Mountain Adventure Holidays
Rachael at the start of her epic run!
"Last September I was looking for a trail running holiday and came across Tracks & Trails’ week-long Alpine Trail Running Camp. I booked and headed to Chamonix - little did I realise what it would lead to...!
The Camp, for all levels of runner wanting an introduction to mountain trail running, covered a lot - from orienteering, speed hiking a climb on the world famous Mont Blanc Marathon route and other mountain runs practising technical trail technique, to running form instruction and heart-rate monitoring. Coupled with accommodation in a lovely chalet close to town with a hot-tub looking to the mountains (perfect for
relaxing tired legs!), it was an excellent week I really recommend.
Now I'd heard of the Mont Blanc Marathon (a tough 42km mountain marathon with 2,800m ascent / 1,700m descent), but the Camp inspired me to try it - I got lucky in the ballot for 2016 and faced the task of getting myself ready to join the 2,200 odd runners at the start in nine months' time!
The discussion on Camp about building training plans came in very handy and I made one. Sticking to it and setting myself some intermediate race goals to keep focused (including a cross-country ski marathon, instruction for which again thanks to Tracks & Trails!), I completed the 2016 Mont Blanc Marathon in a very satisfying 7 hrs 12!
For all you runners, it's definitely one for the list - an incredible race through some stunning mountain trails and an amazing atmosphere
(notwithstanding some lads at about 6km in, brandishing bottles of beer, their van stereo pumping out "Highway to Hell"...)!
If you've never been mountain trail running before, don’t worry - book one of Tracks & Trails' running weeks as they will certainly get you hooked and who knows what you'll be signing up for next...! Thank you Tracks and Trails"
Rachael Visick
