In October 2018, I took part in my first marathon in Alps In Luxury’s home town of Bournemouth. Having never run one before, I really wasn’t sure quite what to expect and I can honestly say that it is just as difficult and painful as they say, if not more so! The hours of training, in all weather conditions in the months leading up to the day, along with a knee injury and weeks of physio appointments meant that I was just happy to make it to the finishing line in one piece.
I spent the two days after the race sat in my office chair smiling at my colleagues as I asked them to make me cups of tea just so I didn’t have to attempt standing and walking 3 metres to the kettle… and don’t even get me started on climbing stairs! As bad as the pain was, I have to say the feeling of utter exhilaration as I crossed the finishing line in front of the crowds, including my family and friends, made it all worthwhile.
So now I have officially caught the ‘marathon bug’ and am looking for my next challenge. Something that came to mind was the idea of combining my two favourite things, running and the mountains – a mountain marathon in the Alps! So I have done my research and found my top 3 events worthy of a place on any keen runners bucket list.
#1 Marathon du Mont Blanc, Chamonix
Where better to start than the legendary Mont Blanc? Chamonix hosts around 7,000 runners each year for the Mont-Blanc Marathon which takes place over 4 days. You can choose from the Mont-Blanc 90km, 42km or 23km races which take you through the best mountain paths in Chamonix and enjoy the stunning views of the mountain and the surrounding valleys.
There is also a 10km race designed for the mountain running newbies, a race of relatively low difficulty which gives a taster into trail running. There is a race known as the Vertical KM, an extremely intense 3.8km with a vertical gain of 1,000m, reserved for experienced runners who don’t suffer from vertigo. The finish line is similar to a via ferrata so it isn’t for the faint-hearted! They also host three junior races ranging from 800m to 3km dependent on their age.
The Marathon du Mont Blanc certainly offers something for runners of all abilities. I might focus my efforts on the easy 10km for my first marathon in the Alps, but perhaps you fancy giving the almighty 90km race a go?
The Marathon du Mont Blanc is due to take place from Thursday 27th – Sunday 30th June 2019. Check out our range of Chamonix Chalets available during the summer months and be sure to book one with a hot tub to soothe those aching legs.
#2 Zermatt Marathon, Zermatt
Considered to be one of the most demanding mountain marathons in the Alps, the Zermatt Marathon really puts my nice flat route in Bournemouth to shame. 26.2 miles (42 kilometres) and over 1,800 metres of altitude are faced along this scenic route.
The Gornergrant Zermatt Marathon runs from St Niklaus through the deepest valley in Switzerland, right up to the Riffelberg at Gornergrat. Around 1,600 runners are at the start line each year as well as thousands of spectators.
If this sounds a little too easy for you, you can compete in the Zermatt Ultra Marathon. The course is the same as the marathon but with an extra 3.4 kilometres and an additional 514 metres of altitude to overcome.
Zermatt Marathon takes place on 6th July 2019 and we have some stunning chalets available that make the perfect home for your trip. Bring along your family and friends to cheer you on and turn it into a luxury summer holiday to Zermatt! Chalet Grace is available for the week running up to the marathon and is the perfect place to mentally prepare for race day.
#3 Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, Chamonix
We head back to Chamonix for our last marathon in the Alps, although the name ‘marathon’ doesn’t do this race justice in my opinion. The Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc is an agonising 105 mile race around Mont Blanc that traverses a route with a total ascent of 34,000 feet and passes through 3 countries.
If you think it is tough getting into the London Marathon, try getting into the ballot for the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc. With strict entry requirements to even be in the ballot, you need to accumulate a certain number of points by running three qualifying races. Although you don’t need to win or even do particularly well, you do need to finish each race within the cut off time. The qualifying races themselves are miles above any marathon I could do, quite literally, each race is over 100 miles in length!
With the best runners finishing the race in around 20 hours, most complete it in 32-46 hours, running through 2 nights to reach the finish line.
If you feel up to the challenge, the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc takes place during a week-long running festival between Monday 26th August – Sunday 1st September 2019. Competing in an ultra race like this deserves an ultra chalet, and Chalet Couttet is still available for the week of the race!
Are you due to compete in any of these mountain marathons or are you now inspired to enter? Send us an email or give us a call on +44 (0)1202 203659 to let us know how your training is going and to find the perfect Alps summer chalet accommodation for your stay.
