Digital Steak

Trying (and failing) to run the Haute Route

Charley Radcliffe — Sun, 16 Sep 2018 13:47:16 +0000

Sometimes a long run can do wonders for clearing your head and fixing your mind. Other times it highlights what is wrong without providing a solution. My aim yesterday was to start covering 170km over 4 days but I blew up after just 1. I did, however, manage 49km with 2,700m of ascent in 10...

Running the K2000 at the Mont Blanc Skyrace

Charley Radcliffe — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 07:41:04 +0000

Any race that a helmet is mandatory has to be pretty badass, no? Well, the Mont Blanc Skyrace K2000 is certainly that. Starting in Courmayeur with 2,200m of climbing over 11km to Pointe Helbronner at an altitude of 3,300m, the only way is up. And Up, and up, and up. Sold on the idea last...

Making life work in Chamonix

Charley Radcliffe — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 11:09:29 +0000

One of the most common questions I get is “How do you make life work in Chamonix?” and a follow up to this piece on living the dream. Everyone will be forgiven for thinking that I am a man of leisure with no work commitments, and just a never ending string of days climbing, skiing,...

I’m back..!

Charley Radcliffe — Tue, 24 Jul 2018 15:32:39 +0000

Time flies when you’re having fun, hey? It has been nearly a year since my last blog post. So much has happened; summer continued with plenty of running and climbing, autumn saw me producing a feature film and filming on the north face of the Eiger, and then I skied 101 days in 140 over...

101 Days of Skiing in One Season Infographic

Charley Radcliffe — Wed, 02 May 2018 06:36:55 +0000

Enough is enough – feeding the rat

Charley Radcliffe — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 07:28:49 +0000

Al Alvarez defined feeding the rat as: “the need to get out, to test yourself, to flush out the system, and, above all, to have some fun.” To feed that gnawing sensation in the pit of your stomach that drives our motivation for getting out and challenging ourselves, testing our limits and to quell our...

An experience climbing the Cassin on Piz Badile

Charley Radcliffe — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 12:04:57 +0000

The grin on my face is reflected in Waldo’s as he makes the last moves onto the belay. We have been climbing for 5 hours with a few more to go but the rock is simply stunning and neither of us want it to end. We didn’t know each other 48 hours ago but a...

Running for the joy of running at the Cortina Trail

Charley Radcliffe — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 08:14:53 +0000

“You’ve just got to run for the enjoyment of it all; the views, the trails, the people..”, Seb Chaigneau’s words were rolling through my mind as I carried on pushing myself up the last major climb of the Cortina Trail, the middle distance course at The North Face Lavaredo Ultra Trail. I felt good – sure,...

Finding my flow

Charley Radcliffe — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 06:54:17 +0000

As I was cruising up yet another stunning crack splitting a 300m granite face up high off the Aiguille du Midi, I felt truly in my element. Recent life events have really knocked my mental strength and the first thing to suffer is my ability to climb, or at least feel comfortable climbing. My recent...

Who am I? Identity, ego, and self-esteem

Charley Radcliffe — Tue, 23 May 2017 11:26:50 +0000

Been a while, hey? I’ve been wanting to write on Digital Steak for months now but just not really been feeling it. This blog has always been very personal to me, an insight into who I am and what I am going through but I hit a roadblock. I’ve not really been able to understand...