Been there, done that got the T-shirt (and a medal)

WOW What a weekend! 23, 24 and 25 June.  Friday evening Richard competed in the 'KM Vertical' approximatly 2 km in distance for 1 km of 'up', in 49 mins! not bad at all considering the winner took 36 mins. 

8.30am Saturday morning I began the Cross du Mont Blanc, 23 km, 1454m+ altitude gain, -474m, taking 30 mins longer than I did when I last did the race 10 years ago.  Granted there was an extra uphill added on but seriously the mountains have got steeper!! probably due to global warming or something!
There is definitly 'for' and 'against' running (I won't use the word 'competing' to describe my efforts) a race on terrain that you are familiar with; the for is that you know whats ahead, the against is that you KNOW whats ahead!!



start line photo with Annick




Finish line photo by Papy Tatoo. Don't give up your day job dad!

 Anyway, whilst I was zig-zagging my way slowly up the valley, Rémi was participating, for the 3 year, in the Mini-Cross.  800m to be roughly exact!  Tino, Richard and Papy Tatoo, his biggest fans, were there to cheer him on. Thankfully, Natalie and Papy Bob, my hydration crew/fans, popped up at various points during my run with much need liquids. Warning - powdered energy drink and coca-cola don't mix!  my brain told me they would but my intestins told me they didn't.

And if all that wasn't enought for one day, Rémi then sucessfully passed his 'Biker 1' award during his afternoon mountain biking lesson.
The 'fun' stopped here for the Team Etellin but not for the 1824 brave souls that signed up for the Mont Blanc Marathon (42km, 2511m+, 1490m-) on Sunday 25th.  Endulging in the luxury of a tempory in-house baby-sitter a.k.a Papy Tatoo, Richard and myself went to watch the start of the marathon at 7am and to encourage amongst others Karl, Norma and Thierry, who all 3 sucsessfully completed the race.



it's a finishers medal only!





Papy Bob -mad but happy!


The last two weekends have been competition free but today Richard is doing an MB Race event, 100 km on a mountain bike in the mountains.  If that doesn't sound crazy enough some mad fools are doing the 140 km event.  I've only got one thing to say to them - 'Sadle Sore'!

HOT OFF THE PRESS/SADLE: Richi has just called to say he's stopping his race at 70km due to tiredness!
He's not getting any younger either! mind you he did do 50km of biking on friday and swam 100m (an incredible feat for such a landlover as he) on saturday morning.  I'm glad he knows his limits and when to stop.  Rémi and Tino have not yet aquired this skill  and tend to go until they are tired, bloody, tearfull and snotty (comes hand in hand with crying for some reason).