Races
Trail Verbier St Bernard
Verbier. Valais alpine trails. St Bernard country. Eight thousand five hundred meters of Swiss high mountain running.
87 mi+13,608 ft-13,909 ft40 hours7,520 ft to 8,031 fttech 5/10Checkpoints per race bookValaisSt BernardWSER qualifierJuly
Distance87 mi
Gain+13,608 ft
Loss-13,909 ft
Altitude7,520 ft to 8,031 ft
Technicality5/10
Air35°F to 75°F
- Start8,031 ft
- High8,031 ft
- Low7,520 ft
- Finish7,730 ft
Geometryderived
Steepest drop335 ft-2.6% over 2.4 mi
Night miles34 misunset near 19:00 local
Time over 8k ft12%
The cruxCol de la Croix de Coeur and high Valais cols on the second day (near mile 57)
Course DNA
The Course
Trail Verbier St Bernard runs 140 km through Verbier, Switzerland. +13,608 ft gain and -13,909 ft loss. Surfaces skew 75% alpine trail / 20% scree / 5% pasture. Col de la Croix de Coeur and high Valais cols on the second day. High point near 8,031 ft. Low near 7,520 ft. July temps run 35°F to 75°F. The course rewards patience early and punishes rushed descents after mile 43.
The Work
Train for 13,608 feet of climbing across 140 km. Back-to-back long runs on trail. Practice power-hiking grades above 15 percent. 40 hours total means limited margin: rehearse fueling every 45 to 60 minutes and downhill eccentric work weekly. Technicality 5/10. Build a block that simulates the crux near mile 57.
Kit
July in Verbier, Switzerland: plan for 35°F to 75°F. Mandatory shell if rain is in forecast. Headlamp with spare batteries if 40 hours pushes past dark. Poles help on sustained climbs above mile 22. Vest capacity for 2 liters minimum. Shoes matched to 75% alpine trail: lugs for mud, rock plate if the course turns technical after mile 43.
Race Day
Hold effort through mile 22. The field often splits on the first big climb after mile 43. Col de la Croix de Coeur and high Valais cols on the second day near mile 57 is where time is won or lost. Walk the steep pinches. Run the flats and gentle downhills. Crew at major aids: socks, calories, ice if hot. Transitions under 5 minutes when possible. Final third is 29 miles of fatigue management. Finish with reserve for the last descent.
Results
Trail Verbier St Bernard finish lines.
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