Perhaps the best thing about multi-stage races are the great people you meet. People from diverse countries, backgrounds, with diverse careers, and there’s a lot of time to get to know each other. In the out of the way places we visit, nobody is particularly busy, and there are few distractions, just time in the mountains with an optional amount of time with other people. Pure downtime!
From a running perspective, it’s also great to have talented, professional runners among us.
This year, Lizzy Hawker (The North Face) and Anna Frost (Salomon) will join the race – though racing for the fun of being in the Himalayas rather than to win.
Anna says: “The format sounds perfect. A small team…and big days in the massive mountains. Sounds like a dream. I am so excited.” Anna has visited Nepal once before and ran the Everest Marathon.
Last year Lizzy Hawker came to the race and finished second overall behind the very strong Upendra Sunuwar.
This year is different. Lizzy suffered stress fractures in both feet earlier this year, and then, after an intense burst of training to try to gain enough fitness for the UTMB after a long period of rest, was diagnosed with a stress fracture in the femur.
Lizzy is now resting and Manaslu will provide the first gentle steps back to fitness for 2014. See caption below – the back runners will be delighted to know they will have distinguished company.
For all us mortals, it will be great to have two very experienced and talented runners amongst us. But don’t forget, for Lizzy and Anna too – and for all participants – this is a great chance to meet people from all over the world and hear stories, gain new perspectives, and hopefully, to broaden horizons and make new friendships. Sounds a cliché but that’s how it turned out in 2012!
About Anna Frost:
She is a Salomon sponsored athlete and has her own blog here: https://frostysfootsteps.wordpress.com/
Highlights
2013
• 4th Ice Trail Tarentaise – France
• 6th Mont Blanc Marathon – France
• 1st Colorado Trail – La Reunion
• 2nd= Moonlight Marathon – NZ
• 3rd El Cruce – Argentina – Chile
2012
• 2nd Sky Running World Series
• 2nd Ultra Cavalls del Vent – Pyrenees, France
• 1st Speed Goat 50km – Utah, USA
• 1st Maxi-Race 88km – Annecy, France
• 1st TransVulcania Ultra Trail 50mile – La Palma (new record 8.10hrs)
• 1st Moonlight Marathon – Queenstown, NZ
• Queenstown to Dunedin Run: 5days, 285km, 40hours
• Taranaki Speed Records: Ascent/Descent: 2.10hr RTM: 7.41hr
• 1st TNF50mile Championship – San Francisco 2010 and 2011 (new record 6.54hr)
• 2nd Kinabalu Climbathon – Malaysia 2010 and 2011
• 1st Table Mountain Challenge – South Africa (new record)
• 1st TransRockies 6day Mixed Team with Rickey Gates – USA
• 1st 4Trails Stage race – 4 countries, 4 days
• 1st Six Foot Track Marathon Blue Mountains – Australia
• 3rd Hermannslauf Trail – Germany
• 1st Signes Double Marathon Trail – France
• 1st Yorkshire Three Peaks – UK 2010
• 1st TransRockies Run3 – Colorado 2010
• 1st Commonwealth Uphill Mountain Running Championships Keswick 2009
• 1st Everest Marathon (new record holder by 27-minutes) – Nepal 2009
• World Sky Running Series – 2nd 2010, 2011
• World Long Course Mountain Running Championships – 3rd 2009 & 2010
• World Mountain Running Grand Prix Series – 1st 2008, 3rd 2010
• World Mountain Running Championships – 10th 2009, 18th 2010