Elevation: 2170m
Number of Participants: Over 2000
Options for Races
- 100km Continuous
- 100km over 2 days
- 1st Half 50km
- 2nd Half 50km
- 1st Quarter 25km
Verdict: This race was a lot of fun! 2170m may not sound like much, but the climbs are pretty steep and long in places.
The views are beautiful throughout, and I think this is one of the best routes that this company has to offer. You are unlikely to suffer from the feelings of boredom that you sometimes get on flatter routes like the Thames Path, although you will most certainly have muscle soreness by the end!
Dave’s Tips
As mentioned above, this one is surprisingly hilly. I was pretty new to ultras when I ran this, and I found myself running the hills early on. My advice would be to leave the ego at the door and understand that by power hiking early, you can finish strong. After all, no one wants to be that person limping in to the finish just before the cut-off!
You will of course need to train hills for this one. I suggest making a trip every 2-4 weeks out to a hilly location (if you don’t live in one) for a focused day of training. Ideally you would recce the 100km over 4 individual trips, although if this isn’t possible, hill repeats will be an extremely valuable tool. On top of this, don’t forget your downhill running. Include some workouts where you power-hike up, and sprint down for repeats. This will work on your leg speed and also get your quads used to the pounding.
Lastly – as with any race of this sort – strength training is a must. Finishing a race is one thing, but finishing strong and ready to go again in a week or two is another. Squats, deadlifts and rows are advised in order to keep your legs feeling fresh and your posture decent throughout.
Good luck!
Perfect Balance Fitness 