Sophie decides to look away from the challenge alpine coast to coast challenge that lies ahead. We’d do the same!

Seven Summit

SpecialIn a world first, Sophie Radcliffe cycled through Europe’s seven Alpine countries, pausing to climb each of their highest peaks on the way. In just 32 days her total ascent was equivalent to almost nine times the height of Everest. Here’s Sophie’s exclusive account of her Alpine Coast to Coast

60 Outdoor Fitness January 2014 January 2014 Outdoor Fitness 61 All wrapped up challenge alpine coast to coast Soul-destroying against -18 switchbacks made degree summit for exhausting temperatures Sophie gets that ascents ‘on top of the world’ feeling

Sophie takes time out to reflect on life

The gleeful exhilaration of a high speed descent

t’s Day 31 of my Alpine Coast The Alpine Coast to Coast was a self- Italian or German. I’d think about food, In , when our two-hour gentle hike to the bed by 7pm for a 1:30am start. We ate breakfast to Coast expedition, and I’m devised expedition to climb the highest which snacks I had with me and when I could turned into a five-hour epic in the by the light of our headtorches, talking quietly Alpine Coast cycling downhill from a little in the eight Alpine countries and eat my next one. I’d think about the campsite rain; in Slovenia, when I left our food in the car about what lay ahead. Our first challenge was to Coast in village called Grivola to the cycle between them. Starting on the Italian we woke up in that morning, how my legs felt and we had nothing to eat on our climb; or when crossing the Grand Coulouir, notoriously numbers in the Italian . Coast, I cycled through Slovenia, Austria, and whether I felt stronger than the day we were so cold on the summit of Duforspitze in sketchy with dangerous rock fall. It was still dark Despite barely needing to turn the Germany, Lichtenstein, , , before. I saved listening to music for the days Switzerland that my lips turned blue. These by the time we arrived at the Goûter Hut at 4am. pedals, I know it won’t take long and Monaco, taking 32 days. I when I really needed the motivation, the days challenges would rear up in front of us yet I From there it was a snow slog, a full on 32 to cycle the 30km descent from completed the cycling sections on my own, when I felt utterly broken, exhausted and would catch myself smiling. Deep down I loved endurance challenge of digging deep at altitude. days taken (including four , the final mountain on this covering an average of 150km per day over devoid of drive. it all. I loved the inescapable fact that it was As we passed by the Vallot Hut, more like an rest days) challenge. Hunched over my handlebars, I many of the most iconic and challenging high One day stands out as being particularly going to hurt and that the only way to the beer at emergency bivvy hut, the sun came up and Ilean into the curve of the road as it twists and mountain passes in the Alps. My husband, challenging. I woke up in Germany feeling the end was to get on with it. I learnt that illuminated the world around us. A moment to carves it’s way down the valley. Every minute Charley, supported me throughout and was like I’d left my joie de vivre on the summit of everything passes with time and that we are all keep forever. We could see the summit from 1,669 of struggle I’d felt on the way up this climb my climbing partner for the mountains. I capable of more than we believe. there, but it would be another two hours and Kilometres cycled from three days ago was worth it for the covered 1,669km by bike, 141km on foot and “It was 18 degrees below The Alpine Coast to Coast was the first time 500 metres of ascent before we arrived there. On Trieste, Italy to Monaco phenomenal feeling of freedom, happiness climbed 45,530 metres of ascent, almost nine that Charley and I lived entirely in the present. the summit at 4,810m, I could feel the raw and power that’s taking over my body right times the height of Mount Everest. freezing with fast winds Those 32 days were bursting at the seams with emotion in everyone around me. A mix of the now. I’m struggling to take in all the emotions Adventure used to be something I did once and weather closing in” life. All the rivers we bathed in, roads cycled, immense feeling of achievement with anxiety 141 and realise tears are streaming down my face. a year, grew to something I did once every mountains climbed, Alpine sunsets and sunrises about the descent. It was 18 degrees below Kilometres on foot It could be the rush of the wind making my few months and is now something I aim for in , the country’s highest peak. Faced that stopped us dead in our tracks, campsites, freezing, with fast winds and we could see the eyes water, or perhaps it’s the fact that my everyday life. Driven by the desire to explore with a 230km cycle from Garmisch, across dinners cooked in the open air, beers drunk in weather closing in thick and fast. From the dream of completing the Alpine Coast to who I am and what I’m capable of, I set upon the border into Austria, back into Germany the tent, chocolate bars eaten and new countries summit back to the train which could take us to 45,530 Coast is within reach. Very close reach. this challenge to ask myself, ‘Can I do this?’ and then back into Austria before cycling the travelled through. The times when Charley the valley bottom, it was 7 hours of descent. I Metres of ascent during All that surrounds me - the river that runs and to prove that the answer is always ‘Yes’. length of Lichtenstein and finishing 14 hours made decisions I didn’t want to make, such as often think the descent is the hardest part, you the entire expedition from the , the trees, villages and “What do you think about when you later, in a place called Bad Ragaz in turning around half-way up our first attempt on are tired, stepping down is tough on your joints, people tending to their gardens - fly past me. cycle?” Charley would often ask me when we Switzerland, there were tears and a lot of . The way I drew strength from his and it feels utterly relentless. On the ascent, I’d had the time to get to know met at the end of each day. “Everything, self-analysis. I got there in the end, but having strength when I felt less than the person I The most technically challenging of our climbs 21 them all, to use them as distractions as I anything and a lot about why I’m doing this,” woken up on the wrong side of our soggy tent, wanted to be. These are the reasons why I can’t was , the highest mountain in Number of rainy days inched my way up, to think about each I’d answer. I’d think about the countries I I had decided it was not going to be my day, stop adventuring. Austria at 3,798m. We opted for a classic alpine person going about their day as I passed. cycled through, loving how I could really get and thereby increased the size of the Of the summits we scaled, Mont Blanc was the ridge, the Stüdlgrat. It was one of our favourite There’s no time for that now, I have just a feel for them whilst on a bike. I’d try to mountain I had to climb. toughest physically to climb. On the first of two climbs due to the challenge of the route but also 87 370km to cycle before I arrive at the coast of make sense of the road signs and envisage On the other hand, there were days when no days we walked up from the valley bottom to the because the Stüdlhütte was absolutely amazing, Beers drunk! Monaco and complete my mission. how they would be pronounced in Slovak, matter what the challenge, it didn’t phase me. Tête Rousse hut at 3,167m, in six hours. We the best alpine hut we’ve ever stayed in, mainly stayed the night in the mountain hut and were in due to the quality and volume of the food! >>

62 Outdoor Fitness January 2014 January 2014 Outdoor Fitness 63 challenge alpine coast to coast

sophie’s route Starting in Italy, Sophie passed through Slovenia, Austria, Germany, , Switzerland, France, Italy and Monaco

3 4 2

1 5 6 7 s ITALY

8

Stages Distance (km)/Ascent (m)

Cycle Trieste, Italy to 1 , Slovenia 145km/1,590m Climb Triglav 24.7km/2,186m

Cycle Triglav to 2 Grossglockner, Austria 192km/2,295m Coast reached and the Climb Grossglockner final ‘mountain’ summit climbed in Monaco 27km/2,382m

Cycle Grossglockner 3 to Zugspitze, Germany Standing on the summit of Triglav at Alpine road, switchback after switchback, I 255km/3,285m 2,864m the highest mountain in Slovenia, had to get off my bike and lie down in the Climb Zugspitz was incredible. It was our first summit and grass at one point. Crazy to think how many 9.9km/2,337m the views were stupendous. As the mountain of the mountains that I cycled over are higher is situated on the edge of the Alps, we took a than . The scale of the Alps is Cycle Zugspitz to few moments to sit and take it all in. As we mind-blowing. I just reminded myself to take 4 , Liechtenstein could see were the rest of the Alps, and the baby steps and keep those legs spinning, in 210km/1119m remainder of our journey. the end I’d get there. The greater the Climb Grauspitz Once down from the mountain, we would challenge of the mountain pass, the greater 17.35km/2,424m normally spend the night in a local campsite my sense of achievement at the top and the before I’d get back on my bike the following longer the descent. The 35kms down from the Cycle Grauspitz to day and cycle to the next country, and the Col Grand Saint Bernard into Aosta, Italy 5 , Switzerland next mountain. I would pedal until the road was a thrilling reward for my uphill effort. 234km/4,207m ended and became a trail, then I’d put my Despite the kilometres cycled and climbed, Climb Dufourspitze bike into the car, change clothes and head up 26.9km/4,634m the mountain. I took four rest days during the “Crazy to think many of the 32-days, and spent them sleeping, eating, mountains I cycled over Cycle Dufourspitze blogging and writing postcards. My first rest 6 to Mont Blanc, France day proved to be my favourite, having been are higher than Ben Nevis” 119.5km/1,733m on the go for six days. I woke at 5am to 1st attempt Mont Blanc pouring rain on our tent and immediately I’m convinced that the only thing adventure 16km/3,351m decided we were going to a hotel. The only has to be, is what it means to you. Being at Climb Mont Blanc one nearby was a 5 star spa hotel so we lucked one with nature, creating new experiences 231km/2,926m out. There was one of those hotel buffet that challenge you is all that matters. breakfasts that has everything you could Whatever your goals, limitations and Cycle Mont Blanc possibly wish for - I think I had six courses! constraints, don’t be put off by what you feel 7 to Gran Paradiso, Italy I loved the cycling sections between the you can’t do, focus on what you can do. 151km/3,852m mountains and enjoyed the time on my own Today is your day, go plan your adventure. Climb Gran Paradiso to look into my mind and see what was going 19km/2,026m on, to understand myself better. Some of the n Sophie was supported by Haglofs and mountains I cycled up took me hours. In Adidas, which provided her mountain and Cycle Gran Paradiso Switzerland I rode up the Grand Saint cycling kit. Sophie is creating a film about 8 to Monaco Bernard pass. It’s 25km long and finishes at the Alpine Coast to Coast; until then you can 363 1km/487m the col at 2,469m. Weaving up that high watch the trailer on YouTube.

64 Outdoor Fitness January 2014