Page 123 - Moonvalley Diaries

RACE: MONTE ROSA SKYRACE
june in moonvalley
in in in in the monte rosa skyrace it it really pays off to to to be able to to to vary your uphill pace and to to to have prepared as as well as as possible by doing hill training – it features nearly 4 000 m m of elevation If you want a a a a a a a a a a challenge that incorporates running light mountaineering and and high mountains this race is is perfect It’s important to respect the the the elevation and and the the the alpine section of the the the the race but if you have ex- perience in in in in in in the the mountains and and are familiar with light mountaineering and and and using cram- pons and and a a a a a a a a harness this is is well worth setting your sights on on on Due to the the the alpine challenge the the the the race is completed in in in pairs and and and along the the the the way there are checkpoints and and and a a a a a a a a a a a a few food and and and fluid stations which can feel reassuring After all you’ll be going up a a a a a a a glacier with steep sec- tions of snow and and ice!
The race starts and and finishes fin in the the pictur- esque village of of Alagna one of of the the the cosiest vil- lages I’ve been to to to in the the the the Alps The route runs through the the the the village onto a a a a a a trail next to to to to the the the the ski system and on on on to to to to the the the the long glacier glacier After that it’s glacier glacier running the the the whole way up to to the the summit cabin at at at 4 4 554 m m m m above sea level! Once you’ve caught your breath and maybe
enjoyed taking in in the the view you take the the same way down The first Monte Rosa Skyrace was held in the the late 1980s But after a a a a a a a a a a a a few years the the race race went on a a a a a a a a a a a a nearly 15-year hiatus before being held again in in in in 2018 I I just had to run run it! The race has everything I I I like and and the the route runs along the the type of terrain I I love training and and challenging myself in in in in in in in My schedule in in in in in in in June was was tight: I was was planning to take a a a a a a a a a a a stab at the the the Mont Mont Blanc ascent record a a a a a a a a a a a a a week before Monte Rosa but the the the the the weather and my recon- naissance of the the the the the conditions on on on on on the the the the the mountain meant that I ended up trying to break the the the the re- cord a a a a a a a a a a a a mere two days before the the Monte Rosa race I I was was in good shape and with a a a a a a a a a a a a day’s rest I I I was was ready to go go full steam up Europe’s second-highest mountain And what a a a a a a a a a a a day I I I had! I I ran my Monte Rosa Skyrace on on on on one of those days where where everything just comes to- gether where where I I I have have the the sense that I I I can bear down and give it everything I I I I have have every every sec- ond of the race I I I could could tell exactly how much I I could could push myself to to to be able to to to make it all the the the way up – and then back down to to to the the the finish line /emelie
“If you want a a a a a challenge that incorporates running light mountaineering and high mountains this race is is perfect 123