Advice
from real experts...
All of our trail running guiding
team live in the Alps, and participate in trail
races on a regular basis. Their running and guiding
experiences make them ideally positioned to advice
you well, whilst you are out in the Alps. Some of
the guiding team are also sponsored for trail running.
North
Face Ultra Trail...
Each year Chamonix welcomes
thousands of ultra trail runners from all over the
world to compete in the infamous Ultra Trail du
Mont Blanc.
The UTMB starts in Chamonix,
and makes a full circuit of Mont Blanc,
with over 9000m of vertical height gain, and a total
distance of 170km. It is no small wonder that this
race is one of the hardest ultra trails in the world,
and why it fills up so quickly with runners each
year. The photo above is of one of our guiding team
crossing the line at 06:00am to finish the UTMB
CCC race. To help runners prepare for the UTMB races,
North Face and Overstim teamed up to produce a brilliant
set of short films on a variety of important facets
of training and preparation. Click on any of the
films below to watch the episode.
Minimum
environmental impact ...
Trail running events have traditionally
been critisised for their environmental impact, the pollution
of travelling to the event, the mountains of drinks cups
and water bottles. We run our trail running courses with
the aim of minimum environmental impact. We carry rubbish
out off the mountain, and use public transport where possible.
Trail
running advice; training & kit...
It
is generally agreed that trail running is a lot
better on the bones joints, than road running on
the flat, yet you get all the same benefits of improved
fitness, aerobic indurance, and weight loss too.
As
trail running is over a variety of terrain and gradients,
most trail runners do not suffer typical road running
injuries and conditions, such as shin splints and
knee problems.
Whilst
the benefits of trail running are clear to see,
it is essential that you have suitable footwear.
Unlike road running, where it is generally flat
and on the same surface, trail runs involve you
running and jumping on all sorts of uneven terrain,
with a wide variety of surfaces underfoot from wet
grass to scree and mud.
You
should ensure that your trail running shoes offer
you the correct level of support as well as suitable
levels of traction, so that you don't slide about.
Another factor to consider in the choice of trail
running shoe, is that they suit your stride length.
Some people lope uphill with long strides, whereas
others really shorten their stride and run in a
compact style.
Never
neglect the details in the clothing you select.
As everyone who has ever run in a bad pair of socks
can testify, no matter how good the shoe, the choice
of socks is crucial too.
Ensure
that you wear technical wicking base layers on your
upper body to protect you from the UV of the sun,
to transport moisture away from the skin, and to
cover you in case of a fall or slide.
Trail
running is famed for the development of lower leg
(calf) strength, as well as increasing your core
strength and balance too. The varied terrain ensures
that you use your stomach musles, ankles, feet and
achilles tendons in a variety of positions and movements,
which ensures more rounded training, and less risk
of RSI style injuries through repetative movement.
The
variety of movement is responsible for more holistic
and rounded muscle development, than road running,
which is useful if you undertake a variety of other
sports too.
In
terms of diet and hydration whilst on a trail run,
we advise electrolyte laden powders that can be
added to your hydration system (bottle or bladder
systems). Everyone has their prefered energy foods,
such as bananas, energy gels, trail mix, or over
Savoyard sausage. Whatever works. The key is to
stop the blood sugar level drops, and to take on
enough fluids to ensure the sugars can be broken
down too.
Selection
of summer trail routes...
Montenvers
to the Plan d'Aiguille - this is one of our favourites,
and you really feel you are in the mountains. You
take the mountain railway up to Montenvers and the
glacier of the Mer de Glace, then the trail ascends
to the high point at Signal Forbes. From here you
follow the Gran Balcon Nord across towards Plan
d'Aiguille.
Nid
d'Aigle (Eagle's Nest) to Les Houches - to discover
the Western side of Mont Blanc opens a different
panorama, and the run from the high mountain railway
station at Nid d'Aigle descends towards Bellvue
via Mont Lachat. You can extend the run towards
Le Prarion, or follow some tracks to reach Les Houches.
Argentiere
to Barberine - this run is the best for staying
relatively low on forest and alpage tracks, exploring
the two valleys of Chamonix and Vallorcine, as well
as crossing the watershed at the Col des Montets.
This run can be shortened or lengthened to suit
how you feel on the day.
Col
des Montets to Planpraz - if you are after a longer
run, this is quite a tough one. At first the trail
is flat, then it ascends steeply to the Flegere
ski area, before a wonderful balcony run across
to Planpraz. The wise can even opt to start this
run at Flegere, and just enjoy the run across to
Planpraz or Brevent.
The
Italian Val Veny and Val Ferret - for an international
feel, why not escape to Italy for a day and run
along the valley floors of either the Val Veny or
Ferret. At the end of each valley is a hut (Elizabetta
or Elena), and you can return by a different trail
to return to your starting point.
Chamonix
Petit Balcon's & River Trail - an absolute classic
that starts in Chamonix centre and ascends through
the forests to Argentiere, then returns along the
track beside the Arve river. Still a technical run
in terms of tree roots and rocky trails, but nice
on hot days, as it is mainly in the shade.
Selection
of winter trail routes...
Vallorcine
and Les Granges - there are hundreds of snowshoe
trails that lead through the woods, and the route
can be tailored to how far and how high you would
like to go. An absolute gem.
Italian
Val Ferret - this is a classic snowshoe running
trail from Planpincieux to Lavachey and for those
undaunted by a steep hill climb, up to the Bonatti
refuge at just over 2000m.
Lavencher
and Tines Circuit - a favourite forest trail route
in the Chamonix region passing through small villages
that have remained untouched by time, and offer
a real flavour of how Chamonix used to be.
UTMB
films ...
If
you would like to see what the North Face Ultra Trail
du Mont Blanc actually involves, then you can click on
one of the reconnaisance training run films below. The
full circuit has been split into four sections from Chamonix
to Chapieux, then to Courmayeur, Champex, and finally
back to Chamonix at the end. The race normally starts
at 18:30pm in Chamonix, and the quickest runners finish
in just under 24 hours, after running through one night
and a full day. The last finishers will have run two nights
and two days before the 48 hour cut off time.
If
you would like to read more about our trail running
exploits, click on the RSS logo to the right, to
launch our Alpine trail running blog posts.
