In keeping with the name and just like last year this year’s Inferno half marathon was very hot. It was a similar sweat fest to last year but this time I did it alone after Julian abandoned me for the “land of the free”. Probably a good thing too as I was 14 minutes slower than last year (3:08.09,2 in 2011). No cracking three hours this year. Probably not surprising considering the amount of running I haven’t been doing.
Anyway, Simon and Anita headed off bound for France leaving me in Lauterbrunnen with just a race to do. I seemed to do better on the flat section this year… perhaps… a little hard to tell. It was apparently 34 degrees in Mueren, 2 degrees warmer than last year, and about 14 degrees warmer than comfortable. Just before Mueren a Swiss guy I met at the Glacier 3000 race this year passed me. I had beaten him in the Glacier 3000 so tried to stick with him in the Inferno. But alas no… It wasn’t happening. After about 17 km I was well and truly a snail. Perhaps my mistake was only drinking isotonic drink at the water stations and not eating enough bananas like last year… Perhaps also not… Who knows…
Anyway, I arrived at the Schilthorn summit (2970 m) in 3:22.32,2 trying not to cramp. I hang around at the summit for a few hours as the surroundings really are spectacular up there. There’s a great view out towards the Eiger, Jungfrau, and Moench. Grand…
All in all a good race despite the result. I found it harder than the Glacier 3000 despite the climbing being approximately the same and it being shorter. It’s definitely the heat.
The race is well worth entering. It was 40 Euros and we received a finisher t-shirt and water bottle at the finish – nearish 40 Euros in value.
Above left: The sweat bath gets under way. Above right: Climbing the stairs to the finish (a re-enactment thereof…) There was much more grimacing during the real thing.
Above left: At the Schilthorn summit with the Eiger, Moench, and Jungfrau in the background. Above right: The Eiger, Moench, and Jungfrau.
Above left: The lsat 5 km. Above right: No high heels allowed on the path to Schilthorn!
Inferno Half Marathon 2012 3:22.32,2 (207/365 Men) 21 km Temperature: Inferno Hot.