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Ultra Trail - Tour du Mont Blanc
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As you say this is the usual route and the one used by most walkers, skiers, MTB'ers etc.
In fact this way round the biggest climbs are in the first part of the course over the boundary between France and Italy.
Looking at the site I've seen that there is only one enrollment fee and you have the possibility of choosing which arrival point you stop at (Courmayeur, Compex Lac or Chamonix) during the race. However the medics can stop you at the first two intermediate arrivals if they think you're not in good enough condition to continue. There is also a cut off time at each intermediate arrival based upon an average speed of 4k an hour. Total time allowable is 38 hours and therefore it should finish within 18.00 of Sunday evening (start is 04.00 on Saturday morning).
Each intermediate arrival point has food, drinks, mattresses to sleep on and transport facilities back to Chamonix (to be paid apart). It's possible to send a bag with supplies and spare clothes to the first arrival point, this will then be sent on to the next arrival point if you continue and eventually back to Chamonix if you decide to finish the 150k.
took 3 days from Cham to Courmayeur via Les Contamines - stopped at refuges Chalet la Balme and Elisabetta.
but mrs fbf got heatstroke by Courmayeur and lost a toenail so we canned it and got the bus back to Cham. after a couple of days rest we did Cham to Champex in 1 day via Fenetre d'Arpette (got train back), so a 6 day TMB is doable as a trek if you are prepared for long days and not strolling it.
as for running it......
I've seen that a 7k walk speed is pretty doable. For example I walked from Aconcagua BC to the road /park entry point which is more or less 42 km in 5 and a half hours. Admittedly it is a slight downhill (1400m of height loss in 42k, but the first 2k loses 400m alone) but the path is very poor (when it exists), there are a number of river crossings which waste time and energy and we were carrying 10kg packs.
For something like this race a 3kg pack would be max.
most people will probably be grinning insanly as they overload on the power bars and energy gels, rushing of the sugar
then of course cramps exposure and sleep deprivation will kick in.
All this talk is actually exciting me further-
anyone an idea on flight costs at that time of the year?
fm - which Aconcagua route? Presume normal route?? we were on Vacas and no way would you do BC to roadhead in 5hrs - took us 14 hours over 2 days.
We took one and a half days up to BC and 5 hours down. If I ever went back I would be tempted to do the Vacas. The normal BC is like a giant luna park.
Didn't reply sooner due to being in Cannes for a week - work not pleasure.
I had confirmation of next years event and registartion dates emailed to me I set up a thread at
http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/forummessages.asp?UTN=23816&srchdte=0&last=1&V=1&SP=
are you still thinking of doing the event?
I am coming round to the idea more and more
I saw that you're getting more and more convinced. I'm still thinking and probably wouldn't make any decision until spring - got to get the Milan marathon (Nov) and a local uphill, almost marathon (38k) (Jan) out of the way first.
Have you made any calculations on what kind of time / average speed you would be aiming at doing. I figured that in order to get round and avoid blowing up half way I should be looking at an average of 5k an hour while moving plus a few hours for eating, resting. That would give a total of 33 hours give or take. I figure that walking uphill would be the sensible thing - also based on my experience of a mountain marathon earlier this year - and running (slowly) on the downhills and flat pieces as a way of keeping up the average speed.
Your strategy of walking up and steady down is just the ticket - I did the beachy head marathon on Saturady and it killed my legs on the descents - which put some serious doubts into my head about Mont Blanc. However I had been off with injury for over a month so I wasnt too worried. I'll see how I faor with these other events which will be more telling.
I'll make my decision by the end of the year and will slowly start training with an eye for the event.
I do want to do an ironman next year which may affect things.
I am not so concerned with the distance or the time out on course, but the addition of the 8000+m ascending is the thing that concerns me.
If you are looking at being out on the course for 30+ hours you would have to factor short breaks where you had a hot drink or food- these would be crucial!
If I consider that the winner (Nepalese sherpa)this year got round in 20 hours while the second placed guys (N.Americans)took 22, then I think that looking at doing it in anything less than 30 hours would be foolhardy.
For the uphill parts a pair of extendible ski sticks would be part of my equipment. They take a lot of work away from the legs and on to the arms and shoulders. They can also be quite useful in descent if used properly.
If you're not used to utilising these I would suggest practicing a bit beforehand - that is if you decide to compete.
As I havnt skiied, I never got into the habit of using two!
They were fine coming down hill and as a prop when legs were totally shot, but a burden when running as I hate having something in my hand.
fm - have heard normal route on Acon is not so pretty and oh so busy. Vacas was lovely and relatively deserted - 3 days to base at 4200m and 2 back including 2 river crossings (1 on muleback). interesting on way back as the glacier had blown on the moraine above BC which unblocked a huge dam of water - this flooded down the river which meant the way back was also a bit more detoured and tortured.
You can put a pole on the outside but it does catch on things
also taking your rucksac off every 5 minutes to take out or put back your poles would **** me off as well
Still I suppose with this event you would be using the poles for hours at a time as opposed to small stretches
Just looking at the profile now -- mm not much flat is there!
we never started the traverse - I came down with a racking cough (hands and knees job) on way back to Camp 2 at 6000m (we'd already done the load drop) with a view to overnight and then summit. because I was getting ill me and mrs retreated back to BC rather than carry on - pissed off or what?? but better safe than sorry.
8 started the traverse - 4 got on top (plus 2 guides) - the Canaletto did for the others as usual!
after we got back to Mendoza we heard one Mexican climber had died of oedema, and 5 locals got killed on the Polish (unsafe ice screw apparently). hmmm.
won't be going back there but will go back to Argentina - great country and beef to die for!!!
each time I look at it I fell differently about the event
been looking at the photos from this year and it looks well organised which is a good thing
I've never been to this region before, but always wanted to
what temperatures can you expect at that time of year on the peaks of the routes (presuably it will be a good few degrees warmer in the valleys)
whatever - go prepared with kit for all eventualities and choose when there based on local forecasts.
You seem to know the area pretty well
How much navigation would be required for the route in this event (from what you have seen) or is it pretty much well used paths?
There is the possibility of sending a bag ahead of you to Courmayeur in which you can put spare clothes, food etc. This bag is then sent on to Champex Lac and then to Chamonix if you proceed, so you can have a choice of clothing changes depending on the weather, without having to carry everything on your back.
There are also parts of the course where you pass through villages or pass close to roadside bars or mountain huts. Therefore if you have some money in your pocket you can even buy food or drinks, maybe have a pint or two.
This route is the classic round Mont Blanc tour which can be done on foot or MTB so the paths are pretty well signed and quite used. You have to remember that although in high country this is a very touristic area. It's not like being on the Yorkshire moors or in the desert. You would very likely bump into a lot of people on these paths during the day.
I think one of my training 'events' would have to be the Welsh 3000s
If I cant do this alone, then I definately couldnt do the Mont Blanc Ultra
Whilst that is only 27 miles or so walkers seem to take well over 17 hours to do this but this does include scrambling and not defined paths
can you recommend one? or have you seen
The Tour of Mont Blanc: Complete Trekking Guide (A Cicerone Guide)
Kev Reynolds
which I have found on Amazon
http://www.stanfords.co.uk/seriesdetails/mapseries?series_id=376&loc_id=674&cat_id=576&seriescount=100
and in the drop down box choose both 3630OT Chamonix - Mt Blanc, 3531ET St Gervais - Massif du Mont Blanc and 3531OT Megeve - Col des Aravis. 3 maps whcih will give you the whole coverage in detail.
you could also try http://www.stanfords.co.uk/mapdetails/mapdetails?item_code=108305 which is map which covers the whole area at the same scale. This is new (a joint venture between France/Italy and Switzerland) and I haven't seen it but must get it for my use!!
I have the Kev Reynolds book - yes it's useful if you are going to trek the route but it may be overkill for what you want. you can also buy it online from the publishers - www.cicerone.co.uk