Magic Mountain

French author, herdsman and competitive trail running champion Brice Delsouiller leads a solitary life a two-and-a-half-hour walk from the last stretch of road, with only by his herds, his dogs – and his drive to reach the clouds – as companions.

Every day, he trains as he rallies his cows across a valley that goes from pastures to screes all the way to the top, at 2,500 metres above sea level.

There could be no better context to test Asics’ latest trail runner, the GEL-Fujitrabuco 7, than to run up and down the Pyrénées, departing from an altitude of 1,600 metres.

The Japanese brand’s latest is packed with technologies that stand up to all types of weather and terrains without getting weighed down by that “hiking boot” feeling: from the heel (where Asics’ signature Gel capsule absorbs every impact), all the way to the tip of the toes (where the sturdy Flytefoam Lyte insole provides protection and flexibility), the GEL-Fujitrabuco 7 envelops the foot while setting the runner free to roam wherever inspiration beckons.

Outside, the Asicsgrip Outsole works to provide stability and adherence – rain or shine – works in tandem with the Rock Protection Plane, a light yet rigid plastic plate that protects from gravel and other debris, while the upper’s Tongue Gaiter prevents the latter from sneaking their way into the shoe.

If this preview of our story from the forthcoming third issue of Athletica doesn’t make you want to lace up and head on your own adventure, we don’t know what will.

You can look forward to more of these gorgeous landscapes, more shots of the man himself in action, and a story by Bruno Deruisseau, just in time for spring 2019.