With smooth pistes, unsually warm temperatures and good weather a new record was set by Valentin Favre, 39mins, 50.48seconds. In the season of the Patrouille des Glaciers and with more people skinning up the slopes for training than ever before, it was a big turn out of over 270 competitors.
Having last put my skins on in April, done no training, and only been in town for two weeks I paid my 20chf and entered the popular race. Rucksack complete with warm clothes for the descent was chucked in the from of the piste machine, and the start began at 18:30. The first half of the race went pretty well, taking 35mins to get to the James Blunt chairlift, the second half was slower. I had set my heart rate monitor to beep if I went above 170bpm, where I knew I would get too tired, and it's constant beeping accompanied me the majority of the way up. Despite the cheering at the top I couldn't muster up the energy to run the last flatter section. Exhausted and starving, I hobbled inside to be greeted by hot tea and the free pasta party. The spaghetti bolognese was amazing, and having scoffed the whole plate I changed into my warm clothes, removed my skins and skied home.
In some ways the ski home was the best part. With clear skies, a bright moon, and freshly made pistes I hardly noticed my knackered legs skiing down. Straight to bed ready for telemark training in the morning - I must be crazy!
I'm now super psyched to get out training and do some more races later in the season and skin to Attelas in less than 1hr 15mins. Having averaged just under 700m an hour in the race I'm still a long way from the dream of 1000 vertical metres per hour. One day...
Here are the results:
http://www.verbierbooking.ch/multimedia/docs/2013/12/Resultats_TropheeVerbierSport2013.PDF
No comments:
Post a Comment