FOR many people the prospect of running 30 kilometres would be daunting, but imagine doing it in the Swiss Alps where the course sees big elevation changes?
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That is exactly what Bathurst athlete Nathanael Pinder did last weekend in the Ultra Trail Verbier event.
The 10th edition of the event drew competitors from across the world, with a number of different trails on offer.
While fellow Bathurst product and good friend Luke Tyburski opted for the Traversee Course, Pinder tackled the Liddes-Verbier.
Pinder was one of 500 starters who had their legs tested from the get go, as the first 6.4km took them to the high point of the race.
It took Pinder one hour, 22 minutes and 59 seconds to reach the top of the Col de Mille, having gained more than 1km in height from the start line to reach that point.
He was the 67th competitor to reach the peak at 2,469 metres, then picked up his pace as he descended to Lourtier.
Pinder was still inside the top 100 as he hit that point at kilometre 18.7, then once more began to climb the second peak of the race.
The La Chaux climb took the field to an altitude of 2,249 metres before the trail dropped back down to the finish line at Verbier.
Pinder was amongst those to reach the finish line at the popular ski resort village which featured in the 2009 Tour de France, clocking a time of 6:43.22. He averaged an impressive 6.81km/hr for the testing trail.