§staticmap(2535,4,450,250)Hello, on June 23rd 2013, you’ll be organizing the Marathon des Burons. Can you tell us where it is located?
Departing from Nasbinals, this trail test is organised, like every year, on the wild Aubrac plateau, a granite massif to the north of Lozère, a genuine ocean of greenery.
How old is the race and why was it created in the first place?
The Marathon of the Burons has existed since 2000. At the start, in the form of a snow trail. The idea was to mark the changeover to the year 2000 by creating an original race which didn’t yet exist in France. Then in 2005, the challenge became a summer one, leaving Laguiole for the village of Nasbinals and offering a real day of running races over multiples distances.
What kind of route have you set up for the runners? How would you describe it?
42km (a real marathon!!!) and 1400m+ of pure happiness in discovering the high mountain pastures, the deep forests, the ancient Roman way, the peaks where you can admire the beauty of this plateau which is covered in its most stunning flowers in this season. A course in search of secret corners both in the heart of the high mountain pastures which only open up on the day of the race and also in the heart of this wooded area, thanks to the understanding of the Forest Commission. There will also be a lovely alpine trail to “play” with nature before heading for Nasbinals again for a full crossing into off-piste skiing deep in the heart of the countryside of the Burons, the must for this competition.
How many runners do you expect on Sunday morning? What type of runners do you plan to attract?
The number of registrants in the Marathon of the Burons is limited to 700. The organisation limits the number of enrolments so that the trailers feel all the force of Aubrac in this challenge. The runners entering the race are competitors, there with the objective of victory and a good result. Others feel victorious crossing the finish line. Whoever he is, the runner wants to run on wild ground through the high mountain pastures; whilst respecting this very special environment. In all of the circuits, 2,800 runners are expected in 2013.
Do you organize other races during the Weekend? If so, on what distances?
Trail in Aubrac 2013 and the village of Nasbinals offer 6 magnificent competitions on the wild Aubrac plateau, including for the younger girls and boys, a 11km and 200m+ on the high mountain pastures to help them fee their wings of trailers grow in this magnificent scenery.
The course of the Cap’Aubrac, 27km long and 515m+, allows the runners to follow the Boraldes, wild streams. The Brameloup forest is intimate, you savour it then you rejoin the high mountain pastures of Pendouliou to head into the north by Montorzier and trace straight along into the green of the meadows, which is the end of the Marathon of the Burons, a must.
For the Aubrac Circus, in the 55km and 2000m+ program, lie all the most secret and most beautiful corners of these high mountain pastures; a first-rate circuit marked out to offer an extremely beautiful adventure in the heart of intimate Aubrac. The magnificent Carteyroux trail and this famous ending all in high mountain pastures, thanks to the complicity of the breeders who agree to open up the “mountains”. This Aubrac Circus is like sailing on a vast ocean of greenery. A single-handed “transatlantic” race.
At that time of the year, what kind of weather can we expect?
The Aubrac plateau is a wild territory where the weather can also be wild and extreme. Some events have taken place under a blazing sun and others in sudden snow showers. Whatever the weather, the sun will be present in the yellow of daffodils and gentians.
Throughout all the weekend, numerous events take place in the village of Nasbinals, with the presence of a market of local products, aperitifs organised by Nasbinals’ Tourist Office, a coffee morning offered by Nasbinals’ Town Hall, conferences with a health/fitness theme, and presentation stands with Kalenji and Fenioux products, event partners …
The Croc’Aubrac was organised for Saturday afternoon: free of charge, it takes place as a training session with equipment tests.
The race finished, what advice would you give a runner who has never been to Nasbinals before? A good restaurant, a fancy sightseeing?
After the race and the various festivities scheduled in the scope of the race, the trailers can stay in Aubrac for several days in typical accommodation, go for a bite to eat in a Buron, recover in a walk toward the Déroc waterfall or the signal of Mailhebiau. Laguiole and its knives can be the focus of a visit.
In a single sentence, what would you tell the readers of ahotu Marathons to make them register for the Marathon des Burons?
Trailer friends, if you want to enjoy an extraordinary experience in nature which is still untouched. If you want to find yourself in wild, isolated places in the middle of beech groves, gentians or other pansies. If you want to include an essential test of national circuit trails in your list of achievements. So, don’t hesitate any longer. www.courirenaubrac.com .
Interview with Jean François VAISSETTES, Evasion Sport et Communication