Davos X-Trails is a unique mountain race that demands everything from the participants and, depending on the run, pushes them to their physical limits. This year Davos X-Trails will be held on the 29th of July in Davos in Switzerland, approximately 150km outside Zurich which is the nearest airport.
There are 4 ultimate runs in Davos X-Trails to choose between, available in all facets. The diamond run 68k, gold 43k, silver 23k, and bronze 10k. The similarity is the great flows of trails over rolling hills and steep technical trails in the mountains as well as the beautiful scenery of the Swiss Alps. There is something for every trail running fan!
Dario Cologna, the former Swiss cross-country skier, with four overall World Cup victories, four Olympic gold medals, one world championship gold medal, and four Tour de Ski victories in his career, lives in Davos and has participated in the Davos X-Trails several times.
RunAgain´s CEO and founder, Carl-Otto Karlengen, got the opportunity to have a chat with Dario to hear about his experience with the running event, his perspective on it and how he would prepare for the race. Dario is an ambassador of the Destination Davos Klosters, and tells that participating in races gives him big motivation in his training.
What can we expect from Davos Klosters as a destination?
Davos is a small, charming city in the alps. Klosters is the lovely neighbouring municipality of Davos. Together they form the destination Davos Klosters. The destination offers a wide variety of hotels, holiday flats, restaurants and a wide range of sports activities.The six mountain railways take guests comfortably up the various mountains in no time, from where they can start their adventure.It´s a perfect place for trail running, hiking and biking in the summer, and skiing, sledging as well as snowshoeing in the winter.
Could you mention some keywords about the Davos X-Trails?
The race is steep, the start and finish line is in Davos, and you should be familiar with running uphill and downhill in mountainous terrain.
So how do you go forward and prepare yourself for this kind of race which has a lot of climbing? Is there any particular you would be focusing on during your training?
– I´m not a professional runner, but as a Nordic skier, you also run a lot in the summer such as intervals and mountain running.
In trail running it´s always good to combine a lot of different training elements. Like fast running on the roads, a 10k or a half marathon, and you should be used to run in stony terrain and on trails. Because when you are tired, you have the stones - which force you to always be active and alert. I would therefore suggest having a lot of variety during training sessions, if possible; climbing and hiking, uphill and downhill training, and adding some strength training to really prepare the legs for this effort.
You have earlier participated in the Davos X-Trails 23k, what is your experience from this course
There are roughly 400 meters of uphill climbing in the 23k and almost no downhill. You´re not going that high in altitude in this course as you do in the 43k and 68k. I think this was a cool race! The course is going a lot on the trails and a bit on the roads. For me, it was good preparation as a skier for winter because its more uphill and it’s not that demanding for the legs like the 43k or the 68k. The recovery after this run is faster, so both myself and other skiers were using this race as a preparation in the summer for the upcoming winter season.
Now, after my active career, Im thinking about doing a longer distance. I have more time for recovery. Maybe I’m going for the 43k this year, and I think the route looks very cool. So I guess this can be my goal for the summer!
We also have the diamond run, the 68k, which has a lot of uphill and downhill in it. This run is really for well-trained people?
Exactly, but this run is too long for me (laughs)! For this race you have to train specifically for long distances. But I can tell you that the track is really nice and I actually know the track from my own training sessions. I didn´t go through this track in one training session, but the start is the same as the 43k. Though it’s a lot of altitudes, and its a lot of uphill and downhill, the scenery is really beautiful and every kilometer is different! Which can make it a bit easier, especially mentally.
How do you deal with the height? As you mentioned, the Davos is located at an altitude of 1500 meters, and then you´re going further up - is there anything happening in the body to be aware of?
I think it’s important to say that everyone is reacting differently to altitude levels. And if you’re coming from Scandinavia to participate in the Davos X-Trails, it can be a good idea to arrive some days before the race to acclimatize the body, and for example, take a trip to the top of the mountains to feel the altitude. Also, keep in mind that the first 3 or 4 days in the altitude can feel a bit strange for the body. But you definitely have to feel it yourself!
Looking forward to seeing you in Davos on the 29th of July 2023!