Where it all began It was way back in 2015 when I first saw first-hand the crazy circus that is Chamonix in the last week of August. I was getting properly into trail running and ultras, having done a few 80km events in the French Alps. My in-laws were visiting one summer and it occurred to us that although they…
Race Report: Ultra Trail du Vercors 2019
It’s strange how things sometimes have a circular feel to them. On Saturday 7th September I found myself lined up at 5am in Lans-en-Vercors, back where it all started, and where fingers-crossed it should all continue. I’ve only been running seriously for just over 10 years, and for the first few years of that time I was pounding the streets…
Race Report: Grenoble-Vizille 22km
Taking a break from the trail with a road race from Grenoble to the historic Château Vizille
Race Report: FestiTrail d’Autrans
Fun and muddy run around this Vercors mountain town was a great end to the 2018 season.
Race Report: UTMB Traces des Ducs de Savoie (TDS) 2018
Read my race report on the 2018 TDS from Courmayeur to Chamonix.
Race Report: Jurassic Coast 100 Miler
The Jurassic Coast 100 follows the historic clifftop trails along England’s southwest coast. I’m in the process of accumulating points to eventually enter the UTMB one year. The furthest I’ve ever run was last year’s 101km CCC so I figured that a non-mountain trail like the Jurassic Coast 100 might be an easier introduction to the 100 mile distance than…
Race Report: UTMB: CCC 2017
UTMB. Probably the one event that even non-trail runners stand a chance of having heard of. However recently it had been well-known for many of the wrong reason including a controversial open letter from the organisers of Hardrock 100 lamenting the fact that they were asked to pay for inclusion in UTMB’s qualification process. Cue lots of negative discussions on…
Race Report: Montée d’Oule/La Bombarde
My local running club, Club athlétique Veynois put on a double-header race every April. La Bombarde is the 10km road race that I’ve run several times, but they also host an (almost) Vertical KM race called Montée d’Oule, that climbs Mont d’Oule on the outskirts of Veynes in the Hautes-Alpes. Montée d’Oule Mont d’Oule rises 850m above the town of…
Race Report: Ultra Trail de la Motte Chalancon 2016 – 86km
Its been a few years since I’ve run a ‘proper’ ultra so I was looking forward to getting a long distance race under my belt in 2016. Through social media I found out that a new race had been created fairly close to me – the Ultra Tour de la Motte Chalancon.At 86km and 4,500m of height gain it was…
Race Report: Trail des Cimes du Buëch 2016 – 42km
May 22nd, 2016 La Faurie, France The Trail des Cimes du Buëch is now in its third year, and I had ran the 2014 and 2015 versions which comprised of a quick 17km circuit with some amazing views. This year the 17km version was included in the Challenge Trails 05 competition, but on top of this was added a 42km mara’trail event…