Fresh from completing the OCC®, the 56km cousin of the UTMB®, Clare Molyneux tells us the top five things that made the biggest difference to her Alpine journey...
Five years ago I had never run more than a 5k race for life! The biggest contributors to completing the OCC® were:
1. The 'must do's of race recce in the week leading up to the event
Spending time up in the mountains and getting down the final 6k earlier in the week made all the difference on the day and meant I had no big surprises. Being as blind as a bat, picture cards helped with route pointers!
2. Knowing how to get through the feed stations efficiently and what was there
This meant fuelling was easy to manage - one less thing to worry about! The water troughs and sponges were a highlight.
3. The power of the poles
I never would have thought that two sticks could make so much difference - especially on that last evil climb.
4. Getting through the check-in process the day before
The guidance I'd had on kit was invaluable, so I floated through in double-quick time.
5. Visualising the end point kept me going
It DID matter. I DID want it and it WAS going to happen.
OK, so there's a number 6: the support crew.
They kept it real over the week, and their combined expertise (practical, emotional, technical) meant I could be the best I could be.
Without doubt the XNRG Alpine training seminar made a huge contribution to the success of the event for me, and really did help in the three-month run-up to that finish line. I never believed I wouldn't get there, and the seminar joined up the dots and gave a structure to the planning leading up to the event. Whatever the seminar team did, it worked!
My only problem now is… what next?! BIG goals are what it’s all about and have a feeling this has been a life changing experience. Thank you all for your part in the journey.
I’ll be back!
Clare attended our last Alpine training seminar, where participants hear from experienced UTMB®, TDS®, CCC® and OCC® competitors and Alpine racing experts on what it takes to complete some of the world's most challenging events. Booking will open soon for the next seminar - 2nd March 2019.