Setting a new ultra running record rarely happens without some help. There are months of training, planning and trialing different trail running shoes to find the perfect pair for the big event. You need a support crew to help you coordinate gear, meals and sleep. And these days, success usually involves a Garmin watch.
I recently spoke to British ultra runner Jake Catterall following his record-setting run across the Alps. If you haven’t already heard, over 35 days this summer, Catterall became the first to run the new Via Alpina red route from Italy to Monaco via Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and France. He ran around 37 miles each day to complete over 1,200 miles but it’s the elevation gain that’s the most staggering part of his feat – in just over a month, he ran the equivalent of 12-and-a-half Everests from sea level to summit.
