Being partial to the dessert, and looking for a trail race to do late season, I was keen to grab a spot to run it. 

The new, specially created event is actually nothing to do with Austria’s national dish, (although a Strudel would be very welcome to refuel at the end of it),  but is named after the Wildstruble massif, between the Swiss Cantons of Valais and Bern, that its route crosses.

Taking place in September, it provides a trail-running summer sufferfest finale, and as part of the UTMB World Series, it gives you stones and index points now required for UTMB entry.

“We decided to create this event because we said ‘look, here's a beautiful place, it’s super interesting,” said Antonie Aubourg, director of marketing and communication for the Ultra Trail Mont Blanc (UTMB).

“Crans Montana wanted to have an international trail running event to promote the destination in summer,  as it's already known in the  winter season, but it's not known for summer.”

The Wild 50km edition has 2750 meters of elevation gain and consists of two big climbs and two descents, as well as crossing a vertiginous footbridge and ancient waterway perched on the mountain side thrown in.

And as I found out, the steepness of the long climbs and crazy drop-offs interspersed with rather-too-runnable sections left the head and body constantly having to switch gears.

“We had many local people working with us to find the best routes whilst respecting that its trail running. So we can’t have too much running on roads,  we also have needs in terms of elevation gain. And sometimes we can’t go somewhere because a local farmer does not want to open to runners, or its too dangerous, or there is a a road you can cross.  Its super complicated and a long process. You have to consider the needs of local people. But I think the route tthat we found is one of the best,” said  Aubourg.

After a three hour bus ride from Crans Montana to Adelboden we begun at 10am with a confidence boosting run downhill out of the village, before hitting a steep climb up muddy off-season ski slopes and well-tended alpine pastures of the famous Via Alpina.

Some of us wanting to jump queue attempted to scramble under barbed wire fences. I, however,  occasionally waited in line as an excuse to get my breath back.

We then hit some more technical climbing through a forest before breaking out onto the Sillerebüel at 1900m after about 9 km. Here we continued through the Hahnenmoos Pass in the Berneses Oberland.

A fast descent then led to a roaring waterfall, a little more climbing and a painful technical run down through the bucolic village of Lenk. Only about 19 km in and worrying my legs were slammed and I was already feeling bad.

After about 8km of relatively flat running my backside in particular hurt. I slowly interspersed running and walking to reached Iffigenalp at 26km to begin the magnificent but demanding 1400 meter climb, to the Rawil Pass at 2427meters.

My head felt quite light at this point so I had to force myself to eat and drink something, although the sickly sweet energy drinks were no longer doing it for me. At least the weather was quite cool. I pulled on some gloves and put a podcast on to help me grind it out to the col, which at about 32km, is the border between the Valais and the canton of Bern.

At the checkpoint, I’m told the next section will be flat for 10km until a steep run down. “Thanks goodness”, I think and decide to run it all, as slowly and as comfortably as possible.  I actually felt much better now than I did at 15km and managed to pick off a few people along the way.

The scenery changed here and I was surrounded by breathtaking views of Valais’ 4,000m peaks. After a while I turned a corner and a shingled descent began, leading to a sublime view lake Tzeuzier, where I promptly dropped my phone trying to photograph it,  letting myself be overtaken!

Descending slower now after the first downhill, I still managed to pick off a few more people. Just a flat run around the lake, which I forced myself to keep jogging -- and I finally reached the last food station.

While my watch said 32km,  I was reliably informed there was only ten km left to the finish, with 200 meters climbing.

Barely daring to believe this was true, (my watch hadnt been out before) I downed a bowl of bouillon, a few slices of cheese and salami ( I never eat salami!) and pushed on. At this rate I could finish in under nine hours, I thought. Amazing, given my sporadic training this summer.

From here we soon reached a vertiginous footbridge across a small valley, 120 meters long at 70 meters above the ground. This led to the splendid 5km Bisse du Ro, an ancient waterway cut into the mountain side, that kept others taller than me ducking as they tried to run along it.

My legs were really giving out now so I had to intersperse running and walking. A final uphill push through a forest and soon I am passing day hikers. I knew the end was near.

I could now hear the sounds of ‘normal’ life - a few cars and cow bells - and I urged myself to keep running,   even if slowly, motivated by people cheering me along.

A heroic trudge around lake Grenon - and I cross the finishing line, , in very decent time for me! Wow, I thought.

As usual I’d spent hours thinking about how much I am hating the experience and swearing ‘never again’, then hobbling around afterwards, thinking about what next I’m going to sign up for. Maybe Wild 100?...