Epic Graubünden Marathon: What is steeper than a Swiss Franc vs US Dollar Graph? (over the last 12 months)

This is the profile of the Graubünden Marathon, I did last weekend. 

Top and bottom of image is a large
switchback on the Rothorn.

Ruth and I "innocently" signed up for the Graubünden Marathon four months ago because an uphill marathon sounded like a fun challenge and this race was billed as the most difficult in Europe.  

They are fun, they are held in scenic places and topography you cross makes each the strategy of each race different.  I learned that the hard way at the LGT Alpin Marathon Liechtenstein (read my race report here.

So in the Graubünden Marathon . . 1400 meters of uphill in the last 11 km of the race. Isn't that when you begin to hit 'the wall' as most marathoners like to say. Well this really was a wall, called the Rothorn. The Rothorn (peak and finish) towers above the ski resort at Lenzerheide.  The Swiss have so many mountains they tend to use use descriptive names, Rothorn or rotten peak is well suited.   It's top is a foreboding mass of rock, surrounded by an enormous scree slope. Somehow they attached a tram to the top and they bulldozed a cat track through the scree and rocks all the way to the top. How bad could it be? ... Well...

When you plan for this kind of race, what and when you eat makes a big difference.  Last year, the top finisher finished in 3:12. So planned that I would finish in 4 hours. That was my first mistake.  It turned out that last years race didn't go all the way to the top of Rothorn because of bad weather  This year, the same super-human man who won last year finished in 3:42.  I didn't eat enough protein and spent too much energy on the first 18 miles.  

I had a great first 3/4 of the race and then imploded, finishing in 4:58.  I lost my lunch, my will and 22 places in the last 10 k. The uneven rocky surface (bergweg) up the side of Rothorn made my left calf and butt go numb. I hobbled to the finish.

Finish line.

Don't get me wrong, it was fun. I saw a lot of the Swiss Alps, beautiful meadows, and a lake side village. The towns folk along the way were motivating.  The other races were friendly. I got a nice kiss (thanks Ruth) and a healing massage once I took the tram back down the peak.  


Ruth ran the halb-marathon, which skipped the last hill. Her entry to the race, allowed her to ride the cable car to the top to see the marathon finish and get a load of the views. She is nursing a foot injury, so she was happy not to do this full marathon. We both agreed the race was well worth the time and money... and the beer we drank the SBB train-ride home was sublime.

Photo of me at the top of Rothorn, barely running.

For those interested: With 8750 feet of elevation gain and 1200 feet of loss, the Graubünden Marathon was a monster. For you Bellinghasters, its like running up to the top of Mt Baker in Washington State from the DOT shed on highway 542.  

 Pike Peak Marathon is often talked about in the US.  What is harder?  In 2009, I ran the Pikes Peak marathon course. Pikes is steeper and higher elevation, 7500 feet up in the first half of the race. Then it is all downhill for the section half of the race (~13 miles). Your knees take a beating either way.  I have to say, having run up Rothorn at the end of the race made the Graubünden, the most difficult event I have ever done. 

PS: It is nice to be done with this alpine marathon series. Now, I am off to do something else. Any ideas?

Running After A Love One Dies.

Putting on the shoes today was hard.  I needed to run after a long day yesterday.  I picked the route I knew best.  It happened to be the route Fiona (our dog) and I had done the most. 

As I started running the tears came down.  The trail was wet and boney.  Rain drops fell off the leaves of the trees from a hard rain the night before.  Thoughts rushed back to another solitary sad run that I had done twenty years before.  My grandmother, Irma Hancock Sofield, had died.  I don’t remember the day; I don’t remember who told me, or how I received the news.  I do remember thinking; I need to go for a run and I remember everything about it.  The weather, surroundings, trail, were all similar conditions to today’s run.  I ran hard, uphill until it hurt.  My head grew light and the thoughts came rushing out.  My eyes welled up as I thought how helpless I was to death.  And how much I missed my grandmother and how much she meant to me.  All the while my feet keep moving, like they did today.  With no parents left, she had stepped in and loved me unconditionally, and forevermore I will be moving without her.  The air on my face dried my tears.   I vowed to keep her in my thoughts and I ran home a little stronger but more alone. 

Running became my strength and a focus to my life.  The symbolism was strong, me running alone against the world.  As a race would get hard, I would evoke memories of lost ones to keep me strong, focused, centered.  Completing / winning races would bring back a rush of emotions for me, helping me think of my parents, grandmother and others who taught me about life.   Running kept me real, thoughts of loved-ones makes me who I am. 

As I made my way around the familiar loop this morning, I thought of all the good times Fiona and I had.  And of the last run we did together on this trail just a week before.  Always with a smile on her face, she loved to run and loved to be by my side.  However she was almost 14 and had to work hard to stay with me.  Just as she fought hard to breathe when her body was failing. 

Once again my eyes welled up, as I realized how much she meant to me and how much she too had contributed to my life.  She showed me unconditional love, benefits of spreading joy to others, and so much else without saying a word.  Fiona managed to nuzzle her wet nose into my heart.  Something, I didn’t make easy to do.  So, as I struggled to finish the run I thought about how Fiona made me a better person.  Just like other loved-ones had done for me in the past.  

And so to remember and celebrate my loved-ones, I will keep on running.  Running, because that is what Fiona liked more than anything else.

Rock shed for a trail:

Yes Fiona, this concrete and steel shed was built for a walking trail! 

Panorama Trail, Braunwald -Glarus