Day 9

9 miles

Marmotte sightings: 2 running uphill together

We spent a bit of time over coffee, planning runs we wanted to do this week.  The priority for the day was recovery running, so we honed in on a brilliant contour/ ‘grand balcon’ path running North up the valley which started at Planpraz, the top of the first Brévent lift which is right outside our apartment.  This is also where a constant stream of colourful Parapenters leap off throughout the day.

It was never going to be totally flat but it was pretty good terrain in the main, exciting balcon path, and numerous stunning views back to the Aiguille du Midi and Mont Blanc.

The first minor hiccup was that our planned lunch stop at La Flégère was shut for works over the summer, so we trotted on.

We’d looked at the map for the contour running but not hugely closely for the descent as we knew we’d have to get down to Argentière one way or another.  We ignored the first descent option and went on over the next ridge, before starting to descend.

For a route intended to be as restful as possible on the legs, it was incredibly steep with large steps in many places, and the next thing we knew we were confronted with some ladders to climb down.

Technical vocab ‘Échelles’ meaning ladders, came flooding back, as well as memories of our previous trip when we did the UTMB in stages and had been shellshocked by these same ladders we’d come over the other way!

Once over the denial phase, we had to grit teeth, hold on tight and go for it.  There are quite a few sections to get down with varying gradients, sidesteps etc to be negotiated.

While not quite the recovery run we had planned, it is a stunning section known as the Aiguille Rouges, and was one of those classic ‘enjoyed after the event’ moments.  And the other upside was that we spotted 2 marmottes shortly afterwards.

Somehow we timed it well to run onto the train back from Argentière for a mid-pm lunch after our slightly slower than expected route.  And as a postscript to yesterday, we found our Argentrail results were in, and as anticipated Max managed a personal worst in terms of pacing, dropping from mid-30s placing at halfway to 59th at the finish!  But both of us did respectably well, comfortably in the top half.  Poor Becks meanwhile, discovered she broke her shoulder in a fall in the race.