Spring Running: Supporting Autisme-Valais

It has been an interesting few months. I feel very grateful to be living in the sunny mountains during these tricky times, but for sure, there have been ups and downs here too. Nevertheless, adventures continue and I have really enjoyed this winter.

When my teacher friend Glene asked me if I was up for a running challenge to support a charity close to her heart, I did not hesitate. It is nice to have structure to work towards in the diary, and with running adventures in the calendar for Summer 2021, this was a good way to train and a chance to be involved in a great cause.

As a teacher, I am aware of the barriers that can face those trying to learn. Autism is a perspective on the world that is as beautiful as it is challenging, and something Glene knows from a very personal perspective as it affects an extremely close family member. Autisme-Valais, the charity based in the canton we reside in in Switzerland, is doing wonderful work to help support those with Autism and be a support network for their families. Often, I believe it is a difficulty that can be misunderstood or sometimes underestimated, when in fact, in an already challenging world, it makes life yet more of a feat to navigate for someone with Autism.

Glene originally asked if I would do 20km, while she did 15km to make up 35km to celebrate Autisme Suisse Romande. About 10 days prior to the event, she told me she wanted to do the full 35km. Of course that meant I would also do the same! Glene is a “boss” of half marathons, but this would be her longest run. I am so proud that from sunny Portugal she has more than achieved her target.

It has been a beautiful day here in Crans. Beginning at the school where I work, Le Régent International School, heading to the woods in Montana before dropping to the Grande Bisse towards Flanthey then returning via the bisse back up to Crans. I have loved being part of this and look forward to more adventures this summer.

World Autism Awareness Day was on 02/04. You can still support our charity event here:

I do not, as a rule, use Strava, so I will go by my trusty Suunto - however this gives a good idea of the general route in the beautiful Alps :)

Five things we are all inherently over with in 2020

I love a good meme about 2020. It is surprisingly cathartic.

If 2020 were a run…

December 15th. 10 Days until Christmas, and about the millionth day of 2020. We are all looking ahead but possibly without too much awareness of what to…exactly.  This notion brings back nostalgia of the Tour du Môle, where, on one of the final climbs of this 3000m, 35km race, I could not see what was over the brow of the hill I was trudging up. Endless trudging, but the speculation kept me going. Would it be gruelling further incline (turned out to be true) or the start of a nice downhill to a Coke at the end? Oh the possibilities…

Given we do not know what is ahead but definitely know what we have experienced, here’s five thoughts on what I think I am over ahead of 2021:

• People judging what you wear to run

We`ve spend the majority of the year with our faces covered. What we choose to cover the rest of ourselves with is our choice. As long as you are at the right temperature to be safe and comfortable and are following race regs or mountain wisdom, go wild.

•  Goal panic

Life has changed, and therefore it is okay to ease yourself into the next set of projects and races. Or aim high. Or don`t. Running healthy seems a great unanimous goal, to be honest. Performance or race pressure, unnecessary comparisons, or social media relevancy is changing. This actually looks to be for the better.

• Listening to podcasts that wind you up.

My general rule is it I want to spend my run largely relaxed, with something of interest to help the time go during tricky bits. It is up to you whether listening to the latest on tabloid commentary on the pandemic is going to be a means to an end here.

• Layering on runs.

Wear too much, take off too much; switch and change in between. This is not specific to 2020/21, but the inevitable dilemma of winter and being initially less resilient when first heading out the door. Already dreaming of summer projects…

• Not being able to plan.

This of course, is completely understandable given the times, but it doesn’t make it easier. What we hope, is that we can go back to planning the big adventures with our mates, or the race ambitions etc. It will be a sign of a better time, so we can keep our fingers crossed…

What I am glad of:

 Resilience and endurance: the keywords of 2020 and the very nature of our sport. Expect your head game to be strong in 2021, after all, you`ve been through daily training.

Run, What? May.

It’s been a long time since I have written, and every time I say on that on this blog it seems a catalyst to catapult life into another strange reality. I am hugely grateful however. The sun is largely shining, I am enjoying the bonds of friendship even if tested by quarantines and miles apart, and I am getting out on the hill. I am so grateful for that.

Our lockdown in Switzerland was a steady antithesis of controlled freedom. Up on the high hill where I live, I am able to move without much issue. Aside the need to previously monitor some of my own somewhat bizarre symptoms by then taking max precautions, I started utilising that good ol` Alpine air and getting out. Carefully, but comfortably.

I await to see if my 70km July race is cancelled. After so many race setbacks (let`s not talk about 2019) this was not how I envisaged things in 2020 – but whatever. Everything about this year is step by step, but visualising it by continuing training even if it is for fictitious goals, are daydreams I am happy to believe right now. Sometimes you hold onto dreams however much they remain a figure of your imagination. 

Well I do like living in my head and through my feet.

I think however, this pandemic has helped me take some of this all less seriously. The concept of racing suits my competitiveness. But actually, I just want to run, enjoy it, breathe it in, laugh and feel weathered. Whether in hysterics because I have remembered something funny, falling in a bog, shedding tears in amongst a sweaty face because I am running out some feelings – well it’s wonderfully messy and pretty self-empowering. So for now, a day, a run, and a bog (probably) at a time.

Other good things:

A very long time ago, a mate and I talked about how some of the bigger brands need to start making skincare/beauty for people who are always outdoors or frequently exercising. Despite the enjoyment of trail-grubiness I like to take care of my skin, especially after risking the sun damage and feeling some of the effects of it over the years. Fré got in touch, asked if I wanted to try their skincare of a serum, moisturiser and face wash. They asked me to review and say exactly what I thought – so here goes:

It`s easy. No nasties. Fresh and botanical. Pop it on and forget about it. I am not sure I can elaborate much more on any other factors, but that is because “this” speaks for itself. The best things in life are simple. It does not make my skin congested, it is not sticky – breathable and can handle sweat. The Fré team are approachable and they care about what we care about, which is looking after “the hide” without it turning into leather.

Head to this link for extra 25% off, I mean, why not?https://www.freskincare.com/MILLYVRUNS  

So while I am sorting my skin out, I am sorting my muscle memory too by beginning to think of upping the ante with training – for whatever adventures ahead.

And my head? I feel we have all been through some rigorous mental training of late, and for that, we`ll all feel more ready - for whatever is next. Which for the record, I have some pretty good feelings about.

It all went wrong. But that's ok.

I have not written here in a long while, simply because I did not have too much to say.

- Late Spring, early summer was busy with work and heavy training - so there was not much to write.

- Summer brought about injury and frustration, and I didn`t want to write.

I had been on a hiking expedition when I began to notice the aching pang in my heel. I have had Plantar Fasciitis before, so I instantly recognised it, but it was not so bad at the time. Besides, I had 40km of training to do on the Saturday of that week, and a back to back run the day after…so I needed to not let it bother me.

The 40km training I probably shouldn’t have done.

It`s a boring story to prattle on about how annoying and frustrating the pain became, so I won`t.

One thing I have discovered is that it is better to just “get on with” whatever the predicament turns out to be, rather than dwell on it or try and fight it. I went to the specialist already knowing racing was a bad idea - so I had shed the tears of frustration beforehand. I just need to get rid of the darn pain - and a change in plans was the best course of action.

I am extremely grateful to friends and family for their advice and support, including lending me a bike, as well as words of encouragement (and giving me golf balls, more about that later…) and I have my kept mind and body active. My aim is actually to get a bit stronger - I have become aware of some of my muscle weaknesses and it is a wake up call to now deal with them. I`m learning that I can`t really push as hard as I endeavour to without the back up, so I`m working on getting some muscle groups a bit stronger.

I have just entered a 60km race for October in the Swiss mountains which is my recovery goal now and my motivation for Autumn.I am looking forward to building up to that.

Meanwhile, I have created a little video about some of the home remedies I have given a bit of a go for PF. Not revolutionary, but a couple of things that have helped or been recommended.

To anyone facing setbacks, injury or otherwise - this idea helped me: An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backwards

Have a great rest of the week.

Winter training for 100km

Well, I am pretty happy, it’s safe to say, to see definite signs of Spring.

© Unsplash

I really am not a winter person. Friends find this hilarious, given I spend the majority of my time in the snow covered mountains. But actually, the snow is not only incredibly picturesque, it does have its uses for training.

No, the issue with winter is the shorter nights, colder temperatures, and the fact that you have to be a bit creative with both training, and with motivating yourself to still get out there.

What is motivating me - is the summer. Both the racing element, and overall, the adventures of running by myself or with friends in beautiful, mountainous places.

A certain reason to get a wriggle on with training is the final confirmation of my CCC place. 101km with 6000m positive. Like the Tour du Fiz I did last summer, but a bit more stretched out ( an approximate marathon distance longer) and another 1000m or so more climbing. Hmmm.

This will be, by no means,a walk in the park, (absolutely not, it’s up a mountain) and at the moment I am trying to get my head around it.

The ambition to race is strong, but the journey to get there is really hard. Working full time in a job that is not your usual 9-5 schedule, the challenges of winter, tiredness, winter illness and general commitments, makes things a bit more challenging. I am not alone or some kind of hero in this though. Trail running and mountain racing is becoming more and more popular, not to mention the countless other sports, hobbies and passions that leave determined people trying to work out just how to fit everything in. But, I live by the hope that it is possible - you just need to give it a go and see what happens.

One thing I did want to do, is begin to keep a bit more of a record of adventures and training. So I had an idea, which was to very informally film some of the training, over the seasons, simply on my iphone, while on the go. Nothing special or extraordinary (there are a lot cooler videos out there let’s face it) but something to look back on, partly to remind myself on harder days that training is fun, and that for moments of feeling low like during illness/tiredness etc, there are the highs of awesome days on the mountain and great things to do.

So here’s a snapshot of some of my winter training. I make no excuse for the less-than-professional filming. All I can say is you try and run while filming on your iphone… ;)

Enjoy Spring.

Approaching Long Distance Running Like An Average Lifetime Of Sleep.

I heard something on the radio recently that got me thinking. Apparently, on average, we spend 26 years of our life asleep. 

That is a lot of sleep. Well, if done in a ‘oner’, it would mean I’d have been largely out of it for all but two years of my life so far (no need to comment…).

Obviously, we don’t endurance nap our lives this way. Yet, that’s what the average person will do overall.

If I look at the miles I run per month, I don’t tackle these in a oner either. That would be bonkers. If I thought about it yearly - well, it's a crazy thought. But a little and often, and by pushing further, more does get done.  This is how I approach long distance running – and it’s why I think it is possible for anyone to run a long way.

Two memories of transitioning into something along the lines of endurance sport. One was being dragged by my parents to do a walking challenge on the Austrian Tirol, aged about 7 or 8. I remember not being enthused by this. However, I came around to the idea on the basis of the fact you could achieve shiny badges, and it also turned out a boy from the hotel was giving it ago - and if he could do it, then so could I. 

The other was the first time I ran ten miles. I was in was my early 20’s, I had just got into running off road, and I had no idea what running ‘far’ looked like. Ten miles seemed pretty far. So I ran a circuit around where we were living (a circumference of about 2 miles or so) until the mission was complete. I remember that weekend quite vividly – going around and around until the job was done, and feeling quite mesmorized by the entire process. Also a great sense of achievement (and a feeling that I now knew that path very well).

Somehow those kind of events started to mould the concept of mountain endurance running that I now immerse myself with. Running, further, higher, and having a lot of fun.

 © C. Rowlands

My first ultra marathon was in Chamonix, with approximately 3000m height gain over 50km+ and my previous race distance was a half marathon (queue the joke about the fact I did not know what ‘ultra’ meant when I signed up). Now, don’t get me wrong, I didn’t just wake up one morning, think “I’ll give this a go” and headed off onto the horizon on race day and it all worked out.  It took some prep, some injury setback, some steep learning curves… but the point is, I signed up in January, and by the end of August it had happened, with a top ten women’s result.

Race prepping pre-first 50km. Bricking it.

If you know me well, you’ll know I spent seven years in a city. I also completed the aforementioned race, while still living full time in London. I am not stating these facts to big myself up, but actually to invite you to consider the possibility that you can also do this, regardless of where you live, and however long you have run before. Want to run a long way? Well, do - it's not half as bad as it sounds!

The Big Walk Theory

Ultra races are pretty competitive (anyone ever seen Kilian Jornet race?) but ultra-marathons are also… long. So before you assume there is a sub 3-hour marathon sprint pace happening over Mont Blanc, there isn’t. Ultra marathons need a bit of thinking. You work with what you’ve got, both in your physical state at any time, as well as contending with the changing ground beneath you. You need to think ahead, think positively,  and plan a bit.

But the big point to be taken from this – racer or not – is that long distance running isn’t about a road marathon pace that happens to go on an upwards trajectory forever.  It’s a measured affair, and I bet, if you went out for a trail run, with the mentality of “steep hills I will walk, the rest I will jog, I will chill out when I want and need” – you will be amazed at how far you will have gone in a day, not to mention how much energy you will have left.

 © K. Foster

Racing of course intensifies the situation. But the Alps are surrounded by some pretty steep mountain profiles with racing happening up to 2500m+. I have never not walked, at points, in a mountain race- and I’m someone who likes to compete.

Run & Sleep: Keep it balanced.

If you slept too much you might become like a sloth, but running all your miles at once won't make you a panther.

©  C.Rowlands

Just because I only raced a half marathon before my ultra, does not mean I did not put in the mileage, steadily, up until my first 50km. In fact, I ended up with an injury from getting too keen to quick. So approach long distance running with the kindness to yourself that this is a progressive sport. Build up and accumulate slowly. Feel the kick of knowing you did that extra KM this time, and next time, you’ll add one, maybe two more.  Take into account terrain also. Don’t beat yourself up if you only managed 10km, feel knackered, but guess what – you actually just tackled the biggest hill in your area. Sometimes I go out for my ‘long easy run’ and cannot believe that I’ve only covered a bunch of kilometres yet been out for ages. Then I remember I’ve just been up 1000m+ ascent. So you know, peaks and troughs.

Find A Friend

This makes me laugh as my friend Sam and I genuinely used iphone ‘Friend Finder’ the other day to locate mates on the hill. Yet failed. But we still had each other for an epic outing.

Sam and I. We always have a laugh. 

One really good way to start running longer is to run with someone.

Running, bogs etc. © Jana Studzinska

Tell someone you went and trained for well over seven hours and it sounds ‘hardcore’. Break down the day, and what actually happened was for the majority of it I was with a fellow Salomon girl, Jana, and we chatted, chilled and laughed our way around the mountains, and ended up covering quite a bit of mileage (and getting in a bog - standard). Take a friend, aim to go a bit further, and run, walk or indeed ‘talk’ your way around.

Incentives

Tell yourself if you reach that 10/15 km/mile target, you will go and eat a cheesecake. Many of my runs finish with bakery stops. Sometimes it is all I can think about for the last 5 km.

I mean, eating is part of the whole debacle, and racing is great in this respect. You power stride, you power up and down mountains, and you without hesitation, power eat, to keep going strong.

But incentivising reaching goals doesn’t need to be about food. Buy something nice, do something nice, celebrate – you just went further. Those Tirol badges spurred me on all those years back and I am not sure much has changed.

Caught mid chew- thanks Will Steele.

I am not a coach nor a sports scientist, so I am not going to tell you how you, individually should run longer. But I will tell you, that you can. So get psyched about that. I did, I continually do and I know that as human beings, we are kind of built for this.

Get your watch and go surprise yourself. 

Want to join a group of girls who can get you psyched for running on mountains? Check out my mates Sam and Nikki at The Adventure Running Company

Salomon Sunset Series

It was not a difficult decision when Salomon asked if I minded meeting them for a shoot in the UK countryside.  Running is my favourite, so being asked to be involved in a project was like being required to go somewhere and eat chocolate. Another favourite.

Salomon wanted me to be part of a new series called 'The Sunset Series'. The concept is to demonstrate how trail running is possible, even if you think you live in the heart of a city with no real access to dirt and trail. Considering my own trail running developed at a time when I worked full time in London, I could really relate to this. I was really up for being involved.

Projects like this are great, because it is about the meaning behind running, rather than any kind of performance aspect. It poses the question of "what's it really all about?" which motivates me a lot. Running, and sport in general, is such a good part of what people can do to live well and feel good both mentally and physically. It shouldn't be perceived as unattainable, unreachable and just saved for the mega fit super humans who were running before they could crawl.  Otherwise, I would be barking up the wrong tree anyway.

I have to say a massive thank you to the Salomon crew, who are not only incredibly generous and supportive, but who are also up for a laugh, totally got my sense of humour, and made the whole project fun, relaxing and an adventure in itself (especially when running in shorts in February!).

Spending time with people who not only share your passion, but want to help you to enjoy yours as much as possible, is a pretty rare and special thing.

As part of this series, Salomon are hosting races and events across the country to show just how living in a big city does not need to prevent your freedom to run off the beaten track. To learn more about this, check out their webpage: http://www.salomonsunsetseries.co.uk/.

As they sum it up perfectly "make any terrain your playground".

On the shoot, I made an amusing vlog - we had a great time. Enjoy!

Interview With Trail Runner Claire Akin-Smith

This post is really long overdue. I have thought about Claire a lot over the last few months, and am frequently inspired by her posts and updates on race successes.

So who is she?

Claire-Akin Smith. Back in winter time in the Alps, I remember rushing down the streets one evening to meet up with someone who had been tipped off to be a pretty darn good runner. 

I didn’t know too much about her, mainly because she was based in New Zealand, but from pictures she looked welcoming and somehow familiar to me. I knew she was a good runner, and she definitely had a presence online of being a strong woman. 

But, I didn’t realise just how cool she was, until I met her.

I remember coming away from our meet, feeling pretty psyched, not only by talking to a real high achiever in sport, but by her general outlook and ethos. I felt refreshed to meet someone so down to earth, who just loves getting out on the trail, with the main motivation to be the most ‘herself’ she can be. Sure, she often finds herself actually winning stuff, but more than anything, she wants to keep running because she really loves it. 

I began our chat by asking Claire how she got into trail running in the first place. This is where I learnt how Claire didn’t initially feel very comfortable in her own skin. 

She was given the early prognosis of hypermobility syndrome, meaning that Claire suffered from too much flexibility in her joints leading to poor proprioceptive control in movement. In a nutshell, this means that just running around and doing all the stuff kids do, was often scary and difficult for Claire. So while other kids climbed trees, played physical rough and tumble freely outside, Claire had to take a step back – it was too difficult to enjoy these simple childhood joys.

But I get the impression, Claire has always been pretty tough. She told me that she refused to just accept this – as what would that mean for her life? Constantly avoid exploring, discovering, taking risks and achieving? No.If initially she couldn’t beat it, she decided she would wise up to it.

By the time she was ready to go to university, she decided to study physiotherapy. Learning more about the human physiology and biomechanics equipped Claire to understand her own body better, but for a girl who wanted to be active, it was still difficult to work out how she could enjoy sport. She told me that she tried all sorts of exercise forms to gain strength, control and co-ordination, but she could feel her body fighting against her through getting stiffer and weaker in the wrong places. It just wasn’t getting easier.

But she refused to give up. So she tried running.

Rather than road, she headed for the trail, and the beautiful coastal paths around the Southwest coast of England. Running, it turned out, wasn’t so bad (if she applied her physiotherapy knowledge to practising it correctly and taking care of herself). And it just so happened she was pretty good at it.  

Picture: Claire Atkin-Smith

Really good. Over 35 races, and many podium finishes to date. Claire was becoming known as a key player in the running circuit and a strong female runner.

But there is much more to Claire than this, and that is what really struck me about her. When it comes to racing, Claire is clearly gifted to run these routes fast, despite the physical challenges she has faced in her life. 

But it’s not all about the racing. Anyone, of course, would love to get a medal. But Claire really really likes running, and gives the distinct impression that the rest of it is pretty supplementary to this. It is the the trail – that’s the real reason she is on each start line.

She also has good and bad days on the trail. Me too. It’s nice to hear from someone so on top of their game being so honest about this, revealing Claire’s down to earth nature and humility. Through injury or circumstance she’s changed race plans, re-considered her motivation for races, and like us all, has had good and bad days. This is just how it is, and her openness is refreshing.

Picture: Claire Atkin-Smith

I asked her what she does on training days when she frankly, really doesn’t feel like running.  She gives the distinct impression it’s far better to be kind to yourself – but that one should live by the mantra, that it’s better to do something rather than nothing. Even if you divert from your goal – there is a lot of goodness in and of itself in stretches, going for a walk, and just embracing movement. 

Ultimately, she sums it up quite nicely by saying that “as physical beings, we are designed to move”.

Claire now uses her physiotherapy qualifications and personal experience, to run ‘Applied Movement’, helping people who find movement challenging or difficult or want to move even better than they already are. From sports injury, to conditions like hypermobility, Claire dedicates her time, off the trail, to help people get back on it. More about Claire can be found at: www.appliedmovement.co.nz.

I left Claire that day feeling pretty good about myself. She has that affect on people I think, to want to go out and just do stuff, be yourself, and not be held back by anything. 

Many thanks to Claire for all her help and contributions to this post.

The Right Altitude for trail running in Morocco

Here is my report of our adventure training at Altitude on the trails in the Atlas Mountains.

Arriving into Marrakech, it was evening time, and it was time to eat. Aka, Carb load. It was great to see Nikki, and to catch up with Chamonix friends and new faces. We were buzzing, and a lot of expectation was in the air. Would it be sunny? How far down would the snow line be? Would we be camping mountainside? These thoughts were briefly distracted by a magician producing a tomato out of a tumbler, but that’s for another story..

The next morning, after a good hearty breakfast and being good to go in running apparel, we got in the bus and headed to the Imlil Valley. It takes a good hour or so to get there, so we chatted about the trails and discussed the considerable white covering of the mountain profile in front of us. On our recce the snowline was fairly high, but this seemed much more substantial. After sorting out our bags for the mules, and a brief mint tea, we got going.

Our team with our Berber guide on the first running day.

The trip was broken up into a shorter warm up day, followed by a longer trail and greater elevation gain on Day 2, before a glorious route returning eventually to the Kasbah du Toubkal on Day 3. When it came to the trails, there was a bit of everything. Day one had us descending a deep snowy couloir after some long trails up. Quick feet, rock jumping and lots of the white stuff gave the group energy and high vibes for the days ahead.

Rock and snow landscape, Day 1.

On our second day, we descended, ascended, traversed, cooed over a lonely baby goat rescued by our Berber guide, got our trainers covered in deep snow (as well as some interesting ground consistency in ‘poo alley’ past the goat herds), were run at by very protective goat guarding dogs (the situation handled expertly by Hassan our guide) and were thoroughly bronzed (the red spectrum on this significantly varied - my face a key example).  All in all, this running was becoming a new way of living for these days and we were loving it.

While in the mountains, the decision was made, due to the sheer quantity of snow, to stay in local Gites rather than camp. While Gites themselves might appear initially fairly minimal, they represented a collection of some of the most warm and welcoming walls I have resided in. We were overwhelmed with delicious warm bread and tagine, sweet Moroccan tea, and lots of good chats and laughter.  Both the Gites we travelled to were exceptional places for bringing together friends and and all round sense of community where we were supported so well by the Berber community. There were a lot of laughs too, from the girls setting up their additional room ‘WC’ (special mention goes to Ali for providing the, erm, equipment to make this feasible!) to our infatuation with this chocolate spread called ‘Sergio’…

For me, the most memorable moment of the running was the ascent on the final ‘more substantial’ run day. Again, another day of bright beautiful sun, and a long, slightly technical single track descent. Those moments when you shout out in the revelling of a moment – arms out, feet moving and you just - move- go-run. 

Day 4. Taking in the views...  Photo: Chantelle Robitaille 

What we loved about this place, was the way it took us out of ourselves, our normal existence, our normal thought patterns and our need for the regularity of what we normally know and do. This sounds fairly over-romanticsed, but it is really true. Maybe a better way of saying it – is that on each day,  we all gained some new perspectives. There were aches, there were difficult and more challenging moments, but there was team work, achievements and some pretty big smiles too.

Nikki and  I

A mention goes to our guides Hassan and Abdul, who between them made sure everyone in the group was able to experience these mountains fully and safely. We are also very grateful to the team at the Kasbah du Toubkal, who literally and metaphorically swaddled us in comfort after our running.  As I have written before from our previous recce trip, the Kasbah is a truly magnificent place, and our final base point here felt a real reward after some harder running days.

We were also really grateful for the support we received from Salomon Sports with some trail shoes, and for the helpful team who are always on board to offer assistance and advice at Outside Shop. 

There it is - a summary of some really exceptional experiences, in a fairly remote and truly special part of the world. Here is a video which gives a further glimpse into our awesome trip.  If you can, do go, and walk, run, immerse and embrace those mountain trails.  

More info on The Right Altitude can be found here.  

More info about the Kasbah du Toubkal can be found here.

Running interview - Nikki Barnard: sport, a yeti + life in the Alps

Oh hello Monday you old friend.

I have a real gem for you today my trustee runner (or not - but do give it a go!) friends out there. Now, if you read my posts, you will know how much I go on about Nikki Barnard. She is, quite, simply exceptional. An amazing runner, skiier, triathlete,  friend, mountain dweller and a real example of a very strong lady.

I'm always badgering here about one thing or another, and we do love a good chat, both in the good times of our adventures, and in the harder times. Recently I asked her if she wouldn't mind doing a little interview for me for the blog. Like a total WAD, she readily agreed.

I will see her soon. We shall do a VLOG version also. Banter flowin'.

Running interview: Nikki B

Photo: NIkki Barnard

MV:Why Run?

NB:This is such a simple question that I struggle to condense and offer a short solid answer, as I could go on all day about the love I have for running. Out of the sports and activities I have had a go at throughout my years, there doesn't seem to be one that has given me the same joy and satisfaction that running presents each time I head out. For me, it's a time to switch off. To think, to align and relax, to push to exercise focus and achieve. It’s so many things to me, that I would certainly not wish to be without. I've seen a lot of beautiful places while being out running and continue to look around close to home or further afield to see what else there is.

Nikki posing for their calendar, raising money for charity with The Neverest Girls 2015

MV:Nikki, how did you start running?

NB:I ran when I was a kid and got involved in track and field but never had a go at anything further than the out schools obligatory annual cross country event. I tried my hand at Triathlon a few years back and liked it. Living in Chamonix has been very influential and inspiring, and I've just enjoyed exploring and pushing a touch more as the years go on and have had a great time in doing so.

Photo: Nikki Barnard

MV:Where is your favourite place to run? 

NB:There is a place called La Flatiere close to where I live. It is a trail through the dense forest, which is beautiful and smells like heaven. This offers you the chance to take it easy or work hard with the bonus of it being very quiet and less populated.

MV:What usually motivates you to get your trainers on?

NB:I read it somewhere in a magazine once, GO! If you feel miserable and don't want to be out 10 minutes into your run, then stop, and head home. So, I try to abide by that and funnily enough after 10 minutes, I'm settled in and usually having a great time. This little rule seems to do the trick for me.

MV:What has been your most memorable running event so far?

NB:I enjoyed the TDS Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie 120km 7200M+ . The trail was beautiful, and I just really appreciated everything about the experience. This is hindsight speaking hey; I was on my feet for 27+ hours, and my feet were torn to shreds, but the people, the support, the perfect weather conditions all came together and I just had a blast.

MV:You are a part of the Neverest girls. Tell us more about that.

NB:The Neverest Girls is a group of passionate female runners based in Chamonix. We're not elite athletes, but we push ourselves to our own personal limits. We love nothing more than running in the mountains encouraging each other and enjoying the views. We got together to make things happen, to bring ideas to life and contribute to charitable causes that may need support. Over the few years the NRG have been around, we have travelled to Nepal to run the Everest Marathon, and also over to the USA to run the Trans Rockies 6 day stage race.  In 2016 we plan to run the Haute Route, from Chamonix to Zermatt in 6 days.  In total we have raised over 26000 Euros for charity and I am hopeful we will be able to raise more in the future.  For more information relating to our chosen charities, A Chacun Son Everest and Kennedys disease UK visit – www.theneverestgirls.com

MV:What has been the hardest obstacle to face with running?

NB:I injured myself just before the summer hit it off and sadly it forced me to draw a line through some races I was down to run. Understanding the feelings associated with having an injury was a bit tricky, and it was a whole new side of endurance sports I had never encountered. It is just that, an obstacle that you can get around, it may just take some time and patience, but I am certain it will be worth it.

MV:What have you got coming up in 2016?

NB:Running, running and a bit more running.  Well, we're off to Morocco in March for the Right Altitudes inaugural high altitude training camphttps://www.facebook.com/TheRightAltitude/info?tab=page_info , that I am looking very much forward too. I have always fancied a trip to Morocco and being able to combine it with running and hanging out with some of my favourite people and meeting other likeminded runners will be great!

After withdrawing from the 2015 UTMB due to injury, I plan to be at the start line in 2016 with all cylinders firing and ready to go. There're a few other bits and bobs going on and in the works that I'm also really looking forward to as well. Right now I am still recovering from injury and I am working hard in an effort to come back strong, so who knows what the future will bring 

Thanks Nik, you've certainly motivated me :)

Find Nikki also at: https://twitter.com/barnardsadvent

To see a film made for the British Mountaineering Council by SevenTwenty Productions following Nikki and I ultra-marathon training + racing ,click here