A taste for more
Us humans are funny beings, full of quirks and curious habits. During my bachelor’s, I took a course in behavioral economics that opened my eyes to just how good we are at fooling ourselves. One of the most common ways? Discounting future costs—like the ever-relatable “I’ll do the dishes tomorrow.” In a way, signing up for an endurance race feels like a similar mental trick.
In the fall of 2024, Nathalie told me about this "duo adventure trail race" on the other side of the lake. Fabio and Camille were already signed up, and she was looking for a partner. The race would be around 50 kilometers with 4,000 meters of elevation.
I run regularly, but mostly 10km distances—never more than 30km. Still, I was intrigued. After all, the race was over eight months away. Future Alex would handle that. A few weeks later, we were officially signed up. Team Schnelle Steiböcke (Camille and Fabio) and Les Marmottes (Nathalie and me) were on the start list for the Trail du Grammont, scheduled for June 14.
Over the next six months, we gradually increased our trail mileage. Nathalie was also training for the Paris Marathon in April, balancing road runs with enough elevation training to stay mountain-ready. As race day approached, Camille and Fabio’s phones buzzed more and more with questions:
How much water should we bring?
How much food will we need? (Fabio: “Two bars.” Camille: “Roughly 20,000 kcal.”)
How long will it take?
With the patience of saints, they guided us through every doubt. By the evening of June 13, our packs were ready. At 2:00 AM we left Lausanne and arrived in Grammont an hour later. Bibs pinned, tracker strapped on, headlamps flicked on. At 4:00 AM sharp, we were off.
The race kicks off with nearly 2,000 meters of vertical gain—a brutal wake-up call. We kept a steady pace, and after a few hours we crested the ridge toward the Dent du Lan. The views of the lake and the surrounding peaks were breathtaking. We passed a few chamois and a lone photographer before descending toward Lac de Taney.
For the next 15 kilometers or so, we held third place, the fourth team constantly on our heels. But we were beginning to struggle—my legs hurting on the downhill, Nathalie’s calves on the brink of giving out. We fought through, but eventually had to let them pass.
After a loop through Torgon, we returned to the far side of Lac de Taney. One final uphill remained, then a long traverse back to the start. Our legs were screaming, our bodies aching, but the finish line pulled us forward. After what felt like a full day—but was just under eight hours—we crossed the line. Exhausted, but elated.
Not long after, Camille and Fabio came in, looking remarkably fresh. They had overtaken half the field on the first downhill and were not passed by any other team afterwards! We celebrated with food and trail stories, laughing in that shared state of tired bliss. Fabio then casually headed off for a ski tour—naturally, this was just his warm-up. Us mere mortals returned to Lausanne, grateful for a warm shower and a long night’s sleep.
Am I a trail runner now? I’m not sure. I still feel more like an alpinist in running shoes—somewhat out of place. But being in the mountains with good friends? That’s what counts. And this race? It definitely left me hungry for more.
A huge thanks to Nathalie for sharing this adventure, and to Camille and Fabio for guiding us through our first trail race!