Training in the Jura Mountains: Part 2

On Day 2 (Sunday 24 March) we were joined by a local French team (team Rosa) who were training for their own Trailwalker on 14 and 15 May.

Michele had hired a coach to give us all tips on long-distance walking. Agnes Godard runs courses in Nordic walking and Afghan walking (that isn’t walking with an Afghan hound). She keeps llamas and in summer months has a yurt in the mountains. She gave us great advice on how to use our poles (we’d been doing it wrong), on breathing techniques for climbing hills without getting out of breath (they really work), on stretches and exercises to do before, during and after, on footwear and on nutrition. You can read more about her (in French) here.

It looks like we’re having a Sunday snooze or practising the dying fly, but this was one of Agnes’s preparation exercises.

This was the view from Michele’s house and the route we were taking (just to the right of the big bare slab), 400 metres (1300 feet) up the sheer side of Mont Saleve to the cow pastures on top (heaven only knows how they get the cows up there…) We thought we’d had enough steep hills on Saturday to last us for a lifetime, but we woke up on Sunday (admittedly not until 10 a.m.) fired up with enthusiasm and ready for the day.

Going up: LSBF: Little Steps, Balls First (that refers to the feet, guys). There must have been at least 40 of these switchbacks, which we climbed without pausing even once to rest. The poles helped a lot, and so did Agnes’s breathing tips. As the slope gets steeper, breathe in for two steps, breathe out for two steps: 2/2. Paula thinks we were climbing non-stop for at least an hour. I have no idea, I was too busy counting my breathing.

Going down. As ever, harder than going up. Bend the knees, said Agnes. Keep your sticks out to the side, in case you get one entangled in your feet and trip. ‘Inspire for three breaths,’ said Michele, ‘and then’ (to our alarm) ‘expire for ten.’ She meant ‘Inhale’ and ‘exhale’.

Further down, once we were off the vertiginous goat-tracks, Agnes showed us some great techniques for relaxing and stretching tired muscles towards the end of a walk. Walking backwards was one, and taking it in turns to lead each other blind was another. Walking several strides and then leaping several strides was a third, which looked completely surreal with all of us leaping together, but really helped to loosen us up.

Scenery, weather, good company and training: altogether it was a wonderful weekend that really made us feel we were getting there. Thanks to Michele for her brilliant organization and hospitality, and to Jackie for keeping us going with her excellent homemade isotonic drink.

Next leg, England, two weeks later…

Team time. Rosa (left) and Channelhoppers (right) with Agnes (far left). Trailwalker here we come!