International
There are a total of 14 peaks in the Bauges, all over 2,000 metres above sea level and with highly technical terrain.
Several groups of friends or individuals have completed the route on foot. In 2010, four Savoyard alpine soldiers took 23h47, while Ultra Trail Running's biggest name and current record holder, François D'Haene, completed it in 18h21 in 2018. The crossing measures 82km for around 8800m of positive ascent. Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz had just one goal: to complete the course in under 18 hours and write his name in the history books of the 14 summits of the Bauges massif.
Setting off at 2:30 am on Saturday June 27, Aurélien chose to do the circuit in the opposite direction to record-holder D'haene. His goal was to complete the crossing in under 17 hours. But what he finally conquered was something he really didn't expect..... He reached the finish in 14 hours and 26 minutes, beating the record by almost 4 hours.
I grew up in the small village of Marthod, at the end of the Massif des Bauges and at the foot of the Dent de Cons. This is the mountain I've climbed many times, because it's here that I discovered my passion for mountain walking and, more generally, trail running. Since 2012, I've been training a lot in this massif and I've finally discovered all its peaks. The idea of reaching all these peaks in one day had been in the back of my mind for a while, and my GPS track had been ready for a few years. All that remained was to find the right moment...
He studied the route carefully, so as to take as little time as possible, while following paths and passages he knew well.
The terrain is very alpine, often technical and sometimes a little risky around the edges. But his knowledge of the terrain and his preparation enabled him to evolve safely throughout the traverse, while enjoying the scenery and its flora and fauna.
Right from the start, I felt really good. I took advantage of this to keep up a good pace, both uphill and downhill. The first big descent at night is very steep, technical and requires a lot of concentration, so I stay very vigilant. At daybreak, I was still making rapid progress, and I took advantage of the opportunity to have fun on the technical parts, in the rocks or on the ridges. By mid-morning, the wind had picked up and there were quite a few clouds. This was good for me, as the temperatures weren't too high yet. Around midday, the sun came out more intensely and the first heat appeared. So I had to drink more, but the sensations were still good. For the last 5 hours, my feet hurt a lot on the downhills. The combination of wet feet at the start of the day and extreme heat in the afternoon damaged the skin on my feet. On the last big climb, of 1500mD+, I had a very low point for 10 '.... I had to stop for a few moments in a very steep section to refuel. But then the feeling gradually returned. Apart from that moment, the day went very well....
The second part of his 2018 trail running season was cut short by foot pain, and the whole of 2019 was completely spoiled by a stress fracture. Indeed, it had been since April 2018 that he hadn't run for more than 8 hours in a row.
I was confident about this crossing because my preparation was good, but there was still a little doubt about my ability to go the distance and withstand the pain of very long efforts. I can now be pleased to see that everything went well.
What's more, during his recent internment, he didn't put on running shoes for 4 and a half weeks. He trained exclusively on the exercise bike, before gradually returning to running.
Once my leg muscles were used to the strain, I was able to increase the distance of my workouts. I also took the opportunity to recognize, once again, certain parts of my crossing that needed to be well prepared.
What's more, he wasn't alone in his attempt, with a huge amount of support during the day!
First of all, my family and friends who were present at the start at 2:30 am. Then at every feed station, where everything was ready for me to lose as little time as possible. There were no fewer than 25 people at each point! I then benefited from the help and pace of several friends along the way. There were 4 or 5 of them, taking it in turns from daybreak. On the last climb, I was pleasantly surprised to see a dozen people from my in-laws waiting for me at the summit. What's more, Compressport staff were on hand from start to finish on the various summits to celebrate this crossing. At the finish, it was very special, with around fifty of us having a drink, chatting and finishing the day together.
But that's not all for the Frenchman, who has only just begun his season. In 2 weeks' time, he plans to go on vacation to Corsica, where he will take the opportunity to do the GR20 in 4 days.
At the beginning of August, if the sensations and recovery have gone well, he will take part in 1 or 2 races close to home, including the Trail de Méribel. In October, he plans to take part in the Diagonale des Fous, but before that he has a (very) big challenge waiting for him at the beginning of September. He plans to tackle the record for the most positive vertical drop in 24 hours (the current record is 17,000mD+). The challenge will take place in his adopted home town of Marthod. What were the most important products for Aurélien's crossing? He explains that 3 products were decisive:
First, the Ultrun bag, for its lightness, stability and carrying capacity. Then there were the hats. At daybreak, I first wore an Ultralight visor for its lightness and to cope with the sun's breakthroughs. In the early afternoon, I opted for a cap to cope with the heat. Finally, I used Oxygen sleeves for their support, lightness and breathability.
See the full STRAVA itinerary here.
Photos : @justingalant
