Ep 01 | Favorite Training Spot | The Tour of Dent de Cons | France

Ultra Trail Runner; Aurelien Dunand-Pallaz has already broken the record of the 14 Summits in the Bauges Mountain Range and next month he is aiming for the 24hour World Record of Elevation Gain. Here he shares with us the story behind these record breaking attempts and its relation to his local training grounds growing up as a young Trail Runner. 

Name of My Training Lap

​The Tour of Dent de Cons with a round trip to the Fort de la Batterie.

Location

The Summit is located in front of the balcony of my home in Ugine, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of South-Eastern France.  It is also the summit of my native town (Marthod). The Dent de Cons is part of the Massif des Bauges and culminates at 2064m. This coming September 5th, I will attempt to break the record for the 24hour Elevation Gain, on this same climb. It was also one of the peaks that I summited during my Traverse of the 14 Summits in the Bauges Mountain Range. I know it very well so it made sense for me to attack these two records. It is also a very special region to me!

Why I love this training

This is the mountain where it all began for me in Trail Running. It is where I started running in nature. From the top, the view is spectacular. On one side we see the valleys of Savoy and Mont Blanc in the background and on the other side Lake Annecy. The view at the height of the Batterie is also magnificent. We can have a drink at the Fort and enjoy the view, overlooking the large cliffs.

Recommendations if you want to train here

The Dent de Cons tour is a route accessible to all types of people, from runners to hikers. Although the summit is situated on the ridge, so you may find yourself a bit dizzy at the top! I would recommend everyone of all abilities to take a run or hike here. It is really a beautiful experience.

My Training Session

I usually do this lap in the week before a major race. It is a kind of test for me. The climb is steep, so I take advantage of the steep slope here for the intensity part of the session.

I chose this climb for the World Record 24 hour elevation gain attempt, since I know this climb so well and all the sections where I can gain the most time.

The STRAVA Route

Some extra tips if you want to run this route

I like to go there at the end of the day because it allows me to have the climb in the shade and to enjoy the sunset at the top. In winter, when the snow conditions are good, this is my favorite ski mountaineering training ground. I highly recommend you try it, either as a runner, hiker or even as a skier in the winter. I promise you won't be disappointed :)