The Ultra Tour du Beaufortain

While the other half of Team planetFear is very publicly doing their stuff, and doing it incredibly well, we (the oldies) have been quietly going about our business. I like to think it shows more class and general decorum. It could also be that every time we try to get out and race Chris hurts himself. There's a pattern emerging....

Anyhew, next weekend sees what will hopefully be the first complete running of the Ultra Tour du Beaufortain, a 105km 5600m route around the French Alps north-east of Albertville. It was Chris's idea. In fact it took many weeks of carefully contrived conversation to extract the deatils of the race from him, but it's done now, and I'm not allowed to beat him in repayment for his being so forthcoming. 

The route looks lovely (on paper), and  we'll line up on race day with most of the great and good from French ultra running on this very Tour du Mont Blanc-esque route. It starts by going uphill for 10km (bye bye Chris), then goes up and down a lot for 85km, before going downhill for the last 10km (hello again Chris). The route follows one of the poular French Grande Randonees, or at least that's what I thought until I printed off the long route book this week. Beaucoup de variations a suivre. Poo. I might have to buy a map.

Still, how hard can it be? Luscious alpine meadows moving into breathtaking views of the Mont Blanc herself? Cowbells ringing lazily across the valleys, perhaps even a startled marmot to watch? Or it could be like last year with blizzard conditions, 30cm of snow laid down in hours and the race called off after 5 hrs.

 At least the cheese will be good.......

Tim Higginbottom