Travels & athletics

When I'm not working, I love to travel, and I try to spend most of my time outdoors. I'm a big fan of endurance sports (running and cycling mostly), which I simply see as alternative means of travel, and ways to test/push my own physical limits. I have taken parts to many marathons, ultramarathons and triathlons up to the ironman distance.

Here are some adventures I'm particularly proud of:

• August 2015: my new record for a non-stop bike ride, Pittsburgh to Washington DC, 500km (315mi) in 29 hours. Mostly on rail trails (Great Allegheny Passage) and with a folding bike (hence the slow average speed). A fantastic experience, as the bike trails allowed traffic-free riding through 2 consecutive nights.
• May 2015: Cycling across the US from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles. 4700km (3000mi) in 21 days (of which 2 rest days), solo and self-supported, including a notable 340km (212mi) day for crossing the Mojave desert (California) with temperatures above 40deg. Photo album and more info here !
• September 2014: Diagonal crossing of Wales by mountain bike (parts on- and off-road), from Abergavenny in the south-east, across the Brecon Beacons, mid Wales, and Snowdonia, to Bangor in the north-west..
• August 2014: Cycling across the Pyrenees, all the way from Santander in Spain, following the Spanish/French border, over a dozen mountain passes, to Perpignan near the French mediterranean. A bit more than 1000km in a week.
• July 2013: Cycling across the Alps, from Austria, through Switzerland, Italy and to the French riviera; a bit more than 1000km of Alpine roads and mountain passes in just 5 days.
• Summer 2012 and 2013: Two seasons of mountain running races in the Alps (in Austria, Germany, Italy), usually finishing in the top 20% (see below).
• May 2013: My personal record for a fast long ride, cycling from Austria to Belgium, 670 km in just 2 (long !) days (self-supported, i.e. carrying food and luggage).
• January 2012: Cycling through California, about 900km including a ride along the Death Valley and a stretch of Pacific Coast Highway.
• September 2010: West-east traverse of Scotland on foot and by packraft, 250km in less than 6 days, featured in the French magazine Carnets d'Aventure of June 2011.
• August 2009: Crossing of Turkey on foot and by bicycle from south to north (Adana - Samsun).

Running race results

I enjoy the competitive aspect of races every now and then. It's great to measure yourself against other athletes, though I don't plan my seasons around races. I still much prefer to go on original/self-planned challenges of my own. Anyway, if you're curious, and admittedly to satisfy my own ego :) here are my latest results.

2015

• Architrail Mosan      Trail run, 40 km      Dinant, Belgium, USA    October 4, 2015
  Results: 3h35, ranked 1st / 89 overall
• Lost Turkey Trail Marathon      Trail run, 42 km      Blue Knob State Park, PA, USA    August 1, 2015
  Results: 4h30, ranked 4 / 100 overall
• Allegheny Front Trail Run 50k      Trail run, 50 km      Black Moshannon State Park, PA, USA    May 9, 2015
  Results: 5h41, ranked 5 / 29 overall
• Glacier Ridge 50k      Trail run, 50 km      Moraine State Park, Pennsylvania, USA    May 9, 2015
  Results: 5h30, ranked 3rd / 70 overall
• Fools 50k      Trail run, 50 km      Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio, USA    March 29, 2015
  Results: 5h02, ranked 7 / 106 overall, 1st in age-group

2014

• Coastal Trail Series: Gower      Trail run, 46 km      Gower peninsula, Wales    November 15, 2014
  Results: 4h24, ranked 3rd / 119 overall
• Boucles Ardennaises      Trail run, 37 km      La Roche-en-Ardenne, Belgium    June 7, 2014
  Results: 4h04, ranked 6/179 overall, 2nd in age-group
• Coastal Trail Series: Flete      Trail run, 44 km      South Devon, England    May 25, 2014
  Results: 4h23, ranked 3rd / 76 overall
• Coastal Trail Series: Pembrokeshire      Trail run, 45 km      Pembrokeshire, Wales    May 3, 2014
  Results: 4h07, ranked 6 / 103 overall

2013

• Belman triathlon      Ironman triathlon, 3.8km/180km/42km      Robertville, Belgium    September 1, 2013
  Results: 12h27, ranked 37 / 71
• Trans d'Havet      Trail run, 80 km      Valdagno, Italy    July 7, 2013
  Results: 13h23, ranked 60 / 284 overall
• Cortina trail      Trail run, 48 km      Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy    June 30, 2013
  Results: 5h21, ranked 62 / 636 overall
• Spa-Olne      Trail run, 30 km      Spa, Belgium    April 14, 2013
  Results: 2h26, ranked 8 / 210 overall, 4 / 74 in age-group

2012

• Sella Ronda      Trail run, 54 km      Colfosco, Italy    September 15, 2012
  Results: 7h04, ranked 19 / 117
• Allgau panorama ultramarathon      Trail run, 70 km      Sonthofen, Germany    August 19, 2012
  Results: 8h25, ranked 32 / 294
• Trumer sprint triathlon      Short distance triathlon      Obertrum, Austria    July 21, 2012
  Results: 1h30, ranked 70 / 290
• Innsbruck sprint triathlon      Short distance triathlon      Innsbruck, Austria    June 17, 2012
  Results: 3rd overall, 1st in age-group
• Maas Marathon      Road run, 42 km      Visé, Belgium    May 13, 2012
  Results: 3h27

2011

• Karwendellauf      Trail run, 52 km      Karwendel, Austria    August 27, 2011
  Results: 6h18, ranked 75 / 285