Training in the Aravis Valley, France. A photo montage

Lots of training lately.

I may get a tired body and mind.

But it is refreshed in a way too.

This is why.

These photos have all been taken while out training in the past few months.

Swimming

I love swimming here. I have two great local pools and I often travel to Annecy to swim with my team, TMT. In summer we have one of the cleanest lakes in Europe, Lake Annecy to train in.





Lake Annecy, a great quiet and safe place for open water swimming

Lake Annecy



Swimming at La Clusaz Pool.
A beautiful, well heated outdoor pool for summer or winter swimming.



La Clusaz pool steaming mid Winter



Hotel Beauregard pool
Small but open long hours and quiet for specific work



Cycling

This region is famous for it's cycling. The mountains are spectacular, the cols (passes) are steep, windy and of all lengths, strengths and sizes and the roads in pretty good condition for small mountain roads thanks to the regular visits by the Tour de France and the Dauphine Libre. What is even better from my perspective is the consideration and respect you get from drivers here. Australia could learn a lot from the French in regards to how much more fun it is to share the road rather than fight over it.



Col de Forclaz above Lake Annecy

Col de Colombiere. An open steep descent.
17k down to Cluses and back (or back via the additional fun of Col de Romme)



Col de Romme. Only 9k to the top but at +10% most of the way and maxing at 13% it is a good speed bump.

Double it up with Colombiere and it is a great one!




Col de Croix Fry, up in the ski resort above our village.
In February this year the road was completely free of snow on the south side.
The ski fields were still operating at the top.



Col des Aravis in Winter (I was riding not skiing on this day)

 

Cret de Chatillon / Semnoz from St Jorioz



The cross country trails still had good snow here when I restarted riding Semnoz this year.

Luckily the roads were free of ice.



Looking out to Mt Blanc range from Semnoz



The view heading up Col de Forclaz of the lake and castle on it



A stunnning day in the mountains



My favourite riding partner. Rob riding strong.



Signal de Bessan. A lovely solid climb after heading over Saisses.
Looking out towards Cormet de Roseland

 

Vallee D'Arly, narrow, windy and interesting.
The access or return route to many great cols near us 

 Running

So many options - forest paths, quiet roads, a lakeside running path, a good 400m track a lovely soft dirt 4k riverside loop and yes plenty of mud/snow covered paths.





A beautiful ancient bridge and 16th century chapel on the running path to Thones

Soft forest paths along the Nom River

A track session at Thones.
Cinder tracks are great for training. 



Thones track. Usually hard work here but a lovely quiet place for it.



My home trail, running in the forests around St Jean

Winter hill runs in the evening on Tete de Danay



Snow running (not too much of it this winter) up to Les Confins

Rob and I enjoying a run together at Lake Annecy