It’s been seven years since Norbert Girard embarked on the adventure of running. “I quit smoking in 2014 and I had to compensate. I did it with running and took part in the Transjutrail, that same year, over 22 kilometres. I went to 36, then 72 kilometers in the following years, ”underlines Norbert Girard, aged 56, who works in Chaux-du-Dombief.
Little racing during the pandemic
“I was still athletic, practicing cross-country skiing, cycling, but we can say that as I progressed I took a liking to this solitary effort. In 2018, I did the Tor des Géants, 330 kilometers, then the Tor des Glaciers (450 kilometers to complete in 190 hours, 32,000 meters of vertical drop) in 2019”, explains Norbert. He recognizes a white year in 2020.
“With this crisis, we could not train normally. Almost all the races were canceled, and the only two I did, I gave up. I could not prepare myself physically and mentally, ”adds the trailer, who chose a solo preparation. “I am self-taught in long and very long distance running. I do two short trail outings (two hours) and one long distance outing (between 5 and 8 hours) per week. Otherwise cycling, cross-country skiing, the swimming pool,” explains Norbert Girard. The athlete took part in 2021 in twelve races, including seven ultra trails, namely the ultra trail of the 4 massifs in Grenoble, the ultra trail of Mont-Rose (Switzerland), the ultra trail of the Jura mountains, the ultra Haut Giffre Samoëns trail, the Annecy ultra race, the Verbier Saint Bernard trail (Switzerland) and the Volodalen trail from Jura to Bellecin. That’s a total of 1,200 km of racing, including 58,000 meters of elevation gain.
A year of preparation
“This represents a year of preparation for the Tor des glaciers 2022, which I will do in September. Before I will participate in the ultra trail of Samoëns (123 kilometers) and the Cervino Matterhorn (168 kilometers, in Italy). I will do some regional shopping, perhaps in Sirod, with my son and my grandchildren. My fondest memory was participating in and finishing the Tor des Glaciers, one of the longest and toughest in the world. Finishing this race is magical, while my worst memory will remain the year 2020 when I was hardly able to run”, explains Norbert Girard.
2018. Finisher of the TOR of the giants 330 km
2019. Finisher of the TOR des glaciers 450 km
2021. Finisher of 12 races including 7 Ultra trails
55th of the ultra trail of the 4 massifs Grenoble (176 km)
30th of the Swiss Mount Rose ultra trail (170 km)
8th in the Jura mountains ultra trail (180 km)
20th in the Haut Giffre Samoëns ultra trail. (129km)
85th of the ultra race Annecy (113 km)
91st in the Verbier Saint Bernard Switzerland trail. (113km)
8th in the Volodalen du jura Bellecin trail (69 km)
1,200 km of racing for 58,000 meters of elevation gain in 2021.