Stage 8 report: The 7. GORE-TEX® Transalpine-Run

Ben Abdelnoor from TEAM Run247 reports from the finish line of the 2011 GORE-TEX® Transalpine-Run

Stage details: Stage 8: Schlanders in Vinschgau (ITA) - Latsch in Vinschgau (ITA), 30,2km/1807m

6.00am; the alarm goes off and so begins the ritual that has been for the last week. I heave myself out of bed and see which part of me feels sore and tired today. I pull on some clothes and look in the mirror. Today, like the last few days, both mine and Mark´s faces appear swollen and tired, Mark´s almost as if he´s had an allergic reaction.

6.15am; we go for breakfast: meusli, coffeee, bread with jam and cheese.

6.30am; we return to our room to pack our rucsacks: waterproof clothing, trailbook and route card, phone, first aid kit and ID. I decide on how many gels (two) and cereal bars (one) to take, and how much electrolyte drink in my platypus (500ml). I squeeze my poles into the rucsack.

By 7.00am we´re ready to drive to the main square in Schlanders for an 8.00am start.

So begins the final weary stage of the ´Highway to Hell´, but through an Alpine paradise. I think today and the last two days, through the Italian Alps, have been the most spectacular. the valley in which Schlanders and Latsch sit is broad and flat, home to the largest apple growing region in Europe. We climb through meadows and then steeply up to the col at Goflaner Scharte. Like worker ants to-ing and fro-ing, the line of competitors zig-zag upwards on the steepest section. At the col, as with almost the entire 160-mile route, I am constantly surprised at how many supporters manage to reach some high and remote locations to offer their support and encouragement.

At the col we turn up and then along a fantastic ridge. The route affords spectacular views to the towns of Martell in the south and Schlanders to the north. The sun is out and it´s another hot day, but the shade from the pine trees makes it more comfortable. A gently sweeping forest track descends towards Morter. Then it´s just a short trot through the vast apple orchards and onto the finish in Latsch. Eleven; it´s just a number. But I think we can hold our heads high on coming 11th overall in the 2011 TransAlpine Run.

And next year? Well, Mark will be 49 and I will be 32, which qualifies us in the ´Masters´category...

Photo: GORE-TEX Transalpine Run 2011, Stage 8 © Kelvin Trautmann

Quotes from the other teams:

Joe Symmonds, stage winner and second overall: "We had a plan to sit in for 5km and then hit the front. Jethro decided to hit the front after 800m so Ii just went with him. We steadily opened a gap and never saw anyone again. Once at the top it was just a question of descending as fast as we could in the hope that the Spanish were dying behind us and we might close that half hour gap. We´re pleased with our second stage win but gutted that we´ve emerged the strongest at the end of the week but not done enough to win overall. One more day would have done it!"

Jethro: "This is the first stage race event that Joe and I have done together and we´ve totally loved it. It took us a while to get into it, but Joe´s come through strong in the end. It´s great racing day in, day out with people from all around the World and getting to meet different people. We´ve really enjoyed it and are sad to be going home."

Photo: GORE-TEX Transalpine Run 2011, Stage 8: Overall third ranked racers Philipp Reiter (GER) and Julien Overal 2011. Transalpine-Run Champions David Lopez (ESP) and Miguel Caballero (ESP)Chorier (FRA), © Kelvin Trautmann

Claire Gordon, ladies´stage winner and overall ladies´winner: "It was a fine day, straight into a climb, which suited us, so we just took it steady. Our partnership worked pretty well. I generally need someone to hold me back and Fiona´s very good at stopping me getting overexcited. She´s an awesome runner and generally a stronger descender. This year was a lot easier than the 2010 TransAlpine Run because I didn´t have to pull an 11 stone man behind me (her partner, Dan)!"

Philipp Reiter second on stage and third team overall: "I was in a lot of pain in my left foot today because yesterday I twisted it. I´m so happy that we have reached the finish. For me the toughest day was yesterday, stage 7. It was quite interesting, at the start of the week Julian had a lot of problems and I was faster than him. Now it has changed around!"

Mark Palmer (Team Run247): "From the first uphill today, I struggled. It was hard work all the way up: unrelenting and I couldn´t breathe properly, but just kept going. For the past three days it has been hard work. I´ve never been in that frame of mind or area of pain before. The Bob Graham round seemed easy compared to this. At times today I felt like I as back at the UTMB: that feeling of being empty of power."

British competitor David Jelley (TEAM RIPON RUNNERS (79) with Martin Gabriel Masham) : "In some ways I was relieved, as I live in the Yorkshire Dales and I don´t normally run in the high mountains. I was a little worried I might not have the endurance to run high, but I was fine. I loved it. I´ve done quite a lot of ultras abroad, and have done the Run Further series this year in the UK. I´ve done the Marathon des Sables and Commrades event in South Africa. This was tough, the incessant fast and steep descent, on my quads. But I got better at it as the week went on. I think we finished fourth in our age category overall, and had a podium finish once." David runs ´Jelley Legs´a running holidays company, based in the Dales, that takes folk out trail running. www.jelleylegs.co.uk.

Photo: GORE-TEX Transalpine Run 2011, Stage 8: Stage and overall winners in the women's category - Claire Gordon (SCO) and Fiona Maxwell (SCO) © Kelvin Trautmann

Stage 8 Men's results

Stage 8 Women's results

Overall results

Men's results

Women's results

Master Men's results

Mixed results

Senior Master Men's results

For full results click here

Event website: www.transalpine-run.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/transalpinerun

Twitter: @GTX_Transalpine