Marseille Trail Club

The Epeak Testimonial from Marseille Trail Club (MTC)

Welcome to this Epeak testimonial video. Who are you?

"I'm Florian Bruyère. I’ve been in Marseille for 13 years. Professionally, I’m a developer. I started running and trail running six years ago, and I've been a member of the Marseille Trail Club (MTC) for three years, where I also serve on the board of directors."

‍

What is your role on the board of the MTC?

"As part of the board, I handle everything related to IT, including setting up the website and communication tools. I also help organize trail runs"

‍

Can you tell us about the Marseille Trail Club?

"The MTC was created in 2007 by a group of mountain lovers, like us. It’s a major player in the PACA region for trail running because we’re one of the largest clubs, with 160 members."

‍

What makes trail running in Marseille unique?

"The unique aspect of trail running in Marseille is that the terrain is very technical, with lots of rocks. It trains us well because, later, when we head to the Alps, running in the mountains becomes easier. That’s really the benefit of our training here."

‍

How does the Marseille Trail Club engage with its members?

"To communicate with members, we use Epeak. Before, we had scattered WhatsApp groups. Now, with Epeak, we manage everything related to workouts, long runs, and races. We have two training sessions a week and a trail run on the weekend. Throughout the year, we also organize 'off' outings, where we travel on weekends. This year, we went to Esterel, Vercors, and Pila. Epeak allows us to communicate with members, share information, and organize sign-ups."

‍

One of the special things about MTC is that you organize a lot of 'off' outings, right?

"Yes, that’s one of our main features. Compared to other clubs, we’re less focused on competition. We do a lot of extended weekend trips, where we all go together for 2-3 days in the mountains and just have fun."

‍

How does the Marseille Trail Club fund itself?

"The club is partially funded by a departmental grant. As for membership fees, they’re kept low to attract as many people as possible without being limited by price. The main source of funding comes from organizing the Galinette Trail, which is a major race in the region. We’re all volunteers, and the proceeds finance the club throughout the year. All the profits go back into the club to fund the 'off' outings, trips, and social events."

‍

What percentage of the club's funding comes from the Galinette Trail?

"It represents 60% of the club’s funding."

‍

How do you recruit volunteers for your trail race?

"The volunteers for the Galinette Trail are mainly club members. When someone joins the club, they agree to volunteer on race day. It’s part of the deal for a €50 membership. Of the total volunteers, between 120 and 140 are from the club."

‍

In your opinion, what’s the best trail in the Marseille region?

"It’s the Galinette :) There are many beautiful races in the region. We’re part of the Provence Trail Challenge, which includes all the major races in the region, and they’re all stunning. But, for me, the Galinette is the most beautiful."

‍

Last question, are there any Parisians in the Marseille Trail Club?

"Yes, we have Parisians, and a little bit of everyone—some from Lille, some Ch'tis. It’s like an Erasmus program in the south."

The Trail Running App for Clubs

‍

‍

The Marseille Trail Club organizes its club activities in the Epeak app around 4 groups:

Workout Group

This group features structured training sessions focused on quality work for trail running, including interval training and stair sessions. Even though the Calanques are nearby, stair sessions help to build explosive muscle power. Long runs and race course reconnaissance are also part of the club’s program. These sessions are organized either by the coaches or directly by club members.

‍

Events Group‍

The MTC is known for organizing "off" events, which bring members together for major moments outside of traditional races with bibs. Epeak helps organize registrations, discussions, and sharing of GPX files to facilitate the logistics of these multi-day events.

‍

Board Group

The club’s board of directors is managed through a private group on the Epeak app. Both sports management and administrative tasks are handled in one place. The private group is managed by administrators, who approve the addition of new members to this group.

‍

Racing Group‍

The Marseille Trail Club’s race calendar is automatically generated in a dedicated group. The Epeak app includes an up-to-date race calendar for all running and trail events across France. Whenever a member of the MTC adds a race to their schedule, it’s automatically added to the club’s shared calendar.