
Resurrection Pass 50 Mile Ultra Trail | 50 miles | August 10, 2013 | website
California
Rattlesnake 50K Ultramarathon | 50 kilometers | August 17, 2013 | website
Run-de-Vous 100M | 100 miles | August 17, 2013 | website
Run-de-Vous 50M | 50 miles | August 17, 2013 | website
Run on the Sly 50K Trail Run | 50 kilometers | August 18, 2013 | website
Colorado
GORE-TEX TransRockies Run – Run3 | 59 miles | August 13, 2013 | website
GORE-TEX TransRockies Run – TRR6 | 120 miles | August 13, 2013 | website
Leadville Trail 100 Run | 100 miles | August 17, 2013 | website
Michigan
Marquette Trail 50 Kilometer | 50 kilometers | August 17, 2013 | website
Marquette Trail 50 Mile | 50 miles | August 17, 2013 | website
Minnesota
Ragnar Relay Great River | 200 miles | August 16, 2013 | website
Nevada
Extraterrestrial Full Moon Midnight 51 km | 51 kilometers | August 17, 2013 | website
New Jersey
Wildcat Ridge Romp 100k | 100 kilometers | August 10, 2013 | website
Wildcat Ridge Romp 50k | 50 kilometers | August 10, 2013 | website
Wildcat Ridge Romp 50M | 50 miles | August 10, 2013 | website
New York
Beast of Burden Summer 100 Miler | 100 miles | August 17, 2013 | website
Oregon
Where’s Waldo 100k Ultra | 100 kilometers | August 17, 2013 | website
Utah
Kat’cina Mosa 100K Mountain Challenge Run | 100 kilometers | August 10, 2013 | website
Vermont
100on100 Heart of Vermont Relay | 100 miles | August 18, 2013 | website
Washington
Angels Staircase 50K | 50 kilometers | August 11, 2013 | website
Angels Staircase 60K | 60 kilometers | August 11, 2013 | website
Wyoming
El Vaquero Loco 50K | 50 kilometers | August 10, 2013 | website
03:46:44 CLOSE
03:51:01
LINKS
ITunes http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/talk-ultra/id497318073
The latest edition of Trail Magazin is available on line and can be downloaded for just 4€ from HERE
Transcript:
Zegama-Aizkorri
When asked about Zegama, Kilian Jornet replies, ‘It’s Zegama’. In other words, no explanation is needed. The word itself is enough. Zegama-Aizkorri is THE ultimate mountain race.
Located in the heart of the Aizkorri nature reserve, Zegama village is the hub for the Zegama-Aizkorri race. On July 7th 2002 in conjunction with the Amezti Mountain Society, the Zegama-Aizkorri Alpine marathon was created, its main goal to promote and revitalize the Zegama region in terms of economics, culture and tourism.
The race is now one of the most prestigious alpine marathons in the world. It was the European Mountain Race Championship event in 2008 and is now a key race in the Skyrunning World Series.
At 42.195 kilometers it is a classic Sky marathon. The route has an accumulated height gain of 5472m over the Aratz massif and the Sierra of Aizkorri which includes the four highest peaks in the Basque Autonomous Region; Aratz, Aitzkorri, Akategi and Aitxuri at the highest point of the course at 1551m. Starting in the town of Zegama at 296m runners climb to Otzaurte at 652m. From here, following paths and mountain tracks with stunning natural beauty, participants are confronted with forest; rocky slopes, technical ridges and high grazing pasture land. It’s a tough and technical course. A capped field of 450 must cover the terrain within the eight hour cut off.
The Race
It is the race that many want to do… like London Marathon or an Ironman event; the race has far more demand than places available. The 2013 allocation of 450 participants saw over sixteen countries represented.
After several years of very wet and cold weather, a race day with good conditions could see the long-standing records of 3:54:18 by Rob Jebb in 2005 and 4:38:19 by two-time world champion, Emanuela Brizio set in 2009 challenged.
However, snow and rain in the days before race day ruled out ‘good conditions’ underfoot. As it happened, race day was a glorious, warm and sunny day. Maybe even a little too hot for some. As 450 eager participants departed from the start line, the early morning mist lifted and what lay ahead was a stunning day of mountain racing by the best in the world.
Kilian Jornet and Luis Alberto Hernando had placed one and two respectively at Transvulcania La Palma just two weeks earlier. Emelie Forsberg and Nuria Picas also had the same result on the island of La Palma, would we see a repeat in the Aizkorri nature reserve?
Last minute entrant, Marco De Gasperi dictated the early pace in the men’s race with Kilian Jornet and South African, AJ Calitz close on his heels. Marco, a world champion in his own right had been injured in the build up to Zegama and although he started the race, his long-term plan was always to pull out at halfway.
On the climb to Otzaurte Kilian and Marco had dropped AJ and pushed the pace. Hands on knees, bent double; they pushed from left leg to right leg at a relentless pace while all behind suffered. Pre race favorite, Luis Alberto Hernando running with ‘poles’ was minutes back.
Stevie Kremer from the US (now living in Italy) pushed hard in the early stages of the ladies race. She is the current long course world mountain running champion and although new to Skyrunning, she was not letting this daunt her. Stevie said post race, “I am new to Skyrunning and although I love to climb I was worried by the technical aspects of the descents, in particular the last descent which dropped from 1551m to the finish line. I wanted a time buffer!”
Behind Emelie Forsberg followed patiently. She looked calm, relaxed and focused. A surprise came from Nuria Picas. Nuria had placed second in 2012 at Zegama and was now lying in seventh place minutes behind the front of the race.
US runner, Dave James who is a USATF 100m champion had his first experience of a Sky Marathon, post race said, “The ridgeline I crawled over would make a great place for a trail if they would move some of those jagged rocks out of the way he laughed. Welcome to Skyrunning in Europe; an entirely different “sport” that combines the ascent and descents of the mountain in its purest form! Poles, hands on quads, people descending on their butts, knee-deep mud and power hiking! Was I at a mountain trek or a running event? Or was it a perfect mix of the two? The most historic off road race in the Basque Country, Zegama has it all, and for me is the toughest marathon in the world!”
As Marco dropped from the race, Kilian was left alone. He was running within himself. Enjoying the views, the blue skies, the incredible support.
“I drifted away a little,” said Kilian, “I was enjoying a wonderful day in the mountains and then suddenly I heard deep breathing. As I looked around I saw Luis Alberto Hernando, he had caught up with me along the ridgeline, and he was focused. I suddenly realized I had a race on my hands”.
Kilian was correct. Luis Alberto had the bit between his teeth and he was pushing harder than ever before… he wanted to move up from second and top the podium. If Kilian was going to win this race, he was going to have to earn it. From the final summit at Aitxuri the two dropped some 1300m on technical, twisty, muddy and very slippery terrain. Pushing each other to the limit they would alternate the lead. This race could come down to who makes a mistake!
With just a couple of kilometers to go, trail turned to road and Kilian made his move. He opened a small gap over Luis Alberto and at the line he had a handful of seconds to spare. It was an incredible finish and one that was reflected on the faces of both. Bent double, hands on knees they gulped for air. Each a spent force! They had raced hard and the best man had won
Behind, Tadie Pivk from Italy flew around the final bend, arms outstretched. He had made the podium.
The ladies race also reflected the excitement of the men’s race. Early leader Stevie Kremer was caught and passed by Transvulcania La Palma winner, Emelie Forsberg. Emelie was in her element, she just loves the mountains and you can see it reflected in her smile. Stevie was joined by teammate, Silvia Serafini and the two pursued as fast as they could.
Behind, Nuria Picas was having a stunning race, she moved up from eighth on the first climb to now catch Silvia and Stevie and go past them. As Stevie had predicted it was all going to come down to that final descent! Pushing the pace Silvia twisted an ankle and although not out of the race it hampered her ability to chase.
Emelie ultimately was a comfortable winner of the race. Nuria in the final meters of the finishing straight waved to the crowd and high fived… suddenly Stevie appeared! She had made up time on that final drop from the summit. Had Nuria been facing the wrong way, she may very well have lost second place. Nuria turned and ran for the line. It was close, so close that only three seconds separated Stevie and Nuria in the final results.
Zegama is without doubt a highlight of the mountain running racing calendar. The course and the crowd support are like a stage of the Tour de France. Although weather conditions were perfect for race day, underfoot was less than perfect. Despite this, Kilian missed the course record of 3:54:18 by only twenty seconds. The ladies record of 4:38:19 was very safe with almost 10 minutes to spare.
Race results
Men
1. Kilian Jornet (Salomon Santiveri) – 3h54’38”
2. Luis Alberto Hernando (Adidas) – 3h54’50”
3. Tadei Pivk (Crazy Idea) – 3h58’07”
Women
1. Emelie Forsberg (Salomon) – 4h48’12”
2. Nuria Picas (FEEC) – 4h49’55”
3. Stevie Kremer (Salomon Agisko) – 4h49’58”
Technical details:
Florian Reichert is a fast roadrunner! With a track and field background and a specialty at middle distance, his first marathon was an impressive sub 2:30. However, he has only run one road marathon and that was just last year. In 2013 with sponsorship from Arc’teryx and inov-8, Florian has progressed to trail and mountain running. Always seeking a new challenge, he didn’t start the easy way and ease himself in, no; anything but… he threw himself in at the deep end with possibly one of the most iconic and competitive mountain marathons on the calendar, the ISF Skyrunning Zegama-Aizkorri. I catch up with Florian in a wonderful chalet in the shadow of Mont Blanc. We are on an inov-8 athlete retreat and just a couple of days previous; Florian placed top 10 in his second Skyrunning event, the Mont Blanc Marathon
IC: Welcome Florian it’s great to find some quiet time and have this chat.
FR: Thanks Ian, it’s great to be here and having this opportunity to talk.
IC: Florian you come from a very quack road running background. You started in 1996/97. You have some very impressive and fast times. What is it that got you into running?
FR: I have always enjoyed pushing myself to the limit. I used to play soccer as many Germans boys do, but I was looking for a sport that would allow me some independence. I wanted the success to come from myself and it was natural that I found running. From early on I enjoyed being alone and running long distances. It was actually my Physical Education teacher that spotted my potential and I was introduced to track and field.
IC: You specialized in middle distance running?
FR: Yes I was a middle distance guy running the 800m and 1500m. I barely broke the 4min barrier but I noticed that I didn’t have the ability to go faster, so I transitioned to 5k and then 10k. My PR is 14:50 for 5k and 30:50 for 10k. Gradually the distances I ran became longer, it seemed to suit my abilities better. I eventually ended up running my first marathon in 2012.
IC: You have made the transition from middle distances to half and marathon distance but as you say, you actually only ran your first marathon last year and you went sub 2:30. Impressive by any standards what was your actual time?
FR: I ran 2:26 and placed 8th at the German championships. It was lots of work, three to four months of solid preparation. I enjoyed training for the marathon but I felt at the end I was getting very stressed and almost bored. I was fed up of checking time, kilometers, laps etc. I was obsessed by time. This year I wanted a different challenge. I needed some freedom.
IC: You mentioned that you were getting bored and that stress was building. Irrespective of the distance you race, if you are competitive that stress level can come with any distance. If you looked at your marathon, a 2:26 debut is impressive but did you think to yourself even if I train even harder my potential maybe 2:20, maybe a 2:15 and therefore, no disrespect, but in marathon terms that is quite pedestrian. We have seen with Sage Canaday and Max King, both who run around 2:15 that they have made the choice to move from marathon to trail and ultra. Therefore, did you think; I will move to a smaller pond and become a faster person?
FR: Yes, partly correct. With a great deal of effort I may have run a 2:20 marathon but realistically it may have been a 2:22, so, even as you say, if I had run a 2:15 that would still get me nowhere. Particularly with the quality of African runners in marathon fields. I have always loved being in the mountains and nature so the bigger aspect of my transition is that I wanted to get away from the track, the road, the clock and hit the trails and mountains.
IC: So this year you have moved to trails and to mountain running. You have been fortunate to get sponsorship with Arc’teryx and inov-8. You have clothing and shoes covered. Of course both are involved in Skyrunning. However you are racing at all Skyrunning events for Arc’teryx. You have been thrown in at the deep end particularly with Zegama-Aizkorri. It’s all very well being quick but that doesn’t mean a good performance in a Skyrunning race. So many different aspects are required, yes you will need strong legs, yes you will need big lungs… but Skyrunning is about technique, skills, descending and ability to adapt to terrain. Zegama was a great outing for you. You had a great performance. You were at the front on the climbs early on but the big thing for you was the descents and the technical attributes that are needed to descend. What was it like?
FR: Zegama was such a special experience for me. I was very nervous before the race because I had no idea what was coming up. I knew that the distance was a marathon but the time would be long. As I said, I ran my first marathon last year in just under 2:30; this race took Kilian nearly four hours in 2012. I had never run for that long before, not even in training. I was anxious of what would lie ahead. In the end I was 33rd but in the early stages and particularly the halfway point I was in the top ten. I felt really good but the descending was my nemesis. You are right; I had a big learning curve when going downhill. I really need to work on that. Technical sections in races will require big improvements and commitment from myself. I have a long way to go. For example, the Mont Blanc Marathon was less technical and therefore I had a far more comfortable race. It suited my abilities better, but hey, Zegama was a great start.
IC: Coming from a middle distance road background what was your training like pre Zegama and from what you learnt at Zegama, what changes have you made between races?
FR: I come from a region in Germany that is flat. I have some mountains close by but it only has a peak of 1000m, so, my longest ascent maybe is 600-700m, no more. That makes it difficult to train for Skyrunning. But one of my favorite all time workouts are repetitions like hills, intervals and fartlek. I have beautiful woods all around me where I live. It’s great for speed work. I do repetitions of 1k with ascents of 250-300m and if I do that five or six times then it works well. I can get a 1000m of ascent. I have definitely changed my regime. I don’t go on the track much anymore, maybe once a week. Prior to 2013 I would have been on the track three or four times a week. I run long, I run up to thirty six to thirty eight kilometers now but before it was low twenties. So, yes, I have made some big changes.
IC: In terms of the terrain that you now train on, are you doing fewer roads?
FR: For sure, for the road marathon I always trained on the road. Now I hardly go on the road. I only go on trail. I go on forest paths, fire trail but I try to do single track whenever possible.
IC: Many will read this who are coming from a road background or maybe they are trail runners who have no experience of Skyrunning. They may think, I would really like to try a Skyrunning race but think it is beyond them. What advice would you give to make the transition?
FR: Most importantly they need to find a rhythm. You must find it in training but you must also find it in racing. When preparing for a Skyrunning race of course you need to run hills, you need to work on technique, if possible you need to be in the mountains. Get as much vertical as possible but also work on descents. It is important not to be stressed. Don’t worry about time. It means nothing in these tough and technical races. Rhythm is so important, keep to a pace that you can maintain.
IC: Yes, you mentioned that your home has no mountains. We are currently in Chamonix surrounded by trails and wonderful peaks everywhere, however, for most of us; mountains like this are just possible in training. If your home does not have these options, as you say, it is important to be creative. You mentioned a climb and doing repeats. It is such an important element, you can go up for a few hundred meters ascent, come down and repeat.
FR: Yes, it is all about working with what you have. Be creative as possible. Running offers so many possibilities. We mentioned fartlek; it is a great training method. You don’t need to be high if you have a hilly or undulating course that you can do repeats on. Of course you have to take into account speed, I need to train at a higher speed at home than say here in Chamonix. This morning I climbed six or 700 meters but I was going pretty slowly because of the gradient. At home I can go so much quicker. It has worked out okay for me.
IC: Distance means nothing in the mountains, you can be on a trail for two hours but you may only cover five or six miles. The transition you have made post Zegama has been impressive. Admittedly I think the Mont Blanc course suited you much more than Zegama. However, it still had some serious climbs and descents and in the latter half it just went up, up and up with a summit finish. Mont Blanc Marathon was a proper Skyrunning race, you placed in the top ten and that is significant. Not only do you have ability but also you have learnt so much in a short space of time. What goes through your mind when you stand on a start line with Kilian Jornet, Marco De Gasperi and Luis Alberto Hernando?
FR: Actually I was in the second row just behind Kilian and Marco on the start line. I admire these guys so much, fantastic runners but more importantly fantastic people. Friendly, generous and a pleasure to know, the opportunity I have been given is incredible, I must thank Arc’teryx. Without them I would not be racing. They took a risk, they had a fast roadrunner that had some reasonable times and they accepted my proposal to race on the Skyrunning calendar. Although I suffered in both races, I don’t think I have ever been so exhausted before but I enjoyed every step.
IC: You also had two teammates in the top ten at Mont Blanc, Nicola Golinelli who placed fourth and Didier Zago who placed sixth. You placed ninth which is an excellent result for Arc’teryx… three men in the top ten!
FR: Yes, correct. I only met Nicola and Didier here in Chamonix for the first time. They are great guys; they have already passed on so much knowledge to me. It was Nicola that instilled the ‘rhythm’ thought process in me. He told me not to be stressed and to run my own race. We have a great team and it’s great to be part of it. Of course I must mention inov-8 too as they provide my shoes. The inov-8 team had great results also at Mont Blanc Marathon.
IC: The Mont Blanc weekend has been incredible; so many races too choose from. An 80km and a 10km but importantly you ran the VK (Vertical Kilometer). The VK is such an incredible event, 1000m vertical gain in 3.8km. VK’s are simple; you go up as quickly as you can. According to Skyrunning rules the gradient will always be around 30-35%. VK’s are a great way to start in mountain running. Anyone in theory can take part providing you show some basic experience. VK’s are about walking and running. It requires a technique, I am sure if I did a VK everyday I would get fit very quickly. You did your first VK here in Chamonix, once again thrown in at the deep end, what was it like?
FR: First of all the VK is a great addition to the Skyrunning format. I ran about 38 minutes, if I compare that to my 10k PR which is 30:50 then I ran 8min longer for less than half the distance… so you can appreciate the severity. However, if you look at that objectively, many people can run a 10k so I think a VK is a great starting point if you want to make the transition from road to mountain. I was actually surprised after the VK that I didn’t feel as tired or as battered as if I had run a road10k. Going up creates less impact, it’s tough on the lungs and heart but the muscles don’t get too beaten up. That would not happen if I had run road race.
IC: Yes, great point. Relatively no impact in a VK, you start at the bottom and go up. Even when running you are going slow, it’s controlled, the moment you get that control wrong you blow up and you are forced to walk. If you are not adapted though it does work the achilles, hamstrings and lower back so that can cause some knock on effects. Funny you equated it to a 10k, to put it in perspective it took you 8 mins longer to run 6k less than your 10k PB. Doesn’t take much working out does it, tough race! What is next for you, I know you are concentrating on the ‘Sky’ distance, which is usually around a marathon; do you have any plans to move to the ultra distance?
FR: Yes, ultra distance will tempt me; Transvulcania seriously tempts me, I love the look of that race and the incredible field that it attracts. It seems like such an incredible race, I have to say that for at least the next twelve months I am going to stick with the Sky distance, it works to my abilities and it will suit my speed. But a natural progression will take place, I am sure ultra will make its way on my calendar.
IC: It has been great to catch up with you Florian. I am looking forward to following your progress over the rest of 2013, I wish you the very best of luck.
FR: Many thanks Ian and many thanks to the sponsors and Skyrunning.
Links:
Florian on Facebook – HERE
Skyrunning – HERE
Arc’teryx – HERE
inov-8 – HERE
AJ at Zegama, 2013
AJ Calitz gives me the ‘scoop’ on his race report from the Verdon Canyon Challenge 100k in France. Have to say, having talked with, interviewed and watched him race at Zegama, AJ is without doubt one to watch in the future. His Verdon win proves it!
Here goes….
*All images are from Zegama-Aizkorri and we will update asap.
Rarely in my life have I been welcomed with more grace and open arms than with Antoine and Sophie in their beautiful home in Grasse. I felt part of the family immediately and was sad to leave after only two days. This set the tone for a weekend on which my feet only touched the ground when I was running!
Verdon Canyon is one of the biggest canyons in the world and renowned for its turquiose blue waters. However on the way there with Antoine and Levi (a norwegian athlete standing 6’6 tall…) It dawned on me that the furthest race I have ever run is comrades at 89km and longest in terms of time is Platteklip at 11h. This race will trump both.
Verdon is a major race on the European calendar with 1000 athletes taking part from all over Europe. This was the 20th edition so a special occasion all round. It is at the outset hard to explain how big the language barrier is in the EU. The race briefing was in French, and the entries and signs and spectators, marshalls etc….
The small town of Aiguine played host to the race. A typical small “alpine” town, beatiful scenery and houses, very warm and friendly people! I stayed in the top floor of a beautiful hotel overlooking the lake on one side and the village square on the other; all courtesy of the partnership between Ugene Nel from Quantum Adventures and Antoine from the Verdon Challenge, everything was paid for! We were treated to a pasta party before the race and I disregarded Tim Noakes recent advice to stay away from pasta.
The race started at 03:00 Saturday morning which meant waking up at 01:30…ridiculous, but made sense later in the day and as the cutoff is 35 hours it made even more obvious.
Compulsory kit checks done and we were off at a moderate pace through the town for 300m when we hit the first climb, about 800-900m vertical but super steep and techical followed by a crazy descent. For some reason my lamp was not working properly so I took another tumble on my knee but it was only a cut and not too deep so I carried on until my lamp failed. I then had to stumble around until the chasing pack caught me and ran with them. However, running in someone else’s lamp is not the same as running with your own so I took another tumble. I witnessed the most awesome comeraderie as everyone stopped and either helped me up/waited to see if i was ok. I hope in SA we would do the same.
AJ at Zegama 2013
Ran in the chasing pack with Jean-Marc Zugg, three times runner up, local legend and French running star and a Salomon team bloke. We had quite a nice pace but I moved to the front after about 25km to increase the pace and catch the leader Thomas Pigois.
As is my style of running I went hard in the hills and cruised down, whereas they do it the other way round. I realised this would not suit me so I broke away at about 40km. Just after I realised that I had got my feeding/drinking wrong and was feeling terrible, I almost pulled out. But at the halfway mark was a refueling station where we dropped our goodie bags earlier so I could get some much needed food and drink. Very surprised at my recovery (thanks GU!) and ate and drank like a maniac, whereafter the started climbing again.
At this juncture I need to mention the route. It is really really hard, and technical and difficult. But it is madly beautiful and rugged-very comparible to the Otter with regards to difficulty and terrain. The climbs are very very long and peak at the top and then go straight down. If there was a total of 10km of flats it is a lot, personally I think more along the lines of 8/9km.
I caught Thomas at 60km and could see he was struggling, always makes you feel better to see others suffer;-) and I had the lead with a long way to go. There are no time checks so you never have any idea how far you are ahead or who is behind etc. but the crowds and the guys at the aid stations were incredible and so supportive ( in french) allez allez!
At about 70km I realised I had quite a big lead as on top of the mountain you could see very far and I could not see anyone, which allowed me to relax a bit and enjoy the scenery (i did a bit of a kilian Jornet and stopped for 5/10 seconds on the mountains just to enjoy it). I also started to count down km’s from there as that was when it really started hurting. The 80km station only had water, an essential part of the briefing I missed. Luckily i had enough provisions to last to the next one.
As we crossed the bridge over the canyon, the 100km race turns left and the 55km turns right, another point mentioned in the briefing ( in french) and the course is not closed to the public so there were loads of people around and in front of the sign. I remebered from the map that there is one section of the route we run twice, so as we had passed the bridge before and seeing many other (55km runners) go right, so did I. I realised my mistake at the rock climbing section where the marshalls told me i was on the wrong route ( and that last year first and second place made the same mistake!) so I waited for 20minutes to find out what to do as the helpers had no radio signal and had to climb out of the canyon first. No word came so I carried on and went the 55km feeding station where i had to wait another 20min. At last word came that I could continue and was still in first place, BUT this route was much harder and 5/6km further. Not being a happy camper I slogged on and managed (barely) to drag myself over the last mountain, another 800/900climb and then two more smaller ones (like signal hill from camps bay) and saw the towh through the trees, I had no idea whether I was still leading so gave it all over the last section.
AJ at Zegama 2013
I thought i could have had a go at the record and was on schedule, but the events of the day cost me more than an hour…my lead of 90minutes was whittled down to 15min. But still super stoked with the win and the knowledge that I ran further and harder than anyone else! 106km
Thanks to all the prayers and support back home, it really does help so much-especially after the dissapointment at not being able to finish Zegama. I truly hope more saffas will do Verdon next year, you will not be dissapointed! It was very hot during the race 32/35c so it will suit us after our summer whilst the euros just had winter-made a HUGE difference!
A special thanks to God who heard my prayers ALL day, my wife who spent all of it on her knees praying and all my sponsors, kway, vivobarefoor, guenery and liberty health! You guys made it possible.
Yours in trailrunning
AJ Calitz
“Somewhere in the world someone is training when you are not. One day when you race him, he will win.” Tom Fleming
YOU CAN LISTEN TO AN INTERVIEW WITH AJ CALITZ IN EPISODE 36 OF TALK ULTRA, THIS WAS RECORDED POST ZEGAMA AND PRE VERDON – HERE
LINKS:
IAN CORLESS 