Jungfrau Marathon

Hit me, good idea, madness, or both?  Anyone done it?  

Plenty more training needed but in a few years is the aim...

Comments

  • HazelnutCHHazelnutCH ✭✭✭
    Hi Rundraise

    I did the Jungfrau Marathon in 2016. 

    My observations (finish time: 5:33, flat mara PB at the time was 3:34) in random order:

    • Expensive (well what isn't in Switzerland...).  You can try to get a cheaper entry via facebook a few weeks / days prior to the event as people drop out due to injury / illness / lack of training.  Registering opens on 14.02. and the race is normally sold out around 3 days later. 
    • Great scenery
    • Altitude shouldn't be an issue.  (high point around 2300m)
    • Well supported
    • Good organisation
    • Not technically difficult - a lot is run on road, easy trails and mountain roads.  The only more difficult stretch is on the moraine as of km 38.  If you are an averageish runner you will be hiking this bit anyway.  I used road shoes in dry conditions.
    • Can get congested - in particular on the moraine - it is difficult to overtake here at all as there is one continuous line of people hiking on a narrow path unless you are at the front end.
    • Needs careful pacing - first 26km are simple enough - then the fun starts with the steep climb up to Wengen.  If you have run the previous miles too fast then the transition to the climb can be an awful thing.  As of here I hiked more than I ran.    
    • A chunk of training should be about doing steady miles on the flat followed by hill work.  Run-hike, bike-hike, run-run are good combinations.
    • Getting the train back down to the valley can be a bit crowded.  Tip: grab a cheese fondue (great post-mara food!) post shower and go a bit later.

    I was hoping for a time of around 5:15 but got stuck in traffic on the moraine, also helping someone to stretch out leg cramps and had a bit of a crisis on the climb to Wengen (probably dehydration). 

    I can also recommend the Swiss Alpine marathon in Davos as an alternative for an alpine marathon - this one is more technical though, goes higher to an altitude of 2700m and everything you go up you have to come back down again (quads killer).  Or maybe Zermatt (haven't done it (yet) but have heard positive remarks)
    I live in Switzerland, therefore the Swiss focus.

    HTH.

  • useful tips thank you HTH!
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