The Run Mate by Core Lean Lac Léman: An unforgettable sporting adventure in the heart of the Lake Geneva region
The Run Mate by Core Lean Lac Léman is more than just a run. It's a human adventure, a sporting challenge, and an exceptional opportunity to share in the enchanting setting of the Lake Geneva basin. The weekend of 21 and 22 September 2024 will mark the 6th edition of this unique event, where teams of 2 to 9 participants will run in relays the 220 km around Lake Geneva, creating unforgettable memories and forging unbreakable bonds.
A concept that combines competition and conviviality
The Run Mate is based on a simple but powerful concept: each team must take it in turns to cover the 26 marked sections around the lake, with each relay varying from 4 to 15 km. While one team member is racing, the others travel by van or car to the next relay point, where the atmosphere is one of celebration and mutual support. Teams can choose their strategy and divide the distances according to their individual strengths and desires, maximising their performance while enjoying the experience.
As well as the race itself, the Run Mate also offers parallel challenges to add an extra dose of fun and friendly competition. Once the race is over, the participants gather around a good meal to celebrate their exploits together and share moments of conviviality to round off this intense adventure in style.
Three captains, three approaches
This year, three Léman Running teams are preparing to take on the challenge. Captains Thando, Jorge and Damien share their experiences, preparations and advice for tackling this unique event, each with their own style and vision of what the Run Mate represents.
Thando: The rigorous organisation of Léman Running Vaud
Thando, captain of the Léman Running Vaud team, embodies a methodical and organised approach. From the very first stages of preparation, he makes it a point of honour to structure every detail. "The first stage is to register the team as early as possible to take advantage of the best rates," he explains. But registration is only the beginning of a more complex process. The selection of team members is crucial, as potential replacements must be provided in case of last-minute cancellations. "The key to success is to involve every member of the team in the organisation," stresses Thando, who has extensive experience of managing teams for Run Mate.
This collective commitment is reflected in a clear division of roles and responsibilities within the team. Thando ensures that everyone has a precise task, whether it's logistics, nutrition or preparing the relays. This collaborative approach not only lightens the individual workload, but also strengthens cohesion and team spirit. "My role is to coordinate all this and motivate the team," he adds, stressing the importance of team spirit to the success of the event.
There are many memories of previous editions for Thando, who is taking part for the fifth time. Among the most memorable anecdotes, he recalls the first edition when he and a team-mate got lost during their night-time relay, an experience which, although stressful, strengthened the camaraderie within the team. "One of our team-mates got lost for 45 minutes in the dark, on the French side, without a headlamp," he says. These unexpected challenges are part of the magic of the Run Mate, turning every difficulty into an opportunity to excel.
Jorge: The philosophy of the Les Loutres team - Léman Running
For Jorge, captain of the Les Loutres team, the Run Mate is much more than a competition. It's a real collective journey where team spirit prevails over everything else. "We train regularly throughout the year, and as the race approaches, we step up our efforts to prepare for the specific conditions of the event," he explains. The training focuses not only on physical endurance, but also on mental preparation, which is essential for tackling the challenges of a 24-hour race.
Previous editions have provided Jorge and his team with unforgettable memories. He recalls with a smile the runner who chose to take on the challenge in sandals, a daring decision for a 12 km relay with a 300 metre gradient. Or the team-mate who got lost during a relay, forcing the team to guide her back using the Run Mate's GPS. These moments, both stressful and fun, are an integral part of the Run Mate experience and strengthen the bonds within the team.
The balance of the relays is another crucial aspect for Jorge. He makes sure that each member of the team has a route suited to his or her abilities, in order to maintain a positive group dynamic while avoiding the risk of injury. "We're careful not to get burnt out on the first stints so that we can keep up the pace throughout the day", he explains, a lesson he learned the hard way during the first edition.
Damien: The friendly spirit of Léman Running Genève
Damien, captain of the Léman Running Genève team, takes a more relaxed, but no less effective approach. "We run regularly for fun, without pressure," he says. What motivates his team to come back every year is the friendly atmosphere, the beauty of the course and the pleasure of running together. For Damien and his team, the Run Mate is above all an opportunity to get together with friends and enjoy this sporting adventure without being overwhelmed by the competition.
Damien and his team don't have any specific training for the Run Mate, but they know how to organise themselves so that everyone can make the most of the experience. Flexibility is the key word in their strategy. "We take it in turns to be flexible, listening to everyone's needs," explains Damien. This flexibility allows them to adapt to unforeseen circumstances and ensures that every member of the team feels supported, especially during the night stints when fatigue can become a major challenge.
Highlights of past editions for Damien include the spectacular sunrises, a moment when the accumulated fatigue of the night is suddenly dissipated by the beauty of the landscape. "Every year, the sunrise relay is particularly memorable," he says. For Damien, running for Léman Running is an opportunity to experience a collective challenge while enjoying the most enjoyable aspects of running.
Alessandro: The volunteer heart of the Run Mate
Alessandro, head of the Léman Running volunteer team, is a keen runner and has been supporting the Run Mate with his team since its inception. Every year, he takes charge of the relay point in Gland, where he animates and supports the participants throughout the day. For him, it's a way of experiencing the race from the inside, encouraging all the runners and supporting the organisers. "It's a way of encouraging all the participants, experiencing this unique race from the inside and supporting the organisers, who are working hard to offer a race full of challenges," explains Alessandro.
Once again this year, Alessandro and his team will be present from 3pm to 10pm in Gland, and they are inviting anyone who would like to experience this event from the inside to come and help them. The Gland relay is a crucial point for the teams, a place where runners can not only receive support, but also recharge their batteries before hitting the road again. Thanks to the energy and commitment of Alessandro and his team of volunteers, the relay has become a real rallying point for the participants.
Sign up for the Acorn volunteering scheme>.
Interview with Benjamin Chandelier, race director
Creation and Vision
What inspired you to create the Run Mate and what was your initial vision for the event?
Benjamin Chandelier : Run Mate by Core Lean is the story of two enthusiasts like us who had a dream: to run around our magnificent Lake Geneva. However, our physical capacities didn't allow us to run non-stop for more than 200 km... And as we love helping each other, sharing and teamwork, we decided to create this new event format by proposing to turn running into a team sport where the "mates" would take it in turns to run around Lake Geneva and visit more than 70 towns, 3 cantons in Switzerland and a French department. In short, an incredible human adventure, magnificent scenery (we've got the most beautiful place in the world to run 😊 ), intense physical effort, all in a joyful, good-humoured and mutually supportive atmosphere.
Organisation and logistics
What are the main difficulties you encounter when organising an event of this scale?
Benjamin Chandelier : This will be the 7th edition, so the event is now 'easier' to organise than the first edition, which took almost a year and a half to prepare. There are more than 70 local authorities, two countries with between 25 and 30 relay points, and we went out to meet the various local authorities to explain our project and convince them, because we were starting from a blank sheet of paper. Today, all the local authorities are fully on board and support us, because without them we couldn't do anything. Every year we even get requests from local authorities to host a relay point. This magnificent event, which also makes it possible to offer a cross-border event (there aren't many of them), would not be possible without the mobilisation of the many volunteers who accompany us throughout the weekend, at the finish and departure points in Montreux, on the routes, at the relay points... and it was a real challenge the first few editions in the areas around the lake where we had fewer contacts. Today, our loyal volunteers are with us all the way, giving the teams an unforgettable experience. A huge thank you to them!
How do you ensure the safety of participants along the route?
Benjamin Chandelier : The route aims to have participants run as much as possible on paths and pavements, avoiding road crossings as much as possible. However, in some places we have to cross streets, and we do so on pedestrian crossings, and when the crossings are tricky, marshals are on hand to accompany the participants. What's more, each runner is fitted with a GPS beacon that enables us to follow the progress of each team live and to check that everyone is on the course and following the thousands of arrows and markers that we install to guide them along the route. Finally, a medical system with a 24-hour emergency medical number has been set up to intervene quickly in the event of a problem.
Evolution of the race
How has Run Mate evolved since its creation?
Benjamin Chandelier : Run Mate by Core Lean was an instant hit with the public, and from the very first event there were many teams taking part. Growth was slowed down slightly by the COVID before picking up again and reaching an exceptional level of enthusiasm, particularly this year when we have been fully booked for several months with 250 teams (the limit we set ourselves to maintain good organisation and quality). There are now almost 100 teams on the waiting list, and we're going to be looking at ways of increasing the number of teams, while maintaining a high standard of organisation, in order to satisfy as many teams as possible.
What innovations or improvements have you made for this 2024 edition?
Benjamin Chandelier : Each year, we analyse the feedback we receive from participants in detail in order to modify or correct certain parts of the organisation. In 2024, there will be no major revolution, but more refinements, such as certain parts of the route or the support and preparation of participants with a new partner that we will be announcing shortly.
Participation and Impact
How do you explain the growing success of the Run Mate with runners?
Benjamin Chandelier : This event is unique in the running scene, where it's as a team that you manage to become a finisher and run around this magnificent lake. It's a real human adventure, and something magical happens between the runners during the event. Today, people need to get together and share great moments together while doing sport, and Run Mate by Core Lean meets these needs.
What impact do you hope the Run Mate will have on the local community and participants?
Benjamin Chandelier : Run Mate by Core Lean is an opportunity to meet new people (teams meet up at relay points and talk to each other a lot), but it's also a chance to discover unknown territories that are close to home. Finally, for the local community, it's a way of promoting the area and being proud of its lake, because the lake is the link between all the runners, whether they come from the canton of Geneva, Vaud, Valais or Haute-Savoie.
Challenges
How do you choose the challenges that run alongside the race to add a fun dimension to the event?
Benjamin Chandelier : In fact, alongside this sporting challenge, and in order to reward as many teams as possible and to promote our beautiful region and our partners, we are organising what we call "non-race challenges", which are varied and should enable participants to distinguish themselves in a number of ways: fun (with the Carnival of mates), sport (with "My legs are better than yours"), culture of the region (with the nerd quiz), communication (with "the camera pro") and many others.
Advice for New Participants
The three captains share some advice for new Run Mate participants. Thando recommends rigorous organisation and the involvement of every member of the team. He stresses the importance of choosing the right relays and involving all team members in the preparation to maximise the chances of success. Jorge, for his part, advises that the relays should be well balanced to avoid injury and maintain a good team dynamic. He also points out that mental preparation is just as important as physical preparation.
Damien, for his part, encourages new participants not to put too much pressure on themselves. "Enjoy every moment, have fun and listen to your body," he advises. Managing fatigue is crucial to the success of the Run Mate. Whether it's keeping well hydrated, resting properly between relays or encouraging each other, team spirit is the key to overcoming the challenges of the race.
Everyone agrees on the importance of team spirit. The Run Mate is more than just a competition, it's a collective adventure in which each member plays an essential role. Moments of doubt or fatigue are inevitable, but they are overcome thanks to the mutual support and cohesion of the group.
The Run Mate by Core Lean Lac Léman is much more than just a relay race. It's a collective adventure, a physical and mental challenge, and a unique sharing experience. Whether you're a seasoned runner or an amateur, this race will give you unforgettable memories and an opportunity to surpass yourself as a team.
The Léman Running teams are ready to take up the challenge, driven by a spirit of camaraderie, passion and personal achievement. Join us on 21 and 22 September 2024 for this exceptional adventure in the heart of Lake Geneva! Whether you're a runner, a volunteer or just a spectator, the Run Mate promises unforgettable moments in a breathtakingly beautiful natural setting.
