Experiencing Outdoor Subculture

Our lives are a continuous journey of experiences that are bound to inspire and shape us, make or mar us. For me, intense experiences have been the strongest tool for personal development and my perception of life.

The last 3 days in Chamonix have been abundantly enriching for me, introducing me to the way of life of the outdoor subculture.

It was an ULTRA TRAIL mountain marathon called the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) with over 6000 runners from different parts of the world who came together to run for 168km through the Mont Blanc across 3 countries (France, Italy, Switzerland). It started on Friday,6pm, and ended on Sunday, 6pm. (Yes, the athletes were expected to run all through the night without sleeping.)

However, the race was cancelled after 31km due to outrageously bad weather conditions. There were mixed feeling about this decision, but i was most overwhelmed by the strong feelings of despair displayed by the athletes. Some cried and you could see in their faces just how much this race means to them..

I don't want to go on and on about the race but I got thrills from the passion and emotions that I saw from athletes of different ages, old and young, in these last days, all wanting to do what they are passionate about: running in nature. (Mind you, these guys are ordinary people like me and you). It made me realize that no matter how some things - like running for 48 hours straight - might feel strange to some of us, it feels perfectly right for others.

The amount of fulfilment these people get from running in the mountains cannot be overemphasized. I truly respect them and I truly have learnt something from them these last days, seeing them out there in the middle of nowhere, in the rain, under the sun, pushing through, enduring every single pain, avoiding obstacles on the way and most ultimately enjoying themselves, the determination to reach the finish line, the feeling of fulfilment on their faces as they cross it, the outburst of emotions from friends, families and loved ones as their dads, mums, husbands and wives come running in with all stain of muds over them... Guys, it was just an awesome moment to celebrate.

What I take away from this is the message that you can do anything, you just need to be prepared, physically and mentally. So, don't stop pushing those limits. You can always make it to the finish line...

"...and as for brands, try to always understand deeply the motivations of your consumers because this is the point where you can provide the right solutions for their needs and engage them with the right activities to create that meaningful brand experience; a fundamental principle for gaining the needed equity to keep the brand alive and relevant for a very long time".

-Kenoma Agbamu

Chamonix, France. August 29th, 2010

On top of all this, the Scenery in Chamonix is amazingly fantastic ...