Aletsch Halbmarathon

Was hoping this would be a highlight event of the year, running close to the Aletsch glacier, one of the top images of the Swiss alps. However, when the clouds are low, you don't see much except the feet of the person half a meter in front of you! Could only hear the cowbells ringing through the dense cloud, and only remember the advertising leaflets with their photos of clear days over the Aletsch.
Apart from that, the conditions were probably optimal for running - cool to warm, no burning sunlight, and dry. Very comfortable for running. With so many runners, the trails are soon clogged and you're running along in single file. No room to pass, but this did not stop some, a little dangerous in some places.
 I was expecting the course to be tougher, the profile appears to rise sharply for the final 3km and drink stations at every km from 18km onwards. Instead, there were breathers between the steep bits, and only the final 1km was a hike, but still it was the final stretch so worth a speedy ascent between the remaining walls of snow.

A great event, well organised and recommended.

2hr 29m 25s

Sellaronda Bike Day

After pushing the bike up and down mud fest of the Sellaronda Hero, today the smooth roads of the
Sellaronda bike day were so welcome. Huge numbers of cyclists, unicyclists, tandems, all starting as early as possible to ride around the closed roads of the Sellaronda before the certain heavy rain returns in the afternoon.

Sellaronda Hero

I'd been looking forward to revisiting the Dolomites for a long time, since the registration for this

event had to be early, as its a sellout event. Impressive advertising, the Hero dominates the town of Val Gardena, with nearly almost all the hotels draping banners.
Overnght sees a fierce thunderstorm, and torrential rain - can only be bad news for over 4000 mountainbikers on the Sunday.
Soon realise this is all about going uphill, as the roll from the start block 13 to the start line gets the heart beating faster, even before reaching the start line! Then its steep steep steep. I did well, riding every inch of the steep climb up to the first col of Dantercepies Pass, as many were walking halfway up and there were some steeper sections with loose surface, so pleased I had made a big effort here.
Still pleased with this effort, I could look forward to sweeping singletrack down to Corvara - well, thats what I hoped, but when there are over 4000 riders all on the same singletrack, there are some major jams. Very frustrating, standing around for a long time, many took to riding direct shortcuts, but this only caused more jams lower down. Took half an hour to ride a 6km descent!
Very frustrated at this slow progress.
Mud was now starting to add to the downhill misery, the steep rocks to Arabba meant walking down a large section here. More rain fell, then no more for the rest of the day, but again with so many riders and more rain, the mud fest was about to go into overdrive.
The 3rd ascent was a joke. Far too steep for all around, we walked and pushed our bikes so far, I just don't like courses which involve so much bike pushing.
Then cold in the snow/hail, and a ridiculous comedy show of jammed riders carrying bikes down a mud chute somewhere off the Pass Pardoi. Was too stupid, but too annoyed to try to take a comedy video of this procession. Roadies have it so easy. 

When you see that after 75km of riding, 4600m ascent is achieved, you see how steep this course is. Unless you're a pro, its unrideable up and frustrating slow descending. Plus, caked in mud, this felt like hero to zero today I'm afraid.

9hrs 18min 14s to do 86km. In the mud.