TORX Archives - rewoolution magazine https://rewoolution.blog/en/category/torx-uk/ Thu, 08 Sep 2022 07:38:29 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.5 https://rewoolution.blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/favicon.ico TORX Archives - rewoolution magazine https://rewoolution.blog/en/category/torx-uk/ 32 32 3, 2, 1 …. Tor des Géants https://rewoolution.blog/en/2021/09/3-2-1-tor-des-geants/ Mon, 13 Sep 2021 13:17:42 +0000 https://rewoolution.blog/?p=14364 Joy, fear and a lot of adrenaline at the start! 7:00 a.m., the first faces start to appear at the bib stand. It has been more than two years since the last time the Tor de Géants was celebrated here in the charming Courmayeur. There is joy in the air, you can see an old […]

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Joy, fear and a lot of adrenaline at the start!

7:00 a.m., the first faces start to appear at the bib stand. It has been more than two years since the last time the Tor de Géants was celebrated here in the charming Courmayeur. There is joy in the air, you can see an old lady on a balcony crying, because the people of Valle d’Aosta wait for this race every year, like a child waits for Christmas.

The first known faces, the first professional athletes arrive at the delivery of the race bags. Some agitated, others in silent, what is the Tor for you? “It’s everything”, “I’ve been preparing for it for years”, “A dream” they tell us. “An inner journey, a long way between the most spectacular mountains in the world” and indeed it is.

330km, but not of simple flat road, they will encounter rocks, passes, ice and hard, pure, exhausting mountains. 24000 meters of positive height gain, following the slopes of the most beautiful High Routes of the Valle D’Aosta. “At the feet of the giants” we hear whispering, while Mont Blanc observes us from above, hidden among the rosy clouds of dawn.

The start and all the flags have been positioned, there are those who would like to steal one as a souvenir, but are immediately blocked by a volunteer: “They must remain there, otherwise you don’t know where to go”. The athletes position themselves on the starting line and the sun finally makes its first appearance, warming up the coldest. You can see some bright-eyed, others sitting down saving their strength, some thoughtful ones hiding in a corner to go over all the key passage points, others still exalting each other. They know that this race is not just a challenge with themselves, but a race, that in some places, needs to be done in company.

The music starts thundering at the start and some people are crying, volunteers are hugging each other. Everyone has been waiting for this moment.

“10, 9, 8…3, 2, 1” shouts the starter and with him all the spectators and there it goes: the Tor de Gèants 330 begins! 49 nations, 711 runners begin to run this fateful adventure. The professionals set off at great speed and some wondered how they were able to sprint like that, knowing what awaited them.

These athletes are giants.

The first Assistant Point is in La Thuille. The ascent in the first few hours was not lacking and there were those who arrived with an already slow pace. The race assistants were already ready with electrolytes, wraps and some even took a suture kit out of their backpacks, perhaps we don’t want to know why, we only have the profound hope that it was for a jacket and not for skin torn so soon, in a race that forgives nothing, especially at high altitudes. The gap between the firsts is already starting to be about ten minutes and making accurate predictions on the progress of positions begins to be complicated.

“Dad on the gps is 30th but I think he’s further back” shouts a child, who in the meantime with his little fingers keeps count of the runners looking for the familiar face of his father, so long awaited and hoped for. “Lisa Borzani is third” they shout and the long awaited queen of the Tor makes her appearance. Many athletes pass by, some more, some less tired, but the road is still long and we cannot give up. We see them start off again, some still with a cup in their hand, others wrinkled and inevitably we wonder what their worries are.

They run non-stop these modern heroes and we just have to wait to see them at the finish line with the hope that these mountains will take care of them.

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]]> AMONG THE GIANTS OF TOR DES GEANTS – LUCA DALMASSO INTERVIEW https://rewoolution.blog/en/2021/09/among-the-giants-of-tor-des-geants-luca-dalmasso-interview/ Thu, 02 Sep 2021 12:41:56 +0000 https://rewoolution.blog/?p=14285 After taking part in almost 500 races of all types and distances, in 2018 Luca Dalmasso runs the Tor des Geants, simply the toughest endurance trail in the world. 330km and 24,000 meters of elevation gain in a time limit of 150 hours. This is enough to understand how much this Trail among Giants in […]

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After taking part in almost 500 races of all types and distances, in 2018 Luca Dalmasso runs the Tor des Geants, simply the toughest endurance trail in the world. 330km and 24,000 meters of elevation gain in a time limit of 150 hours. This is enough to understand how much this Trail among Giants in the Aosta Valley is a titanic achievement, both physically and mentally, a race that combines a passion for running with a great love for the mountains.

When the idea of writing the book “Tra i giganti del Tor des Geants” was born?

 It was all quite random. During my many travels I have always kept a diary in order to not forget places, names and people met and with the Tor des Geants I did the same thing. Except that I realized that it had been such a great journey that I had already written 16 pages without even having reached the middle of the race. Once completed the diary, rereading it I realized that it could become a book. So I tried to send it to the publisher Fusta without anticipating anything. After a week he called me saying he liked the text.

Many people often think that to tell stories you must have some authority. Your book, on the other hand, makes us understand that anyone can have the opportunity to tell an experience considered important.

It all began in 2016, when I took part in the twin race of Tor. It didn’t go well because I hadn’t finished it but when I returned home I discovered that there were a lot of people, not even from the same sector, who had followed me in this adventure. I discovered that these people were passionate about it and this struck me a lot and it was a bit of the spring that prompted me to think that, despite being a “mediocre” athlete, I could still have a lot to tell.

Maybe the beauty of this race is that no one is really mediocre because just preparing the race it is a challenge won against yourself.

Preparing and running this race is a real journey you take with yourself. It forces you to spend many hours alone, you have to find the strength within yourself to keep moving forward even though you are more and more tired and less lucid. There is no one who takes decisions for you, you have to face everything alone.

Let’s take a step back. When did you start running?

I started when I was 13, I practiced athletics in all the youth categories, participating in all types of competitions. But already at the time my favorite ones were those in the mountains. Then for a few years I dedicated myself to other sports, in particular ski mountaineering and climbing, of which I also became an instructor, this allowed me to develop a lot of awareness about moving in the mountains safely. Later, for personal reasons, I began to abandon these sports a bit to practice only what made me feel good, running and hiking. In those years, trail running, a previously semi-unknown discipline, was starting to explode. It was my perfect habitat because of its distances, exactly halfway between hiking and classic mountain running.

Talking about you, when did decide to try to run a race like Tor?

It was a decision taken following a friend of mine who ran it. I had never thought of doing it but thanks to him I became very passionate about the event and within a couple of years I practically memorized the whole race even though I had never faced a single cm of the course. However, I kept thinking that it was not for me, then due to some unpleasant episodes in my life I went through a difficult period and to challenge myself I signed up for the twin race I was talking about earlier. I didn’t finish it but this first failure gave me a desire for revenge and for two years I hardly thought about anything else, preparing myself in all possible ways both physically and mentally for this challenge.

“In those years, trail running, a previously semi-unknown discipline, was starting to explode. It was my perfect habitat because of its distances, exactly halfway between hiking and classic mountain running.“

Where does the courage to face such a demanding race come from?

The preparation was pure fun for me, being a mountain lover, all the training sessions I did for the Tor were simply mountain runs. I spent my free time practically only doing that. However, as much as you can prepare for all possible unforeseen events and how to manage them, so many things happen in the race that you often find yourself improvising. The line between doing the right thing or the wrong thing is really thin, especially as you go along with the miles. Despite this, on the start line I was not afraid. Until the end, despite the fatigue, I kept my clarity and hardly had any problems. Paradoxically, the race was so crazy and amazing that now I’m almost afraid to repeat it.

There aren’t that many races like Tor, maybe none, but if you had to choose other competitions to participate in what would they be?

An Italian competition that is growing fast is Lavaredo, I already ran it in 2019 but sooner or later I would like to do it again to fully enjoy it. On the other hand, abroad the most historic ultra trail race of all is the Western States in California and I would like to run it one day.

How difficult is it to introduce children to running?

It is very difficult because there are not many basis from an organizational point of view. But I saw that the few times I managed to do something with kids they were very interested. They have interest in approaching this sport but we need to be able to capture them. On the other hand, I think it is very difficult to bring someone older to attend approach courses because today’s world pushes us to believe that we already know everything thanks to social media, and this leads more and more people not prepared to take part in the various races.

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]]> 10 YEARS OF TOR DES GÉANTS + 1 https://rewoolution.blog/en/2021/09/10-years-of-tor-des-geants-1/ Wed, 01 Sep 2021 13:49:20 +0000 https://rewoolution.blog/?p=14204 By The Pill Magazine Light and dark, experiences and emotions, fatigue, injuries, sleep deprivation, spectacular and magnificent scenery. The 330km and 24,000 meters of elevation gain of the Tor des Géants are all this and much more. Light and dark, experiences and emotions, fatigue, injuries, sleep deprivation, spectacular and magnificent scenery. The 330km and 24,000 […]

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By The Pill Magazine

Light and dark, experiences and emotions, fatigue, injuries, sleep deprivation, spectacular and magnificent scenery. The 330km and 24,000 meters of elevation gain of the Tor des Géants are all this and much more.

Light and dark, experiences and emotions, fatigue, injuries, sleep deprivation, spectacular and magnificent scenery. The 330km and 24,000 meters of elevation gain of the Tor des Géants are all this and much more.

After a year of stop, what is known as the “tour of giants” in the Aosta Valley dialect, resumes its run and celebrates its 10 years +1. That +1 is the year without Tor, 2020. The pandemic emergency period and general uncertainty has in fact imposed a year of stop but it has also proved to be an opportunity to reorganize ideas. Today more than ever, organizers, runners and enthusiasts are rediscovering an even stronger desire to start over again, with new ideas and lots of enthusiasm.

The race considered the hardest ultra trail in the world will see its participants lined up on September 12th, with departure and arrival set in the city of Courmayeur, Aosta Valley, and a maximum total of 150 hours to complete this unique and inimitable race.

The route winds along the beautiful trails of the region, at the foot of the most important Four-thousanders of the Alps and first follows the Alta Via della Valle d’Aosta 2 towards the lower valley and then returns to Courmayeur via the Alta Via 1, retracing the paths of some of the most important peaks of the Alps and crossing the Gran Paradiso National Park and the Mont Avic Regional Park. The route crosses 25 hills over 2000 meters, 30 lakes and has an elevation gain between 300 and 3300 meters. More than forty refreshment, rest and rescue points are planned, as well as seven larger reception bases (life bases) which divide the route into seven sectors. However, forced stages are not imposed, the race is left to the individuality of the runner and the one who will win will be only the one who will spend the least time managing rests and stops at the refreshment points.

Tor des Géants, for more than 10 years, has been a unique and spectacular competition in terms of length, beauty of the landscapes, hardness of the course. A great emotion for anyone who participates as a runner, spectator or volunteer. But Tor is above all a journey to discover yourself, the unique scenario and the people you meet along the way.

The race among giants

Tor des Géants is not only a race: it’s a 330km long madness. The first edition dates back to September 12th, 2010 when, from Courmayeur, 310 competitors from 17 different countries launched themselves into the crazy circuit on the Alta Via 2 and 1, linked in a single trail that touched the four Four-thousanders of the Aosta Valley: Gran Paradiso, Monte Rosa, Matterhorn and Mont Blanc.

The first one to reach the finish line, after 80 hours of racing and an altitude difference of 24,000 meters, was Ulrich Gross from Merano. The South Tyrolean athlete crossed the finish line in Courmayeur on Wednesday just before 18.30. Annemarie Gross was instead the female winner with a time of about 91 hours, the same that will lead her to triumph in the 2011 edition as well.

During the editions there were many Italian athletes on the podium, including Francesca Canepa, winner of the 2012 and 2013 editions, Franco Collè, winner in 2014 and 2018, Oliviero Bosatelli, first place in 2016 and 2019 and second place in 2017, and Lisa Borzani, the 2016 and 2017 champion and on the second step of the podium in the 2014 and 2015 editions.

TorX: extraordinary extreme experience

For the 11th edition, there are 4 different competitions scheduled featuring four extreme distances.

TOR330 – Tor des Géants
This is the Tor des Géants that everyone knows and to which everyone aspires. The first and only race to combine long distance with the individual style of runners. There are no compulsory stages, and the winner will be the athlete who completes the race in the shortest time, everything is left to the runner who will have to manage himself or herself in the best possible way to hope to be the first to reach the finish line. A unique journey within yourself and a real challenge against yourself lasting up to 150 hours. The TOR330 involves the entire Aosta Valley region, it runs along paths at the foot of the most important Four-thousanders of the Alps and through the Gran Paradiso National Park and the Mont Avic Regional Park.

TOR450 – Tor des Glaciers

An exceptional and unmissable event, launched to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the TOR330 – Tor des Géants. An endurance test reserved exclusively for 200 runners chosen to take on the little-known trails and ridges of the Aosta Valley, to add a spark of adventure to the competition aspect. Most of the trail’s 450km route is along the forgotten Alta Via 3 and 4. It crosses ridges that are largely unknown and touches ancient glaciers far away from the usual trekking routes. These paths are frequented only by people who are in their element in alpine landscapes, adore solitude and appreciate the grandeur of the high peaks. A truly exclusive, unique and unmissable trial that you will undertake completely alone, with only the magnificent high-altitude lodges for reference points and support.

It crosses ridges that are largely unknown and touches ancient glaciers far away from the usual trekking routes. These paths are frequented only by people who are in their element in alpine landscapes, adore solitude and appreciate the grandeur of the high peaks

TOR130 – Tot Dret

This race is a considerable taste of the magical environments that Tor crosses and of its inimitable atmosphere. A trail race of 130 kilometers with 12 thousand meters of elevation gain starting from Gressoney and ending in Courmayeur. A real, challenging, fascinating race, with the most desirable mountains in the region, Monte Rosa, Matterhorn and Mont Blanc, as a majestic backdrop. The hour barriers are fixed by calculating the average distance over 3.02km/h for the slowest passages, a tough but unique race for its beauty suitable for well trained and prepared trailers.

TOR30 – Passage au Malatrà

Closing the list there is new 30km race. The route winds on high-altitude technical trails, through majestic and unique landscapes including the narrow passage of the Col de Malatrà, at 2925 meters high: with the entire Mont Blanc range on one side and the ridges of the Grand Corbin that reach heights of over 4300 metres on the other. The TOR30 can be classified as a “short” race but it also requires preparation and knowledge, both in terms of differences in altitude that the athletes will confront, and the altitude at which the race is run.The race will take place on the last day, on Saturday September 18th, and the maximum time to finish it is set at 8 hours.

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]]> Along the streets of the giants https://rewoolution.blog/en/2021/08/along-the-streets-of-the-giants/ Fri, 13 Aug 2021 12:42:45 +0000 https://rewoolution.blog/?p=13788 Exploring the Tor de Géants trail The giants are the mountains — Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa, the Matterhorn, and the Gran Paradiso — touched by the Alte Vie of the Valle D’Aosta. In addition, all the competitors of the Tor de Géants can also be referred to as giants — they are daredevil runners who […]

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Exploring the Tor de Géants trail

The giants are the mountains — Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa, the Matterhorn, and the Gran Paradiso — touched by the Alte Vie of the Valle D’Aosta. In addition, all the competitors of the Tor de Géants can also be referred to as giants — they are daredevil runners who compete along these trails in the world’s most famous endurance race.

Rifugio Champillon - PH by Giacomo Buzio
It’s 330 kilometres long, with an elevation gain of 24,000 metres, along a circular route with departure and arrival in Courmayeur, to be completed within 150 hours. This itinerary full of adrenaline and effort is well worth it, with spectacular scenery and breathtaking landscapes.
 
Courmayeur - PH by Ana Frantz

First follow the Alta Via No. 2 towards the lower Valley and return along the Alta Via No. 1. This trail can also be discovered by foot or mountain bike, along high-altitude paths during the day, with the possibility of stopping at shelters in the evening — perhaps the same ones where the fearless runners take their breaks.

ALTA VIA N0. 2

Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso - PH by Rowan Manning

Alta Via No. 2, also called the Alta Via Naturalistica, is a charming hiking route that partly crosses the territories of the Gran Paradiso National Park and the Mont Avic Regional Park. During the summer months, it offers spectacular and unique flora and fauna.

Val Venì, Courmayeur
Cogne - PH by Fem Vincken
Champorcher - PH by Diego Banchero

Suitable for everyone, it winds along well-defined and marked paths, and it is possible to complete it in full or limit your trip to short stretches.  The route leads from Courmayeur to Donnas, climbing an average altitude of 2,000 metres, with peaks of 3,000 metres, and can be divided into 14 stages that require 3-5 hours of walking each, equipped with stopping points, campsites, bivouacs and shelters. Almost at every step, the itinerary descends into the valley floor, where it is possible to stop the hike and return by bus. 

ALTA VIA NO. 1

Along the Alta Via No. 1, known as the Alta Via dei Giganti, you can witness spectacular nature in all its imposing beauty. The route develops at the foot of the highest mountains in Europe, the giants Monte Rosa, Matterhorn and Mont Blanc.

Monte Cervino - PH by Michael Behrens
Monte Bianco - PH by Marc Kargel

In addition to incomparable natural landscapes, there are also testimonies of rural architecture, closely linked to the life of the mountain pastures, such as the traditional Walser buildings of the Gressoney Valley and the Upper Ayas Valley.

Gressoney - PH by Mirco Mion

Even this route, which leads from Donnas to Courmayeur in 17 daily stages, does not present great difficulties, thanks to the well-marked trails that are, on average, 80 cm wide.

Crossing pastures, woods and stony ground, you will stay at an average altitude of 2,000 metres, reaching 3,000 metres at the Col Malatrà (2925 m.), symbol of the Tor de Géants. Its breathtaking views never fail to evoke strong emotions — not only because of the imposing landscapes, but also because this is where the most coveted stretch of the Tor des Géants begins — the one that, descending through woods and wide valleys, leads the competitors to their coveted goal.

Col Malatrà - PH by Marco Spataro
Col Malatrà - PH by Stefano Jenatet
Arrival in Courmayeur - PH by Stefano Jeantet

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]]> Lisa Borzani https://rewoolution.blog/en/2021/05/lisa-borzani-2/ Mon, 03 May 2021 10:39:45 +0000 https://rewoolution.blog/?p=12781 Tra il running athlete and TOR Academy coach. Among the strongest competitors in Italian trail running, Lisa Borzani has a rich international list of awards, in which two victories stand out at TOR330 – Tor des Geants® (2016 and 2017), the 330 km endurance trail that runs on the high roads of Valle d’Aosta, and five appearances […]

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Tra il running athlete and TOR Academy coach.

Among the strongest competitors in Italian trail running, Lisa Borzani has a rich international list of awards, in which two victories stand out at TOR330 – Tor des Geants® (2016 and 2017), the 330 km endurance trail that runs on the high roads of Valle d’Aosta, and five appearances with the Italian National Team at the Ultra-Trail World Championships:

2013 — Wales – Bronze Women’s Team

2015 — Annecy (France) – Bronze Women’s Team

2016 – Portugal

2017 — Italy – Silver Women’s Team

2018 — Spain

@lisaborzani

She won a place on the women’s podium in numerous Italian and international competitions, such as: Hong Kong 100km (second woman in 2016 and third woman in 2015), Madeira Ultra trail 120km (third woman in 2017), Andorra Ultra trail 170km (first woman in 2016 and 2017), Lavaredo Ultra trail 120km (third woman in 2016 and 2017), Ultra-Trail® of Mont-Blanc® — TDS 118km (third woman in 2013 and second woman in 2015), Orobie Ultra trail 140km (first in 2015 and 2017), Dolomites Extreme100km (first in 2016).

 

She is a trail instructor with a SNAQ CONI-accredited certification and track and field instructor with a FIDAL CONI-accredited certification obtained in December 2019.

 

Since 2018, she has continuously carried out the activity of trail and athletics instructor. Together with her husband Paolo Pajaro, ultratrailer, 5 times finisher of the Tor des Geants and instructor with a SNAQ CONI-accredited certification, she founded Trailored4you, organizing resident and itinerant courses and trail camps in Valle d’Aosta. She is a coach for TOR Academy.

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]]> TOR® 2021: it’s time to start training https://rewoolution.blog/en/2021/05/tor-2021-its-time-to-start-training/ Mon, 03 May 2021 10:29:18 +0000 https://rewoolution.blog/?p=12767 Interview with Lisa Borzani, trail runner and coach for TOR® Academy. Two-time winner of the TOR330 – Tor des Geants® and five-time member of the Italian national team at the ultra-trail World Championships, Lisa Borzani is undoubtedly one of the strongest contenders in Italian trail running. Having won a rich slate of international awards, she […]

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Interview with Lisa Borzani, trail runner and coach for TOR® Academy.

Two-time winner of the TOR330 – Tor des Geants® and five-time member of the Italian national team at the ultra-trail World Championships, Lisa Borzani is undoubtedly one of the strongest contenders in Italian trail running.

Having won a rich slate of international awards, she now also coaches alongside her husband Paolo Pajaro, ultratrailer and CONI certified instructor, organizing courses and trail camps in Valle d’Aosta for adults and children through the Trailored4You company they founded.

She told us at Rewoolution about her passion, sharing tips for those who are preparing to face one of the TOR® races in September 2021, one of the toughest endurance races in the world.

How did your passion for Trail Running start and how did it become a career?

I started running as a child. My father participated in marathons, so I also started running on the road. When I met my husband Paolo, a mountain-lover, my passion evolved towards trail running. In 2011, he joined the Tor des Geants and I followed him to attend the competition. From there, everything fell into place.

After we lost our home to a landslide in Veneto, we decided to move to a town at 1,750 meters altitude in Valle d’Aosta, and we both became certified trail instructors. For three years, we have been dedicating ourselves to courses and distance training, and we have created camps. I left my job at a bank and I now dedicate myself full time to the sports club created with my husband: Trailored4You.

What were the greatest difficulties encountered on your path, and what are the greatest satisfactions you have obtained as an athlete?

The greatest achievements were the victories at the Tor des Geants® and participation in the trail world championships: representing Italy is a great honour.

On the other hand, I encountered difficulties at work. Balancing full-time work at the bank and training had become a problem. I believe that if a man was in my position and achieved high-level results in sports, they would have found it easier to work part-time, even without having children to look after. Otherwise, I share everything with my husband, he understands very well what I’m doing; he helps me and supports me.

Do many women practice this sport? Do they encounter more difficulties than men?

There is still no female sports culture that is sufficiently developed. We have started soft courses aimed mainly at women, but convincing them to participate is not easy; they feel like they’re not good enough, when in reality anyone can get results in their own time. It’s important to set goals suited to the skills and time available, without necessarily aiming to win the TOR. Women themselves are hesitant; often they are the ones who exclude themselves. There is still a sense of inadequacy.

It needs to be said that there are races in which the men are celebrated by the organization, given an amazing welcome at the end, while when a woman reaches the finish line, no one is waiting for her, even if she achieved a commendable result, perhaps better than the aforementioned man’s time. Not to mention some road races in which, at least until a few years ago, the male prize pool was different from the female one.

Can you give some suggestions to those who are preparing for the TOR in September?

It is essential to start preparing in time, with ever-increasing distances, gradually increasing both the kilometres and the altitude difference. If the goal is to get to the end of the race, you have to stay on your feet, accustom your physical make-up to supporting the stress of many meters of altitude difference uphill and, most importantly, downhill. What might prevent you from reaching the finish line is an injury.

How long does it take to prepare and how much effort is required?

It all depends on the athlete’s past preparation. A beginner must start many months earlier, while for a sportsman, mountain enthusiast, or someone used to walking and with a good number of kilometres behind him or her, it will be a question of intensifying their activity in spring and summer in order to get to TOR and enjoy it.

Why should people participate in TOR Academy training? What does it involve?

We begin with a questionnaire that asks about the characteristics of the person: weight, height, their past and sporting level, whether they have already done trail running or not. We ask what kind of trails they have close to home, and how much time is available for training.

We try to understand if their profile and time availability are compatible with the race chosen. If, for example, a runner only has two hours a week, we suggest he or she shouldn’t participate in the TOR, and perhaps we suggest other competitions.

To prepare for the TOR, it is necessary to dedicate several hours, at least on weekends, to long routes in the mountains. Our workouts also include nights out on the trails, to get used to what they will experience in the race. During our camps, we do TOR simulations on the trails at night.

Remote training, pros and cons.

This year is a luxury, if we compare the situation to last year’s lockdown. Now the biggest problem is only for those who live in the plains and cannot go to the mountains or hills. Although in reality, if you start from home, on foot or by bike, you can move around.

Those who have had less time available in recent months, because for example they had kids doing distance learning, were able to start training with flat running and muscle strengthening, with specific work from home.

Remote coaching is a personalized training plan, hence the name of our sports club, Trailored4You (from the fusion of tailored and trail: a training program tailored for you, n. ed.). From week to week, I listen to my athletes to understand what they can do, also based on the status of the region they are in, red, orange or yellow.

In Valle d’Aosta we also have face-to-face courses, for both adults and children. For children, there are several courses, in groups of 10-12, divided into two age groups, 4-6 or 7-12 years, which provide stimulating, playful physical activities, which develop multidisciplinarity through obstacle courses, competitions and relay races. In the summer, they take part in outings for a day or two, sleeping outside in shelters.

We can say that the pandemic has had at least one positive effect, that of making us rediscover less popular sports to be practiced outdoors.

In the context of the misfortune of this terrible situation we are experiencing, our sport has gained more popularity precisely because it takes place outdoors and allows distance. In the Aosta Valley, skiing is almost the only sport practiced in winter; trail was not considered a practicable sport in the winter season. Children are an example, however; they can face any climatic condition without problems, they perform outdoor activities even in the snow.

Then, those who practice cross-country skiing have understood that trail can have a preparatory function, and those who cannot ski now keep fit with running.

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]]> Tor des Géants: the importance of mental preparation https://rewoolution.blog/en/2021/04/pietro-trabucchi-the-importance-of-mental-preparation/ Thu, 01 Apr 2021 16:28:21 +0000 https://rewoolution.blog/?p=11847 A psychologist and coach for the TOR Academy, Trabucchi shares with us some reflections on trail running and the extraordinary resources of the mind. A consultant for professional athletes and professor at the University of Verona, the psychologist Pietro Trabucchi, specialized in sports performance and TOR Academy Coach, shares with us some reflections on trail […]

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A psychologist and coach for the TOR Academy, Trabucchi shares with us some reflections on trail running and the extraordinary resources of the mind. A consultant for professional athletes and professor at the University of Verona, the psychologist Pietro Trabucchi, specialized in sports performance and TOR Academy Coach, shares with us some reflections on trail running, the physical and mental preparation necessary to face endurance tests, and the possibility of finding unexpected resources within oneself.

WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR PASSION FOR TRAIL RUNNING? AND HOW DID IT BECOME YOUR JOB?

In the early 2000s, I pioneered the long races of that time, which were basically all on asphalt. Living in the Aosta Valley, however, I always trained on the trails, and I loved it infinitely more than the asphalt. After all, that type of running was much more in tune with my other passions: mountaineering, ski-mountaineering and cross-country skiing. I met and became friends with Michel Poletti, the creator of the Ultra Trail on the Mont Blanc, who invited me to the first edition of the race. From there, I caught the “bug”, which has still not gone away, despite the inexorable passing of the years. In reality, my work is not on trail running, but on the theme of human performance – and in particular on the influence of mental aspects on performance. I focus on this in my work with the University of Verona and the CERISM Research Centre in Rovereto, and as a consultant for mostly professional athletes. My relationship with the Tor Academy is not so much business-oriented, but rather something that I see as a great opportunity to gain data and knowledge on trail athletes; and, at the same time, to help people discover the great psycho-physical resources that lie within every human being.

In a climate marked by the third wave of the pandemic, in which many regions of Italy are announcing new lockdowns, what would you say to encourage those who are preparing to face the TOR?

Well, I would say that the lockdown situation can be a great opportunity to become aware of the things we really need: like the need to test ourselves, to live in contact with the natural environment, to discover our limits. Before, when everything was taken for granted, it was much more difficult to appreciate the many privileges to which we had access. So, I would say to those who are going to participate in the TOR that all these difficulties that accompany the preparation towards the goal should be seen as forging our motivation and nourishing the desire to be there even more.

How can sports help raise our spirits in a time like this?

The link between exercise, neurotransmitter emission and mood is well known. We are made to move, and, evolutionarily speaking, the nervous system appeared in living beings as a regulating tool for movement. Thought came as an unexpected effect millions of years later. When we do physical activity, we stimulate the central nervous system in a very healthy and natural way. In other words, smartworking can be a solution to an organizational and economic problem, but from a strictly evolutionary point of view, it represents a degeneration, going against Nature itself.

Why, in addition to physical training, is mental preparation also essential in an endurance race?

On the trails, the mental factor is fundamental. It is even more important than in other forms of running. There, the usual fatigue and pain are accompanied by the encounter with the “unexpected”: the storm that suddenly catches you on a hilltop, the torch that abandons you while you grope for spare batteries in the absolute darkness, the awareness of being irretrievably lost that takes your breath away… Controlling does not necessarily mean “resolving”: it means foreseeing, if possible, and, in any case, knowing how to manage the unexpected. But managing the unexpected means, above all, knowing how to manage yourself. So, the trails are also this: self-management competitions above all. Before being an athletic test, they put into play the ability to hold fast, to deal with difficulties, to not be disheartened by problems.

“Trails are self-management competitions. Before being an athletic test, they put into play the ability to hold fast, to deal with difficulties, to not be disheartened by problems.”

“So, I would say, to those who are going to participate in the TOR that all these difficulties that accompany the preparation towards the goal should be seen as forging our motivation and nourishing the desire to be there even more.”

Pietro Trabucchi

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]]> Pietro Trabucchi https://rewoolution.blog/en/2021/04/pietro-trabucchi-2/ Thu, 01 Apr 2021 16:22:54 +0000 https://rewoolution.blog/?p=11849 Psychologist specialized in sports performance in particular in endurance disciplines. He has been a psychologist for the Italian Olympic cross-country skiing team at the 2006 Turin Olympics, for the national triathlon teams (Sydney Olympics) and for the Rio 2016 Olympic rowing team. For years, he has been involved in the mental preparation of the national […]

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Psychologist specialized in sports performance

in particular in endurance disciplines. He has been a psychologist for the Italian Olympic cross-country skiing team at the 2006 Turin Olympics, for the national triathlon teams (Sydney Olympics) and for the Rio 2016 Olympic rowing team. For years, he has been involved in the mental preparation of the national Ultramarathon teams.
Author of scientific and popular articles, he has published several books on the subject of motivation and resilience, including “Resisto dunque sono” (“I resist therefore I am”, Corbaccio, 2007) and “Opus. Manuale di automotivazione e resistenza alla fatica” (“Opus. A self-motivation and fatigue resistance manual”, Corbaccio, 2018). He is a lecturer at the University of Verona and at the CERISM Research Centre in Rovereto. He has been involved in training in various companies on the subject of motivation and stress management. He has coordinated scientific research in the first editions of the Tor des Geants®.
A passionate practitioner of endurance and mountaineering disciplines, he has climbed Everest from the north side on the occasion of Bruno Brunod’s “Everest Vitesse” expedition in 2005, and has several extra-European expeditions to his credit (Elbrus, Kilimanjiaro, Aconcagua, Everest, McKinley).

In 2016, he organized the scientific expedition “Alaska Stress Challenge” and climbed the Denali. In 2019, he crossed Greenland on skis from West to East, with five colleagues on an international team, in 27 days.

He raced and finished the Tor des Geants® four times (as well as being one of the four finishers of the “Zero” edition). As a coach of the TOR Academy , he deals with physical and mental preparation.
He lives in the Aosta Valley.

pietrotrabucchi.it

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]]> REWOOLUTION OFFICIAL PARTNER OF TORX® https://rewoolution.blog/en/2021/01/tor-de-geants-2021-en/ Wed, 20 Jan 2021 09:34:35 +0000 https://rewoolution.blog/?p=10031 More than a circuit of endurance trail races, Tor des Géants is a journey that crosses spirit and body, a journey of discovery of one’s own limits that each participant can complete regardless of their sporting level. https://vimeo.com/502708251 Boldness and determination are required to face this epic adventure that every year attracts runners from all […]

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More than a circuit of endurance trail races, Tor des Géants is a journey that crosses spirit and body, a journey of discovery of one’s own limits that each participant can complete regardless of their sporting level.

Boldness and determination are required to face this epic adventure that every year attracts runners from all over the world to the spectacular mountains of the Valle d’Aosta.

“When we launched TORX, many told us that we were crazy and it would be an impossible feat, and here we are, after ten years, always ready to launch new challenges. Rewoolution, as the name itself suggests, like us, wants to demonstrate that what seems impossible is not only achievable, but is already reality. Very high quality, Italian elegance and environmental, social and animal-related sustainability. We are proud of this new collaboration, driven by the ethical values that we share, but also by the attention to details, fundamental to succeeding in our most daring challenges.

Alessandra Nicoletti, president of VDA Trailers

The competition takes place in September, this year from the 9th-18th, and includes four different distances that wind along the beautiful trails of the region’s Alte Vie.

The quality and ethics of our product, perfect for races of this type, has given rise to an alliance between TORX, the most famous endurance race in the world, and Rewoolution which begins in 2021 and will last for 3 years

TEST YOUR LIMITS

Considered one of the most important long-distance races,Tor des Géants fully reflects the philosophy of Rewoolution, our passion for outdoor and endurance sports, and our love for nature.
An exciting challenge awaits us.

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