Feeding the soul (Running)

Wednesday 01 October 2008 09:20PM

For some reason, despite feeling exhausted, I’m often really psyched to go running when I get down from big routes. Perhaps it’s something about the fact that, even if you are climbing “fast and light” you spend most of the time not really going anywhere very fast, shivering, belaying, wondering where you are going to spend the night, worrying about how hard the climbing is. There’s nothing simple about the experience.

In contrast running is simple. You put on a pair of trainers and some shorts and run, around here you run uphill for ages, in itself a very mentally cleansing activity. Then you perhaps run along contouring for a while, admiring the beautiful golds and reds of the vegetation just below the snowline, then you plunge back down towards the valley, willing tired feet not to catch on tree routes, passing startled ibex and the occasional walker, to be deposited back in the centre of Chamonix, where you jog back to your flat feeling slightly self concsious, sweaty in shorts amongst all the fashionable people.

I’ve ran every day since we got down from the Jorasses, and today was the best. From Montenvers up to les alpages de blatiere, then along above the trees to Montenvers, then back down to Chamonix in the fading light.

This photo by Jonathan Griffith kind of sums up why I love this run. There was less snow about today, but the run goes up through the forest, then runs along underneath all these inspiring peaks.

I’ve also finally put some articles in the articles section. More to come in due course. Any constructive criticism gratefully recieved.