17km Course du duc

Part of the escalade series of races, this one is only done every 5 years. Some call it the super escalade.

But for me, something that only ever happen once every 5 years has to be worth checking out.

Pierro (super elite thought he had a podium chance) and Steve also from work were doing it too.

Had to get down to the finish in Geneva during the day to get my number and that was good as I knew how it would finish. Long clip through the park and a u-turn to the finish. The first gantry is 400m out and is a bridge - not the finish.

This race tracks the route the duc of Savoie took with his troops 400 years ago to teach the Calvinist Genevois a lesson. Ha - they got whipped!

Got the bus as planned, after wondering around for a while, I bumped into another guy wondering around and then we saw a group that looked like they knew where they were going. The bus to take was printed in the pack, but when I got there the lady running the shop just made sure the first bus in was filled as quickly as possible and then sent it off.

We got to Reignier in about 20 minutes and there were plenty of people milling around. I went to check out the start and watched enviously as the people in the warm restaurants were enjoying their evening meal. The hot drink place was full to silly levels so I jogged off to find one of the keep warm locations. First one was a massive sports hall. I queued up for ages and got in only to find it was completely full, so I did a u turn and queued up for ages to get back out.

Noticed people heading still further away from the start so I followed them and found a less busy (but pretty full) location. In there I found Steve, so that was great. He kindly shared some food and we had a good old chat to kill the time.

I lost Steve at the bag drop, then made my way to the start. I had messed up my entry and so was down to go in block 6, but I talked them into upgrading me to block 2 and while my number showed 6 it was easy to get into block 2.

I went for the middle of block two and waited. Did not get any warm up as such in, as it was so cold I did not want to be outside any longer then necessary.

Gun for block 1 went I thought of Pierro out in front in the lead group. Block 2 shuffled forwards and vaguely started jogging and I hit the garmin under the inflatable start gantry.

Start is downhill and was frustratingly slow. First two were 5mins and I was trying so hard to go faster, but was boxed in. There was a switch back early on and that was one of the highlights, seeing all the head torches - thousands of people in a river of light - snaking their way up the hill in front. Stunning and unique.

Got the pace faster and settled down. Noticed people taking off their jackets, I smiled as mine was in my bag!

A train overtook us and the driver let rip on his horn, then I remembered there were several level crossings and the trains were not stopping for the race. By the time I got the crossing it was open again. Phew.

We ran along side the Saleve, a large outcrop of sheer cliff to the top of a massive lump of rock, with the little lights of the restaurant at the top where the cable car takes you. Never been this close to the Saleve on the french side.

A few people on the French side were out to cheer us on, but they were few and far between.

However when we crossed the border at Veyrier that all changed. The crowds were 4 or 5 deep in places and very loud "We are here to encourage you", "You are so brave", and patriotic songs blasted out of loudspeakers and fanfares (drums and flutes) lined the route. Every round about or junction had people there going mental.

That was 12 km done and I'd gone through 10 in 44 so was thinking 1h 20 might be possible.

I lost a bit on a slight uphill and then I started to recognise where I was and so began to push and try to pick up the pace for the last few km to try and sneak in under 1h 20.

I over took a guy in a mutant ninja turtle outfit (including inflatable shell) who was running with a lady dressed as a rabbit with ears and tail! No way were turtle and rabbit going to finish before me.

I thought I was hallucinating when I saw an unofficial looking drinks stand which was actually dispensing whisky and other strong spirits. I decided against that!

Into the old town of Geneva and again the crowds were amazing. Cobbled streets were not nice to run on and I could feel my legs giving out. Somone called 900m to go as my Garmin said 17km cleared. I tried to hold the fast pace into the park and I remembered "the gantry is NOT the finish" the four guys around me blasted off racing each other to the gantry and I cruised past them all as another 400m of park was left before the turn. My calves were niggling and I was worried I might collapse but I held it together to the line and got through to pick up my goodie bag and get a banana and drink.

Did it in 1h 21m 32s from Garmin or 1h 21m 22s based on the official time. I was 261st in my category (of 1249). 657th overall out of 5,000 plus.

Then the cramp hit me - it was agony, both calves just contracted and I fell to the ground. A guy helped me pushing the stretch and it went and I continued. But I had to get over the race route to get my bag. Again, I seized up at the top of the stairs, but there I was holding on so did not fall. Stretched again and the pattern repeated at the bottom of the stairs on the far side. Agony. One tosser said that's what you get for racing with out training. Idiot, I've run over 21km twice in the last month and a week ago did 17 no problem. Admittedly a lot slower! But the vast majority were very helpful. I continued towards my bag and there was a big ramp to get up to the buses - nightmare. Made it halfway and they went again. I guy gave me a bottle of water and checked I was ok. Recovered and got my bag.

Brilliant organisation and everything ran like clockwork. Very impressed and nothing like the horror stories of 5 years ago. By now I had 25 mins to get my train so I jogged very very slowly and made it to the station in good time where I met Patrick, who was getting changed behind the sign I was stretching against. Nice to have some company and he gave me half a banana and I remembered I had some chocolate that we scoffed too.

What an adventure. Loved it. Felt like part of the history of the place was being re-enacted. See you in 5 years duc!

Garmin

4m run then 8x reps with Tenke

Met up with Tenke at the park des bastions and ran back with her to the park.

It was so, so cold and the ice wind was killing me. We were running against it so any plans for fast stuff were put on hold.

We found some shelter in the park and a short stretch where we sprinted up and then jogged down.

8x hill plus jog back as recovery.

Garmin

3m jog with Katja plus 10x 100

Easy jog with Katja which was a pleasant surprise that she wanted to come "running" with me.

Garmin

At the end I could not face another hour in the bad weather so did something fast instead - 10x 100m.

Remembered that last time I did this it was too long to rest for 1 minute so I edited the work out to cut the recovery time to 30 seconds. Perceived effort this was fine.

Garmin

No HRT as left the strap at work.

4m plus 3x hill reps

This was mad, Yanick was here tonight - the lady who runs the mini-foulee's son. He's 16 a football ref and player. He's pretty quick.

Him and Paul zoomed off (suddenly Paul was neither sick nor tired the moment he saw Yanick!).

On the way up there was talk of hill reps in the field after the church, but that was deemed to mad in the dark, so we settled on 3x the last bit before the church.

It is super steep at the last climb to the church.

Rep one was fine, everyone was steady.

Rep two Paul led, then retired leaving only Yanick and I to do rep 3 together.

We trotted down the hill and at the bottom turned, nodded to each other and whipped of in to dark for rep 3. Dead level and as we turn the corner below the church there are all the kids on the church patio cheering us on. At 20m to go it gets very steep and Yanick glances over and senses I'm already red lining and he accelerates to put a couple of strides between us and holds that all the way to the finish.  Well done mate, you are king of the hill.

My head was thumping and I felt like I could see stars spinning around me.

Lost signal some where so Garmin is a bit messed up. 

6.2m Airport hill

Nothing special today, aimed for 50 mins for the familiar hilly 10km and came in on the money.

Garmin

4m Botanic gardens and bottom field loops

No chance of getting lost today. Stayed close to the office and away from the hill.

Just loops of the Botanic gardens now all the works are finished it is possible again and the bottom field is always a safe bet, it drains surprisingly well and was not to waterlogged.

Garmin

11.6m lost behind the airport

It was cold and cloudy and I thought the reverse Webster uni loop would be fun.

A blue topped guy over took me by following the dual carriage way instead of my nice trails. When our routes rejoined he was a fair bit ahead.

I decided to follow the route as far as the château. Then I thought I could do part of the route Laurence showed me. That seemed like a good plan to add a couple of km onto the loop.

I quickly had no idea where I was, so cut back and was certain that I was heading back to the woods to take me back to my airport hill loop.

I saw a path I thought would get me back to the railway, but pushed on sure there was another. Followed the road then some trail and was sure the parcours vita was the one in the woods I know. I was very wrong.

I followed the trail up and on, past an industrial compost site and now the aircraft appearing out of the fog above me were only a few metres above my head. Surely I'd get to my crossing over the motorway soon. I crossed under a tunnel and followed some more trails. Lost. Very lost.

Crossing with France, Coppet, geneva and geneva indicated. Went for one geneva and guessed well. One sign read geneva 9km. I'd already run 11. Eek.  Finally a sign for Pregny-Chambesy and I was saved - 5km out and I could see the airport corner where I could cross and the motorway bridge.  Very very confused. And very tired.

Had done 19km by the time I got back to the office. Ops.

Looking at the map, I could have turned at 7km and been ok. I could also have gone straight on at 7.5km and been ok too. The tour of Colly-Bossy was also completely uncalled for.

Garmin

4m Mini Foulee Glandoise

Easy run with the Mini Foulee. Only Paul, me and two other kids were up for the climb to the church in Luins. It is a 100m up and spooking in the fog and light rain.

One of the kids went over on his ankle, which slowed us down a bit on the way back, but he was ok which is the main thing.

Garmin

7m Escalade Route with Tenke

Another nice day today, following a washout weekend.

I watch the star wars movies 1, 2 and 3 back to back with twenty dads and boys on Sat so was zonked all day Sunday and did another zero mile weekend.

Went out to meet Tenke lake side and was a shade late so I caught a glimpse of her, ran through the traffic to get lakeside and tried to catch her up as she lolloped along the lake side. I followed for a bit but I was not warmed up and she is very fast so I stopped and shouted.

By this time I was bent over double in an exhausted mess.

Tenke wanted to run the route of the Escalade so we did. I've never done it as I don't like loops and hills. I also found that don't like cobbles and really really can't be doing with all the hills and twists.

It's the Course du Duc for me!

Garmin

8m Webster Uni Route with Pierro

Very sunny day and with my kit on my shoulder I wondered by Pierro's desk to ask if he wanted to run and he was up for it right now.

He wanted to do the Webster uni route so that was fine. As usual I tried hard to keep him talking about the NY marathon that did not happen and his elite mates he met there.

At 8.5km the great man admitted a school boy error. He needed a dump, fast. So he could no longer go as slowly as I was running, 7:30 minute miles, or 4:40 minute kms, so he shot off at a blistering pace. After a while I saw him scrambling down an embankment into some woods. I kicked for home. Great feeling to be running in front of the great man. That kept me going through the last few km, thinking of him behind me.

I had to go get some lunch, so he made back to the changing rooms before me, but he did not pass me running. Very amusing to be just for once ahead!

Garmin

4m Mini Foulee to Eglise de Luins

Super steep climb to the church at Luins from the sports centre. Paul zipped up the hill like it was not there.

We ran back faster together as had to get to Paul's parent's evening.

Garmin

7m Airport Hill ++

Fat loop of the Airport hill exploring a path I've always wondered where does that go.

Now I know, to the International School of Geneva, a stunning modern building with a balcony were students were sunning themselves as the learnt in the weak winter sun.

Well, well. Now I know where that goes.

Garmin

4m Mini Foulee

Easy run with the kids at the Mini Foulee

Garmin