Ultra running is one of the world's fastest growing sports and in Ian Corless who runs the scene's most influential podcast, ultra-running has the perfect author to chronicle its rise. Running Beyond is a homage to the sport's legendary races, unique, commissioned photography, captures the diverse and striking terrain - from mountail peaks, to jungles and deserts. Through interviews with the legendary athletes of the sport, Running Beyond is the ultimate homage to the ultra-running world. Foreword by record-breaking, world number one, Kilian Jornet (Run or Die).
Ultra running is one of the world's fastest growing sports and in Ian Corless who runs the scene's most influential podcast, ultra-running has the perfect author to chronicle its rise. Running Beyond is a homage to the sport's legendary races, unique, commissioned photography, captures the diverse and striking terrain - from mountail peaks, to jungles and deserts. Through interviews with the legendary athletes of the sport, Running Beyond is the ultimate homage to the ultra-running world. Foreword by record-breaking, world number one, Kilian Jornet (Run or Die).
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Overview
Ultra running is one of the world's fastest growing sports and in Ian Corless who runs the scene's most influential podcast, ultra-running has the perfect author to chronicle its rise. Running Beyond is a homage to the sport's legendary races, unique, commissioned photography, captures the diverse and striking terrain - from mountail peaks, to jungles and deserts. Through interviews with the legendary athletes of the sport, Running Beyond is the ultimate homage to the ultra-running world. Foreword by record-breaking, world number one, Kilian Jornet (Run or Die).
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781781316504 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Aurum Press |
| Publication date: | 11/03/2016 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 240 |
| File size: | 55 MB |
| Note: | This product may take a few minutes to download. |
About the Author
Ian Corless is a photographer, writer, reviewer and blogger at iancorless.com. Ian is currently travelling the world capturing stories from some of the most iconic ultras on the planet. In addition, Ian is creative director and host of an ultra running podcast called Talk Ultra. It covers ultra running throughout the world bringing news, reviews and interviews. iancorless.com talkultra.com
Ian Corless is a photographer, writer, reviewer and blogger at iancorless.com. Ian is currently travelling the world capturing stories from some of the most iconic ultras on the planet. In addition, Ian is creative director and host of an ultra running podcast called Talk Ultra. It covers ultra running throughout the world bringing news, reviews and interviews. iancorless.com talkultra.com
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
Transvulcania Ultramarathon 74km Spain
Mountains, volcanos, beaches, forests, a tropical rainforest, tiny villages and breathtaking views; La Palma is the jewel in the Canaries' crown. Many consider it to be the most beautiful and idyllic Canary Island – unspoilt by tourism and ideal for rest, peace and quiet, it is a treasure for the walker, hiker or runner.
Although the island is relatively small, it is shaped like a question mark and each curve has many surprisingly different areas of natural beauty. The south of the island is dominated by the dramatic Cumbre Vieja – a central spine of steep volcanos that create a blackened wasteland in stark contrast to the wild and green vistas of the north. Linking the two sides is the Caldera, the largest water-erosion crater in the world. Its steep slopes inside and out create a natural central ridge.
These incredible rock formations create the perfect landscape for a mountain race. The Transvulcania Ultramarathon follows the famous GR131 route that takes runners from the sea in the south to the sea in the north. In its origins, this path connected the localities furthest away from each other.
The race route starts at the Fuencaliente lighthouse at sea level and follows the GR131 all the way to Tazacorte port, finishing with a sting in the tail as runners are tested with a final climb up to the town in Los Llanos de Aridane. It's a logical route with no ambiguity.
Anna Frost, from New Zealand, has made the race her own ever since winning in 2012. 'The start is chaos, people sprint and then suddenly you are in a one-metre-wide trail. Rocks are everywhere, it's a black sandpit and it's dark. Along with that you have supporters making noise; it really is bonkers. To get around people you have to go around the rocks. It's a volcano, after all, and the floor moves. After Los Canarios, around seven kilometres, I like to push on.'
From Los Canarios, dense pine forests offer a stark contrast to the opening kilometres. Under foot, the terrain now mixes black lava sand with pine needles and rocks, but running is easier than the climb and offers an opportunity to stretch the legs to full stride.
Climbing up, the trees eventually start to subside and you emerge in the 'Route of the Volcanos'. The southern ridge of the island is where most of the volcanos are lined up. Early sections of the course include two key volcanos, San Antonio and Teneguía, the latter last erupting in 1971. The first kilometres are tough going, and most certainly a struggle on race day with some 1,500-plus runners. The path is often narrow, with loose black sand or rocks. It is an incredible route, sometimes very runnable, at other times hard work due to the increasing steepness of the path and loose, deep lava sand.
The final sections of the volcano route offer good, fast running to El Pilar. Heading north for the crest of La Cumbre Nueva, a forest trail leads to El Reventón (1,350 metres). Initially this section provides some of the easiest running so far; the gradients are easier and underfoot one has fewer obstacles.
The path climbs the successive and increasingly high peaks to the Taburiente crater. The rim is an incredible natural wonder, offering technical running terrain, constant changes in elevation and some of the most amazing views you will ever see. Depending on the weather systems, you will either have clear blue skies and the ability to look out into the distance for miles, or a thick, blanket-like layer of cloud that sits below your feet, making you feel as if you are literally skyrunning.
'I can't quite describe how beautiful the route was,' says competitor Marina Ranger. 'It really made up for, and sometimes even numbed, all of the pain I was feeling. Running above the clouds and around the crater of an extinct volcano was completely mesmerizing and the memories of it will stay will me forever. I thought that reaching the top meant I had conquered the race, but I hadn't quite realized how tough the last 22 kilometres was going to be. As you descend, the land becomes less barren and you begin to enter the pine forests again. There were some short runnable sections here, though they didn't last long as the technical ground was sure to slow you down at some point.'
La Palma is also distinctive for its microclimate, adding an extra element to the race's difficulty and, strangely, its appeal. Running the race will almost certainly put you through different types of weather, particularly if the cloud layer appears. You can be hot with the sun beating down on you, and then a little chilly as you run through the cloud.
From the Roque de los Muchachos (2,421 metres), the highest point of the course, the route drops down to the sea at the port of Tazacorte. Beware! Runners often think that they have a wonderful, long descent to the finish. They do, but it is steep, technical and punishes the legs. Easy running sections are followed by tough, technical, rocky and gnarly terrain.
Crossing a main road at El Time, a couple of very steep road sections follow before the final drop down the stunning (and technical) zigzag path to Tazacorte port. Frost picks up her story from 2014, when she set the course record: 'When you come down the zigzags you can hear the crowds in the port ... it is uplifting. I also had guys I was overtaking shouting encouragement, "Go Anna, go Anna." It was brilliant.'
The GR131 stops in Tazacorte, but the Transvulcania Ultramarathon organizers have a sting in the tail, as the final kilometres take you back up to the town of Los Llanos where a rapturous welcome awaits.
'Your legs are like jelly after running downhill for 90 minutes,' said Frost, telling the story of the closing kilometres. 'In the port I just refocused. The riverbed wasn't a surprise but when you hit the beach and your feet sink, it isn't great, particularly knowing the road is just at the side. Mentally it is exhausting, but it is a beautiful trail. You have cliff walls and you do get some shade. For me, I just knew it was nothing in the bigger picture, I knew I could hold on and keep going at a decent pace.'
The final roads of Los Llanos drag on as the heat beats down, but the crowds can be heard and they pull the runners in to a glorious finish. 'It's amazing; you can hear the noise from a long way off,' says Frost. 'The final stretch seems miles away. I assumed the record was off! I was appreciating the time and I was enjoying the crowds. It was crazy, they were Mexican-waving, cheering and clapping. It was only on the final few hundred metres that I realized that the course record was on. I turned the corner, saw the official clock and I took a breath and had to push, push and push for the record.'
It's a day that Anna Frost will never forget, and of course it's a day that all runners never forget. The trails of La Palma are special – they are like no other. At times relentless and brutal, but at all times beautiful. When you reach the finish you will arrive as a champion; believe me, you will have earned it.
Fact File Transvulcania Ultramarathon
DISTANCE: 74km
TERRAIN: Trail
TOTAL HEIGHT GAIN: 4,350m
FASTEST TIME: Luis Alberto Hernando 06:52:39 and Anna Frost 08:10:41
HIGHEST POINT ON ROUTE: 2,421m
CHAPTER 2Transgrancanaria 125km Spain
The Canary Islands, a Spanish autonomous community located in the Atlantic Ocean just 100 kilometres from the southern border of Morocco, have become a haven for trail- and mountain-running enthusiasts over recent years. Often volcanic in nature, with demanding terrain and elevation gain, they are the perfect playground for a running adventure.
Year-round good weather, excellent beaches, natural attractions and stunning views have made the Canaries one of the growing locations for challenging races. This archipelago is made up of seven key islands that vary in size: Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera and La Hierro, the smallest. In addition to the main islands, six additional small islands/islets are interspersed within the Atlantic. La Graciosa is perhaps the best known of these, as it is less than 1.6 kilometres from the coast of Lanzarote and has a very distinctive landscape.
Founded in 1478 by Juan Rejon, head of the Castilian army (the Crown of Castile was a medieval state in the Iberian Peninsula), one of the most notable points of history came in 1492, when Christopher Columbus anchored in Las Palmas, capital of Gran Canaria, on his trip to the Americas. Located west of Fuerteventura and southeast of Tenerife, this circular ball of volcanic rock is approximately 50 kilometres in diameter with a highest peak of 1,949 metres, Pico de las Nieves.
Like the neighbouring Canary island of La Palma, with its Transvulcania Ultramarathon (which runs point to point, See here to here), Gran Canaria hosts a race that runs a logical line from one side of the island to the other. This crossing and point-to-point scenario makes for a very pleasing race. Created in 2003 with just sixty-five participants, the race has since taken on different courses and distances. Currently they have five events: 17, 32, 44 and 83 kilometres, and the main race of 125 kilometres.
Always taking place in March, it has become one of the key early-season races for elite and non-elite runners. It's a tough way to start a year. Starting in the northwest coastal town of Agaete, the runners travel south over 125 kilometres, covering 8,000 metres of vertical gain to finish in the southern town of Maspalomas in less than 30 hours. Starting at midnight, hours of darkness add to the challenge, especially when one considers that the opening 10 kilometres are straight up from the sea to the first summit.
Fact File Transgrancanaria
DISTANCE: 125km
TERRAIN: Trail
TOTAL HEIGHT GAIN: 8,000m
FASTEST TIME: Didrik Hermansen 13:41:48 and Caroline Chaverot 15:23:40
HIGHEST POINT ON ROUTE: 1,938m
'The course starts with a nearly immediate 1,240-metre climb off the pier ... followed by a rollicking 600-metre descent and another 600-plus-metre climb,' said the USA's Anton Krupicka, racing at Transgrancanaria for the first time in 2015. 'This first 30 kilometres or so were spectacular, engaging trail racing. It is one of the few sections of race course I've experienced that closely mimics the kind of track I enjoy most in training – steep, technical, heads-up, sometimes barely-there trail.'
Artenara, at just over 30 kilometres covered, transitions the runners from climbing to running on contouring paths with minimal elevation change. For the most part, the trails are not technical. At 56 kilometres, Teror breaks up the running and, for the front runners, the imminent arrival of dawn is something to hold on to as a beautiful, steep climb to Talayón and beyond follows.
Dropping from the summit to Tejeda (at 71 kilometres), the penultimate big push of the day follows from Garanon to the highest summit of the race and the highest point of the island, Pico de las Nieves. Arguably this is one of the most stunning sections of the whole Transgrancanaria course; the early-morning rays illuminate the landscape, making it appear not of this world. Roque Nublo, a key and iconic marker, provides a short out-and-back section before the final and lengthy drop to the finish line via Tunte, Ayagaures, Parque Sur and the Maspalomas finish.
'I deliberately flew to Gran Canaria one week before the race to let my body adjust to the changes and, more importantly, to have time for recuperation,' said Gediminas Grinius, 2015 champion and course record holder. 'The 2015 edition had a stacked field of elite runners. I wasn't at all worried or concerned, as my main aim was to improve upon my 2014 time and position [16:11 and 11th place] and hopefully have a good race with the top runners along the course.'
Grinius had a great race, his determination, pacing and cool, calm, collected approach proving to be the perfect strategy for the race. 'Having learnt from my 2014 experience that from Pico de las Nieves to Artenara is a very long technical descent, I had trained on this section trying to familiarize myself with every stone on the trail,' he recalls. 'Last year I was absolutely broken on this part, but now I was confident and my running was very smooth. With the finish line drawing closer, I noticed that my time was good enough for the course record. I adjusted my plan once again and I started to race for the record.'
Despite the drop to the line, the terrain (mostly) remains relentless; a mix of dust, sand and rock only made increasingly worse as the temperatures and humidity increase with the passing of the day. A cruel sting in the tail comes at the very end, with the most nontechnical running of the day – a stone-and-concrete river bed that leads the runners for many kilometres to the finish close to the sea. It's like running in a concrete cauldron.
A route that logically traverses a geographic feature – in this scenario, an entire island – plus the opportunity to travel to a foreign land and race with high-level competition – make the Transgrancanaria the ultimate early-season kick-off to get a wonderful European racing season under way.
CHAPTER 3Haría Extreme
80km Lanzarote
Fact File Haría Extreme
DISTANCE: 80km (In 2016 the race distance will increase to 100km)
TERRAIN: Road/trail
TOTAL HEIGHT GAIN: 2,874m
FASTEST TIME: José David Lutzardo Barroso 07:52:15 and A. Raquel Rivero Delgado 09:58:00
HIGHEST POINT ON ROUTE: 632m
The island of Lanzarote has long been a mecca for endurance sports. Club La Santa, a sports holiday complex located just outside the small coastal village of La Santa, has attracted sports people of all disciplines for years. This is, after all, the home of Ironman Lanzarote, arguably one of the toughest in the world.
Zigor Iturrieta, an experienced trail, mountain and ultra runner and host of a cookery show called Txoriene on Basque television, has raced in Lanzarote many times. 'I cannot fail in a race that takes place in an environment as spectacular as that offered by the island of Lanzarote,' Iturrieta said ahead of the 2015 edition of the race. 'Above all, the locals and supporters are some of the best in the world. They make me feel at home and encourage everyone, from the first to the last.'
Lanzarote's proximity to the coast of Africa generally means that it has a good all-year-round climate. This makes the island the perfect place to train or race.
Haría Extreme sits perfectly in Lanzarote's bigger picture. Haría is a small village located inland in the northernmost parts. To the west of the municipality it is largely mountainous; the coastline rises steeply from the sea. Numerous viewpoints, known locally as miradors, offer some of the island's most spectacular views, Mirador del Rio being the most well known. It is a key tourist attraction and one of the highest points on the island. In addition, Haría's quaint traditional streets, street market and small, selective gift shops make it a popular stopping-off point for tourists.
For one weekend of the year, normal day-to-day life comes to a halt and this sleepy Canary town is taken over by a series of races called Haría Extreme. The main event in previous years has been 80 kilometres in length, with over 2,800 metres of vertical gain. However, in 2016 a new 100-kilometre event launched, taking in more regions of this very special place.
The Famara mountains are a key feature of the racing, as they provide mixed and challenging terrain with incredible views out over the sea to Lanzarote's closest island, La Graciosa, which is less than one kilometre away via boat. Stunning ridges and single-track trails are overshadowed by a key feature of the racing – a stunning, near-vertical climb, aided by rope, from the sea to the summit at Guinate.
Jagged and irregular rocks provide a natural obstacle course. At times a clear section allows a faster pace, but the unpredictable nature of the terrain requires 100 per cent concentration. Relax, and it could be very painful if you fall.
Experienced and well-travelled ultra runner Niandi Carmont participated in the 2015 edition of the race. '[It is] an undefinable course that is a mix between Africa and Europe in more ways than one, offering the ultra runner a challenge and great variety,' said Carmont post race. 'One minute you are hopping and skipping in between dense, prickly thorn bush and jagged, rocky lava fields; the next minute you're stretching your legs on very runnable fire-track or running on a sandy beach section. Before you know it, you are making your way up a volcano or a mountainous section in a steep gully with only a rope to keep your balance and hoist yourself up. Running along a cliff edge, I was watching crashing waves against massive rocks and out at sea, other smaller islands. The climate was equally surprising; cool at the outset, boiling hot during the day, shady sections interspersed with exposed sections with the African sun beating down. I loved the race!'
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Running Beyond"
by .
Copyright © 2016 Ian Corless.
Excerpted by permission of The Quarto Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Table of Contents
Foreword,
Introduction,
Transvulcania Ultramarathon,
Transgrancanaria,
Haria Extreme,
Ultra Skymarathon Madeira,
Ultra Pirineu,
Zegama–Aizkorri,
Ronda dels Cims,
Trail Menorca Cami de Cavalls,
Ice Trail Tarentaise,
La Grande Trail des Templiers,
Mont-Blanc 80km,
Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc,
Dragon's Back Race,
Lakeland 100 & 50,
Glen Coe Skyline,
Mourne Skyline MTR,
Tromso¸ SkyRace,
Sierre–Zinal,
Matterhorn Ultraks,
Transalpine-Run,
Dolomites Skyrace and VK,
Limone Extreme,
Trofeo Kima,
Marathon des Sables,
Comrades Marathon,
Richtersveld Transfrontier Wildrun,
Iznik Ultra,
Lantau 2 Peaks,
Everest Trail Race,
Buffalo Stampede,
Run the Rut,
Superior 100,
Western States,
Grand to Grand,
The Coastal Challenge,
Glossary,
Acknowledgements,
Index,