Kurraba Point man to contest 336km Tor des Geants trail ultra-marathon in the Italian Alps

DOMINIC Cadden will be running 336km at an altitude of up 24,000m across five days in the Tor des Geants race through the Italian Alps.

Dominic Cadden training in Mosman for the 336km Tor des Geants trail ultra-marathon in Italy. Picture: Annika Enderborg

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A KURRABA Point sportsman is taking on his most gruelling challenge yet by tackling the mountainous but picturesque Tor des Geants trail ultra-marathon in Italy.

The September race is about 336km and has an altitude range of 24,000m.

Dominic Cadden, 46, hopes to finish the Aosta Valley course in about five days. The maximum time allotted to complete the race is 150 hours.

Dominic Cadden training in relatively flat Mosman. Picture: Annika Enderborg

The Tor des Geants will be Mr Cadden’s fourth ultra-marathon, but his first overseas.

“Some of the best racers in the world are in this race, then there are people like me who are just there to survive,” he said.

“Which is an achievement in itself, because there’s always a roughly 40 per cent on average dropout rate.

“You choose when you stop and rest. Some people will choose to deprive themselves of sleep and wander around like zombies.

Dominic Cadden will be competing in the Tor des Geants, a 336km run through the Italian Alps. Pictured her is Stelvio Glacier above the town of Bormio in the Alps. The Stelvio Pass, at 2773 metres, is one of the highest in the Alps and connects Italy and Austria.

“But I want to make sure I stop and sleep and enjoy my experience in the mountains.”

Mr Cadden said his biggest concern was getting accustomed to running up to an altitude of 3300m.

“It’s about learning to deal with the steep slope, which I’m trying to imitate with my own training,” he said.

Mr Cadden trains most weekdays in Mosman, where he aims to replicate the steep slopes of the Italian Alps.

Dominic Cadden running in happier times than he will have on the five-day, 336km race across the Italian Alps. Picture: Annika Enderborg

On weekends he runs for six to 10 hours through bushland.

“I often run up and down all the hills behind Balmoral and Chinamans Beach, where I can achieve 800m of vertical gain in a session,” he said.

“Another favourite is going from Georges Head down to Clifton Gardens and then up to the other side to Bradleys Head Rd.

“The soft, flat sand of Balmoral is also a useful training ground for developing strength in the lower legs and ankles.”

Italian ski resort, Val Gardena, in the Dolomites, part of the Italian Alps. It is easier to take the ski lift than run up the mountains.

Mr Cadden is no stranger to competitive sports, having won national, Commonwealth and World Masters titles in powerlifting. He has also trained in strongman.

“I have kept up this weird business of going from peak strength sports to ultra-endurance,” he said.

“I did trail ultra-marathons in 2008 and 2009. I began powerlifting in 2009.”

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