Day 5

So we start the second half of the race, being able to count down the kilometers to the finish. Just 150km to go. We started in 'B' block again, although block 'C' is starting to shrink as the numbers of runners and teams taking part dwindles. I hear that there has been a roughly 30% attrition rate so far, but I need to check that. However Chris and I have met a number who have had to drop out, or been forced out because they didn't make the checkpoint cut off time. Today's route had to be changed due to a mud slide on the original route. That change made the 30km route into a 35km route and added a further 300m of ascent and descent. Great! Just what our legs wanted! I also receive a motivational envelope from Emma (my wife) each day. Today's was most appropriate: "It's a hill - get over it!" We were to use that phrase a few times today. My foot as well strapped up again and feeling better, and we started with a long ascent into low cloud, so we couldn't see how far we had to go up! It was however, a long way. After an hour of climbing, we arrived at the first drink station, which you can just make out here on the far side of the valley.

I had some more strapping applied to my foot by a medic at the stop, just to keep the dressing firmly in place. The trail then changed to single track as it continued undulating round the mountain in the cloud, although it was basically up!

...and on it went, up the valley. The path continuing up into the snow of the mountains. If you have a magnifying glass, you can see the trail of 'runners' continuing off road up the right hand valley.

The next shot is taken from the furthest pint visible in the last photo and the trail of runners continues up the mountain in front of us and over the ridge. This was long hard slow going, particularly as the uphills are not our forte.

The snake of runners zig zagged up the mountain into the cloud. The air getting thinner again, so lungs and legs complaining (just like yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that...).

The trail became precarious, with single file traffic mandated and holding onto fixed chains so you didn't slip on the snowy trail down the invisible abyss on our left.

Finally, after 2.5 hours of climbing we reached the crest, with race crew cheering as you see for the skiers 'Up, up,up,up...' with cow bells chiming and whistles being blown. You can hear them getting closer for about 30 minutes before you get there as the chain of runners inches upwards and over.

We then reached our joy. Downhill. Unfortunately, in the high alpine single track, there are few passing places, and as about 90% of runners have poles, there is no way past without risking injury. In our view, the poles may help runners up the mountain, but they severely hinder on the descent.

This looks back up the mountain at the descent we took on the left.

We still had 20km to go, and it wasn't flat. We had another 1 hour ascent, trying to go against the flow of the herd of cattle being moved down the mountain.

The trail was rough, with moss, roots, heather and boulder fields. You had to keep your wits about you to spot the trail.

Finally we had our first view of Sand-in-Taufers, our stage town, 10 km away. It's not the church in the foreground, but the town in the mist of the valley below.

My foot had started playing up again, but we carried on down, flying past other runners whose quads were cramping up.

With 5km to go, we went through the last drink station. However, because of the changed route, the km markers had not been altered, so many thought the drink station was the finish (including us), only to find there was another 5km of descent to go. It was beautiful however, running down beside another waterfall.

We finished 35th in category on 6hr 9 mins. A very pleasing time considering how far back we'd been when we crested the ridge. The winning time was 4Hr 38mins. We remain 37th in category and very pleased with the day's work.

After our regular stop at the smoothie bar at the finish, we went to our gym for the night and I then returned to have my foot re-strapped. I'm sure it's getting better. Running a mountain marathon every day is bound to help a sore foot.

We've just finished dinner chatting to two Alaskan runners who are third overall in the Men's category. They said how hard they are finding the course, and they confirmed that they walk a lot of the course too. However one of them is close to the US cross country skiing team, so is pretty used to tough mountain terrain, but they have never run in a stage race before.

All of our kit is being well used. We have used hats and gloves in the snowy bits, and used long leggings for the cold early morning starts. The New Balance kit, courtesy of Up & Running is doing us proud.

There is also a lot of interest in us running for St Peter's Hospice, with everyone staggered that we have raised 25,000 Euros by running the TransAlp. So a big thank you to everyone who has helped us through your support and sponsorship.

Only 3 days to go, but it is chucking it down with rain now!

Day 4 - Half way there

Before I start, I must thank this gentleman for his portrait. I asked him to take a picture of Chris and me when climbing the Hahnenkamm. Unfortunately he had the camera the wrong way round!! With my feet bound up, we made it to the start. Our performance yesterday having promoted us to the 'B' category. There are 75 competitors in our category. 1 to 10 start with the elite runners in the 'A' start. 11 to 40 start in 'B', with everyone else in 'C'. So we were pleased to be promoted, now lying in 36th position. I should add that Chris's cap is well travelled, hence the dangling thread. I must also add that is was raining lightly, hence the waterproofs.

The stage involved the first 35km going uphill, some steep, some gentle. However, with my feet needing to get comfortable and Chris's calves needing to warm up, we adopted a walk/jog strategy. Walking for 50m then running for 100m. This strategy was to prove beneficial later in the stage, but was tough to see so many people passing to start with.

After some tedious running along/beside roads, we went up some forest tracks beside a massive waterfall in a National Park. It was quite spectacular and took our minds off the aching muscles.

That was the first steep climb, taking us from 877m at the start of the stage to about 1,400m. We then entered a long alpine valley where the trail rose gently to 1,800m. That's where everyone adopts the walk/jog strategy. The slightest incline becomes a walk, with the downhills being a run using gravity to help. It's mainly the elite runners who would run the whole way, and good luck to them!

The mountains are spectacular, although most of the highest peaks were hidden behind the clouds.

We finally arrived at the end of the valley, to be confronted by a large glacier. The runners were sent down to the bridge and up the side of the mountain on the right, with it's peak lost in the clouds. We had 1,000m to climb, peaking at 2,700m.

The climb was steep and our lungs were bursting in their search for oxygen. Quads and calves were also screaming as the climb continued ever upwards.

A steady stream of slow moving 'runners' could be seen up the trail, and yes the small dots high up are also runners.

It was good to look down and see there were lots of runners behind us too.

We then had some excitement when about 500m from the top. A team of Spanish ladies were ahead of us, with the leader pulling the second runner up the mountain. However, the pressure proved too much for the second runner and she collapsed on the trail in front of us. She looked very pale, was vomiting and in a very bad way. A group of runners stopped to help in a fairly precarious spot, just after the last picture was taken. We covered her with warm clothing and emergency blankets. We then shouted SOS to runners up the mountain to send down emergency help. She was helped off the mountain and I saw her later looking much brighter and healthier.

However, the rescue did bring home the challenge that we were taking on and that you do have to communicate how you feel to your partner. Chris and I are always checking that the other is OK, since each of us goes through stronger and weaker phases each day. We also run closely together, while others seem to run on ahead and wait for 10 minutes for their partner (actually against the regulations!), but that strategy would be psychologically tough on the weaker runner at that time, so we stick together to provide support and encouragement.

We were by now well into snow, some quite deep, although Chris avoided getting lost in another snowdrift!

After nearly 6 hours of climbing and 35km of trail, we reached the peak, where it was raining, windy and cold. We had all our tops, hats and gloves on, so after a couple of pictures, we were on our way down.

However, there was just time for me to put my Nailsea Running Club shirt on, for a great shot in the clouds at 2,700m. Is that a challenge for NRC runners - who can wear the NRC colours at the highest altitude, whilst racing! Anyone for the Everest marathon?

The snow was deep on the descent, with us sliding on our backsides down some parts. It was quicker and safer than running.

As we came off the peak, we had a mini drink station serving hot energy drink. A most welcome and friendly stop. The guy on the left is Leonard (or Lion Heart as he liked to be known!) who we met a few times today and he shouted encouragement as we made our way up the mountain.

When we made it through the clouds, we saw the valley below. We looked forward to a 4km technical descent - our forte, where we must have passed 40 teams and our earlier energy saving strategy paying dividends.

At the valley bottom, the view back up was similarly inspiring. We had come down the stream on the left from the clouds.

We arrived in Prettau after 7Hr 25mins on the trails, coming in 41st in class, but only dropping one place in the overall classification, so we can look forward to another 'B' category start. The winning time was about 4Hr 20mins.

After a quick shower, it was off to the medics to put my foot back together again. It had survived the day pretty well, but I will spare you the view the medics had!

Tomorrow is a much shorter day of about 29km with 1,500m of ascent and 2,000m of descent, so a downhill stage to look forward to.

Day three

There is a party every evening for all competitors. Last night's was at the local ice hockey stadium (on the ice). We sat with Linda Noke and her running partner Ryan. They use a piece of equipment to help speed them up each day. It is a piece of bungee that is attached to the back of Ryan's pack that Linda ties around her waist so she can be towed up the hills! They don't use it downhill as it is too dangerous! We start Day 3 in Kitzbuhel, lying 42nd in the Masters category. An early morning alarm call at 4.30 and down for breakfast at 5.00. David then walked over to the medical team to get the early signs of a couple of blisters seen to. The TransAlp has had its own rock song 'Keep on running' commissioned. The warm up music included a live performance of the song, much to the consternation of the neighbours at that time of day. You can just make him out in this pre-start photo. Today's route includes lots of climbing, and it started with the climb up the famous Hahnenkamm downhill ski run. Although we had to run some of the way with cows on the road, which was somewhat surreal!

The ski run was incredibly steep. Our trail zig zagged up the slope. We simply could not have gone straight up. It was up this climb when we asked a Dutch team how they trained for the mountains. They said days 1 and 2 were training and day 3 marks the start of their race!

The first drink station was at about 10km, and a very welcome sight after 2 hours of ascent. The water melon tasted especially good.

They also provide a mixed nut selection, for which the protein is essential to rebuild the worn out muscles. This is me eating my nuts (!) with a fantastic backdrop of the mountain we descended into Kitzbuhel behind.

After the first descent, we reached the second drink/food station. It was also time to take a few stones out of shoes and face the second major ascent into the snow.

We climbed again for a couple of hours up to this mountain, which we skirted around to the left in the photo and then across 10km of heathland, all above 2,000m.

As a result, it was snowy. There was however one moment when I said to Chris, why is this fresh snow, where have all the other runners gone? With that he landed up to his hip in a snow drift. It made a great picture and I had to go back to pull him out! You will notice the other runner studiously avoiding the drift.

We soon discovered the trail was just the other side of the fence on our left.

The third drink stop was at 2,200m and with the lungs sucking in as much oxygen as they could, we had a great view of the finish at Neukirchen in the valley below. All we had to do was run 10km downhill to get to it. Now downhill is where Chris and I are fastest. We are slower than those around us on the uphills (but not by much) and also faster when it gets muddy and undulating. However, running fast downhill after 36km of severe ups and downs is tough on the quads, which start to feel like jelly as the finish approaches. Our speed was not helped when I felt a blister pop on the sole of my foot with 2km left to the finish.

However, we made it and came 36th in category and now lie 36th overall in the Masters (moving us up from the C start to the B start tomorrow). Our time was 7Hr 22 mins for the 47km covered (The winning time was 4Hr 38mins - they were home in time for lunch!)

I have been asked how the bears are faring. Well, they are strapped to the front of our ruck sack straps, so you can see them if you look carefully (on Chris's left shoulder and my right shoulder). They are quite heavy and must cost us about an hour each day on our time, but they're thoroughly enjoying the mountain scenery. However, they preferred the hotel last night to tonight's gym floor:

After the finish, I had my feet looked at by the medical team and they did a great job putting the pieces back together. Not a pretty sight. Turn away now if you are not a foot person:

The pasta party tonight was held back up the top of the mountain we came down. Fortunately reached by cable car this time, and giving us much more time to enjoy the views.

It's another 7.00 start tomorrow followed by 44km of running (and walking up those mountains). The first 33km are uphill to the highest point through the whole TransAlp route, peaking at 2,700m. Our start in Neukirchen is at 877m. That's a lot of climbing.

I'll just ignore my feet!

Now it's time for an early bed.

Day Two

We awoke in our celubrious classroom at 5.30, mainly due to an unelievably loud alarm clock brought by a Spanish competitor. Then a sprint for the loos and basins! An early breakfast, to allow the stomach time to digest it before the start. Also a chance to sudy the route profile for the day. After a gentle 1,200m of climbing yesterday, the height grows, with two mountains to scale and a total height gain of 1,800m. Here's the profile: We lined up in the early morning mist, although we were promised sunshine for most of the day. Chris and I were in the C start, with the elite A's starting at 8.00, the B start at 8.05 and us off at 8.10.

The uphill started immediately. We were soon onto technical single track, with queues of runners waiting to climb.

This was definitely technical climbing, with this sign meaning no overtaking and to take extreme care on the fixed ropes and loose, rooty trail.

This continued for about 4km and took an hour, not our fastest pace, but we were going the same speed as everyone else, and the trail just kept on going up:

Until we finally reached the summit in sunshine and a spectacular Alpine vista. The calves were screaming at this stage and were delighted to pass the hard work onto the glutes for the downhill.

However, it was also time for Chris's press up at the top, just to prove to Dan Bennet that he was up to the challenge!

After another of those great drink stations, it was on up the Kitzbuhel peak. Chris and I both agree that the best item at the drink station is the watermelon. So juicy and it really refreshes the palate. Maybe we can have a go at NRC!?

The climb was unrelenting, mainly up mountain tracks, just long a continually stepp, with minimal amounts of running possible.

Just the odd break for a photo!

There was snow at the top, which was great to wipe over the forehead and cool down. We peaked at about 1,850m above Kitzbuhel, and then descended the last 7km down into the town.

The descent was great, mainly technical single track through the forest. Our only problem is that we are faster descenders than those around us. This is a surprise, as I would have thought the locals would train on these trails, but all the Brits say they are fast. Maybe it's because we are used to mud and roots. Many otehrs slow down and dodge the mud. Brits just run through the middle!

We finished the stage 41st in class and in a time of 5Hr 10mins (the winning time 2Hr 59mins, 15 mins ahead of second!) We have found the free Smoothie stand at the finish run by Buff. We have three or four smoothies to rehydrate and carb up, then its off to the hotel in Kitzbuhel, and hopefully a good night's sleep later.

We start at 7.00 tomorrow and can look forward to 2,300m of climbing over 43km. It is the most vertically challenging stage race in the world, so we knew what we were getting into: