PRESS RELEASE!! T-alp SOLD OUT!

PRESS RELEASE

March 12th, 2012             

GORE-TEX® TRANSALPINE-RUN 2012 sold out

The GORE-TEX® TRANSALPINE-RUN crosses the Alps in 8 days. It has become one of the most popular endurance stage events in the world. This year, six months before the starter’s gun is fired on 1 September, all of the 250 team places have already been sold to runners from 32 different countries.

Entries from all over the world: from Argentina to New Zealand

The professional and amateur runners from 32 different countries participating in the 8th GORE-TEX® TRANSALPINE-RUN from 1 to 8 September 2012 share a common dream: to cross the Alps on foot in eight days together with their team partners while sharing the mixed emotions of elation, pain, exhaustion and pride. The majority of the runners come from Germany, closely followed by Spain, Austria and Great Britain. However, countries like Argentina, Iceland, Japan, Malaysia and New Zealand are also represented. The multi-stage event is raced in the categories Master Men (together 80 years or more), Senior Master Men (together 100 years or more), Mixed and Women. A waiting list has been drawn up for everyone who didn’t get one of the much sought-after places.

The route: 3 countries, 320 km, with St. Johann in Tyrol new on the route on the toughest day of the race

This year the course takes the runners over a distance of 320 km along the main ridge of the Alps from Ruhpolding (D) to Sexten (I). According to initial estimates the runners will have to tackle 15,000 m of elevation gain and 14,500 m of elevation loss. On average each of the eight stages of the race covers 40 km while ascents total some 1,900 m.

This year the first day of the race is also the toughest day of the race. On their way to St. Johann in Tyrol (A), which is new on the route, the runners will have to cover a distance of nearly 50 km. The next day racers can enjoy magnificent Alpine views on their way to Kitzbühel (A). After that the race takes the participants to Neukirchen am Großvenediger (A), Prettau im Ahrntal (I), Sand in Taufers (I), St. Vigil (I), Niederdorf im Pustertal (I) and finally to the finish in Sexten (I). Spectacular scenery and a tremendous sense of togetherness motivate the runners to push themselves to new limits, day after day.

Visit www.transalpine-run.com to find out everything you want to know about the GORE-TEX® TRANSALPINE-RUN.

W.L. Gore & Associates releases “HEAVEN & HELL”, a documentary film about the GORE-TEX® Transalpine Run.

If you want to get an idea of what the GORE-TEX® TRANSALPINE-RUN is all about, you shouldn’t miss seeing “HEAVEN & HELL”. Filmmakers Miriam Jakobs and Gerhard Schick accompanied two teams for the duration of the 2011 run to make a 60 minute documentary film about the event. In addition to the superb photography, it is above all those personal moments that make “HEAVEN & HELL” so special: the runners’ constant battle against themselves, against their team partners, the way they push themselves to their absolute limits, the mixed emotions of elation and despair, of euphoria and exhaustion, even of pain, sometimes not knowing whether to laugh or cry – the intensity of emotions that only a multi-day team stage race can bring out and that make the GORE-TEX® TRANSALPINE RUN an experience like no other. The film will soon be going on the road. Information about all dates is available at www.transalpine-run.com/heavenandhell

For an initial impression, watch the trailer at http://youtu.be/hujqIWiQmcM

A little Update

So the reason that I have been inactive on here over the past week or so is due to a stag weekend that I went on in Edinburgh over the weekend 4th March.

It is safe to say that I relaxed from my training regime and went for it.........resulting in having a great weekend. I haven't had the chance to totally unwind for quite a while so from a mental aspect it was great for me.

Physically however that was so not the case! After a 2 hour sleep on the last night I awoke from my jaeger bomb induced coma with a gland in my throat the size of a golf ball! The whole of last week I felt lethargic, weak and had no hope of training. No matter how well I ate, slept and drank I couldn't feel back to normal. I was due to go for my training run this past Saturday but awoke to all my joints aching, head banging and JK calling me a wimp!....he actually used a different term but I will let your imagination figure that one out!

After his inspiring word I shut my eyes and slept right through to the afternoon...which is not like me so I must of needed it. The rest of that day was spent with heavy eyes and a banging head but come Sunday I was feeling mostly back to normal.

What's occurring now is a bit of a mental and physical block to get back to training as well as I was before. This has always been a sticking point for me. I get to a point where things are going well and with a little set back it derails all the previous efforts. I can't go through this Transalpine training half heartedly otherwise I will get found out and destroyed on the first day.

I want to complete this event it knowing I trained really well, stuck to my guns on how I feel all types of runners should prepare and for it to knock down any boundaries that I have within myself. I do have some internal doubts like I imagine most people do and over the course of the next 6 months I will keep working at improving myself.

Next post will detail the next phase of our strength & conditioning work....