Tough just doesn't describe today’s 1000m+ climb to the 2804
metre summit of Point de la Masse. It was actually one of the toughest runs I've ever undertaken. With my trusty partner Chris Whistler in tow we set off at a remarkably
slow jog up the long first climb that gets your heart beating so you can hear
it in your eardrums and you breathing like a sixty-a-day smoker with emphysema.
I planned the run to be a first gear climb all the way…any
faster and I’d blow out long before the summit. It’s a damned good job I had
that in mind at the bottom as by half-way our normal turning point I was still
running below my threshold pace, with some gas still in the tank. This was to
change now as it got steeper and the trail turned to slush and then snow. The
climbs were now very steep and very long indeed.
It really did go on forever and it was pure pride that got
us to the top to some applause from folk who had seen us running up from the cable
cars. That last few metres were quite euphoric I can tell you.
The descent was just as taxing on tired legs and the whole
14 mile trip took well over 3 hours. Not record breaking BUT totally invigorating
and a real morale booster for the UTMB. I dread to think what my quads will be
like tomorrow but who cares as I ran all the way to the top of that bloody
mountain today!
More tomorrow…
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