Swisspeaks 100 | Ultra Running Motivational Journey (Final Chapter)

[@JeffPelletier]

Great film! It was so nice seeing some of the course that I’d missed running at night in the 360k, particularly around the Salanfe Dam.

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks Jeff! As I was going through that section I was wondering how on earth those who are doing it by night managing to get through! So tricky going up towards the Susanfe Pass! Loved your film on the 360!

[@tonimediafull]

Je cherchais une vidéo pour me faire une idée de ce qui m'attendais en septembre. Je suis content d'être tombé sur ta vidéo. Super travail et félicitations !!! PS : la chanson de fin et magique

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Merci Toni! Ca fait chaud au coeur!! Bon courage avec la course! Tout de bon!

[@dannyreevesrunning]

This video deserves a wider audience. Wonderful thoughts on family and what it really means in the end. Bravo Rafael.

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks a lot Danny! Doing my best to explore that emotional and psychological aspects of these adventures. That’s the great aspect of this sport! Transposable to everyday life.

[@tinusbbq7148]

Tu est génial Rafael! J’adore tes vidéos avec le côté mystérieux et mental. J’ai commencé cette année avec le trailrunning mais blessé au genou en ce moment.. Ça me frustre de pas pouvoir m’entraîner. Continue stp bravo! Et merci!!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Merci beaucoup Tinus! 🙏 ton message fait chaud au coeur!

[@solebrother9620]

Incredible. Captivating. Brilliantly narrated and edited. What a journey! Congratulations and greetings from Zürich!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks SoleBrother! A physical and spiritual journey indeed! See you on the trails!

[@WimsHardloopChannel]

Congratz with finishing the Swisspeaks 100. Again thanks for sharing your amazing journey Rafael, so inspiring! Being a dad myself with children around the same age. I'm touched how you found your answers by setting an example for your children to follow. All I want for my children is to follow their dreams. You have given me more reasons to achieve 100 k myself next year!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Waw what a great message thanks! I couldn’t be happier to hear that it inspired you! The 100k is a tough journey but its a great example To set for your children to allow themselves to dream big and put in the effort to achieve their goals. Thanks again for taking the time to drop a few lines that in turn motivate me to continue sharing my adventures.

[@WimsHardloopChannel]

@@rafaelhidalgo You couldn’t be more right about that! I’m looking forward to more of your adventures! Keep up the good work! 👍🏻

[@rafaelhidalgo]

@@WimsHardloopChannel 👍

[@ChroChaoChris]

Gros respect mec ! Bravo pour cet accomplissement ! J'ai suivi cet épisode avec toujours autant de tension et de compassion, et je suis plus que jamais inspiré à me lancer dans de telles aventures... Si seulement mes genoux n'étaient pas en carton ! 😭

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Merci Chris! j’espère que tu pourra nous rejoindre sur les sentiers un de ces quatre. Essaye de mettre du “strapping” ca peut aider. J’ai des genoux assez fragiles aussi et ce strapping m’a beaucoup aider en plus du renforcement musculaire. C’était une sacré aventure que je vais continuer. Pourquoi pas tenter l’UTMB dans deux ans entre les chasses aux tornades 😉

[@RasDoesBushcraftBackcountry]

Algorithm is working in your favor mate. NEW SUB FROM Aotearoa NZ.. I have been looking for smaller time running channels and others who had done 100km running races as a bit of training '' kick up the rear'' when i mentally get too tireed from my own training. Just signed up for a regional 100km ultra along an old railway line which is mainly flat with 20 kms to the end the last tiny hill part. It is my first 100 km but i have done Oreenteering long stasges and rogaining and OMM In Uk and Japan a few years ago. Awesome film there mate. realluy enjoyed and look forward to more running related vids from ya.

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks a lot buddy! It’s so difficult sometimes to find the motivation and I found a lot of it through different channels especially the ones with inspiring films. But the biggest motivation was to show my kids that life is a tough course and you need to grind through it however difficult it might get. Its difficult to explain to them so i wanted to show them that through dedication, discipline and determination you can get to where you wanna go. Bravo in taking the difficult step of clicking confirm to sign up for that 100k race 👏 it’s gonna be awesome and sounds challenging despite being flattish. Hope you can share your experience once your are done with that objective 🙏 it’s always great to hear the stories of our community grinding through their adventures; especially For those of us who are full time fathers, committed husbands and dedicated employees with limited time for training. On my end ultimately I would like to take part in some of the epic races like UTMB, Western States 100, Diagonale des Fou etc… we will see. Hope to feature many more races on this channel.

[@JackKinross]

Fantastic, you really captured the feeling of what it is like in these types of events, I felt your pain, brought back a lot of memories, well done. Have only just discovered your channel, really hope you qualify for UTMB, be great to see the film you could make doing that. Good luck!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks a lot Jack! Really appreciate the support! Next fil you will find out if i made it into UTMB

[@ruiperes]

Exceptional! Really enjoyed it Rafael.

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks a lot!

[@chrisb7999]

Absolutely perfect ending with the girls. Great job on this vid, Sir. Some beautiful mountain villages as well as the words of encouragement and motivation. 🙌

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks so much Chris! Really appreciate the kind words!! I have some other films on the channel and another long Ultra coming soon on the channel (the Swiss Alps 100 i did in August)😃

[@Sanko1960]

Beautiful videography and editing, superb graphics, excellent narration, well-chosen music, and an inspiring, honest, and genuine story, and a beautiful family to greet you at the end. Congratulations and thank you!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks Natasha! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the film! Its so heartwarming to hear such kind words! Will hopefully be doing more !

[@christopherdodds9924]

What an accomplishment...and a great documentary souvenir as well! Congratulations.

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks a lot Christopher! It was an epic adventure!

[@louchepierre3620]

Thank you for making this video. I've enjoyed it from the first second to the last. I can only have tons of respect for superhumans like yourself and your fellow runners.

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks Pierre! It warms my heart to read your words. Thanks for seeing us as superhumans but ultimately we are just normal people and it all comes down to dedication, discipline and determination, like in all areas of life. Which is actually what I am trying to convey to my children. Life is tough, hopefully long and will be difficult. One needs to step out of the comfort zone and grind through the pain to reach a defined destination. Ultra running is a sort of metaphor for life. It has its ups and downs, like the ultra with the peaks and valleys and you gotta move forward relentlessly. If you cant run, walk; if you can’t walk, crawl. But keep moving. I am sure you are a superhuman in another domain where you have applied similar energy to reach an objective 💪 Thanks for taking the time to drop a few lines and I sure will be trying to share more adventures going forward. My ultimate objective being to run the famous UTMB: the queen race for Ultra runners.

[@vrabiecatalin5863]

One of the best video about ultras that I ever seen. Congratulation!!!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks a lot! That motivates me even more to do more of these!

[@danbaulch4325]

Great vid! Swiss Peaks looks amazing!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks! Was indeed an epic adventure!

[@swissalps100]

An absolutely amazing video showing your adventure. We cannot wait to see you next year at the starting line of the Swiss Alps 100.

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks a lot for your kind words! Looking forward to doing your race!!

[@ag4832]

Your videos are absolutely superb. 👏👏

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks so much!!

[@ianl4518]

Fantastic film, really captures everything. The highs and lows that we all experience. it connects us. Can't agree about the aid station though, I absolutely hate fish. That would have been the end of my race right there and then! 🤣

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks Ian!! Haha 🐠 yeah i was surprised that it went down so well!! I had so many issues putting food in my stomach, that was a refreshing change haha the best was the beer i was given in the previous pass!

[@robbiereeve7916]

Fair play for keeping the camera rolling, I know when you are feeling rough, filming yourself is probably the last thing you want to do. Beautiful video and well done Rafael!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks Robbie! You are totally right haha i often didn’t feel like pressing record but I knew this was key to sharing the ultra experience. Those down moments are what brings that magic to the whole experience. I’m thrilled you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to drop a few lines! 🙏

[@thedude9082]

Great job. Just found your channel. Video is like poetry with the narration explaining the trials and tribulations of running really far. Always just look as a day in the woods because can't find any mountains in pancake Florida, USA.

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks!! I love Florida! It’s another charm compared to the mountains. Hope you can make the epic mountains one of these days. See you on the trails!

[@user-wg8jd1hx3t]

exellent documentary, well done!!!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks a lot!! 🙏

[@ericchevalley]

Ça fait envie! Bravo, quel courage 👏

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Merci! 🙏

[@constantinelcercel852]

Congratulations..Well done and nice videos!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks a lot Constantinel! Never give up!

[@marielaborgarello7535]

Sublime. Inspirador. Emocionante ¡. Una narración y un tono de voz acorde a la magnificencia de lo que se ve, se siente, se dice ... Además, sin conocerte, es como si te conociera: porque te pareces mucho a Fabiana, tu Hermana. Soy Amiga de Felicitas, su Madre. Mis Felicitaciones ¡ Soy simplemente una aficionada al Senderismo, y he retomado la práctica de Caminata Nórdica. Me preparo para seguir descubriendo la belleza de la naturaleza, la luz, los bosques, las montañas. Nos enseñas a seguir adelante . Lo haces con MAESTRIA. Con sincero aprecio, Mariela Borgarello.

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Muchas gracias Mariela! Abrazo!

[@gnobulixpurple7494]

Great video! You were really into it to keep filming despite the exhaustion and the rough patches. I was thinking of giving Swisspeaks 100 a shot in 2022, this gives a good idea of the multiple challenges.

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks!! Awesome to hear that you are interested in the Swisspeaks 100! Its a great course as you saw! If you need any tips let me know! As Nike would say “Just do it” 😉

[@83nakedtruth]

Thats great, motivational video. Congratulations.

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks! 🙏

[@deangriffiths9216]

Nice job, no pain no gain, keep up the good work, more trails are calling!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks a lot mate! 2022 is going to be another fun season. Then UTMB in 2023 hopefully! See you on the trails!

[@maartenbln]

That finish made me cry! Beautiful!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks so much for your message !! 🙏

[@sandraspence9209]

Congratulations on your finish and capturing this spectacular footage. I’m just in awe and excited for my first upcoming 100K.

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks!! Super cool which 100k are you doing?

[@sandraspence9209]

@@rafaelhidalgo It’s in the states, Endurance Hunter 100K, in Blue Ridge, Georgia. 15,000’ of elevation, fairly new race and a first year qualifier for Western States.

[@rafaelhidalgo]

@@sandraspence9209 just looked it up! Looks like an awesome adventure awaits! Doing a race in the US on day is on my bucket list! So you preparing the Western States as well?

[@megang9563]

Great video! I am more of a half marathon person myself but maybe an ultramarathoner someday. I love the scenery and can only dream of running somewhere that amazing!!!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks Megan! I’m sure you will do the ultra jump one of these days. Remember that ultra running is not only “running”, its a lot of fast hiking as well which is cool. See you on the trails!

[@raduch1983]

fantastic effort, great video. chapeau

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks a lot!!

[@patrickburling1849]

Great series of videos👍. Thanks for taking us on your journey and congratulations ‼️‼️

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks! Was an incredible ride and I hope to make some more epic adventures in 2022 that I will share 🙏

[@eliaskibreab3183]

What an epic run. Great example the ultra community. Hoping to run it next year.

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks mate! Its an awesome course; can’t recommend it enough! And the aid stations are sooooo good haha Next year Im signed up for the Mont Blanc Marathon and the SwissAlps 100. Hoping to get a few other races bagged as well and will hopefully be doing films on those as well.

[@gercokoks9167]

Amazing, inspirational!!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks Gerco!!

[@KH-wq1zr]

Epic! Been waiting for this final chapter and it didn’t disappoint. Inspirational. Congratulations and well done!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks a lot for your kind words and support! Really appreciated!! 🙏

[@nicholassmith8044]

Congratulations on your epic triumph and accomplishment 👍, that is some spectacular and beautiful scenery even with the cold and bad weather.

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks a lot Nicholas! Hope you enjoyed the adventure! See you on the trails and never give up!

[@nicholassmith8044]

@@rafaelhidalgo I will keep an eye out for you at future events, children can inspire us in so many ways, they can help achieve so much and you can't beat that fealing crossing that finish line with them ❤️ all the best on the trails and hope to see you at future events👍

[@rafaelhidalgo]

@@nicholassmith8044 indeed! That finish line with the kids is the happiest place on earth 😃 hope to see you on the trails!

[@dansouth2088]

Well done! Bravo!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks Dan!

[@zipupandgo]

Enjoyed watching all your videos. Great job and congrats on your achievement. I’m sure your family is ultra proud of you. Hope to see more of your adventures in future while I seek mine 👊🏼

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks! My wife was more relieved that I finished with running ultras… but turns out to be the beginning haha destination UTMB and hopefully other epic races. Hope to see you on the trails!

[@miguelmike2555]

Super video, respect!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Merci Miguel! 🙏

[@mook4394]

congrats on making it all the way. And nice video all round - appreciate the effort you've put in to it all!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks a lot for your kind words! It sure did take me a lot of time so really appreciate your support! 🙏

[@markdawson2989]

So glad you made it! Bravo! Reminds me of my UTMB CCC race in 2019, so glad to finish such a beautiful course. Hopefully I manage the TDS route next year. All the best for your future adventures.

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks a lot for your kind words! I’m actually hoping to maybe to CCC one of these days as well. Signed for the Swissalps 100 next year.

[@paulsparkes5741]

great videos very well done !!!! thanks for sharing your journey

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks for checking in!! And thanks for your support!

[@EmmaEdinburgh]

Amazing job, such a massive challenge! The scenery looks unbelievable also, I really enjoyed your film

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks a lot Emma! It certainly was an epic adventure in an incredible setting. Hopefully more to come in 2022 😃😃

[@gabornyers7091]

Epic Journey Buddy! Great effort!! One day I may....

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks mate!! Was a hell of an oddessey indeed. I posted a short recap video of my season if you are curious to see what else I did.

[@jnagtube]

ah, i have footage from the same train window from this summer just past. Such a lovely spot.

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Awesome! You came to Switzerland? Nice! Hope you had a good time!

[@jnagtube]

@@rafaelhidalgo yeah came and never left about 3 years ago :D haha

[@rafaelhidalgo]

@@jnagtube awesome good on ‘ya! 🙌

[@trailsandbeers]

Awesome!!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks!!

[@frankhenning6978]

so inspiring wow amazing job. I have my first ultra next year

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks Frank! Awesome which ultra are you doing in 2022?

[@frankhenning6978]

@@rafaelhidalgo you really did a good job with filming it! Wish I could make movies like this rafael! I'm teaming up with my girlfriend and do the pitztal alpine glajer trail in austria! Really looking forward to it

[@rafaelhidalgo]

@@frankhenning6978 very cool indeed! Amazing landscapes! Some of these races look pretty technical! So you are gonna race together with your girlfriend thats nice! Which distance you doing?

[@frankhenning6978]

I sure hope so! We are doing 45km or 44 something like that. It's my girlfriend first trail race so I hope she is strong enough to finish. I am walking 101km in 24 hours a month later in Belgium. To kind of get a taste of a 24 hour race and a good visual on 100km for a ultra marathon in the future. But trail running is more of a B plan. I'm planning on going ironman triathlons. Love your content! Do you also have strava and instagram?

[@rafaelhidalgo]

@@frankhenning6978 awesome sounds great! Ensure you guys do some leg strengthening exercises. Theres a few good videos on youtube. Im not on strava(yet) but im on instagram: rafael.eduardo.hidalgo

[@albertoguerradelima5566]

very inspiring!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks Alberto!

[@iterato1]

Another epic journey, thanks for sharing! Stomach is also my usual issue in longer efforts. Curious if you discovered any magic cures. I've recently started using Maurten gels in my faster long efforts like a road marathon and that works well. Looking to test that out in trail ultras, will see...

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks Ilya I did find a magic trick! The Baouw products!www.baouw-organic-nutrition.com/compotes-energetiques-bio-1194

[@leonardogalasso6904]

grande! complimenti....

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Grazie!!

[@akapulkrolopez2708]

inspirador !

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Gracias!

[@christinamuller4406]

Congrats! I'm thinking about venturing my first 100k next yeat and if I'm not selected for EIger Ultra Trail (an event I can very highly recommend), Swiss Peaks is on the list. But it looks horrifyingly technical!!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks Christina! Eiger must be awesome! I wanted to do it to but I will be on holiday in July so can’t make it. So im doing the SwissAlps 100 which looks really nice with the view on the Aletsch glacier. Swisspeaks is indeed very technical in the first part. I struggled because of my ankle. But it is a beautiful course. If you do it and need any tips let me know 😃

[@christinamuller4406]

@@rafaelhidalgo Will do so. Also in September and this year for the first time is the Wildstrubel (by UTMB). Check it out, looks pretty awesome as well. So many options for only two legs :P

[@rafaelhidalgo]

@@christinamuller4406 indeed! I am considering signing up for that one too! Trying to do a bunch of races by UTMB. Thinking of the one in Nice as well end of september. See you on the trails!

[@rachels6263]

@@rafaelhidalgo Hi Great video and some lovely images. Did you do the Swiss Alps100 this year and if so how did it compare? Looking at doing one of these two this coming year. Thanks

[@rafaelhidalgo]

@@rachels6263 awesome! Thanks for your kind message! Yup I did do the SwissAlps 100, film coming up later this year. Both races are great but different. Swisspeaks is much more technical. SwissAlps has the Aletsch glacier and suspended bridges which are unbeatable . Aid stations were probably slightly more varied in the Swisspeaks , its one of their trademarks. Swisspeaks starts and ends in different locations whilst SwissAlps starts and finishes in Fiesch (which is logically easier) and you can stay in the hotel which is right on the start line as opposed to Swisspeaks which is more of a logistical headache to get to Finhaut.Swisspeaks is a bigger event with more participants. I found SwissAlps very well organized and the race director excellent in terms of communication. I could run more on the SwissAlps. SwissAlps is also a Qualifying race for Epic races in the US 🇺🇸 like badwater and westen states.

[@sandropessina9046]

Thank you so much for sharing your journey, in a so enjoyable way. PS: which gps watch did you had on (20:15)? Thanks again.

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks to you for following! The watch is the Fenix 6x.

[@davidsmyth4004]

Great video , great achievement, very motivational. Anyone know the final song name ?

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks a lot! The song is from one of our trail running companions who wrote the song specifically for the Swisspeaks race. You can find his clip here fb.watch/7VEe7U1FWR/

[@lukaslans]

nice story man :)

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks mate! See you on the trails!

[@whocarriestheboats-cj6gx]

Great video! Just signed up for Swisspeaks 100 because of your video! I saw that at least the first portion of the race is very technical - does is get more runable afterwards?

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Awesome! Thanks for your message! Good luck with the race! Yes after it is a little more runnable. But i was toast haha it became a long hike 😆

[@whocarriestheboats-cj6gx]

@@rafaelhidalgo Absolutely think it will be the same for me, but still worth asking. Seemed very technical from the videos but the times showed me that there have to be a good portion runnable. Thank you!

[@rafaelhidalgo]

@@whocarriestheboats-cj6gx have a good one mate! Enjoy it!

[@chadrivoli3732]

Great job. I can’t imagine the pain you were in. How long was the recovery afterward?

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks Chad! It took me a couple of weeks to recover after that 😰

[@anacletooliveirafilho7342]

Congratulations for your beautifull hystory God Bless everybody

[@rafaelhidalgo]

Thanks a lot Anacleto 🙏 see you on the trails!

[@rickross6753]

hold your poles correctly, learn from the skiers

[@rafaelhidalgo]

I’m a skier. I like holding my poles like that uphill.