Preparations for EcoTrail de Paris

On March the 26th we both will (try to) run the Eco-Trail de Paris - 80KMs discovering paths in the Ile de France region with a finish located on the first level off the Eiffel Tower! Some preparation for this run is necessary, so Chantal went for a run and Jacomina went for a clinic of Chi-Running.

Today I, Chantal, went for a run of 60 KM. My preparation was perfect thanks to Joyce and Maarten, friends who invited me for dinner last night and made me a delicious fresh homemade pasta-diner and even made a chocolate pasta for dessert! It didn't only taste very nice but also looked very nice, so I had to make a picture of it! (Recipe available on request).

Today the weather wasn’t as sunny as yesterday, but on the other hand also not as rainy as was expected (80 percent chance of rain!). I had arranged for a friend to accompany me on her mountainbike. The trail was set out in the vicinity of Apeldoorn, another part of the beautiful Veluwe, famous for it’s unspoiled and to Dutch standards, rough nature. Even though my energy level was somehow a little bit low (too much work, too little sleep), I was very glad to succeed in running  the whole trail uninterupted. I also used this training day to break in my new trailshoes (the Innov8’s). After 60K I can honestly say they are all I could wish for: I had to look very carefully to find one small blister!   

The trail took us past ‘radio Kootwijk’ which does not seize to amaze me! Radio Kootwijk is the very impressive Art Deco Building, which was home to the radio station in connection with the Dutch Indies in the beginning of the 20th century. It’s massive structure suddenly appears in the middle of the ‘Dutch heathland’... It also goes under the name ’the cathedral’. I can see why...

And I, Jacomina, went to a Chi Running clinic from David van der Linden at Run2Day in Amsterdam. In short, Chi Running is a very efficient way of running with minimal impact on your legs, muscles, bones etc. But... there is a lot to learn before I can run in that way. Although with running on my Nike Frees with landing on my mid foot, I already have an advantage in comparison with those runners who land completely on their heels. 

But interesting to get to learn some more on a different running technique. And for our downhills in the Alps, I think we can learn some good tricks from the Chi technique. Of course we tried some Chi Running ourselves - but first exercises  to get the 'feeling'.

And of course, to get some KMs in my legs, I went running home. Just 40KMs but more than enough for me. So I really wonder how I'll survive twice the distance and a lot more climbing in Paris, in only two weeks time...