The weather was perfect for running last week in the Alps, reports Kingsley our lead running guide, and our Chamonix runners enjoying a brilliant week of trail running. They enjoyed five days of amazing views, technical running, and sections of famous race routes. Highlights included the Chamonix Vertical Kilometre, and parts of the UTMB, 80km du Mont Blanc, and Chamonix Marathon races. The stats for the week were; 50.71 miles (81.6 km), +5619m, -5737m. Well done!

The photo above shows Laura powering up the final section of the Chamonix Vertical Kilometre, with the town and cable cars beneath her feet. This was the technical crux of the route on the final day, where the group then ran over Le Brevent, and down to town via the Bellachat mountain hut. Each day tackled trails in different corners of the Mont Blanc massif, so the group could experience the wide variety of terrain and challenges that this area offers to trail runners.

The group ran on varied terrain from technical single track, to wide trails, and even on small sections of snow. During the week they took in summits including Le Prarion (in photo above), Aiguillette des Posettes, and Brevent, as well as some classic running passes such as Cols de Balme, Voza and Brevent. Even though this group ran so well, and explored so much, they’ve only just scratched the surface of the potential of the huge variety of trails in the Chamonix area.

A key focus during the week was coaching on energy saving techniques, and bio-mechanics to transition the efforts around the body, so as not to be reliant on any one muscle group at any time. The runners also learnt how to lower the impact during descents, as well as using running poles. The net combination of these skills was to enable all the runners to complete the week, with maximum enjoyment, and minimal damage to their bodies, to allow a quick recovery.

Below is a short video from the week, which really gives a flavour of the trail running you can enjoy in Chamonix. We have a few final spaces on these weeks this summer; 9 – 15 Jul 2017 (2 spaces), 30 Jul – 5 Aug 2017 (3 spaces), 20 – 26 Aug 2017 (2 spaces). These three trips are all personally being led by Kingsley Jones, the trail running guide, and author of the Cicerone Press guidebook to trail running in Chamonix. Get in touch if you are interested, or have any queries; info@icicle.co.uk, or tel 01539 44 22 17.

Links for this blog…
Chamonix trail running week itinerary; link
Chamonix Trail Running guidebook; link
Kingsley Jones trail running guide; link